Chapter 64

Thinking to himself, the black dragon believed that humans were the most shameless liars. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been suffering in this hellish place for so many years. Although he was black, it didn't mean he liked the darkness. The first few nights were truly dark, Mom...

No, what am I thinking?

Alright, the young man in front of me looks honest and smells good, not like a liar. He's just like that man surnamed Wang from back then. But I still don't know if that man's words were true, let alone this young man's.

You want to trick me into letting you leave, never to return, saying you'll come back to chat after you finish your business? Do you think I can't see through that? You were also deceived here, and once you escape, why would you come back? Besides, this is the imperial palace above. Do you think you can just come back whenever you want? Saying you'll come back is just to comfort me, no, to deceive me. Yes, humans are all liars, you're all liars!

I've been alone in this underground place for so many years, and I haven't seen any living thing except that terrifying woman—she can't even be considered human, better not to have met her. Finally, I've met someone I can talk to. How could I let you go?

If you leave, it will be a gloomy day!

"I understand your feelings, your unease, but you should trust me," Chen Changsheng said, looking at it.

The black dragon's eyes were cold and mocking, as if to say, you're just a teenager, how could you understand the torment of time?

Chen Changsheng knew that the black dragon's previous kindness toward him didn't guarantee his safety. The dragons recorded in the Daoist scriptures, though powerful, were very unpredictable. This black dragon, having been imprisoned by humans for so many years, must have accumulated a lot of resentment.

"I really do understand, even though I haven't suffered as long as you have. But as I said at the beginning, my life hasn't been easy either. I know it's hard for you to believe me, but consider it a gamble. If you let me go, I might fulfill my promise and find a way to visit you in the future. But if you kill me now, I believe it will be very difficult for anyone else to appear before you. No matter how you look at it, you should take this bet with me."

Chen Changsheng looked at him earnestly and said, "This is your best choice."

The black dragon was silent, then suddenly looked up at the dome, his gaze falling between the thousands of night pearls.

...

...

In the Weiyang Palace, the Qingteng Banquet continued, but in fact, it had already ended. The final night's literary test was postponed, but no one cared about the results. How could the competition between the Qingteng academies in previous years compare to the grand event that was about to happen?

Everyone was restrained and gentle because the upcoming event was a good one, a wedding. Even Feibai of Lishan Pass, the fourth of the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom, who was the proudest and coldest, had a smile on his face. He knew this was a big event for his senior brother and the entire Southern region. Most importantly, he also felt that it was a great honor and celebration for his senior brother to marry Senior Sister Xu.

Elder Xiaosonggong of Lishan had already stood up and was saying something. The Southern delegation formally proposed a marriage alliance to the Great Zhou Dynasty. Some procedures had already begun, and only a few more steps were needed for this world-renowned wedding to become a reality from the countless discussions over the years.

The Archbishop had his eyes closed, as if about to fall asleep. Prince Chenliu's expression was gentle as he chatted with Xiaosonggong. Mo Yu looked calm, gazing at the night outside the palace. Luo Luo looked at these people, her right hand tightly gripping the brocade pouch in her sleeve, deciding to open it.

...

...

Another long silence, the underground space was as quiet as a tomb.

Chen Changsheng looked at the black dragon, nervously waiting for its decision.

The black dragon glanced at him and then slowly flew backward.

The thousands of night pearls on the dome went out simultaneously, leaving only a faint glow illuminating the front half of the black dragon.

It was gradually disappearing into the night.

Chen Changsheng understood the meaning of that glance. It wanted him to remember his promise and visit often.

Entering the imperial palace was difficult, let alone breaking through the Tong Palace and descending deep underground to see it again, but he didn't hesitate and nodded.

He was very grateful to the black dragon and wanted to say something more. The dragon could understand human language, but he didn't know how to address it.

Master? It has a master. Senior? It seemed too distant. You? It was too disrespectful. Hey? Was he asking for death? ... None of them seemed appropriate.

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and shouted to the black dragon, which was about to disappear into the night, "Dragon... Sir."

The black dragon stiffened slightly, its eyes filled with confusion, clearly shocked by the title.

"Dragon Sir," Chen Changsheng didn't know what to say. Words of gratitude would seem too light. He suddenly remembered something and pointed to the dome, "I need to take that night pearl on top..."

