———
~ Please support this site by disabling your ad-blocker ❤️ ~
______
CHAPTER 5: The Black Dragon
Back to Before the Villain's Blackening Author: Hua Qi Chapter 5: The Black Dragon
On the third day of Qiu Shi’s forced house arrest, Chongying brought news stating that Cheng Yi’s condition had taken a turn for the better. He was now able to leave his bed and walk a few steps. However, because Dongheng Courtyard was heavily guarded, outsiders could not enter and those inside could not leave, making it impossible for him to personally come and express his gratitude. The Baitang Courtyard occupied a significant amount of land. By the western library tower, bypassing a bamboo grove, lay a small lake permanently shrouded in misty vapor. Green mossy stone steps loomed indistinctly amidst the clouds and mist, winding upward to lead straight to a high pavilion in the center of the lake. Within the pavilion, a refreshing breeze blew gently. Qiu Shi reclined on her side upon a soft couch, holding a scroll of music theory in her hand. Chongying stood by her side, his tone of voice changeless and flat: "...At the hour of the Rat last night, the City Lord emerged from his secluded cultivation. The lights in the main courtyard remained lit throughout the entire night. The Young Lord was also summoned there and did not emerge until dawn." The Lord of the Lyre Sea Capital was Qiu Shi’s father, Song Chengshu. "I understand." Qiu Shi turned a page of her book and asked, "The matter concerning Cheng Yi that I asked you to investigate last time, is there any news?" Chongying stood as straight as a plumb line, his entire form enveloped in dark shadows as he replied mechanically, "To answer the young mistress, the Black Dragon Clan does not possess many records regarding Young Master Cheng Yi's deeds. We only gathered some rumors from the mouths of several collateral clansmen living outside the Black Dragon Valley." "Rumors?" Qiu Shi’s gaze drifted away from the scroll, her voice pausing imperceptibly. "Tell me." "Members of the Black Dragon Clan are invariably born with black horns and black tails, but Young Master Cheng Yi is an exception. At his birth, he possessed a white head, a black body, and a white tail. According to the elders who witnessed it, it was a translucent, pristine color akin to snow. However, this is considered an ominous omen within the Black Dragon Clan." "Consequently, from childhood to adulthood, no one would play or associate with Young Master Cheng Yi. The medicinal herbs, spiritual treasures, and secret methods required for his cultivation all had to be fought for by his own efforts. He has always been ostracized by his clansmen, and his life has not been pleasant." "The clan did not provide him with cultivation resources, yet his cultivation realm is not much inferior to the geniuses of other clans. It is evident that both his bloodline and natural talent are exceptional. Did you manage to unearth whose descendant he is within the Black Dragon Clan?" Qiu Shi closed her book completely, lifting her eyes to ask. "Young Master Cheng Yi is the third son of the Black Dragon Clan's Third Elder. His birth mother's identity remains unverified." In her dream, Qiu Shi had not investigated Cheng Yi's background. To her, since she owed him a debt of life-saving gratitude, his name and lineage were entirely immaterial. Let alone the Black Dragon Clan, even if he belonged to the notoriously infamous Demon Race, she would still have brought him back for medical treatment. "A white head and a white tail." Qiu Shi’s scallion-like fingertips rested upon the handrail of the water pavilion, her expression thoughtful. Newborn demon beasts usually inherited the traits of whichever parent possessed the stronger bloodline power. The Black Dragon Clan was considered a premium bloodline among the demon race; newborns would either take after the father or the mother. A situation like Cheng Yi’s was extremely rare, which could only illustrate one fact. The bloodline of Cheng Yi’s birth mother could not be inferior to that of his father; it was highly probable they were evenly matched. Thus, Cheng Yi exhibited both his father’s characteristics and his mother’s traits. But if that were the case, why would he be so ill-treated? It was understandable if the clan elders were ignorant of worldly affairs, remaining dogmatic and conservative. However, for those shrewd old foxes within the Black Dragon Clan to act in the exact same manner left his treatment entirely inexplicable. A direct descendant who could be considered excellent material, if nurtured with care, he would inevitably become a pillar of support for the clan in the future. Such a windfall was something any clan would welcome with open arms; no one would reject such a prospect. Yet, the Black Dragon Clan had done precisely that. "Continue to look into Cheng Yi’s background." After