Chapter 202: White Bone's Past and Present Lives

202. Chapter 200: White Bone's Past and Present Lives

Under the night sky, Longyuan Mountain was desolate beyond compare; in the mysterious darkness, everything became hazy and indistinct, while between the forests, white mist rose, dotted with starlight, gathering into a dazzling, surging river of celestial colors.

At the center of the galaxy, the most striking was that eternal green hue; Ye Qin's azure pupils could rival the moon in the sky, and around him were animals devoutly bowing as humans do.

Starlight fell upon these animals, coating them with a faint, almost imperceptible glow, rendering them extraordinarily divine; their beastly pupils had shed their original ferocity and cruelty, flashing with a humanized light.

After this mountain tempering, Ye Qin sensed that the animals' auras had all strengthened; their cultivation level and realm had greatly improved, and nearly every beast had gained something.

"You did well this time."

Upon receiving Ye Qin's praise, all the animals instinctively puffed out their chests and raised their heads.

The Northeast Tiger returned the storage dharma implement to Ye Qin; all the artifacts in the British Museum were here, and Ye Qin carefully scanned them with his mental power, quickly finding what he wanted.

As the light flickered, a white jade tablet floated in midair, and a hazy aura emanated from it.

The jade tablet was pure white throughout, its surface smooth and flawless, carved into the shape of a swimming fish, so lifelike it seemed about to come alive in the next second—a work of supernatural craftsmanship, with no trace of artificial carving.

A glint flashed across Ye Qin's eyes: "That must be it."

Earlier, the village chief brought back a special artifact from an overseas organization; Ye Qin sensed a rather strange aura from it, and although it had formed a mottled time fragment, he could not enter it.

Only after Ye Qin's deduction did he realize the artifact was incomplete, its missing part residing in the British Museum; because the jade tablet's aura was strange, he had to find out, thus causing a ruckus at the museum, and incidentally bringing back the artifacts of Great Xia.

Whether one item or a hundred, the animals simply emptied the entire museum.

The white fish-shaped jade tablet was back in place; he took out the earlier black jade tablet, and between the two tablets there was a mysterious attraction, his whole body emanating an inexplicable glow.

Even before they were joined, such a phenomenon already appeared; Ye Qin could keenly sense that the surrounding magnetic field had shifted somewhat: "This artifact is truly extraordinary—what is its origin?"

Ye Qin felt a bit curious; through the artifact he entered the mottled time fragment, having had similar experiences before, but this jade tablet was different—its aura was truly too strange.

Almost without Ye Qin needing to act, the two jade tablets attracted each other, and they fit together perfectly.

Under Ye Qin's guidance, in an instant the light blazed forth, and a powerful aura emanated from the jade tablet.

The surrounding animals instinctively retreated; within the vast light, one could see the black and white fish-shaped phantoms slowly swimming out from the jade tablet.

The starlight glittered, gathering into a magnificent galaxy that became the pond for these two fish; they leapt and played at times, one black and one white resembling the Taiji yin-yang diagram, intertwined with endless wondrous changes, as if the very operation of nature.

The black and white were clearly distinct yet utterly one; an ancient, mysterious aura washed over him, and Ye Qin actually felt an unprecedented familiarity, as if something within him yearned to emerge.

The two fish reappeared, circling around him with an indescribable intimacy, appearing familiar to Ye Qin.

"This feeling is—"

Before he could regain his senses, the Taiji yin-yang diagram already enveloped him from above, wrapping Ye Qin's entire body; black and white light spread everywhere, as if only those two colors remained between heaven and earth.

The river of time surged again, stirring up the dust-sealed history within.

Qí Mountain stood tall, the ranges linked like a verdant, precipitous peak, clouds shrouding and mist winding.

When Ye Qin opened his eyes, the sky was already bright.

"Have we already entered the mottled time fragment?"

This process differed from before; perhaps it was due to the special nature of the black-and-white jade tablet, and during the temporal undulation he also sensed a familiar aura.

