Ancient Sword World.
Hongya Realm, Mount Yao.
A melodious, refined zither tune echoed through the mountains.
The beauty of the tune intoxicated the mountain's plants and spirits, while its elegance stirred ripples in the Heaven and Earth Laws.
Heaven and Earth's spiritual energy mingled with the qi of clouds and water, becoming spiritual mist that drifted on the wind, making the already breathtaking Mount Yao seem even more ethereal with Immortal Qi.
At the summit, beneath the Yao Tree.
A white-robed man, gentle as jade, sat cross-legged, both hands on the zither. His eyes were closed, and his expression was relaxed and content, as if he was quite pleased with the piece he was playing.
Clearly, he was completely immersed in his own music.
Beside the white-robed man coiled a fearsome black serpent.
It, too, was entranced by the zither's music, which made even the terrifying black serpent seem a few shades gentler and more refined.
After a long while, the white-robed man playing the zither finally came out of his self-absorbed reverie. He opened his eyes and looked at the black serpent beside him.
"Qian Yu, what do you think of this piece of mine?"
The black serpent seemed very happy and nodded repeatedly. A flash of dark divine light passed, and it transformed into a young man in black robes.
The young man sat beside the white-robed man, propped his cheek on one hand, and looked at him with his distinctive golden eyes, smiling. "Changqin, your music is always so beautiful."
The white-robed man playing the zither was none other than Prince Changqin.
As for the great black serpent-no, to be precise, it was a Water Serpent.
After five hundred years, a Water Serpent became a Jiao; after a thousand years, a Jiao became a dragon; after another five hundred years, it became a Horned Dragon; and after a thousand years, an Winged Dragon.
This Water Serpent was called Qian Yu. It was just an ordinary Water Serpent living by the waters of Mount Yao. However, Qian Yu had great ambitions and firmly believed that one day he would cultivate into an Winged Dragon capable of reaching the heavens and penetrating the earth.
"Changqin, I've never heard this piece before. What's it called?"
Qian Yu looked at Prince Changqin, full of interest.
A smile appeared on Prince Changqin's refined, handsome face. "I made it on a whim, so I never gave it a name."
He stood and walked to the edge of the cliff, gazing down at Mount Yao's beautiful scenery. Then he turned and smiled at Qian Yu.
"How about calling it 'Mount Yao'?"
"Mount Yao?"
Qian Yu also stood and went to Prince Changqin's side, but his gaze fell upon Mount Yao's waters. His firm eyes held a hint of longing.
"Changqin, there are tens of thousands of Water Serpents on Mount Yao, yet none of them have golden eyes like me. Does that mean that one day I'll be able to cultivate into an Winged Dragon?"
"An Winged Dragon? Qian Yu, you haven't even become a Jiao yet, and you're already thinking of cultivating into an Winged Dragon?" Changqin said with a teasing laugh.
Qian Yu rolled his eyes and laughed freely. "Dragon King Zhonggu used to be a Water Serpent, too. If he could cultivate into an Winged Dragon, then I naturally can as well."
Hearing Qian Yu's naive words, Changqin smiled and shook his head.
"Dragon King Zhonggu is the son of the Candle Dragon, so naturally he's different from an ordinary Water Serpent. Qian Yu, in my view, whether you become an Winged Dragon isn't all that important. Even as a Horned Dragon, you could soar through the highest heavens and freely roam the Three Realms."
That was what he said, but because of the group owner's spoilers, Prince Changqin knew that Qian Yu would fulfill his wish and cultivate into an Winged Dragon.
As for himself, because of Qian Yu, he would violate the Heavenly Rules and be punished by having his name forever erased from the Immortal Registry. In every life, he would be destined for loneliness, with few bonds of family or love.
And that wasn't all. He would also suffer Soul Separation. Jiao Li would use the forbidden Blood Smear Array to take his Life Soul and Four Ethereal Souls and forge the Frenzy Sword. It could be said that his fate would be utterly miserable.
Of course, now that he already knew the future, he naturally wouldn't repeat the same mistakes, so the future had already changed.
Hearing Changqin's words, which sounded like consolation, Qian Yu didn't argue. He laughed loudly. "Changqin, once I cultivate into a dragon, I'll take you soaring across the mountains and rivers, flying ten thousand miles through the skies. How about it?"
"Good."
Changqin smiled and nodded. Then he turned and went back beneath the Yao Tree, sitting cross-legged as he gently brushed his fingers over the strings, his movements exceedingly tender.
"Changqin, I haven't had a chance to ask yet-why has your Phoenix Arrival Zither changed its appearance?"
Qian Yu came up beside Changqin, his face full of confusion and curiosity.
Prince Changqin was the incarnation of the Phoenix Arrival Zither, one of the three zithers made by the Fire God Zhurong, brought to life as a complete being by Nuwa through the art of drawing upon a Life Soul.
The Phoenix Arrival Zither was Prince Changqin's true form, and could also be called his innate magical treasure.
Qian Yu was naturally very familiar with the Phoenix Arrival Zither's appearance.
But today, Qian Yu had noticed that it looked very different from before. It seemed changed, but he couldn't say exactly what was different.
"Because this zither can no longer be bound by anything in Heaven and Earth. Naturally, it's different now."
Changqin gently brushed the strings and spoke softly, as if answering Qian Yu, and as if talking to himself.
Great Thousand Primordial World.
Bai Yu wasn't paying attention to the Chat Group's messages at the moment. He knew how shocked and astonished the group members were feeling, but he didn't care.
Bai Yu had now obtained the world coordinates for the worlds where everyone in the group lived, and those worlds had completely opened themselves to him.
With a wave of his hand, the Bodhi Tree, Ginseng Fruit Tree, Peach Tree of Immortality, Fusang Wood, and Huangzhong Plum appeared before him. Dense Five Elements Qi surged around them, their brilliance concealed, as the five Innate Spiritual Roots began adapting to the rules and order of this world.
As the five Innate Spiritual Roots gradually adapted to this world's rules and order, the Five Elements Qi they contained rapidly increased and grew stronger. Bai Yu was also preparing to enter seclusion, adjust his condition, and get ready to break through.
Before entering seclusion, he glanced at the Chat Group and saw that it really was lively. The one making the most noise was that group owner who loved posting reaction images.
Good grief, that girl had so many reaction images, and not one of them was a repeat...
[Call Me Group Owner]: Hehe, my Sky Mirror is awesome, right? (smug.jpg) [Maoshan Heavenly Master]: Too bad you can't use it. [Call Me Group Owner]: Hmph! Uncle Jiu, you're just jealous and envious! (seeing-through-everything.jpg) [Maoshan Heavenly Master]: I am envious, but... too bad I still can't use it... [Call Me Group Owner]: ...Ah!!! (frustrated.jpg) [Call Me Group Owner]: Waaaah, why can't I use it?! (bursting-into-tears.jpg)
High Martial World.
Shi Yaoyao lay sprawled over the table, her hands cupping her adorable baby face as she stared glumly at the Sky Mirror before her, which glowed with divine light from the laws.
She had tried all sorts of methods, such as dripping blood on it to claim it as her own, but it still showed no reaction.
She couldn't control this supreme treasure at all.
The Sky Mirror simply floated in front of her, its eternal divine light from the laws shining as brightly as ever.
What left her even more helpless and distraught was that she couldn't put the Sky Mirror away.
She could stuff it into her pocket, sure, but that mysterious divine light from the laws was so conspicuous...
So Shi Yaoyao didn't dare take the Sky Mirror outside. She was afraid it would be snatched away the moment she stepped out...
Before you continue