[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-144":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270152,4432,"Chapter 144: Ying Dragon Appears, Heaven and Earth Opened","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-144",144,"\u003Cp>The county government office, inner courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dark shadow flashed by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? You want me to lure Jiang Lin and Cao Wei away?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>County Magistrate Zhuang Renhe stared at Qi Cheng, who had suddenly burst into his room, forcing down his fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cao Wei had just told him someone had broken into the Anning Guard Battalion last night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked the county office to keep watch as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had barely suppressed the matter when Qi Cheng came running to say the bold thief from last night was himself—and demanded Zhuang Renhe get involved too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Foolish!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Renhe cursed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People like Qi Cheng, demon-feeders and descendants of the former Qi imperial clan, were mostly obsessed with demon-feeding, too fanatical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not their father. Do you think I can just order Jiang Lin and Cao Wei around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Renhe of course didn’t voice these thoughts; instead, he endured patiently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Qi, this matter requires careful planning. Once I get word, I’ll inform you immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhuang family had deep ties with the Ghost Ming  Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he knew the sect’s true power was far more terrifying than it appeared—and they were already tied to the same boat; he couldn’t afford to break with Qi Cheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Cheng nodded in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew this couldn’t be rushed; he only wanted Zhuang Renhe’s word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhuang family?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhuang family was just a dog the Ghost Ming  Sect had raised—he felt he’d already been generous enough to the dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Qi Cheng turn to leave, Zhuang Renhe asked: “Old Qi, your sect is full of experts—why not ask for help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Cheng sneered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qinghe is under imperial scrutiny. If any of our Dharma Kings come here, they’ll be intercepted by Yu Kingdom’s strong ones. This task falls only to you and me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Renhe sighed lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll follow your lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Cheng leapt out the window and vanished into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why has it grown darker again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui, seated in meditation, frowned slightly as he gazed at the crimson mist within his will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the increase was slight, it had still grown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least staying in Anning Guard is safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had confirmed the one watching him was weaker than Jiang Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So as long as he drew Jiang Lin’s attention, he was safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he really think yesterday’s act was meant to teach those little brats from Huaqing Sect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wrong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all for Jiang Yan’s benefit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Jiang Yan took interest, who wouldn’t ask after their daughter when she returned home at night? Naturally, Li Rui’s name would enter Jiang Lin’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deeper the impression, the safer he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like two people falling into water—would you save a stranger or a neighbor you’d met a few times?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui saw the mist stop changing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then withdrew his focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A month passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui went out far more often than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure was frequently seen on the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>since that incident, he no longer went out with five or six men—that was too conspicuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most often, he went with one or two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, deliberately or not, he increased opportunities to be near Jiang Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crimson mist grew lighter again, signaling reduced danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui sat cross-legged on a mat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cast aside distractions, calmed his mind, and steadied his breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The dragon traverses the eight meridians, nourishing the dantian, opening heaven and earth, revealing the immortal realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirteen circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourteen circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty-six circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty-seven circuits!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The qi circulation should have stopped—but now it changed. Even at thirty-seven circuits, Li Rui showed no sign of halting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His meridians, washed by dragon qi, grew thicker and tougher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart pounded violently; blood surged through his meridians; his whole body burned hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forty-five circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the dragon qi flowed, the heat gradually faded, then a coolness surged from his dantian, filling him with blissful ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty-eight circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dragon qi began to change: slight bulges formed along its body, then gradually took shape—two symmetrical wings on either side!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ancient texts say:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scales mean jiao dragon; wings mean ying dragon; horns mean qiu dragon; no horns mean chi dragon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The qi Li Rui had gathered was none other than the legendary progenitor of all dragons—the Ying Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventy-two circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ying Dragon, formed from Xuanqing qi, soared like an emperor on patrol, then returned to his dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange sight appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ying Dragon did not coil around the chaotic sphere as before; instead, it slammed headfirst into the sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui felt a thunderous crash in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaotic sphere finally changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It split in two: one half rose, one half sank, connected by threads of Xuanqing qi, while the Ying Dragon soared between the two halves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying Dragon appears, heaven and earth are opened!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, even Li Rui’s composure shattered—he rejoiced wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the Dragon Soaring Through Nine Skies scripture, this was the legendary “Opening of Heaven and Earth!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In ancient times, heaven and earth were unformed, a chaos. Then the Ying Dragon opened heaven: pure qi rose as immortals, turbid qi sank as Ming . Thus heaven and earth were born, and later generations, remembering the Ying Dragon’s great feat, created this method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui had practiced daily—and now, finally, results.