The last day on the new book rankings, a weighty list; in my opinion, the real test begins after the list. Perhaps because the book has been constantly underperforming, Fu Zi's heart is rather small. The goal for this text is to surpass a thousand collections, improvement beyond the previous two books would suffice. No need for mushy words, thank you to those who silently support.
"Old sir, don't panic, I'll call people right away." The village chief reproached himself, regretting letting Xiao Xian walk ahead alone.
The depth of White Dragon Pond beneath the bridge is unknown, and even the best swimmers among the mountain villagers have never dared to plunge into the pond. According to the elders, the pond connects to the sea and is inhabited by the Dragon King.
Zhu Shijun, who had faced many trials in his life, was now in his old age with diminishing sight and health, and without a spouse or children by his side. Xiao Xian had become his only support in life.
The pitiable sixty-year-old man, trembling slightly, was about to walk onto the bridge.
"Old sir, don't go up there, the wood on the bridge is brittle," Jin Dafu thought whether he should return to the village or go to Miao Village for help, but he couldn't just leave Zhu Shijun alone, worried that he might do something rash and follow Xiao Xian.
The two were arguing by the bridge when a heart-stopping voice drifted from the direction of the bridge: "Grandpa, Uncle Jin, stop arguing. Whoever has the strength, come and pull me up." Xiao Xian had grabbed onto two chains supporting the bridge with both hands. They were both hard of hearing; if someone really fell into the water, there wouldn't be any splash.
It was indeed perilous just now; the rope bridge, having been neglected and exposed to the elements, had its planks hollowed and rotted out in the middle. It's lucky Xiao Xian was leading, being young and light-footed. If it had been Jin Dafu or Zhu Shijun instead, it would have been like a stone sinking into water, never to resurface.
Zhu Shijun's ears buzzed with anxiety, and Jin Dafu chanted "Amitabha". Both grabbed the ropes alongside the bridge and walked towards its center.
Guided by the moonlight, Jin Dafu, who had better eyesight, peered through the hole and saw Xiao Xian's pale face, quickly assisting Xiao Xian to climb up through the hole.
"Xiao Xian," Zhu Shijun embraced his granddaughter, tears streaming down his face. Having experienced ups and downs throughout his life, and now facing his twilight years potentially alone, the old man decided to put the grievances from his officialdom days behind him and devote himself to taking care of Xiao Xian in the peaceful mountains.
"Grandpa, don't be sad, I'm fine, not even a scratch, touch and see." Xiao Xian's face was pale, but not from fright. When she had fallen through the bridge hole, she had immediately cast the Cloud Ascension Technique. No sooner had she touched the water than her feet found purchase, and she soared through the mist, nearly flying off the bridge if not for grabbing the iron chains at the last moment.
The Cloud Ascension Technique had improved immensely; Xiao Xian initially felt a secret thrill, but seeing Zhu Shijun's tears, her heart became unsettled.
The sincere village chief also started wiping his tears, shouting, "It's this bridge's fault. Xiao Xian, don't be scared. Once Uncle Jin leads the village to prosperity, we're tearing down this broken bridge." As Jin Dafu spoke, he spat into the black hole that had caused all the trouble.
The white spit flew straight towards White Dragon Pond and had barely touched the water's surface. Xiao Xian shuddered, her face turning from white to purple-red. She glanced at White Dragon Pond with great superstition, "Grandpa, let's go home quickly."
Zhu Shijun responded and the three of them hurried towards Leigong Mountain, leaving the rope bridge empty once again.
The saliva droplets floating on the surface of White Dragon Pond slowly dispersed, and the sound of the water crashing against the pond's surface grew louder, reminiscent of a torrential downpour.
Blood-red beastly eyes flickered beneath the water, and the animals on both banks silenced themselves, retreating into their dens.
A pitch-black chilling wind stirred up a vortex on the surface of the pond, violently shaking the rope bridge, ripping the old wooden planks from their places and throwing them into the swirling waters. The wind formed a spinning black line, uprooting grasses and trees that were several years old, leaving only the sixty-year-old Water Fir struggling to hold on.
Just as the surface was about to break open, melodious flute music emanated from across the mountain, sounding like a train's whistle merged with a dragon's roar reverberating through the skies.
"Evil creature," a voice thundered from a location in Dongnan Miao Village, striking the surface of the water like a lightning strike, causing the vortex to dissipate and restoring calm to the pond. Under the moonlight, White Dragon Pond was as still as a clear mirror.
Strangely enough, the commotion at White Dragon Pond seemed unheard by the Miao people and villagers in the mountains.
In Dongnan Miao Village, Yezi's mother was calling Yezi to come eat. The newly born "little dove," having been brought back home, was placed by Yezi next to the window in his room.
The little dove, having not properly opened its eyes since birth, was given some soaked rice grains and warm water by Yezi, who then went downstairs.
As the strange roar echoed, there was yet no response from those eating downstairs, but the "little dove" opened its eyes, revealing not the typical black but a golden, sand-like color.
Agitated by the roar, it repetitively pecked at its cage with its ginger-yellow beak, calming only when the loud scolding echoed, just like the creature beneath White Dragon Pond.
In Ge Village, Sister-in-law Lian couldn't wait for the Zhu family grandfather and grandson to return and went ahead home. The firewood in the stove hadn't completely extinguished, leaving some embers behind to keep the evening meal warm: two bowls of zucchini noodle dumplings.
"Xiao Xian must be frightened, looking so pale. I told my husband to make you some ginger soup and bring over a heater," said Jin Dafu as he escorted the grandfather and grandson home, observing that there was no heating in the house and Xiao Xian, scared stiff, wasn't speaking. Although he nearly fell into the water, he looked fine initially, but seemed to feel the fright only after returning home.
"Just have your husband make some ginger soup; no need for the heater," said Zhu Shijun, aware that with the New Year approaching, every household was short on wood for heating. Xiao Xian's parents had committed suicide by burning charcoal, and the elderly man would rather buy an electric heater from town in the following days than relive those memories.
"Grandpa, Uncle Jin, I'm alright," Xiao Xian reassured, looking unharmed. Something ferocious must be hiding beneath White Dragon Pond, and Xiao Xian felt the intense surge of Spiritual Power. Thinking back, Zhou Xiaoxian had no Spiritual Power back in her days at Yunteng Sect and her life was quite smooth, yet now, with the Iron-grade space, she seemed to have courted trouble.
Presumably, the other party also sensed the presence of a cultivator nearby and thus aimed to emerge from the pond to cause havoc. It looked like from now on, one must visit White Dragon Pond less often. 'Don't provoke others, don't get provoked' – this is an iron rule for Yunteng disciples.
That night, Xiao Xian did not sleep well, tossing and turning, haunted by recurrent dreams of a ferocious beast breaking through the surface of White Dragon Pond. What exactly resides at the bottom of White Dragon Pond, and why hasn't it emerged?