Chapter 255 Little Yellow Dragon

Ziyun Mountain, Falling Flower Manor.

From within the manor came a silvery laugh.

"Mountain Lord~ Come catch me."

"Mountain Lord, I'm over here~"

"..."

Chen Nuo, with a celestial veil over his face, frolicked among the small bridges and flowing water, playing a game of chase with a group of female spirits.

These female spirits had all been enlightened by him to take human form.

Most were ordinary beings like Snow Rabbits or finches.

Although they lacked outstanding talent, being born in Ziyun Mountain gave them some spirituality compared to most mundane creatures.

After all, this vast Falling Flower Manor needed people to manage and serve.

When he had free time, Chen Nuo was happy to play with them and teach them songs and dances.

Of course, these female spirits were not as stunningly beautiful as the Zhu sisters, but they had their own charm.

For instance, the rabbit tails that hadn't fully transformed yet—playing with them was a unique pleasure.

"Mountain Lord~"

The little rabbit spirit melted like spring water in Chen Nuo's arms.

"I knew it was Little White just by touch—you're the wettest, soaking my hand. There are three left; none of you can escape. When I catch you, just wait and see what I do."

Chen Nuo released the rabbit spirit and pounced to the side, catching another.

"Eh, this feels different. Little Red? Little Blue?"

Chen Nuo smacked his lips while groping up and down, but the female spirit in his arms remained silent.

"I say, Fifth Sister, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Chen Nuo said with a smile as he removed the celestial veil from his face.

He knew who it was by the scent; he had just taken the chance to feel her up a bit more.

The Zhu family's fifth daughter leaned in Chen Nuo's arms, half her face buried.

The female spirits in the courtyard immediately retreated tactfully.

If the mistresses weren't around, these little spirits could secretly enjoy the mountain lord's favor.

But if they presumed on that favor and acted clueless, the mistresses would truly make a meal of them.

Unless one day these little spirits could break through and become great mountain demons like the mistresses, then they might have some say.

But the difficulty was akin to reaching the heavens.

If not for Chen Nuo's enlightenment, these spirits might never have cultivated a human form in their lifetimes.

If not for being born in Ziyun Mountain, they wouldn't even have a trace of spirituality.

The mortal world's environment was no longer what it used to be; natural spiritual essence grew increasingly thin, mostly harvested by those in heaven.

"What goodies did you bring for your brother today?"

Chen Nuo hugged Fifth Sister and reached into her bosom.

Usually, Fifth Sister was the boldest and most daring, in the prime of her youth, and the most beautiful among the sisters. Why was she so shy today? She must be hiding something embarrassing.

"Not there."

Fifth Sister lightly pinched the back of Chen Nuo's hand.

"Then where?"

Chen Nuo followed Fifth Sister's slender finger and saw her lift the hem of her skirt, revealing a slender calf wrapped in a layer of translucent white silk.

So light that the rosy skin showed through.

The most outstanding features of the spider spirits were their long, straight legs and their overly alluring waist and hip curves.

Already tempting enough, now wrapped in this layer, it nearly made him drool.

"You must never let the sisters know about this, or they'll bully me again, saying I'm too frivolous."

Even Fifth Sister, with her fiery personality, felt embarrassed by her own actions.

She had actually followed Chen Nuo's words and woven such a pair of stockings.

"My dear sister, your brother adores you."

Chen Nuo gently stroked the surface, the cool, smooth texture irresistible.

"Are there other colors?"

"Mm."

"How about secretly wearing them for your brother tonight?"

"...Mm."

Fifth Sister could never refuse Chen Nuo's requests.

Just as they were in a tender moment, someone else arrived at the manor.

"Well, well, sister! You came to see our lord alone and even wore this shameless thing!"

Third Sister strode over, pretending to pinch her sister.

Among the five sisters, due to their personalities, Third Sister and Fifth Sister were the closest.

Third Sister was elegant, gentle, and dignified, fond of reading and calligraphy, and the most skilled at weaving.

The Zhu family's cloth shop outside was woven according to her designs, and the cave's weavers were all under her tutelage.

Because she was soft-hearted, she often had trouble commanding the spirits, so Fifth Sister was her best assistant.

Third Sister taught with weaving patterns in hand, while Fifth Sister followed with a ruler. If any were particularly disobedient, Fifth Sister would report directly to Second Sister, and the weaver would be sealed in a cocoon and eaten.

