Chapter 72

In the misty rain, as the raindrops fell, Ye Qing stood in the Daoist courtyard, letting the rain soak through him. Instead of feeling cold, he felt a sense of integration, as if the rain from the sky was originally a part of his body.

This is an illusion, everything is fake, but the information, words, and experiences are real and will not deteriorate; otherwise, it would lose its original meaning of testing.

"Actually, even if this dragon descendant insisted on a three-to-two exchange, I would still agree in the end."

"The reason is simple, it's the time."

"In my previous life, I was always busy, and in this life, I strive for good fortune everywhere. How could I have the time to focus on scholarship? Even if I accumulated some resources, I wouldn't have the time to thoroughly transform them. With this time, I can calmly refine the Three Scriptures and Five Classics, and integrate them."

"Let alone, even though the important parts are erased, the common knowledge of these dragon descendants is still invaluable."

"The current situation is to wait for the memory of the transmission master."

At this moment, a faint drumbeat came from the northwest, gradually growing louder, from barely audible to shaking the void. Each drumbeat had a powerful force that seemed to strike directly at the heart.

Ye Qing was startled. He had never heard such a drumbeat that could resonate directly in the mind, it was a heavenly sound, a sound of the soul.

Looking along the hall, he heard the sound of wind and rain coming through the corridor. No one else, including the mysterious butler Jiao Shiliu, noticed anything.

"Little friend, how have you been?" This voice came from the misty rain in the distance, exactly where the drumbeat originated.

Ye Qing strained his eyes to look northwest and indeed saw a figure, wearing a straw raincoat and a tall hat, slowly walking over.

The figure seemed slow but was actually fast, covering a thousand feet in a single step. What was a small dot a moment ago was now right in front of Ye Qing, but Jiao Shiliu and the servants still couldn't see him, as if no one had come at all.

Ye Qing's heart stirred, and he instructed Jiao Shiliu, "Prepare more dishes for lunch today; I will be hosting a banquet."

After giving these instructions, Ye Qing said softly, "You are a guest, please follow me."

"Alright." The man responded and followed Ye Qing into the side hall, sitting down at the table with ease.

At this moment, Ye Qing carefully observed the man in front of him, dressed in a straw raincoat and wearing a tall hat, a traveler in the wind and rain. However, from the details, he could see something extraordinary.

The man's hands were very fair, like those of a baby, and since his arrival, only Ye Qing had noticed him, while others had no clue.

In a short while, the servants brought out dishes one by one and placed them on the table, then bowed and left.

"Please, brother, let's drink together now." Ye Qing first filled a cup for the man and then for himself.

The man didn't hesitate, picking up the cup and drinking it in one gulp.

"Brother, did you enjoy it?" Ye Qing asked, seeing the man drink it all.

The man, hearing Ye Qing's question, didn't speak at first. He savored it for a moment, looking somewhat unsatisfied, and after a while, said, "It's been a long time since I've had such a good drink. You did well this time, knowing to set up a banquet immediately."

The man in the straw raincoat spoke, his fair hand removing the tall hat, revealing a head of black hair that instantly fell over his shoulders. He then looked Ye Qing up and down.

"Can I ask a few questions?" Ye Qing ignored the man's scrutiny, pondering for a moment before asking.

"Ask, and I will answer!" The man in the straw raincoat said, "I am your transmission master, and I will answer all I can."

"Where is this place?" Ye Qing took a deep breath and asked, though he already had an answer in his mind, he still wanted to confirm it.

The man in the straw raincoat looked at Ye Qing with a slightly strange gaze, "This is the Exile Land, a place of illusion, without reality. Many exiled or demoted immortals and deities come here for testing. If they pass, they can be absolved of their sins; if they fail, they continue to suffer."

The man paused slightly and continued, "Though it is an illusion, it is vast, with countless false beings living here. The place you are in is where you will undergo the test."

"Ah." Ye Qing nodded, finding this more detailed than his guesses, "How should I address you?"

"I am your guide, you can call me the Guide for now."

"Alright, I will call you the Guide." Ye Qing said, "I was appointed by the Dragon King as the Water Master of Dong Commandery, but I am not proficient in this. What should I do?"

"That's not a problem." The Guide tapped his fingers on the table, "I am proficient in water techniques and can teach you governance."

"Thank you." Ye Qing bowed in gratitude.

"Actually, you are quite different from what I expected." The Guide looked into the distance, pondering for a moment.

These words made Ye Qing's heart tighten.

The Guide laughed coldly, "But it doesn't matter. You don't need to worry. Since you are here, and you stand here, I will teach you what I should."

He paused and asked, "How much water technique have you learned?"

