Chapter Seven, Sacred Scales of the Dark Fish

Xiang Su was completely unaware of the intricate inner struggles that "Bird" had gone through, happily stroking her now tender skin as she walked joyfully, the delight of becoming beautiful overshadowing her hunger.

The Kunpeng arrogantly raised its chin, calling for the clouds to depart, while Xiang Su clumsily clung to the edge of the clouds, using both hands and feet to climb up. This black bird has a hasty temperament, and even after transforming into a human form, it still flies with great vigor and speed

Xiang Su secretly shook her head; the sovereign's words were indeed unpalatable, especially when delivered in that bland tone, making it even more difficult to refute and causing deep discomfort. She glanced at Ming Yu, who had indeed lowered his head, clearly hurt.

The celestial official stood by the water's edge, preparing to summon the nether fish. The eastern sky, with its faint clouds, spoke first. "Nether fish, do you still require someone else to invite you to appear before me?"

Dong Tianyun smiled lightly again, "No rush, I can wait." Such a seemingly ordinary statement, however, made Ziyin's face even redder, and the tears in her eyes were about to spill over

Xiang Su was confused, wondering how to take advantage of the situation. Just as she was about to ask, Kunpeng suddenly recalled the humiliation related to "sharp beak" and glared at her fiercely, causing Xiang Su to be too frightened to speak.

Xiang Su took a deep breath to calm herself, thinking that Kunpeng should be quite reliable, after all, it was with Dong Tianyun. "What are we going to do in the human realm?" she asked again in confusion, recalling that Dong Tianyun said he would solve her problems.

The Kunpeng snorted, expressing disdain for the little fairy spirit who had never seen the world; he himself was also exceptionally outstanding in appearance within the Golden Spirit Realm

"Gululu," her stomach growled again, as she had just drunk quite a bit of water from the Clear Pool. The sound of gululu was now accompanied by the splashing of water, becoming even louder. Dong Tianyun squinted, looking disdainfully at her new servant from beneath her eyelashes. He had just cleaned her up, but she didn't know where he had rolled in the mud again. When she saw him looking at her, she felt a bit scared and sneezed.

"Kunpeng." Dongtian Yun casually instructed, "You take her to the human realm to resolve her issues."

Xiang Su instinctively felt fear in such a scene, shrinking back into the thicket at the foot of the mountain. A whirlwind swept the moisture into the air, which at that moment transformed into raindrops falling down, soaking her clothes, leaving her feeling cold to the bone. In the air, there were faint sounds of weapons clashing, and a high-pitched dragon's roar pierced through the clouds. When Xiang Su looked up, she only saw a dragon's tail flash between the dark clouds. Because her sister Qing Sui had offended the Dragon God, she had seen a dragon before. Could it be that the Ming Yu was actually a dragon?

The rain gradually ceased, the surface of the lake returned to calm, and the dark clouds in the sky thinned and dispersed

The dark fish sensed a formidable enemy approaching, rising up in its full length. The splashes of water beneath it transformed into a dragon's whirl, conjuring a massive whirlwind. In an instant, the heavens and the earth changed color, as if a storm were imminent

Suddenly, she thought of a serious problem, jumping up in a panic, "Where is the gourd? You haven't swallowed it, have you? Open your mouth, let me take a look!"

"Your... your stomach keeps growling, it's quite loud. Xiang Su is a bit unable to bear it and looks pleadingly at the still cold-faced Dong Tianyun.

Xiang Su parted her hair, rubbing the spot where Kunpeng had pecked her, trembling with fear yet unwilling to give up as she ran to Kunpeng's side, repeatedly murmuring like a chant: "Spit it out, spit it out, spit it out..."

Before the voice had faded, a towering wall of water several meters high surged up from the surface, and a young man dressed in light blue leaped out of the water. Xiang Su quickly stepped back a few paces, fearing that the icy water would splash onto her. Strangely, the splashes beneath the young man's feet did not fall for a long time, as if they were clouds supporting him. The young man hesitated for a moment, knelt on one leg on the water, and greeted in a somewhat indifferent manner: "May the Sovereign of the World be well."

