Carefree

The stone steps and pear blossoms remain unchanged on the back mountain of Qixia.

Su Yao walked from the foot of the mountain, his feet treading on the bluestone, his clothes brushing against the fallen white stones on the ground.

Down the mountain, the floodwaters in Qinghe Commandery City were still churning.

The four guardians each wielded Spirit Treasure, gradually gathering and channeling the waters of the Heavenly River. However, the Heavenly River was vast and boundless. Although the River-Gathering Cauldron could contain thousands of rivers and streams, it had its limits. Although the Guixu Inkstone could suppress the waters and channel them, it could not suppress this raging torrent in a short time.

He could have stayed down the mountain to oversee the situation, but while the four Spirit Treasure could temporarily stabilize the situation, they were ultimately only a temporary fix.

To completely eliminate the leak, we must address the root cause.

So he came to find Qingzhu.

From the moment he stepped into the back mountain area, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease. The pear trees on both sides of the stone steps were still in full bloom, but between the branches and leaves, there was a faint aura that was extremely pure, righteous, and intense.

The aura emanated from the direction of the Ancestral Hall, enveloping the entire back mountain in a blazing, warm light.

Su Yao paused, his brows furrowing slightly, before quickening his pace.

In front of the Ancestral Hall.

The Qingyang was lying on the stone steps in front of the hall. Its Azure Jade- green fur gleamed warmly in the sunlight, but there was an indescribable weariness in that luster.

Its four hooves were spread out, its head rested on its forelegs, and its Azure Jade- green eyes were half-closed and half-open, looking utterly hopeless.

Even more outrageous, the Ask Amid the Clouds was carelessly discarded in a crack in the stone steps.

Above the Qingyang, five halos of light hung in mid-air, like five blazing suns shining simultaneously, enveloping the Qingyang's entire body in a scorching white light.

The five halos each emitted a different Great Yang energy—the intensity of the Great Yang, the warmth of the Lesser Yang, the brilliance of the Bright Yang... The five halos rotated endlessly, roasting the Qingyang until its fur shone.

Upon seeing this, Su Yao was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

Before his bitter laugh had even faded, Qingyang suddenly opened one eye, his Azure Jade- green pupils filled with disdain and annoyance.

"What are you laughing at?"

The ethereal sound remained clear and melodious, but now it carried an indescribable resentment.

Su Yao had no choice but to stop laughing, but he couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

He knew in his heart that Qingzhu was Divine Core Perfected One of the Qingxuan lineage, and was most afraid of violent water like Kan Water.

Qingxuan, the master of Daoism, prays for blessings and eliminates Dispel Calamity, taking gentle and soothing methods as his fundamental approach, but he is inherently countered by the Kan Water.

Now that the Qinghe Commandery City is being flooded by the waters of the Heavenly River, Qingzhu has to protect the thirty-six secret realms of Qixia Mountain while also taking care of the city below the mountain, leaving him in a state of utter chaos.

But what about these five Great Yang halos?

Su Yao suppressed his laughter and said seriously:

"Qingzhu, the Qinghe Commandery City have worshipped you and Daozheng for generations. Why have you only now offered your help? Non-Self hadn't returned in time, the county would probably be a vast ocean."

Upon hearing this, Qingyang snorted coldly, her voice filled with disdain:

"Others are taking care of the mess, why should I clean up their messes?"

It paused, raised its head slightly from the ground, and a hint of coldness appeared in its Azure Jade eyes:

"There was an old fellow in the Dragon Palace of the East Sea who, somehow, unknowingly became Dao Lord. Upon emerging from seclusion, he used the Flower God to attain divine status, and with a single sword stroke, he cleaved the Five-Colored Stone in two, intending to force the Dragon God to use the celestial artifact, the Sea-Subduing Stone, to fill the gap in the Five-Colored Stone."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao's expression changed drastically.

"Are you trying to force the Dragon God to hand over the Sea-Subduing Stone?"

The Azure Sheep coldly said, "That Dragon God comes from the Guishui Dao, and the Zhenhai Stone is a position within the Guishui Dao. If it's used to replace the Five-Colored Stone, then no one in the Guishui Dao will be able to suppress the Four Seas. At that time, the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas will have more room to maneuver and won't have to act according to the Dragon God's wishes in everything." It paused, its tone carrying an indescribable meaning, "That Dao Lord, what audacity, and what a grand scheme."

Su Yao was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "The Dragon God is Heavenly Venerable, isn't the Dao Lord afraid that the Dragon God will personally attack Him?"

