This Is Awkward

Qiong Xiao was utterly shocked. She had actually been looked down upon by a fish.

Among the San Xiao, Qiong Xiao had the most fiery temper. How could she possibly swallow such an insult?

In a flash, she lunged straight at the koi in the pond.

Seeing Qiong Xiao charging at them like a madwoman, the koi in the pond immediately gave her disdainful looks.

One of the koi leaped straight out of the water, its beautiful tail sweeping toward Qiong Xiao.

The fish tail formed a huge phantom in midair and struck Qiong Xiao squarely.

That single blow sent Qiong Xiao straight into the pond, turning her into a drowned rat on the spot.

Yet the koi apparently had no intention of letting the matter end there. It spat out a bubble at Qiong Xiao.

The bubble trapped Qiong Xiao inside. No matter how she struggled, she could not break free, and her rage flared even higher.

She immediately took out the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors she carried with her.

Without another word, she sent them flying at the bubble trapping her.

The Golden Flood Dragon Scissors had been refined by Master Tongtian using secret methods from two flood dragons at the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

Though they were not an Innate Spiritual Treasure, their offensive power was not inferior to one in the slightest.

They instantly shattered the enormous bubble, then continued onward without losing any momentum, shearing toward the koi.

If the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors truly struck it, then even if the koi were a Great Luo Golden Immortal, it would likely be cut into two pieces in an instant.

The koi also sensed the killing intent radiating from the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors. Startled, it leaped away and hid beneath the white lotus.

The Golden Flood Dragon Scissors did not care where the koi had hidden. They cut straight toward the white lotus.

At the same time, Qiong Xiao continuously poured in magical power, determined to kill that koi right there.

But the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors stopped in midair and could not cut down no matter what.

Meanwhile, the white lotus sheltering the koi released waves of white light.

A huge phantom of a lotus platform directly knocked the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors back above Qiong Xiao's head.

Qiong Xiao was greatly startled. "A Nine Rank Purified World White Lotus? How is that possible?"

Qiong Xiao naturally knew that when Pangu split open heaven and earth, the Chaos Azure Lotus that had nurtured him was shattered.

The fragments of the Chaos Azure Lotus scattered throughout the Primordial World became countless Innate Spiritual Treasures.

Among them, four lotus seeds fell into the Primordial World and became the four great Innate Spiritual Treasure lotus platforms.

They were the Twelve Rank World-Destroying Black Lotus, the Twelve Rank Merit Golden Lotus, the Twelve Rank Karma Fire Red Lotus, and the Twelfth Grade Pure World White Lotus.

The Twelve Rank World-Destroying Black Lotus vanished from the Primordial World along with Demon Ancestor Luo Hou.

The Twelve Rank Merit Golden Lotus and the Twelve Rank Karma Fire Red Lotus respectively belonged to Guide Daoist and the Nether River Old Ancestor.

The Twelfth Grade Pure World White Lotus had even become the sacred artifact by which the Three Pure Ones proved the Dao, completely disappearing from the Primordial World.

As for lotus platforms cultivated after the fact, the highest could only reach six ranks, while most were merely three-rank lotus platforms.

How could a nine-rank lotus platform possibly appear, especially one that had not even fully matured?

In other words, this nine-rank lotus platform might very well reverse the acquired and enter the innate, becoming a Twelfth Grade Lotus Platform.

At that moment, Qiong Xiao completely forgot her grudge against the koi and stood blankly on the water's surface.

Just then, Hong Ze returned to the backyard and happened to see Qiong Xiao standing on the water.

The Golden Flood Dragon Scissors floated above Qiong Xiao's head, while the Nine Rank Purified World White Lotus had disappeared instead.

Thus, Hong Ze had no idea what had truly happened. He merely thought Qiong Xiao had made such a fuss to catch some koi.

He immediately smiled and said, "Junior Sister Qiong Xiao, surely you don't need to use the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors just because you can't catch a few koi?"

Seeing Hong Ze return, Qiong Xiao naturally could not continue making a scene. She immediately recalled the Golden Flood Dragon Scissors.

With a flicker, she also arrived directly beside Hong Ze.

Only then did Hong Ze see clearly that Qiong Xiao was soaked from head to toe.

Her clothes had been drenched by the water and naturally clung tightly to her body.

Her exquisitely curved figure was thus fully revealed before Hong Ze, with nothing left to hide.

Hong Ze instantly felt the urge to spray a fountain of blood from his nose, and he desperately calmed his restless emotions.

At the same time, Qiong Xiao also realized that she was exposing herself and hurriedly circulated her magical power to dry her clothes.

Even so, Qiong Xiao's face was flushed crimson, and she did not dare meet Hong Ze's eyes.

If Hong Ze had not been the Eldest Senior Brother she admired, Qiong Xiao would probably have even considered killing him to silence him.

Once Qiong Xiao's clothes returned to normal, Hong Ze's agitated heart finally settled down.

To ease the awkwardness, Hong Ze immediately spoke to Qiong Xiao.

"Since Junior Sister truly likes koi, this senior brother will pick a few for you."

After speaking, he turned and walked toward the pond, intending to personally catch two koi for Qiong Xiao to bring back to Three Immortal Island.

But Qiong Xiao no longer dared ask for those koi. After all, she already knew that their cultivation was higher than hers.

At the same time, stormy waves rose in Qiong Xiao's heart. She wondered just how terrifying her Eldest Senior Brother truly was.

Even the koi he casually kept were Great Luo Golden Immortals. Then what level had his own cultivation reached? Had he truly already proved the Dao and become a Saint?

While Qiong Xiao was lost in thought, Hong Ze had already made his move on the koi in the pond.

Though those koi dared bare their fangs at Qiong Xiao, they were completely obedient before Hong Ze.

No matter how unwilling they were, they remained motionless as Hong Ze scooped them out of the pond.

Seeing that Hong Ze truly intended to give her the koi, Qiong Xiao hurriedly shook her head and said,

"Eldest Senior Brother, all things possess spirit. Since they do not wish to leave this place, I naturally cannot force them against their will."

Upon hearing Qiong Xiao say this, the koi in Hong Ze's hand began flopping nonstop.

Hong Ze could not help sighing. "It seems they truly do not wish to leave.

But Junior Sister need not feel regretful. This senior brother will use another method to give you koi."

After saying that, he turned toward his Thatched Cottage and tossed the koi in his hand back into the pond.

As soon as Hong Ze left, that koi spoke to Qiong Xiao.

"Consider yourself sensible. Still, we owe you a favor for today, and we will certainly repay you someday."

With that, it flicked its tail and swam straight to the depths of the pond, afraid that Qiong Xiao might change her mind.

Just as Qiong Xiao stood there with a helpless expression, Hong Ze returned carrying writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone.

He then said to the pond, "All of you, come out. Today, I am going to paint Fish Playing Among Lotuses."

The koi instantly returned to the surface and began frolicking around the white lotus.

Hong Ze nodded in satisfaction, spread out a sheet of xuan paper, and prepared to paint Fish Playing Among Lotuses.

Seeing Hong Ze's smooth, flowing movements, Qiong Xiao became entranced for a moment.

In the end, following Hong Ze's painting movements, she slowly entered the world within the painting.