Inside the room, by the tea table.
Qin Qingyue eagerly picked up the gaiwan, brought it to her lips, and took a deep sniff, the joy in her eyes and brows almost overflowing.
“Do you think it tastes good?” she asked, feigning restraint, yet her gaze burned as she stared at the contents of the bowl.
“If you don’t like it, we can always try something else.”
As her words fell, her fragrant tongue lightly licked her red lips. The action seemed casual, yet carried an irrepressible craving.
Deep within her spirit platform, Qin Xuange trembled from head to toe.
Sharing senses at this moment, she felt as if struck by lightning. The impact on her taste buds, the sensation sliding down her throat, that indescribable tremor deep in her soul made her feel as if she were floating into a celestial realm she had never set foot in before.
It was more pleasurable than when she broke through a realm, more exhilarating than when she succeeded in her cultivation.
The souls of two generations of Black Dragons resonated intensely at this moment.
Something long dormant deep within their bloodline erupted in an instant, like a volcanic eruption, like a tsunami.
Unconsciously, they both let out a contented, satisfied sigh deep within their souls.
It was an indescribable resonance.
A wonderful fate that, despite the barriers of time and realm, of the Immortal Realm and the mortal world, could share the same pleasure.
Qin Qingyue and Qin Xuange, at this moment, felt a profound sense of finding a kindred spirit.
No urging was needed.
Qin Qingyue was already holding the gaiwan, taking small sips to savor it.
Each sip was carefully tasted, each sip accompanied by a satisfied sigh.
The sound was subtle, yet carried undisguised delight.
In Qin Xuange’s mouth, she tasted an extraordinary flavor, belonging to Jiang Huai…
“I’ve missed this to death in the Immortal Realm,” she couldn’t help but shake her head, her tone carrying a touch of nostalgia and regret. “My stockpile really isn’t the same.”
For emergencies, she indeed carried quite a few small ceramic bottles with her.
Those were all saved from times in the past when she had nothing to do, holding Jiang Huai by her side, fondling him like a walnut.
Although they had alleviated the restlessness of the Yuq Period in the Immortal Realm, fresh was always best.
If you can eat a hot meal, who wants to eat pre-made food?
Jiang Huai, standing to the side, was both angry and amused.
He put on his clothes while slanting a glance at Qin Qingyue, shaking his head helplessly.
What he thought was: ‘She really hasn’t changed.’
This dragon, truly hasn’t changed a bit.
He had thought Qin Qingyue came to seek warmth and affection in his embrace.
After all, it was a long-awaited reunion, across the Immortal Realm and the mortal world.
But what happened? Without a word, she directly pressed him down.
He didn’t mind. It’s just…
His gaze fell on Qin Qingyue, on that face belonging to Qin Xuange, and a strange, indescribable feeling welled up in his heart.
Actually, there were still differences, just not so obvious.
He stood up, stretched his body, and was just about to say something.
But Qin Qingyue didn’t even swallow the last sip.
She suddenly stood up!
The abruptness of the movement nearly caused the liquid in the gaiwan to spill.
Her beautiful eyes widened, her body swaying unsteadily, as if pulled by some invisible force, barely able to stand.
Deep within the spirit platform, Qin Xuange gradually realized she was beginning to regain control of the body.
That divine sense power belonging to Qin Qingyue started to slowly weaken, like a tide receding.
“Why so fast?” Qin Qingyue murmured, feeling her gradually losing control of the body, asking Qin Xuange deep within the spirit platform, her tone filled with confusion. “Could I only stay here for about a day?”
This time wasn’t exactly short, but…
She turned her head to look at Jiang Huai beside her.
Those eyes held too many words left unsaid.
Because of Qin Xuange’s presence, those whispers belonging only to the two of them that she couldn’t voice.
Now all stuck in her throat, turning into a sorrowful gloom.
“Why so fast?” she asked again, as if asking the inscrutable heavens, or
as if asking Jiang Huai.
“Will we meet again?”
Jiang Huai hurriedly stepped forward, tightly grabbing her hand.
The strength was as if he wanted to keep her here forever, in this body, by his side.
Qin Qingyue also tightly grasped his hand, squeezing, then squeezing harder.
As if trying to convey all her attachment through their clasped palms.
“It should be possible,” she said seriously, looking at him, word by word. “As long as my disciple agrees.”
She paused, her gaze turning stern, like countless times she had admonished him in the past:
“You must take good care of yourself. Don’t let anything happen again.” Her voice trembled slightly.
“Otherwise, I’ll come back and settle accounts with you!”
Her voice grew increasingly ethereal, as if coming from a place far, far away.
Her eyes also began to gradually lose focus, as if the next moment her soul would return to the Immortal Realm, leaving this body.
“Help me pass a message to Wu Zhaohua!” Jiang Huai shouted loudly, shaking her hand.
“Give her my regards! Don’t you two fight!”
“You must wait for me to come find you in the future!”
As soon as the words fell.
Qin Qingyue’s eyes changed.
Like sand on a beach after the tide recedes, leaving a different texture.
They turned cool, turned indifferent, no longer carrying the sentimentality and attachment of moments before.
Jiang Huai quickly let go of her hand and took a step back.
Qin Xuange coughed lightly.
She twisted her neck, stretched her body, as if just rising from a long rest.
Her gaze slowly moved, sweeping over the furnishings in the room, the morning light outside the window, finally landing on the messy bed nearby.
The sheets with their varying depths of creases, the disheveled folds, the lingering, ambiguous scent in the air that hadn’t yet dispersed.
Her expression became extremely complex.