Dong Tianyun smiled lightly, a subtle charm that was hard to articulate, or at least that was how Xiang Su felt. The woman in purple and the girl behind her were momentarily stunned by this smile, clearly sharing the same sentiment as her

"Endure it." Dong Tianyun was extremely rude, and Xiang Su was on the verge of tears. Is this a punishment

Regarding the various matters after the shaping, the Mountain God did not speak? Dong Tianyun frowned, and Qing Sui was negligent in her duties, as could be seen from her place of birth

The surrounding plants have undergone significant changes, and Xiang Su is very sensitive to these, feeling as if they are traversing the four seasons, moving from spring all the way to winter. Indeed, by the cold pool in the mountain hollow, there are only cold-resistant plants, and even white frost has formed. Xiang Su, with her low magical power, clearly feels cold, and her teeth are chattering.

"It is merely three pieces of scale armor, why be so stingy?" Dong Tianyun said, gazing ahead, and then raised his chin as Kunpeng spread its wings and soared high. Xiang Su turned back to glance at the pitiful Mingyu, and in anger, he turned his head away.

"You... you..." Xiang Su stared wide-eyed, circling around Kunpeng. She was overreacting; not only the Weaving Maidens were watching her and Kunpeng, but even the clouds of the Eastern Sky cast cold glances at her, probably disapproving of her embarrassment. Xiang Su restrained her expression of surprise; indeed, Kunpeng could be considered a divine beast. Having followed Dong Tianyun for so many years, it was unreasonable for him not to take human form; even the Underworld Fish had human forms. She looked up at Kunpeng's face and sincerely said: "You are still good like this."

The Purple Star Palace is built on a celestial island in the sea, surrounded by swirling auspicious clouds, with shimmering waters reflecting light. The island is home to extraordinary flowers and rare herbs, which Xiang Su has never encountered before

The young lady in purple gracefully bowed to Dong Tianyun and then said with a hint of sourness: "It has been a long time since the Sovereign of the Universe has come, perhaps you have long forgotten about Zi Yin. I wonder what important matter brings you to this humble place today?" As she spoke, her eyes glanced at Dong Tianyun, sparkling and seemingly not truly angry.

The Kunpeng hesitated for a moment, tilting its head to cast a disdainful glance at Xiang Su. Xiang Su couldn't quite see how it happened; she only noticed it lower its head and move its mouth, and the large gourd in her hand vanished! "You... you better not eat it!" Xiang Su was about to jump up, wishing she could pry open the Kunpeng's mouth. She really reached out, but the Kunpeng, unable to endure any longer, pecked her on the forehead. Since coming out of the Qingze Pool, Xiang Su hadn't bothered to comb her hair, and with that peck from the Kunpeng, she bent down in pain, her hair cascading down to cover her face, turning her into a walking mop. "You... you better not eat it!" Xiang Su was about to jump up, wishing she could pry open the Kunpeng's mouth. She really reached out, but the Kunpeng, unable to endure any longer, pecked her on the forehead. Since coming out of the Qingze Pool, Xiang Su hadn't bothered to comb her hair, and with that peck from the Kunpeng, she bent down in pain, her hair cascading down to cover her face, turning her into a walking mop. The Kunpeng looked on with satisfaction, striding confidently to follow its master.

The Kunpeng harbored a slight grudge over the earlier "insult" from Xiang Su, as the master clearly took pleasure in the misfortune, maliciously stating: "Of course it is an excuse; if the Ziyin Dragon Maiden is to weave treasures, she must be allowed to gain some advantage."

"These three fish scales, weave a silk ribbon for her." The words that followed from Dong Tianyun were quite unappealing, causing the tenderness on Ziyin's face to stiffen slightly. Reluctantly, she cast a glance at Xiangsu, who was sitting on the back of the Kunpeng with Dong Tianyun, and said nothing. Dong Tianyun elegantly descended from the back of the Kunpeng, taking the initiative to present the three fish scales in the palm of his hand before Ziyin's eyes

Kunpeng heard the sound of his blood vessels bursting

Dong Tianyun seemed not to have heard him speak, leisurely watching the birds. Xiang Su, familiar with the route, could tell at a glance that he was about to leave, and quickly ran over, jumping onto the back of the Kunpeng.

Xiang Su felt a wave of frustration, as if she could no longer understand human speech. It seemed that whatever the two of them said was shrouded in mystery, and she had a vague sense of something amiss but could not articulate the reason.

"Scales of the Underworld Fish?" Zi Yin exclaimed in surprise, and then cast a resentful glare at Xiang Su, leaving Xiang Su utterly confused. What had she done to offend her with those piercing looks?

