Chapter 9 - The Emperor's Treachery
Leng Jing’s ascent from a lowly fifth-rank guard to a prince of the realm was nothing short of a meteoric rise. Within the span of a single day, he was escorted by a retinue of palace attendants to a resplendent imperial bedchamber, a place of such opulence that it seemed carved from the very dreams of the heavens. Palace maids, their movements as graceful as drifting petals, attended to him with meticulous care. They stripped away his coarse guard’s uniform and replaced it with robes of moon-white celestial silk, trimmed with intricate gold embroidery that shimmered like sunlight on water. His long, dark hair was gathered and secured with a crown of white jade and lustrous pearls.
When the transformation was complete, Leng Jing stood as a figure of breathtaking nobility. His natural, peerless beauty was heightened by the regal attire, lending him an aura of cold, commanding majesty that left the young maids breathless and dazed, their hearts fluttering in the presence of such a divine youth.
Just as the final touches were being made, a familiar head peeked through the shimmering curtain of pearl strands at the entrance. "Xiao Jing, I’m back," Leng Qingqing whispered.
Leng Jing reclined on the ornate lounging couch, his expression unreadable. "How did it go?"
"Eh? Oh my..." Leng Qingqing’s eyes widened as he stepped into the room. Seeing his son so radically transformed, he momentarily forgot his purpose, circling Leng Jing with a look of pure delight. "Xiao Jing, you look so handsome! Truly, you look like a real prince."
Leng Jing propped his head up on one hand, his gaze sharp. "Tell me, what did the Dragon Emperor say to you?"
Leng Qingqing fidgeted with his fingers, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks. "He said... he said that in a few days, he will officially crown me as his Empress."
"And did he touch you?" Leng Jing asked, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous register. He reached out and pulled Leng Qingqing down to sit beside him on the couch. As Leng Jing reclined, Leng Qingqing sat so close that he was nearly nestled in the youth's embrace.
"Big Brother Lie, he... well, he..." Leng Qingqing stammered, his words trailing off into an embarrassed silence.
"What happened?" Leng Jing pressed, a flicker of impatience crossing his brow.
"He... he used his mouth to touch mine," Leng Qingqing finally blurted out, his face burning.
Leng Jing’s expression darkened instantly. A heavy, rhythmic thud echoed against the floor. Leng Qingqing felt a sudden weight around his waist and legs; looking down, he saw a magnificent, silver-scaled dragon tail had manifested, coiling tightly around him before trailing off the couch to lash restlessly against the thick carpet.
"Did he do anything else?" Leng Jing continued his interrogation, seemingly oblivious to the fact that his agitation had forced a partial transformation of his true form.
"No, nothing else," Leng Qingqing replied earnestly.
Leng Jing stared into his eyes for a long moment, searching for any hint of a lie. Finding none, he let out a sharp, dissatisfied huff.
"Xiao Jing, are you... upset?" Leng Qingqing asked tentatively.
"Why would I be upset?" Leng Jing snorted, though his tail continued to twitch with a mind of its own.
Leng Qingqing remained silent, knowing all too well that his son only revealed his true form when his emotions were in turmoil.
"So," Leng Jing’s tail tapped rhythmically against Leng Qingqing’s leg, "tell me about your history with him. How exactly did you two meet?"
Leng Qingqing’s gaze turned distant as he delved into the past. "It was a very, very long time ago, back when I was still with the Snake God Clan. Big Brother Lie and I knew each other then. But later... the Demon Race launched a massive invasion. The Snake God Clan was annihilated. I managed to escape to the Bihai Cangtao Valley, and that was how I was separated from him."
"I see. So that is your origin," Leng Jing mused, nodding slowly.
"Indeed it is," a booming voice resonated from the doorway. Cang Lie, the Dragon Emperor, had followed them. His eyes narrowed as they landed on the silver dragon tail coiled possessively around Leng Qingqing. "Jing’er, have you still not mastered the art of concealing your true form?"
Leng Jing offered a cold, mocking smile before retracting his tail. His gaze met Cang Lie’s, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to crackle with invisible lightning.
"Shaoqing," Cang Lie said, stepping forward to pull Leng Qingqing into a doting embrace, "seven days from now is an auspicious date. I shall hold a grand ceremony to take you as my Empress." His tone was tender, but his eyes remained fixed on Leng Jing. "However, the Dragon Court has an ancient decree. To officially join the Imperial Clan, one must undergo a ritual in the Secret Dragon Pool. The sacred waters will wash away any lingering demonic aura. You and Jing’er shall undergo this together."
Leng Qingqing nodded obediently.
Cang Lie continued, "For those of demonic descent, the ritual can be excruciating. But you, Shaoqing, are a prince of the Snake God Clan; you should endure it easily. Jing’er, however, is a wild dragon of mixed blood—half-god, half-demon. The process will be far more agonizing for him. Therefore, I have brought a Dragon Pearl infused with my own spiritual essence. Jing’er, swallow this; it will dull the pain of the purification."