For so many years, she had devoted herself to cultivation, to restore the Black Dragon Clan to its former glory, to catch up to the figure she admired, to reach the long-cherished Celestial Immortal Realm, sealing away worldly desires,
daring not to show herself.
She had never imagined that one day, something like this would happen.
Jiang Huai, looking at her expression, felt extremely awkward for a moment.
He opened his mouth, finally breaking the silence:
“How about you stay at the Nine Heavens Palace, move into the Longyin Hall. I’ll take you there later.”
Mentioning Longyin Hall, Qin Xuange’s expression grew even more complex.
She shot Jiang Huai a rather resentful glance, her eyes holding too many things unclear and unspeakable.
She asked:
“That was originally the East Sea Dragon Palace of my Black Dragon Clan.”
Qin Xuange paused, her voice lowering:
“Longyin Hall used to be where the Clan Leader lived, the most luxurious and grand place. How could I move in there?”
She looked up at him:
“You are not of the Black Dragon Clan, but I am.”
She sighed, her mood growing more complicated:
“Probably, Honored Master won’t return the East Sea Dragon Palace to the Black Dragon Clan. But after all, I am still the Black Dragon Saintess. Moving into the Nine Heavens Palace, this matter…”
“Longyin Hall will not be returned to you,” Jiang Zhun interrupted, his tone flat.
“I plan to keep it. The other palaces, I will take them, along with the other Dragon Palaces, and exchange them for your Dragon Clan.”
Qin Xuange was taken aback.
She stepped forward, closing the distance with Jiang Huai, tilting her head to ask:
“What do you mean? You’re willing to return the East Sea Dragon Palace to us?”
Jiang Huai shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant,” he said, looking directly into her eyes.
“This Nine Heavens Palace belongs to Qin Qingyue. Logically, I wouldn’t arbitrarily give it to the Black Dragon Clan.”
Some words he felt too embarrassed to state clearly.
Given the enmity between the Black Dragon Clan and Qin Qingyue, he could never forgive them for their actions back then.
Qin Xuange’s eyes grew dim again.
She shifted her gaze away, her eyes carrying a sense of disappointment.
But Jiang Huai explained further:
“However, I heard from the previous generation’s Yin-Yang Body senior that in the past, the Five Great Dragon Clans lived together.”
“The so-called Five Great Dragon Palaces were actually, in the past, a single integrated space treasure, accumulated generation after generation by the Yin-Yang Bodies.”
He paused:
“It was only later, after the Yin-Yang Body disappeared and the Five Great Dragon Clans split up, that the Dragon Palace was divided into the Five Great Dragon Palaces.”
This also explained why space treasures were so rare: even powerful beings like Su Yingman and Zhuxin only had space treasures the size of a few rooms, not even as large as a single residence in Longyin Hall.
Let alone the Five Great Dragon Palaces, which all had numerous halls.
“So what?”
Qin Xuange sat back down by the tea table, picked up the gaiwan she had just used, and was about to take another sip when she suddenly realized Jiang Zhun was right beside her, and both of them knew full well what the bowl contained.
She awkwardly and slowly set the gaiwan down.
Jiang Zhun pretended not to see it and continued:
“I asked the Yin-Yang Body senior. She said the Five Great Palaces were essentially places where generation after generation of Yin-Yang Bodies housed the Dragon Clan.”
“So after I reach the Great Ascension Stage, I will gather the Five Great Dragon Clans together again. The Five Great Dragon Palaces will naturally converge, reforming the Dragon Palace.”
He looked directly into her eyes:
“But I will not return Longyin Hall.”
Everyone has their own selfish desires, and Jiang Huai was no exception.
Longyin Hall was where he, Qin Qingyue, and others lived. He couldn’t possibly leave it for other Dragon Clans to inhabit.
As for the Five Great Dragon Palaces, they were essentially inheritances from generations of Yin-Yang Bodies.
Bringing the Five Great Dragon Clans together, restoring the original state, was also for the sake of his own Yin-Yang Body daughter.
After all, generation after generation of Yin-Yang Bodies would have to take charge of the Dragon Clan. His daughter, Xiao Jianjia, would also grow up one day.
“I see…” Qin Xuange’s expression was conflicted, finally relenting. “Alright then, I can move in.”
She paused, suddenly thinking of something, and looked up at Jiang Huai with a deep gaze: “But, Chihuang won’t be moving in too, will she?”
That annoying face appeared in her mind.
“If she moves in, then she should be far away from me. Best if we live at opposite ends of the palace, never meeting.”
Just as she finished asking this, a woman’s voice came from outside the courtyard.
The tone was respectful and polite, carrying obvious nervousness:
“Is Palace Master Qin and Jiang Huai present?”
“Chihuang, Saintess of the Red Dragon Clan, has come to pay her respects.”
Jiang Huai and Qin Xuange simultaneously looked up toward the courtyard gate.
Outside the courtyard, Chihuang stood ramrod straight.
Today, she was completely different from usual.
She wore the formal saintess attire of the Red Dragon Clan—a magnificent, fiery crimson long skirt, its layers of hem embroidered with vivid flame dragon patterns.
Her long hair was today tied up high in a dignified Lingyun bun.
Her makeup was more refined than usual, her eyebrows drawn slender, her lips painted vermilion, even the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint blush, appearing both solemn and beautiful.
She wore this splendid saintess ceremonial dress impeccably.
The dragon tail that was usually casually draped was today carefully tucked away, leaving only the faint outline concealed by spiritual power beneath the skirt hem.
Chihuang’s face showed some nervousness.
Those always bold and bright eyes were now slightly lowered. Her delicate hands tightly clutched the skirt hem, squeezing out fine wrinkles.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.