When Feng Ziyuan woke, he found himself lying upon a clean, comfortable bed. He was in Leng Jing’s mountain villa.
It was already broad daylight. Leng Jing had headed out early to handle martial arts disputes, taking his seat at the Tianhua Escort Agency to resolve a public legal case within the pugilistic world. One of the parties involved refused to accept Leng Jing’s judgment and brought a large group of henchmen to cause a scene, turning the entire agency into a chaotic mess.
Leng Jing, naturally, stepped in to "mediate" without a second word. In a few swift moves, he had the entire crowd thoroughly subdued and obedient.
It was indeed a peculiar sight: a white dragon spending his time presiding over the mundane affairs of mortal martial artists. After settling the dispute, Leng Jing headed home via South Gate Street, picking up some snacks for Leng Qingqing along the way.
It was an ordinary day, much like the countless days he had spent over the past decade. Leng Jing had never thought of changing his current lifestyle. He strolled leisurely down the street, carrying buns wrapped in lotus leaves, as the townspeople who recognized him bowed respectfully in greeting.
However, as he reached the gates of the villa, he caught an unusual scent. A spiritual aura, far different from that of an ordinary person, lingered in the air. It seemed a formidable figure had arrived.
He pushed the door open and entered. The old housekeeper informed him that a gentleman named Feng Wanhua had come looking for him. Leng Jing walked into the main hall and saw Leng Qingqing engaged in a lively conversation with a refined gentleman dressed in green. Leng Jing recognized the man—it was the Phoenix Emperor. It turned out that this "Feng Wanhua" was none other than the Emperor himself, who had come specifically out of concern for his son.
"Son, come greet Uncle Feng." Leng Qingqing beckoned Leng Jing over with the air of a family patriarch.
The Phoenix Emperor smiled slightly at Leng Jing. "Nephew Leng, I owe you my thanks for saving my boy this time."
"It was nothing. Your Majesty is far too polite; I am truly humbled," Leng Jing said, bowing.
After a few more pleasantries, the Phoenix Emperor turned to the main point. "Though Ziyuan was saved, the damage from a Heavenly Tribulation is no small matter. I wonder, little dragon, is your body faring well?"
Leng Jing answered honestly, "This small dragon is a lightning dragon by birth. Therefore, I do not fear heavenly thunder."
The Phoenix Emperor replied, "It is thanks to your protection that he survived. Thus, I offer this treasure of the Phoenix Clan, the Spirit Gathering Pearl, as a token of my gratitude." As he spoke, he produced a brocade box from his robes. Upon opening it, a brilliant pearl was revealed, radiating five-colored splendor that instantly filled the hall with light.
"This Spirit Gathering Pearl can add a thousand years to one's cultivation. A mortal who consumes it can ascend to immortality. Please, accept it," the Phoenix Emperor explained.
Leng Jing glanced at the silly Leng Qingqing, who possessed a mere century of cultivation. His heart stirred, and he accepted the gift.
The Phoenix Emperor returned home, and the Leng Villa settled back into tranquility. Leng Jing began to deliberate on how to use the gift.
The white marten had been salivating over the Spirit Gathering Pearl for a long time, but out of fear of Leng Jing, it could only hold the pearl to satisfy its cravings, tears pattering down piteously.
Leng Jing snatched the pearl from its paws and handed it to Leng Qingqing, telling him to swallow it.
Leng Qingqing shook his head, insisting that his son should eat it. Leng Jing glared at him. After a brief, tense standoff, a trembling Leng Qingqing was forced to swallow the Spirit Gathering Pearl.
Instantly, he felt a searing heat in his lower abdomen. Right there in the bedroom, he reverted to his original form—a large white snake—and began thrashing about on the carpet.
Leng Jing grabbed the middle of the white snake’s body and said, "Father, bear with it. I’ll help you smooth out your Qi. This is your back, right?"
The great white snake turned its head, flicking its tongue with difficulty. "That’s my tummy~"
Leng Jing moved his hand up a bit. "Then what about here?"
"That’s my armpit~" Leng Qingqing rolled his eyes. "See, you don't even know where your daddy's back is... *sniff*... Xiao Jing doesn't care about Daddy at all..."
Leng Jing stiffly felt around the slippery, soft snake body. By the time he finally found the so-called snake back, the fire in Leng Qingqing’s belly had gradually subsided, replaced by an incredibly comfortable sensation that made his head feel hazy. The snake's tail coiled around Leng Jing, and its tongue flicked against Leng Jing’s face. He said happily and drunkenly, "It feels so good~ Son~~" He even ended up licking Leng Jing’s lips.
After a moment of frozen silence, Leng Jing asked, "Father, where is your 'seven-inch' vital spot?"
