Chapter 213 - Dragon Lady Ao Xue
That night, Qin Yun and Yi Xiao thought deeply about the matter. They even contacted Patriarch Yi for advice. He also acknowledged that the Myriad Temple's reputation was impeccable.
Everything was arranged through the Myriad Temple.
The next day, at dawn.
In a secret location in the West Sea.
The dragon lady, Ao Xue, was imprisoned. She was dressed in white, sitting cross-legged in the dungeon. She had no one to talk to and seemed to suffer unending loneliness.
Yi Xiao clearly resembled her mother. Although Ao Xue lacked the fairy-like disposition of Yi Xiao, she had the air of poised nobility as expected of a dragon lady. She was also a lot more mature.
"Cough." Ao Xue coughed, and blood appeared by the corner of her mouth.
"Caishi, Xiao'er." Ao Xue's eyes welled with tears.
She had been imprisoned in what seemed like perpetual solitude. Although she spent most of her days cultivating, she would fervently miss her husband and daughter once she stopped cultivating.
Her separation with Yi Xiao happened back when Yi Xiao was still in her infancy, a garbling baby.
"Xiao'er. Mom misses you so much. Five centuries. Will Xiao'er and Caishi still be alive five centuries from now?" Ao Xue looked up as her tears could not help but flow down. "Will we still be able to meet in our present lifetime?"
She did not bear hopes that Yi Caishi and Yi Xiao would be able to condense an Essence Soul to become immortal. Reaching the True Dragon realm was extremely difficult for pure-blooded dragons too.
"No."
"I have to meet Xiao'er. As long… as long as my cultivation reaches the True Dragon realm, I can be released early." Ao Xue bore the grief and continued cultivating. To pure-blooded dragons, attaining the level equivalent to the Connate Golden Core was very simple. But to attain the True Dragon realm? That was difficult! Ao Xue had been cultivating like a maniac for the past two decades or so. Yet she did not even come close to reaching the True Dragon realm.
Suddenly—
"Rumble!" The sealed stone door opened.
"Oh?" Ao Xue opened her eyes as she looked at the stone door in a daze.
Logically speaking, she was to be imprisoned for five centuries. That meant that the stone door would not be opened for five centuries.
Yet here the door was opening to reveal an aged female Dragon Elder, Elder Ao Qiong. Standing beside her was a gray-robed male Elder.
"Ao Xue." Elder Ao Qiong spoke in a stoic manner.
"Elder." Ao Xue immediately stood up and paid her respects.
"Follow Elder Qi to the Dragon Palace," said Elder Ao Qiong. "If everything goes according to plan, you can regain your freedom today." With that said, Elder Ao Qiong turned and left.
Ao Xue was taken aback.
Regain her freedom?
She had violated the clan's rules.
"Let's go," The gray-robed Elder said with a smile.
"Elder Qi, I'll regain my freedom?" Ao Xue did not dare believe her ears.
"You have a good daughter and a good son-in-law," said Elder Qi with a smile.
"Daughter? Son-in-law?" Ao Xue was in a daze.
Back when she was taken away, her daughter was still a babbling infant.
West Sea Dragon Palace.
There were already Water race soldiers that peeped their heads out of the sea's surface to look at the distant sky. When they saw Qin Yun and Yi Xiao approaching on a flying sword, they were overjoyed.
Immediately, a Water race soldier dove to the seabed and rushed towards the Dragon Palace.
At present, the West Sea Dragon King, Elder Qi, Ao Xue, and the other dragon children were already waiting in the West Sea Dragon Palace.
"Your Majesty," reported the Water race soldier hurriedly. "Sword Immortal Qin and his wife are here."
"Let's go over." Dragon King nodded.
Whoosh.
With West Sea Dragon King and Elder Qi leading the way, they brought Ao Xue and the dragon children, as well as a large group of Water race soldiers, along as they flew towards the water’s surface obstreperously.
Above the sea.
Qin Yun and Yi Xiao were standing on a cloud, waiting.
"Nothing will go wrong, right?" Yi Xiao felt a little uneasy.
"Don't worry. Didn't Senior Yi mention it yesterday? If we had directly negotiated with the West Sea Dragon race, they might go back on their word. However, with Myriad Temple as an intermediary, the West Sea Dragon race will obey the rules properly," said Qin Yun. The Myriad Temple placed paramount importance on their reputation. If anyone dared to tarnish that reputation, the Myriad Temple would strike with swift retribution.
Myriad Temple was a mysterious and unfathomable faction. It had existed since ancient times and had always maintained neutrality.
"They are coming."
Qin Yun sensed their arrival and looked down. Yi Xiao felt a little nervous too.
"Splash!"
The surface of the sea parted as a group of dragons flew out obstreperously. Dragon King and Elder Qi were at the True Dragon realm and so naturally had extraordinary might. The dragon children behind were mostly at the level equivalent to the Connate Golden Core. The remaining were either too young or slacked off in their cultivation. They simply needed to spend a bit more time and they would definitely achieve the level equivalent to the Connate Golden Core realm.
"Greetings Your Majesty and Elder Qi." Qin Yun bowed. Beside him, Yi Xiao bowed as well.
At that moment, Ao Xue was staring at Yi Xiao. Her eyes were red as she continued staring.
She was comparing her to the infant from her memories, as well as Yi Caishi and herself.
"She resembles me. She resembles me a lot," Ao Xue muttered under her breath.
Yi Xiao, who was standing beside Qin Yun, took note of her mother. She noticed at a glance the excited eyes that were turning red. The dragon lady even resembled her, albeit being a more mature version of her. Furthermore, having cultivated to their respective levels, their sixth senses were a lot more sensitive.
