In the depths of midwinter, Leng Jing took Leng Qingqing to Qingzhou to handle some martial arts affairs—though in truth, the two were simply going there to soak in the hot springs.
It was an ordinary day. Snow was falling, and Leng Qingqing sat inside the luxurious carriage, dozing off against his son’s shoulder. Leng Jing, meanwhile, was cracking melon seeds. The carriage traveled at a leisurely pace along the mountain road, comfortable and serene.
A brazier burned inside the carriage, and both were tucked under thick wool blankets. Before they knew it, the warmth lulled them into a comfortable drowse, and they fell asleep.
Leng Jing had a nightmare and woke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat, though he couldn't remember the contents of the dream. Leng Qingqing was still sleeping soundly with his arms wrapped around Leng Jing’s waist. Leng Jing looked at him, gave a wicked little smile, and stealthily kissed his ear.
Disturbed by the teasing, Leng Qingqing woke up. He rubbed his face against Leng Jing’s chest and yawned. "Xiao Jing, what are you doing... mm... it tickles..."
"Nothing." Leng Jing sat up and lifted the curtain to look at the scenery outside, noting that they weren't far from Qingzhou.
Outside was a world of pure white, the forests draped in silver. Leng Qingqing leaned over to see the snow and said excitedly, "Xiao Jing, let’s go down and have a snowball fight, okay?"
"No." Leng Jing pressed him back into his seat. In winter, Leng Qingqing was particularly prone to drowsiness; he often fell asleep while walking and ended up with a head full of bumps. Thus, Leng Jing had to keep a constant eye on him.
Just as Leng Qingqing’s face fell in disappointment, something neither of them expected happened.
The carriage suddenly lurched violently and tilted to one side!
"What’s happening?" Leng Jing heard the screams of the horses and the driver. In an instant, the carriage overturned. Without time to think, Leng Jing pulled Leng Qingqing into his arms, only letting go once the carriage settled. By then, the entire vehicle was upside down. He reached out, smashed through the roof, and climbed out.
"Hey!" Leng Jing called out as he emerged, seeing the driver lying not far away. He shouted, but the man didn't react.
"Xiao Jing, what happened?" Leng Qingqing poked his head out from his arms, looking confused.
"Stay here, I’ll go look." Leng Jing stopped him by the carriage and walked over to the driver. He discovered that both the horses and the driver were already dead. Not only that, but they had been sliced in two by something incredibly sharp. Though they appeared to be lying on the ground, half of their bodies had actually been flung quite a distance away.
Leng Jing’s lip twitched. He didn't recall any martial arts in the secular world being this terrifying. He looked around and saw that many of the surrounding trees had also been severed, leaving a scene of utter devastation.
Seeing that it was nearly dark, Leng Jing returned to Leng Qingqing’s side. He told him they might have been ambushed by rival factions from the martial world and instructed Leng Qingqing to follow him closely.
And so, Leng Qingqing followed behind Leng Jing as they walked toward the town.
However, the closer they got to Qingzhou, the more animal carcasses they found on the road. These animals had died the same way as the driver—sliced apart by something sharp. Leng Jing’s doubts grew. From the look of things, the killer didn't distinguish between humans, beasts, or plants, striking out in a mindless frenzy. What kind of person possessed such destructive power?
"True Dragon, this doesn't look like the work of a human!" The white marten that had once been kept by Cold Star Villa jumped out from Leng Qingqing’s robes. Ever since meeting Leng Jing ten years ago, the white marten had "abandoned the darkness for the light," acknowledging Leng Jing as its master and following him as a pet. Leng Jing had simply named it "White Marten."
This marten’s defining trait was its loquacity, but it knew a great deal of gossip regarding the Three Realms. Its actual age was much greater than Leng Jing’s sixty-year dragon age; it was a full one hundred and twenty years old.
"If it’s not a human, could it be a demon? Even if it were a demon, why would it strike in a town crowded with mortals? Are they not afraid of punishment from the Heavens?" Leng Jing asked.
The White Marten scurried onto Leng Jing’s shoulder, clutching its paws in a pensive pose. "The True Dragon is correct, but things have changed recently. The Heavens haven't interfered in mortal affairs for a full ten years. Consequently, the demons in the mortal realm have grown bold, and there’s no telling what foolish things they might do. Yes, this old servant finds this matter very suspicious!"
"Old servant?" Leng Qingqing leaned over, grabbed the marten’s tail, and gave it a shake. "If you call yourself an old servant, doesn't that make me even older? Huh?"
