As they awoke inside the metal pods, the sound of high heels striking the floor reached their ears clearly in the quiet room. A graceful, slender figure approached them and asked gently, "How do you feel? Anything unusual?"
"I used up some energy, but everything else is normal, Master," Tang Qingye said with a smile, looking at his stunning master.
"Me too, Teacher," Leng Nu Jiao said softly. Traces of moisture still lingered at the corners of her eyes, making her look so pitiful that anyone would feel for her.
"Words alone mean nothing. I'll have to examine you myself. What do you say, little Yeye?" Leng Yaozhu's teasing phoenix eyes curved, a hint of cunning hidden in their depths.
"Master, I..."
Under the prolonged assault of her delicate hands, Tang Qingye's body received a thorough examination. He surrendered everything he should have, and everything he shouldn't.
Beside them, Leng Nu Jiao watched with smiling eyes. It served the naughty young master right for bullying her so much in there. She had even...
Heaven truly did turn in cycles; every creature had its conqueror.
Looking at the little fellow she had brought to heel, she, who had weathered countless storms, couldn't help feeling a sense of accomplishment. He had already explained how he had accomplished that astonishing scene inside the Spirit Ascension Platform.
"It seems I still underestimated how overbearing your Martial Soul is. It can actually make her Martial Soul evolve, bringing its attribute close to the ultimate level." As Leng Yaozhu kneaded the plump flesh of Tang Qingye's cheeks, she unconsciously licked her lips. Even Nu Jiao could fuse with it. Then that aura I sensed from this little fellow before-couldn't I also...
Leng Yaozhu stood, her delicate fingers ending their inhuman ravaging of Tang Qingye. "You've spent half the day training. Go get some proper rest. I'll take you out for a stroll tonight. You won't have the chance after this."
"Master, we'll be going." Tang Qingye didn't dare linger another moment. He only wanted to return to his comfortable little nest and enjoy a bath. Leng Nu Jiao followed quietly behind her young master, but a battle between heaven and humanity raged in her mind. We're almost there. I'll be living with him from now on. What if he bullies me again? Should I let him?
The ninety-eighth floor welcomed its first female lodger.
After the two left, Leng Yaozhu remained immersed in the warm, lovely atmosphere between master and disciples. The ringing of her Soul Communication Device broke the peace. The tenderness faded from her eyes as she checked the caller's name and answered unhurriedly.
"Speak."
"Pagoda Master, we've settled the negotiations. They're willing to trade." The caller did his utmost to keep his voice steady and suppress his faintly trembling heart.
"Good. Once the item arrives, go collect your reward." Leng Yaozhu's expression remained calm at the news, but her gaze unconsciously turned toward the direction her disciple had left.
"Yes. This subordinate guarantees the mission will be completed."
Inside the bathroom, Tang Qingye soaked in warm bathwater as white mist curled upward. The air held the fresh fragrance of medicinal herbs and the lingering scent his master had left behind. Each breath soothed his mind, and before he knew it, his consciousness had entered the depths of his Sea of Consciousness.
Tang Qingye now stood within that boundless, chaotic sea of awareness.
The last time he had come here had been the last time.
At the center of the chaos, a palm-sized miniature Azure Luan was circling beside the equally palm-sized Seven-Colored Heaven-Slaying Gourd.
The little fellow lay quietly beside the gourd, his little head nodding.
Wisps of azure mist occasionally escaped the gourd's mouth. The moment they drifted out, he inhaled them with immense enjoyment. With every breath of that pure azure sky power, the meridians within his body gave a delighted, faint hum.
Apparently enjoying himself far too much, the little fellow rolled over groggily, a crystal-clear drop of drool hanging from his beak. Who knew what heaven-reaching dream he was having in the Sea of Consciousness, kicking the Sea God and punching Asura?
Then the surrounding currents of chaos rippled faintly, and Tang Qingye's consciousness condensed into form.
"Wake up. You're about to drool."
The sudden voice made the little fellow shudder, his charming little eyes snapping open.
