Chapter 115: Paying Homage to the Immortals in the Emerald Cloud Forest

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Qing Hong and the Dragon Maiden arrived at Changguang Island, chatting and laughing. Suddenly, the sea churned, clouds and mist surged, and the darkened sky was filled with ominous gloom.

“Strange, the weather changed so quickly,” the Dragon Maiden said, extending her hand as she sensed the atmospheric shift, her expression turning surprised. “This phenomenon shows no trace of human intervention; it is a natural occurrence. But how could such an anomaly happen in a sacred realm? Could it be that an immortal is undergoing a tribulation?”

Neither the Dragon Maiden nor Qing Hong feared the storm or towering waves. They stood firm, calmly watching the rising winds, swirling clouds, and surging waves.

Qing Hong, adept in the art of cloud manipulation and rainmaking, possessed this power as part of his Dao fruit divine ability. Feeling the celestial signs, he looked up toward Changguang Island.

The immortal island glowed with auspicious light, shrouded in a thousand hues of colorful clouds. It seemed the changing weather outside could not affect the blessed land within.

“Interesting,” Qing Hong noted, sensing the atmospheric changes originated from the island itself. He knew a master must be performing a ritual. He asked the Dragon Maiden beside him, “As a daughter of the Dragon Clan, can you suppress this atmospheric phenomenon?”

The young maiden hesitated, “This weather is grand in scale—winds rise, waves swell, thunder roars, clouds cover the sky. I cannot suppress such a change alone.”

After all, the Dragon Maiden was still one step away from achieving her Dao fruit. Strictly speaking, she was still a juvenile dragon with three toes, not a true dragon.

“Then allow me to give it a try,” Qing Hong said, tossing several Azure Tide Pearls into the water. With a wave of his right hand, he commanded, “Raise the tide!”

A jade-green light emerged from beneath his feet, rippling outward from Qing Hong in dense patterns, reaching beneath Changguang Island. Using his treasure to interfere with the atmospheric phenomenon, he stirred new tides and waves to contend with the storm.

Then, with a snap of his left fingers, white clouds drifted in the air, releasing a gentle, misty rain.

“Is this cloud manipulation and rainmaking?” The Dragon Maiden caught the raindrops with her hand, her gaze shifting to Qing Hong with a hint of surprise. This divine power of the Dao fruit was, in fact, a power unique to the Dragon Clan.

The Dragon Clan, upon achieving their Dao fruit dragon pearl, often possessed this divine ability and were thus called “Dragon Gods,” frequently charged with the duty of cloud manipulation and rainmaking.

“Is he using divine power to control heaven and earth, correcting the atmospheric conditions?” Several immortals on the island noticed their wind and thunder spells dissipating outside. Starting from twenty-four pearls, the weather shifted into Qing Hong’s unique Dao fruit domain.

“This youngster’s technique leaves no trace of craftsmanship—it’s as if it were created by heaven and earth themselves. Quite intriguing,” the immortals remarked. One of them flicked his finger, shooting a stream of water from a precious bottle tied at his waist, intensifying the dark clouds and turbulent waves outside the island.

As they opposed each other, a sudden cold wind rose, misty frost swirling, and the temperature plummeted. Delicate frost danced like willow fluff and goose feathers.

At first, it might have seemed like an immortal undergoing tribulation, but this act was clearly a trap!

The Dragon Maiden frowned in indignation. “What demon dares cause trouble in the Dragon Domain?” She lifted a conch shell, ready to summon aid.

“Not so fast,” Qing Hong smiled and reassured her, “This is just some immortal practicing their arts. Watch my method.”

After a moment’s thought, Qing Hong recalled the “Nine Cloud Dispersal Talisman” and traced the sigils in the air before him. In an instant, several “Mysterious Cloud Talismans” appeared.

The term “Mysterious” refers to black, corresponding to the northern waters. The Mysterious Cloud talisman is part of the Nine Cloud talisman system, controlling water.

“Go!” Qing Hong dispersed the talisman. Instantly, countless luminous sigils burst forth from him.

