Chapter 190.1: Since We're Already Here

The moment Qi Yuan spoke, Ye Liuyun's expression shifted for a split second.

"Sir, you jest. I am not of the Dragon Clan," he replied calmly.

Curiosity and unease stirred within Ye Liuyun. How had the other party seen through him when he had concealed his aura with a precious artifact?

"

Ah

, true. No five claws. Neither Azure Dragon nor Torch Dragon. You aren’t really a dragon. At best, a half-dragon," Qi Yuan said offhandedly, as if passing idle judgment.

Just moments ago, his eyes had revealed Ye Liuyun's information, hence why Qi Yuan had spoken so bluntly.

Ye Liuyun's earlier disdain faded, replaced by a complicated mix of emotions.

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

A half-dragon? But I am of pure dragon blood. I have a lineage so rich it borders on tyrannical. If I am not a true dragon, then who is? Five Claws? Torch Dragon? Azure Dragon? What are those things? I’ve never even heard of such things! Probably just some obscure mix-blood strains...

Despite feeling irritated, Ye Liuyun kept to himself. It wasn’t the time to reveal his identity.

Ye Liuyun studied Qi Yuan carefully. "May I ask who you are?"

"The guardian god of Clearwater Village, Qiyuann Sovereign."

Ye Liuyun’s face turned odd. The boy and maid behind him looked no better. Certainly, Qi Yuan’s strength matched that of a village-level guardian god, but his attendants absolutely did not. Six True Gods attended to him, treating Qiyuann Sovereign like a revered elder—some holding parasols, others feeding him fruit. It was an absurd sight.

Ye Liuyun held such a lofty position in his clan that even uncles stronger than him deferred to him, yet this went far beyond that. If he dared ask those elders to feed him fruit, his legs would probably be broken on the spot. Not because they didn't care, but because they simply couldn't bring themselves to do it.

"Are you also heading to the Hundred Flowers Gathering?" Ye Liuyun asked.

Qi Yuan nodded. "

Mhm

."

Ye Liuyun extended the invitation, his curiosity about him growing by the moment. "Then why not travel together?"

Qi Yuan agreed without hesitation. "Sure."

Thus, the group set off together toward the North Sea Divine Eye.

As they walked, Ye Liuyun said, "The evil dragon causing trouble here wasn’t particularly strong, but its talent was so exceptional that it was even hailed as the hope of the North Sea Dragon Clan. Ultimately, Miss Huang San felled it with one strike. That incident caused deep enmity between the North Sea Dragon Clan and the Phoenix clan."

Then, he glanced at Qi Qi. "If you’re heading to the North Sea Divine Eye, it’s best to conceal your aura. Should the North Sea Dragon Clan detect it, it would spell disaster."

"Thank you for the warning," Qi Qi said.

Next to her, Wang Wenqi raised her hand and cast a Daoist technique, sealing away Qi Qi’s phoenix aura. Without an artifact like Ye Liuyun’s to fully suppress it, a True God could still detect a faint trace. In spite of knowing this, Qi Yuan did not interfere.

"Fellow Daoist, have you made preparations for this trip to the North Sea Divine Eye?" Ye Liuyun asked.

"I'm prepared at all times," Qi Yuan replied. He was always ready to kill evil gods. Unfortunately, he hadn't encountered a single one along the way.

Ye Liuyun smiled faintly. "Such ambition. In this visit to the Divine Eye, I'm sure you'll make a name for yourself."

He was keen to probe Qi Yuan's identity.

Qi Yuan asked, "All that talk aside, are there many treasures at the Hundred Flowers Gathering?"

Great Venerable Thunder knew little about the event because he wasn’t from the northern lands. His subordinates were of no help either.

"I heard that at the last gathering, a prodigy walked away with seven supreme treasures. Moreover, each is capable of supporting a breakthrough to the True God realm," Ye Liuyun said with unconcealed envy.

Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "That many? How did they obtain it?"

This was exactly what he lacked. With enough treasures, he could nurture more True Gods. And with more True Gods, his forces would grow even stronger.

"Well, it's not easy," Ye Liuyun said slowly. "Within the North Sea Divine Eye slumbers a Great Venerable, Qionghua. She is, without question, the foremost figure among the Northern Sea Aquatic Clan. The gathering was originally meant to make a hundred flowers bloom to awaken her."

Qi Yuan blinked in confusion. "Can't you just add more fertilizer? Or, if that doesn't work, find a short guy to kiss her awake?"

Ye Liuyun completely lost his composure.

Qi Qi quickly interjected, "This is just how Godfather speaks. Please don’t mind him."

When Ye Liuyun heard how Qi Qi addressed Qi Yuan, his expression stiffened even further.

Taking a Phoenix Clan member as a goddaughter?!

This man really got guts! If Miss Huang San were still around, she would have cleaved him in two!

Suppressing his thoughts, Ye Liuyun went on explaining, "All True Gods will be made to perform visualisation. By visualizing a True God connected to Great Venerable Qionghua, you’ll awaken fragments of her past memories, and flowers will bloom in the Hundred Flowers Garden. As more memories awakened, the flowers grew rarer and the treasures more bountiful."

Qi Yuan paused. "What if I don't know Great Venerable Qionghua at all?"

He had never even met her. How was he supposed to accomplish any of those?

Ye Liuyun chuckled softly. "Doesn’t matter. You only need to visualize a True God, even one that has already been visualized. Even if you’ve never met her, the visualized True Gods will inevitably have encountered her in the past. By describing Great Venerable Qionghua through their memories, she may awaken."

"

Huh

. That's pretty interesting," Qi Yuan said, intrigued.

In other words, implanted memories, recreating her based on someone else's recollections. However, would she still be Great Venerable Qionghua?

Qi Yuan sighed. "Too bad I've never seen her, and I can't visualize any True God related to her."

For once, he sounded genuinely disappointed. Did this mean he and Great Venerable Qionghua's treasures were simply fated not to cross paths?

He added, straightening up, "Still, since we're already here, might as well take a look."

After all, he carried a fine traditional virtue from his homeland:

Don’t leave empty-handed after you've come this far.

About half an hour later, Qi Yuan and Ye Liuyun's group arrived at the North Sea Divine Eye.

A grand palace stood there, filled with powerful figures that were mostly True Gods. The atmosphere was lively and buzzing. Qi Yuan swept his gaze across the hall, his interest immediately waning.

All ancient gods, not a single evil one. Boring.

Still, his arrival drew plenty of attention. Most True Gods brought one or two attendants, while Qi Yuan arrived with an entire gang. The six True Gods among them were the most eye-catching.

"Where are they from?"

"Never heard of them."

"What a grand display!"

"Four True Gods serving as maids.

Tsk tsk

... Could he be a Great Venerable's precious son?"