CH 74

Chapter 74: Illusion of the Spirit Vein, Part 2

Yun Zhao initially enjoyed eating hot pot with Xiao Long, feeling completely at ease.

As the meal progressed, Yun Zhao had already burped, while Ao Yu continued to stare at the pot, his eyes gleaming with the words "not enough."

Seeing Yun Zhao pause, Ao Yu looked at him discontentedly, silently urging him to continue cooking the meat.

Yun Zhao clicked his tongue a couple of times, realizing that Ao Yu didn't seem satisfied with the amount of food.

Fortunately, the mountain beast was large enough, so Yun Zhao cut some more meat. Just as the pot was about to run dry, he finally managed to feed the little dragon.

After finishing the meal, the satiated Xiao Long sat on the ground, calmly tidying his messy hair. He casually wiped his greasy fingers clean and swung his thick, long tail behind him, unintentionally crushing a patch of unfortunate wildflowers.

Yun Zhao held his face and smiled, saying, "Was it delicious?"

"...," Ao Yu remained silent.

Seeing the smug smile on Yun Zhao's face, Ao Yu felt a bit embarrassed and turned his head, replying in a low voice, "It was alright."

Yun Zhao couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of meat scraps still stuck to Ao Yu's mouth. The way he answered was exactly the same as the first time Yun Zhao cooked noodles for him.

Hearing Yun Zhao's laughter, Ao Yu immediately stood up. With his round, blunt eyes glaring, his tail stood straight as he exclaimed, "What are you laughing at? Don't laugh at me!"

"Okay, okay, I won't laugh," Yun Zhao stood up, trying to keep his promise, but his shoulders couldn't help but tremble.

Annoyed, Ao Yu stomped his feet and lunged forward, reaching out with his hands.

Yun Zhao reacted quickly and swiftly ran away, leaving Ao Yu howling in frustration. The daily task of training seemed to be forgotten at that moment.

...

Xiao Long was supposed to practice at Yu Ming Mountain for a while before returning to the Dragon Realm for a regular trial. Yun Zhao thought he would have to wait a little longer, but unexpectedly, in the evening of the same day, a seabird arrived carrying a message.

Ao Yu took the letter with a puzzled expression, opened it, and immediately froze in place.

The bamboo forest rustled as the wind blew, and a white-haired child stood quietly among the trees. He crushed the letter in his hand, and the remnants scattered in the wind.

Yun Zhao watched as Ao Yu stood motionless, completely enveloped in the shadows of the bamboo forest. There was no trace of his usual sharpness, and his desolation sent shivers down Yun Zhao's spine.

"What's wrong?" Yun Zhao couldn't help but approach, lightly resting his hand on Xiao Long's shoulder.

"It's nothing." Ao Yu lowered his eyes, and his tail quietly drooped behind him, devoid of any movement.

The warm temperature from the young man's hand seeped through his clothes. Ao Yu pursed his pale lips into a straight line and gently pushed Yun Zhao's hand away from his shoulder. He whispered, "Come with me to the Dragon Realm immediately. Hide your Dragon Jade, and if anyone asks, say that you're my newly acquired attendant."

He tilted his head up, his pale golden pupils slightly narrowed, revealing a hint of the dignified appearance he would have in adulthood. "If you cause me trouble, I'll throw you into the sea as fish food."

"Wow, how terrifying," Yun Zhao pretended to be scared, taking a step back and obediently nodding. "I'll stick with you closely and never leave your side!"

"There's no need to go that far..."

Seeing the young man seemingly frightened and giving such a solemn promise, Xiao Long turned his face away and muttered softly to himself.

As the time grew late and the moonlight shrouded the mountains in a misty veil, Ao Yu raised his hand and formed a water mirror on the lake's surface. He glanced at Yun Zhao, motioning for him to follow, and then walked slowly into it.

Yun Zhao quickly followed, accidentally stepping on something hard. Before he had a chance to see what it was, Ao Yu reached out and pulled him to the side.

Xiao Long held his tail and grumbled angrily, "You clumsily stepped on my tail!"

Yun Zhao apologized with an embarrassed smile, coaxing him for a while until Xiao Long's expression eased.

He sighed helplessly. This ancestor of his had such unpredictable temper tantrums, making it quite difficult to serve him.

Having been to the Dragon Realm before, Yun Zhao wasn't particularly surprised by the exotic seascape. He obediently followed behind Ao Yu, playing the role of an attendant.

