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Chapter 130 - 131 Mr. Jinli

“Father, when it comes to marriage, I’d rather make my own decisions; you don’t need to worry about it. People only live once, and if I can’t have my freedom in this regard, what difference is there between me and the sparrows and swallows?” Zhu Minglang said.

“Well said, you’re truly my son, Zhu Heavenly Officer’s—stubborn just like I was in my youth. Back in the day, your grandfather, your great-grandfather, too, arranged marriages. At first, I was obstinately against it, determined to choose my own partner. Only later did I realize that your mother was like a fairy who had unwittingly fallen to this mortal world. Someone as common as me could only have accumulated enough good fortune over many lifetimes to meet her and be wed in this life.” As Zhu Heavenly Officer spoke these words, his heart was full of emotion.

Zhu Minglang felt that it was impossible to have a proper conversation with his father.

With a dark expression, Zhu Minglang feigned a yawn and said, “The two young ladies are tired too. I’ll take them to rest. You can continue fishing here at your own pace, Father.”

“Qin Yang, please show them the way,” Zhu Heavenly Officer instructed the lady in black brocade, then continued speaking to Zhu Minglang, “Zhu Minglang, come sit here. I’ll have someone prepare a set of fishing gear for you. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a father-and-son night of fishing and heart-to-heart talks.”

Zhu Minglang couldn’t be bothered to deal with him and quickly caught up with Qin Yang, Nan Lingsha, and Fang Niannian.

After a long journey and rushing against time, Zhu Minglang hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for the past month.

He knew all too well what kind of man Zhu Heavenly Officer was. Spending a night by the lake would simply mean listening to him brag about how carefree and splendid his youth was, followed by recounting, once again, the romance between him and his wife.

Zhu Minglang could recite all his father’s stories by heart.

They reached a small hill with a panoramic view of Droplet Lake, where a very simple courtyard marked Zhu Minglang’s residence.

The courtyard was close to other places and next to several large buildings, not the particularly quiet type.

Zhu Minglang was not someone who liked too much quiet. Having his own little space with familiar people around was more than ideal.

The courtyard was small but had a few nice little buildings. Nan Lingsha and Fang Niannian stayed in the building next to Zhu Minglang’s. Tired like him, they washed up and then turned off the lights to sleep.

Zhu Minglang had wanted to visit Mr. Dumb, but he fell asleep in the bath, and had it not been for a mouthful of bathwater, he would have thought he was in his cool bed…

The journey was indeed too arduous.

But anyhow, it was finally possible to relax a bit.

The scent of flowers woke Zhu Minglang, who had slept with the large wooden window open. Opening his eyes and looking down from upstairs, he spotted a familiar figure next door, standing straight with her slender waist, carefully

practicing something stroke by stroke.

Half-asleep and bewildered, Zhu Minglang was somewhat mesmerized.

But he soon realized something, shook his head hurriedly, and rubbed his eyes.

Nan Lingsha was painting, depicting the scenery of Droplet Lake.

From his window, he had the perfect view of her at her desk, but from her side, it was difficult to see into his…

Previously, the neighboring building had always been empty, and Zhu Minglang had never paid it any attention. Who would have thought that after a woman moved in, the whole building seemed to brighten with colors, invariably attracting his gaze.

Still feeling a bit sleepy,

Zhu Minglang turned over and closed his eyes again.

It was uncertain whether only moments passed or he had slept for longer, but when Zhu Minglang opened his eyes again, he found himself once again facing the direction of the window.

And there, through the bright window of the other building with its curtains gently blowing, he could see Nan Lingsha still sitting there, her figure graceful and curves striking, but she was no longer painting. Instead, she was playing with a very peculiar little creature…

The little creature had a very unusual shape, like the clear water of the lake, with a green color and a bit of a ghostly light. He could even see through its crystal clear body to the ink it covered on the paper.

To call it a little creature was to say it was more a lively little ghostly dragon.

Zhu Minglang was instantly awake. He leaned forward towards the window, trying to clearly see whether the thing she was playing with was truly a dragon, when suddenly Nan Lingsha stood up and headed inside, apparently called by Fang Niannian.

Zhu Minglang also hurriedly got up and washed hastily.

When he reached the courtyard, Nan Lingsha was also coming out, seeing Zhu Minglang with his clothes still wrinkled.

“Niannian and I will take a walk around,” Nan Lingsha said.

“Oh, okay, Qin Yang will follow you, and since there aren’t many dragon food supplies left… Right, last night I asked you about the Ancient Dragon Gate, and you said you would elaborate today. In the evening, I’ll take you to the finest restaurant here to try the steamed fish of Droplet Lake and taste some Willow Liquor. Then, you can take your time telling me all about it,” Zhu Minglang said.

“Sure,” Nan Lingsha seemed quite interested in tasting fish and drinking liquor, a slight smile appearing on her face.

Zhu Minglang maintained a modest and polite smile, watching as Nan Lingsha and Fang Niannian walked out, while Qin Yang in her golden-orange brocade outfit was already waiting at the entrance of the courtyard.

Once they left the courtyard, the smile on Zhu Minglang’s face gradually faded

away.

