The Ugly Little Snake: My Dragon Son | Chapter 19 | The Anomalous Dragon's Master | Novela.app

At the foot of Mount Donghua, amidst the tranquil bamboo groves and lush greenery, stood a small residence of bamboo. The environment was exquisite, featuring verdant vines, cascading waterfalls, and misty springs—a true paradise on earth. In a clearing within the bamboo garden, an elegant hermit dressed in flowing white robes was holding a session, expounding upon the profound principles of the mysterious Dao. The disciples seated before him all bore expressions of devout yearning. Among those listening to the lecture were Ling Suyan, the scholar from Hezhou City, and Dongfang Chen, the lavishly dressed youth who was concealing his identity as the Crown Prince. Like the others, Ling Suyan was a disciple of the hermit, Han Ziling. These disciples were all of significant background, and many were not even human. For instance, the burly, rugged man in the front row was Lieyan, the patriarch of the Tiger Clan. The charming youth in red sitting in the back was a spirit transformed from a mandala flower. The cute, large-eyed boy in the middle was originally a white rabbit spirit, and the honest-looking man serving tea was actually a brown bear from the mountain forests. As for the duo in the very last row... they were Leng Qingqing, who had insisted on sneaking in, and Leng Jing, who had been dragged along. Han Ziling smiled slightly and closed his book. "It seems we have a few extra guests among my disciples today." Everyone’s gaze immediately fell upon the uninvited guests: the Leng father and son, and the Crown Prince. Ling Suyan quickly spoke up, "Master, this Master Chen Dongfang is a friend of mine. He came specifically to pay his respects out of admiration for you." The Prince, using the alias Chen Dongfang, hurriedly performed a salutation. The hermit Ziling smiled and said, "There is no need for such ceremony, young master. Your status is exalted; I cannot possibly accept such a grand gesture from you." It seemed he had known the Prince's identity all along. He then turned his gaze toward the Leng duo. Leng Qingqing said hurriedly, "Great Master, I have brought my son to seek apprenticeship. Xiao Jing, quickly kowtow to your Master!" Unable to argue with him, Leng Jing had no choice but to kneel before the hermit Ziling. "I ask that the Master accept me as a disciple." The hermit Ziling looked slightly taken aback. "For a True Dragon to take me as a teacher... that is something I truly cannot afford." After finishing his bow, Leng Jing replied, "I am but a wild dragon wandering the mountains, rootless and unsettled. It is my honor to meet you, Master. I implore you to show mercy and take me in." The Prince stared at this scene with wide eyes, thinking to himself: *Is this handsome youth really a dragon?* He had always prided himself on being the "True Dragon Son of Heaven," but he never expected to see a real dragon today. It was a novel experience. He whispered to Ling Suyan, "He's probably a charlatan. Why don't we ask him to show his true form?" Ling Suyan shot him a glare, telling him not to speak nonsense. The hermit Ziling spoke, "Your destiny does not follow the path of a wild dragon. Yesterday, I cast a divination and found that I was meant to encounter an 'Anomalous Dragon' today. An Anomalous Dragon belongs neither to the seas, nor the heavens, nor the mountains and waters. It is not recorded in the Register of Dragons. The ascension of an Anomalous Dragon is a portent of great calamity and the destruction of the heavens, as written in the celestial scrolls. I dare not accept you!" Leng Jing replied, "Master, you speak of destiny and fate. My meeting with you today is also a matter of destiny, something that cannot be avoided by human effort. If you say I am a portent of great calamity, it is true that I have encountered many strange occurrences. However, in my view, so-called disasters are the accumulated results of various prior causes; the root does not lie within me. Master, you are a remarkable man who can glimpse the secrets of heaven; you should deeply understand the principles of celestial change and know that fortune and woe are intertwined, and that all things move in cycles. While the appearance of an Anomalous Dragon represents great calamity and extinction, it also carries another layer of meaning: the rebirth that follows destruction. Why should you be afraid, Master?" "Ha! What a sharp little dragon, what a clever little dragon." After hearing this, the hermit Ziling nodded. "You were able to see through the intent of my words; you possess great spiritual roots. Your future cultivation will surely be limitless. I can only serve as a guide. Today, I shall be your Master, but I hope you will remember one thing I say." "Please speak, Master," Leng Jing said. "Your power will reach the heavens and penetrate the earth, exceeding the very limits of the sky. I only hope that in the future, you do not forget the grace of the living beings who nurtured you. Do not forget the suffering of the world, and do not bring ruin to the creatures of the Three Realms," the hermit Ziling said with profound earnestness. "I understand," Leng Jing replied. He then offered the formal apprentice's tea, officially becoming a disciple of the hermit Ziling. Once the ceremony was