"She's my mom?" Yi Xiao was nervous as well.
"As expected of Sword Immortal Qin to actually obtain a Skydragon Blood Crystal. I'm truly impressed," said West Sea Dragon King with a smile.
"I was only lucky," said Qin Yun.
"There is no such thing as luck when it comes to obtaining treasures," Dragon King said with a smile. "This person beside me is Ao Xue."
Ao Xue looked at the couple. "They are my daughter and son-in-law? His Majesty addressed him as Sword Immortal Qin? From the looks of it, my son-in-law isn't a typical cultivator."
After Yi Xiao heard Dragon King's introduction, she immediately confirmed that the dragon lady that resembled her was her mother. She looked at Ao Xue and was momentarily at a loss for words.
She had conjured many depictions of her mother but her mother was no longer with her since before her first memory.
"Speaking of which, Sword Immortal Qin, you and your wife have close ties with my West Sea Dragon race," said Dragon King with a smile. "However, Ao Xue violated the clan rules, so I couldn't help even if I wanted to. Sword Immortal Qin, you are willing to give a Skydragon Blood Crystal in exchange for Ao Xue's freedom. And a Skydragon Blood Crystal is of great importance to us… It's even enough to offset the sins of Ao Xue."
"Hand me the Skydragon Blood Crystal and Ao Xue will go free," said Dragon King.
"Alright." Qin Yun nodded and waved his hand.
Shoo!
A blood crystal the size of a finger segment flew out.
The dragon children beside felt their blood boil when they saw it. They had a strong urge to devour the Skydragon Blood Crystal. Even West Sea Dragon King and Elder Qi felt their gaze warm up. Dragon King reached out his hand and grabbed the Skydragon Blood Crystal.
"It's with me." Dragon King looked at the Skydragon Blood Crystal in his hand and felt tremendous excitement.
"Ao Xue." Dragon King looked at Ao Xue. "From this moment forth, you are free. Remember, do not violate the clan rules again."
"Yes." Ao Xue nodded.
She eagerly flew toward Qin Yun and Yi Xiao.
"Your name is Yi Xiao?" Ao Xue looked at Yi Xiao. Her gaze was one of unease but also of anticipation.
"Can you tell me what happened back then?" Yi Xiao was incapable of calling her 'Mom' at that moment.
Ao Xue nodded immediately. "Yes, of course."
Yi Xiao found her alien but Ao Xue felt affection for Yi Xiao since she resembled the grown-up daughter she imagined her to be.
And on the other side, West Sea Dragon King and Elder Qi were feeling excited.
"Sword Immortal Qin." Dragon King beamed even more cordially. "Ao Xue and her daughter still need time to warm up to each other. We just need to get together more often in the future. Speaking of which, Sword Immortal Qin, you are considered a relative of our West Sea Dragon race. Come visit as often as you like."
"I will." Qin Yun nodded with a smile.
"Sword Immortal Qin, did you only obtain one Skydragon Blood Crystal at the Ancient Skydragon Palace?" Dragon King could not help but ask. Elder Qi and the surrounding dragon children were staring intently at Qin Yun as well.
Qin Yun said with a smile. "I had quite a fortuitous encounter and obtained two Skydragon Blood Crystals. I also obtained the ancient Skydragon's Dragon Blood and other treasures."
"Can you sell the other Skydragon Blood Crystal to our West Sea Dragon race? Also, we would be willing to buy the ancient Skydragon's Dragon Blood and other items as well," said Dragon King warmly.
The Skydragon Blood Crystal was the essence of the ancient Skydragon's life. It was naturally precious.
As for the Skydragon's blood? An ancient Skydragon had a lot of blood but its value was inferior to that of a Skydragon Blood Crystal. However, it was still rather attractive to ordinary pure-blooded dragons.
"There's no hurry." Qin Yun shook his head. "I do not plan on selling them at the moment."
"Skydragon Blood Crystals are extremely important to our Four Seas Dragon race. It's of not much use to you humans," said Dragon King.
Qin Yun replied, "Let's put this matter to rest. There's no need to continue trying to persuade me, Your Majesty."
Dragon King frowned when he heard that.
"Sword Immortal Qin, for you to obtain those Skydragon Blood Crystals, you must have found a new entrance to the Ancient Skydragon Palace, am I right?" A male dragon spoke out. "Can you tell us? We will definitely reward you."
Qin Yun shook his head with a smile.
What a joke.
Although he believed that the Four Seas Dragon race would not be able to obtain any treasures even if they did find the entrance, there was no reason for him to share his discovery with others.
Besides, Qin Yun did not have an iota of gratefulness toward the West Sea Dragon race. Previously, he had visited them and sought their help but they had directly rejected his request! He only managed to secure his mother-in-law's freedom by getting the Myriad Temple to intervene and arrange an exchange for a Skydragon Blood Crystal! According to Qin Yun's understanding of the Skydragon Blood Crystal's value, the West Sea Dragon race had made a killing simply by pardoning Ao Xue!
"I have yet to spread that news to anyone," said Qin Yun.
"You refuse to sell the Skydragon Blood Crystal and you aren't willing to tell us the entrance to the array formation? Sword Immortal Qin, aren't you going a little too overboard?" The male dragon bellowed. A few of the dragons revealed angry looks.
"Alright, cut it out." Dragon King said but he was also looking straight at Qin Yun.
Qin Yun said with a smile, "This dragon prince, might I know your name? That tone of yours is rather biting. I, Qin Yun, have traveled the world and no one has dared to force a sale on me!"