Chapter 1241: Dragonhark Valley
Li Qiye gently shook his head in response: "No, I don't have the right merit law to pass down to you. A member of the Zhang must cultivate the Zhang Clan's law."
"But my clan's laws have been lost for a long time now." Zhang Baitu hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Even Dongting Lake might not have our laws. None of the ancestors said anything about it."
Li Qiye flatly replied: "Your Zhang Clan doesn't have them and the lake might not either, but Dragonhark Valley will."
"Dragonhark Valley?" Zhang Baitu was surprised: "Why would my clan's laws be at the valley?" He didn't understand the connection between the two entities.
"To be more exact, those laws exist in this place." With that, Li Qiye pointed at his head and said: "If you are able to be enlightened at the valley, you will obtain your clan's merit laws once more."
Zhang Baitu was dazed. Even though he was not good at cultivation, he was not a fool. With a slightly startled expression, he asked: "Young Noble, are you saying that my clan's laws came from the valley itself?"
"You can put it that way." Li Qiye nonchalantly spoke: "Your forefathers' bloodline is not the purest of human bloodlines, so your members can only cultivate the clan's laws. Through meditation and enlightenment at the valley, you will find what you desire."
Zhang Baitu looked distracted. He knew far less than Li Qiye about his own ancestors, but he didn't dare to ask why Li Qiye was aware of this.
"Can, can I do it?" He was lacking confidence after calming down.
He couldn't be blamed for this since failure had haunted him for years. The failure of his first attempt at cultivation had already shattered his confidence completely, leaving him unsure of himself.
Li Qiye stared at him and replied: "A calm heart is more important than anything else. During your meditation, stay calm and everything will flow naturally. You are the descendant of the Zhang Clan; if you can't do it, who can? Remember, your Zhang bloodline flows through you. This makes you different from everyone else."
After being encouraged by Li Qiye, Zhang Baitu could feel his blood beginning to stir.
"In this world, talent is not the most crucial thing, an unfaltering dao heart is much more important. After so many years, countless geniuses have failed, it's not just you. Even invincible Immortal Emperors have failed many times during their youth. No one can be unstoppable throughout their entire life. Only through failure will one understand their own lackings. Lessons and experiences can be gained from failure…" Li Qiye took his time encouraging and waking up Zhang Baitu.
The old man's eyes lit up. In a short period of time, he could feel the blood of the Zhang Clan channeling even faster. He was full of hope at this moment.
Eventually, he kneeled on the ground and gratefully said: "I will engrave your wise words into my mind and never forget them."
Li Qiye ordered: "Very good. Let us go to Dragonhark Valley then."
Zhang Baitu nodded. At this time, he was full of energy and felt that he was suddenly young again, just like the past when he began his arduous search for the first time.
Dragonhark Valley was located in the southern region of Dragonhark. The entire valley was huge with exquisite sceneries consisting of tall peaks, tranquil ravines, and many waterfalls…
There were many legends about this valley. One stated that the old giant dragon back then was enlightened in this valley and left behind an indelible mark.
Another stated that the demon dragon who went against the heavens and failed left its magical bones behind after dying. Some of these magical bones eventually turned into Dragonhark Valley.
No one knows if these two rumors were real or not. However, many people came to the valley in search for the grand dao from the legends, the legacy of a true dragon. Alas, despite their pursuit for the mysteries here, many left empty-handed.
Nevertheless, some claimed to have heard a dragon's roar coming from the valley. After going back, they eventually comprehended more of the dao. A few of them became experts and claimed that they had heard whispers of a true dragon granting them great wisdom.
No one had heard of someone being able to obtain the legacy of this true dragon or the legendary magical bones. Nevertheless, there were indeed tangible benefits present at the valley.
The two came to the entrance of the valley that resembled the gaping jaws of a dragon. Just this scene alone showed that the valley’s reputation was more than just empty rumors.
The moment they entered, they could see that there was already a line of cultivators waiting. Some were sticking around to watch as well.
"Get in line, hurry up." An old man dressed in a light blue robe with a pointed hat was guarding this entrance.
"Ten Heavenly King Jades, an extremely fair price." The old man collected money while yelling: "Come, come, do not miss the one and only Dragonhark Valley in this world. Inside are true dragon bones, immortal draconic runes… As long as you are lucky enough, you will be able to obtain these mythical artifacts…"
"… Think about it, just ten Heavenly King Jades to trade for dragon bones and runes… What a generous trade!" The old man's voice was quite powerful: "With these artifacts, the next sea god could be you, the contemporary Immortal Emperor can't be anyone else but you, becoming a treefather is possible as well. Ten Heavenly King Jades to win a chance at becoming a sea god, proving your regal ascendance or transforming into a treefather. This is the best transaction you could ever have."
The old man kept on shouting like a street peddler while collecting all the jades.
"Are you serious?" A young first-timer heard this and had to ask: "Are there really true dragon bones and immortal draconic runes in there?"
"Hahaha, little fella, don't listen to him." An older cultivator laughed and explained: "He has always been shouting these words. Fifty years ago when I last came, he was saying the same thing."
