He, Deng Tianyu, was a man who valued his face.
He had just released those two little fellows. Having them immediately perish under this Spiritual Qi Tide would be like a slap to his own face.
Therefore, he made his move!
Fortunately, a trace of his Spring Vitality Sword Intent had lingered within their bodies. Deng Tianyu simply helped them out, using his Spring Vitality Sword Intent to rekindle that dormant thread.
What was Spring Vitality Sword Intent?
The character “Spring” represented dead wood meeting spring, a revival. The character “Vitality” meant life, continuous and unending.
Empowered by the Spring Vitality Sword Intent, the two little creatures looked at each other. A vision of the young man who had released them flashed through their minds. Without further hesitation, they swam directly for the Stone Gate.
They were already within reach. In the next instant, they crossed the threshold.
“Buzz!”
In that instant, the spiritual energy ripples trembled violently. The Stone Gate erupted with incredibly brilliant six-colored radiance, enveloping the two tiny figures.
The Spiritual Qi Tide across the entire world then began a frenzied reversal, pouring into their bodies completely.
Under this inundation, the color of the two little creatures began to shift, transforming from their original red and black into a kaleidoscope of hues, just like the Spirit Cod King.
Their originally short and stubby barbels began to grow longer. Luminous spirit energy wings unfurled from their backs, their rainbow-like brilliance becoming ever more dazzling.
Clearly, their transformation had already begun!
In the next breath, the Stone Gate trembled once more before carrying the two little ones down into the depths of West Rime Lake.
Witnessing this, the mysterious Black-Robed Person in the void wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, cast a cold glare at Li Xun, and vanished without a trace.
He understood that any attempt to seize the Stone Gate tonight was now a fool’s errand.
Since that was the case, there was no need to remain here!
“Boom!”
Elsewhere, the gray-robed mysterious expert was pierced through by a six-colored afterimage, exploding outright. His soul was instantly obliterated on the spot.
Now, only Li Xun and the Spirit Cod King, stained with an Imperial Sovereign’s blood, remained in the void.
Li Xun offered a respectful salute to the Spirit Cod King. Without further words, he departed.
The Spirit Cod King fluttered her spirit energy wings, transforming into a streak of six-colored light and vanishing into West Rime Lake.
“Is it over?”
“The Stone Gate is already gone!”
“What a pity, what a missed opportunity!”
Many cultivators, noticing the clash’s shockwaves had subsided, quickly flew back to the perimeter of West Rime Lake, though their expressions were filled with regret.
None cared whether West Rime City’s Lord or the mysterious expert had won. They only lamented that the Spiritual Qi Tide brought by the Stone Gate had dispersed.
Yet, there was nothing they could do. They had all sensed the two other immensely powerful auras that appeared earlier—both unmistakably at the Imperial Sovereign Realm.
In a clash that could shatter mountains and rend the earth, who would choose death and madness by returning?
“Aunt Rong, let’s head back as well.”
Deng Tianyu dismissed the Mirror Flower, Water Moon Divine Ability and turned to the mature beauty beside him.
His sole purpose here had been to accompany Aunt Rong and fulfill some of a junior’s filial duty.
Now that they had witnessed the Dance of the Flying Cod and his filial piety had been sufficiently expressed, there was no reason to linger.
“Mhm.” Qu Qirong nodded, revealing a gentle smile.
Although the trip to West Rime Lake had encountered some unexpected events, it still left her and Tianyu with many precious and beautiful memories.
She planned to carve all these memories onto the Cloud Carved Stone Album upon returning, including the scene of that kiss.
“Buzz!”
Deng Tianyu formed a Dharma Seal, steering the Dharma Boat towards West Rime City’s main hub. A Teleportation Array there could take them directly to Xuan City, saving a great deal of time.
Because of the Sleep-Sealing Curse Mark, the Baleful Yang Energy had to be refined daily. Today’s session was yet to be done, and he still needed to guide the extraction of Baleful Yang Energy from Aunt Rong upon their return.
Under the hazy moonlight, scattered snowflakes drifted down, accompanied sporadically by gusts of cold wind.
Yingying the little fox, having played and feasted all day, was long since utterly exhausted. She lay sound asleep on a soft cushion, her breathing soft and even.
As Deng Tianyu piloted the Dharma Boat, he chatted idly with Aunt Rong to help pass the time.
“Buzz!”
Suddenly, the void warped. A woman of breathtaking beauty materialized upon the Dharma Boat—draped in a colorful dress, her delicate jade feet bare, spirit energy wings extending from her back.
Upon her shoulders, two rainbow-hued spirit cods swam continuously, “chirping” away as if expressing something.
“Spirit Cod King?!”
Deng Tianyu’s expression turned grave. He recognized her instantly.
Though not in her true form, that familiar aura and the telltale spirit energy wings were more than enough proof of her identity.
Qu Qirong, beside him, had also identified the Spirit Cod King. She furrowed her elegant brows, wondering why such a being would appear on their boat.
The Spirit Cod King glanced at the two rainbow cods on her shoulder, then turned her gaze to Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong. Her red lips parted slightly:
“You helped them before. Any request you have, this King can grant!”
The two newly transformed rainbow spirit cods fluttered their tiny, colorful wings and intimately swam over to Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong, chirping incessantly to express their heartfelt gratitude.
“I helped those two little ones not for any reward, but simply because I followed my heart.”
To this, Deng Tianyu merely shook his head.
Evidently, the Spirit Cod King had already learned of what transpired earlier from the two little creatures.
However, he had no wish to obtain any benefit from this.
It wasn’t that Deng Tianyu was aloof, nor that he thought himself above worldly matters. It was sincerely because he had followed his heart.
Just as he had told Aunt Rong, his journey on the path of cultivation wasn’t for the sake of immortality, but for the peace of his heart and mind.
“He wants no reward. And you?” The Spirit Cod King’s gaze shifted to the stunning, mature noblewoman before her.
“This concubine is of the same mind.” Qu Qirong smiled sweetly, looking at her Tianyu.
Initially, when she had asked Tianyu to release those two spirit cods, it hadn’t been to ask for any benefit. She had merely seen her own shadow in them and hoped they too could break free from their restraints.
“Though you seek nothing, this King cannot forget a debt of gratitude.”
“There is no hurry. You may both consider this carefully.”
A flicker of surprise passed through the Spirit Cod King’s beautiful eyes as she gave Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong a deep look. She had never met people who didn’t desire fortune.
“Ah, Senior, might I ask: have you ever heard of the Primordial Yin Spirit Body?”
“This constitution, from the moment of birth, contains an extremely dense concentration of Primal Yin Spirit Nimbus. Moreover, whenever its bearer cultivates, the true essence produced is partially siphoned off!”
After pondering for a moment, a thought flashed through Deng Tianyu’s mind, and he inquired.
Ordinary spirit cods had notoriously short lifespans—perhaps less than two hundred years.
But once they metamorphosed into a Spirit Cod King, their lifespan became vast and enduring.
Judging from this Spirit Cod King’s cultivation at Imperial Sovereign Realm Perfection, she must have lived through a great many ages. Perhaps she might know of a cultivation method suitable for the Primordial Yin Spirit Body.
At the mention of her own physique, Qu Qirong also turned her gaze expectantly toward the Spirit Cod King, hoping for useful information.
If there was one thing she still worried about, it was precisely her constitution.
She couldn’t bear the thought of a day when her Tianyu still looked like a youth while she had already gone gray at the temples.
Even if Tianyu wouldn’t mind… but would she herself be able to accept it?
She wanted to spend many more years by his side, filling page after page of the Cloud Carved Stone Album, forever.