The instant he recognized the newcomer, delight replaced his drowsiness. He flapped his wings with a soft, sweet cheer and flew straight into Tang Qingye's arms.
"Master! You're finally here! I've missed you to death!"
Tang Qingye raised a hand to catch the fluffy little fellow and rubbed his still-sleepy little head.
As they exchanged smiles, the vortex of laws swirling around the mouth of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Slaying Gourd gave a low roar. That familiar suction returned, swallowing both their consciousnesses. After a satisfied burp, it fell silent again, occasionally letting out little azure, fragrant farts.
Wrapped in streaming light, they watched their surroundings change rapidly. The little fellow's eyes darted everywhere, showing no fear of the unknown, only curiosity about his surroundings.
The human and luan fell into the vast starry sky formed from seven-colored sword energy inside the gourd.
This was the little fellow's first visit to this universe.
Seven mountains stood in the void, arranged like the Big Dipper. Their overflowing, weighty aura seemed capable of ruling over all eternity alone.
Upon sensing that faint trace of aura, the lively little fellow instinctively shrank into Tang Qingye's palm.
Before he could recover, however, a brilliant azure sword light shot into the heavens from the ancient blue-green sword ahead. Drawn by the azure radiance, the stars overhead sent fine stardust surging around the blade of light, and the entire star field lit up with its emerald glow.
This three-foot blade was naturally the Heavenly Cang Sword, which had overtaken the others after absorbing the first Soul Spirit.
The sword remained in place within the sea of stars, its blade trembling and humming violently. Every mottled trace of dust sealing its surface peeled away. The sky dao patterns unique to the Heavenly Cang Art lit up one after another, and blue-green radiance flowed endlessly along its spine.
Azure light churned across the sky as the ancient sword trembled with a low hum. Within the blade, the hazy consciousness that had just emerged slowly gathered.
Sword light flickered and swayed. The phantom of a tiny, exquisite azure gourd slowly materialized from the void. Its intelligence was still shallow and ignorant, and it hovered quietly beside the sword's edge with only a faint trace of awareness.
Upon seeing Tang Qingye, it bounced through the void toward him and rubbed affectionately against his sleeve, radiating a naive sense of dependence.
"Is this a gourd baby about to take form?"
Looking at the little gourd acting spoiled, Tang Qingye couldn't help twitching his lips.
"You've got a little intelligence, but not much."
"Since you're the first to develop intelligence, from now on, your name will be Big Baby."
At those words, the spiritual light around the little azure gourd quivered without pause. It circled its master, scattering tiny flecks of light in delight, and a strand of pure joy slipped straight into Tang Qingye's Sea of Consciousness.
But the little Azure Luan in his arms immediately objected.
Watching the little azure gourd occupy his master's sleeve and rub against it insistently, he planted his wings on his hips, pouted, puffed out his cheeks, and protested, "Master! It's stealing my spot! It's competing with me for your affection! No, no! You have to give me a name too! You can't play favorites!"
Calling out, the little fellow spun anxiously in Tang Qingye's palm, his round body tentatively bumping the little azure gourd. For a while, the two little ones tussled between palm and sleeve, neither willing to yield.
The previously silent starry realm of laws gained a little liveliness.
"All right, stop fussing. I'll call you Jiu'er from now on."
Tang Qingye patted the restless little creature in his arms, then lowered his gaze past their antics toward the bottom of this vast universe.
Deep within the immense sea of stars inside the Seven-Colored Gourd, the emerald sword light erupting from the Heavenly Cang Sword tore through the void, opening an independent refinement realm out of nothing.
Various Soul Bones and heavenly treasures were sent inside. The circulating sky sword intent automatically stripped away every impurity, condensing pure primal essence into pill slurry; the remaining dregs settled in a corner of the space, repeatedly washed and filtered by the two primal laws of Heavenly Cang Sword Intent and the Taiyi Azure Wood Mark. Scattered remnants of spiritual energy gathered into trickling spirit springs, and several jade vats spontaneously formed in the void to catch their flow, slowly brewing spirit wine imbued with the sword's aura.
