Chapter 251: Hard to Say

Xiao Jianjia saw her throne stolen and couldn’t take the stimulus.

She let out a milky yet miserable cry, as if she had been terribly bullied.

With a whoosh, she darted out to find her mother.

Chi Lian was left completely dumbfounded.

Her dragon body stiffened as she slowly landed on the brocade quilt, her Dragon Eyes wide.

She looked at Chi Huang, who was tightly wound around the left side, and then at Chi Hong, who was elegantly perched on the right.

For a moment, her mind went blank, and she couldn’t even speak.

‘Why is this happening? Could it be that our own Clan Leader has taken a liking to my husband?’

Chi Lian felt as if she were being excluded from some massive secret.

Something she didn’t know about must have happened! Otherwise, why would even the Clan Leader cast aside her status and personally cling to him?

Even more shocked than Chi Lian was Chi Huang.

She stared at her Honored Master, who was currently wrapping herself around the other side of Jiang Huai’s shoulder, and said blankly, “Master, surely you’re joking right now?”

She even blinked her Dragon Eyes vigorously, wondering if her excessive grief had caused her to hallucinate and mistake Chi Lian for her Honored Master.

If Chi Lian had come to snatch him, she could understand it.

It would be nothing more than jealousy.

At most, she would share half the space and engage in a battle of wits.

But the person before her was her own Honored Master.

She truly didn’t know what to say. A strange feeling rose in her heart, making her face turn red.

Dashing out shamelessly to fight Chi Lian for a spot was already embarrassing enough.

She had been worried that her Honored Master would scold her later for disregarding her dignity.

Who could have known that the other woman would be even more excessive and decisive, lunging straight for him?

Suddenly, Chi Huang understood.

‘Master is surely doing this to help me!’

‘She must have seen that Chi Lian and I were at a stalemate. Fearing I would lose out but unable to openly show favoritism, she didn’t hesitate to risk her reputation to join the fray and help me occupy the spot, squeezing Chi Lian out!’

‘Once Jiang Huai wakes up, Master can leave gracefully, leaving me alone with him. Then, I will use gentle words and provide careful care…’

At this thought, a surge of overwhelming emotion welled up in Chi Huang’s heart.

Her gaze toward Chi Hong was filled with gratitude and an “I understand you” tacit agreement.

‘Master, you are simply too kind! To go this far for your disciple! This debt of gratitude is engraved in my heart!’

Compared to the two Saintesses’ bickering, Chi Hong appeared composed and relaxed, acting as if she had done something insignificant.

She had even thought of the reason she would use to “explain” things to Jiang Huai afterward:

‘After all, you exhausted such a massive amount of your Blood Qi Origin to save me. The frigid energy in your body is stagnant and extremely dangerous. Huang’er’s cultivation is still shallow. Although her Dragon Essence is pure, the quantity is insufficient; she might struggle to complete the task. Only if I personally step in can I ensure your Original Source is stabilized without leaving any hidden ailments.’

The logic was clear, the reason was sufficient, and it sounded dignified.

However, these words were not entirely false.

After Chi Hong joined in, her Blazing Dragon Essence was indeed deeper than Chi Huang’s.

Especially with her virginity of 100 years, her Dragon Essence was exceptionally strong and vigorous, surging into Jiang Huai’s cold body with a powerful momentum.

His expression immediately relaxed.

It was as if he were soaking in a spiritual spring.

His entire body felt comfortable, his brow smoothed out, and his Qi became peaceful.

Zhu Siyao, who had been watching coldly from the side, took in all these changes.

The words “disrespectful of her age” and “shameless” that were on the tip of her tongue were suddenly stuck in her throat.

To be honest, the moment Chi Hong transformed into a Red Dragon and clung to him, Zhu Siyao almost couldn’t hold back.

She really wanted to rush out, call White Dew and Su Yingman back, and forcibly “invite” this Red Dragon Clan Leader to step down.

After all, this was far too much.

How could they allow two naked Red Dragons to wrap themselves around her husband’s body?

‘Just because you like Jiang Huai, can you just crawl onto him whenever you feel like it? There are plenty of women in the world who admire him; can they all come and have a feel? Are there no more rules?’

‘I’ve taken a liking to your Red Dragon Clan’s secret treasures; are you going to give them to me?’

But seeing Jiang Huai’s obviously relaxed and comfortable state and feeling his stabilized Qi, Zhu Siyao’s righteous indignation deflated like a punctured balloon.

She knew Jiang Huai liked warm places and had always preferred heat over cold.

Now that he was injured like this, if he could be comfortable for a while, then so be it.

“Hmph,” Zhu Siyao let out a cold snort, turned around, and sat at a nearby tea table, drinking her tea in frustration.

The high-quality tea, which should have tasted sweet, now had only a faint bitterness, matching Zhu Siyao’s dampened mood.

Seeing that Zhu Siyao no longer made any demands, Chi Lian also had to admit defeat.

She stopped arguing, transformed into her human form, and gloomily put on her clothes while sighing in her heart.

If the Main Wife were here, things certainly wouldn’t have developed like this.

At the very least, Chi Huang wouldn’t have dared to say such shameless words in front of Qin Qingyue.

Likely, before the words could leave her mouth, a slap would have already landed on her face.

But it seemed the Clan Leader truly was beneficial for her husband’s healing.

If that were the case, she wondered what decision the Main Wife would make?

Chi Lian still didn’t know her Main Wife well enough.