From the corner of his eye, he observed the magnificent Dragon Palace, which seemed livelier than when he had seen it before. Many dragon-horned beings were gathered outside the Dragon Patriarch’s chamber, and Yun Zhao speculated that they were members of the dragon clan's branches.

As Ao Yu walked along the corridor, he inadvertently caught sight of Yun Zhao sneakily looking around, assuming he was searching for his unconventional lover.

"Don't look around aimlessly for now. Wait until everyone is here before you start searching," Ao Yu stopped in his tracks, looking at Yun Zhao with a displeased expression, feeling an indescribable restlessness in his heart.

Yun Zhao wasn't actually looking for someone, so he immediately reached out and patted Xiao Long's head, smiling. "Got it."

Ao Yu still pushed his hand away, turned around, and continued walking ahead.

The further they went, the more people there were. Groups of three or five gathered, whispering and discussing in Ao Yu's direction.

"Is that him? Wasn't it said that he had a divine nature? A godhead? Why can't he even retract his tail?"

"Who knows? Maybe the news about having a divine nature was spread by his unicorn father himself, otherwise, how could he secure his position so firmly?"

"If it weren't for the deaths and injuries of his uncles, he wouldn't have had the chance for his father to become the Dragon Patriarch... He himself is... left with only..."

Yun Zhao frowned, following the sound of the voices. He found several young dragon clan members talking disrespectfully about Ao Yu, their eyes scanning him without any reverence.

They noticed Yun Zhao's gaze and coldly reprimanded, "You, as an attendant, don't know the rules? Who allowed you to look directly at the master!"

Their voices were not loud, but they deliberately wanted to embarrass Ao Yu, so they approached them.

Before they even got close, Ao Yu's silver-white dragon tail swung high with great force, sweeping through and unleashing considerable pressure. 

"Ugh!"

The two provocative youths were caught off guard and were flung into the coral bushes. The sharp scales on the dragon's tail left numerous small and large cuts on their bodies, drawing blood.

Ao Yu stood in the corridor, calmly observing them. He continued to watch until the two coughed up blood and knelt down in a sorry state, then Ao Yu slowly and leisurely took Yun Zhao away.

Along the way, Yun Zhao noticed that Xiao Long became even more silent. He walked ahead with a straight posture, displaying a cold and arrogant demeanor that didn't resemble that of a child.

When they reached the entrance of the palace chamber, Ao Yu entered the hall together with the other clan members and approached the enormous golden-leaved ginkgo tree.

The Dragon Patriarch calmly gazed at the silver-blue pool water within the jade bi. Upon seeing Ao Yu, he raised his hand and gestured for him to stand by his side.

"Wait for me here."

Ao Yu had Yun Zhao stand in front of one of the pillars in the hall, where a jade dragon coiled around it, while he himself walked towards the Dragon Patriarch. The rest of the clan members stepped back, respectfully making way for him.

Once everyone had gathered and settled, the doors of the hall opened again, and several snake-tailed spiritual attendants clad in armor carried a box, walking slowly towards the Dragon Patriarch.

Silence fell upon everyone in an instant.

The Dragon Patriarch's hand gently caressed the surface of the box, and with a slow exhalation, he opened it. A shimmering radiance, like a pearl, burst forth, illuminating the entire palace.

Yun Zhao's pupils instantly widened when he saw what was inside the box—a gigantic dragon horn!

This precious object was lifted by the attendants and, under the Dragon Patriarch's instruction, placed into the jade pool. The silver-blue water engulfed the dragon horn, and in the moment it dissipated, the glow of the golden-leaved ginkgo tree intensified. A faint, mournful dragon's roar seemed to resonate, casting a layer of silent sorrow over the ceremony.

Only after the dragon's roar faded away did the surrounding clan members slowly depart. The Dragon Patriarch seemed busy and left with the attendants, leaving Ao Yu standing alone in his small stature.

He lowered his head, his tail drooping lifelessly behind him, standing there all alone, motionless, lost in his thoughts.

Footsteps sounded behind him, and the faint fragrance from the young man brushed against him. Ao Yu didn't turn around but spoke softly, "This was my last sister. She couldn't resist the Abyssal Qi and perished from the backlash."

His two elder brothers before her had met the same fate. He wondered if he would meet a similar end...

"That dragon horn is probably the only remains we could find. Now it has been given to the Four Seas' Spirit Vein," Ao Yu said silently, looking up at the outstretched branches of the golden-leaved ginkgo tree, struggling to hold back the moisture in his eyes.

Yun Zhao quietly accompanied him, pretending to look up at the branches, not paying attention to the little dragon who was secretly wiping away tears.