The black dragon growled low, extremely angry. It never thought this kid would dare to push his luck.

Chen Changsheng was very persistent, "Sir, it belongs to a little girl. I have to return it to her in the future."

...

...

In a small garden of a side hall in the imperial palace, there was a tiny pond.

The night was deep, the lights in the hall had gone out, and a middle-aged woman stood by the pond. She had an ordinary appearance and very simple clothing, clearly not one of the concubines who spent all their time on makeup and attire, nor one of the young palace maids.

She stood by the pond, seemingly about to wash her hands or clothes.

At that moment, the pond made a splashing sound, and water splashed up like a waterfall, and a young man was washed out, looking very disheveled.

It was Chen Changsheng.

In the underground space, his clothes were covered in frost, which had now been washed away by the pond water, leaving him drenched and looking very disheveled.

The middle-aged woman never expected someone to suddenly appear in the middle of the night. She seemed frightened and took a step back.

Wearing wooden clogs, her step landed on the green stone by the pond, making a light "pa" sound.

A squirrel in the forest by the pond was eating its night meal and was startled by the sound. It dropped the fruit it was holding with its front paws, jumped from the tree to the second-floor railing of the side hall, and quickly ran towards the courtyard, its fluffy tail flailing and accidentally bumping into a flower pot on the railing.

The flower pot tilted, about to fall off the railing.

The middle-aged woman was standing right below.

If the flower pot fell, it would definitely hit her, causing injury or even more dangerous consequences.

Chen Changsheng, having just emerged from the underground space and landed in the pond, had water all over his face. After wiping the water off his face and regaining his vision, the first scene he saw was this extremely coincidental and extremely unfortunate moment.

Without thinking, he lunged towards the middle-aged woman.

He knew this was deep in the imperial palace, with countless strong people. If he alarmed them, he might not be able to reach the Weiyang Palace in time.

He still lunged, not because he was afraid the flower pot would hit the ground and alarm others, but because the middle-aged woman was in danger.

If he had thought carefully, he might have had a better choice for how to leave and reach the Weiyang Palace in time, but he didn't.

He held the middle-aged woman in his arms and turned half a circle.

If the flower pot fell, it would hit his back.

But the flower pot didn't fall.

So the scene became somewhat awkward and indescribable.

Hearing no expected sound and feeling no pain on his back, Chen Changsheng looked up at the railing and saw the flower pot still there.

He naturally didn't see the middle-aged woman retract a finger.

Chen Changsheng looked at the middle-aged woman, somewhat flustered... If the middle-aged woman screamed, it would be troublesome, and being suddenly hugged by a young man emerging from the pond in the middle of the night, anyone would probably scream.

In such a situation, he should have knocked her out immediately, as described in those storybooks.

But there was a problem—he didn't know how to knock someone out.

So, he now faced a very troublesome problem.

Under the night sky, the palace, the waves in the pond, and the flower pot on the railing faced each other.

He and the middle-aged woman faced each other.

They were speechless.

Silent and speechless.

He was a young man.

She was a middle-aged woman.

There was no awkwardness between the sexes.

Only awkwardness.

The middle-aged woman frowned slightly, opened her mouth slightly, but said nothing, then closed her lips again.

Chen Changsheng was slightly stunned, thinking, "Really?"

He let go of her, bowed to apologize, and then began to gesture, his movements very熟练.

The middle-aged woman looked at him and also gestured. Chen Changsheng thought, "As expected," and gestured to apologize again. Seeing that she didn't intend to pursue the matter, though he didn't understand why, he didn't have time to think about it and hurriedly left.

...

...

"Dragon language, sign language, you know quite a lot."

Looking at Chen Changsheng's back as he disappeared into the night, the middle-aged woman smiled and said.

She, of course, wasn't really mute. She said to the night, "The Weiyang Palace is far. Go and see him off."

"He's a good kid."

The middle-aged woman's smile faded, and she said coldly, "If he weren't surnamed Chen, it would be even better."

After saying this, she turned and walked back into the hall.

The side hall, which had been pitch black and seemingly deserted, suddenly lit up with bright lights.

Dozens of eunuchs and palace maids, along with several court retainers, knelt on both sides to welcome her, none daring to raise their heads, holding their breath.