It must be said that the kind of person raises the kind of bird; the Kunpeng still walks with its head held high, completely ignoring her, displaying a deafness that is strikingly similar to that of its owner

Xiang Su apologetically wiped her nose with her sleeve. Like tears, this was a novel experience for her. She even sniffed her sleeve, finding it to have no particular scent

Dong Tianyun frowned, disdainfully waved her sleeve, and used the Water Reversal Technique again to dry herself. Unable to contain her anger, she questioned, "What did you learn while cultivating on Lingze Mountain?" How could one be so ignorant!

Kunpeng nodded, emitting a dazzling light all around. Xiang Su shielded her eyes with her hand, and when she lowered it again, she found that Kunpeng had transformed into a young man in black clothing. Xiang Su stared at him, surprised that his true form was so dark, yet in human form he appeared quite fair. Kunpeng felt a sense of pride as she gazed at him; the infatuated looks from the weavers of the Purple Micro Palace were even more gratifying than usual.

Xiang Su stole a glance at Dong Tianyun, who appeared to be unfazed. Her new lord... was truly shameless. He went to their door and tore off three scales, yet accused them of being petty, wearing a disdainful expression as if the dark fish had wronged him.

Dong Tianyun raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue

"Please go in." Dong Tianyun's voice sounded very pleasant. When he spoke so softly to Ziyin, it made her blush and her heart race, leading him through the palace gate

"I heard that after they take shape, men and women are different!" Xiang Su subtly glanced at her own chest, then looked at Dong Tianyun's flat chest. Bai Zhicao and the others were indeed right; they are different. Dong Tianyun silently flexed his veins, staring ahead, no longer wanting to pay her any attention. Xiang Su found confirmation and became eager to show off: "After taking shape, there's no need to rely on blooming and bearing fruit to produce seeds; a man and a woman can be together..." Xiang Su felt a jolt, as if the Kunpeng had lost its wings, stumbling slightly while flying. Xiang Su found confirmation and became eager to show off: "After taking shape, there's no need to rely on blooming and bearing fruit to produce seeds; a man and a woman can be together..." Xiang Su felt a jolt, as if the Kunpeng had lost its wings, stumbling slightly while flying.

Kunpeng clenched his fist, suppressing the thought of pushing her down from the clouds, and squeezed out the words between his teeth: "Rest assured! I have taken care of it."

Xiang Su speculated that this young man was Ming Yu, which explained his exceptional water control abilities. Wasn't Ming Yu the steed of the Water Emperor? How could he take on a human form? A terrifying image appeared in her mind— the Water Emperor, Qing Ze, seated atop Ming Yu's shoulders, the two of them soaring through the clouds in a lotus position. ... In comparison ... it was still much more pleasing to the eye to see the Emperor riding a bird. She couldn't help but cast an admiring glance at Kunpeng. Kunpeng, feeling her gaze, became agitated and unconsciously scratched the ground with his sharp claws. ... It was still much more pleasing to the eye to see the Emperor riding a bird. She couldn't help but cast an admiring glance at Kunpeng. Kunpeng, feeling her gaze, became agitated and unconsciously scratched the ground with his sharp claws.

The celestial official at the front, with a pale complexion, turned back to glance, while Dong Tianyun, unusually, did not cast a disdainful glance, nor did his pace change; the celestial official had no choice but to turn back and continue leading the way.

Xiang Su, carrying the gourd, walked at the back, feeling the weight and wondering how far the cold pool was. She was already starting to pant. The celestial officials from Qingze Mansion were leading them deeper into the valley. Xiang Su glanced at the Kunpeng walking in front of her; although it was a bird, it walked with a more dignified demeanor than a human, holding its head high and standing tall. Xiang Su made an effort to quicken her pace, catching up to its side, and forced a smile, saying: "Kunpeng—"

Go to the Purple Tenuity Palace! The voice of Dong Tianyun was rarely tinged with thin anger, startling Xiang Su, who quickly fell silent. Indeed, one should not be too ostentatious in life

"Good! I want to weave a fire-repelling silk ribbon of the Three Realms!" Zi Yin readily agreed, and without any transition, she displayed a face full of shyness, leaving Xiang Su momentarily stunned, gazing at her intently, unsure of what expression she would show next. "However... weaving the silk with sacred materials such as the scales of the Nether Fish will require some time."