He produced a shimmering, azure crystal orb that pulsed with a soft, rhythmic light.
"That’s wonderful! Xiao Jing, hurry and take it," Leng Qingqing said happily, taking the pearl and pressing it into Leng Jing’s hand.
Leng Jing studied the orb for a moment, his eyes narrowed in calculation, before finally swallowing it in one gulp. "My thanks, Imperial Father."
As the pearl disappeared down Leng Jing’s throat, a faint, imperceptible smirk played across Cang Lie’s lips.
***
That night, Leng Qingqing did not return to his own quarters. Instead, he stayed in Leng Jing’s bedchamber, seeking the comfort of his son’s presence.
"Father, were you truly a prince of the Snake God Clan?" Leng Jing asked, unable to sleep.
"Mmh... I was the third-born," Leng Qingqing whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "I thought I would spend my entire life happy and safe under the care of my father, mother, and brothers. But one day, it was all gone. Everyone died... Mother hid me in a secret passage, so I survived... but everything else... everyone... they were all gone." He clung to Leng Jing’s back, weeping softly.
"How did they die?" Leng Jing asked quietly.
Leng Qingqing seemed to fall into a waking nightmare. "A great demon... clad in black armor... he carried a black sword dripping with blood. He killed everyone he saw. My eldest brother was hacked into pieces... then my second brother... even my father... the entire palace was drowned in blood. The demon stripped the skin from my father’s body... and hung it, raw and bleeding, at the main gates..."
Leng Qingqing shook his head violently, tears streaming down his face.
"I see," Leng Jing murmured. He turned over and pulled the older man into a firm embrace, patting his shoulder. "With me here, you have nothing to fear."
Seven days later.
On the night of the full moon, following a lavish banquet, Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing were led by high priests to the Secret Dragon Pool, the holiest site of the Dragon Clan. Deep within the recesses of the Dragon Court, the pool was a vision of ethereal beauty, surrounded by crystalline corals and shimmering with a mysterious, undulating light. Seven high priests stood waiting at the water's edge.
Cang Lie was there as well. He gave Leng Qingqing an encouraging kiss before signaling for the priests to begin.
After a series of complex incantations and prayers, Leng Jing, dressed in simple white robes, waded slowly into the pool. As the water rose, he shifted into his true form—a magnificent, ethereal white dragon. Even the priests gasped; the dragon’s form was more elegant and sublime than any they had witnessed in a thousand years. In the azure depths, the dark, demonic aura surrounding the white dragon began to dissipate like grey smoke.
But suddenly, the white dragon began to writhe in agony. A guttural, pained groan escaped its throat.
Leng Qingqing’s heart seized with terror. He looked toward Cang Lie, his eyes pleading. "Big Brother Lie, something is wrong!"
Cang Lie offered a hollow comfort. "Even with the Dragon Pearl, the pain of washing away one's sins is unavoidable. Do not worry; it will pass shortly."
However, Leng Jing’s condition only worsened. Crimson plumes of blood began to bloom in the water, quickly staining the entire pool a horrific, dark red.
"Stop! Stop it at once!" Leng Qingqing screamed, lunging toward the water. "Get him out! He’s going to die!"
Cang Lie’s hand clamped around Leng Qingqing’s wrist like a vice. "I told you not to worry!"
"No!" Leng Qingqing wrenched his hand free and scrambled to the edge of the pool. There, he saw the white dragon floating motionless, its life force seemingly extinguished. "Xiao Jing! Xiao Jing!"
"Hahahaha! Finally, he is dealt with." Cang Lie’s laughter erupted, cold and jagged. "It seems the combination of the corrosive poison in that Dragon Pearl and the Dragon-Devouring Pool is truly effective. A brat is just a brat, after all!"
"What... what are you saying, Big Brother Lie?" Leng Qingqing’s eyes went wide with shock.
Cang Lie folded his arms, a cruel sneer on his face. "Shaoqing, you are the only one left in this world who knows of my shameful past. It is only fitting that you die along with those memories!"
The "priests" suddenly surged forward, seizing Leng Qingqing and preparing to hurl him into the poisoned waters.
"Wait!" Leng Qingqing shrieked, struggling against their grip. "If I am to die, at least let me know the truth!"
Cang Lie stepped closer, his voice a low hiss. "Shaoqing, back then, I was nothing more than an Imperial Guard—a mere snake, just like you. How do you think I became the Dragon Emperor? I’ll tell you. An Immortal showed me the path to transformation. He guided me to the power I needed to rule the Dragon Clan. And the price? The entire Snake God Clan served as the sacrifice! Heh, Shaoqing, did you know? It was I who hacked your brothers into pieces. It was I who skinned your father..."
"Shut up!" Leng Qingqing snarled through gritted teeth, his grief turning into a white-hot rage. "That Immortal... who is he?!"
"There is no need for a wretch like you to know," Cang Lie said, making a sharp, dismissive gesture to the executioners.
***