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gathered qi into the Ying Dragon; the Ying Dragon then opened heaven and earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had accomplished this feat so smoothly not only through relentless daily practice, but crucially because the Dragon Soaring Through Nine Skies scripture fused dragon and immortal forms, using the Ying Dragon as a medium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, with the old Flying Dragon in the Sky scripture, even if he formed a shape, it wouldn’t be the progenitor of all dragons. Even if he gained the power to open heaven and earth, it would have taken far longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The importance of a cultivation method was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for most martial cultivators, methods were not chosen—they were taken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good methods were rare; if you could learn one, you learned it, regardless of whether it suited you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only those born with golden spoons in their mouths could select methods matching their innate conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Rui went further on this foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He created his own method.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfectly matched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui gazed at the magnificent scene within his dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ying Dragon. Opening Heaven and Earth—this manifestation is truly immense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+book_bar\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to him, those with river-and-river forms or sun-and-moon forms seemed petty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li Rui was not arrogant enough to believe he could rival those already famed elders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grand manifestation didn’t mean his dual forms were stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If grand but weak, they would shatter before a small yet refined one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, it all comes down to the individual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Lin’s Seven Forms are all swords; individually, each is merely middling to upper-tier, but when he unites all seven into one, not a single expert within a thousand li of Anning Prefecture dares raise his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui still has a long road ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His turbulent emotions quickly settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took off his outer garment and pulled the blanket over himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the morning, Li Rui practiced a set of sword forms in the courtyard again; cultivating qi is vital, but external martial arts cannot be ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morning training is still necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing his sword practice and eating breakfast,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui slung his sword over his shoulder and stepped out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the space of a cup of tea,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he arrived at the Benthu Cavalry training ground, where several members of Huaqing Sect were already waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu, tall and tower-like, walked over, grinning:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Li, you really have the talent—these fellows are completely under your thumb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huaqing Sect had sent many people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the clerks who had lost their disciple status, the remaining disciples were supremely arrogant, constantly looking down on the soldiers of Anning Guard, walking with their heads held high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Annan Town was certainly superior to Huaqing Sect,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>outside of General Xue and a few deputy commanders, no one dared claim they truly belonged to Annan Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because one must further distinguish by guard battalion, by company, even down to the individual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huaqing Sect had fewer than three hundred disciples in Anning Prefecture altogether, each one an elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Purely comparing ordinary disciples to ordinary Anning Guard soldiers, Huaqing disciples were rarer and individually stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arrogance was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu had always sneered at this attitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jiang Lin was an elder of Huaqing Sect; even if someone resented it, they dared not show it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet these Huaqing disciples, who looked down their noses at everyone, became utterly obedient when facing Li Rui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui corrected: “I’m here on official training duty—don’t say that again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu paid no mind, grinning broadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui ignored the big fool, walked up to the Huaqing Sect members, and smiled: “Miss Jiang, Young Brother Han, today you two will accompany me on patrol.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan and Han Qin replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one objected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui openly favored Jiang Yan; Qin Hua and the others saw it clearly, yet felt only admiration, not a trace of jealousy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Jiang Yan had a good father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew their own limits—they understood they were here in Benthu Cavalry for training solely because of Jiang Yan’s favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was the case, then Li Rui’s preference for Jiang Yan was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Li Rui led the two out of the military camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking down the street,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan finally spoke: “Senior.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui walked on as he replied: “Miss Jiang, is there something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan seemed to be choosing her words carefully, then decided to speak plainly: “Senior, your destiny has changed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui stopped walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He regarded her with interest: “Changed to what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan possessed the Destiny Eye, capable of seeing others’ destinies; she had once discerned Li Rui’s destiny as “Hidden Dragon, Do Not Act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Day after day, diligent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan said seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hidden Dragon, Do Not Act” was always a temporary destiny—no one remains a hidden dragon forever—but Li Rui’s destiny shifted too quickly, leaping past “Dragon Appears in the Field” straight to “Day after day, diligent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nine Three: The noble man is diligent all day, vigilant at night, and incurs no blame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui recalled the phrase in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant the noble man must be diligent and hardworking, even at night, as if facing imminent danger, never slackening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, “Hidden Dragon, Do Not Act” was a phase of accumulation, nearly unnoticed; but once one begins to show promise and becomes known to more people, one must become even more cautious and diligent, constantly improving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t that exactly Li Rui’s current situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Miss Jiang, for the reminder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Rui’s calm demeanor, Jiang Yan silently praised him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Day after day, diligent” is the moment just before rising—talent is most vulnerable to premature collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet observing Li Rui’s conduct and character,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>perhaps she had worried unnecessarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a person would surely live a long life—even though Li Rui already lived long enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan’s former belief began to waver:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there, after all, something good about growing old?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1888,"2026-06-19T22:01:09.077Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3cca660eaffff3837e32cb1eb4567c3ee9ed32092e4fe5f5ff6e6ded52f54ca3","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-145","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-143",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]