Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 537 The Dragon Lord's Choice, Zheng Fa Emerges from Seclusion

Xiao Yuying walked into the courtyard.

Shuyu Dragon Lord stood by the pool, looking down at the three dragon eggs, seemingly unaware of his disciple's arrival.

Xiao Yuying didn't say anything, but silently walked to the side of the Dragon Lord Shuyu.

Shuyulong Master flipped his palm upwards.

A colorful cloud is reflected in the water, and a gentle drizzle, imbued with spiritual energy, softly drips onto the three dragon eggs.

She possessed the cultivation of a true immortal and had a noble bloodline. Even when she used her powers casually, the spiritual rain contained vibrant life force.

Even though these three dragon eggs are still young, nourished by this vitality, they seem to have developed some instinctive intelligence—

As soon as the Jade Dragon Lord's palm touched the ground, the three dragon eggs jumped up in unison, their pointed heads vying to rub against her palm.

Xiao Yuying could see that her master's eyes were full of love and joy.

Such a simple game, yet his million-year-old master enjoyed it immensely, playing it again and again, even more so than usual.

After a long while, the Dragon Lord Shuyu turned his head, glanced at Xiao Yuying, and walked out of the courtyard.

As she reached the door, she suddenly turned back, looked at the dragon egg, and gazed at it for a long time, as if saying goodbye.

Xiao Yuying's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

The master and disciple remained silent, one after the other, emerging from the Purple Palace and leaving the Nine Mountains Boundary.

"Master."

Xiao Yuying finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Ok?"

"……nothing."

Xiao Yuying lowered her head again, what was she saying?

Even if her master insisted on going his own way, she was powerless to stop him.

No matter what Lord Shuyu does, his kindness in teaching should never be forgotten.

Lord Shuyu gave her a deep look and suddenly asked, "Aren't you willing to leave with me?"

Xiao Yuying gritted her teeth and said, "Yes!"

Lord Shuyu remained silent for a long time, simply watching her quietly.

Xiao Yuying met her master's gaze without flinching.

"Was your Nascent Soul transformation going smoothly?"

"Hmm." Xiao Yuying said softly, "Sect Leader Zheng changed my foundation and taught me the Nine Mountains True Method, so there is no obstacle to becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator."

"The Nine Mountains True Method..." Lord Shuyu Dragon repeated softly, "...without any reservations?"

"No, whatever Sect Leader Zheng cultivates, that's what I cultivate."

Xiao Yuying had a slight smile on her face.

Lord Shuyu Dragon then asked, "Have the people of the Nine Mountains Realm changed their attitude towards you these days?"

"No."

Shuyu Dragon Lord narrowed his eyes and said, "Really not?"

"Indeed, no. I do have some unresolved issues, but everyone in the Nine Mountains treats me as usual, and they have never deliberately kept important matters from me."

Xiao Yuying's tone was very certain.

Of course she had to sign a confidentiality agreement.

On the other hand, major events in the Nine Mountains Realm were indeed not kept from her.

She was present when the second fifty-year plan was being formulated.

She even participated in the formation of the Divine Firmament Legion—after all, her lightning magic cultivation was among the top three in the Nine Mountains Realm.

She herself felt somewhat embarrassed.

The Dragon Lord Shuyu stared intently at her face, seemingly trying to determine whether what she said was true or false. After a long while, he nodded and said, "Tell Zheng Fa that an ancient dragon race has appeared in the North Sea, known as the Cangming Dragon King."

Xiao Yuying suddenly widened her eyes.

She finally understood why her master had been acting strangely lately.

As her disciple, how could she not know the Dragon Lord's longing for closeness with his own kind?
The Jade Dragon Lord continued, "I observe that the Azure Sea Dragon King seems to have the ambition to devour the four seas."

Xiao Yuying blinked.

The Master's words seemed to indicate a preference for the Nine Mountains Sect?

To be honest, even she herself didn't quite understand why her master had been searching for members of the same clan for so many years!
As if she could read her thoughts, the Dragon Lord Shuyu chuckled softly, "You haven't been wronged."