"My attendant, of course, cannot be too shabby; you know how temperamental Chi Lin can be," Dong Tianyun said somewhat displeased, emphasizing the word "attendant." Xiang Su was even more confused, wondering why the mention of the red phoenix came up out of nowhere. To her astonishment, as soon as the red phoenix was mentioned, the woman in purple immediately dropped her previous melancholic expression and eagerly nodded in agreement.

Xiang Su endured for a moment and continued to smile: "Could you help me carry this? It's too heavy, I can't lift it at all."

Xiang Su looked at the woman in purple with a puzzled expression. She had only recently taken form and had not yet heard anyone speak in such an elaborate manner, making it difficult for her to grasp the true meaning of what was being said.

Xiang Su smiled reassuringly, "This way, you won't be able to peck at me with your sharp beak."

Oh, oh. Xiang Su was startled by his sudden outburst and then felt a bit confused, "Did the Ziwei Palace not have anything to eat?" It looks quite luxurious, and even if the fairies have high cultivation, it is impossible that there is not a single bite to eat, yet she still has to rush to the human realm.

The Kunpeng was defeated by her, and unwilling to accept this, it opened its mouth to show her the small jade gourd that was safely placed inside.

It has been over a hundred years since we last met, and it seems that you have made little progress

Accustomed to being respectfully addressed as "Lord Kunpeng," it was deeply hurt by the term "bird." Its wings fluttered slightly, tempted to give her a good thrashing, when at that moment, the eastern sky's clouds slightly turned their face. Having followed its master for a long time, Kunpeng could understand every subtle movement of his, and this perfect profile was a signal for it not to embarrass the Water Realm's celestial official in front of this dead tree. The wings patiently returned to their original position, and Kunpeng gazed ahead, walking with a heavy and resolute demeanor. Having followed its master for a long time, Kunpeng could understand every subtle movement of his, and this perfect profile was a signal for it not to embarrass the Water Realm's celestial official in front of this dead tree. The wings patiently returned to their original position, and Kunpeng gazed ahead, walking with a heavy and resolute demeanor.

Eat! The Kunpeng is about to roar

Xiang Su felt once again looked down upon by the new monarch, secretly blaming Bai Zhi Cao. Generally, flower spirit trees that have taken form are rarely content to remain in one place for hundreds of years. Once they finally gain the ability to move, they naturally want to explore and see the world in all directions. Although Bai Zhi Cao is a mountain deity, she often ventures out. Moreover, upon returning, she only shares trivial matters, leaving Xiang Su unaware of the many flaws she has developed after taking on a human form. "We mainly discuss among ourselves..." she said, trying to save face. Moreover, upon returning, she only shares trivial matters, leaving Xiang Su unaware of the many flaws she has developed after taking on a human form. "We mainly discuss among ourselves..." she said, trying to save face.

The Kunpeng did not immediately land upon reaching the Ziwei Palace, but instead slowed its speed and circled in the sky, letting out a clear whistle. Xiang Su clearly saw that the previously quiet Ziwei Palace was suddenly filled with elegantly dressed women pouring out from various halls. Only then did the Kunpeng majestically descend onto the Han jade steps in front of the Ziwei Palace, where the women, led by a girl in purple, hurriedly came out to greet it. Xiang Su was captivated by their attire, which was exquisitely detailed and beautiful, to the extent that their faces were overshadowed by the splendor of their garments.

Xiang Su let out a sigh of relief, somewhat reproaching herself as she tapped her head, "I forgot, birds use their beaks to carry things." She then cautiously reminded, "You mustn't swallow it!"

Xiang Su gazed at the sky, reminiscing that the Hundred Knowledge Grass had taught them quite a bit, "to absorb the essence of the sun and moon..."

Xiang Su shook off the rainwater from his body, shivering as he emerged from the thicket, and saw Dong Tianyun and Ming Yu standing by the shore. Ming Yu's expression was quite unpleasant, as he held his breath and said to Dong Tianyun: "Sheng Huan Emperor, please return the scales to me."

"Ziyin." He merely called her name softly and said nothing more, yet Ziyin's face flushed as if she had heard countless sweet nothings.

This sword, which draws wind and conquers water, was originally intended for your master to test, but unfortunately, he is not here, so you will have to do. After Dong Tianyun finished speaking, he leaped into the air. What left Xiang Su dumbfounded was that a splash of water also emerged beneath Dong Tianyun's feet, supporting him, larger and more imposing than that of the Mingyu. Isn't he the Master of Gold? How can he also control water?