"Old Master, have mercy~~" the White Marten squeaked.
"Old Master? Am I really that old?" Leng Qingqing became even more dissatisfied and complained to Leng Jing, "Xiao Jing, this marten called me old!"
"Shut up. If you keep making noise, I’ll eat you both." Leng Jing threw a cold glare their way, and both the white snake and the white marten fell silent. The marten trembled for a moment before slipping into the bushes. After relieving itself, it finally breathed a sigh of relief. Over the years, it had been so intimidated by its young master, Leng Jing, that it had developed a conditioned reflex of frequent urination. *Wuwuwu~~ how pitiful~*
***
Leng Jing considered whether or not to enter the city. They were now standing at the edge of the settlement. High walls blocked their view and the gates were tightly shut; beyond them lay Qingzhou.
However, judging by the state of the road, the marks left by the sharp instrument were becoming more frequent, as if they radiated from this very city.
It felt as though something eerie was lurking behind those walls. Leng Jing, Leng Qingqing, and the White Marten looked up at the city, a shiver passing through their hearts.
"Are you people trying to enter the city? You’re lucky you aren't dead yet." A young girl’s voice drifted down from a tree behind them. They turned to look and saw a girl dressed in purple-red martial attire standing on a branch with her arms crossed. Her gaze was full of disdain as she pointed at Leng Jing. "Hey, you!"
"??" Leng Jing searched his memory of martial arts figures he knew but couldn't place her.
"Come here, stand right there," the girl said, pointing to the ground beneath the tree.
"What do you intend to do?" Leng Jing asked, shielding Leng Qingqing behind him.
The girl gave a cold laugh and jumped down from the tree. She was quite short, appearing to be no more than fourteen or fifteen, yet she carried herself with an air of exaggerated gravity. She pointed and said, "Little White Dragon, why aren't you staying put in the Immortal Mountains instead of running around everywhere? But since you’ve come out, it’s just your bad luck."
"???" Leng Jing was baffled but remained silent, letting the girl continue.
The girl went on, "But if you follow me, I won't treat you poorly. Come here obediently, and I’ll go easy on you when I subdue you!"
"Xiao Jing! Don't go over there!" Leng Qingqing tried to protect Leng Jing, but Leng Jing pulled him back and trapped him in an imperceptible barrier, rendering him unable to move. Leng Jing walked forward steadily and asked, "What exactly do you mean?"
"I mean this!!" the girl suddenly shouted, and then—
She slapped a palm onto Leng Jing’s forehead. Blood from a cut on her palm smeared across his brow, forming the shape of a talisman.
Then she burst into loud laughter. "I’ve finally subdued a Divine Dragon!! Fantastic! From now on, the title of Chief Summoner belongs to me, Mei Xin!! Hahaha!"
*Summoner...* Leng Jing’s lip twitched. He said nothing, simply took a silk handkerchief from his robes, wiped the blood from his forehead, and silently turned back to Leng Qingqing. He dispelled the barrier and whispered, "Let’s go. Ignore her."
Seeing him leave, the girl named Mei Xin said angrily, "White Dragon, you are my summoned beast! You must stay by my side!"
"What are the benefits?" Leng Jing asked.
"If you help me accomplish great things, I will find a way to return you to the Immortal Mountains. And while you are following me, I will try my best to satisfy your requests," the girl said seriously.
"Wait a moment." Leng Jing, Leng Qingqing, and the White Marten began a private discussion. Their final conclusion was: the Immortal Mountains might be a good spot for an adventurous vacation, and this little girl seemed very easy to fool.
"Fine! I agree," Leng Jing finally announced.
And so, under a so-called "talisman" that had absolutely no effect, Leng Jing inexplicably became a summoned beast.
In the end, the Leng Family Father-and-Son Slacking Group grew to four members: Leng Jing, Leng Qingqing, Mei Xin, and the White Marten.
The leader: Leng Jing.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 青州 | Qingzhou | A city name. |
| 白貂 | White Marten | The pet marten's name/species. |
| 梅歆 | Mei Xin | The name of the young girl who claims to be a summoner. |
| 召唤师 | Summoner | A term used by Mei Xin for her supposed profession. |
| 召唤兽 | Summoned beast | The term Mei Xin uses for Leng Jing. |
| 仙山 | Immortal Mountains | A mythical location mentioned by Mei Xin. |
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