One moment full of rage, the next laughing heartily—his temper was utterly unpredictable.
Talking about taking her back to keep his young daughter company, as if she were some kind of plaything.
Nan Zhi pressed her lips together.
The nun smiled without a word, not picking up Lord Jiao's thread, and merely glanced outside the door.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared as torrential rain poured down.
High within the gray cloud layer, a Jiao-dragon roared.
The Lord Jiao standing before them was not his true body, but his dragon soul projecting out and lingering here.
If the Demon Suppression Division had not arranged for her to personally come and guard this place today, not a single person in this shop would have been left alive.
“Out of respect for you, Nun Miaoyun, I shall let this matter rest. However, while old grudges may be settled, new enmities are hard to erase. You should know that our Demon race is not to be bullied by just anyone.”
Lord Jiao grunted coldly, his icy vertical pupils shifting as his gaze settled slightly upon the father and son. “Just now, you two spouted wild nonsense here, claiming that our Demon race is bound to harbor evil intentions. What kind of logic is that?”
A fierce deterrence swept over them. Unable to endure it, the man's face turned pale, and he fell to his knees.
Coughing blood, he nonetheless struggled to cup his hands in respect. “Cough, cough, cough... This junior is Rao Sifang of the Caiyi Sect, and this is my son, Rao Yun. Just now, this junior did not know that Your Dragon Lordship's true soul was present, and my mind was clouded! I actually dared to utter such foolish lies—I deserve to die! I beg Dragon Lord to consider that my Caiyi Sect's ancestors once had ties to the aquatic kin, to show mercy and spare my life!”
“Too talkative.”
Lord Jiao flicked his long tongue, shooting out a streak of azure dharma power. Just as it was about to hit Rao Sifang, Nun Miaoyun's expression changed slightly. She raised her head and cast a spell, causing a half-bloomed, golden-glowing Wondrous Dharma Lotus to materialize in the air—
Boom—
Clang!
The azure light recoiled as the Wondrous Dharma Lotus hovered above everyone's heads, forming a translucent, gauze-like barrier that securely protected them.
The collision of the two powers whipped up violent gales, the rushing airflow ripping away half of the foot-shop's roof, and heavy rain immediately poured in!
Though the azure light hadn't seemed particularly showy, both of Rao Sifang's ears fell cleanly to the ground, dripping with blood.
“Aaaaagh!”
In excruciating pain, the man touched the sides of his head and felt nothing but blood. Seeing two chunks of flesh rolling on the ground, he immediately screamed in agony, “Save me, save me...”
—That strike earlier had clearly been meant to take his life.
“We beg Dragon Lord to show mercy!”
Knowing that with the cultivation levels of himself and his father, escape was impossible, Rao Yun immediately bowed down and pleaded loudly, “My father cannot hold his liquor! Having drunk some cold wine and been bewitched by the monsters in this shop, he spoke insolently and offended Dragon Lord! We beg Dragon Lord to see the truth!”
“Lord Jiao, you have crossed the line.”
Nun Miaoyun stepped in front of the crowd, her eyes flashing with anger. “If you still remember the past covenant, then swiftly return to the sky and enter the sea with the river. Otherwise, if you violate the rules of the Demon Suppression Division, this poor nun will demand your presence before the Buddha and Bodhisattvas in the Western Heaven today, even at the cost of my life!”
Lord Jiao hesitated slightly.
He knew that since this old nun spoke these words, she would definitely fulfill them.
Had it been anyone else today, there might still be room for argument.
But the old nun before him truly possessed the audacity to risk her life for a few unrelated strangers just to “deliver” him!
Up in the cloud layer, his true body repeatedly urged and warned him, allowing Lord Jiao to come to a decision.
It was not that he feared this old nun.
In a true life-and-death struggle, he would not necessarily lose.
Yet having lain low and endured for so many years, finally waiting for the heavy rain so he could re-enter the sea via the river, how could he stumble here?
They were merely a few insignificant figures. Since his knot of resentment was untied and the gloom in his chest vented, why bother picking a fight with Nun Miaoyun for a moment's gratification?
Lord Jiao made his choice.
“Good, good, good! Old Nun Miaoyun, this Lord shall remember today's matter. On the day of this old man's Dragon Transformation Feast, I shall certainly invite you to my door for wine and tea!”
The giant serpent parted its massive mouth and hissed with laughter, though his gaze grew ever colder. “Did Lord Shang or Li Si come to a good end back then? This Lord shall wait and see what kind of future your Demon Suppression Division will have when acting so arrogant!”