Water light shimmered continuously as the cold air was gathered and absorbed by the Mysterious Cloud talisman. Meanwhile, the Azure Tide Pearls guided the water’s movement, white clouds and soft rain outside continued without pause, and the murky waves and dark clouds retreated under this atmospheric control. All weather fell under Qing Hong’s mastery.

The cold air was fully sealed within the talisman, eventually condensed into a white jade token in Qing Hong’s hand.

“This token seals cold energy. If you want to summon snow or frost later, you can try it out.” Qing Hong flipped through it briefly and handed it to the Dragon Maiden.

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The Dragon Maiden admired the white jade token and thanked him immediately.

“Hmph! Arrogant youth!” The immortal on the island, seeing his spell thwarted and the talisman forged by Qing Hong, showed a look of surprise.

“Not yet, I have other methods.” Chang Wansheng smiled at his fellow practitioners and whispered to a young attendant, sending him away to prepare.

Using his Dao fruit divine ability, Qing Hong suppressed the atmospheric phenomenon. Soon, the rain ceased, clouds dispersed, and a rainbow arched brilliantly outside Changguang Island. As the two prepared to continue, a bolt of violet lightning suddenly shot toward them.

From within the lightning came roars and faint beastly shadows, claws raised as they lunged at the pair.

“Is that... a Thunderbolt Beast?” Qing Hong recognized it and summoned a “Five Qi Flood Shield” formed by the Azure Tide Pearls to his side. Layers of wave patterns repelled the giant beast’s attacks, protecting himself and the Dragon Maiden.

The electrical energy halted, revealing a silver-furred spirit beast standing on the water’s surface. It resembled a fierce tiger-leopard, amber eyes fixed on Ji Feichen, growling continuously.

“Miss, this Thunderbolt Beast flew here from the immortal island. It must be a tamed beast. Do you know which immortal keeps such a creature?”

The Thunderbolt Beast was a spirit monster formed from the essence of heavenly thunder, capable of traveling a thousand miles a day and moving with lightning speed. It was one of the favored spirit beasts of immortals.

“I heard the master of Changguang Island once raised a Thunderbolt Beast, probably this one.” The Dragon Maiden glared at the beast, her eyes glowing gold with subtle dragon aura, intimidating it.

However, the beast, having been raised by an immortal for years and possessing considerable intelligence, returned her glare defiantly. Thousands of lightning bolts snaked around it.

Qing Hong flicked his sleeve, forming a round shield of water around him with the Azure Tide Pearls. By now, he fully realized: some immortals were deliberately causing trouble for him, trying to probe his true abilities.

He made up his mind and stored the pearls away, choosing instead to display the sect’s signature technique, the Yunxiao Pavilion’s Dao art.

“Yin-Yang Dragon Whiskers!” Two majestic dragons of yin and yang energy appeared beside him from the brow, exuding awe-inspiring presence. “Friends, if you do not stop, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

He grabbed the two dragons, shook his hands, and the dragons’ heads touched, tails entwined, forming a pair of scissors about three feet long, cutting at the Thunderbolt Beast.

“Yin-Yang Dragon Whiskers Scissors?” The immortals’ expressions changed upon seeing Qing Hong wield the scissors, vaguely reminded of the ancient Yunxiao Pavilion immortals casting spells.

Because of his Dao fruit, Qing Hong’s celestial and underworld rivers generated the dual dragons of yin and yang, combined with the subtlety of the Dragon Whisker Fan, his understanding of this “Yin-Yang Dragon Whiskers” technique was unparalleled.

“This technique carries the aura of divine power, not much inferior to Jade Zhi’s niece,” Chang Wansheng immediately ordered his disciples to intercept.

The Thunderbolt Beast, having followed Chang Wansheng for years and seen Yunxiao Pavilion’s members before, was terrified upon seeing this technique and fled as purple lightning through the scissors.

“Haha... you little beast! Do you think the immortal arts of Yunxiao Pavilion are that easy to escape?” Qing Hong made a hand seal, causing the scissors to explode in midair, weaving a fine net of threads that trapped the Thunderbolt Beast.

