Chapter 75: Pearl of the Flood Dragon. The Residence of the 9 Supremes
Yun Yang held the scented sachet in his hands, feeling somewhat despondent as he watched Ji Ling leave without even a single glance backward. Sighing, he kept the scented sachet into his robe and began to walk.
Suddenly, he felt Emmie grow increasingly agitated.
"What is it?" Yun Yang was sensitive to such changes, "Could something be amiss with this scented sachet?"
Holding the scented sachet in his hands once again, he pressed it lightly. Indeed, there was a round bead inside, rolling about in his palm.
Yun Yang was bewildered.
Opening the sachet, he could see a round pearl among the spices. It was the size of the pad of a little finger, glowing with a faint radiance while subtly exuding a soft fragrance.
Holding it in the middle of his palm, an iridescent overcast dazzled on the surface of the pearl. As it turned, a tiny green dragon could be seen gliding away through the clouds, puffing heavy columns of smoke.
"Pearl of the Flood Dragon!"
Yun Yang was stunned!
This was a priceless gem indeed. Comparing the treasured saber he had given against this Pearl of the Flood Dragon was akin to comparing heaven and earth!
The Pearl of the Flood Dragon was literally a treasured pearl taken from the clutches of the flood dragon itself.
The flood dragon was a ninth level peak mystical beast, almost exceeding the mystical beasts' categories. It was perhaps because there were only nine levels that the flood dragon was classified as such - there were no categories suitably grand to include it! If the world were to have twelve levels in the categories, the flood dragon would then undoubtedly belong to the twelfth level peak.
Each part of a flood dragon was treasure immeasurable.
Its blood, meat, skin, meridians, and bones were all gems revered by martial artists. However, the most precious of them all was the Pearl of the Flood Dragon between the flood dragon's vertebral joints!
The flood dragon had twenty-four vertebral joints, each joint possessing a Pearl of the Flood Dragon; they were the essence of the flood dragon's vital force, each pearl consisting a part of the dragon's soul.
By wearing the Pearl of the Flood Dragon on one's body, one could absorb the power of the dragon's soul and the essence of the flood dragon at any time. It would be immensely useful even for a grandmaster-ranked peak martial artists. Moreover, the pearls contained the force of heaven's will. If a grandmaster could wear the pearl every day in an attempt to gain the sense of knowledge, he might even be able to comprehend the old dragon's legacy and step into immortality.
'Priceless' was an understatement for such a treasure.
"This girl..." Yun Yang sighed with a heavy heart.
What was she doing, leaving this treasure with me?
When he turned, the place was already empty; Ji Ling and her group had already exited the city.
The scented sachet in his hands was still giving out its fragrance. Yun Yang sighed softly and returned the scented sachet into his robe. He was in an emotional turmoil when it came to his feelings for her, as always.
"Emmie, you can't eat this," Yun Yang murmured.
Emmie swayed as its tendrils waved around, as if saying in a spoiled manner, "I won't. I'll just look at it."
Yun Yang smiled, the Pearl of the Flood Dragon entering his subconscious as he let it go, landing near Emmie as it rolled around. Emmie rolled up the Pearl of the Flood Dragon with its thin tendrils and rolled it around its root, having fun playing with the pearl.
Yun Yang realized that Emmie was really not going to eat it, and was even trying to deliver some of its air of vitality into the pearl.
The pearl's faint glow began to pulse in response. To think that a shrub and a pearl could actually have fun together like that.
Yun Yang chuckled and let them be.
...
The Nine Heavens Demesne was also the Residence of the Nine Supremes. On the outside, there were already a few veterans cleaning the place amidst the morning fog near dawn. They were serious in their cleaning for this was a holy ground in their hearts. They would never allow a speck of dust to tarnish the the Residence of the Nine Supremes.
Even if it were a fallen leaf, it would not be allowed to land on this ground that the heroes had once stepped foot on!
Yun Yang hid behind a tree, his gaze staring at the Nine Heavens Demesne concealed by a thick fog; the emotions in his orbs ever-changing.
Even if it were the strongest wind that could blow down a mountain, it could do nothing against the thick mist of the Nine Heavens Demesne.
Yun Yang sighed soundlessly, his body dematerializing slowly as it leaned against the tree and turned into a cloud of fog. It floated in the morning light, dissipating in the air
Just a moment later, it blended into the thick fog of the Nine Heavens Demesne.
It was pin-drop silence in the thick fog.
Yun Yang entered the the Residence of the Nine Supremes soundlessly.
Looking at the imposing forces hiding and flashing in the thick fog around him, storm and thunder, golden earth and water, murderous blood and flame... Yun Yang felt that he had come right home. Only he and his brothers could come in unharmed. Every one else, even the greatest grandmaster of this world, could never think of stepping foot into the Nine Heavens Demesne!
In front of the building was a sturdy foyer; it was made of a material that was neither gold nor jade. It was also the only spacious part in the the Residence of the Nine Supremes where the brothers used to gather for discussions.
Now, there was only him standing alone in this vast and empty foyer. Yun Yang felt a pinch on his nose as hot tears gushed down his cheeks.
No matter how emotional he was in front of the others, he would never let a single tear drop. However, now that he was alone in this familiar space, he could no longer contain his emotions.
