Free Web NovelChapter 1304: Chapter 1 You in the Distance
Lingxiao Secret Land.
A unicorn cloud-patterned Foreign Beast with a body length of three zhang plunged swiftly from high altitude, suddenly halting near the ground, then soared upward once more, straight into the heavens.
"Heeheehee..."
The clear laughter sounded like tinkling silver bells and shattering jade, freely scattering through the high skies.
If someone could draw close and look carefully, they would see a little girl with a face carved from pink jade sitting on the back of the Foreign Beast. freēwēbnovel.com
Her tiny body was nestled in the long cloud-like fur, almost indiscernible if not for her crisp and melodious laughter.
The only Cloud-stepping Beast in the world, darting up and down in the sky, occasionally rolling amongst the clouds.
The girl, with her little hands each tightly clutching a tuft of long fur, had an expression both tense and excited. When diving or soaring, she grew tense; when the flight smoothed out, she burst into laughter. A thin layer of cloud light swirled around her, ensuring she never fell off the back no matter how much she bounced around.
In this world, other than the father-daughter pair of Ye Lingxiao and Ye Qingyu, the only one who could frolic on the back of Cloud-stepping Beast A-Chou was Jiang Anan.
An adult and a child were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
A-Chou suddenly shrank in size and flashed back into the pavilion, gently and softly setting Jiang Anan down on a cloud-shaped seat.
"Someone’s coming!" A-Chou whispered: "Level B battle readiness!"
In the pavilion was merely a cloud-shaped table and two cloud seats, with wind whistling past their ears and views wide open on all sides.
Jiang Anan, looking serious, quickly crossed her legs in a seating position and her little hands fluttered intricately in front of her as she was manipulating Dao Elements, completing a Dao Technique.
And A-Chou stood in front of her, earnestly saying, "Your proficiency with the flowing cloud Seal Technique isn’t up to par. There’s a slight delay between the third and fourth seal."
Jiang Anan was evidently very obedient and diligent: "Then I will practice it a few more times!"
Just at this moment, a Taoist with the appearance of being in his fifties walked over from the other end of the Cloud Corridor.
"Greetings to Lord Cloud-stepping." The Taoist bowed respectfully.
"A-Chou" wasn’t a name just anyone could use, just like the name "Ye Xiaohua" was only circulated within a small circle.
As the guardian beast of Lingxiao Pavilion, disciples of the Pavilion called it Lord Cloud-stepping, while the people of Yun Country viewed it as a protective deity of the nation. Many people worshipped its images at home, believing it had the power to repel evil and avert disaster.
A-Chou nodded with dignity, considering that a returned greeting.
Jiang Anan politely stepped down from the cloud seat and greeted the Taoist: "Greetings to Teaching Instructor Hu."
Teaching Instructor Hu Lian of the Yunxiao Pavilion looked at her, then turned his gaze back to the guardian beast and earnestly said, "Lord Cloud-stepping, it’s time for An’an to attend her class."
"Ha!" A-Chou shook its head: "Isn’t An’an already in class?"
Hu Lian looked troubled and carefully reminded him, "Before the Sect Master left, he instructed you to watch over An’an. Teaching her Dao Techniques was my responsibility."
"What do you mean?"
A-Chou hopped onto the cloud table.
At this moment, it was only as big as a small dog, still trying to look fiercely dignified, but only managing to appear adorably threatening.
"Huh? What do you mean?" It angrily questioned, "You think you’re better than me?"
Hu Lian quickly bowed his head: "Of course not. It’s just that..."
"Just what? What just that?" A-Chou interrupted him: "You don’t trust my abilities? You question me? Little Hu, you’ve got quite the nerve!"
The term "Little Hu" hadn’t been heard for many years, considering Hu Lian himself was well into his fifties.
But given the age of this Cloud-stepping dignitary, calling him Little Hu was no issue at all.
Hu Lian smiled wryly: "How would I dare question you?"
He had no choice but to compromise: "Then let me verify An’an’s learning results. Although you personally teach her, as part of my duty, I must also be aware of her progress."
His reasoning was sound, leaving A-Chou with no room for stubborn argument, so it gave Jiang Anan a suggestive look: "Then show Teaching Instructor Hu!"
And immediately commanded: "Flowing Cloud Rope!"
Jiang Anan’s fingers interlocked rapidly as she completed the Seal Technique; a misty cloud-white "rope" swiftly emerged, darting out and swaying between two pavilion pillars.
