Xiuxian: I studied abroad in modern times

Chapter 553 The Dragon Returns to the Nine Mountains, A Joyful Result

What Little Golden Crow said actually makes sense—drivers are always trusted confidants.

But the second prince and his entourage were still honorably pulled onto the carriage.

The Xuanwei Sea is bathed in the golden sunlight, its surface rippling gently like a delicate sapphire brocade.

Shuyu Longzhu stood in the water, gazing at the coast of Dongzhou An, his heart filled with indescribable emotions.

The battle at Xuanwei Sea has ended, and as agreed, she will now fully join the Jiushan Sect.

Even though the Azure Sea Dragon King had fled, she had no intention of going back on her word.

Not to mention that she was not one to break her promises, more importantly, given the current situation, she needed to rely on the Nine Mountains Sect even more.

The Azure Sea Dragon King is not dead, the struggle for the sea has not stopped, and behind the other side stands a great demon like the Golden-Winged Roc.

Without external help, she would inevitably be at a disadvantage and become food for the Golden-Winged Roc.

If she were to rely on others, she would have no chance of having any more members of her clan unless she married the Azure Sea Dragon King.

In some ways, she's even more anxious than the Nine Mountains Sect right now.

If the Nine Mountains Sect could use her genes to cultivate the ancient dragon race, it could naturally also use the genes of the four dragons from the Cangming Dragon Palace to cultivate them.

Moreover, she had another worry:
"The Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend Transformation..." Thinking of this technique, the Dragon Lord Shuyu's feelings became even more complicated. "If they can really become dragons, what advantages will I have in the sea in the future?"

Although she didn't know if Zheng Fa's words were intentionally said to her, she definitely took them to heart.

At this moment, she was the only dragon clan member that the Nine Mountains Sect could trust, and the Four Dragons of Cangming were far from threatening her special status.

If in the future, the Nine Mountains Sect cultivates a large number of dragons, and even everyone can become a dragon...

Then she wouldn't be that important to the Nine Mountains Sect.

This is probably the time when she is at her highest value.

In the Water Palace on Dragon Pan Island, she had already taken the initiative to bring up this idea, wanting to submit to the Nine Mountains as agreed.

Despite her mixed feelings, and even a hint of resentment, she had been waiting there for a long time.

This is the place where the grand ceremony was held.

As I pondered, the sound of military drums echoed from the shore of Dongzhou. The drumbeats were precise, solemn, and resonated throughout the surrounding area.

After the drumbeats, a purple glow slowly rose from the sky.

Amidst the purple clouds, four true dragons, dragging a palace, flew towards the sea.

Yuan Xiaoniao and Xiao Jinwu soared above the palace, their long tail feathers trailing wisps of blue and red smoke in the air.

The Divine Firmament Legion stood in formation, guarding the main hall.

At the entrance of the main hall, Uncle Pang, dressed in a brand-new Taoist robe, with a flushed face, looked at the four dragons pulling the cart, his expression as if he were in a dream.

Inside the hall, Senior Sister Zheng Fazhang and other high-ranking members of the Nine Mountains gazed at the sea.

The surrender of the Jade Dragon Lord is of great significance to the Nine Mountains Sect. In terms of cultivation alone, it can be considered a feat of a snake swallowing an elephant.

Its strategic significance goes without saying.

In the short term, Zheng Fa will find it difficult to find a better partner in the sea area than Lord Shuyu. In the long term... it's hard to say whether the Nine Mountains Realm will even have a long-term future.

The elaborate display was partly to show respect to Lord Shuyu, and partly to announce the news to Xuanwei.

Since the appearance of the Golden-Winged Roc, Zheng Fa and his group realized that making a fortune in silence was no longer an option.

The Nine Mountains Sect has grown to a point where its size, influence, and strength are now extremely remarkable.

They cannot develop in seclusion; neither the four major sects nor external forces will ignore them.

This was especially true after the Battle of Xuanwei Sea.

Therefore, it would be better to seize the opportunity to establish authority and make those forces, especially neutral forces, think twice.

Using the four dragons of Cangming to pull the chariot not only implies the hierarchical relationship between the Dragon Clan and the Nine Mountains Sect, but also serves as a "presentation of captives".

