Chapter 58

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

As the cherry blossoms fluttered in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

Amidst the petals that were not quite flowers, the mist that was not quite fog, she came at midnight and left at dawn. She came like a fleeting moment, and left like morning clouds, leaving no trace.

Walking and walking, he emerged from one forest after another, passed through one ancient town after another, and gazed at the layers of villages before him. Jun Wuming looked into the distance and smiled gently, finally returning.

The setting sun dyed the river red, and the water flowed downstream. Several giant turtles lazily stretched their dark green bodies, leisurely and free.

The gentle waves rippled, and the clear green river flowed leisurely under the dimming sun, bringing a sense of comfort and ease. The river flowed steadily, making one feel at ease.

Under Jun Wuming's feet, a red dragon snake, more than several dozen feet long, swam silently toward the riverbank, its tail swaying, creating gentle ripples.

Dozens of giant pythons followed closely behind, floating and sinking in the clear river. Many smaller demons followed, forming a grand and impressive sight stretching for miles.

This giant red dragon snake was the red-refined giant snake that had awakened its bloodline. It had two horns on its head, red like fire, and a faint red mist spread with each breath, killing any fish or shrimp it touched. With its bloodline just awakened, the giant snake could not fully control its newfound power. Fortunately, it was under Jun Wuming's feet, and he naturally shielded it, preventing the intense red-refined snake venom from spreading into the river.

Green trees provided shade, and a gentle breeze blew, stirring the hair. The riverbank was dotted with pebbles of various colors—green, white, and speckled. A pier of Yunlian Village was built here, specifically for boats to dock and rest.

On the riverbank, someone had been waiting for a long time.

Looking at the white-robed youth before him, Jun Wuming nodded and smiled, "I kept you waiting, Brother."

"Third Brother, why did you take so long? I was very worried," the white-robed youth said with a smile, but before he could finish, a burly youth had already rushed forward, dragging his sleeves, grinning widely, and clearly very excited. It was evident that he was happy about Jun Wuming's safe return.

"It's good to be back, Ming. Who are these behind you?"

The beautiful woman smiled warmly, her face glowing. She had been very worried about Jun Wuming's disappearance. Now that he was back, her heart was at ease.

Jun Wuming smiled, smoothed his slightly disheveled sleeves, and felt a warm sense of family. Looking at the three people before him, he felt a warm glow in his heart. He smiled and explained, "They are my subordinates. I owe my safe return to them."

Calling over the turtle and the snake behind him, he introduced them to everyone. Then, Jun Wuming led them toward Gourd Valley, feeling somewhat tired after the chase.

On the way, he explained the details to everyone, but he omitted or glossed over the parts involving the "Beidou Divine Calculation" and the supreme expert who had possessed him. This matter was significant, and the expert had given him specific instructions, so Jun Wuming could not reveal it.

"So, Brother Ming, you have already advanced to the fourth stage?" The white-robed youth looked at Jun Wuming with envy. The fourth stage was a significant boundary between the middle and higher stages, and the difference between the third and fourth stages was vast!

The group slowly made their way to Gourd Valley, where lush greenery and vitality overflowed. Despite the height of summer, the valley was refreshingly cool.

The Lingsha Waterfall cascaded like a silver river, and the massive volume of water pouring down from a nearby peak was awe-inspiring. The thunderous sound of the water was deafening.

Suddenly, a large green turtle shot out and dived into the pond, looking very excited. "Splash, splash," dozens of other giant turtles followed, splashing and playing in the pond.

"Lord, may we have this pond as our habitat?"

Looking at the group on the shore, the turtle, Wuzhantian, floated out of the water, his dark green shell shimmering with mysterious patterns.

With a sheepish smile, Wuzhantian looked at Jun Wuming with pleading green eyes, while also keeping a wary eye on the giant black snake and the pythons behind it.

Beside him, Heifeng looked annoyed, his large snake eyes flashing red. He hissed slightly, but the shameless old turtle had beaten him to it! How infuriating!

Jun Wuming nodded. The pond was deep, with abundant fish and shrimp, and the water was rich in energy, making it very suitable for the turtle clan. He nodded and granted the old turtle's request.

Seeing Jun Wuming agree, the old turtle looked smug, his pleading expression gone. He proudly led the group of turtles to the other side of the pond to patrol. Heifeng, not to be outdone, asked Jun Wuming for the cliff face of Gourd Valley as their habitat. The valley walls were dotted with many caves, towering into the clouds, surrounded by green trees, and connected to the clear river, which was rich in fish and shrimp, making it very suitable for the snake clan.

After settling the two clans, Jun Wuming led everyone to the manor.

"Third Brother, what does your dragon form look like? I've never seen a dragon before."

