Chapter 55

Would that black dragon ever agree?
Go ask around.
Since the day it hatched, has it ever carried a single soul on its back?

"A mount?" The toddler looked thoroughly bewildered.
She had never thought of the black dragon as a mount; she merely wanted it to hold her the way Ao Xin used to.
When in human form, he carried her in his arms; when in dragon form, he carried her on his back. Otherwise, what—did people expect him to grab her with his giant claws and fly her through the heavens?

Yet, the black dragon's suggestion did sound rather tempting.
The toddler was swayed.
Meeting her eager, sparkling gaze, the black dragon was filled with instant regret.
...It shouldn't have reminded her that the concept of a "mount" even existed in this world.

"Get on, then. Considering that you are my friend, this monarch shall allow you to experience the vast beauty of the sky. Just this once, understand?"
The black dragon repeatedly clarified to the clueless toddler.
Being a mount was out of the question; it was simply helping her appreciate the beauty of the skies.
Of course, this treatment was reserved exclusively for the toddler. The black dragon flatly refused to let Daoist Chu climb onto its back.

The little one’s eyes lit up. She nodded eagerly as Chu Xingyun watched the black dragon put on a tough front while flying up into the clouds and gently placing his junior sister onto the dragon's back.
The massive, slender spine was covered in dragon scales, and Yu Youyou sat upon it like a tiny speck, slipping about.
Seeing her unable to sit steadily and whimpering softly, the black dragon let out a cold huff, poked the toddler with the tip of its tail, and nudged her all the way up to the top of its head, seating her right between its brows.

A wisp of demonic Qi wrapped around her to keep her secure, shielding the tiny fiend—who was busy flattering it frantically with "So handsome!" and "...So mighty!"—from the biting wind. With a mighty roar, it plunged straight into the sea of clouds.
It soared gracefully through the billowing clouds, feeling free and untethered.
Chu Xingyun followed closely behind. Yu Youyou gazed around in wonder, watching the endless clouds sweep past her sides, and clapped her hands, letting out joyful cries.

Both dragon and toddler found the tumbling flight through the clouds immensely exhilarating. Dragon roars echoed endlessly, accompanied by... equally endless toddler squeals.
Returning to the Primordial Sect amidst a swirling vortex of demonic Qi, both the black dragon and Yu Youyou were left wanting more.

"In a few days, I shall take you to the Beyond-the-Heavens!" Finding someone who enjoyed playing in the skies just as much as he did was a rare delight. Ao Xin transformed into his human form, scooped the little one out of the air, and said with great enthusiasm, "The sea of clouds there is boundless, and it yields several rare spiritual fruits that take root in the mist, completely unstained by dust. They taste exceptionally sweet."
He momentarily forgot his earlier warning that it was a "one-time exception." Meanwhile, Sect Master Yu had already flown out joyfully to welcome them.
Seeing his daughter's flushed cheeks and bright eyes, Sect Master Yu hurried forward, cupped his fists, and expressed his gratitude. "Many thanks, fellow Daoist, for looking after Youyou."
Gone was the fierce, muscle-bound visage from when Ao Xin had suppressed him earlier.

Ao Xin let out a cold huff and turned his head away, ignoring him.
He knew Yu Youyou far too well.
Realizing the toddler certainly had no time to play with him right now and ignoring everyone else, he turned around, waved his hand dismissively, and strode off.
He had to go mock the bald Ao Qing to cheer himself up.

"Daddy!" Yu Youyou felt as though she hadn't seen her father in ages. The moment Ao Xin set her down, her eyes lit up, and she lunged toward her father.
Sect Master Yu hurriedly scooped up his precious daughter, bounced her gently, and declared with a broad smile, "She hasn't lost weight!"

Not losing weight was a victory. Both father and daughter were overjoyed. Once the hugging and cheek-rubbing were over, the toddler rushed to greet Zhu Changshu and Ruan Ling. After going to pay her respects to the former sect master and Daoist Sun, the thoroughly busy little one finally settled down.
The moment she sat down, she grew eager to distribute the treasures she had brought back for everyone.
Sitting upon her meditation cushion, the little one chanted softly as she organized her various gifts, neatly pushing a few portions forward and murmuring, "Great-ancestor, Uncle-great-ancestor..."

