CH 16

Chapter 16: Finding Peace Within

Chang Xiao awkwardly wiped his nose and said, "I'm sorry."

Yun Zhao lowered his gaze and saw the puppy burying its head in its belly. A warm, moist sensation radiated from the back of his hand, instantly tugging at his heartstrings.

He never expected that the puppy had been abandoned by its family.

He embraced the little dog in his arms and nuzzled his chin against its dry, yellowed fur, saying, "So your name is Sun yang, a very nice name!"

Sun Yang's ears twitched, and he instinctively licked his damp, shiny black nose. He wanted to speak but didn't know what to say, so he could only make whimpering sounds.

Watching Yun Zhao soothingly stroke the dog's back as if caring for a sensitive newborn cub, Chang Xiao couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "Do you plan to keep him?"

Sun Yang paused, his drooping ears trembling even more intensely. He was afraid to hear a negative answer, yet his heart held a hidden glimmer of hope.

Yun Zhao replied, "Of course!"

Sun Yang looked up in disbelief, his eyes widening.

Yun Zhao pressed his forehead against Sun Yang's, locking eyes with his amber-colored gaze. "Unless one day he wants to leave on his own, he should stay here and I will take good care of him."

Sun Yang looked up at the fair and handsome jawline of the young man. His vision blurred by the welling tears, moistening the fur around his eyes, and his suspended heart finally found its place of tranquility.

Chang Xiao no longer said anything either. He disapproved of the excessive worship of power within the spirit wolf clan, so it was a good choice for this spirit dog to find a better place.

After some small talk, Ah Yan called out Chang Xiao's name from the doorway, "Brother Chang Xiao! The bread is ready!"

Chang Xiao responded and turned to bid farewell to Yun Zhao. Before leaving, he deeply bowed and cupped his hands toward Ao Yu's direction.

Yun Zhao looked at Ao Yu thoughtfully and said, "Chang Xiao is afraid of you. He treats you with utmost respect."

Ao Yu had just finished eating the meat bun and was sipping tea, listening to Yun Zhao's curious inquiry. He explained, "The wolf clan once fought alongside me in the depths of the abyss."

"I see," Yun Zhao pondered for a moment, then said, "Since there is a connection, should I give them a discount next time?"

Ao Yu shook his head, serious-faced, and said, "No need, they have money."

Yun Zhao: "..."

After dinner, Yun Zhao had intended to visit the Spirit Field, but it started drizzling again in the mountains. The two little cats, Luo Xue and Wu Mu, immediately ran into the small bamboo basket and nestled there.

Rainy days were perfect for sleeping, after all!

Yun Zhao prepared a small bed in the cub's accommodation room, adorned with thick and soft bedding.

System: [Congratulations, host, on obtaining the divine beast Sun Yang. The current satisfaction level is 30%, while the satisfaction levels of other divine beasts have reached maximum. Please continue your efforts!]

Yun Zhao was taken aback and then heard the system continue, [The state of the spiritual veins in Yuming Mountain has been updated, and the host's affinity range has been enhanced.]

Yun Zhao clicked on the icon in his Sea of Knowledge and discovered that shoots had sprouted on the small hill, with numerous sparkling lights swirling around. No wonder the spiritual power in Yuming Mountain had strengthened. It turned out that this system was really useful.

Yun Zhao asked again, "System, what do you mean by enhancing the affinity range?"

The system cleared its throat twice and proudly explained, [Now, not only can the host strengthen the roots of the divine beasts through touching them, but the food made by the host will also carry spiritual power!]

"Wow..." Yun Zhao raised his hand and examined it, then condensed some spiritual power. It was indeed much easier than usual.

Yun Zhao gently comforted Sun Yang's back with his hand, but Sun Yang was clearly not accustomed to the sudden touch and trembled all over.

He stiffly turned his back, only to find Yun Zhao smiling at him. He immediately relaxed and rested his head on his front paws.

Outside the house, the rain continued to fall, carrying the fragrant scent of grass and trees.

