Chapter 71

Two days later.

A splash rose from the lake surface as Dao Qing carried Rabbit Tuan toward the shore.

The water parted, but his black hair and white robes remained utterly dry. The villagers gathering flowers by the shore were greatly astonished, their gazes filled with awe as they looked at Dao Qing. They all retreated to the sides, clearing a path for him.

Dao Qing paid them no mind and headed straight for the courtyard where they were staying. He entered the bedroom and placed Rabbit Tuan on the bed.

Rabbit Tuan lacked even the strength to stand and flopped directly into a soft, squishy rabbit pancake. His tiny body was as limp as a piece of milk cake.

His plump little rabbit rear had suffered terribly over these three days. Even his rabbit fur couldn’t hide the faint pink tint. Whenever he tried to escape, that vile Dao Qing would spank his butt—and it wasn’t made of dough, so how could he hit it like that? It had turned into a peach!

In his indignation, Rabbit Tuan bit down on the quilt, treating the soft underside as if it were Dao Qing and gnawing at it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t even bite through the cotton inside. This infuriated him so much that his rabbit ears and tail twitched and shook.

Dao Qing glanced at him and let him fuss as he pleased. He used the Transformation Technique to conjure a delicate little bath basin, infused it with hot water using a spell, and sprinkled in some medicinal herbs and flower petals before scooping Rabbit Tuan inside. “Soak for a bit. It will ease your fatigue.”

He even conjured a tiny woven grass rabbit that floated on the water’s surface, serving as a bath toy for Rabbit Tuan.

Rabbit Tuan reached out his little paws to hug the grass rabbit and glared furiously at Dao Qing. “How can you waste your demon power like this?”

Dao Qing replied, “Don’t worry. My demon power is now abundant, and my injuries have fully healed. I can absorb spiritual energy on my own to recover.”

Rabbit Tuan said, “I’m not worried about whether you have enough demon power. I’m distressed about my butt! What you’re wasting isn’t your demon power—it’s my butt!”

That old mud eel wasn’t acting like a person at all. His rabbit flower was still numb even now. And look at the old mud eel himself—he looked as if he’d swallowed dozens of bottles of great tonics. The pallor was completely gone, and he was positively radiant, even more spirited than before his injury.

Though Rabbit Tuan himself had gained benefits too—his demon power had surged greatly through their dual cultivation, and Dao Qing’s Primordial Yang had alleviated his discomfort during the gestation period. He’d even felt extremely comfortable these past three days, far outweighing the exhaustion.

But no matter the benefits, Rabbit Tuan still felt displeased whenever he looked at Dao Qing. He angrily scolded him, only to see Qing not reflect at all. Instead, his stern brows softened, revealing a faint smile.

Rabbit Tuan flew into a rage and splashed water at Dao Qing with his paws. “What are you smiling at? Do you think I’m ridiculous?”

Dao Qing didn’t dodge and let the water splash him. “Not ridiculous. Just… very cute.”

He stroked Rabbit Tuan, his expression softening in a rare display of gentleness.

Rabbit Tuan was momentarily stunned, and when he spoke again, his voice was much softer. “Hmph… I think you’re just bored with nothing to do. Hurry up and scrub my back.”

His original intent was to treat Dao Qing like a slave and make him serve as punishment. But once Dao Qing started, he kneaded Rabbit Tuan like a milk bun, and Rabbit Tuan realized Dao Qing was enjoying it thoroughly, with no reluctance whatsoever.

“Let go of me…”

Rabbit Tuan flailed his little paws, but Dao Qing deftly flipped him over and evenly sprinkled warm medicinal powder—Agaric Powder—on his paws before massaging them.

After the herbal bath, the soreness in Rabbit Tuan’s body had indeed eased considerably. Dao Qing used a spell to dry the water from his rabbit fur, tucked him into his embrace, and coaxed softly, “Sleep now.”

Rabbit Tuan grumbled in dissatisfaction for a while but eventually forgave him somewhat. He licked Dao Qing’s finger, rolled over, and fell fast asleep.

Over this period, he had grown far too familiar with Dao Qing’s scent. Even just smelling it instinctively made him feel at ease, lulling him easily to sleep.

While he slept soundly, and with daylight still lingering, Dao Qing left the village with the caravan. Before departing, they bought large quantities of Agaric Powder at high prices. The villagers were immensely grateful and escorted the caravan’s wagons a good distance away.

–

Several days later.

The caravan had ventured deep into Great Yong territory, where Man-Eating Demons had nearly vanished entirely. Dao Qing then parted ways with the caravan, preparing to transform into his dragon form and fly to Shangjing.

The caravan was very reluctant to see them go. Dao Qing had saved their lives multiple times, and they were deeply grateful. The clever and adorable Rabbit Tuan was especially beloved by the children and women. When they heard he was leaving, the kids wailed loudly, begging him not to go.

Influenced by the children, Rabbit Tuan felt a touch of sadness too. He didn’t belong to this era, and a century from now, these mortals would have long turned to dust. After this parting, they would never meet again.

But they were mere passing acquaintances in the end, so he wasn’t overly attached. From the start, he had known their time together would be brief. Having journeyed with them this far was already remarkable fate.

Before leaving, the caravan offered gold, silver, and precious treasures to Dao Qing, but he refused them all.

He accepted only one thing: the outfits sewn for Rabbit Tuan by the women. There were skirts, cloaks, rabbit shoes, and even a rabbit backpack, rabbit handkerchiefs, and rabbit accessories.

The accessories were mostly silk ribbons—some embroidered with gold thread, others inlaid with beads—along with a little crown made of silver and gems. It wasn’t particularly extravagant, but it was especially cute and beautiful, and Rabbit Tuan loved them dearly.