Looking at this self-sustaining Refinement Space, Tang Qingye felt a little moved. A secret realm that could refine resources and brew Spirit Liquid so effortlessly-this was the grandeur a supreme treasure ought to possess.
Within the Refinement Space, two perfectly round pills hovered quietly in midair.
One was the size of a longan, translucent crimson throughout, with a faint scarlet pill mist floating over its surface. A point of dark red light condensed at its heart, and its mellow, lingering fragrance spread in fine wisps; the other was larger and stockier, wrapped in dark-gold flowing light. Its surface was smooth and flawless, its subdued luster resting heavily over it as it hovered quietly nearby.
Two streams of beast-soul light, cleansed of all vicious lingering thoughts, drifted loosely beside the pills.
The refinement residue settled at the bottom of the space was repeatedly washed by the two primal laws. The extracted spiritual energy flowed into the jade vats in the void, continuously brewing spirit wines with two different effects.
At a slight impulse from Tang Qingye's mind, the two drifting streams of beast-soul light suddenly trembled. They became two streaks of different lengths, shot through the passage of light connecting the gourd to his Sea of Consciousness, and plunged straight toward his physical body soaking in the bathtub.
Crimson light coiled around his right arm. Fine, claw-mark-like patterns slowly moved and unfurled along his flesh, a faint radiance seeming to writhe beneath his skin; dark-gold light covered his left arm, layers of interlocking scale patterns branding themselves deep into his flesh.
Once all the patterns had receded beneath his skin, Tang Qingye slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a white breath mingled with the bathroom's warm, humid vapor. Resting his back lightly against the cool rim of the tub, he lowered his eyes to examine his arms.
Beneath his fair, delicate skin lay two restrained reserves of Ferocious Beast power. A faint smile tugged at his lips, and he slowly stood. He was feeling very heated now.
At that moment, Tang Qingye actually had the sense that he, this Daoist master, had made it. This visit really had given him quite a surprise.
"Young master, are you all right?" Leng Nu Jiao, who had been waiting quietly outside the bathroom, sensed the Soul Beast pressure within and rushed in at light speed. Their eyes met. The spear that had been pointing diagonally toward the bathtub, startled by her arrival, suddenly aimed at the beauty like a furious dragon roaring.
Silence was tonight's Cambridge...
Night fell over Shrek City. Solemn by day, the city now wore a layer of worldly bustle, colored by the Soul Guidance Neon Lights lining its streets.
On the broad bluestone avenue, warm yellow streetlamps stretched three shadows of differing heights.
Leng Yaozhu had changed into a plain white dress that outlined her gentle figure and mature feminine charm. The authority she usually carried as the ruler of the Spirit Pagoda was entirely restrained, leaving an unhurried poise born of long years in high office in every step and lowered glance.
Beside her, Leng Nu Jiao wore her burgundy hair in a high ponytail. Her cool features were at odds with the surrounding bustle, yet her gaze kept drifting toward the roadside shops, undisguised novelty in her eyes.
Sandwiched between them, Tang Qingye looked like the family's younger brother.
Leng Yaozhu reached out and lightly tapped his forehead, her tone gentle. "Your intensive special training starts tomorrow. I brought you out tonight specifically to relax, and to stop Nu Jiao from thinking about cultivation all the time. It'll give you two more chances to spend time together."
As soon as she finished speaking, the tips of Leng Nu Jiao's ears turned scarlet. Her emerald eyes hurriedly shifted away, her fingertips clutched her skirt, and her voice was as faint as a mosquito. "Teacher's teasing me again."
The three strolled with the crowd and soon entered the city's busiest shopping street. Shops lined both sides, filled with custom-made dresses, soul-guidance scented balms, and rouge.
Once inside a shop, Leng Yaozhu and Leng Nu Jiao gathered around the counter to choose carefully. Every so often, they turned to call Tang Qingye over, sometimes holding up two scented balms to ask which fragrance he preferred, sometimes lifting two dresses for him to compare their cuts.