There were plenty of gifts, enough for everyone. Ruan Ling, standing quietly to the side, also received a gorgeous gift and accepted it with a blushing, happy smile.
Clearly, these were merely mundane items devoid of spiritual energy from the mortal realm, yet she felt they were far more precious than any spiritual stones or magical artifacts.

"Delicious!" The toddler enthusiastically recommended the pastries she had brought back.
She even crawled between the former sect master and Daoist Sun, feeding the two elders delicious treats with one hand while babbling away, recounting the stories of her adventures over the past few days.
The two elders remained motionless like mannequins, showing no signs of awakening. They sat stiffly there, completely devoid of any indication of returning consciousness.

Yet, when the toddler recounted how she had encountered the ill-intentioned Huangfu Zhou among the Chu Imperial Clan, she pointed at herself and loudly lodged a complaint, "He stared at me!"
The former sect master's white, wispy beard seemed to twitch faintly as if stirred by an unseen breeze.

"He tried to poison... me!"
Daoist Sun’s delicate face suddenly twitched.
The twitch was subtle, easily overlooked by others, but Yu Youyou, who watched her elders with undivided attention at every single moment, caught it instantly. Her eyes shone brightly as she leaned close to her Sun-great-ancestor and asked, "Ancestor... do you dote on me?"
Her Sun-great-ancestor must surely be heartbroken for her and furious with that Huangfu Zhou!
Just wait.
Once her ancestors recovered, they would undoubtedly chop that scoundrel up into dumpling filling.

The little one did a happy little tumble in her heart, then hurriedly picked up a few of her favorite pastries—ones she had saved specifically—and offered them to the elders. As she ate, another thought crossed her mind, and she hurried to ask Sect Master Yu, "Poison?"
Food was something she never forgot.
Forgetting it was quite simply impossible.

"Are you talking about that spiritual poison Huangfu Zhou prepared to harm you and your senior brother? Do you want to eat it?"
Sect Master Yu asked with a mixture of surprise.
He had heard Chu Xingyun’s report and had long since dispatched people to investigate whether anyone named Huangfu Zhou existed within the Dayan Imperial Clan.
Come to think of it... The Dayan Emperor had attained immortality countless ages ago, and over the millions of years of the Dayan Dynasty, the imperial clan had expanded into an enormous multitude of descendants.
That Huangfu Zhou probably prided himself greatly on being a descendant of the Dayan Imperial Clan, but in the eyes of a powerhouse like Sect Master Yu, such status meant nothing at all. While saying there were tens of thousands of Dayan descendants might be a slight exaggeration, the actual number was certainly not far off.
Investigating such a nobody would waste a considerable amount of time.
However, no news had come in yet.
Among the notable members of the Dayan Imperial Clan, there was no such person as Huangfu Zhou.
Although he hadn't found him yet, he had already noted down this scoundrel who dared to plot against his disciple and beloved daughter. Should they ever cross paths, he would twist the fellow's head right off.

Turning to Chu Xingyun, he said, "This man harbors ill intentions toward you. Although your elder brother said there is no need to worry, such petty villains still pose a threat. I have already notified the Outer Gate Daoist Grounds; they will pay closer attention to your household in the future and prevent anyone from causing trouble there."
As a master, his deep concern for his disciple warmed Chu Xingyun’s heart. The lingering worries weighing upon his family were finally laid to rest as he retrieved the vial of spiritual elixir.

"How vicious. Truly, this is Soul-Dissolving Poison," Sect Master Yu said in a deep voice.
This was a spiritual poison designed to dissolve a cultivator's spiritual sea, rendering them forever incapable of repairing it or resuming cultivation.
Destroying a cultivator's cultivation base was a sin no less grave than annihilating their entire sect. His wariness toward the ruthless Huangfu Zhou instantly deepened.

Yu Youyou opened her tiny palms.
She had told them that fellow was nothing but trouble.

