"Disciple, are my eyes playing tricks on me?"
The white-haired old man rubbed his eyes, staring blankly at the sky.
Xiao Shi had also seen the true dragon disappearing into the clouds, and she, too, was dumbfounded.
Hearing the white-haired old man's words, Xiao Shi instinctively rubbed her eyes as well.
"Master, I think my eyes are playing tricks on me too."
Master and disciple exchanged a glance.
Were both our eyes playing tricks on us?
Impossible!
The only possibility was that there really had been a true dragon disappearing into the clouds, and they had witnessed it with their own eyes.
Could this dragon also be connected to that expert?
The white-haired old man could not help speculating.
On their way here, a demon king had blocked their path, and then they had witnessed a true dragon.
The white-haired old man had never experienced anything so thrilling in all his many years.
At that moment, he longed more than ever to meet the expert at the summit.
Master and disciple continued up the mountain.
Before long.
They arrived outside Ye Qingyun's courtyard.
Inside the courtyard, a rabbit was leisurely nibbling on a radish.
The rabbit paid no attention to the two arrivals outside.
"That rabbit was in the expert's arms back then too."
Xiao Shi pointed at the rabbit as she spoke.
The white-haired old man surveyed the courtyard.
Though simple and crude, it was pleasantly arranged, tranquil and secluded.
It was far better than his thatched cottage in the valley.
Truly a place where an expert would live in seclusion-peaceful and elegant, refreshing both heart and mind.
The white-haired old man spoke silently to himself.
Then he noticed the various things growing in the courtyard.
"These... these are all heavenly materials and earthly treasures!"
The white-haired old man's expression changed drastically, disbelief filling his face.
Xiao Shi had limited knowledge, but even she recognized several rare spiritual herbs, and she let out one startled cry after another.
The white-haired old man no longer knew where to look.
Everything in this courtyard was a heavenly material or earthly treasure.
Some were things even he had only seen in ancient texts.
The white-haired old man trembled all over with excitement.
"This expert actually planted so many heavenly materials and earthly treasures here. Just what sort of existence is he?"
He was about to step forward.
But unexpectedly, the rabbit spoke.
"My master is taking his afternoon nap. Do not disturb him."
Xiao Shi jumped in fright.
The white-haired old man, however, stared intently at the rabbit, a measure of wariness on his face.
Though this was no demon king, the rabbit's cultivation was certainly not low.
"We would not dare disturb him. We will wait here for the expert to awaken."
The white-haired old man bowed to the rabbit.
Then he stood there obediently.
Seeing her master behave like this, Xiao Shi could not help feeling a little speechless.
It had been just like this when she had gone to Heaven-Controlling Valley to seek a master.
She had never imagined that now, both she and the white-haired old man would have to wait here for Ye Qingyun to wake from his afternoon nap.
This really was quite something.
The rabbit continued nibbling on the radish, paying no further attention to the two outside.
Meanwhile, Ye Qingyun was indeed taking an afternoon nap.
He had eaten a little too much at noon, strolled around the mountain for a while, then come back and fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
Master and disciple waited a full four hours.
Only when the sun slanted westward.
Did Ye Qingyun finally stir awake, thoroughly rested.
He rolled over and sat up in bed, feeling refreshed in body and mind, and could not help stretching.
Suddenly remembering the scene of the three visits to the thatched cottage in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he could not resist reciting a few lines of poetry.
"Who awakens first from the great dream?"
"Throughout my life, I alone know myself."
"In the thatched hall, well-rested from springtime sleep,"
"Outside the window, the sun lingers."
Ye Qingyun had merely recited these lines on a whim.
But those outside the courtyard heard every word clearly.
Upon hearing the poem, the white-haired old man immediately sank into contemplation.
Soon.
A look of shock appeared on his face.
"What a fine poem! A truly fine poem!"
"Though plain and unadorned, this poem seems to see through the ultimate truths of the Great Dao, with all else faded into insignificance!"
An expert truly was an expert.
Even a poem casually recited upon waking from an afternoon nap could be so profoundly unfathomable.
Beside him, Xiao Shi looked utterly puzzled.
Although the poem certainly sounded good, was it really as wondrous as her master claimed?
"Disciple, you must never be disrespectful in the expert's presence!"
The white-haired old man cautioned Xiao Shi.
"I understand."
Xiao Shi hastily answered.
By then, Ye Qingyun had walked outside.
The moment he emerged, he saw two people standing outside the courtyard.
One was a white-haired old man who looked quite extraordinary.
The other was a delicate-featured woman.
Of the two, Ye Qingyun found the woman somewhat familiar.
"Who are you?"
Ye Qingyun asked curiously.
The white-haired old man hurriedly bowed. "This old man is Shen Tianhua. Having heard that an expert lives here in seclusion, I came especially to pay my respects."
"This is my disciple, Xiao Shi."
Xiao Shi also bowed to Ye Qingyun.
"Xiao Shi pays her respects, Senior."
Xiao Shi?
Wasn't she the one who had disguised herself as a man?
Ye Qingyun took a closer look.
It really was her!
Why had she come?
And brought her master along too?
"Uh, have you come to the wrong person? I'm no senior or expert."
Ye Qingyun said awkwardly.
Hearing this, master and disciple immediately recalled what the dog demon king had told them earlier.
I almost forgot. The expert wishes to experience the mortal world as an ordinary man. We must not disturb his state of mind.
The white-haired old man, Shen Tianhua, spoke silently to himself, giving Xiao Shi a meaningful look as well.
Xiao Shi immediately understood.
"I was presumptuous. Please forgive me, Young Master."
Shen Tianhua immediately changed his manner.
Xiao Shi also said, "Young Master Ye, my master read the story you wrote and saw your painting. He was very interested in you, so I brought him here to meet you."
That was quite a good reason.
Ye Qingyun believed it at once.
"So that's how it is."
Ye Qingyun nodded.
"Come in and have a seat."
"Yes, yes, of course."
Shen Tianhua nodded repeatedly.
The two entered the courtyard, carefully making their way among the various heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
They entered the house.
Shen Tianhua was stunned once again.
Every object in the room, wherever his gaze fell, faintly radiated a treasure's glow.
This entire room is actually filled with treasures!
He was inwardly astonished.
One moment, he examined the writing brush; the next, he peered at the broom leaning against the wall.
Tsk, tsk!
Such a brilliant treasure glow!
These are certainly no ordinary objects!
Shen Tianhua had collected some treasures himself.
But compared with the many treasures in this room, his were like a lesser shaman meeting a greater one, utterly unworthy of mention.
Now these were true treasures.
Any single one of them was probably worth more than all his shabby things put together.
"Please, sit."
Ye Qingyun gestured for the two to take a seat.
Shen Tianhua sat down, but Xiao Shi did not dare.
After all, Shen Tianhua was her master.
As his disciple, how could she sit as his equal? Would that not be a grave violation of propriety?
"I saw your painting, Young Master Ye. Your skill is truly exquisite and worthy of admiration."
As soon as Shen Tianhua sat down, he used the painting to strike up a closer acquaintance with Ye Qingyun.
Ye Qingyun felt a little embarrassed.
"I just painted it casually. It's very ordinary, nowhere near as good as you say, sir."
Painted it casually?
Something painted casually could contain the Great Dao?
Then if you painted something seriously?
Wouldn't it grant someone instant enlightenment?