The burly youth looked at the black-robed youth with curiosity, examining him from head to toe, as if trying to find a flower on him.

"Hong'er..." The beautiful woman chided the curious burly youth.

Jun Wuming shrugged and smiled reassuringly, "Aunt, it's fine. Since Second Brother is curious, I'll summon my dragon form."

Slowly walking to the lake, he instructed everyone to step back. He released the seal on the dragon pearl, and powerful dragon energy surged out, his bloodline power boiling. Clouds and mist swirled, and a nine-zhang-long black dragon emerged from the mist.

Its slender form had a head like a bull, horns like a deer, eyes like a shrimp, ears like an elephant, a neck like a snake, a belly like a snake, scales like a fish, claws like a phoenix, and paws like a tiger. Its voice was like the clanging of a copper plate. It had whiskers by its mouth and a pearl under its chin.

A massive divine dragon danced in the air, riding the clouds and summoning the wind and rain. It slowly descended, its large dragon eyes staring at the group. The burly youth was visibly excited, jumping up and down.

The white-robed youth's eyes were full of admiration, seemingly captivated by the charm of the dragon. However, no one knew that behind the white-robed youth's smile, there was a twisted expression. Looking at the satisfied smile of the palace lady, Jun Wuyou felt as if he had been stabbed by a needle, almost bleeding. A deep, sinister hatred flashed in his eyes. It was him again, why is it always him? No! I absolutely cannot allow anyone to take what belongs to me!

"Roar!" A deep dragon roar echoed, and a black-robed youth slowly stepped out of the water, surrounded by a black glow.

In this life, I have walked through the storms, cleansing the dust of the secular world. This time, I will let go of the past and bloom by the lakeside. The storms—cannot cleanse the red dust!

Smiling warmly, Jun Wuming nodded and called for the maids to attend to the guests, leading the three to the main hall.

After seeing off the guests, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

Walking slowly along the path to the garden, he wandered aimlessly. The world seemed to be immersed in a sea of silver light, creating a warm and peaceful night. It felt as if he was in a sea of moonlight. The moonlight bathed the youth's clothes, warming his lonely heart—Jun Wuming always felt that the warmth of the sun was too intense and the stars too cold and lonely.

Only this gentle and serene moonlight could be just right. The moonlight, as white as silver stars, illuminated the entire earth, making the surroundings bright and the world enveloped in a sacred atmosphere. Heaven and earth were one, and the soul was elevated in this sacredness.

Unconsciously, he arrived at the entrance of the garden and followed the path to a rock and pond.

In the middle of the pond was a rock that seemed to be crafted by nature. Under the moonlight, it was even more charming, like a painting. The moonlight reflected on the dark green bottom of the pond, making it appear exceptionally clear and distant, evoking a sense of longing.

A breeze blew, creating a faint ripple on the calm surface of the pond. The water gently rippled, touching the rock and producing a soft, metallic sound, which was particularly soothing in the quiet night.

Turning around the pond, Jun Wuming sat in an ancient pavilion behind the rock.

"Did you come?" He smiled, and two massive figures, one black and one green, appeared from behind the rock.

The old turtle lay on the ground, his round green eyes darting around. Heifeng gracefully circled behind him, "What do you need from us, Lord?"

Smiling faintly, he said, "Nothing, although you two are new to my service, you have been diligent and loyal, and I have noticed."

"Also, I noticed that your clans' attack methods are primitive, relying only on instinctive techniques, and seem to lack attack spells?"

The turtle and the snake were overjoyed, looking at each other and saying in unison, "We dare to serve you with our lives!"

Smiling, he raised his arm and pointed two fingers, releasing a black light that split into two, one entering the mind of the turtle and the other entering the mind of the snake.

"The Secret Canon of the Vast Sea!" "The Great Heavenly Dragon Seven Killing Techniques!"

The two demon kings closed their eyes, receiving the information in their minds, and were overjoyed.

Jun Wuming nodded, "These two spells are part of my inherited memory. One is a comprehensive explanation of water spells, which can help you cultivate water magic and provide more defensive means."

"The other is the Great Heavenly Dragon Seven Killing Techniques, a physical combat technique that can strengthen your bodies and refine your forms. If you wish to transform into dragons, practicing this technique will greatly benefit you in the future."

"Thank you, Lord, for your teachings. We will never forget this kindness!"

Wuzhantian looked solemn and serious. Heifeng, tightly coiled, had large, lantern-like eyes full of gratitude.

"Good!"

Jun Wuming laughed heartily. The path of cultivation was arduous, requiring not only cultivation methods but also defensive and offensive techniques.

The path is difficult, and traveling alone can be lonely. Having such loyal subordinates by his side made the journey less solitary!