Marrying into the East Sea as a Dragon-Riding Son-in-Law, Marry the Little Dragon King of the South Sea

Little Bug stared blankly, thinking, Brother Zhu really was worried about me. But he only left "East Sea"—how am I supposed to find him? Could the entire vast East Sea be his home? Brother Zhu was far too careless.

Knowing that Zhu Ying had already returned home, Little Bug was no longer in a hurry to go to the academy. He took out another letter and read it carefully. Before he knew it, he had finished all five letters, and lamps suddenly lit up inside the thatched cottage.

Xiao Nan said with a smile, "There is an old saying: Marrying into the East Sea makes one a dragon-riding son-in-law; for marriage, one must choose the Little Dragon King of the South Sea."

"Though it is hardly a proper saying, it truly makes life feel free and exhilarating!"

Little Bug did not understand and asked, "Master, what does that mean?"

Xiao Nan smiled without answering. This saying had not been passed down by any proper immortal lineage, and it was not suitable to explain to his disciple.

Little Bug put away the letters, feeling deeply despondent. But he immediately came to his senses and thought, With Master here, and with him being acquainted with Brother Zhu's family—he even once asked Brother Zhu's father to bring rain—how could I possibly fail to learn where the Zhu family lives in the East Sea?

Xiao Nan pointed a finger and said, "You have already laid the foundations of cultivation. From today onward, you are no longer allowed to sleep. Replace sleep with meditation."

Little Bug agreed, though his mind was elsewhere. He returned to Egret Academy. Although he had not seen Zhu Ying, Wang Chong still felt quite at ease. Not long after sitting in meditation, he entered a state where self and object were forgotten, his spirit roaming the great void.

Seeing his disciple so obedient, Xiao Nan felt greatly comforted. His cultivation was close to the fifth major cycle of magical power; going several days without sleep would not tire him. He opened the newly acquired Daoist book and immersed himself in it.

Xiao Nan came from a renowned lineage and possessed broad knowledge, yet even he had never heard that the highest mental art within the Profound Lantern Record could cultivate thirty-three major cycles of magical power, its might directly rivaling the Five-Terrace Sect's mountain-guarding mental art.

However, the Five-Terrace Sect's supreme mountain-guarding mental art had been lost when the Red-Robed Patriarch turned into a demon. No one could learn it anymore.

The more Xiao Nan read, the more excited he became. Every so often, he glanced at his obedient disciple sitting in meditation and felt that this disciple was truly a priceless treasure. Without Wang Chong's tale, how could he have found such a superior mental art?

Xiao Nan secretly thought, My master, Grandmaster Bai Yue, passed down only three scriptures. At most, they could cultivate twelve major cycles of magical power—barely enough to join the ranks of the first-rate, with no hope of advancing further. With this Profound Lantern Record, there is great hope of expanding the Five-Terrace Sect's legacy.

What is more, this mental art does not conflict with my Primordial Sword Formula. They can be cultivated together. It is simply as perfect as if Heaven and Earth had made them for each other.

Master and disciple passed the night without further words.

The next day, Little Bug rose and received another gourd of fasting pills from his master. He swallowed one and secretly thought, If I eat this stuff every day, I'm afraid I won't need to use the latrine.

Xiao Nan said to Wang Chong, "Stay here and do not wander about. If you encounter any danger, hide yourself at once. I have matters to attend to and will return shortly."

Little Bug hurriedly replied, "This disciple will certainly stand guard here."

Xiao Nan transformed into a streak of clear light and vanished in an instant.

After leaving Egret Academy, Xiao Nan rode his sword straight toward Little Cold Mountain. Little Cold Mountain was only a little over a hundred li from Egret City. In Wang Chong's mother's eyes, that counted as a long journey, but for a sword immortal like him, it was no more than a moment's time.

Upon reaching Little Cold Mountain, Xiao Nan vaguely saw seventeen or eighteen streaks of spiritual light shooting into the sky. These were signs of immortal magical power leaking out from those who had opened the apertures of the spirit and attained considerable cultivation, taking on illusory forms.

After identifying them, Xiao Nan found no spiritual light belonging to the Heavenly Corpse Sect and was about to withdraw for the time being when he suddenly saw a water tribe's spiritual light faintly shining from a pool.