Under the rhythmic caresses, Sun Yang gradually became drowsy and peacefully closed his eyes.

Inside the room, the sound of the puppy snoring could be heard. After Yun Zhao had transferred some spiritual power, he turned his head and looked at Ao Yu, who had been meditating with closed eyes.

Sensing Yun Zhao's gaze, Ao Yu tilted his head and asked, "What's wrong?"

Yun Zhao recalled what Chang Xiao had said earlier, shifted closer, and whispered in Ao Yu's ear, "Is it really impossible for Sun Yang to shape-shift? Luo Xue was also a kitten before, but she successfully shape-shifted."

The young man's warm breath fell on Ao Yu's ear, making his neck involuntarily heat up.

Ao Yu glanced over, seeing Yun Zhao staring at him with burning eyes, seemingly demanding an answer.

His large palm patted Yun Zhao's forehead, causing Yun Zhao to wince in pain and cover his forehead, complaining, "I was asking you, why did you hit me?"

Ao Yu casually picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip before saying, "Luo Xue is young and has been neglected in her cultivation. She only knows to rely on pills to fill the gaps, which makes it difficult for her to grasp the method of shape-shifting."

"As for this dog..." Ao Yu glanced at Sun Yang. "He was born lacking, making it difficult to repair. Moreover, being abandoned early by his siblings, it is already incredibly challenging for him to cultivate a human form, let alone become an immortal with divine status. If he weren't born in Lingxu and instead placed in the mortal realm, he would probably be nothing more than a mount for cultivators to exploit."

"How could it be like this..." Yun Zhao clicked his tongue in disbelief. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly said, "You mentioned that his siblings abandoned him early. Does that mean there was still a chance for him?"

"Yes," Ao Yu replied calmly, as if he had grown accustomed to such matters. "The Wolf Clan values martial prowess and hopes that the younger generations can break through to become divine beasts like the Swallowing Sky Wolf, bestowing blessings upon the entire clan. Unfortunately, no one has succeeded in thousands of years."

Yun Zhao murmured, "And what about them..."

Facing Yun Zhao's puzzled and bewildered eyes, Ao Yu couldn't help but feel that his Dao companion was sometimes too naive.

He continued to explain, "The resources of the clan are limited, so naturally, they will be reserved for those with better aptitude. As for someone like Sun Yang... they wouldn't waste a pill on him, even if he is the second son of the clan leader."

"Perhaps his father consented to him being abandoned and left to wander. It's like discarding a disgraceful piece of trash."

As the last sentence lightly fell, Ao Yu placed the teacup down, and shadows cast over his long eyelashes, concealing the turbulent emotions in his eyes.

Ao Yu silently watched Sun Yang, who was peacefully asleep, as if he could see all the past events through him.

A bloody white dragon fell into the deep sea, with the weight of the water pressure tearing and washing away the remnants of anger and resentment. The remaining resentment gradually swallowed by the cold seawater.

The sudden silence made Yun Zhao look up. With his white hair cascading over his face, the backlight made it difficult to discern his expression, but Yun Zhao could feel the faint sorrow of the young dragon at this moment.

A warm sensation emanated from Ao Yu's cold hand. He turned his head to look, his gaze inevitably filled with surprise.

Yun Zhao took hold of his hand, his lips curved in a gentle smile. "Don't be unhappy. In Yuming Mountain, everyone is here to accompany you! Ah, and there's Sun Yang too. I'll take good care of him. Who knows, maybe one day he will be able to shape-shift again! Besides, with such a long lifespan, why rush?"

Caught off guard by the youth's infectious laughter, Ao Yu felt that his heart must still be injured and throbbing.

He turned his head, pulling his hand away and wearing a disdainful expression. "I'm free and content in Yuming Mountain. Why would I be unhappy about anything? As for your dog, since he's staying, take good care of him and don't let him ruin my furniture."

"I got it, I got it..." Yun Zhao stood up and stretched lazily, muttering under his breath, "He's not a teething puppy, why would he chew on furniture..."