"I heard her dragon's roar, returning to nurture the Four Seas' Spirit Vein. She must have found peace," Yun Zhao whispered softly. "Her spirit is immortal, and she will always be here in this tree, accompanying you and protecting the lives of the Four Seas."

Ao Yu was taken aback for a moment. He slowly lowered his eyelids, his fingers rolling and unrolling the fabric of his robe, before finally raising his hand sluggishly.

Yun Zhao felt a tinge of sadness in his heart as he thought about what Ao Yu would face in the future.

Suddenly, a cold little hand appeared in Yun Zhao's palm. Surprised, he looked down and saw Ao Yu, with red-rimmed eyes, awkwardly saying, "Lead me out."

"Alright."

This was the first time that Ao Yu took the initiative to hold Yun Zhao's hand since they met Xiao Long. Though his expression was awkward and embarrassed, Yun Zhao suddenly felt a sense of clarity in his heart.

At least there was some contact!

They walked out of the palace and found themselves in a pavilion without realizing it. Colorful fish swam in an orderly manner among the coral, passing through several small caves and leaving a trail of bubbles that refracted into various colors.

Ao Yu, seemingly having eased from his sorrowful emotions, squeezed the young man's fingers and asked, "All the branches of the dragon clan were present during the ceremony. Did you see the person you were looking for?"

"No..." Yun Zhao hadn't expected him to bring up this topic suddenly and shook his head.

"That's strange. Everyone from the branches was clearly there..." Ao Yu frowned. Not all of these clan members necessarily lived in the seas; some dragons were the masters of rivers and lakes, and they were more likely to have connections with nearby celestial beings.

"Show me your Dragon Jade."

Ao Yu reached out his hand, as if determined to uncover the truth about that faithless person.

Anyone who could abandon this mountain spirit without a second thought couldn't be a good dragon!

Yun Zhao chuckled awkwardly but reluctantly handed over the Dragon Jade. "Here you go."

Ao Yu took it and examined it for a few moments, realizing that the spiritual power of the jade pendant was astonishingly strong, and the aura felt particularly familiar.

This feeling didn't resemble those of the unconventional branch clan members... It was more like his own...

Ao Yu weighed the Dragon Jade in Xiao Long's hand repeatedly, making Yun Zhao nervous and fearful that he would notice that it was his own piece.

If he did notice, how would Yun Zhao explain it?

While Yun Zhao was scratching his head, lost in thought, little did he know that Xiao Long on the other side was letting his imagination run wild.

Ao Yu remembered his two deceased brothers and his expression changed multiple times in an instant...

One of his brothers must have given Yun Zhao the Dragon Jade as a token of their love, intending to return after battling the Abyss, marry him, and never expected to perish from the backlash. And the young man had been patiently waiting...

Suddenly, Ao Yu raised his head and looked at Yun Zhao with wide eyes. "!"

Yun Zhao, puzzled by Ao Yu's wide-eyed stare, asked, "What's wrong?"

Ao Yu immediately shook his head, suppressing his flustered expression, and looked at the young man again. He took a deep breath before speaking earnestly, "Regardless of anything else, as long as you have the Dragon Jade, you are a member of the dragon clan. I... we will treat you well."

Yun Zhao, still perplexed, took the Dragon Jade that Ao Yu returned to him, his face filled with confusion. Xiao Long during this period really was hard to understand...

Ao Yu glanced at the Dragon Jade held in Yun Zhao's hand and couldn't help but ask again, "Why... is there a pearl embedded in it?"

"Well, about that..." Yun Zhao touched the smooth pearl on the Dragon Jade, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"My lover said he found it in the depths of the sea when he became an adult. He intended to give it to his future partner."

Yun Zhao pointed to himself, "So, he gave it to me."

Upon hearing this, Ao Yu reached out and poked the pearl with his finger. The shimmering luster seeped into his golden eyes, and the sound of the young man's joyful laughter echoed in his ears. An indescribable sense of dissatisfaction surged within him.

This unfamiliar emotion, Ao Yu attributed it to his own sense of comparison and desire for treasures.

He raised his head, his eyes fixed on the young man's bright black eyes, until his own reflection was the only thing he saw in them. In a defiant tone, he said, "When I become an adult, I will find an even more beautiful pearl to give to my future partner!"

Yun Zhao raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Sure."

He smiled happily with narrowed eyes, secretly thinking to himself, "You better remember what you just said, kid!"

Author's Note:

Young Ao Yu: Oh my god, she's my sister-in-law!