Xiao Yuying was stunned, then suddenly realized and said, "Master, you did this on purpose?"

“I’m deliberately not saying I’m in a dilemma.” The Dragon Lord of Shuyu glanced eastward, as if gazing at the distant sea. “But Zheng Fa isn’t a fool. He should have known some things beforehand, yet he still treats you as before…”

Xiao Yuying nodded repeatedly.

"The Nine Mountains Sect has nurtured the dragon eggs for me without ever delaying or disobeying, nor has it ever resorted to underhanded tactics."

Shuyu Dragon Lord's words filled Xiao Yuying's eyes with shock, making her realize that she had never understood her master.

"Master, you often come to the Nine Mountains Realm to inspect the dragon eggs?"

The Jade Dragon Lord laughed, then suddenly said something Xiao Yuying couldn't understand even more: "I am the last ancient dragon of Xuanwei. Do you know what that means?"

"Disciple doesn't know."

“From the moment I was born, there were cultivators who wanted to capture me and keep me in captivity, and even use me to make medicine and pills. If it weren’t for this ocean protecting me, I would have been skinned alive and left to be at the mercy of others long ago.”

Shuyu Dragon Lord was still smiling, but Xiao Yuying felt a chill run through her body.

She had never imagined that her master, who was so powerful and insightful, would have such difficult times, but thinking about it, it made sense:
A true dragon is a treasure from head to toe.

Even a master needs to grow gradually.

An ignorant ancient dragon, without any elders to care for it, encountered far more malice than kindness.

My master's thoughts are far deeper than I know.

Looking into her master's eyes again, she felt that they were clearer and more luminous than ever before.

"So, Master, that's why you want to find your own kind?"

The Jade Dragon Lord did not answer, but instead stepped into the sky full of clouds, leaving only one sentence in Xiao Yuying's ear:

"It's not easy to find a place where you can feel at peace, and it's even harder to find a fellow Daoist you can trust."

……

At the Dragon Palace of Cangming, the Dragon Lord Shuyu was invited by the Dragon King to a banquet.

Perhaps because they had taken control of this sea area, the Dragon Palace was even more lively and magnificent than before.

Mermaids played the zither, seashell maidens danced, jade flutes played, and fish and dragons shimmered.

Treasures from all corners of the world are piled on a plate, while priceless pearls and jade are scattered on the ground.

The air was filled with the fragrance of celestial wine, and the melodious songs and dances filled the air. The precious light shone on the Dragon King's smiling face, making him appear even more enthusiastic.

The Dragon King's family exchanged glances, while the Jade Dragon Lord seemed oblivious, gently tapping the table to the rhythm of the song and dance.

"Why don't you offer a toast to the Dragon Lord?"

The Dragon King of the Azure Sea suddenly shouted at the Second Prince.

The second prince stood up, his gaze falling on the Dragon Lord's face, his eyes filled with affection. He slowly walked to the Dragon Lord and said to her, "Thank you for your honor, Dragon Lord."

Lord Shuyu glanced at him, nodded slightly, and sipped his wine.

The Azure Dragon King gave his queen a look.

Over the years, the two sides have maintained close ties, but they have fallen just short of achieving their goal.

He did find out that the Dragon Lord had no kin and was quite lonely. He always seemed oblivious to his second brother's enthusiasm and appeared to be completely incomprehensible about other matters.

Of course he was anxious.

The Queen understood his meaning, gently put down her wine cup, and her smile became even more genuine: "Dragon Lord, our two families have been quite compatible over the years, but there is one thing, and I hope you will not find my family presumptuous." The Dragon Lord Shuyu's gaze swept across the Second Prince's face, looked at the Queen, and after a slight silence, said: "Please speak, Your Majesty."

"I dared not speak this matter directly to the Dragon Lord, but I cannot find anyone else in my family to come to the Dragon Lord's door."

The Queen's smile held an apology, yet it subtly pointed out that the Dragon Lord was a lonely figure.