contemplating for a long moment, Qiu Shi tapped her finger lightly and instructed, "Have Yun'an and Yunying go and watch over Dongheng Courtyard. Keep a lookout against Lu Jue's men, and observe how Cheng Yi and his servant react." Chongying nodded, rapidly concealing his figure once more. Qiu Shi stood up, her trailing madder-colored gauze skirt rippling out layer upon layer like blooming cotton clouds. She unfastened the communication jade at her waist to check it; there was still no spiritual light pulsing upon its surface. Qin Donglin had still not contacted her. Over the past two days, she had tried to reach him no fewer than ten times, yet she had consistently failed to receive a reply. Failing to notice once or twice could be considered normal; after all, Qin Donglin was an immensely busy man. Turning a blind eye three or four times was also within the realm of reason, when Qin Donglin didn't feel like speaking to someone, no one could force him to. But after seven or eight times, given his temperament, if he hadn't directly told her to stop annoying him with a cold voice, there could only be one explanation. Qin Donglin was angry. When this man was truly angry, his patience would reach a peak that even he himself could not anticipate. If it had been in the past, after she bombarded him through the communication jade over a dozen times in succession, he would have long since told her to shut up in a frigid tone. If he found it truly intolerable, he would simply crush the communication jade, leaving her completely powerless to proceed. But if he was genuinely furious, he would instead keep the communication jade perfectly intact at his side. He would see the pulsing spiritual light upon it, yet he simply wouldn't touch it, listen to it, or reply. And from childhood to adulthood, this situation where he allowed her to constantly reach out yet refused to acknowledge her even once had only occurred twice. Reflecting on this, Qiu Shi picked up the communication jade and contacted Wu Fei instead. The palm-sized jade pendant lay quietly within her palm, carrying a chilly touch. Only after a good while did a clamorous noise that did not belong to her current surroundings suddenly erupt, accompanied by a familiar, deliberately lowered voice. Qiu Shi instantly grew spirited. She leaned close to the communication jade, lowering her voice as well for fear that Qin Donglin might be nearby: "Wu Fei, is that you?" "If it isn't me, who else could it be?" Wu Fei’s voice carried a trace of unbridled amusement, completely indolent. In the background, the cries of street hawkers selling low-grade spiritual treasures could be heard. "What kind of wind is blowing today that you actually managed to remember me?" "Is Qin Donglin beside you?" Qiu Shi didn't care to indulge his usual banter, cutting straight to the chase to ask, "Also, where are you guys right now?" "What's going on? Is there actually a time when you can't find him?" Wu Fei's voice remained exactly as always, carrying a certain familiar, teasing undertone. "Don't ask so many questions first." Qiu Shi pressed her temple. "Are you with Qin Donglin or not?" "Yes," Wu Fei’s voice was pleasant to the ear, sounding as though it held a perpetual smile. "We arrived at Lin'an City yesterday. Qin Donglin was intercepted by Auntie Ruan and didn't enter the Capital." Qiu Shi had not expected them to have already reached Lin'an City. She fell silent for a brief moment before asking, "Auntie Ruan came as well?" "Mhm." Wu Fei didn't hide anything either. "She claims she came for Uncle Song’s birthday celebration." Speaking of serious matters, his amusement receded slightly: "Little Qiu Shi, Mount Liuqi is swamped with affairs. There is no reason for Auntie Ruan to arrive at the Capital an entire month in advance." "I know." Qiu Shi stared at the glowing jade within her palm, taking a long moment to find her voice. "I cannot leave today. Tomorrow, I will go to Lin'an City to see Auntie Ruan." Wu Fei narrowed his eyes, looking down from his high vantage point within the wine tavern. The crowded throng of people resembled a flowing stream, intersecting and parting. Withdrawing his gaze, he spoke in a slow, leisurely cadence: "I've heard about seven or eight out of ten versions of your romantic escapades. I heard that you've truly developed feelings for that black dragon?" "You actually believe the words of idle gossips chewing their tongues after tea?" Qiu Shi let out a sharp scoff, her tone turning cold. "Originally, I didn't care to meddle in the affairs between you and Qin Donglin. But if this matter is true, then you've pushed things too far. You haven't left a single shred of face for Mount Liuqi or Qin Donglin," Wu Fei spoke with deliberate implication. "I know what I'm doing." Qiu Shi despised hearing such lectures the most. If it had been according to her past