A Cage Sparrow between heaven and earth, a hall swallow before the rivers and lakes; a moon at the bottom of the Dao heart's well, a wild goose beyond the clouds of wealth and rank; a duckweed drifting atop life's waters.
Standing in the waterside pavilion with his hands tucked into his sleeves, the old man who went by deaf Daoist and held the title of a Guest Official of the Yang Clan pinched his fingers in calculation. He frowned slightly, changed his mind, and decided to speak with Huang Zhen a little longer. Seemingly casually, he asked, "Do you know your master's true identity?"
Huang Zhen shook his head blankly. He only knew that Ma Kuxuan, both his Dao impartor and fellow townsman, came from no ordinary background. He could issue edicts to Spirits and was one of the finest young Dao Cultivators on Treasure Bottle Continent. He had shone brilliantly in the battle of Old Dragon City. Ma Kuxuan had every right to be proud, unruly, and look down on all beneath heaven. Huang Zhen, on the other hand, had left home for many years, alone and rootless, drifting without support. How could he not revere and fear such a Dao impartor, his heart and spirit drawn toward him?
The Little Four Provinces had always been the most unwilling to submit to White Jade Capital's control. Throughout history, White Jade Capital's Dao Officials had rarely appeared here. Naturally, even cultivators from the Little Four Provinces with outstanding aptitude seldom took the initiative to enter White Jade Capital and receive ordination. The two sides had found each other equally unbearable for three thousand years.
After a moment of silence, Huang Zhen said shamefacedly, "Master is a dragon in the heavens, while I am a loach in a muddy pond.