Chapter 48: How Did You Evade It? |
The Fox Sovereign did not give the Old Sword Cultivator too hard a time. After finding out he hadn’t lied, he apologized. That showed the Fox Sovereign had a big heart.
The Old Sword Cultivator felt annoyed inside. Being mind-probed but unable to fight back! He really couldn’t figure out why the Fox Sovereign of Yuan Mountain made this trip on purpose. Could it be just to track down that Celestial Immortal?
But he truly didn’t know! What a mess. He’d never felt so wronged before.
After his anger faded a little, he couldn’t help but wonder: “Could it be that gentleman had some grudge with the Yuanshan Fox Clan?”
The Old Sword Cultivator shook himself. Anyway, it wasn’t his problem. He was just somewhat curious about what it could be, that made the Fox Sovereign come ask personally.
…
Chen Changsheng, sitting under the tree reading, suddenly sneezed.
He rubbed his nose, glanced up at the drifting clouds outside the Taoist Temple, thought nothing much of it, and lowered his head to continue reading.
Meanwhile, deep within the Dragon Palace at the bottom of the Tongtian River.
“Clatter, clatter…”
The Turtle Prime Minister paced back and forth. Copper coins fell out of his shell onto the floor.
Three copper coins landed.
The Turtle Prime Minister looked at them and immediately frowned.
The Old Dragon King stood with his hands behind his back. “Did you divine that person?”
The Turtle Prime Minister looked up. “Reporting to the Dragon Lord, this old turtle could not divine the person you mentioned.”
“Not at all?”
The Old Dragon King frowned. “Old Turtle, try again carefully.”
Seeing the Dragon Lord’s expression, the Turtle Prime Minister nodded and performed the divination again.
Again, three copper coins fell.
The final result was exactly the same as before.
“Dragon Lord, still no trace of this person.”
The Old Dragon King fell into deep thought, realizing immediately this wasn’t simple.
As for the Art of Divination, few in heaven or earth surpassed the Turtle Prime Minister. Yet even he couldn’t divine it.
The Turtle Prime Minister spoke: “Perhaps the person you encountered back then has reached a higher level, Dragon Lord. Hidden beyond the grasp of the Heavenly Secrets… that’s why this old turtle couldn’t find them.”
That was the only possible explanation.
The Old Dragon King thought back to the person he had seen last night in the Anning County Taoist Temple.
“No matter. Divine another person for me.” The Old Dragon King waved his hand and continued: “This person’s surname is Chen. He is currently at the Flowing Cloud Temple outside Autumn Moon Market in Anning County.”
The old turtle nodded and began the divination again.
“Jingle, jingle…”
Three copper coins hit the floor.
He looked again, then smacked his lips and looked up helplessly. “Dragon Lord, this old turtle…”
The Old Dragon King paused. “Not this one either?”
The old turtle nodded, hanging his head. “Dragon Lord, truly, I cannot divine this person.”
“Try again!” The Old Dragon King demanded, scowling.
Resigned, the old turtle tried once more.
The result was identical to the last.
This cultivator named Chen remained beyond his reach.
Thud!
Hearing this, the Old Dragon King slammed the table and stood up. “You useless old turtle! Not a single divination in hundreds of years! Rusty shell, is it? Can’t even divine a man without any Magical Power!”
“Dragon Lord, spare me!” The old turtle prostrated himself on the ground. “Dragon Lord, your servant truly couldn’t divine him! Please see reason!”
“Fine!” The Old Dragon King took a deep breath. “And what if this person does exist?”
The old turtle’s lips trembled. “I… we… Dragon Lord… I only divined that the Flowing Cloud Temple holds a mortal Taoist priest named Xuan Huang right now. A cultivator named Chen? Truly… he isn’t there.”
“And what if he is?”
The old turtle thought his lord was deliberately making things hard, utterly baffled as to what he had done wrong. Frustrated, he decided to go all out. “If he exists…”
“Eh?” The Old Dragon King looked at him.
The old turtle instantly wilted. “If… if he exists… this old servant will peel off his own shell…”
The Old Dragon King laughed. “You said it yourself.”
With that, the Old Dragon King grabbed the old turtle by his clothes.
In the blink of an eye, the Dragon King hauled the turtle out of the Dragon Palace. Another blink, and they were out of the Tongtian River, soaring into the sky.
An inexplicable worry gnawed at the Turtle Prime Minister.
But he was utterly confident his divination was correct. Worst case scenario, some punches and kicks. Though the Dragon Lord sounded angry, he’d surely hold back if it came to that.
Chen Changsheng, still reading, looked up towards the distant sky.
In his sight, two dark specks seemed to be falling.
Only when the two landed on the mountain peak did Chen Changsheng recognize the visitors.
It was last night’s Old Dragon King. Besides, he was holding onto a turtle demon.
Hmm?
Chen Changsheng set his book aside and rose to greet them. “Dragon Lord pays a sudden visit? Is there a matter?”
The Old Dragon King threw the turtle he was holding forward.
“Open your eyes wide! Is this him or not?” he snapped at the turtle.
The turtle staggered but steadied himself.
He lifted his head and saw Chen Changsheng standing before him.
The Turtle Prime Minister’s heart skipped a beat, filled with shock.
There was really someone else in this temple! How was that possible!
Chen Changsheng wasn’t quite clear on the situation. “And this gentleman is…?”
The Turtle Prime Minister coughed. “The Dragon Palace’s Turtle Prime Minister.”
Chen Changsheng clasped his hands respectfully. “Honored to meet the Turtle Prime Minister.”
The Turtle Prime Minister eyed Chen Changsheng. “You… your surname is truly Chen?”
Chen Changsheng looked puzzled but answered. “Indeed. Does the Turtle Prime Minister have doubts?”
The turtle lowered his head, musing. “…Weird.”
The Old Dragon King stepped up and grabbed the Turtle Prime Minister by the back of his neck again.
Suspended in the air, the Turtle Prime Minister waved his limbs. “Dragon Lord! Dragon Lord! Spare me!”
“Did I force you?”
“No… not at all.”
The Old Dragon King snorted. He planted a solid kick.
“Get rolling back to the Tongtian River!”
“Ahhh!”
With a yell, the Turtle Prime Minister went sailing into the sky, kicking his limbs wildly, headed precisely back towards the Tongtian River.
Chen Changsheng watched this unfold and couldn’t help but tut softly. He suddenly remembered something.
Seemed the Old Sword Cultivator wasn’t wrong. This Dragon King really had quite the temper.
The Old Dragon King withdrew his gaze and looked at Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng snapped back to reality, focusing properly on the Dragon Lord before him. He blinked, silently asking what this was about.
The Old Dragon King stared at him, his gaze noticeably softer now. He asked: “That old turtle is master of the Art of Divination, able to uncover nearly ninety percent of all matters under heaven. I’m rather puzzled… how exactly did you manage to evade it?”
Chen Changsheng was taken aback. “Evade it?”
The Old Dragon King fixed his eyes on him, narrowing them slightly.
Chen Changsheng suddenly felt the Old Dragon King’s gaze sharpen.
Hmm?
Confusion stirred within Chen Changsheng. But immediately after, that intense gaze softened once more.
“Forget it…” The Old Dragon King waved a dismissive hand. “Got some spare time? I happen to be free today. Do you have any wine here?”
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng felt a wave of relief. “Since the Dragon Lord asks, I’ll fetch some even if I hadn’t.”
This response drew a smile from the Old Dragon King; he liked hearing that. He chuckled and said, “Fine. I just happen to have a little on me.”
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