Dao Qing brought Rabbit Tuan to the mountaintop and set up a Barrier around them before reverting to his true form.

This was Rabbit Tuan’s first time seeing the true dragon, and he was profoundly shocked.

Dao Qing’s true form was an adult Silver Dragon, radiating boundless majesty. Its size far exceeded his imagination—tens of zhang tall and over two hundred zhang long. Even its head alone was the size of a palace. The magnificent silver scales shimmered gloriously in the sunlight, resembling a galaxy come alive under the moonlight from afar.

The Silver Dragon gently blew a breath, sending Rabbit Tuan airborne, then used a spell to place him on its nose tip.

Compared to the Silver Dragon, Rabbit Tuan was minuscule—even the narrow gaps between its scales could swallow him whole. Fortunately, the Silver Dragon had set up the Barrier to prevent Rabbit Tuan from falling or being swept away by the high-altitude gales.

Once Rabbit Tuan settled, the Silver Dragon shot toward the heavens. In an instant, all scenery was left far behind. Rabbit Tuan clung tightly to the edge of a dragon scale, thrilled by the high-altitude rush, and shouted excitedly, “So high!!”

In the blink of an eye, the Silver Dragon plunged into the clouds. The white, misty clouds enveloped them like drifting fog.

Curious, Rabbit Tuan reached out a paw to touch the flowing clouds. But once his paw extended beyond the Barrier, he felt only damp chill, like touching flowing frost—it was so cold it froze his paw. He quickly withdrew it. Nothing novel there.

The Silver Dragon pierced the clouds into even higher skies. Rabbit Tuan peered downward curiously but saw only cloud layers below—no glimpse of the ground.

The unchanging view grew a bit boring, but Rabbit Tuan still watched with relish, munching on snacks while admiring the sight.

The Silver Dragon flew at tremendous speed. Soon, they pierced the clouds again and descended. Midway, Rabbit Tuan spotted thunderclouds in the distance—dark masses flashing lightning that gathered into a fierce bolt striking the earth.

Startled, Rabbit Tuan frantically patted the Silver Dragon’s nose tip, signaling to steer clear. He wasn’t sure if the thick-skinned, scaly beast felt it, but the Silver Dragon did veer slightly, avoiding the thunderclouds.

They drew nearer to Cang Mountain. Just before reaching the peak of Ask Dao Peak, the Silver Dragon reverted to human form, caught Rabbit Tuan with an outstretched hand, and landed lightly on the mountaintop, sleeves billowing.

Rabbit Tuan refused to be tucked back into his embrace. He bounced once on Dao Qing’s palm for momentum, leaped onto his head, domineeringly removed the Silver Hairpin and crown, claimed the spot atop his hair, tucked in his paws, and nestled comfortably.

The silver crown and hairpin fell into Dao Qing’s arms. He casually stowed them away, bound his black hair back with a silk ribbon, and indulged Rabbit Tuan’s triumphant ride as they descended the mountain.

A century ago, Cloud Moon Temple lacked the future prestige and worship of thousands. It was merely an obscure little Daoist Temple that had bought a farmhouse courtyard at the mountain’s base, renovated the buildings slightly, enshrined a crude stone statue of the patriarch, and called it a temple.

Dao Qing divined with tortoise shells and followed the omen to Cloud Moon Temple’s courtyard.

Rabbit Tuan, perched on Dao Qing’s head, couldn’t help standing up in shock when he saw it.

Cloud Moon Temple was… extraordinarily plain, indistinguishable from any other farmhouse yard.

The courtyard was piled with sundries and firewood, planted with flowers and vegetables. Hens pecked at insects on the ground, and a scrawny donkey was penned in its stall. Spotting visitors, it let out a loud bray.

If not for the crooked signboard at the entrance reading “Cloud Moon Temple,” even if beaten to death, Rabbit Tuan wouldn’t have guessed this was Cloud Moon Temple.

A ruddy-faced fat old man emerged from the house, clad in tattered clothes. He fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan and scolded the donkey in Great Yong official dialect thick with local accent: “Quiet down!”

The donkey understood and fell instantly silent. Seeing this, Dao Qing lifted Rabbit Tuan from his head and tucked him into his embrace. “He is Zheng Yuan Zhenren.”

“?” Rabbit Tuan eyed the fat old man in astonishment, incredulous. “You say he’s Zheng Yuan?”

“His cultivation is profound and unfathomable.”

Dao Qing explained, “This courtyard is his Dao Field. The seasons inside run counter to the outside world—it’s still midsummer here.”

Only then did Rabbit Tuan notice the anomaly. It was nearly winter now, yet the courtyard’s vegetables and flowers flourished lushly. The old man even fanned himself as if in peak summer.

But most terrifying was the Dao Field’s ability to distort perception. Before Dao Qing pointed it out, Rabbit Tuan hadn’t sensed anything amiss, dismissing the old man as an ordinary rustic.

Once his perception corrected, the old man’s appearance shifted, revealing his true visage.

The real Zheng Yuan Zhenren had a dignified, upright face, appearing around thirty. He wore an old Daoist robe, and the ragged palm fan was actually a feather fan. He smiled warmly at them.

Rabbit Tuan instinctively shrank deeper into Dao Qing’s embrace. Realizing his mind had been subtly altered without notice unnerved him about Zheng Yuan. And he couldn’t fathom why—since Zheng Yuan’s true form was quite handsome— he’d chosen to illusion himself as a fat old man.

Zheng Yuan met Rabbit Tuan’s gaze and smiled. “Had I not embarked on the path of cultivation, this old man’s form would have been my appearance at thirty.”

“Don’t be afraid. I merely changed my form to welcome you. For guests from a century hence, it’s only right to put in extra effort and greet you in my future likeness, don’t you think? Nephew Dao Qing, little friend A Xue?”