319: Cloud Fairy

Although there were songs, dances, spiritual delicacies, and fine wine to liven up the banquet under the Turtle Prime Minister's hosting, the atmosphere remained shrouded in the shock and subtlety brought by the Dragon Emperor's announcement.

The representatives of various races had different thoughts; while clinking glasses, their gazes still drifted from time to time toward the seat of honor where Li Shengyuan sat.

Li Shengyuan remained calm and composed, handling the toasts and the overt or covert probings from several high-ranking Yao Race officials with ease, his words leaving no openings.

He was neither overly friendly nor at all arrogant, handling the situation with just the right amount of poise, which caused even those shrewd old Essence Spirits of the Yao Race to nod secretly, not daring to underestimate him.

Pei Shuyun sat quietly by his side, occasionally taking a light sip, but mostly just listening and observing, silently committing the expressions and discussions of the many Yao Race members at the table to memory.

Long Yun appeared more active than usual, as if sharing in the glory, frequently introducing the identities of the Yao Race members who came to toast to Li Shengyuan or whispering explanations of certain unique Yao Race etiquette and customs.

As the moon passed its zenith, the banquet neared its end.

The Turtle Prime Minister announced the end of the feast; after bowing to the Dragon Emperor, the various Yao began to disperse, though the gazes they cast toward Li Shengyuan as they left remained complex and hard to read.

Just as Li Shengyuan and Pei Shuyun were preparing to return to the Dragon Perching Garden with Long Yun, a Dragon Clan guard dressed in silver armor with a steady aura quietly approached them and bowed respectfully.

"Young Master Li, Her Majesty invites you; she wishes to speak with you alone."

A private talk?

Long Yun was somewhat surprised to hear this and subconsciously looked at Li Shengyuan.

Pei Shuyun also raised her eyes slightly, a trace of doubt flashing through them.

Li Shengyuan pondered for a moment, then gave the guard a gentle smile.

"Thank you for leading the way."

He nodded lightly to Pei Shuyun to reassure her, then said to Long Yun, "Miss Long, I'll have to trouble you to look after Shuyun for a moment."

"No problem, go ahead," Long Yun agreed readily; although she was curious why the Dragon Emperor suddenly wanted to see Li Shengyuan alone, she knew it wasn't the time to ask.

Li Shengyuan followed the guard away from the gradually quieting square, passing through several quiet corridors and halls to reach the depths of the Dragon Emperor Palace.

This was the Dragon Emperor's residence; aside from a few minor Yao maids, there were no guards present.

Finally, they stopped at the entrance of a back garden surrounded by spiritual mist and filled with flourishing exotic flowers and rare herbs.

"Her Majesty is waiting in the garden. Please enter on your own, Young Master," the guard stopped and said respectfully.

Li Shengyuan nodded in thanks and stepped into the garden.

The Spiritual Qi became increasingly dense, carrying the sweet fragrance of flowers and plants along with a unique, cold scent of dragon ambergris.

The garden's layout was exquisite, with the scenery changing at every step, and pavilions and water features were arranged in an orderly fashion.

Most eye-catching was a huge terrace extending from the palace base at the edge of the garden, paved with a transparent crystal-like material; standing upon it felt like standing in mid-air.

At this moment, a tall and proud figure stood leaning against the railing with her back to him, overlooking the continuous, brilliant lights of Holy Dragon City below and the vast land sleeping under the moonlight further away.

The night wind ruffled the hem of her dark gold imperial robe and her waterfall-like black hair, while the pair of red jade coral-like dragon horns atop her head shimmered with a gentle luster under the cold moonlight.

It was indeed the Dragon Emperor, Long Qingcheng.

She had removed the crown she wore during the banquet, only tying her hair with a simple gold ring, losing some of the extreme majesty of the court but gaining a bit of the seclusion and mystery belonging to a ruler under the moon.

Her stature was extremely tall and voluptuous; even with Li Shengyuan's standard height, he had to look up slightly.