"Huangfu Zhou, is it?" Zhu Changshu committed the scoundrel's name to memory. Seeing that the little junior sister was drooling with longing, staring at the vial of spiritual poison as if she couldn't wait to devour it, she couldn't help but cough twice.
She addressed Sect Master Yu, who was currently consumed by a mixture of anger and lingering fear, "We can discuss this wretch later. Master, can Little Junior Sister consume this Soul-Dissolving Poison?"
This was a legendary poison in this realm, something that would give even seasoned cultivators a headache at the mere touch. Naturally, Sect Master Yu could not make such a decision alone.
He looked back at his precious daughter, then down at the Soul-Dissolving Poison.

"I can! Eat!" the toddler urged eagerly.
Knowing that her constitution was extraordinary, Sect Master Yu decided to trust the child's assertion and sent a flying sword message to Ao Qing. After a long while, Ao Qing replied with a single, curt instruction: "Let her have it."
While harboring a lingering doubt as to why his grand-uncle had taken so long to reply—and wondering what on earth he could be busy with—Sect Master Yu slowly handed the Soul-Dissolving Poison over to Yu Youyou.

The little one took the vial, gave it a sniff, and found the aroma intensely enticing. Throwing her head back, she chugged the entire vial of spiritual poison as if it were pure spring water, feeling a refreshing, invigorating sensation ripple through her chest and lungs.
It tasted even better than spiritual dew.
She wanted another drink.

Watching the toddler happily savoring the spiritual poison with an expression of pure bliss, Sect Master Yu finally set his mind at ease. He smiled at Chu Xingyun and said, "It is good that you have returned. It is also the right time for you to advance. In a short while, the Qingyang Sect will come to discuss the ownership of Beyond-the-Heavens with us. Things are unlikely to be peaceful then."
In the cultivation world, the strong reigned supreme. Securing resources naturally required competition and magical duels.
While most factions still maintained a veneer of civility—preventing senior figures from casually intervening—the younger generation would undoubtedly have to test their mettle against one another.
With Zhu Changshu at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, Chu Xingyun already at the Soul Formation stage, and other outstanding disciples within the sect, the Primordial Sect was currently on a steady rise. Sect Master Yu was exceedingly pleased.

"Rest assured, Master, this disciple understands," Chu Xingyun replied solemnly.

Yu Youyou was squeezed between the two elders, meticulously licking her little lips as she tried to recapture the lingering flavor of the Soul-Dissolving Poison. Hearing a familiar name, she froze momentarily.
The Qingyang Sect—she was very familiar with it.
In the book, the Qingyang Sect was the most formidable sect in the southern cultivation world, dominating half of the Southern Territory. It was the faction with the strongest upward momentum among all major sects and had always been in fierce competition with the Primordial Sect.

She remembered that the Qingyang Sect also happened to be the sect of Yu Youyou’s maternal half-sister in the novel—the daughter born to Gong Miaohua and the Scarlet Flame Demon Lord. After growing up, that sister had entered the Qingyang Sect, becoming the closed-door disciple of the sect master. In a very short span of time, she rose to prominence, becoming the most celebrated figure among the younger generation in the cultivation world.
The Yu Youyou in the novel had envied this immensely talented half-sister, paying close attention to her and learning that she had formed a powerful demonic infant in a remarkably brief period.
Furthermore, because the Qingyang Sect Master's previous disciples had all perished under various mysterious circumstances, the master cherished this new disciple all the more.
Valuing his disciple deeply, the Qingyang Sect Master would later form an alliance with the Netherworld Demonic City, echoing the cultivation world from afar and advancing or retreating together with them.

Of course, the Yu Youyou of the book had contemplated all this with a heart full of jealousy and resentment, which only added to her bitterness toward her father.
That Scarlet Flame Demon Lord was willing to form an alliance with the Qingyang Sect for the sake of his daughter, providing her with the foundation to establish herself within the sect.
Yet what about her own father?
He refused to offer any extra help to her beloved.
Clearly, Sect Master Yu understood that as long as he was willing to mobilize the full might of the Primordial Sect to support Huangfu Zhou, Huangfu Zhou would undoubtedly cherish her deeply and never cold-shoulder her again.
Yet Sect Master Yu stubbornly refused.