Ye Qin surveyed his surroundings; the undulating mountain ridges inlaid on the horizon reflected glints of gold in the sunlight, appearing exceptionally magnificent, the mountains lush and dotted with a hint of primal beauty.

His expression was uncertain; he felt the scene before him somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere, yet he could not recall it at once.

Observing the terrain's trend—high in the east, low in the west, the mountains stretched like a slumbering dragon coiled here—Ye Qin's pupils contracted slightly; he finally knew where that sense of familiarity came from, and he blurted out:

"Isn't this Longyuan Mountain?"

More precisely, it was the former Longyuan Mountain; Ye Qin was not sure what era this was—it could be a hundred years past the present, or even a thousand.

Times change; the Longyuan Mountain within the time fragment still differs from the modern one—after all, seas have turned to fields—but from certain places there remain overlapping similar traces.

Now Longyuan Mountain exhibits more of a primitive, rugged beauty, which is actually another kind of charm.

"Why did the black-and-white jade tablet bring me here? Could it have once been connected to this place?"

Ye Qin's doubts only grew; after so many forays into the time fragments, he had experience—each landing point was not random, there was an unseen causality, and the black-and-white jade tablet bringing him here was certainly no accident.

But what connection could there be between the jade tablet and Longyuan Mountain?

As Ye Qin pondered, he faintly heard footsteps not far off; he followed the sound and saw, to the northeast ahead, a figure flickering in and out of view.

A green robe outlined a slender figure, as straight and tall as a bamboo in the grove; his hair was wrapped in a green cloth, and he carried a basket on his back, the look of a scholar preparing to go to the capital for the examinations.

Gazing at the back, Ye Qin stood rooted; that figure was not unfamiliar to him, indeed it felt familiar, and a bold guess sprang to mind as he hurried after it.

The scholar also heard the commotion behind him, his eyes shifting—could those people have caught up again!

She instinctively gripped the dagger in her bosom, resolved to face death, and swiftly turned her head.

Their gazes collided in midair; both froze in place, incredulously staring at each other.

Ye Qin scrutinized the person before him; his green pupils rippled with a few waves.

"How could it be her!"

The scholar's features were lovely; even if he deliberately sketched his brows and roughed his appearance, the disguise could not hide that fair beauty, and his every gesture exuded an aura that added an extraordinary touch to her demeanor.

Such an otherworldly appearance, Ye Qin was not unfamiliar with it; indeed he could say he knew it well, for he had seen it several times in the Dream Divine Ability.

He had also deduced it several times!

He had even transformed into her likeness many times!

This was exactly White Bone's appearance in life!

Just as shocking, not only Ye Qin but also the woman gripping a dagger, her autumn-water pupils flashing with surprise, stared at the entirely jade-green creature before her, feeling somewhat doubtful.

Antlers like a deer's, head like a camel's, eyes like a rabbit's, neck like a snake's, belly like a clam's, scales like a fish's, claws like a hawk's.

Like the legendary creature—a dragon!

But dragons have five claws, while the creature before us has only four; it must be a flood dragon.

Aside from size, everything matched; the woman did not realize that this bulk was Ye Qin's diminished form, and oddly, upon seeing such a creature she felt no fear, but rather a certain intimacy.

She seemed certain that this beast would not harm her.

Her heart inexplicably fluttered; the woman's dark brows furrowed slightly, unaware where this sense of familiarity came from.

Fallen leaves made no sound; the two remained silent, a breeze brushed past, lifting the woman's black hair; time seemed to freeze here, a distant gaze crossing countless ages and moments.

Finally, Ye Qin broke the silence first, "Are you going to the capital to take the exam?"

Looking at the jade tablet at the woman's waist, black and white like swimming fish, it swayed playfully with her steps, as if greeting Ye Qin; his earlier confusion finally found an explanation.