He gazed at the spot where Nan Lingsha had left, falling deep into thought.

Last night, he had not asked Nan Lingsha about the Ancient Dragon Gate, yet just now, Nan Lingsha had not had the slightest question.

After breakfast, Zhu Minglang headed toward another path on Lake Island Mountain. He did encounter some people on the way, but many of them no longer recognized him.

Of course, Zhu Minglang also completely failed to recognize some people, even though it was within the inner courtyards of Zhu Gate. It seemed that there had been quite significant personnel changes over the years.

Passing through the magnificent Sword Casting Hall, Zhu Minglang arrived at a blue pool created by a lake’s inflow, Blue Pond Stream, where he saw a group of children, about seven or eight years old, sitting neatly in rows on stone benches, as if listening to the most fascinating play.

But there was no stage in front of them, just a blue stream of water, above which Mr. Dumb was speaking non-stop, as if his words flowed like a river, recounting some ancient and inconceivable Divine Dragon legends.

“This dragon, it possesses an Ancestral Vein, and when it is enraged, it can soak the heavens and earth in the sea of void it summons. The waves of that sea can break down mountain ranges hundreds of kilometers long, and the Ancient Beasts within the sea can easily flatten a nation’s capital…”

“So do you know who is revered above this Ancestral Vein Void God Dragon?

Yes, that’s right, it’s none other than yours truly!”

“I am the primordial ancestor from beyond the nine heavens, returned to simplicity as the most diminutive Mortal Fish.”

Having said this, the children were already leaning side to side with laughter, as if the happiest event of their day was to sit in neat rows here and listen to Mr. Dumb’s absurd tales.

If an outsider were to walk in here and see a group of children gathered around a Jinli that could float and move freely in the air, hearing this Jinli speak human language, they’d surely find it an extremely bizarre sight.

But within Zhu Gate, even three or four-year-old toddlers were aware of this talking fish.

Everyone called it Mr. Dumb.

No one within Zhu Gate knew the origins of this Jinli, only that Jinli had always been seen as a bringer of good fortune. During the holidays, almost every household would hang lifelike paintings of carp, hoping for good luck to descend.

Zhu Gate was no different, but Zhu Gate never hung carp paintings or handed out carp scrolls. They just let their children come to this Blue Pond Stream to pay their respects to Mr. Dumb, and that was enough.

“So you see, the waves can break down mountain ranges hundreds of kilometers long, and those Ancient Beasts in the sea…” The small Jinli continued to open its mouth, sounding somewhat weary with age, yet its voice was not really that old, often tinged with a sense of humor.

“Mr. Dumb, you just spoke about that part.” said a chubby child.

“Ah? Isn’t it because I’m afraid you won’t remember it that I’m telling you again,” the small Jinli flicked its tail, swimming through the air as if to mimic a private tutor walking and standing with his hands behind his back in a classroom.

“But you’ve already repeated this part seven times today.” said a little girl with her hair done up in a standing braid.

“Then that’s all for today’s lesson, go play.” said the floating little Jinli.

The children scattered, chasing butterflies near the mountain stream, quickly disappearing from sight.

The small Jinli swam several circles above the water of the stream.

Zhu Minglang approached the stream, and had only walked about seven steps when he heard the small Jinli shout.

“Those little rascals! Not a single one came to class today. I’m going to give each of their parents a piece of my mind later. It’s infuriating, absolutely infuriating!” The little Jinli started to swim even faster, its whiskers lifting and eyes bulging with anger.

Zhu Minglang almost laughed out loud.

Mr. Dumb, truly lived up to his name.

It was a wonder how that seven-second memory could hold so many bizarre tales.

“Mr. Jinli, Zhu Minglang has come to see you,” Zhu Minglang called out loudly as he arrived near the stream.

“Zhu Minglang???” Mr. Jinli suddenly leaped through the air, reaching Zhu Minglang in an instant, staring him down with its big, dumbfounded eyes.

“It’s me…”

“You kid, you’ve been eating that fish feed from the lakes and ponds, how did you grow so big all of a sudden??” Mr. Jinli’s fishy face managed to make a surprisingly human expression of shock.

“Mr. Jinli, I am now a Dragon Shepherd and I have many questions to ask you,” Zhu Minglang said, already used to Mr. Jinli’s eccentric way of speaking.

“Dragon Shepherd?? You’re a Dragon Shepherd now, ha ha ha ha! Mr. Jinli suddenly stood on its tail, its short fins making the gesture of placing hands on hips, laughing uproariously while looking up, “What nonsense being a Sword Master, no big achievements in a lifetime. At the end, they just work for Dragon Shepherds. It’s not too late to start dragon rearing with your nine heavens fish grandpa here, I guarantee you’ll easily dominate far and wide!” Zhu Minglang was at a loss for words, Mr. Jinli was indeed as eccentric as ever.

“Now I have four dragons…”

“What about the White Soaring Dragon that grew up with you? Has it died?” Mr. Jinli suddenly recalled something and asked in astonishment.

“Bai Qi is in hibernation; it’s now the Ice Morning White Dragon.” Zhu Minglang replied..