After saying that, he sneakily touched Ao Yu's silky hair while he wasn't paying attention, then quickly disappeared into the kitchen to prepare a grand meal.

Ao Yu watched Yun Zhao run out of the room with a cheerful smile, raised his hand to touch the strand of hair that had just been touched, snorted coldly, and left the room as well.

...

Sun Yang had a satisfying sleep, and when he woke up, the rain outside had already stopped.

He got up and shook off his fur, only to suddenly notice a floral vest in front of him, seemingly meant for himself.

Just as Sun Yang was hesitating, Wu Mu poked his head out of the bamboo basket on the cat's climbing frame and yawned, saying, "That was brought by Yun Zhao just now. He said it's chilly outside after the rain, so if you're going out, you should wear it."

Sun Yang happily rubbed against the clothing and then proceeded to put on the floral vest. He walked out slowly, observing the somewhat awkward expression on Wu Mu's face.

After the rain, the Yuming Mountain was adorned with lush greenery, and the fresh air calmed the restlessness and irritability in Sun Yang's heart.

He tentatively took a few steps and started running through the mountain forest. The refreshing spiritual energy surrounded him, and he ran faster, leaping through the bushes and climbing the rocks.

On his way back, he made a leap and ended up by the side of a lake, rolling down a small slope in the bamboo forest.

The clear lake water rippled gently, adding to the tranquility of the emerald bamboo and floating shadows. A silver-white dragon lay in the midst of it all, resembling a jade belt coiling around emerald.

Sun Yang retreated in astonishment, stumbling and falling on the slope. A drifting bamboo leaf hung on his head, making him look even more silly.

The dragon opened its beast-like eyes, and a faint golden light poured out from its narrow eyes. As the white light flashed, Ao Yu, dressed in green attire, strolled over from the shore.

Ao Yu looked down at the silly little spiritual dog from above. It seemed that the dog had eaten well, as its spirit had improved, even though its fur was dry and yellow. It stared at Ao Yu with big round eyes, looking dazed.

A slender finger plucked the bamboo leaf off the dog's head, disdainfully discarded it, and then looked downward. Ao Yu's gaze was captivated by the red and green floral vest, causing slight discomfort to his eyes.

He used his fingertip to poke at the patterns on the vest and spoke with a hint of a smile, and a firm tone, "Yun Zhao gave this to you?"

Sun Yang nodded his head. Regardless, he thought it was pretty good, convenient for movement and warm!

Ao Yu rarely covered his forehead and chuckled. In the puzzled gaze of Sun Yang, he reached out and patted the dog's head again, saying, "Only you would wear something like this."

"Ao Yu, sir... Sun Yang..."

"Yun Zhao says it's time for dinner! Hurry back!" 

The distant calls of the rabbits could be heard, and Ao Yu stopped smiling and walked towards a nearby path. He spoke softly to Sun Yang, "Let's go, don't keep him waiting for long."

Sun Yang paused for a moment and then slowly lifted his front paws and followed along.

This was his first interaction with the legendary Dragon Sovereign. He felt a bit timid, lagging half a body length behind Ao Yu, and concentrated on placing his paws carefully on the cobblestones.

The tranquility of the bamboo forest was suddenly broken by Ao Yu's voice.

Sun Yang heard the seemingly casual remark from this person who appeared cold and noble, "If you're willing, you can find time to come and see me every day. Although you seem quite foolish, I reluctantly can teach you some cultivation techniques."

Sun Yang was surprised and stood still in place.

Ao Yu didn't look back, but instead quickened his pace, his tone slightly impatient, "Hurry up, don't make me wait for my meal!"

"Woof, woof!"

Sun Yang quickly caught up and walked side by side with Ao Yu, looking up at the rising smoke from the houses. For the first time, he realized that after a long journey, he finally had a place to call home.

*****

Translator’s note: So beautiful and heart-warming. I can’t help but feel a bit emotional.