In his previous life, Ye Qing had studied the Five Elements Dao techniques and now recalled some of the Dragon Palace's specialized techniques. Therefore, he cautiously replied, "I can only say I have a basic understanding."

"What is water?" The Guide asked. Outside, the rain was heavy, and lightning and thunder occasionally illuminated the sky.

The Guide's words echoed in Ye Qing's mind, but he couldn't answer. Memories of his past life flashed through his mind, but he couldn't articulate them, or perhaps he couldn't say them, so he remained silent.

The Guide didn't blame him, just said, "Actually, I don't know either. If I truly understood what water is, I wouldn't be here."

"But water is cold, associated with the north, and has the properties of nourishment and downward flow. You need to know this." The Guide's face showed a playful expression as he spoke to Ye Qing, "These are the basic properties."

Ye Qing's heart stirred, and he asked, "My duty is not just to govern the waters and land, but also to regulate the climate. How can you help me?"

The Guide's expression turned serious, "For you, regulating the climate to ensure favorable weather requires not only proficiency in water but also in wind, as wind and water are never separate."

"To go further, you need to understand fire. Water nourishes and nurtures, while fire flows and changes. The balance of water and fire can better regulate the climate."

"Dragon descendants are naturally proficient in water, first practicing wind, then fire. As for metal and wood, they are less relevant and can be ignored. Here are some theories and notes; take them and study them carefully."

The Guide said, tossing a jade slip to Ye Qing.

The jade slip was crystal clear, similar to crystal. Ye Qing picked it up and probed it with his divine sense, and a flood of information poured in.

"The Five Elements generate and control each other, never separated!" The profound Dao techniques were detailed and broken down here.

Ye Qing read carefully, verifying the theories and methods from his past life. In his previous life, he hadn't entered the immortal gate but had obtained many secret texts and even a few magical treasures during the great calamity.

Unfortunately, none of the magical treasures were brought over, and the Dao texts he had read were also erased. Only as his status improved could he recover them in the Chuanlin notes.

Currently, he only had the Three Yuan True Record, but it was a human Dao technique, and though it included the Five Elements, it wasn't as in-depth.

One by one, the runes formed in his mind, the basic runes of Dao techniques. Profound intentions flowed through his mind, complementing the mark on his forehead, giving him a sense of being connected to his flesh and blood.

The dragon body is indeed different, but unfortunately, it's not my body.

Reluctantly, he put down the jade slip and had a meal with the Guide. After the meal, Ye Qing asked, "Will you come again in the future?"

"If you summon me, you can call me once a month. Each time, I can supplement the texts based on your progress. If you are truly wise, you can learn everything I know." The Guide slowly descended the steps but didn't leave immediately.

Under Ye Qing's gaze, the Guide's expression turned somewhat gloomy, looking around, "How long have I been in this illusory land? It's all about enlightenment..."

The Guide's eyes brightened and then dimmed, falling silent for a moment before saying, "I will leave now, see you next month..."

With that, he walked away, disappearing after just a few steps.

"It's time to see my Dong Commandery." With a thought, Ye Qing summoned a cloud and soared into the sky, a natural instinct of the dragon race.

Flying high, he saw the nearby sea calm and peaceful. Below was a large island, about 1,500 kilometers long and 300 kilometers wide. A mountain peak divided the island into three parts. From Ye Qing's perspective, there were several natural harbors.

Of course, the most important thing was the plains, which were present in all three parts. Ye Qing observed the island, seeing cities scattered on the plains, a dense population, and the mountains layered with deep valleys, presenting a myriad of landscapes.

"Dong Commandery has ten counties and a population of a million, with a complex internal situation."

"Though I am the Water Master of Dong Commandery, I can not only bring clouds and rain but also interfere with the civil administration of Dong Commandery. However, this is the governance of the dragon race, not the human race, and the balance must be carefully maintained."

"The first and most basic task is to bring clouds and rain normally. If I can't even do this, what kind of Dragon Lord would I be?"

"Though I am human, in this illusory scenario, I am undeniably a dragon. As long as I work hard, it shouldn't be difficult."

"If it's not difficult for the dragon race, then what is being tested?"

"What is the standard for passing, ensuring favorable weather and mastering the timing?" Ye Qing pondered, his brows furrowed. This might be necessary, but it might not be the whole picture.

Since this isn't hard to guess, how could the dragon descendants be stuck for thirty years, able to dream every night, and still not figure this out?

After pondering for a long time, Ye Qing suddenly laughed, "No matter what, let's complete these two tasks first. Thinking too much now is a waste."

"I have ten years, plenty of time."

---

**End of Page**