temperament, she would either cut off the connection immediately or freeze her voice to deliver a warning. Yet at this moment, everything remained entirely normal, and she even asked about Qin Donglin's condition with a touch of concern: "How is he doing? Did either of you get injured in the secret realm on your way here from the Eastern Sea?" Qiu Shi still remembered the words Qingfeng had spoken at the very end of that dream, "Demon Monarch Qin Donglin." Ordinary injuries could not harm Qin Donglin, and ordinary inner demons could not ensnare him either. To grow from a state of weakness to absolute dominance, he must have undergone a protracted period of latent hibernation. She was somewhat terrified that this current point in time was precisely the catalyst for his descent into inner demons, which was why she couldn't resist asking this question. Yet in her dream, she had not contacted Qin Donglin or Wu Fei at all, nor did she know that Ruan Wan had arrived at Lin'an City. After her father had secretly issued the execution order, she had taken Cheng Yi and fled stealthily, keeping everyone in the dark. Now, because she had made a change, more events that she hadn't witnessed in her dream were gradually breaking through like the tip of an iceberg, floating to the surface of the water. "Nothing much else, it’s just that traveling was rather exhausting," Wu Fei added in a seemingly casual manner. "It took us a mere two days to rush from the Eastern Sea to Lin'an City, leaving me covered in dust from head to toe." Qiu Shi was temporarily speechless. Not long after she severed the connection with the communication jade, Mingyue journeyed all the way up the stone steps to find her, a hint of undeniable worry etched across her features: "Young mistress, Madam requests that you go to the main courtyard immediately." Qiu Shi offered a soft murmur of assent, entirely unsurprised by this development. Her father had just emerged from secluded cultivation. Having caught wind of everything that had transpired during this period, he would naturally intervene to question her. In her dream, she had also made this exact trip. However, the encounter had not been a pleasant one; her father, who had always doted on her and indulged her every whim, had consecutively scolded her multiple times. Furious yet entirely helpless, he had finally waved his hand to dismiss her. The main courtyard was quite a distance away from the Baitang Courtyard. By the time Qiu Shi arrived, nearly half an hour had elapsed. Beneath the long corridor, trailing purple flowers climbed overhead, swaying ostentatiously. Song Chengshu and his son, Song Yunhe, sat opposite one another by a small table, each holding a chess piece while appearing utterly hesitant. The hot tea resting beside their hands had not been sipped even once. On a lounge chair not far away, Qiu Shi’s mother sat with her eyes half-closed, the corner of her moon-white skirt brushing lightly against the ground. Hearing the commotion, she turned her head. Upon spotting Qiu Shi, her eyes curved slightly. "Xiao Shi, come quickly," Tang Ru waved toward Qiu Shi, her voice thoroughly gentle. "Don't crowd around them. Your father is going to fly into a rage out of sheer embarrassment when he loses in a moment." "Mother." Qiu Shi made a turn in her steps, walking over to stand beside Tang Ru. Casting a brief glance toward Song Yunhe, she whispered, "Father retracts his pieces the moment he places them. Throughout an entire game of chess, I lose count of how many times Brother has to yield to him. Why does he still insist on playing?" "Others run the moment they see your father. If he doesn't catch your brother, who else can he catch?" Tang Ru laughed, revealing two dimples on her face, making her entire being appear immensely gentle. She turned to ask Qiu Shi, "Why is your complexion so poor?" Qiu Shi’s heart instantly felt somewhat uncomfortable. Tang Ru possessed a disposition as soft and yielding as water, and Song Chengshu always doted on her; in reality, they had never truly restricted her. Whatever she fancied, she was allowed to try. The house arrest over the past two days was considered the absolute firmest stance Tang Ru had ever taken against her. "Mother." Qiu Shi blinked, her voice tightening slightly. "Auntie Ruan has arrived at the Lyre Sea." The smile on Tang Ru’s face faded for a fleeting instant. Qiu Shi tugged at her sleeve. When her mother looked over, her eyelashes lowered, and she spoke in a hushed, low voice: "Mother, concerning Cheng Yi... I have words to say to you and Father.”
Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/
We hope you enjoyed this chapter! You can vote for this novel translation and drop a review on Novel Updates!
Show support by clicking on the support button below!❤️
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 Comments
What's on your mind...