The shopkeeper stood nearby, watching with a smile. Seeing the young boy surrounded by two exceptionally beautiful women asking his opinion, the shopkeeper's eyes held a gentle hint of teasing.
Tang Qingye stood to one side with his hands in his pockets. Before he knew it, several exquisite brocade boxes had piled up beside him.
These things weighed nothing to him. He merely accompanied the two quietly as they compared and chose again and again, feeling only a little indulgent helplessness as he waited beside them.
Once the two women had selected everything, the three left the shop and turned into a nearby lane of eateries called Longevity Street.
A sweet, warm fragrance drifted from a roadside fried-cake stall. Tang Qingye stepped forward and handed over several Federation notes. Moments later, he held three packets of fried cakes wrapped in coarse paper, their crisp golden shells enclosing piping-hot red bean paste.
Tang Qingye stepped forward and handed over several Federation notes. Moments later, he had three packets of fried cakes wrapped in coarse paper, with golden shells and piping-hot red bean paste inside.
He took a cake for himself and bit into it, handing the other two packets to them.
Leng Yaozhu accepted hers, sat upright, and tasted it in small bites.
Leng Nu Jiao held the paper packet between her fingertips and took a small bite. Her cool eyes couldn't help curving, and her aloof air, which kept others a thousand miles away, seemed to melt beneath that sweet, soft mouthful.
After they passed through the bustling snack street, the smell of cooking oil gradually faded, replaced by the fresh scent of plants mingled with earth.
At the end of the lane lay an open space, where an ancient chun tree stood in the moonlight. Its trunk twisted like a dragon and would have taken more than a dozen people to encircle. A ring of white marble railings, worn smooth, surrounded its base.
Its spreading branches were covered in red silk heart-joining knots and inscribed peachwood plaques that swayed gently in the breeze.
Whenever the night wind blew, the wooden plaques knocked together, clinking without pause.
Young men and women stood beneath the tree in twos and threes, all having come together.
"This tree is called the Heart-Joining Chun Tree."
Leng Yaozhu stopped outside the stone railing and looked at the red silk fluttering throughout the tree, her tone leisurely. "They say it was transplanted from the southwestern frontier years ago. Over time, the city's young men and women all began coming here to hang plaques and pray for a happy marriage."
Hands in his pockets, Tang Qingye looked up at the red shapes swaying overhead.
Having lived two lives, he had seen his fill of the world's rises and falls. Yet as he looked at the paired figures beneath the tree, a faint ripple stirred in his heart.
"Nu Jiao, go buy three peachwood plaques. Since we're here, the three of us should leave a memento."
"Yes, Teacher."
Leng Nu Jiao soon returned with three wooden plaques carrying the scent of fresh wood.
Leng Yaozhu condensed a strand of Soul Power at her fingertip and carved her name into a plaque. Then, with a flick of her fair hand, the plaque settled securely on a high branch.
Pressing her lips together, Leng Nu Jiao turned away and carefully traced her fingertip over her plaque.
When she finished, she held the plaque against her chest, cheeks flushed, then secretly tied it to an inconspicuous corner of the stone railing.
Both their gazes immediately settled on Tang Qingye.
He lowered his head and rubbed the wooden plaque in his hand, condensing a strand of sword intent at his fingertip to cut a shallow mark deep into the wood.
Then he flicked his wrist. The plaque became a streak of light and landed precisely on a length of red silk at the center of the crown.
"What did you carve on it?"
Leng Yaozhu asked curiously.
"It's a secret."
Tang Qingye smiled.
Leng Yaozhu smiled and asked no further questions. Turning, she headed deeper down the street. "Come on. Shrek City's largest auction house is just ahead. I'll take you to broaden your horizons tonight. We might even come across something good that suits you."
Tang Qingye followed, walking side by side with Leng Nu Jiao. Their figures gradually disappeared into the depths of the night.
Before you continue