Chapter 38 Transformation in the Jade Pool
Chang Hao's concerns were not unfounded. Li Shan, which had nothing, was insignificant, but with Chang Hao's careful arrangements, it was no longer the same as before.
He pinned down the rat that had sneaked into Lishan and took back the Yin-Yang Lamp that he had left in the inner hall for lighting. "Don't you know that Lishan has an owner?" He had good eyesight. The Yin-Yang Lamp was a special innate spiritual treasure that he had placed in his wedding hall when it was brightly lit.
"Mountain Lord, spare my life! I only stumbled into this place while fleeing from a powerful enemy. I would never have dared to have any intention of occupying the mountain." Duobao cursed inwardly. If he had known this would happen, he would not have taken any chances. No matter how dazzling the spiritual treasures inside were, he could not resist the temptation.
"You are the number one treasure-hunting rat in the world, you will not leave without a treasure. Do you think I would believe the story of you accidentally wandering in?" Chang Hao raised an eyebrow. He wasn't stupid. How could he possibly run away with a spiritual treasure after accidentally wandering in?
Duobao's round, watery eyes and its bristling fur were filled with fear, panic, and pleading. If it were shrunk down, this breed would be quite cute and good-looking. However, what was in front of Chang Hao now was a huge creature that was particularly hard on the eyes.
Chang Hao remained silent for a moment, then tapped Duo Bao's forehead, shrinking him into a miniature pet mouse, a fluffy ball of fur. Sure enough, this was still the most pleasing to the eye.
Chang Hao picked up Duobao by the tail, tossed it into the running wheel, placed it on a rock, and stared at the Duobao running wheel while resting his chin on his hand.
Duobao lay sprawled in the wheel that Chang Hao had conjured, his fluffy, round mouse fur standing on end. "Mountain Lord, spare me! Duobao only knew that there were spiritual treasures here, so I thought I'd try my luck. I won't do it again next time."
"Considering that you have not caused any damage to Lishan, but the fact that you stole the innate spiritual treasure is true, you cannot be let off lightly. I will punish you by making you guard Lishan for me for ten thousand years. Are you willing?" Chang Hao recalled his vague but beautiful and brief memories and was in a great mood.
Duobao's eyes widened suddenly. Had he heard correctly? He was just a minor Golden Immortal, hiding from one place to another every day, with no place to settle down. Guarding Lishan, even if he was being punished, was still a feng shui treasure land where he could cultivate in peace. Was his luck finally turning around?
"You're unwilling?" Chang Hao misunderstood. He looked Duobao up and down again and realized that Duobao was a tough nut to crack, someone who would rather die than submit.
"Yes, yes, Duobao accepts the punishment." Duobao was afraid that if he agreed too late, Chang Hao would change his mind, and where else could he find such a good thing?
"Since you've agreed, then sign this contract. Guarding the mountain isn't something you can just stand around doing; you have your own tasks to do. Let me make this clear: once you sign this contract, it's equivalent to you swearing an oath to the heavens. If you break it, may you be struck down by the heavens." Chang Hao wrote a few strokes in the air, and what he wrote appeared in mid-air.
Duobao stared at it for a few moments, and although he didn't understand what it meant, he didn't hesitate to imprint it into his soul. Soon, various rules and regulations appeared in his mind. Guarding the mountain for ten thousand years, what he had to do was everything from protecting Lishan from any living creatures to keeping the Mingzheng Palace clean and tidy...
"Do a good job, and when the ten thousand years are up, you may descend the mountain on your own." Chang Hao felt he had found a way that satisfied both sides, one that was both principled and merciful.
“Mountain Lord,” Duobao said with difficulty, “Duobao’s strength is too weak. If the Mountain Lord is not here, how can we defend Lishan?”
Chang Hao realized he had been negligent. Yuanshi had once erected a stone at the entrance of the mountain to deter visitors, but after returning, he forgot that the giant stone at the entrance of the mountain had been taken away by Yuanshi.
Chang Hao was too lazy to think of any other way, so he followed Yuanshi's example and moved a huge stone from Lishan, threw it on a spot, and wrote the two characters 'Lishan' on the stone. The characters were written in bold and powerful strokes, which were awe-inspiring.
Duobao secretly shed a tear. If there had been this boulder before, he would have run away from it and would never have dared to go up the mountain.
"Every drink and every bite is preordained; do not be obsessed." Chang Hao was in a good mood. He checked Lishan again to make sure no other rats had sneaked in, patted Duobao on the shoulder, and headed towards Zixiao Palace.
"Where does the mountain lord intend to go?" Duobao asked anxiously.