"I'll be blunt and say it: my good-for-nothing second son has long admired the Dragon Lord."

The Dragon Lord looked at the Second Prince and saw that the prince's face was flushed, and he was shy. However, his eyes were even more affectionate, as if he was in love with her very much.

Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, the Cangming Dragon King spoke up: "This matter is not just my son's idea. My family also deeply admires the Dragon Master's character. If our two families can become one, we can say that we have no regrets in this life."

"Moreover, with our two families working together, the sea area will be secured in no time, and we can rest easy in the future."

"No worries?" Lord Shuyu raised an eyebrow. "I've heard that even Golden Immortals are about to descend to earth. How can we be complacent?"

The Azure Sea Dragon King laughed heartily: "Dragon Lord, you are unaware of the truth. I have inherited the Dragon Ancestor's secret technique. As long as I unify the seas, I can attempt to attain the Golden Immortal realm! In the future, I may even be able to glimpse the realms beyond the Golden Immortal!"

"The Dragon Ancestor's Secret Technique..." The Dragon Lord Shuyu's expression changed, and he nodded, saying, "I indeed did not receive this inheritance."

The Azure Sea Dragon King laughed and said, "The Dragon Ancestor's secret technique was only passed down after the Dragon Ancestor's death. Otherwise, how would we have had the opportunity to become Golden Immortals?"

The meaning behind these words is quite clear—before the Dragon Ancestor died, he could not possibly pass on the Golden Immortal Techniques, lest someone threaten his position.

Therefore, Lord Shuyulong did not have it.

Seeing that the Dragon Lord Shuyu remained silent for a long time, the Dragon King Cangming advised again: "Dragon Lord, you also know that the situation in Xuanwei will become more and more dangerous. If we do not join forces to find an opportunity to become Golden Immortals, we will probably face difficulties in the future."

"If you marry my son, and I can attain the Golden Immortal realm, I will naturally be able to protect the Dragon Lord and fight for the world for my Dragon Clan."

When he said this, the Azure Sea Dragon King was quite sincere.

How could he not see that the Dragon Lord's gaze towards the Second Prince was utterly calm and unyielding, like a still well with a heart of stone?

Therefore, the Dragon King's persuasion was all focused on the future situation and the fate of the dragon race.

Sure enough, the Dragon Lord's expression was more moved than before.

After a long while, the Dragon Lord seemed to have made up his mind and nodded.

The Azure Sea Dragon King was overjoyed that things were so simple, and was about to speak when he heard the Dragon Lord say again:

“What the Dragon King said makes a lot of sense. I only have two things I need the Dragon King and the Second Prince to agree to.”

The Dragon King laughed heartily, "Don't mention two items, even two hundred or two thousand, I will not refuse any of them!"

Lord Shuyu also smiled and said seriously, "Just two items."

"Please speak, Dragon Lord."

"I have three children. If I marry into the Dragon Palace in the future, I hope the Second Prince will treat these three children as his own..."

"Wait!" the Dragon King shouted, then yelled at the beautiful mermaids playing the zither, "Stop!"

The singing and dancing stopped abruptly.

The Azure Sea Dragon King looked at the Jade Jade Dragon Lord and frowned, saying, "In the commotion just now, I actually heard the Dragon Lord say that you... have a child?"

"You heard that right."

The second prince rolled his affectionate eyes upwards, looking up at the top of his head, and felt that the huge luminous pearl on his crown appeared even more verdant.

"A hybrid dragon?" The Dragon King seemed to have figured it out, and he smiled through gritted teeth.

"Pureblood."

"..."

Under the Dragon Lord's candid gaze, the Dragon King felt a mixture of anger and confusion, and a sense of panic.

His mouth opened and closed, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Then the Dragon Lord Shuyu continued, "My three children are still young. As you know, Dragon King, raising a dragon is not easy. I have no intention of having any more children."

The Dragon King grinned, finding it impossible to refute—the ancient dragon race faced difficulties in reproduction and was expensive to raise.

The Cangming Dragon Palace has stood majestically in the Dragon Abyss Realm for many years, but its population is sparse, and it has even had to intermarry with the other two Dragon Palaces.

