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Chapter 110 The Greatly Compassionate and Merciful Guanyin Bodhisattva of Mount Putuo in the South China Sea, who saves people from suffering and distress.
Beside Eagle's Sorrow Stream, Yuan Shoucheng slumped onto the damp, cold grass, his heart still pounding in his throat, his mind filled with questions.

He licked his dry lips, looked at Chen Guangrui, his eyes filled with admiration and confusion.

Amazing! How did he guess that the Old Dragon King of the West Sea had exerted his power on his son?
Based on that old man's comment, "He seems to be doing quite well,"
Or did he even figure out the back door that Buddhism opened for the Dragon King of the West Sea?

Yuan Shoucheng was not only good at divination, but he also knew all the tricks used by those charlatan fortune tellers to deceive people.

He guessed that Chen Guangrui must have deduced a fact from a few words, and then said it out loud to see the reaction of the Third Prince of the Dragon.

But isn't this information a bit too little?
The more he thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed. Also, he said that the Third Prince was willing to serve as a slave for others, and he even managed to get Guanyin Bodhisattva to help him. What a grand gesture that must have been!

Serving a Bodhisattva, how can that be called being a beast of burden? This... this shouldn't be a good thing!
His mind was racing with calculations:

If this is a good thing, and the Dragon King's third son follows the Bodhisattva, then wouldn't my lineage's hopes of getting something for nothing be dashed?
As he thought about it, he muttered, "The fact that someone can serve Guanyin like a slave means their ancestors must have been blessed with good fortune. They must have a really good father. If I were in that position, I would kneel down right now."

Just then, Ao Lie's enormous dragon head suddenly turned towards Yuan Shoucheng, a cold glint flashing in his vertical pupils, his tone filled with fury and dissatisfaction at being exposed.

"Hmph! What are you babbling about, you old Taoist? Who said my father helped me? I, Ao Lie, have all the skills I need. Do I need to rely on him? He just... just told me that Guanyin Bodhisattva would come here to take a look within the month and told me to perform well. I... I don't care!"

Seeing that Yuan Shoucheng remained silent, Ao Lie raised his voice even louder, as if trying to drown out his guilty conscience.
"Yes, yes, that's true, but it was my father's decision! I, Ao Lie, the Crown Prince of the Dragon Palace and the number one expert among the younger generation in the West Sea, rely on my own outstanding skills. Do you think I need to wait for the Bodhisattva to enlighten me? Are you kidding me?"

"Splash!" Water splashed everywhere, and he was so excited that his beard was trembling. Clearly, the phrase "relying on one's father" had seriously hurt his vanity.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shoucheng, standing to the side, was struck dumb, his entire body trembling. "One month?"

Yuan Shoucheng tried to control his expression, but after a long while, he still plopped down in the water, his voice cracking.
"A living Buddha is really coming? This...this...this..."

After stammering for a while without getting to the next point, only one thought remained in my mind:
Trying to snatch someone from Guanyin Bodhisattva? Even if I, Old Yuan, had ten lives, it wouldn't be enough for Buddha to take! Can you really pick up this bargain? Can you really take advantage of this? This is outrageous!
His face turned ashen instantly. He stole a glance at Chen Guangrui, his admiration overflowing like a surging river.

This Chen Guangrui is really something else. Judging from his appearance, he even knows this.
It seems he went to the Tushita Palace and learned some news.

At this moment, Chen Guangrui, who appeared calm and collected on the surface, almost had his heart leap out of his chest.

Good heavens! I just guessed based on what the land said, plus knowing that this guy will be the White Dragon Horse in the future, plus the fact that he is locked up here but doesn't lack food or clothing and isn't beaten, that the West Sea Dragon King must have gone to great lengths and pulled some very strong strings to "just happen" to arrange for him to be here.

To say that he was a beast of burden, had a low potential, and could only rely on his father is simply to mislead him based on his previous life's impression of the White Dragon in Journey to the West, who "ultimately became a leg-riding creature."

To everyone's surprise, Guanyin Bodhisattva was really coming.
And it sounds like his father, the Dragon King, already knew about it and then told him to behave well?

