The Mountain Spirit finished speaking and tossed a bamboo basket to King Yellow Wind.
Catching it, King Yellow Wind peeked inside and saw a small, glimmering golden carp. It swam back and forth, enclosed in a protective bubble.
[Species: Carp Dragon · Golden Dragon (20%)]
[Realm: Refining Essence · Tempering Body]
[Traits: True Dragon Bloodline (Gold), Dragon's Majesty (Red), Vein Gathering (Red), Water Control (Blue), Wave Surge (Blue)]
A carp with True Dragon blood?
King Yellow Wind was stunned.
He glanced toward the water's edge, but the Mountain Spirit had already vanished.
"Leaving a pet and running away?"
"What's the catch?"
Scratching his head, King Yellow Wind tied the bamboo basket to his waist and continued his journey.
Above the Mist.
Amid the swirling clouds, a majestic golden dragon emerged, watching from the heavens.
"Square Inch Mountain—are you sure about this?"
The Mountain Spirit gave a sidelong glance and replied, "What's there to doubt? Don't you trust me?"
"It's not you I don't trust," said the golden dragon indifferently. "It's him."
The Mountain Spirit chuckled. "Why worry? That little mouse is shrewd."
"Besides, I've scouted Yellow Wind Ridge. There are no demon immortals there, and the only sentient being—the land's dragon vein—has already been killed."
"The ridge spans 800 miles. Reconstructing its dragon vein is only a matter of time. Your daughter's presence will speed up the process."
"Her efforts will accrue merit. With that merit, you can request an official decree from the Heavenly Court, granting her the title of Lake Dragon King. And given Yellow Wind Ridge's proximity to the 800-mile Flowing Sands River…"
"She could eventually ascend to become the Dragon King of Flowing Sands River, commanding a mighty water army."
"Flowing Sands connects to the Western Sea. If you're worried, you can visit anytime."
The Mountain Spirit smirked. "And let's not forget—you have so many offspring. Losing one or two wouldn't make much of a difference, would it?"
The golden dragon's eyes narrowed. "Mind your words about life and death."
Turning his gaze southward, he said, "Remember, the Flowing Sands River doesn't just flow into the Western Sea. Half of it belongs to the Eastern Sea."
Territorial disputes between the two seas were inevitable.
The Mountain Spirit laughed. "Which is why she should settle at Yellow Wind Ridge first. This way, she becomes a denizen of the Southern Continent."
"Born in the Western Sea, but officially recognized in the Southern Continent. Both the Western and Eastern Seas have a stake, but neither can claim her outright. Even the Eastern Sea Dragon King wouldn't risk starting a conflict."
"Why choose him?" asked the golden dragon.
The Mountain Spirit replied, "Look around. Every famous mountain, every great river—even the tiniest creek—has its guardian. The Heavenly Court's divine ranks are packed to the brim. Who doesn't have eyes on these spots?"
"But Yellow Wind Ridge is his home turf. If he takes charge, it'll be legitimate."
"And what about that monkey?"
The Mountain Spirit chuckled and gave the dragon a sideways glance. "Would you dare involve yourself in his karma? Besides, Flower Fruit Mountain lies in the Eastern Sea. Are you planning to overstep your bounds?"
The golden dragon sighed. "True enough. The Heavenly Court's restrictions on immortals and gods might prevent direct interference, but there aren't many prime territories left."
Beyond Square Inch Mountain.
King Yellow Wind glanced back, but the rolling mists and towering peaks had vanished without a trace. Square Inch Mountain was nowhere to be seen.
"Blessed lands reveal themselves only to the fated."
Taking a deep breath, King Yellow Wind turned toward the setting sun, clutching his long spear as a surge of ambition welled up within him.
After a moment, he took out the silk pouch given by Bai Huizi. Inside was a slip of paper bearing just eight characters:
"Seek three arts; inquire of the Moon."
"Huh? Inquire of the Moon?"
King Yellow Wind was puzzled. Did this refer to the Moon Goddess Taiyin? She was a supreme deity, but he had no connection to her.