Third Sister never imagined her good sister would sneak behind her back.

How outrageous—she didn't even call her sister along.

"Brother, stop Third Sister!"

Fifth Sister quickly hid behind Chen Nuo, using him as a shield.

"Oh, Third Sister, how did you end up in my arms?"

Chen Nuo seized the opportunity to pull Third Sister into his embrace.

"Let go quickly; it'll be bad if someone sees."

Third Sister said this, but her hands had no real strength.

Compared to her other sisters, Third Sister was the easiest to tease.

She was usually just like a proper lady.

Maybe she had read too many stories, harboring a maiden's romantic heart, dreaming of moonlit trysts.

Knowing Third Sister had this inclination, Chen Nuo often played out supernatural tales with her, acting out scholar-spirit romances like fox spirits repaying kindness or female ghosts draining essence—quite entertaining.

But those were private amusements.

In front of her sister, Third Sister had to maintain some dignity, lest she become a source of amusement.

"And you call sister shameless? Look at your own footwear, with fine patterns. Truly, Third Sister, your heart and hands are equally clever."

Fifth Sister took the chance to lift Third Sister's skirt, revealing the black silk stockings underneath.

So the two sisters had the same idea.

They spoke words of refusal, but their bodies were far more honest.

Indeed, those who love reading are a bit secretly passionate.

"You little wretch! Just wait till I deal with you."

Third Sister, caught out, stopped pretending. They were all sisters, after all, and would share a bed in the future.

The two sisters chased each other around the courtyard, with Chen Nuo in the middle.

This was how they usually passed the time—more innocent and carefree than the other sisters.

Light veils danced, a beautiful spring scene.

But a thunderclap ruined Chen Nuo's mood.

"Oh, why the sudden thunder?"

Fifth Sister looked toward the sound, puzzled.

When things are abnormal, there must be a demon.

This world had heavenly laws; even rain had its limits, not a drop more or less, let alone thunder.

The officials in the Thunder Department were most dutiful.

"Let's go see."

Chen Nuo looked toward the direction of the thunder.

The sisters, curious, straightened their clothes and followed him, one on each side.

...

...

A group of spirits gathered on the cliff above the Spider Web Cave.

Staring at the lingering thunder-fire aura on the cliff edge, they were both hesitant and greedy.

If they could bathe in this thunder-fire aura, it might help them take human form.

But more likely, they couldn't withstand it and would be annihilated.

"What are you gathering here for? Disperse."

The Zhu family's eldest sister appeared at the thunder, driving the spirits away.

"Elder Mistress, some spirits say they saw a dragon fall with the thunder."

A spirit stepped forward to report.

"A dragon?"

Elder Sister frowned, uneasy.

True dragons in this world all had duties; why would one come here?

It must be a demon dragon or a rogue dragon.

Dragon-kind were almost always leaders among demons; even as great demons, a dragon could fight ten.

Unlike ordinary demons, any dragon with a dragon vein had some divine powers.

This set them apart from mountain demons like heaven and earth.

In ancient times, becoming a dragon was a path beyond demonhood; their ancestors were wealthy, and the bloodline still held some legacy.

Only at the demon king level did the difference between demon and dragon diminish.

After all, once one became a demon king, even a rabbit-born demon, after several blood baptisms, would transcend the mundane and could become an ancestor of a race.

If heaven had a vacancy, they might be summoned, walk in the celestial pool to wash off earthly qi, and become an immortal.

At that level, demon and god were not much different—one in heaven, one on earth.

Like the Bodhisattva Bīlámbā.

Before joining Buddhism, she was a demon.

That's called 'laying down the butcher's knife, and becoming a Buddha on the spot.'

Elder Sister stared intently but couldn't discern anything—it seemed just a bolt of lightning, with no trace of a dragon.

"Dragons can be large or small, and are best at transformation."

Hearing this voice, Elder Sister's tense heart relaxed, a pair of deep dimples appearing on her face as she turned to the newcomer with a relieved smile.

"Good brother, did the thunder bring you too?"

"Did it scare you, sister?"

Chen Nuo stepped forward to support Elder Sister's hand, gently patting the back to comfort her.

Elder Sister, though the oldest, had the gentlest nature, even a bit soft.

But softness had its advantages; teasing her was uniquely fun.

Of course, that was when no one else was around.