"Hmm, not bad," Hu Lian nodded in approval.
In the hierarchy of Wandering Meridian Cultivators, this stream of flowing clouds rope had nothing to complain about, neither in the completeness of the Seal Technique nor in the smoothness of the Dao Technique’s formation.
"Then the next one..."
"That’s enough, that’s enough." A-Chou interrupted impatiently: "It’s fine if it’s been checked. It’s getting late, go back and rest. You’re getting older, don’t stay up too late now."
"Ah, this..." Hu Lian showed a hesitant look.
"What’s the matter, what’s the matter?" A-Chou seemed to be very displeased, the colorless water ball attached to its long tail swayed.
"The two with the surname Ye went out for a leisurely trip, leaving us at home. They have a good time, and we practice from dawn till dusk, ah, practice all day long for such a long time."
It said to Hu Lian: "We’ve already worked so hard, what more do you want?!"
Hu Lian had no choice but to say: "Please remember the Cloud Stepping Technique, make sure An’an practices it well, it’s the foundation of our Yunxiao Pavilion’s Escape Skills..."
A-Chou glared.
Hu Lian shut his mouth and turned to walk back.
Jiang Anan watched Hu Lian’s retreating figure with some unease: "A-Chou, are we being a bit too... Although Instructor Hu is usually fierce... My brother said that strict teachers produce outstanding students..."
A-Chou curled its lips dismissively: "You’re so short now, it’s not yet time for you to become an outstanding student!"
After saying that, it shook its body and leaped out of the pavilion, transforming into its thirty-foot true form. It turned its head: "Coming to play or not?"
Just as a smile appeared on An’an’s face, A-Chou flipped over and shrank back into the pavilion.
"Level C combat readiness." It whispered a reminder.
An’an then immediately sat properly and began absentmindedly forming hand seals.
Soon, a group of young cultivators squeezed onto a cloud chariot and rushed over at lightning speed. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Jiang Anan took one look and saw that on the cloud chariot, there were the Wang sisters of varying sizes, the bothersome Brother Mo Liang, and the square-faced Brother Xie Ruixuan.
The Daoist Decrees immediately scattered, Jiang Anan waved and called out: "Over here!"
Mo Liang took the lead, jumping out of the cloud chariot, holding a piece of silk book in his hand, scampering up to A-Chou: "Cloud-stepping Deity, the latest battle report from Guanhe Platform!"
A-Chou glanced at it and grumbled: "Below thirty unrestricted category, the Kui title, Jinguo’s Taixu Real Person..."
It shuddered: "Real Person?"
Meanwhile.
The small round-faced Little Wang Sister grabbed Jiang Anan’s hand tightly: "Ow, stop wiggling! This is the hand of a peerless genius, we must protect it well!"
Big Wang Sister’s eyes were warm with a gentle smile: "An’an, tell sister whether your brother has a marriage arrangement or not?"
Jiang Anan blinked her eyes in confusion: "Arrangement, what meat?"
"Cough!" The peculiarly square-faced Xie Ruixuan suddenly leaned in closer, beaming with a smile: "My most beloved Junior Sister An’an, any meat will do! The ones that fly in the sky or swim in water, order whatever you like!"
A-Chou continued to read on, murmuring to itself: "Outer Building has no title holder, tsk tsk. Qi Country is not bad this time, Inner Mansion title holder, Jiang..."
As Mo Liang was busy fawning over A-Chou, he turned his head to find Jiang Anan already surrounded by those flatterers in the center!
"What are you doing, what are you doing!?"
Mo Liang hurriedly pushed his way forward, using his rear to bump Xie Ruixuan away, blocking Big Wang’s view, smacking away Little Wang’s hand, and shielding Jiang Anan behind him, looking like a solitary courageous guard protecting his charge amidst a thousand soldiers.
"Don’t let your vulgarity contaminate our pure and flawless An’an! An’an is still so young, and you all are brown-nosing, what does it look like? If my brother finds out, do you think you can handle the consequences?"
He turned around, took out a greasy paper packet from his bosom, and held it up to Jiang Anan. With a sycophantic smile: "Sister An, want some crane leg? I just roasted it, smells good!"
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(A new volume begins, titled "Soaring High."
Let us embark on a new journey together, reaching 90,000 li up high, to behold more vast and distant landscapes!)