The floating, blissful Leng Qingqing mumbled dizzily, "Seven inches? Let me count... head, neck, armpit, waist, belly, thigh, calf, ankle... um, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven... the seven-inch spot is on the calf! Son, you're so silly!"
Leng Jing, firmly entangled by the great white snake, simply lay back on the carpet and let out a long sigh.
At that moment, a faint light began to emanate from the white snake’s body, and a soft cracking sound came from the top of its head—it was actually beginning to molt.
However, after molting, Leng Qingqing only seemed slightly thicker and longer than before; nothing else seemed special. Leng Jing finally managed to extricate himself from the coils as Leng Qingqing began to transform back into human form.
When he had completely returned to a naked human shape, Leng Jing couldn't help but rub his eyes. Leng Qingqing had actually transformed into a young man. His appearance had changed significantly from his previous teenage look; his stature had stretched, and his features were more refined and beautiful. From his outward appearance, he now looked even more mature and composed than Leng Jing. Before this, people had always assumed Leng Jing was Leng Qingqing’s older brother.
"Eh? Xiao Jing, why are you kneeling on the floor?" Leng Qingqing finally came to his senses. Looking at the dazed Leng Jing on the floor, he found it very strange.
Leng Jing stood up and took off his outer robe to give to him. He noticed then that Leng Qingqing had grown much taller, standing only slightly shorter than himself.
"I’ve grown taller!" Leng Qingqing discovered this fact as well and laughed with joy. At this moment, he felt his body brimming with power. He walked up to Leng Jing, grabbed him by the waist, and with a sudden lift, actually hoisted Leng Jing off the ground.
"Ahahaha! I can lift my son! I’m finally more powerful than my son! I’m going to discipline my son now!" Leng Qingqing shouted with even greater excitement, looking every bit the petty man who had suddenly come into power. It was unclear how "being able to lift his son" and "being able to discipline his son" had become equivalent concepts in Leng Qingqing’s mind.
*It’s just two thousand years of extra power. Fine, I’ll let you be happy for a few days,* Leng Jing thought disdainfully.
A Leng Qingqing with a thousand extra years of cultivation was indeed different from before.
The so-called difference was that Leng Qingqing suddenly developed the aura of a "nouveau riche" overnight. He believed he no longer had to fear the glares of Leng Jing, who only had fifty years of cultivation. Thus, early the next morning, a freshly dressed Leng Qingqing—looking very much the elegant young gentleman—carried a bowl of noodles to the bedside of the still-slumbering Leng Jing and cleared his throat loudly.
A groggy Leng Jing opened his eyes, glanced at Leng Qingqing standing there with hands on hips and noodles in hand, and then went back to sleep.
"Get up! Leng Jing! It’s time for breakfast! Today, Father is reclaiming the authority of discipline!" Leng Qingqing said aggressively.
"Tch... how boring..." Leng Jing huddled under the covers, unwilling to get up. Consequently, Leng Qingqing yanked the blanket away. Leng Jing was forced to climb out of bed, where Leng Qingqing shoved a bowl of noodles at him and compelled him to eat.
While Leng Jing slurped the noodles, Leng Qingqing stood by with his arms crossed. "From now on, Xiao Jing must respect his elders. No more baring teeth or glaring at your seniors. Otherwise... hmph hmph... Daddy will use his thousand years of cultivation to teach a lesson to disobedient children!"
Leng Jing appeared quite submissive and said nothing.
The white marten wiped away tears off to the side. If it had known that eating the pearl would make one so assertive that they could even suppress a white dragon, it would have swallowed the pearl at all costs!
During the day, Leng Jing went about his usual business handling martial arts affairs and even managed to close a silk trade deal. For some reason, he had a bad premonition all day. Sure enough, when he returned home in the evening, he found a massive cloud of demonic energy swirling above the Leng Villa.
Leng Jing’s face darkened, and he kicked open the villa gates.
The sight before him was so crowded he could hardly find a place to step.
The roof, the courtyard, the inner halls... there were demons everywhere!
Most of these were minor demons with shallow cultivation: mountain cats, foxes, wild dogs, snake spirits, wild boars... a total of no less than several hundred. These demons were singing and dancing joyfully, each holding a jar of fine wine.
Leng Qingqing stood at the highest point, drinking happily. The minor demons were all shouting, "Long live the Thousand-Year King!"
Leng Qingqing waved his hand with the air of a great leader. "Don't you worry, everyone! From now on, I’ll take care of all the demons in this area! With me, Leng Qingqing and my thousand years of cultivation, covering you, there's nothing to fear even if the sky falls!"
The "Ugly Little Snake" (Leng Jing) was instantly covered in metaphorical black lines.