over, Leng Qingqing looked at Leng Jing with starry eyes, full of admiration. "Xiao Jing, you're so amazing! What you said just now was so logical!" Leng Jing huffed and handed him the small stool he had received from his Master. The two of them officially joined the Bamboo Garden sect—though Leng Qingqing was merely there as an accompanying family member. The other senior brothers came forward to congratulate Leng Jing on his arrival. The Eldest Senior Brother, the Tiger King, wanted to spar with him, calling it a "clash between dragon and tiger." The Second Senior Brother, the Mandala Flower, sprinkled pollen and threw flirtatious glances at him. The Third Senior Brother, the Little White Rabbit, hit it off immediately with Leng Qingqing—truly, birds of a feather flock together. The Fourth Senior Brother, Ling Suyan, barely got a few words in with Leng Jing before being pulled aside by the Prince, who provocatively demanded to see Leng Jing's true form. "Are you really that eager to see me naked?" Leng Jing asked coldly. "You!!" The Prince, rebuffed, gritted his teeth. "Just you wait!" *** Life on Mount Donghua was quite peaceful. Aside from listening to the hermit Ziling’s lectures every day, the rest of the time was spent chopping wood, cooking, and practicing cultivation. Each disciple had their own specialty. Leng Jing chose a musical instrument as an elective, while his mandatory subject was martial arts. The hermit Ziling did not teach Leng Jing magic spells; instead, he taught him the Principles of the Heavenly Dao. His relationship with his senior brothers was relatively harmonious. Leng Qingqing often acted silly with the White Rabbit, frequently causing everyone to burst into laughter with their antics. Of course, Leng Jing never laughed at them, as he felt that mocking them was a complete waste of time. Before they knew it, a month had passed in the mountains. One day, a friend of the hermit Ziling sent a letter, asking him to send over some high-quality tea leaves so they could enjoy them together. Since the hermit Ziling was currently in secluded meditation, the Bear and Tiger brothers took it upon themselves to send the newcomer, Leng Jing, to run the errand. The Prince had also wandered enough and was preparing to return to the Imperial Palace. He pestered Ling Suyan to fulfill his wish—to see a real dragon. Specifically, he wanted Leng Jing to reveal his true form. Caught in the middle, Ling Suyan had no choice but to wear Leng Jing down with endless persuasion and sweet talk. Finally, he traded three months of doing Leng Jing’s chores for the chance to see Leng Jing "bare it all" once. The excited Prince brought along some wine and snacks, heading to the lakeside with Ling Suyan to "admire the dragon." The weather that day was exceptionally fine, with not a cloud in the sky. The waters of the small lake were crystal clear. Leng Jing had already transformed into his dragon shape and was waiting at the bottom of the lake. Sure enough, after a short while, the Prince and Ling Suyan arrived, chatting and laughing. They spread a blanket by the shore, set out the wine and food, and began to eat and drink. The Prince even had the audacity to shout toward the surface of the lake, "Little White Dragon, come out and show us what you look like! And while you're at it, perform a little entertainment for us!" As soon as he finished speaking, ripples began to form on the lake's surface. A section of snow-white, lustrous dragon horn gradually emerged from beneath the water. The Prince clapped his hands and laughed, "Little White Dragon, should I praise you for making your props look so realistic?" In truth, he still harbored doubts about whether Leng Jing was actually a dragon. After all, there were only legends of dragons in the world; who had ever truly seen one? The dragon horns in the lake gradually moved closer to the shore, finally stopping less than ten feet away from them. The Prince said impatiently, "Little White Dragon, are you a fake? What are you doing? Are you only going to show us some white tree branches you found?" Just as he spoke, there was a sudden splash of water. A dragon's head emerged from the lake. Seeing a dragon's head from such a close distance could only be described with one word: breathtaking. Leng Jing opened his mouth, revealing sharp fangs, then rose from the water, bringing his head right in front of the Prince's face to stare him in the eye. After a moment of silence, the Prince let out a piercing shriek—"MOMMY!"—and promptly fainted, falling unconscious to the ground. *** The Prince had fainted. Leng Jing took the opportunity to change back into his human form in the lake, put on his clothes, and get to work. Before leaving, he didn't forget to remind the stunned Ling Suyan, "Remember, you're doing the chores for the next three months." He then picked up his luggage to deliver the tea leaves to his Master's friend. This was the first time Leng Jing had decided to leave Leng Qingqing for a significant amount of time. Consequently, Leng Qingqing had prepared a massive bundle for him, filled to the brim with food, daily necessities, and clothes. He had put everything imaginable inside, but it was only after Leng Jing had been gone for a long time that he realized he had forgotten to pack the tea leaves. By then, Leng Jing was already far away.