With a flick of his hand, Qing Hong tightened the net. The Yin-Yang threads perfectly bound the silver beast.

The beast howled fiercely, struggling harder, but the net grew tighter until Qing Hong pulled it closer.

“Friend, please show mercy!” At that moment, an immortal hurried over from Changguang Path. This immortal wore a fish-tail crown and a water-patterned robe, surrounded by drifting mist, riding a black cloud camel.

The cloud camel’s hooves clattered as it approached. The immortal bowed anxiously before Qing Hong and apologized, “My spirit beast was momentarily playful and escaped from the island. I hope you, friend, will forgive this.”

Qing Hong understood this was a subtle test by the elder immortals but feigned ignorance, releasing the Thunderbolt Beast and dissolving the Yin-Yang net.

The beast, now obedient, hid behind the immortal.

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The immortal smiled, “I am Kuang Quzi. Friend, are you here to visit Changguang Island? Then you are welcome to accompany me.”

Thus, Qing Hong and the Dragon Maiden entered the island with Kuang Qu.

The Dragon Maiden, playing outside, waved at Qing Hong, “Since you are new to the immortal island, you should visit the island master. As for me, I won’t meet with Master Chang.”

Changguang Island was a renowned large island in the sea. Chang Wansheng often lectured wandering cultivators on the art of cultivation and longevity. Many immortals resided on this island, and occasionally, they set up a cloud market on an outer island called White Cloud Pass to trade immortal medicines and treasures with practitioners from all directions.

After greeting Qing Hong, the Dragon Maiden went to the cloud market seeking a rare pearl of millennia-old fire essence.

Qing Hong, meanwhile, entered the inner island with Kuang Qu to pay respects to Chang Wansheng.

The island was bathed in a thousand lights and wondrous clouds. Immortal lights shone brightly, and colorful clouds wove gracefully. Walking here, Qing Hong felt the air was abundant with vitality, surpassing any other sacred realms he had seen.

“The energy here rivals even the sacred lands of the demon clans,” he thought.

Along the path grew ancient trees and fruit trees of myriad forms: towering pines and cypresses circled the spirit peaks, red peaches and vermilion fruits lit up the hills and fields. Cranes flew among the pines, white apes roamed the orchards. This place was peaceful and blessed, truly a paradise for immortals.

Kuang Qu led Qing Hong to the Emerald Cloud Forest.

Tall bamboo shoots grew sky-high, their shadows jade-green like clouds. In the center stood a Taiji circular platform, surrounded by immortals discussing the Heavenly Dao.

Qing Hong glanced over and saw immortal light protecting the figures, each displaying unique phenomena. Some were surrounded by purple mist, others flamed like wheels of fire, some cloaked in colorful clouds, others accompanied by gentle breezes. Among them were two familiar faces.

Lady Chen and Senior Feng sat on jade stones, nodding and smiling at him.

“I am Qing Hong, paying respects to the elders.”

Chang Wansheng dismissed the attendants and appraised Qing Hong carefully.

The young man was handsome and refined, his Dao aura abundant—a vessel well endowed to carry the Dao.

The island master smiled approvingly, “Rise. Brother Feng has told us about your affairs. It is rare for our Yunxiao Pavilion to have a successor after three thousand years. Surely our departed brothers would be comforted.”

Earlier, Qing Hong’s display of the “Yin-Yang Dragon Whiskers” technique—an exquisite Dao art verging on divine power—had convinced the immortals. Only the Yunxiao Pavilion’s Yin-Yang Dao could wield such power.

“Now that a great calamity has arisen in the Central Plains, you, as a Qi-refining cultivator, are exempt from it. If you wish, you may cultivate quietly here on Changguang Island.”

Qing Hong thanked them again and stood respectfully among the assembly.

Lady Chen laughed, “Your arrival today is timely. Join us in reviewing and clarifying the threads of past events.”

Thus, Chang Wansheng granted him a seat at the back to listen in.

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