In fact, the location they chose was very close to Beihai—just so that some people could see it.

Under the influence of the Divine Firmament Magnetic Array, some people were indeed observing in secret.

In the sea, the Jade Dragon Lord let out a long roar, transformed into his true form, and emerged from the sea as a golden dragon, soaring straight to the heavens.

Her true dragon form possessed a harmony of power and beauty even more than the four dragons pulling the chariot; her entire body was silver with gold undertones, shimmering in the bright sun.

This dazzling mythical beast flew to the front of the main hall, its front paws pressing against the white clouds, its dragon head slightly lowered, as if bowing down to the Nine Mountains Sect.

"To actually bow down to a human is a disgrace to be of the same race as this Jade Dragon Lord!"

Beneath the surface of the North Sea, the Azure Sea Dragon King spoke with a cold face.

The Golden-Winged Roc glanced at him, seemingly remembering how he had lost the treasure bottle while saving this person. His face darkened, and he spoke even more rudely: "Your whole family pulls carts for others, aren't you ashamed? What are you ashamed of now?"

"They must have been forced by Jiushan!"

“I don’t know about others, but your second son doesn’t seem to have been forced into it.”

The second prince of the Cangming Dragon Dynasty looked over and saw that this guy was very serious, flying fast and steadily.

He felt like he was going to vomit blood. When had he ever seen this unfilial son so obedient?

Just as the Azure Sea Dragon King was speechless and puzzled, Zheng Fawen's gentle voice came from the sky:

"Your Majesty, you are too polite. Please rise."

Zheng Fa, accompanied by the elders of the Nine Mountains Sect, flew out of the Heavenly Palace, his right hand slightly raised.

The Jade Dragon Lord did not stand on ceremony. He transformed into human form, holding the Myriad Seas Seal and a jade book in his hands.

She raised the seal high above her head and proclaimed loudly: "The Mysterious Diagram reveals the secrets of the vast ocean, and the Precious Seal holds the destiny of the Dragon Clan. Now, I offer it to the Nine Mountains, and I, Shuyu, wish to be attached to the banners of the Nine Mountains, praying that the Dragon Ancestor will bear witness, and that the mountains and seas will be our alliance!"

The Myriad Sea Seal soared high into the sky, and the illusory image of the Dragon Ancestor reappeared, enveloping the Heavenly Palace and the Jade Dragon Lord, who raised his head and let out a long roar.

The Jade Dragon Lord spat out his natal dragon pearl, and the illusory image of the ancestral dragon extended its front claw and placed a golden mark on it.

“The Myriad Sea Seal… So that’s how it is.” At the bottom of the North Sea, the Azure Sea Dragon King sighed and shook his head, saying, “In the future, if the Jade Dragon Lord wants to betray the Nine Mountains, the price will be much higher.”

"Oh?"

"These are the rules written into our bloodline by the Dragon Ancestor, and the reason why the Myriad Sea Seal can control us."

Whether it was because he couldn't explain it clearly or because he was wary, the Dragon King of the Azure Sea spoke in a vague and ambiguous way.

But the Golden-Winged Roc understood that the Jade Dragon Lord's oath had probably bound him to the Nine Mountains Sect.

The Dragon Lord of Shuyu retrieved the Dragon Pearl, held the jade book in his hands, and presented it to Zheng Fa.

This jade book is the Xuanwei Sea Map.

Zheng Fa accepted the jade tablet and replied, "The golden talisman bestows upon you a mystical post, and the vast ocean entrusts you with the banner of authority. May you become a pillar of the sect, forever stabilizing the boundless ocean waves."

After saying that, he handed a golden talisman that could mobilize the magnetic array of the sea to the Dragon Lord Shuyu, and said, "I only wish that generation after generation will never betray each other."

Lord Shuyu held the golden talisman to his chest and nodded, saying, "For generations to come, we will never betray each other."

The Azure Sea Dragon King watched this scene in silence for a long time, then turned to the Golden-Winged Roc and said, "Are you just going to watch?"

