Stranger Danger

“There is one thing I don’t understand. You are incredibly strong for your age, and that cannot be possible without an extraordinary background. Why do you need to borrow our ‘Dragons Memoir’ when you have better choices?”

Yu Longzi was asking a serious question. He believed that Ye Qing must have an extraordinary background considering how strong he was. Assuming that the young man was a member of a major sect, clan, or aristocratic family, then surely he would not be lacking in guidance, right? He would not be surprised if it turned out that a living Trueman was tutoring him, so why was he seeking out a dead object like the “Dragons Memoir” instead of consulting his betters?

“Haha… Haven’t I told you already? I’m just a wandering warrior with no background.”

Ye Qing shrugged. “No doors or windows are open to me, so I have to make my own.”

He was telling the truth. When he scoured Innocent Miao’s memories, he found out that Trueman Dragonrider had left behind a travel note called the “Dragons Memoir”. It contained his martial insights and understanding regarding the breakthrough to Grandmaster. His interest was piqued immediately.

Right now, his body was at the level of a Half-Step Grandmaster. If he wished to advance further, he must become a Grandmaster.

However, it was no easy feat to enter the Grandmaster stage. Hard work was a matter of course, but he also needed some opportunities to achieve the breakthrough. For example, he would dearly like to be taught by an actual expert.

Unfortunately, he was, in terms of background, a nobody with no one he could consult with. That was why he had to make his own fortune.

Ideally, he wanted to obtain the martial insight and understanding of a body-tempering warrior ascending to the Grandmaster stage. However, an item like this was priceless to say the least, not to mention that he didn’t know the first place to find such a thing.

By coincidence, he found out that Dragonrider Mountain owned one such item, and it just happened to be a powerful sect that was on the decline. How could he let go of such an opportunity?

Besides, Trueman Dragonrider was an accomplished, knowledgeable, and insightful warrior who excelled in many areas. Even if his martial understanding and insights had little to do with a body-tempering warrior’s experience, they were still highly valuable.

Long story short, “Dragons Memoir” was something he absolutely needed not just for his impending breakthrough, but also his future cultivation.

On the off chance the reference material turned out to be applicable to him, then even better.

This was the last reason why he chose to visit Dragonrider Mountain. First, it was to test himself and hone his skills. Two, it was to take revenge for Giggle and put Dragonrider Mountain back on the straight and narrow. And three, it was to borrow Trueman Dragonrider’s “Dragons Memoir”.

“Is that so? You are amazingly talented then. In any case, please follow me.” Yu Longzi didn’t really believe Ye Qing’s claim, but he didn’t contradict him either. Whatever the truth might be, the young man remained someone who was untouchable to Dragonrider Mountain. Right now, the best course of action was to fulfill his wishes so they could see him off as soon as possible.

“Thank you, mountain lord.” Ye Qing saluted him.

Before he left, Yu Longzi instructed, “Chaoyu, Yuanrong, the two of you will continue the ceremony. Ningxin, please reassure the disciples and maintain the order.”

“As you command!” The three elders echoed in unison. After shooting Ye Qing a long look, they saluted Yu Longzi and left to carry out their orders.

“This way please, scion!” Yu Longzi beckoned for Ye Qing to follow him after the three elders were gone.

“Of course, mountain lord,” Ye Qing replied before he followed Yu Longzi to the Dragon Hoard Hall.

The Dragon Hoard Hall was the root and foundation of Dragonrider Mountain, but from the outside, the hall looked quite ordinary. This impression did a one-eighty when Ye Qing entered the hall and felt like he had stepped into a different world. The decor was traditional but exquisite, ancient but not excessive. The hall was much bigger than it looked from the outside, and it was filled with all kinds of books. This was what the hoard of a formerly powerful sect should look like.

There were three floors inside the Dragon Hoard Hall. The first floor was filled with history records, classics, philosophy, medicine, divination, astrology, and other miscellaneous books. The second floor was where the martial arts manuals were kept—the ordinary ones, of course.

The third floor was where the main inheritance and important items of Dragonrider Mountain were kept such as the “Dragonslaying Art”, the four sutras (Chi Dragon Sutra, Dragonmorph Sutra, Thunder Dragon Sutra and Hidden Dragon Sutra) and more.

It was also where Trueman Dragonrider’s “Dragons Memoir” was kept.

After they arrived on the third floor, Yu Longzi walked up to a wall portrait and respectfully offered it an incense stick.

The man in the portrait was wearing a golden robe and facing away from the audience, making it impossible to see his face. However, his back was tall and massive like that of a mountain. It was just a portrait, and yet Ye Qing couldn’t help but feel a great pressure coming from it. It was almost as if the man inside the portrait was alive.

He had no doubt that the man in the portrait was the legendary Trueman Dragonrider.

“I beg your forgiveness, founder, but unfilial disciple Yu Longzi wishes to borrow your notes for a read.”

After he offered the incense stick, Yu Longzi stepped forward and reached out toward Trueman Dragonrider’s right hand where he was holding a book. When Yu Longzi’s fingers made contact with the portrait, the book suddenly popped into reality and landed on his palm.

“Amazing! I did not think that the ‘Dragons Memoir’ would be hidden inside a portrait!” Ye Qing exclaimed in wonder. If he wasn’t certain before, he now knew that the portrait was definitely something special.

“You jest, scion. It is but a petty trick.”

Yu Longzi replied humbly before handing Ye Qing the book. “This is the ‘Dragons Memoir’.”

“Thank you,” Ye Qing replied and took it.

“We have a private room down this corner. Would you like to read it inside?” Yu Longzi asked.

“Sounds good. Thank you again, mountain lord.” Ye Qing saluted him. He then followed Yu Longzi into the private room not far away from the portrait.

After he took Ye Qing to the private room, Yu Longzi stepped outside and said, “I will be waiting outside, scion. Please, do not hesitate to call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

After he took his leave, Yu Longzi glanced at the door of the private room with a complicated expression on his face. A small sigh later, he sat in front of Trueman Dragonrider’s portrait and began meditating.

……

Buzz…

An invisible force suddenly washed out the Dragon Hoard Hall and jolted Yu Longzi out of his meditation. He immediately looked in the direction of the private room. That was where it was coming from.

At first, the shockwaves were messy and unstable. Over time, it became deep and distant, mysterious and profound. In the end, it evolved into something that was impossible to describe with words.

“What in the… is he experiencing enlightenment?” Yu Longzi abruptly jumped to his feet with an expression of shock and disbelief.

It had been three days since Ye Qing entered the private room. Absolutely nothing had happened until now.

Yu Longzi had been sure that Ye Qing would not glean anything out of “Dragons Memoir”. Even if he had, it would not be something substantial.

His sentiment was understandable. The paths leading to the Grandmaster stage were myriad and profound, and no two paths were the exact same as one another. While not impossible, it was almost unheard of for someone to “leap over the Dragon Gate and become a dragon” or “reach the heavens in one step” per se just by reading some papers or hearing some motivational words.

Take him for example. He had guarded the “Dragons Memoir” for decades and read it at least a couple hundred times, but his rewards were insubstantial at best. That was why he could not believe that an outsider could glean more from the book than him.

Of course, reality proceeded to defy his expectations and slap him in the face.