"Zixiao Palace." Chang Hao waved his hand; they were already a thousand miles away.
Duobao's envious gaze lingered for a long time. When would he also become a powerful figure and ascend to Zixiao Palace to listen to the Dao...?
Zixiao Palace remained exactly as it had been before he left, even though it had taken decades to travel there. Thinking about those decades, Chang Hao couldn't help but sigh, wondering when his time began to be measured in years.
"Senior brother, you're back. Yaochi missed you so much." A little girl in a purple robe, with her hair in a bun, looked up at Chang Hao with her chubby cheeks and full of dependence.
Chang Hao took a step back, and in an instant, he was transported back to the time when he was controlled. "Kid, who are you?" he thought. "Has he been transported back in time by the system again?"
Chang Hao's pinky trembled slightly. He looked around and only calmed his panicked emotions when he saw Hongjun. He then cast a puzzled look at the slowly approaching Hongjun.
"Not long after you descended to the mortal realm, the peach blossoms by the pond absorbed the drifting Yin and Yang energies of heaven and earth and took form. I named it Yaochi (Jade Pool)," Hongjun said leisurely.
"Wasn't it you who enlightened him?" Chang Hao asked suspiciously, his eyes gleaming with doubt. Hongjun loved doing things like forcing growth.
"You forgot?" Hongjun wasn't angry at being misunderstood, and said frankly, "You liked to cultivate under this peach tree the most. Over time, Yaochi developed intelligence and naturally became most dependent on you."
What Hongjun didn't say was that he originally came to the Three Lights Divine Water Pool intending to enlighten a peach blossom, but unexpectedly, he discovered that the peach blossom itself had developed a hazy intelligence.
This was an extremely rare event, and it could be considered an unconventional way for the peaches to save themselves. So he went with the flow and used the innate Yin and Yang energies to "save" her. This was the fortune and opportunity of Yaochi.
Chang Hao looked down at the little girl, then squatted down to look Yaochi in the eye and asked, "Now that you have taken human form, why do you maintain the body of a child?"
"Senior brother is like this too..." Yaochi had only met two people, Hongjun and Changhao. Her instinct made her fear Hongjun and be close to Changhao, so she naturally chose the way Changhao was at the beginning.
Hongjun walked away with his hands behind his back, clearly acting as a hands-off manager, not realizing there was anything wrong with it. Chang Hao was raised in the same way back then, and he turned out fine.
"Senior brother..." Yaochi glanced at Hongjun's back with fear and unease, then tugged at Chang Hao's sleeve and followed closely behind.
Seeing the unease and confusion hidden in Yaochi's eyes, Chang Hao sighed. Remembering how he had once felt the same confusion and helplessness, he softened. "Yaochi, let your senior brother settle you down for now, and we'll talk about it later."
"Senior brother..."
"What is it?" Well, Chang Hao gave in. As a result of forcing Yaochi's growth, her current mental state is like that of a five or six-year-old girl, a blank sheet of paper. He'll just treat her like a little sister.
Hongjun really knows how to cause trouble for him.
"I want to learn swordsmanship. Senior Brother's sword dance is so beautiful." Back when Yaochi was on the branch, she would always unconsciously sway her petals. I wonder if Senior Brother still has the peach wood sword she gave him?
“Okay, I’ll teach you.” When cultivation was mentioned, Chang Hao realized something. “Let me test your foundation. Relax, calm your mind and spirit, and let your qi follow your body.”
“Okay,” Yaochi raised her hand sensibly, her chubby face wrinkled. She thought she would suffer a bit, but Chang Hao was very gentle, like a gentle breeze, without any ripples.
"How is it, Senior Brother?" Although Yaochi had just taken human form, she knew the importance of innate talent.
Chang Hao lowered his eyes and said, "Yaochi has good potential. Given time, she will surely become a great power in the prehistoric world."
Chang Hao inwardly cursed. He had thought Yaochi could grow up after transforming into this form, but it turned out that once a primordial being takes human form, its shape is basically fixed. Fortunately, there was still hope.
"That's great." Yaochi smiled broadly, then frowned, looked up at Chang Hao, and looked unhappy.
Chang Hao thoughtfully prepared a small Taoist robe for Yaochi, and made sure she received all her daily necessities. From now on, she would be his little sister, and he couldn't let anyone else mistreat her.
Looking at the simple boudoir, Chang Hao was extremely dissatisfied and directly ordered a set that looked exactly like his own bedroom.
Chang Hao had intended to cultivate with Yao Chi, but someone had already arrived outside Zixiao Palace. He quickly gave Yao Chi a few instructions and went to the main hall, hiding behind the curtain to observe the situation.
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