"You can't put it like that." The old man answered with a serious tone: "My reputation is as valuable as gold and is completely trustworthy. I guarantee in the name of my ancestors that there are indeed draconic bones and runes inside."
"Stop! You told me the same thing fifty years ago and tricked me to come several times while giving you everything I had. In the end, did I leave with anything but empty hands?" The old cultivator retorted with disdain while feeling annoyed.
The old man didn't become angry with his answer: "I can't be blamed for this. It only shows that you did not research enough. Otherwise, after several entries, you should have been able to get lucky, find the artifacts, and embark on the heaven-defying path to becoming a sea god and marrying a goddess, that's for sure. Come, come, come now. Ten Heavenly King Jades, this is an amazing deal."
The old cultivator snorted and wasn't tempted by the old man.
A skeptical cultivator remarked: "If there are truly draconic bones and runes inside, then how come you aren't keeping them for your own use?"
The old man shook his head and said: "Fellow daoist, your perspective is too mundane. People say that the heavenly treasures of this world are meant for the destined. What kind of items are true dragon bones and immortal draconic runes? They are supreme immortal artifacts, so how can a lowly man like me obtain them? Because of this, I am leaving this opportunity to the fated ones."
The skeptic had no response and kept quiet after hearing this.
"Plus, many experts benefitted from coming to Dragonhark Valley. When an overlord heard the sound of the rain in this place, he immediately became enlightened and soared to the heavens overnight. There was also a sea god who listened to the wind. In just one day, he created an invincible art, and from then on, he alone was unbeatable in this world…" The old man became quite excited as he blabbered on and on.
A cultivator quietly muttered under his breath: "How outrageous…"
Of course, the overlord and sea god mentioned by the old man were all exaggerations. However, it was undeniable that there had been masters in the valley who obtained great harvests by just listening to the sounds in the valley itself.
After his long boast, he told the skeptic from earlier: "Okay, do you want in or not? If not, then go to the side. People are all lining up behind you."
This skeptic hesitated for a moment but still decided to pay to enter the valley.
In the line, Li Qiye cheerfully smiled at this old man. He enjoyed listening to him a lot.
When it was Li Qiye and Zhang Baitu's turn, Baitu only looked at Li Qiye since he couldn't take out so many refined jades.
"Two people so twenty Heavenly King Jades." The old man smiled at them.
No matter how one looked at them, neither Li Qiye or Zhang Baitu looked like people with money, so a human cultivator kindly reminded them: "Little brother, refined jades don't come easily, you are better off using them wisely."
"Little brat! It's fine if you don't want to come in, but you want to ruin my business as well? Do you want me to throw you into the Bonesea right now?!" The old man violently changed his tune right away after seeing this human wanting to interfere with his business.
Chapter 1242: Zhang Baitu's Dao Enlightenment
The human cultivator fled right away after being scolded by the old man. Throughout history, no one dared to offend Rainbow City. Rumor has it that even a contemporary sea god wouldn't test them.
Li Qiye smiled and handed the refined jades over.
The old man immediately beamed happily after getting the refined jades and said: "I wish you two luck in comprehending the supreme grand dao to reach the peak of this world."
Li Qiye grinned and looked at the old man and leisurely spoke: "You said earlier that there are draconic bones and runes in the valley. If I carelessly dig them up, do they all belong to me then?"
"Well." The old man's expression changed after hearing this but he still revealed a smile in the end: "Well, yes, of course."
Li Qiye saw his expression and started to laugh before patting his shoulder and said: "I'm just joking. I'll only take him to listen to the sounds here for dao enlightenment." With that, he brought Zhang Baitu into the valley.
The old man's smile froze as his body became stiff. He watched Li Qiye and Zhang Baitu disappear into the valley.
"I have to go too." Eventually, someone from the line spoke up, waking the old man up from his stupor. Just thinking about Li Qiye's grin left the old man frightened with chills running down his spine.
"Rascal, don't play with me." Eventually, the old man murmured in a low voice that only he could hear.
This was Zhang Baitu's first time coming to Dragonhark. Even though he knew about it beforehand, he didn't have enough money for the entry fee.
He curiously asked: "Does this place really have those mythical items?" In his eyes, Li Qiye was an expert at everything.
"You shouldn't think about these things." Li Qiye beamingly smiled in response: "Finding them is nice, but it's fine to be without them as well. They are not meant for you."
Zhang Baitu quietly nodded. He naturally didn't have unrealistic expectations. In his eyes, being able to comprehend the Zhang merit laws was more than enough. As for the bones and runes, they were supreme items that he didn't dare to think about.
There were beautiful sceneries everywhere in this big valley with majestic cliffs, elegant springs, and a pleasant melody from the rustling leaves.
They saw cultivators in many places. Some were sitting on top of cliffs while huffing and puffing the energy of the clouds. Others were meditating below waterfalls to quietly listen to the sound of the water. There were also those sitting in the pine forest in order to comprehend the grand dao.
Even though ten Heavenly King Jades were a lot to many, experts from great powers were willing to try at least once. Who in this world didn't want to become enlightened in the dao?
Moreover, for those who had reached a bottleneck, they needed an opportunity to break through.