The Golden-Winged Roc remained silent for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "Now, with the Nine Mountains Sect and the Jade Dragon Lord, no one but a Golden Immortal can break through in the sea."

"..."

"We already thought highly of the Nine Mountains Sect, but we didn't expect it to be too late. The Nine Mountains Sect has already become a force to be reckoned with."

Upon hearing this, even the Dragon King of the Azure Sea couldn't utter a word of reproach. Did these people from the Northern Continent underestimate the Nine Mountains Sect?

Not really.

The Golden-Winged Roc is by no means weak; before the emergence of Golden Immortals, it can be considered one of the strongest in Xuanwei.

However, they still suffered a loss at the hands of the Nine Mountains Sect, and the treasure bottle was broken.

"So, there's nothing we can do about them?"

"You should guard the North Sea for now, and wait..."

"Wait?" The Dragon King of Cangming glanced at his wife and children pulling the cart, but didn't speak. He was just thinking. They were waiting. What about the Nine Mountains Sect?

"The Nine Mountains Sect and the Dragon Lord are now one family!"

In the Heavenly Palace, Uncle-Master Pang laughed heartily and gestured to Xiao Yuying to pour wine for Lord Shuyu.

"family?"

The Dragon Lord Shuyu murmured to herself, looking at the smiling elders in the hall, feeling rather unaccustomed to it—she had lived in seclusion for many years, usually keeping a cold and quiet demeanor, and rarely participating in such banquets.

Or rather, I'm a little panicked.

“Alright, Uncle-Master, let the Dragon Lord be at ease.” Zheng Fa sat to the side, shaking his head and smiling. “Dragon Lord, please don’t be offended. My Uncle-Master loves to see the Nine Mountains prosper. He is happy that the Dragon Lord is willing to join our Nine Mountains Sect today.”

Shuyu Dragon Lord glanced at Uncle Pang and saw that his eyes were bright and his face was flushed. Although he hadn't drunk much, he looked like he was quite drunk and was just about to dance around.

She couldn't help but smile, and took a sip of wine.

"Since the Dragon Lord has joined my Nine Mountains Sect, and since this 'Yellow Court Scripture' was created within our sect, we hope that the Dragon Lord will correct it."

"The Yellow Court Classic?"

Lord Shuyu was taken aback.

She knew about the "Huang Ting Jing" (Yellow Court Classic), a cultivation method that represented the pinnacle of the Nine Mountains Sect's techniques. One thing was enough to prove its status: Zheng Fa practiced this very classic.

She even vaguely heard Xiao Yuying mention that the "Transformation of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends" that she cared so much about was only a part of this scripture.

She knew she would receive the Huangting Jing, but she never expected that Zheng Fa would bring out the scripture as soon as she entered the sect, even more eager than she was.

Seeing her puzzled expression, Zheng Fa did not explain. He simply placed the jade tube in a jade tray, and with a flick of his sleeve, the tray slowly flew to the Shuyulong main table.

Shuyulong picked up the jade tube containing the "Huangting Jing" but wasn't particularly excited.

She also admitted that Zheng Fa was very powerful, saying that even the Dragon Ancestor was no match for him at the same level.

On the other hand, she didn't feel that the *Huangting Jing* was particularly suitable for her. This wasn't a matter of underestimating the Nine Mountains Sect, but rather common knowledge in the Xuanwei Realm:
The most suitable cultivation methods for demons and monsters are those passed down through their bloodlines.

To be honest, if the Dragon King of Cangming had been willing to pass on the method by which the Dragon Ancestor attained the Golden Immortal realm to her, it's hard to say what she would have chosen.

Of course, she was quite grateful for Zheng Fa's generosity in passing on such a fundamental teaching as the "Huang Ting Jing" to her.

Shuyu Longzhu smiled and nodded at Zheng Fa, then began reading the "Huangting Jing" with a hint of nonchalance.

As she read, her breathing gradually quickened, and she suddenly looked up at Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa continued to smile, seemingly oblivious to her excitement.

Shuyulong lowered his head again, his expression extremely serious, and continued to comprehend the "Huangting Jing".

After a long while, she slowly raised her head, her tone complex: "This kind of cultivation technique, Sect Leader, you..."