If Qin Qingyue were truly present, she wouldn’t care who was naked or clinging to Jiang Huai.

She would only demand that Chi Hong hurry up so that Jiang Huai wouldn’t suffer a moment longer.

Chi Lian dressed herself neatly, straightened her slightly messy hair, and walked with Lotus Steps to sit by the tea table next to Zhu Siyao.

She asked in a low voice, “What do you think?”

Zhu Siyao glanced at the bed, pursed her red lips, and whispered, “I was just thinking about the Main Wife. If she were here, she definitely wouldn’t care about all this.”

“Let’s leave it like this for now. We can talk after my husband’s injuries are healed.”

As they chatted, Jiang Huai’s consciousness drifted between fragments.

Sometimes he was in the Little Courtyard, sometimes in the Nine Heavens Palace, and sometimes in the White Dragon Secret Realm, floating and sinking.

The Immortal Realm, a certain Blessed Land on a celestial mountain floating above the sea of clouds.

Inside a spacious and elegant quiet room, the clouds outside rolled and unrolled.

Cranes carrying spirit herbs flitted by, and shimmering lights reflected off the tinkling Spiritual Spring.

It was a scene of peaceful, pure, and otherworldly immortal grace, standing in stark contrast to the blood, fire, and struggle for survival in the Five Provinces below.

It was like two different worlds.

Inside the room, three people sat across from each other at a jade table shimmering with a faint Dao Rhyme.

Qin Qingyue wore a black palace attire gown, embroidered with majestic Black Dragon Mark patterns in dark gold thread, appearing extraordinarily noble and domineering.

Her posture was upright, and her Dragon Tail rested quietly by her side.

Even while sitting, she carried an aura of inviolable heroic spirit.

Wu Zhaohua was still dressed in simple white clothing with an ancient sword hanging at her waist, her temperament cold and detached.

Sitting opposite them was a middle-aged woman.

She wasn’t particularly beautiful, but her temperament was gentle and upright, giving her a kind appearance.

This was Wu Jinlan, the last Heavenly Immortal they had visited after traveling across the Immortal Realm.

“So, you are saying the Five Provinces are once again facing an invasion by the Outworld Heavenly Demon, and you wish to invite me to the Forbidden Zone to help?” Wu Jinlan asked softly, a smile on her face.

“And you believe that if we sit by and do nothing, once the Five Provinces completely fall, the Immortal Realm will also be in danger, unable to save itself?”

These were the things Qin Qingyue and Wu Zhaohua had just told her, hoping to enlist her help.

After all, the Forbidden Zone was dangerous; relying solely on the two of them made it difficult to predict their fate.

Qin Qingyue nodded slightly, her Dragon Tail resting quietly, as she said solemnly, “Exactly, Senior Wu. The Five Provinces are, after all, our homeland and the root of our Ascension.”

“Now that our home is in trouble and its living beings are suffering, it concerns the survival of both realms. If we can gather the strength of all Immortals and work together, we might be able to survive this catastrophe. This is not just for the Five Provinces, but also for the future of the Immortal Realm.”

Although Wu Zhaohua did not speak, her clear gaze was also fixed on Wu Jinlan, indicating the same stance and request.

Wu Jinlan fell silent for a moment, then shook her head and chuckled bitterly.

“Do the two of you know how many Heavenly Immortals were lost back then when exploring the Forbidden Zone? Many had their blood stain the Void, their souls broken, and their Dao extinguished.”

“You must have already visited many of the remaining Heavenly Immortals in the Immortal Realm, haven’t you? Was there even one person willing to go with you?”

“Do you know that if I leave and there is no Heavenly Immortal to guard this celestial domain, it will soon be swallowed up by other forces?”

Qin Qingyue quickly explained, “But if no one does it, the Five Provinces will surely perish! By then, the path of Ascension will be completely cut off, and the Immortal Realm will become like water without a source or a tree without roots! If the Outworld Heavenly Demon swallows the Original Source of the Five Provinces and grows stronger, it will only be a matter of time before they attack the Immortal Realm!”

Wu Jinlan interrupted her, shaking her head. “But you don’t know what is actually inside the Forbidden Zone, do you?”

“Isn’t all of this just speculation from the Dragon Race? I am sorry, but my achievement of becoming a Heavenly Immortal is inseparable from the protection and cultivation of my Sect.”

“Now that I have finally achieved this realm, it is impossible for me to accompany you to the Forbidden Zone just like that. Let’s discuss this matter another time.”

Qin Qingyue flicked her tail in anger, thinking that if it weren’t for her own husband, who would care about these people?

But she and Wu Zhaohua had already visited all the remaining Heavenly Immortals, and not one was willing to go with them.

Some were polite, giving them some Immortal pills or Dharma treasures out of sentiment for their homeland or fear of the Outworld Heavenly Demon, but as soon as going to the Forbidden Zone was mentioned, they all shook their heads.

These people were truly…

A sense of powerlessness welled up in Qin Qingyue’s heart.

She was truly at her wit’s end.

She intended to say a few more words to persuade her, arguing that they were at least fighting for everyone and that just accompanying them part of the way would suffice.

Suddenly, she sensed that the Qi of the Black Dragon Mark was rapidly weakening, and the connection was becoming faint.

Qin Qingyue’s expression turned extremely unsightly.

She stood up abruptly, her heart filled with panic and confusion.

‘What has happened to Jiang Huai?’