There were rumors that there were dragon roars or even the whispering of a true dragon in this valley. How could there be smoke without fire? Some experts had made these claims before while meditating in this place.
Because of this, many cultivators came here in hopes of getting lucky. Perhaps they would be able to experience the same type of adventures as well.
The duo crossed over the mountains and went deeper inside towards their destination.
"Young Noble, have you been here before?" Zhang Baitu asked after seeing how familiar Li Qiye was with this place. Li Qiye only responded with a mysterious grin.
Many of the cultivators they met didn't find anything, so they kept on changing their location.
"Eh, isn't that Hundred-Disciple?" A few cultivators recognized Zhang Baitu along the way. The majority of them were from the sects near Dongting Lake. 1
Zhang Baitu had joined many sects without any results. Because of this, the cultivators near Dongting Lake all knew about him.
"Zhang Baitu, are you here to listen to the valley as well?" A cultivator shook his head and laughed: "In my opinion, you should be saving money to buy a coffin, that will save a lot of trouble. You have joined so many sects for no reason, do you think you will actually gain anything here at Dragonhark Valley?"
Another cultivator saw Li Qiye standing next to him and mocked: "Who would have thought that you, Zhang Baitu, would actually try to be exemplary one day and take in a disciple. Hey, child, finding a master is a lifelong event, so you can't be careless or you'll regret it for the rest of your life after finding the wrong master."
The majority of the people who recognized Zhang Baitu started with taunts or mocked Li Qiye. Of course, there were some who had good intentions and advised Li Qiye.
Zhang Baitu didn't respond to any of them and only followed right behind Li Qiye. He had grown used to these remarks and had heard much worse before.
After a while, in a more remote location, he whispered: "It is my fault for tarnishing your reputation, Young Noble."
Li Qiye waved his sleeve dismissively and insipidly commented: "There's no need to take to heart the words of mere ants."
Zhang Baitu didn’t say anything else and continued to follow him.
Eventually, the two went into a thicket with fresh verdant leaves. When the breeze blew by, one could hear their fluttering rattle like a melody.
Li Qiye walked around before stopping in front of a dying tree. He carefully looked at this old tree and nodded: "Right here."
He then ordered Zhang Baitu: "Sit with your back against this tree and calm your mind. Block off your six senses to feel its rhythm. Remember, stay calm — this is the only way you will feel its existence."
Zhang Baitu solemnly shook his head and took a deep breath. He sat down firmly under this old tree with his back against it. He closed his eyes and shut off his six senses then began to feel it.
Li Qiye looked over him for a bit before quietly leaving. At the same time, he casually drew a circle around this thicket.
Zhang Baitu meditated in order to sense this old tree. However, moments passed by and there were no signs of change. In the beginning, he was able to keep calm, but he gradually lost his patience and his breathing turned rapid.
"Remember, it exists when your heart is calm. You are the descendant of the Zhang Clan, this is something you should have. Be patient and persevere." Li Qiye was watching everything from a distance.
His words were like a tranquilizing pill. The anxious Zhang Baitu slowly calmed down again with steady breaths. His quiet meditation began once more.
"Isn't that Zhang Baitu? Is he actually thinking about comprehending the dao?" Someone laughed while looking at Zhang Baitu meditating under the tree.
Another said with disdain: "He wants to understand the dao? Such wishful thinking."
Their companion sarcastically commented: "People say that one can only succeed after experiencing failures and learning from the lessons. Zhang Baitu had so many masters after joining numerous sects for nothing at all, so maybe he has accumulated enough experience. Come, let us see if he can comprehend anything."
Although some cultivators were dismissive of him, others were irritated by their own lack of progress, so they wanted to tease him to get rid of their bad mood. In their eyes, Zhang Baitu was only a piece of trash. They could humiliate him however they want.
"Don't cross the line." Li Qiye coldly spoke the moment these ill-willed cultivators approached his line.
These cultivators stopped and one of them laughed: "Oh? You must be Zhang Baitu's disciple. Hah, a foolish master can only produce an idiotic disciple. You think you can comprehend the dao here as well?"
Li Qiye ignored him and emotionlessly repeated: "Don't cross the line or face the consequences."
"Brat, who do you think you are?!" Li Qiye's attitude made a few younger cultivators with some status quite annoyed. They contemptuously spoke: "You think we'll listen to you? What are you going to do about it? Only an ant yet you still dare to shout in front of us! So what if we cross the line, are you gonna bite me? Oh wait, I forgot, a dog that bites will never bark."
With that, they headed towards Zhang Baitu.
Li Qiye didn't bat an eye. Instead, he performed a sweeping kick. These cultivators turned furious after seeing this, and one of the nobles said: "Naive fool!"
"Bang!" They couldn't even counter since they were kicked flying by Li Qiye. Blood spurted out along with many explosions; Li Qiye mercilessly sent them into many huge trees with blood spraying everywhere.
He then stared at them coldly and slowly walked over.
At this time, these pale cultivators were frightened. They wanted to crawl back up, especially the noble-looking one. He screamed: "You, don't come over here, don't come over here!"
Baitu = Hundred-Disciple. ↩