Learning to Fly.
Mulling it over, King Yellow Wind chanted the Cloud-Surfing Mantra. A misty cloud formed beneath his feet, lifting him seven or eight feet off the ground.
[You have learned a new trait: Cloud-Surfing (White)!]
[Your Mist Manipulation (Blue) is a subsidiary of Cloud-Surfing (White). Would you like to merge them?]
"Merging!"
[Merging complete!]
[Cloud-Surfing (Blue): You can ride clouds to fly, increasing your speed by 10%. You can also control clouds to create illusions.]
"Interesting!"
Chanting the mantra again, King Yellow Wind experimented with different movements until he grew more proficient. Then, he set a course for Yellow Wind Ridge.
King Yellow Wind's cloud wasn't particularly fast—nothing compared to Sun Wukong's somersault cloud, which could span 108,000 miles in a single leap.
A Brief Encounter.
By the time the golden crow rose in the east, King Yellow Wind had flown over 10,000 miles. In the distance loomed the towering peaks of Longevity Mountain, stretching majestically into the heavens.
As he approached, he saw a celestial being riding a crane out of the mountain.
The immortal spotted him and barked sharply, "Which demon dares fly in Longevity Mountain's domain?"
With a flick of his hand, the immortal hurled a flying sword. It streaked across the sky like a golden lightning bolt, cutting through the clouds.
The Chase.
King Yellow Wind had been daydreaming about tasting a Ginseng Fruit when the thunderous voice startled him. Seeing the incoming sword—a radiant, golden streak—he panicked.
"Crap! A sword!"
Instinctively, he dived, abandoning his cloud and plunging into the forest below.
The flying sword arced and pursued him into the woods.
Boom!
The mountains trembled as the sword's impact toppled trees and sent boulders rolling. Birds and beasts fled in terror.
The Two Disciples.
A crane soared overhead, carrying a young disciple who gestured to recall the sword.
From his vantage, the disciple scanned the ground. "Qingfeng, what's going on?"
Another crane arrived, bearing a second disciple armed with a sword.
"It was a demon," Qingfeng said. "It dared to approach the mountain gate. What nerve!"
"Did you bring the Demon-Revealing Mirror?"
Mingyue shook his head with a grin. "Why would I bring that? Since when do demons dare cause trouble here?"
"Even the mighty Golden-Winged Roc avoided us, keeping its distance to avoid offending our master."
"Yet today, we had one," Qingfeng muttered.
"Probably just an ignorant little demon," Mingyue teased. "It's lucky today's a lecture day. Let's head back."
Huffing, Qingfeng said, "If not for the lecture, I'd have dug three feet into the ground to catch it."
The two disciples flew back toward the mountain.
King Yellow Wind Survives.
A few miles away, King Yellow Wind poked his head out of the dirt. Seeing no further pursuit, he sighed in relief.
"Longevity Mountain has no chill! I just wanted a look, and they tried to kill me for it?"
Burrowing into the earth had been a natural response for a rodent demon. King Yellow Wind had barely evaded the powerful sword aura, sensing its overwhelming force.
"At least a Mysterious Immortal…" he muttered.
Patting himself down to check his belongings, he looked into the bamboo basket.
The little carp huddled in a corner of its bubble, trembling and blowing bubbles in fear.
King Yellow Wind laughed. "You have dragon blood, yet you're this timid?"
The little carp rolled its eyes at his words. Then, as if realizing something, it grew alert, its gaze filled with astonishment.
How does he know I have True Dragon blood?
"Little one, you're quite perceptive. Keep cultivating well. Once you evolve into a divine dragon, you can be my mount. Heh heh!"
A mount?!
The little carp scoffed. Who would lower themselves to be a mount? It had no interest in such a role—besides, riding a giant rat would only disgrace its dragonly dignity.
King Yellow Wind secured the bamboo basket to his waist. Earlier, while underground, he had sensed a peculiar spiritual energy in a nearby area.
Could it be a fortuitous encounter?
Might there be a treasure hidden there?
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