A white-clad young woman suddenly emerged from the pool. She glanced at the sky and cried out in delight, "Master Xiao has returned!"

Xiao Nan had not expected to see his other disciple again. He descended by sword light beside the pool and asked with a smile, "Did you not leave a letter for Wang Chong saying you were returning to the East Sea? Why have you not left yet?"

Zhu Ying had changed into women's clothes. With bright eyes, pearly teeth, and skin like jade, she was in fact a breathtakingly beautiful girl. Yet her face was marked by deep exhaustion, clearly showing that she had not been living well of late. When Xiao Nan mentioned Wang Chong, she immediately choked up and cried, "Teacher, Wang Chong was taken away by Sun Yougui."

Xiao Nan smiled. "I happened to encounter Sun Yougui and have already rescued Wang Chong."

Zhu Ying was both startled and overjoyed. "Where is Wang Chong now?"

Xiao Nan replied, "At my thatched cottage behind Egret Academy."

Zhu Ying did not even spare time to reminisce with her master. She formed a hand seal, mist rose beneath her feet, and she stepped upon the white mist into the sky.

A white-clad youth also emerged from the water nearby. He flipped over in the pool, raised a wave, and wanted to chase after his sister, but Xiao Nan stopped him.

Knowing that his sister would not get lost, Zhu Xiong bowed to Xiao Nan and said, "Recently, a wild fox spirit named Hu Chimei claimed that his grandfather was the Snow Snow Elder, who guarded the Heavenly Emperor's library. He passed down some news, saying that the Celestial Stele on Little Cold Mountain was Langhuan."

Zhu Xiong did not conceal anything from Xiao Nan and told him the news he had heard recently.

Xiao Nan said in astonishment, "The Heavenly Emperor has a stele named Langhuan."

"It was born before Heaven and Earth, recording every art beneath the heavens. It was stored in the Jade Capital; even golden immortals of ten thousand ages could not behold it even if they wished to."

"Could it truly be this treasure? How could such a divine object have fallen into the mortal world?"

Zhu Xiong replied, "That wild fox spirit said: A great demon in the heavenly realm, calling himself the Great Sage, raised an army in rebellion and fought his way to the outside of Skyreach Hall. It was a most lively affair. The Langhuan Celestial Stele was pushed down from the heavenly palace by the rebelling great demon."

"Such an opportunity comes once in a thousand years. My sister and I also wish to behold the Celestial Stele."

"Even a glimpse or half a glimpse would be enough."

Not only Zhu Xiong—Xiao Nan himself could not help but feel his heart leap. He thought, If one could truly see it once, it would indeed be an unparalleled opportunity.

Yet he had ultimately come from a famous orthodox sect, and having recently acquired a treasure himself, his greed was not too great. He immediately thought, This treasure has an extraordinary origin. It is the Heavenly Emperor's private possession, beyond comparison to anything in the mortal world. It must be entangled with karma. I had best not become involved with it.

While the two spoke, Lu Xuansheng also emerged from the water. Knowing that Xiao Nan's identity and origins were far from ordinary, he said candidly, "There is an estate belonging to the Little Dragon King here. It is quite elegant. Why not stay there for a while as well, Mister Xiao?"

"If you need anything, you may command us."

Zhu Xiong also realized it and thought, That's right. Mister Xiao Nan's swordsmanship is astonishing. If he stays with us, should we encounter some great enemy, he could look after us a little. He immediately joined in earnestly urging Xiao Nan to remain.

Xiao Nan thought, Chong'er is not especially safe in the thatched cottage either. Staying here for a while would not be bad.

Riding amid clouds and mist, Zhu Ying arrived at the back mountain. Seeing Wang Chong reading before the thatched cottage, joy welled up within her, and she was about to descend.

Little Bug was reciting his lessons when he suddenly sensed clouds and mist in the sky. Startled, he thought, Could some evil monster be causing trouble again? Having been seized and dragged about by demonic cultivators of the evil sects, he had long since developed a shadow in his heart. A fire serpent flew out from behind him, swelling in the wind until it was as thick as a water bucket. It spewed blazing flames as Xinxin showed its might, and he mounted it, ready to flee for his life.