Why was the aura on the jade tablet so strange, and yet he felt familiar; after entering the fragment of time, he arrived again at Longyuan Mountain.

It turned out everything had long been predetermined, cause and effect intertwined; even before his rebirth near Longyuan Mountain, he finally found the White Bone in a cave, discovered the scriptures, and thus stepped onto the path of cultivation.

Perhaps the gears of fate began turning at that moment.

Ye Qin felt many emotions; he never expected the owner of the jade tablet to be the White Bone, precisely the White Bone's past life—this time's mottled fragment of time was related to the White Bone, which is why he had earlier felt the aura was odd.

"Although you're dressed as a man, the road to the capital is far, danger is inevitable; I will escort you there."

Ye Qin was able to embark on cultivation, starting from a dying little green snake, he became a flood dragon that dominates one side, even gaining his own forces, becoming a demon ancestor, founding the demon ancestor—this was all thanks to the White Bone.

If it weren't for the White Bone and the scriptures beside her, he would likely no longer be among the living.

Since he encountered the White Bone's former self in the mottled fragment of time, this is fate; naturally he should extend protection, also fulfilling this karmic bond.

The woman who had been silent all along let out a soft sigh upon hearing this.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I am not going to the capital to take the exam; I dress as a man and adopt a scholar's guise merely to escape pursuit."

For some reason, she trusted Ye Qin deeply and casually revealed her secret.

"Evade pursuit?"

Hearing this, Ye Qin was somewhat surprised; he had previously thought the White Bone dressed as a man to take the capital exam, never expecting another reason behind it.

Ye Qin was about to speak when a faint rustling came from the bushes ahead, and the woman's expression suddenly shifted slightly.

"They've caught up!"

As the words landed, dozens of black-clad figures leapt from the shrubs half a person high, instantly surrounding the woman.

"Surrender, Longling! If you return with us, His Majesty may be merciful and perhaps spare your life."

Longling's expression turned cold as she gripped the dagger in her bosom, "You want me to surrender? The Long clan's iron bones are unyielding; how could I bow to rebels like you?"

The black-clad man gave a cold smile, "If that's the case, there's nothing more to say."

Having said that, they were about to act.

But just then, a green shadow suddenly appeared behind Longling, hovering like a ghost in midair, carrying supreme pressure as it crushed toward the black-clad men.

Seeing Ye Qin's presence, the black-clad men couldn't help but widen their eyes, turning terrified, "This, this is——"

"Roar!"

Before they could finish speaking, with a dragon's roar, purple lightning burst from Ye Qin's forehead, striking the black-clad men with the speed of thunder that leaves no time to cover one's ears.

The thunder dragon raged, roaring without cease, even the surrounding flora were blown askew.

Seeing the thunder dragon at close range, the black-clad men had no defense; trying to flee was too late, their bodies were immobilized by Ye Qin's might.

"Ah!"

Amidst the rising and falling screams, after the lightning dissipated, the air reeked of burnt flesh, and the ground was littered with dozens of corpses charred like coal.

The whole event unfolded in a flash; Longling stared at the scene, unable to regain her composure, until Ye Qin's voice called her thoughts back.

"Why are these people hunting you?"

Longling came to her senses, her gaze toward Ye Qin gaining gratitude and awe; she softly said, "Because I am a princess of the former dynasty."

This time it was Ye Qin's turn to be astonished; he never imagined that before the White Bone lay such a tortuous and extraordinary background.

According to Longling's account, Ye Qin learned that her dynasty was called the Great Hao, and before it was the Long Dynasty, whose imperial house bore the surname Long; Longling was the last princess.

"The Emperor of the Great Hao harbored wolfish ambitions; though originally a subject of the Long Dynasty, he conspired with outsiders to regicide and usurp the throne, to conceal his crime he exterminated the Long Dynasty's imperial line, and under their pursuit the Long clan now has only me left."

Hearing Longling's account, Ye Qin was nonetheless confused; regardless of the Long Dynasty or the Great Hao, he had never heard of them in later ages.