As for why Leng Qingqing was acting this way, one only needs to imagine the psychology of a pauper who suddenly won five million. The same logic applied to Leng Qingqing suddenly gaining a thousand years of power.
Standing at the entrance, Leng Jing wordlessly snapped his fingers with his left hand behind his back. Immediately, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and before long, a torrential downpour began. The enthusiasm of the minor demons in the courtyard was instantly dampened; they scattered to seek shelter from the rain. Leng Qingqing stepped down from the table in disappointment. By now, most of the demons had left the courtyard, and he spotted Leng Jing standing at the gate. He scurried over to welcome his son home.
"Son, you're back!" Leng Qingqing smiled and pulled him inside, using his hand as a makeshift visor to shield his son from the rain.
With a thought, Leng Jing dismissed the rain clouds, and in an instant, it was sunny again. Summoning wind and rain required only a momentary intent; he didn't even need incantations or spells. The demons in the garden had all left, save for one person who remained leaning gracefully against a pomegranate tree.
"Young Master Qingqing, if I am not mistaken, this one is a dragon, isn't he?" the person said from the shade of the tree.
*Young Master? He called Leng Qingqing 'Young Master'?* Leng Jing raised an eyebrow and observed the person closely. He found the man possessed a cold, solitary elegance, with a countenance like clear ice and pure jade. Dressed in a pale green robe, he was a truly refined figure.
"Ah! Xiao Jing, this is a friend I just met, Yue Chenxuan. Master Yue is a very good fox!" Leng Qingqing introduced.
Hearing the phrase "very good fox," the man’s expression immediately soured. "Young Master Qingqing, what kind of talk is that?"
Leng Qingqing quickly corrected himself. "My apologies, Master Yue is not a 'very good fox,' he is a very good Black Fox."
Leng Jing bowed to the man. "Please forgive my father’s offense; allow this small dragon to apologize on his behalf."
The man’s expression softened slightly. "A reasonable dragon, at least. Young Master Qingqing, how is it that you have a dragon for a son?"
It turned out that the Black Fox was the most noble breed among fox immortals, cultivating by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Neither their appearance nor their spiritual power could be matched by ordinary "Enchantress Foxes." Rumor had it that Black Foxes were extremely rare, with only one appearing every three thousand years. It seemed this man had a significant background, which explained his arrogant demeanor.
Leng Jing answered on Leng Qingqing’s behalf, "This small dragon is a wild grass dragon from the mountains and marshes. I do not know my biological parents; it was my father who raised me."
"No wonder." Yue Chenxuan nodded slightly. "It seems your foundations as a grass dragon are decent. If you cultivate diligently, you may achieve something. Young Master Qingqing, I shall be troubling you for the next few days."
"No problem at all! Master Yue, please stay as long as you like. I’m the head of this house!" Leng Qingqing said proudly.
*You mean this fox is going to live here?* Leng Jing looked at Leng Qingqing wordlessly. Leng Qingqing nodded, seemingly understanding Leng Jing’s look.
Meanwhile, the white marten looked at the Black Fox—the greatest of all furry species—with stars in its eyes. It hid behind a stool, its face full of adoration.
As the white marten, now in human form, scrambled to lead the Black Fox to the guest rooms, Leng Jing finally spoke. "Father, why did you invite this fox here?"
"He came on his own! I didn't dare refuse him; he’s a Black Fox, after all... You know how Black Foxes are, but he shouldn't be a bad person," Leng Qingqing said.
"So what if he's a Black Fox? Why does a Black Fox get to stay for free? I’m a white dragon, and do you see me sponging off some other demon’s cave?" Leng Jing said displeasedly.
"But we used to sponge off Xue Rumeng’s cave..." Leng Qingqing whispered.
"...Regardless, for this Black Fox to suddenly show up here, he must be followed by a lot of trouble. Be careful," Leng Jing said, changing the subject.
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 聚灵珠 | Spirit Gathering Pearl | A treasure that grants 1,000 years of cultivation. |
| 凤挽华 | Feng Wanhua | The alias used by the Phoenix Emperor. |
| 世侄 | Nephew | A social term for the son of a friend/peer. |
| 草龙 | Grass Dragon | A humble or low-status term for a wild dragon. |
| 七寸 | Seven-inch spot | The traditional vital/fatal point of a snake. |
| 千年大王 | Thousand-Year King | The title the minor demons give Leng Qingqing. |
| 月尘轩 | Yue Chenxuan | The name of the Black Fox immortal. |
| 玄狐 | Black Fox / Mystic Fox | A rare and noble breed of fox immortal (Xuanhu). |
| 媚狐 | Enchantress Fox | A lower, more common type of fox spirit (Meihu). |
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The Ugly Little Snake: My Dragon Son | Chapter 27 | The Spirit Pearl's Gift | Novela.app | Novela.app
