CH 64

Chapter 64: Welcoming a New Friend

"Ao Jing!"

Upon hearing that a new divine beast was coming to the mountain, the young ones curiously followed to the mountain gate. When they saw the young child standing under the tree, they exclaimed with delight.

Wu Mu and Le Huang rushed forward and asked excitedly, "You came so quickly!"

Ao Jing nodded. "Mhm."

He lifted Luo Xue, who had almost tumbled down the steps due to running too fast, and instructed the attendants, "Just leave me here, you can go back."

The attendants responded and presented a storage bag to Yun Zhao before departing in an orderly manner.

Yun Zhao opened the bag and found it filled with spiritual stones and treasures, shimmering with a dazzling golden light that made his eyes ache.

Ao Jing explained, "It's the entrance fee."

The system lazily broadcasted Ao Jing's information in Yun Zhao's mind. [Congratulations, host. The divine beast Qing Long has entered the garden. It has a better nourishing effect on the spiritual veins of Yuming Mountain than other divine beasts.]

A better effect?

Yun Zhao raised an eyebrow. This was probably a buff from the brotherhood bonus...

The joyful young ones warmly embraced Ao Jing and brought him up the mountain. Wu Mu even wagged his tail while introducing various places in the mountain to him. "Look, these flowers were brought here by your older brother as a gift for Yun Zhao. If you pluck them randomly, he will get angry! There's a slippery slide and a swing in the courtyard that you can play with. Oh, and today's afternoon snack is osmanthus cake! You'll sleep in the dormitory at night, but if you're afraid of the dark, you can move your little bed next to mine and Luo Xue's cat nest..."

Yun Zhao chuckled as he listened. The young ones had been low-spirited for so long, but now they finally seemed lively.

As they entered the courtyard with Ao Jing, they coincidentally encountered Ao Yu, who had just finished practicing.

At the moment Ao Yu saw Ao Jing, he slightly furrowed his brow. "Why are you here?"

Yun Zhao, seeing Ao Jing standing awkwardly in place, quickly stepped forward to explain, "Ao Jing was sent to the kindergarten."

"Is that so?" Ao Yu's eyes carried a hint of scrutiny. "Did the Dragon Patriarch agree to it?"

Ao Jing's fingers rubbed against the golden thread on his robe. He glanced at Ao Yu and lowered his head, looking at the crushed gravel on the ground. "The Dragon Patriarch agreed, but I have to return to the Dragon Realm once a month for practice inspections. If I don't make progress, I'll have to go back."

Wu Mu sympathetically exclaimed, "Ah," and then said, "That's okay. You can accompany your elder brother for training whenever you have time. Sun Yang goes every day too!"

Sun Yang nodded, happily wagging his tail.

Ao Jing looked up at his cold and distant elder brother, pursed his lips, and said, "Brother, I want... to stay at Yuming Mountain for a while. Can I train with you?"

Yun Zhao also looked over. Just when he thought Ao Yu would ignore him, the little dragon turned around and said in a calm voice, "It's up to you, just don't cause any trouble."

"Meow!"

"Squeak!"

Upon hearing Ao Yu's agreement, the young ones cheered with the child, and a smile appeared on Ao Jing's face. He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, elder brother."

Yun Zhao found his earnest expression amusing and waved them off to play, while he planned to arrange the new child's bedding in the dormitory.

He took the new quilt handed over by Ao Yu and noticed that Ao Yu's gaze drifted towards the window from time to time. Yun Zhao leaned over to take a look and saw Wu Mu playing on the slide with Ao Jing.

"Watching Ao Jing?" Yun Zhao asked.

Turning back and seeing the teasing gaze of the youth, Ao Yu frowned unhappily. "Who's watching them?"

Yun Zhao didn't expose him, casually tidying up the bedding and saying, "Yes, yes, yes, you weren't watching..."

Ao Yu snorted coldly, leaned over, lightly bit the youth's face, and then left the room, leaving behind a dazed Yun Zhao with teeth marks on his face.

The dragon's temper was as capricious as ever. Why did he have to resort to biting people...

In the evening, as Yun Zhao came out of the dormitory, he was surrounded by the young ones.

Le Huang, who no longer hid his appetite, lifted his little head and asked, "What are we having for dinner?"

