Chapter 1222 - 1113: Ghostly Long Zixuan?
“The feast begins!”
“The feast begins!”
In the small mountain village, the voices of children echoed loudly.
Every household sprung into action, old and young alike, carrying pots, pans, ladles, and bowls to the usual clearing for communal feasts.
Dugu Yuqing entrusted the many Thunderbirds to Uncle Zhang, Auntie Wang, and the rest, then headed to his courtyard.
…
At this moment.
Inside the courtyard.
Li Fan, bored with nothing to do, was tending to farm work with Gong Ya.
He had drawn plenty of well water to water the plants in the courtyard, and now, in the springtime of March, the courtyard was awash with verdant new growth.
The World Tree sprouted new leaves, each one seeming to carry the imprint of an entire world, with mysterious energies circulating, as if nurturing the embryonic forms of these worlds.
In the Yin and Yang Realms, the World Tree had absorbed plenty of world imprints, which now remained within the tree, seemingly stored there.
The Divine Blood Herb of Nan Feng, brought to the village entrance by Little Wolf back in the Yin Realm, now thrives with seven vibrant leaves.
The Primal Divine Grape had budded, its branches already as tall as a person. Li Fan felt that this year it would bear fruit, remembering Zi Ling’s grapes that were both large and luscious, so he took extra care when tending the soil.
Long Zixuan’s lotus still grew in the pond, the little black fish had grown to be about four or five pounds; Li Fan tried not to look at it too much, to prevent himself from constantly thinking about grilled fish…
Lu Rang took his potted grass with him—where Gong Ya was now weeding in the vegetable plot he used to tend to, her fragrant sweat glistening, her arms as white as snow trembling, evoking endless fantasies.
The Undying Tree of Dugu Yuqing was full of pale tender leaves, with an invisible pale fire burning within, its trunk resembling human bones.
Qing Chen’s Bodhi Tree had grown over a meter tall, its leaves spread out casually, betraying none of the profound zen, but instead, perhaps due to growing in the courtyard, presented a naturally formed carefree stroke of art.
Jiang Li’s Nine-revolving Treasure Bamboo had grown taller and more erect, its leaves occasionally falling down in an elegant dance.
Wu Dade had taken the Ancestral Melting Gold Tree with him, otherwise, Li Fan would really have difficulty keeping it alive, after all, that thing needs pot ash to eat…
The Kirin Fruit Tree of Lin Jiu Zheng was the most promising, blooming white flowers that resembled Little Kirins, adding a rich, fresh fragrance to the courtyard.
Su Baiqian planted a Two-Leaf Clover, with only two leaves but clear as jade, always growing and always absorbing nutrients without getting much larger, one resembling emerald green, the other akin to ink black jade.
Li Fan cared much for it, clearly recognizing that one leaf had amassed numerous medicinal qualities while the other was steeped in hidden toxicity, so he personally added some ingredients to it.
Having tended to the plants sown by his disciples, Li Fan then fed the small animals: the meat for Little Wolf, fodder for the white horse and Little Gold Bull, fruits for Little Monkey, and scattered feed for the fish in the pond.
The Little Turtle of Jiang Li and the Little Fox of Su Baiqian were both taken away.
“Meow, meow, meow.”
Xiao Bai affectionately ran over and rubbed against Li Fan’s leg, whom upon picking up the little cat, gave it a stroking.
“Master, we’ve returned.”
At this time, the voice of Dugu Yuqing came from outside the door. Li Fan turned to see them as they pushed the door open and entered.
Stepping into the courtyard, Fan Paiming and Fan Yaoyao had grown accustomed to it and stood waiting respectfully, while Shui Qingling was suddenly taken aback!
This place…
This aura…
It was clearly more terrifying than the innermost sacred training grounds of the Waterway Imperial Court; each breath of air was like the Supreme Source!
This place… was more fearsome than any other part of the small mountain village, and she could not help but feel that this courtyard might be the true foundation of the entire village.
Subconsciously, she lifted her eyes to look around the courtyard, but as she did, seeing a flock of Earth Chickens, one of which gave her an indifferent glance, she felt a sharp pain in her eyes and hurriedly closed them!
At the same time, she was greatly shocked; this Earth Chicken… she couldn’t look at it directly!
She felt that the chicken had deliberately restrained itself with that glance, otherwise, a mere look would probably have been fatal for her!
No, how could it be an ordinary Earth Chicken… it must be some terrifying ancient precious bird!
Could it be… a Phoenix?! But she instantly extinguished the thought—phoenixes, such ancient and distant creatures, were legends even in the Era of the Lifting Fire!
“You didn’t find your Brother Long?”
At this time, Li Fan asked with a light tone.
Dugu Yuqing responded:
“Reporting to Master, we did not find Brother Long, but… we have found a clue related to him.”
He immediately pointed at Shui Qingling and said:
“This Miss Shui Qingling should know where Brother Long Zixuan is.”
Li Fan instantly looked towards Shui Qingling, sensing that she seemed somewhat nervous, and with a smile said:
“Miss Shui, there’s no need to be nervous. We merely wish to inquire about a person.”
When Li Fan spoke to Shui Qingling, she suddenly felt the suffocating sensation disappear in an instant, and her body relaxed considerably.
She looked at Li Fan, only to see that Li Fan’s aura was imperceptible, almost like a mortal, exuding only a refined and elegant presence. Although residing in a mountain village, he carried with him a sense of detachment!
This person…
Seems to hold… the highest status!
In this moment, she became somewhat nervous. This place was so mystical and terrifying, the master of this place… was definitely extraordinary, and maybe, even no less formidable than a Great Emperor!
“Senior… please speak… Shui Qingling will not hesitate to disclose anything I know!”
Li Fan said:
“I have a disciple, who left some time ago and has not returned.”
He smiled and said:
“He doesn’t have many hobbies, and although he is strong and sturdy, he likes to keep fish and play with water.”
Saying this, he pointed towards a pond nearby and said:
“There, those are the fish he used to keep.”
Upon hearing this, Shui Qingling looked towards the pond.
And in that pond, a group of fish seemed to respond to Li Fan’s words, gently leaping out of the water.
Seeing this scene, Shui Qingling instinctively went weak in the knees, nearly collapsing from fright!
Because, what she clearly saw in the pond… were not just any fish.
As the fish leapt, they revealed shadows of Kunpeng and exhaled True Dragon Qi!
Even though the shadows of Kunpeng and the True Dragon Qi were dormant and subtle, just one glance was enough to strike her with fear, almost scaring her to death!
“Kunpeng…”
“True Dragon…”
She was directly frightened. These two types of beings, ancient to the extreme, belonged to myth and legend, even reaching back to the Era of the Lifting Fire, and had long since vanished from the world!
But now, they appeared before her, kept in a pond?
“No… that ghostly figure had mentioned… he had once reared a True Dragon, raised a Kunpeng… Could it be, he is actually a disciple of this senior?!”
She suddenly remembered an incident that had occurred not long ago at the Waterway Imperial Court…
In a highly confidential forbidden area of the Waterway Imperial Court, a ghostly figure appeared!
That ghostly figure was terrifying; upon arrival, it captured and devoured the Waterway Imperial Court’s farmed crocodile dragons, heavenly tortoises, and other rare creatures.
When the masters of the Waterway Imperial Court went to capture him, he declared that he had once reared a True Dragon and raised a Kunpeng and even killed several hundred of their Imperial Court’s geniuses, and some powerful elders were blasted into oblivion!
…
Now, hearing what Li Fan had said, and having seen the pond with her own eyes…
She immediately thought of that ghostly figure…
…