"I, Yun Yang, wandered lost, alone, and helpless; the development of my skills were stunted, my teacher harmed by others. I roamed the world and was finally found by eldest brother and became one of the Nine Supremes. I could never describe the happiness and contentment I felt; from being alone and uncared for to suddenly having eight brothers."
"Even if going to war and battlefields is our daily bread and butter, I would have it no other way as long as my brothers are by my side. Yet God saw fit to only give me five years of such happiness."
"I am still alone in this world after all."
There were rooms were around the foyer made of the same material that was neither gold nor jade; it was malleable but could never be destroyed.
Yun Yang looked at each room that had its doors shut tight.
It was like his eight brothers had closed him away/.
Yun Yang closed his eyes, reigning in the bitterness in his heart and headed inside.
It was a tiny room, empty for the most part but secretly possessed the secret activation to the the Residence of the Nine Supremes. Yun Yang entered the room and suddenly spun about like a tornado.
His feet danced in a peculiar pattern, each step holding different degrees of force and direction. He spun continuously for nine rounds, his entire being blurred in the room. Finally, his last step landed heavily in the center.
Clak, clak, clak.
There was a soft and subtle sound. In the middle of this tiny room, the ground slowly cracked into a large hole.
The inside was gleaming with the shiny luster of steel; it didn't seem to be made of any known material, possessing a thickness of over a hundred feet. Everything was actually forged with this strange steel!
Gradually, the ground gave way to a pit about three feet wide; a flight of stairs made of the strange steel rose slowly from beneath to where the opening stood.
In a blink of an eye, Yun Yang was already on the first step of the staircase.
The flight of stairs slowly sunk at the same time he stepped on it, the steel opening began to slowly close on itself as well. When Yun Yang had completely sunk to the bottom of the ground, the ground above him had gone back to the flat surface it had been without a trace.
...
It was a bizarre setting.There were still the same nine doors, all tightly shut. The only difference between the doors were the differing symbols that were carved on the top of the frames.
This was where the Nine Supremes cultivated!
This was also where the real secret of the Nine Supremes laid. In this entire world, only nine people knew of this secret. As for now, there was only Yun Yang.
In the center of the nine surrounding doors stood a peculiar tall platform. It was clear and dazzling - an unblemished jade.
If others had seen it, they would definitely have exclaimed in surprise.
Relaying Jade!
The common Relaying Jade that the world knew was already incredibly pricey despite its small size, but there was an entire piece right here that was the height of a man!
On the platform was a medallion.
This was the bona fide of the Nine Heavens Dictum!
Yun Yang's gaze was somber as he slowly walked up to it. His right hand extended unhurriedly and held the medallion.
"Brother, I'm taking the Nine Heavens Dictum out."
...
Then he came to the door that had a cloud etched on it. Cultivating, an untainted white cloud appeared in the air as the cloud on the door floated up without a sound. When the second cloud merged with the one cultivated by Yun Yang, the door opened abruptly.
Yun Yang entered swiftly as the door closed behind him.
He stayed there for a full then days.
Within that period, thick clouds came about as the wind bellowed in this small room.
When he came out again, he went to the front of eight brother Supreme Wind's door. His eyes glinted as he raised his palm - the sound of gusting winds rose harshly. The winds were channeled to the door, and in that moment, Supreme Wind's door opened.
It was empty inside. Tears began to drench Yun Yang's face.
Eighth brother, I would never enter if you were here but now I have to. I need to know who you are. I need to know where your family is.
Eighth brother, don't worry. As long as Yun Yang is here, no one can harass our family!
Yun Yang entered swiftly.
In Supreme Wind's room, there lay Mystique Wind's complete cultivation method. Yun Yang memorized the secret chronicle by heart and took out an envelope kept at the bottom.
It was Supreme Wind's will.
"... I don't know which brother will eventually read my will but I am in high spirits now. I am still alive and well and I, Supreme Wind, do not believe that there is anyone in the Tianxuan Continent who could kill me. However, since the eldest insisted that I write this will and leave it here, I am left with no choice. Who made him the eldest of us brothers anyway?"
"If I, Supreme Wind, am still alive, I shall fulfill my wishes one by one. Of course, if I really had to die, I would still have a lot of things to care about.."
"My family name is Ji and my name is Ji Lingfeng. Is that not an interesting name?"
As Yun Yang read this part, a tremor quaked through his entire being and his face turned pale.
He stood up abruptly, intending to charge out of the room, but eventually gave up entirely and sat down.
Ji Ling had left for about ten days. How could he still catch up to her?
"I have an elder brother, he has been missing for many years..."
"My brother's name is Ji Lingfeng..." Ji Ling's voice that was laced with sorrow that night seemed to resonate in Yun Yang's ears once more. "We have heard that he has appeared in Tiantang City..."
"I'm so stupid! Why am I so stupid!" Yun Yang raised his hand, giving himself a harsh slap. "Yun Yang, what right do you have to call yourself the Nine Supremes' think-tank? What right do you have to call yourself Supreme Cloud!"
"Your brother's portrait was right in front of your eyes, couldn't you tell? You still had the temerity to say it was familiar!"
"Ji Ling is eighth brother's younger sister, his blood sister!"
Yun Yang was awash with regret.
How could he not have remembered?