Yun Zhao thought for a moment and headed towards the kitchen, with a line of divine beast cubs following behind, forming quite a formidable procession.

As he surveyed the kitchen, he decided to make a spicy hot pot!

There were plenty of vegetables brought by the rabbits, and with the various seafood and meats stored, there was no need for additional preparation. It was a good opportunity to clear out the inventory.

Yun Zhao rolled up his sleeves and started working. He saw Ao Jing standing nearby, looking around in confusion, and asked, "Are you the only one cooking? What about the other attendants?"

"There are no attendants at Yuming Mountain, but if we have to say... the rabbits should be considered, as they handle many affairs here," Yun Zhao replied as he stripped the corn husks and chopped them into small pieces.

Seeing the shocked expression on Ao Jing's face, Yun Zhao couldn't help but laugh and ask, "What's wrong?"

Ao Jing thought for a moment and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?" He hadn't expected Yun Zhao to handle all the cooking process by himself. He couldn't imagine being able to eat a ready-made meal without doing anything.

In fact, Ao Yu and Bai Ze would also come to help, but in general, they would only make things more complicated and end up being kicked out of the kitchen.

Looking at Ao Jing, who still seemed a bit awkward, Yun Zhao handed him a piece of candy and pushed him towards Wu Mu and the others. "There's nothing for you to help with. Go play outside."

Wu Mu jumped onto the windowsill and patted the spot next to him with his paw. "Ao Jing, don't stand there. Come over here. It's convenient to have the first bite here!"

Yun Zhao chuckled, curled his finger and tapped Wu Mu's head. Wu Mu grabbed his finger with his front paw and bit it lightly.

The rabbits also brought a lot of spare ribs and seafood. Yun Zhao stopped playing around with the cubs and washed their hands to start cooking.

He blanched the spare ribs, trimmed the claws and whiskers off the palm-sized prawns, and used a small knife to slit their backs and remove the digestive tract.

He hadn't been so meticulous in handling ingredients before. It wasn't until he noticed that the little phoenix didn't peel the shrimp shells when eating them and ended up being pricked by the spikes on the shrimp's head.

To avoid such situations, Yun Zhao had to spend more time processing the ingredients. By the time he finished, the rabbits had also prepared all the spices and were happily fishing out the blanched spare ribs and various vegetables.

Yun Zhao stir-fried some slices of pork belly in hot oil, then added the spare ribs, prawns, and potato strips. He fried them until golden and then removed them from the wok.

The potato strips were fried to a golden and crispy texture. They tasted even better when they cooled down a bit. Yun Zhao blew on them and handed them to the cubs who had been waiting by the window.

Wu Mu held two potato strips and gave one to Ao Jing. He ate with his eyes narrowed and mouth full of crumbs. "Did I deceive you? It's beneficial to wait here!"

Ao Jing took a bite and responded softly, "Mm."

Yun Zhao then threw all the spices and chili peppers into the wok. He fried them until they released a red oil, and then tossed all the ingredients in, stir-frying vigorously.

"Go get bowls for rice. We're ready to eat," Yun Zhao said, turning his head to the cubs and sprinkling some green onions into the wok as he started plating the dish.

This time, the portion was generous. Yun Zhao only made this one dish, but it was enough to captivate everyone's attention.

The spare ribs were crispy, oily, and coated with fragrant and spicy seasoning. As for the other vegetables, they were both sweet and spicy, making them excellent with rice.

The shrimp shells glistened with oil, and because they were slit open, they absorbed the flavors particularly well. The tender and spicy shrimp meat was delicious to chew on. The little phoenix ate without even lifting his head, prompting Yun Zhao to constantly remind him to slow down to avoid stomach issues later at night.

Ao Jing held a bowl and only picked the dishes in front of him. Suddenly, a fat squid appeared in his bowl. He was slightly surprised and looked up to see that it was handed to him by Ao Yu.

His face showed a hint of delight. "Thank you, elder brother."

Ao Yu ate a few bites without saying much and said in a calm tone, "No one here will serve you food. Take whatever you want."

"Yes," Ao Jing nodded, feeling much less restrained.

Yun Zhao couldn't help but laugh when he noticed that Ao Yu would occasionally glance at Ao Jing. However, Ao Yu quickly noticed and gave him a warning look.

"Eat your meal," said Ao Yu.