However, based on Longling's speculation, she likely lived during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period; Ye Qin inferred these two dynasties probably existed somewhere within the Ten Kingdoms timeline.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, various rulers carved out domains, established regimes, and prolonged fierce warfare greatly affected society, economy, and culture.

Regimes changed too frequently; many classics and related records were lost or damaged in war, so it is normal for unknown states to appear to later generations.

For example, among the five dynasties, the Later Liang, which lasted the longest at only seventeen years, shows how these regimes were fleeting—here today, gone tomorrow.

After hearing Longling's account, Ye Qin nodded, sighing deeply, "So that's how it is."

He had originally thought the White Bone was merely a man-disguised scholar going to the capital for the exams; he never expected her true identity to be a former dynasty's princess.

Longling's gaze fell upon the distance; the breeze made her robes flutter, revealing an especially lonely air.

"This is already the third wave of assassins they've sent out——"

Before she could finish speaking, Longling's face turned pale; blood surged in her throat as she spat a large mouthful of bright red blood, dark stains splattering onto the stone, tinged with a bluish-black hue.

Ye Qin hurried forward, using spiritual power to carefully sense her condition.

"Poisoned?"

He tried to channel spiritual power into Longling; had he arrived earlier there might have been a chance, but now the poison had penetrated her five viscera and six bowels, eroding her meridians—even a Great Luo Immortal could not save her.

Ye Qin could only use spiritual power to nourish Longling's meridians, slowing the toxin's spread; yet this treats symptoms not the root—Longling remains mortal, her organs already failing.

Longling stared blankly, as if realizing something, her eyes filled with a cold gleam, "What a vile method."

Before Ye Qin, Longling had endured several pursuits by the Great Hao Dynasty, having once been struck by arrows; likely the arrowheads were poisoned, though she hadn't noticed.

After traveling all night, the earlier poison now took effect.

She recalled how her parents, to save her, had lured the enemy with their own bodies, ultimately falling to multiple arrows.

Longling forever remembers her mother's last words before death: "Preserve the green mountains, fear not the lack of firewood."

But now the last bloodline of the Long Dynasty is about to be cut off here, destined to vanish from history; she truly feels unwilling.

Longling looked at Ye Qin, hope shining in her eyes, "Sir, you possess divine abilities; could you lend a hand?"

Ye Qin is a flood dragon; having just released thunder divine ability, he instantly slew the Great Hao's pursuers—perhaps he could devise a way to save himself.

If there were no other recourse, Longling would not readily beg for help; after all, she is the last hope of the Long clan.

Longling's face was as pale as paper, but her cherry lips were as red as blood; the red‑white contrast looked shockingly striking, evoking pity.

If he could save her, Ye Qin would certainly act, after all he and she share a great affinity.

She also wanted to try to change history, to see if it would bring any change to later generations.

But now everything is too late; his realm has not yet reached the point where he can reverse life and death, turn the heavens and earth.

Facing Ye Qin's silence, the light in Longling's eyes gradually faded; she seemed to understand something: "It seems all this is heaven's will."

"I am destined to face this calamity."

Looking at Longling's appearance, Ye Qin felt an inexplicable sting in his heart; in his mind flashed the memory of when he was once a small snake, having crawled beneath her; after attaining the Dao, he had held her white bones as he slept; moreover, because of her he contemplated the primordial white bone, his body transforming into Longling.

Now, having finally seen the White Bone's former life, yet they are about to part.

In an instant, a sharp light flashed in his eyes: "Let's go."

Longling still didn't understand his meaning, she said listlessly: "I'm already a person destined to die; where could I go?"

"I'll take you to kill someone!"

Longling couldn't help but widen her eyes, thinking she had auditory hallucinations; the next second, a warm white light enveloped her whole body, and she actually rose directly into the air.

"I may not be able to save you, but I can make your enemies be buried with you!" (End of chapter)