Even with Chen Guangrui's remarkable composure, a fine layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back. I just said it casually, and I got this bombshell news!
Despite his surprise, his composure was already unparalleled. He nodded to Ao Lie and said...
"With such a fine son, the Dragon Clan has great prospects for the Dragon Palace! The Dragon King is naturally proud of him, and his efforts to help him are all out of deep paternal love. Your father is a good father, who doesn't know that? Everyone privately feels that your father has indeed gone to great lengths to ensure that you, Ao Lie, have such a peaceful... oh no, such a fortunate turn of events."

Changing the subject, Chen Guangrui, seeing Ao Lie's barely concealed frustration, continued down the path of "encouragement."
"However, Brother Ao Lie, you are a genius with an indomitable spirit, and you are the true hope for the future of the Dragon Clan! How can you let others think that everything you have today is all thanks to your father? Wouldn't that be like a pearl being tarnished, making people underestimate the true weight of the Third Prince of the Dragon Palace? Relying on heaven, earth, or parents is ultimately not as good as relying on yourself to create your own world!"

Sure enough, Ao Lie suddenly raised his huge dragon head, and the anger in his golden dragon eyes faded, replaced by a spirited demeanor.

Chen Guangrui's "relying on one's father" theory coincided with his own impulse to desperately distance himself from his father. Chen Guangrui compared him to "the hope of the dragon clan," a compliment that made him feel extremely comfortable.

"Well said!" Ao Lie's dragon roar was filled with unprecedented excitement.
"I, Ao Lie, roam this world with my own true abilities! My parents and teachers are respectable, but how I walk this path is up to me. To rely on others to arrange it? Humph! That is not my way!"

His massive tail lashed out excitedly in the water, creating even larger waves.
"This tiny Eagle's Sorrow Gorge cannot contain this true dragon! Just you wait and see!"

Having said that, he seemed to feel that he hadn't said enough, and also felt that staying any longer would inevitably lead to a deeper discussion. His dragon eyes darted around, and he glanced at Chen Guangrui before arrogantly declaring, "Today I am in a good mood, so I'm going to cultivate! You... better behave yourselves!"

With the final note, the white dragon's enormous body stirred the water in the pool.

The waves gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of rushing water.

"My goodness..." Yuan Shoucheng seemed to wake from a dream, scrambling out of the water on all fours. His soaked Taoist robe clung to his body, his face wet with sweat. Ignoring his disheveled state, he rushed to Chen Guangrui, grabbed her sleeves, and cried out in fear.

“Scholar Chen, Lord Chen, I, Old Yuan, have offended you greatly in the past. You are truly my second parents! Now I understand completely! I could never repay your kindness even if I served you like a slave for the rest of my life! From now on, if you point east, I, Old Yuan, will never go west!”

He was genuinely moved, but also genuinely terrified. Now he was certain that Chen Guangrui's words were purely intended to provoke Ao Lie's "rebellious spirit" and create a glimmer of hope for Yuan Shoucheng! This was like snatching food from a Bodhisattva's bowl! Chen Guangrui's devotion to Yuan Shoucheng was truly profound.

Although his words were deeply moving, he blinked hard but didn't shed any tears.

Chen Guangrui looked at Yuan Shoucheng, feeling both amused and exasperated. "Alright, Old Yuan, we shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's go to Wuxing Mountain."

"Go to Five Elements Mountain?" Yuan Shoucheng wiped his face, blinking his small eyes. "Didn't the Third Prince of the Dragon just go back? Shall we give it another try..."

"Test what? Wait for him to come out and bite you?" Chen Guangrui interrupted him, turned and left, her voice regaining its calmness but carrying a subtle hint of seriousness.

"The news that Guanyin Bodhisattva was coming to Eagle's Sorrow Gorge has leaked out ahead of time, which means that the timing of many things may be different from what I previously thought. I won't feel at ease if I don't go to Five Elements Mountain to take a look."

Chen Guangrui strode away from the pool and headed towards the faint outline of the Five Elements Mountain in the distance.

(End of this chapter)