Qingyang shook his head, a hint of complexity in his voice. "No, before the Ancestral Dragon departed, the Dragon God attained enlightenment by bewitching the Ancestral Dragon. After the Ancestral Dragon left, the Dragon God deliberately split the dragon race, ensuring the dragon bloodline's continuity. Unless absolutely necessary, the Dragon God will not kill any dragon, not even those of mixed blood. After all, the Ancestral Dragon was once the Lord of Returning to Water, and later attained the Dragon Fruit position, while the Dragon God occupied a subordinate position. Initially, he intended to devour all the dragons, but halfway through, the Returning to Water position and the Dragon Fruit position showed signs of the reappearance of their predecessors. The Dragon God was greatly alarmed and consulted countless others, which is why he allowed the dragons of the four seas to multiply, expanding the dragon bloodline's continuity."

Su Yao nodded upon hearing this.

Qingyang Dragon Palace of the South Sea, then added, "If it weren't for the fact that you've returned and taken action, I wouldn't have bothered with it."

As soon as he finished speaking, a great surge of Returning Water from the southern horizon.

The aura surged in from the direction of the South Sea, like a vast, boundless swamp, deep and expansive, with dragon-shaped figures faintly visible swimming amidst the shimmering water.

Wherever the Qi of Returning Water passed, the Heavenly River water pouring down from the sky gradually flowed into it, like hundreds of rivers returning to the sea, being gathered and channeled by the Qi layer by layer.

Down the mountain, the four guardians simultaneously felt the pressure decrease dramatically. The surging water in the River-Gathering Cauldron gradually calmed down, the clear water in the Guixu Inkstone stopped churning, the Kan Water essence in the Sunken Abyss Pearl became quiet, and the riverbank veins solidified by the Mountain-Coiling Staff and Mountain-Subduing Seal no longer withstood the fierce impact of the Heavenly River water.

Qingyang stood up, her Azure Jade- green eyes gazing down the mountain. Her clear, melodious voice pierced the Great Void and traveled southward.

"Come back."

A distant, hoarse, and aged voice drifted from the south:

Thank you, Qingzhu.

Su Yao stood before the Ancestral Hall, gazing at the surging aura of returning Returning Water on the southern horizon, then at the receding waters of the Heavenly River beneath his feet. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke:

"Which Dao Lord is that from the Dragon Palace of the East Sea?"

The Qingyang nodded, then lay back down, resting its head on its forelegs. Its Azure Jade- green eyes were half-closed, regaining their usual languidness.

"Ancestral Dragon- grandson of the First Emperor. I remember accompanying my master to visit the East Sea back then, and I even secretly spanked him."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao chuckled and shook his head.

The five Great Yang rays still shone in mid-air, roasting the Qingyang until its fur was fluffy and it was too lazy to even move its hooves. Su Yao glanced at it, then at the neglected Ask Amid the Clouds sword nestled in the crack of the stone steps, and couldn't help but ask:

"This is..."

Qingyang didn't even lift her eyelids before Xuanyin's muffled voice came through:

"Kan Water belongs to Yin, and my body belongs to Yang. I was drenched by the Heavenly River water that guy cleaved with his sword for half a day. The Yin cold has seeped into my body. If I don't warm myself with the Great Yang's energy, my old bones will probably fall apart. These five Spirit Treasure are what I found in the treasure vault. I borrowed them to warm myself up."

It paused, then, fearing Su Yao might be worried, added, "Don't worry, I'll return it later."

Su Yao: "..."

He remained silent for a moment, then bent down and picked up the Ask Amid the Clouds from the crack in the stone steps. He wiped the dust off the sword with his sleeve, held it in both hands, and gently placed it back beside Qingyang.

The Qingyang glanced at him, said nothing, but leaned its head against the sword, its Azure Jade eyes slowly closing. The five beams of light continued to swirl in mid-air, warming its Azure Jade fur, which, under the warm light, revealed a very faint layer of emerald mist.

Su Yao stood in front of the Ancestral Hall, watching Qingyang warming himself by the fire with his eyes closed, and then looking towards the gradually calming Returning Water vapor in the southern sky, remaining silent for a long time.

He turned around, bowed to the memorial tablets covering the walls of the Return to Truth Hall, then gave a slight bow to Qingyang, before turning and walking down the mountain.

Behind him, Qingyang suddenly opened one eye, gazing at his retreating figure, and Xuan Yin lazily spoke:

"Let's go to Mount Lao soon."

Su Yao paused, but didn't turn around. He just whispered:

"Knew."

After saying that, he continued walking down the mountain.

The mountain wind rustled through the ancient trees, and pear blossoms continued to fall, their white petals landing on his plain robe before silently sliding away.

There is a word cloud:

Five wheels illuminate the wood, roasting Qingyang; a single staff asks the clouds, abandoned by the roadside.

The Dragon Palace Dao Lord cleaved open the sky, intending to force the Dragon God to offer up the treasures of the sea.

The Returning Water south to collect the Heavenly River; before the ancestral hall, we discuss matters of short-term and long-term importance.

Laughing as the old sheep borrows fire, the people of Zhuyang find the most carefree way to warm themselves by the fire.

Don't say that there are no miraculous Divine Core; even a lazy person has their own lazy person's solution.