In front of the sisters, Chen Nuo had to show respect to Elder Sister, as she usually managed them.

"I feel at ease with you here."

Elder Sister gently shook her head, went to Third and Fifth Sisters, and huddled with them.

"You long worm, still not showing yourself?"

Chen Nuo shouted at the cliff, and heaven and earth seemed to change.

Though he had no divine form to manifest and couldn't command the principles of heaven and earth, his strength could shake them.

The Yellow Dragon's transformation technique couldn't hold under the shock; it revealed its true form from the thunder patterns on the cliff, stumbling to land before Chen Nuo, speaking nervously.

"Little dragon pays respects to the Great King."

"So it really is a demon dragon?"

Elder Sister exclaimed in surprise.

Dragon-kind were rare, demon dragons even rarer.

The difference between demon dragons and true dragons lay in the duty of controlling clouds and rain.

If they had such a duty, they would be surrounded by the incense of gods and spirits, easily discernible.

True dragons could not be killed—they were celestial civil servants—but demon dragons were different.

Where do you think the fame of dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder comes from?

The celestial immortals were too extravagant, so picky.

It was different for earthly demons.

Not just dragon liver and meat; dragon scales could be stir-fried, dragon blood made into tofu, dragon penis soaked in wine—all rare and nourishing.

Dragon-kind were strong, able to fight ten.

But haven't you heard that many ants can swallow an elephant?

Which demon didn't want a taste of dragon liver?

Dragon-kind now had an awkward position in the three realms and six paths.

Though born with the duty of rain, they couldn't ascend to heaven, mostly dwelling in rivers and lakes—showing heaven's attitude toward them.

Like livestock kept at the doorstep, they could be raised outside but not enter the hall.

Their duty was merely a mark of ownership.

If some great immortal got hungry, a dragon might end up on the chopping block for raining a hair too much.

It was just that dragons grew slowly; otherwise, eating humans wouldn't be as satisfying as eating dragons.

And the demons of the mortal world also found dragons hard to accept, seeing them as outsiders, all wanting a taste of heaven.

That's why the little Yellow Dragon was trembling now.

Chen Nuo's look at him was truly like looking at a dish.

He had thought the Webbed Ridge would be a good hiding place, but unexpectedly, a great cultivator had the same idea.

The shout just now had shaken the little Yellow Dragon's guts.

Though not quite like the 'two qi in the orifices' snort-and-ha technique, it was close.

The Sun Wukong who once wreaked havoc in heaven must have had similar divine might.

As for the thunderclap, it wasn't the little Yellow Dragon's intention.

In this world, many sought dragons by observing qi; without using thunder-fire aura to dissipate his dragon qi, he feared it would breed a dragon vein, raise the terrain, and expose his whereabouts.

In the past, this was a sign of a divine beast, but now it was a fatal flaw.

"What is your origin, you long snake?"

Chen Nuo asked, looking down.

"Reporting to the Great King, I am the son of the Jinghe Dragon King, once the chief of the Four Rivers Dragon Gods."

The little Yellow Dragon dared not lie.

Before such a figure, lying was suicidal.

"I've heard the story of Wei Zheng beheading the Jinghe Dragon King in a dream."

Behind him, Third Sister blinked, feeling for the first time that the stories in books were so vivid and real.

The offspring of the Jinghe Dragon King had appeared before her.

"Oh, so you're fleeing for your life."

Chen Nuo summed it up, turned around with his hands behind his back, and continued.

"Come with me. I have a task for you. If you do well, I can give you a well to dwell in."

"Thank you, Great King!!"

The little Yellow Dragon was overjoyed.

This was truly 'a village in the dark after endless mountains and rivers.'

"Call me Mountain Lord; 'Great King' sounds too common."

"As you command, Mountain Lord."

The little Yellow Dragon followed Chen Nuo eagerly.

The Jinghe Dragon King's defiance of the decree was not originally the fault of his dragon sons and grandsons; the crime shouldn't have extended to them.

But the little Yellow Dragon and his kin were afraid, so they all fled.

Now, with the Four Rivers neglecting their duties, the innocent became guilty.

Sooner or later, heaven would send people to capture them.

But if a great cultivator was willing to protect them, heaven could turn a blind eye.

The difference between domesticated and wild was vast.

When Sun Wukong traveled to the West, those he killed were all masterless.