Yun Zhao chuckled and peeled a shrimp before tossing it into Ao Yu's bowl, immediately shifting his attention to the bowl. Everyone had a hearty appetite, and they finished the hot pot that was originally expected to have leftovers.

The divine beast cubs all lay in their spots, rubbing their bellies. Even Ao Jing blushed and couldn't stop burping. Yun Zhao gave each of them a cup of digestion aid drink. He watched them obediently finish it before feeling relieved.

Ao Yu's clothes were stained with chili oil, and he furrowed his brow, about to go back to his room to change.

Bai Ze curled his lips and said, "This guy really pays attention to details."

Yun Zhao tidied up the bowls and chopsticks for the rabbits. He looked at Ao Yu's figure as he entered the house and pondered for a moment before asking, "Bai Ze, what exactly is the Abyss? I've been on the islands for a long time, but whenever I see those purple clouds, I feel uneasy."

"Hmm?" Bai Ze looked at him with surprise. "You can sense it?"

"Indeed," Yun Zhao confirmed.

Yun Zhao recalled his previous experiences. It was a quick sensation, but definitely not an illusion.

Bai Ze slouched in the rocking chair, looking up at the starry sky. "The Abyss is the opposite side of the entire Spirit Realm. It is a gathering place for malevolent thoughts in the world, inhabited by numerous evil spirits and ancient demons. Perhaps your spiritual power is too pure, which makes you so sensitive to it."

"Just look at those cubs. They couldn't care less," Bai Ze glanced at the cubs playing on the swings under the tree and jokingly remarked.

Yun Zhao sat by the stone table, resting his chin on his hands as he gazed at the stars. "So that's why the Dragon Patriarch values it so much and stationed Ao Yu there?"

"Yes," Bai Ze nodded, sounding somewhat helpless. "The convergence point between the two realms is located in the Four Seas. The evil spirits within the Abyss always attempt to merge the two realms or... swallow them."

"It's not just Ao Yu. The Dragon Clan has buried countless dragon souls over generations to prevent the Abyss from corroding our realm. Other immortal clans also send people to fight alongside the Dragon Clan," Bai Ze's voice sounded ethereal, tinged with a hint of nostalgia. "The Abyss amplifies the malevolent thoughts within one's heart. Some perish from exhaustion, while others suffer from backlash. The reverence that the Spirit Realm holds for the Dragon Clan is earned through the sacrifice of their spirits."

Yun Zhao thought of the vast sea area and felt a tinge of bitterness in his heart. "Isn't there a permanent solution?"

"Um... it seems there isn't," Bai Ze pondered, stroking his chin. "I've also tried to investigate, but I haven't found any method to close the Abyss. Otherwise, Ao Yu wouldn't have been stationed there for so many years."

Yun Zhao's eyelashes drooped slightly as he absentmindedly scratched the tabletop with his fingers. Bai Ze glanced sideways and knew that the young man was worried about his little dragon.

Clearing his throat, Bai Ze said, "Ao Yu may act tough, but he has a soft heart. Other dragons rotate their positions after a few hundred years, but he insists on staying for thousands of years to allow more time for rest within the clan. If it weren't for his serious injuries, I wonder how much longer he would have stayed!"

Yun Zhao felt even more heartache upon hearing this. Bai Ze described the Abyss as such a dreadful place, yet the little dragon fought inside it. He couldn't fathom how he endured all those days.

With these thoughts in mind, Yun Zhao stood up and walked back into the room. He saw Ao Yu had already changed his clothes and approached him, embracing him tightly and burying his head in his neck.

Caught off guard by the sudden hug, Ao Yu instinctively hugged him back, gently stroking his back with his hand.

Sensing Yun Zhao's low spirits, he became uneasy and was about to ask what had happened when he noticed Bai Ze outside the window looking their way.

Bai Ze raised his eyebrows and made playful gestures, pretending to hug himself and twist around before patting his chest with a triumphant expression.

Just as Bai Ze was about to pucker his lips to blow a kiss from afar, Ao Yu couldn't bear it any longer and swiftly closed the curtains.

Ao Yu furrowed his brows, feeling nauseated by the sight.

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Translator’s note: Bai Ze is so damn funny. LOL. Do you think that the snake in the previous chapter is also a divine cub?