With that, the giant serpent rode the wind, soaring straight up and expanding as it caught the breeze. By the time it reached the clouds, it had already turned into a terrifying, colossal creature.
“Awoo—Moo—
“Moo—Awoo...
High above in the sky, lightning flashed across the dark clouds, thunder rumbled, and the sound of rain grew louder still.
...
Having narrowly escaped death, everyone in the foot-shop let out a long breath of relief.
Fearing that the Jiao-dragon might return, the people in the shop scattered like birds and beasts. Even the hedgehog spirits looking after the shop fled to the last one.
Completely disregarding the torrential rain outside.
Rao Yun hoisted Rao Sifang onto his shoulder and bowed to Nun Miaoyun. “Thank you, Senior, for saving us. This junior will engrave your life-saving grace in my heart and never forget it. My father is severely injured, so this junior shall take my leave first.”
With that, Rao Yun drew a heavy hemp rope from his waist and tossed it into the air. The rope stood straight up, floating three zhang off the ground.
At the top of the hemp rope was a cluster of white mist that was impossible to see through clearly.
Carrying Rao Sifang on his back, Rao Yun climbed to the top of the rope like a monkey. Their figures vanished into the mist one after the other. Soon after, the hemp rope seemed to have its bones pulled out as it collapsed limply to the ground, turning back into an ordinary rope.
There's actually such a spell!
Nan Zhi watched in dumbfounded amazement. Beside her, Nun Miaoyun smiled and said, “That is the Caiyi Sect's rope escape technique. With this method, no one can trace their whereabouts. That child is quite clever.”
Above the two of them, the half-bloomed golden lotus phantom still cast its protection. Though the roof was wide open and rainwater leaked in, not a single drop touched either of them.
“Senior, how did you tell that I am with the Demon Suppression Division?”
Nan Zhi voiced the question in her heart. Nun Miaoyun pointed to the sky, then to the earth, adopting a riddling posture.
Seeing that Nan Zhi truly could not guess, a warm, kindly smile rose on Nun Miaoyun's cheeks again. She patted Nan Zhi gently on the shoulder. “This poor nun must follow Lord Jiao all the way south, so I will not explain further to my little benefactor. However, I presume you must be heading to Kaifeng. Meeting is fate; since my little benefactor and I have a bond of fate, I shall temporarily lend you a certain object. When we meet next time, my little benefactor may return it to this old body.”
Saying this, Nun Miaoyun untied the string of red prayer beads from her waist and pushed it into Nan Zhi's hands. Before she could decline, the nun suddenly asked, “Benefactor, have you ever seen a Jiao-dragon transform into a dragon?”
Nan Zhi shook her head honestly.
“Then take a good look. Perhaps it will be of great benefit to your future cultivation.”
Nun Miaoyun flicked her sleeve, transforming into a burst of golden light that merged into the Wondrous Dharma Lotus above her head, instantly escaping into the cloud layer—
The cloud layer gradually blurred, the thick gray mist becoming as if transparent in Nan Zhi's eyes.
She unconsciously looked up and witnessed the most shocking scene of her life:
The Jiao-dragon roared toward the heavens, its long and winding body slithering through the cloud layer. Each of its jade-green scales shimmered with a mesmerizing silver glow amidst the flashing lightning and roaring thunder.
The dragon swam with the lightning, clouds dancing with the serpent; amidst the hazy rain, with every cleansing, the Jiao-dragon grew a fraction longer, and with every lightning strike, it thickened by several folds.
Finally, bulges formed on the Jiao-dragon's forehead, sprouting antlers. Its pair of serpent eyes gradually rounded and stretched, and four limbs sprouted beneath its belly, complete with tiger-like paws and massive eagle-like claws slowly taking shape.
“Moo—Awooooooo!
“Awoo! Moo—
Along with the Jiao-dragon's angry, writhing roars—half painful, half blissful—deep, heavy bellows like those of an ox echoed across the sky.
Over and over, charging head-on, as if possessing the courage to tear open the firmament!
The green dragon entwined thick bolts of lightning, riding the clouds and mist, slithering as it journeyed south.
A single lotus followed closely behind.
The sky cleared completely.
A rainbow of seven colors hung by the edge of the clouds.
Nan Zhi stood alone amidst the ruins of the foot-shop, the rainwater on her face half-dried.
From the wood shavings under her feet came a rustling sound, and after a while, a tiny red hedgehog crawled out.
Rate on N.U.