His eldest daughter-in-law had been married into the family for over ten thousand years, yet she had no children. He felt somewhat anxious and often longed for them.

Who would have thought that this next step would come true, and he would suddenly have three more grandchildren?
It was clear from the Dragon Lord's expression that he wasn't joking.

The Dragon King of the Azure Sea's face slowly darkened.

He really couldn't agree to this:
It's one thing for my second son to suffer injustice, and it's another for him to lose face.

The problem is, could three ancient dragons really bankrupt his Cangming Dragon Palace...?

If one has his bloodline, then of course there is no problem. Like the demon race, the dragon race's descendants' cultivation progresses, which greatly benefits their ancestors.

But the Dragon Lord's three children have absolutely no relation to him, the Dragon King!

He must have been insane to agree to empty the Cangming Dragon Palace and raise someone else's child.

Looking at the Dragon Lord, the Cangming Dragon King's tone couldn't help but carry a hint of sarcasm: "Dragon Lord, you must be joking. In this world, are there still people who raise dragons for others?"

"Yes, the Nine Mountains Sect is taking care of it." The Jade Dragon Lord paused, then affirmed, "It's being taken very well."

"..."

The Azure Sea Dragon King became increasingly speechless. After a long silence, he asked again, "What is your second matter, Dragon Lord?"

"Could you pass on to me your method for attaining the Golden Immortal realm, the method of the Dragon Ancestor?"

The Azure Sea Dragon King was completely dumbfounded.

No, in your heart, what kind of sucker is my Cangming Dragon Palace?
We will raise the child.

Golden Immortal, go and witness it.

The Azure Sea Dragon King took a few deep breaths, speechless for a moment, and then actually laughed.

"Dragon Lord, do you know that this is a secret method passed down by the Dragon Ancestor, which even my two sons did not receive?"

The Dragon Lord Shuyu looked at him, seemingly a little regretful: "The Dragon King won't agree."

"What a joke! Is there really anyone in this world who can grant you those two conditions?"

"Yes, I have……"

Before she could finish speaking, the Dragon King of the Azure Sea interrupted, "Nine Mountains Sect?"

"Ah."

The Azure Sea Dragon King knew perfectly well that the Dragon Lord had been talking for so long, all to reject him.

They also knew that the Dragon Lord had chosen the Nine Mountains Sect.

His face was ashen, and his tone was icy as he sneered, "Dragon Lord, you are being far too biased. How many years has the Nine Mountains Sect been established? Compared to my Dragon Ancestor's secret techniques, those methods are like the light of a firefly compared to the brilliance of the sun and moon!"

The Dragon Lord Shuyu also put away the smile on his face and just looked at him quietly with a calm expression.

This resolute stance only fueled the Dragon King of the Azure Sea's anger, who coldly snorted, "I only hope that you, Dragon Lord, will not regret this!"

Before Lord Shuyulong could speak, the wine cup in front of him suddenly began to shake.

The mermaid-woman fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

Fine wine and delicacies were spilled on the table, leaving a mess.

Looking around, everyone saw the lanterns hanging on the walls swaying left and right, and the seawater seemed to be boiling, with undercurrents surging everywhere.

"An earthquake?"

The Azure Sea Dragon King was slightly taken aback, only to feel the spiritual energy in the sea rushing towards the surface.

He didn't care about arguing with the Dragon Lord and swam towards the sea. The Dragon Lord Shuyu and the others didn't understand what was happening and followed closely behind.

As soon as they emerged from the water, they were greeted by a sight they would never forget.

From the highest heavens to the deepest seas, as far as the eye could see, all the spiritual energy seemed to be drawn by something, rushing wildly into the distance.

They were all ancient dragons, capable of traveling thousands of miles in an instant across the sea. Following the direction where the spiritual energy was gathering, they arrived at the seaside in the blink of an eye.

A figure emerged from the rosy light, step by step ascending to the heavens.

"Sect Leader Zheng?"

(End of this chapter)