Chapter 12: Dragon Transformation Fruit

“Qianjiao Martial Hall?” Liu Qiaolian’s expression turned complex upon hearing this.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Daoming asked.

“Actually, Liu Zhong and I frequently travel between north and south as itinerant merchants to earn money—not only to fund Liu Zhong’s daily martial supplements, but also to save enough silver for him to join Qianjiao Martial Hall as a disciple.” Liu Qiaolian replied, her beautiful eyes glinting with tears in the firelight.

“I nearly forgot—you also practice the Dragon-Snake Scripture! But is Qianjiao Martial Hall really that expensive?” Xia Daoming was initially stunned, but quickly recalled Liu Qiaolian’s movements and qi fluctuations earlier, and understood—though he was still surprised by the cost.

“For a minor martial master, the annual fee is merely over ten taels of silver; the real expense lies in purchasing the martial hall’s qi-boosting elixirs.

But the tuition to advance from fourth-rank minor martial master to fifth-rank great martial master is extremely high, because it involves the Divine Charm Map.

The Divine Charm Maps are secret teachings passed down only within the inner disciples of martial sects; in martial families, only direct or legitimate heirs are granted access to study them.

Martial halls teach outsiders to earn money, so outsiders may also study their Divine Charm Maps—but the fees are exorbitant, and many halls impose additional conditions.

For example, applicants must be under twenty-five years old, must pay extra silver for each hour of study and each viewing, and are often required to submit a pledge of loyalty.”

“Under twenty-five years old?” Xia Daoming frowned slightly.

He was twenty-four this year; in a few months he’d turn twenty-five—was he barely on the threshold?

“That’s right. Once one reaches twenty-five, their blood qi has already peaked; if they haven’t become a fourth-rank martial master by then, it’s nearly impossible to break through to fifth-rank great martial master,” Liu Qiaolian explained.

She now understood that her master was terrifyingly powerful, yet his knowledge was severely limited.

“By the way, how much does it cost?” Xia Daoming asked.

“Five thousand taels! And each hour of viewing requires an additional hundred taels of silver—or completing a task for the martial hall,” Liu Qiaolian replied.

“Five thousand taels!” Xia Daoming sucked in a sharp breath.

He had looted the entire Blood Wolf Clan and barely gathered five thousand taels.

He had thought this was a fortune sufficient to settle in Li City, pay for a master, and cover expenses for some time—but now he realized it barely covered the tuition.

Fortunately, he had stumbled upon two windfalls along the way, gaining over two thousand taels; otherwise, with his lavish spending, he wouldn’t have had enough to pay tuition by the time he reached Li City.

“Master, don’t worry. When my brother and I fled Liujia Village, we took some valuables; over the years, our travels between north and south have also accumulated some wealth—we can easily gather five thousand taels,” Liu Qiaolian said.

Hearing Liu Qiaolian’s thoughtful, considerate words, Xia Daoming gazed at her fair, radiant face lit by the fire, her plump figure, and recalled how she had scurried about serving him, treating him like a master—clothes handed to him, meals brought to him—then remembered how, in the desert, the beautiful but dangerous Ji Wenyue had forced him to handle everything himself. He couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.

“In youth, I didn’t know the value of a mature woman; I mistook young girls for treasures. In youth, I didn’t know the sweetness of soft food; I wasted my youth planting rice! I, Xia Daoming, have lived two lives—and now I finally understand this profound warning!”

As Xia Daoming was lost in thought, he suddenly saw Liu Qiaolian unfastening her sash.

“Damn it, what do I do now?!” Xia Daoming froze.

In his past life, he hadn’t been a celibate man; sometimes, when alone in bars or at business events, he’d indulged in fleeting flirtations.

But he’d never been so casual as to proposition a virtuous woman after just meeting her.

Besides, in this life, he hadn’t mentally prepared himself for romantic or physical entanglements.

At least, Xia Daoming believed he should wait until he had established himself in martial cultivation before considering such matters.

“Lian’er…” Xia Daoming soon made his decision.

But before he could speak further, Liu Qiaolian pulled a tattered, yellowed map from inside her undergarment.

“Cough!” Xia Daoming choked on his saliva.

“Master, were you about to tell me something?” Liu Qiaolian immediately rose, stepped behind him, and gently patted his back as she asked.

“Uh, no, I was just curious what personal item you were retrieving,” Xia Daoming said.

Liu Qiaolian handed him the tattered map, her eyes filled with sorrow and nostalgia.

“My father was once the lord of Liujia Village and head of the Liu clan. This map is said to have been passed down from our ancestors, indicating a place where the Dragon Transformation Fruit grows.”

“Dragon Transformation Fruit?” Xia Daoming looked puzzled.

The snake is a small dragon; the jiao is half-dragon. Therefore, the first four levels of the Dragon-Snake Scripture are called the Tengshe Scripture, levels five through eight are the Qianjiao Scripture, and levels nine through twelve are the Hualong Scripture.

When the Tengshe Scripture is perfected, one may comprehend the Divine Charm Map; practicing the Qianjiao Scripture allows one to cultivate hidden force and ascend to the Qianjiao stage. But Qianjiao is not yet a true dragon—it dwells in deep abysses, hidden and unmanifest, accumulating and strengthening its dragon nature and dragon power.

