Chapter 70: Du Xian Sect 28 Part 2

Li Hanzhao was no fool. Everything that had happened made him harbor some guesses about Lu Yun Ting’s identity.

Xun Ji glanced at him. “I’m a great villain who deceives Heaven and slaughters the innocent. You’re asking me for the truth?”

Li Hanzhao was stunned. He stood and suddenly knelt before Xun Ji.

“I want to avenge my brother.” He said earnestly. “But with my own strength, I can’t kill those people. Even if I did, I don’t know if the Cultivation World would produce another Qiong Jin or another Li Huiming.”

“I don’t know if Jiyang Zhenren’s crimes are true or false, but I know you saved Wei Qianqian just now, and you trapped the Eight Great Sect Leaders—that’s real.” Li Hanzhao continued. “So, I beg Jiyang Zhenren for the truth. Only by knowing the origin can one decide the path forward.”

He bowed deeply in salute, but Xun Ji stopped him.

“Just talk. Why kneel?” Xun Ji was somewhat helpless. A fool would be easy to deal with, but this one was stubborn with a clear mind.

“If Immortal Lord doesn’t want to say, I’ll knock this kid out and toss him back to Heguang Sect.” Wei Luoheng said lightly.

“No way!” Li Hanzhao protested softly. “We just went through hardships together. You can’t abandon me!”

Seeing Xun Ji not respond, he hurriedly added, “I have money! I can definitely help! Heguang Sect specializes in artifact forging. We have plenty of Spirit Stones and Magic Artifacts! If you don’t fancy mine, I’ll go steal that old bastard Qiong Jin’s. He’s trapped on the Passing Immortal Bridge anyway and won’t get out anytime soon!”

Xun Ji was amused. “Enough fooling around. If you want the truth, you shouldn’t ask me.”

He looked toward Lu Yun Ting. “You should ask if he agrees. After all… this is his matter.”

Wei Luoheng and Li Hanzhao’s expressions changed as they seemed to guess something from those words. Earlier in the Passing Immortal Bridge barrier, they had all witnessed Lu Yun Ting’s agony. He had some connection to that Dragon Heart—a heart that required the Eight Great Sect Leaders’ combined efforts to contain, yet he had grasped it effortlessly.

Lu Yun Ting ignored the others and only gazed intently at Xun Ji.

If others could guess it, how could he not? The inexplicable Backlash in his body was neither poison nor curse, incurable by medicine. Each outbreak intensified the Passing Immortal Bridge’s turmoil. Near the bridge, his emotions stirred inexplicably. Seeing that vividly pulsing crimson Dragon Heart, his chest had ached unbearably.

His Shizun had been giving him subtle hints all along—even back in the mortal world, he had asked—

“What if you are that dragon?”

“I am that True Dragon, aren’t I?” Lu Yun Ting said calmly.

He had subconsciously avoided this answer for so long.

The world’s only True Dragon, jointly hunted by the Cultivation World, heart carved out and devoured, not even its bones allowed peace. How laughable.

He only wanted to be an ordinary person, a Du Xian Sect disciple, Jiyang Zhenren’s apprentice. But truth always came to light.

Xun Ji reached out and touched his cold cheek, saying gently, “Yes.”

The last shred of hope extinguished. Lu Yun Ting’s lashes trembled as he turned his head to avoid Xun Ji’s hand.

But Xun Ji extended his other hand, cupping his face with both.

“But that was all in the past.” His voice remained gentle. “Lu Yun Ting, perhaps you were an unlucky dragon before, but now, you’re just my apprentice.”

“Just your apprentice…” Lu Yun Ting murmured, a light kindling bit by bit in his eyes. “Shizun.”

“Mm.” Xun Ji responded.

“Master.” Lu Yun Ting called again.

He was that dragon. So what?

Now he had his Master by his side. He would no longer be that dragon besieged by all, isolated and helpless.

With just one word from his Master, his heart had a place to belong.

“Shizun, Shizun…” Lu Yun Ting called repeatedly, his gaze growing fervent.

Xun Ji chuckled and patted his head. “Alright, no more acting spoiled. Let’s talk business first.”

Lu Yun Ting sat pressed close to Xun Ji, took his hand, intertwined their fingers, and lifted it to lightly kiss it.

Xun Ji turned his head and met two pairs of bright, shining eyes.

Li Hanzhao looked like a child caught doing something naughty. He flailed his hands in the air and laughed awkwardly. “Haha, good, good. Business later, spoiling first… True Dragons do that too, it’s only human…”

Lu Yun Ting shot him a sinister look.

Li Hanzhao waved his hands frantically. “No, no! I mean… uh, Jiyang Zhenren and Yunting Lord have such deep master-disciple affection. Truly touching!”

Wei Luoheng smiled ambiguously. “Jiyang Immortal Lord truly lives up to being a figure the entire Cultivation World can only gaze at in awe. To train an upper-world True Dragon so obediently… Though I’ve never seen any sect’s master and disciple holding hands all day like this.”

Lu Yun Ting sneered. “Is Lord Luo Heng jealous? Could it be that after living all these years, you’ve never held hands with anyone?”

Wei Luoheng’s smile froze. He gave Xun Ji a lingering glance. “What does Immortal Lord usually feed him? Why is your dragon so sharp-tongued?”