Zheng Fa chuckled and said, "Didn't my martial uncle say we're family?"

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Lord of Shuyu pursed his lips slightly. But when he heard those three words again, his feelings were completely different. The slight resentment in his heart vanished without a trace.

Zheng Fa then asked, "Can you cultivate this technique, Dragon Lord?"

He had always been curious about this. The Dao Fruits of the Xuanwei Realm were very special. It could be said that the Dao Fruit was the cultivation technique itself, and it would probably not be easy to change the cultivation technique at will.

“Other cultivation methods are difficult, but the Huangting Jing… I think it has some potential.”

"Why don't other cultivation methods work?"

"Because they conflict with each other," the Jade Dragon Lord explained. "The Dao Fruit contains cultivation techniques. If one rashly cultivates another's techniques, one will reshape oneself, or even become someone else. Therefore, one must be extremely cautious and can only refer to them at most."

"But the Yellow Court Classic doesn't seem to conflict with any cultivation method. At least it complements my dragon bloodline heritage."

Zheng Fa understood; to put it bluntly, it was a compatibility issue.

The Huangting Jing integrates the three methods and emphasizes change, so it can be said to be compatible with most of the profound and subtle cultivation methods.

“In fact, I can sense that this Huangting Jing is more profound and fundamental than the heritage of my dragon clan.”

When he said this, the Dragon Lord Shuyu spoke in a low voice, as if he was somewhat unwilling to admit it.

Zheng Fa nodded slightly. The evaluation from the Jade Dragon Lord was probably sincere. To be praised like this by a True Immortal Dragon Clan, the Nine Mountains Sect had reason to be proud.

“I even saw hope for repairing Wan Haiyin just now.”

"Repair the Wan Hai Seal?"

No wonder the Dragon Lord was so excited.

"Yes, the method to slay me." Lord Shuyu Dragon nodded and said, "If we use the Myriad Immortals Formation to refine the Myriad Seas Seal together, perhaps we can restore its divine power."

This sounds somewhat similar to how the Nine Mountains Sect dealt with the Immortal Slaughtering Formation Diagram.

"Master."

"Ok?"

"Aren't you afraid that I'll cultivate the *Huangting Jing* faster than you?"

Suddenly, the Jade Dragon Lord asked a question, his tone quite serious.

This is a major characteristic of the Xuanwei Daoist method—the strongest practitioner of the method has a great influence on the person practicing it, and can even control them.

"The Dragon Lord can see this clearly; the Yellow Court Classic is different."

"In essence, if someone cultivates to a higher level, it will only bring more insights into cultivation to other cultivators, but it cannot completely monopolize this cultivation method."

Lord Shuyu Dragon remained silent.

"Therefore, if the Dragon Lord is stronger than me, I would be happy to see it happen."

The Jade Dragon Lord shook his head slightly, seemingly filled with emotion, yet unsure what to say. He glanced at Xiao Yuying and murmured, "No wonder my disciple..."

"Actually, I'm not without my own selfish motives either," Zheng Fa frankly said. "As you can see, Dragon Lord, there are quite a few people eyeing this sea area covetously."

"Before, besides the Azure Sea Dragon King and the Golden-Winged Roc, there were several other Dao Fruits hiding in the shadows, and it was unknown whether they were enemies or friends."

This was detected by the Thick Earth Magnetic Array.

However, Zheng Fa was not entirely confident that this Yuan Magnetic Array could find all the people hiding in the shadows.

“If the Dragon Lord achieves something in the Yellow Court Scripture, it will not only improve the Yellow Court Scripture, but also enhance the strength of my Nine Mountains Sect.” Zheng Fa said to the Dragon Lord Shuyu. “If the Nine Mountains Sect is weakened and destroyed because of selfish thoughts or fear of the Dragon Lord, I will regret it. I hope the Dragon Lord will not be so stubborn.”

After thinking for a moment, the Dragon Lord Shuyu stood up, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Sect Leader. Shuyu will certainly live up to your expectations."

"Actually, there is something I really want to ask you, Dragon Lord."

"Please speak, Sect Leader."

"How have you attained the fruit of the path?"

(End of this chapter)