Only when the Qianjiao Scripture is perfected can one transform into a true dragon—able to grow or shrink, appear or vanish, endlessly changing. That is the Hualong realm of this cultivation method—the Grand Master realm.

A Grand Master can paint Divine Charm Maps containing hidden force for disciples to study, but the Divine Charm Map of the Hualong realm—of the Grand Master realm—cannot be painted by a Grand Master; only a Great Grand Master can create it.”

Hearing this, Xia Daoming’s face changed, and he blurted: “Does Qianjiao Martial Hall have a Divine Charm Map of the Hualong realm?”

“Legend says the dragon is one of the most powerful divine beasts, possessing boundless divine power and endless transformations. When a martial artist manifests the dragon-snake transformation, the power unleashed far surpasses other methods—but the difficulty is also vastly greater.

Therefore, the Divine Charm Map of the Hualong realm’s hidden force—let alone Qianjiao Martial Hall, even the entire Mangzhou likely doesn’t possess one. As for the Great Liang Empire, my knowledge is limited, so I cannot say,” Liu Qiaolian replied.

Xia Daoming’s face darkened.

His goal was not merely to become a great martial master—he aimed to become a Great Grand Master.

But now it seemed the Hualong realm’s Divine Charm Map was nearly impossible to find, even if it existed in the Great Liang Empire.

“How do you know so much?” Xia Daoming asked, intrigued despite his gloom.

“My ancestors once produced a Hualong Grand Master!” Liu Qiaolian said, a hint of pride flashing across her face, then fading into sorrow.

“Could the Dragon Transformation Fruit help one comprehend the Hualong realm?” Xia Daoming’s heart leapt, his gaze burning as it fixed on the tattered map.

Unfortunately, the map was severely damaged; Xia Daoming could tell it depicted Cangmang Mountain, but the exact location of the three peaks rising straight into the sky, with a waterfall and hidden valley below, was now unidentifiable.

“Master is wise. The Dragon Transformation Fruit is said to grow where dragon blood has soaked the earth; consuming it allows one to intuitively comprehend the true dragon transformation of blood qi and force.

Legend says our ancestor was pursued by enemies into Cangmang Mountain, got lost, and by fortune found a Dragon Transformation Fruit, eventually becoming a martial Grand Master.

Before his death, he left behind a map and a hidden force Divine Charm Map. But Cangmang Mountain is perilous beyond measure; after his passing, several of our clan’s most talented youths entered Cangmang Mountain seeking the fruit—and none returned.

These losses caused our family’s rapid decline. By my great-grandfather’s generation, the Divine Charm Map’s essence had vanished entirely; Liujia Village had not produced a great martial master since.

As for this map, by the time it reached my father, it was already badly damaged. Now that the Liu clan has no male heirs and I am your servant, this map rightfully belongs to you.”

“Cangmang Mountain is extremely dangerous, and this map is too damaged to guide us precisely. Unless you’ve reached eighth-rank great martial master, never consider entering Cangmang Mountain,” Liu Qiaolian said.

“Don’t worry—I won’t take this path unless absolutely necessary,” Xia Daoming nodded, then carefully tucked the tattered map away.

Regardless, it was a potential path to becoming a Grand Master—he must safeguard it well.

As Xia Daoming finished storing the map, he saw Liu Qiaolian reach again into her undergarment.

“Not again? Am I doomed to this fate?” Xia Daoming felt conflicted.

But Liu Qiaolian pulled out another yellowed, intact sheet of unknown material.

“This is an ancestral alchemical formula called the Earth Treasury Blood-Returning Pill. It’s said to be suitable for Grand Masters to consume—I don’t know if it’s true. Please keep it,” Liu Qiaolian handed the formula to Xia Daoming.

Xia Daoming took the formula, glanced at it, and recognized only a few of the ingredients—but one stood out: at least a hundred-year-old Dragon-patterned Purple Blood Ginseng.

“It requires Dragon-patterned Purple Blood Ginseng? Then the legend of the Earth Treasury Blood-Returning Pill is likely true!” Xia Daoming felt a surge of joy and carefully stored the formula.

As Xia Daoming put away the formula, Liu Qiaolian re-fastened her clothes, leaving Xia Daoming with an inexplicable pang of melancholy.

That night, master and servant stayed overnight at the temple.

After her great upheaval, Liu Qiaolian was physically and mentally exhausted; with no more distractions, she now only wished to serve Xia Daoming, repay her debt, and spend her remaining days beside him—so she fell asleep instantly, deeply and peacefully.

But Xia Daoming lay awake for a long while, alternating thoughts between the tattered map and the alchemical formula, his journey to Li City for a master, and sometimes, the beautiful servant lying just beside him.

Long after, Xia Daoming finally drifted into a drowsy sleep.

The next morning, as soon as Xia Daoming awoke, he saw Liu Qiaolian bustling about.

She had already prepared clean water for his washing, rushed to bring it to him the moment he stirred, and had even prepared breakfast.

After a simple meal, the two departed the temple, each carrying a pack on their backs.

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