That "Lady Eight-Feet" physique appeared even more breathtakingly curved in the moonlit silhouette, carrying a wild yet noble pressure that made one subconsciously hold their breath... and a strange charm that made one want to challenge and conquer.

Hearing the footsteps, Long Qingcheng did not turn around, but merely spoke softly, her voice carrying less resonance than it had on the square and more of the night's stillness and an inscrutable tone.

"Does Young Master Li think the night view of my Holy Dragon City compares well to the myriad lights of the Capital of Great Qian?"

Li Shengyuan stepped forward to stand side-by-side with her, likewise looking out at the brilliance beneath their feet and the boundless darkness in the distance, speaking truthfully, "The scales and atmospheres are different; it is difficult to make a simple comparison."

"Holy Dragon City is suspended in the Nine Heavens, overlooking the earth, its lights like a galaxy hanging upside down—grand and magnificent, it inspires a sense of one's own insignificance and is a symbol of the Yao Race's ambition."

"The Capital of Great Qian is rooted in the deep earth, its lights of life stretching far, filled with the bustle of the Mortal World and the many aspects of humanity; it is an embodiment of the Human Race's accumulated civilization. Each has its own unique strengths."

Long Qingcheng gave a soft "mm," seemingly not surprised by this answer, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

She remained silent for a moment, then suddenly turned around to face Li Shengyuan directly.

The moonlight fell upon her beautiful and majestic face, her eyes appearing as if they could see through a person's heart in the night.

She did not continue the previous topic but instead changed the subject, asking a question that caused a slight tremor in Li Shengyuan's heart.

"I have heard a little about how Young Master Li and the current Empress of Great Qian were apprentices under the same Revered Master."

Her tone was flat, as if stating an ordinary fact. "However, I wonder where that mysterious Senior, your common Revered Master... is now? I am quite curious about the expert who could teach two such peerless figures."

Li Shengyuan's expression remained unchanged, but a very subtle flicker passed through the depths of his eyes.

Although his relationship with his Senior Sister Female Emperor Mu Qingning was not a top secret among the high-level officials of Great Qian, it was by no means common knowledge, and few would mention it so calmly to his face.

This Dragon Emperor's intelligence network was indeed not to be underestimated.

He was just about to brush it off with some platitudes like "Revered Master travels far and wide, his whereabouts are uncertain."

However, Long Qingcheng seemed to see through his thoughts; her red lips parted slightly as she uttered a Daoist title that was ethereal and seemed to carry the scent of clouds and mist.

"I heard that Senior's Daoist title is... 'Fairy Yunmiao'!"

As soon as the four words "Fairy Yunmiao" were spoken, the gentle smile on Li Shengyuan's face instantly froze, and his pupils couldn't help but shrink slightly!

He suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze like lightning as he looked directly into Long Qingcheng's eyes, which held a deep smile; his usually calm and composed voice now carried a hint of undisguisable shock and sharpness.

"Your Majesty... from where did you learn of this title?!"

This matter—even within the innermost circles of Great Qian, the number of people who knew the exact Daoist title "Fairy Yunmiao" was definitely countable on one hand!

His Revered Master's name was something his Senior Sister Female Emperor Mu Qingning had told him.

How did a ruler of the Yao Race, far away in the Demon Domain millions of miles away, know of it?!

Seeing Li Shengyuan's reaction, the mysterious smile on Long Qingcheng's face deepened.

She did not directly answer Li Shengyuan's questioning; instead, she seemed very satisfied with the effect her words had produced.

She turned around gracefully, facing the vast night view outside the railing once more, leaving Li Shengyuan with a tall and oppressive profile, her voice sounding even more ethereal in the night wind.

"Young Master Li needn't be nervous; how I know is not important for now."

She paused, a hint of reminiscence and emotion entering her tone. "I just suddenly remembered a story..."

She turned her head, the moonlight reflecting the perfect lines of her profile, her eyes shimmering as she looked at Li Shengyuan.

"Young Master Li, are you interested in hearing me... tell a story?"