[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-roaring-dragon":3,"chapter-the-roaring-dragon-the-roaring-dragon-chapter-103":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Roaring Dragon",{"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},2281959,4463,"Chapter 103: Blood Oath","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-103",103,"\u003Cp>On the other side, Danzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon, in a bamboo grove behind the Danyang Academy, a white stone chess table had been set up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Yunling, dressed in a Confucian robe, sat on the right side of the table; broad-shouldered and powerfully built, yet with a refined demeanor, he looked like a middle-aged martial man in his forties or fifties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the table, Prince Zhao Xiao wore a python robe; though imposing, he was noticeably smaller in stature compared to Mu Yunling, and after long deliberation, he placed a stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Immortal Hermit Sect has produced such a talented disciple—has Master Mu heard not a whisper of him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Yunling was only a few years younger than Lu Wu and the others, yet he was already eighty-four, a disciple of the “Sage of Books and Swords,” Ye Ci, and a fellow student of the National Academy’s Director Fan Li—he inherited the “Sword,” while Fan Li inherited the “Book.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As one of the Confucian dual-flower enforcers, Mu Yunling should have remained permanently in the capital, but after Prince Dan was granted his fief in Danyang, he was reassigned to the academy—his purpose: first, to protect the prince’s safety; second, to serve as a “supervisor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To prevent court officials from gossiping and slandering him as “colluding with Prince Dan,” the prince rarely interacted with Mu Yunling; today’s visit was to discuss trivial matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not familiar with those Immortal Hermit folk, but the other day I asked an elder—he replied, ‘All things have cause and effect.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Dan looked puzzled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does that mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Literally, it suggests Xie Jin’s emergence from seclusion was foretold by a prior cause. But perhaps the elder simply didn’t know and was speaking in riddles—no matter what happens later, this phrase will always seem profound in hindsight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh… sages truly are sages—what a profound thing to say…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two chatted thus, a gust of wind suddenly swept through the bamboo grove above:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoo~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shasha shasha~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Dan looked up and saw a figure gliding past the emerald bamboo canopy, landing gently beside the chess table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure wore a black-and-white Daoist robe, a black gauze veil hat, and carried a yellow-brown sword case; the wide sleeves and veil fluttered in the wind, radiating an otherworldly ethereality, while the aura itself was like ice unchanged for ten thousand years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Dan greeted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been months—Master Nangong, you’ve grown even more celestial.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The veiled woman who had suddenly appeared was Nan Gong Ye, the Sect Master of Zihui Mountain—the very woman commonly called “the First Beauty of the Daoist Sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though famed for her beauty, Nan Gong Ye was no mere ornament; thanks to the Daoist secrets left by Zhenxia True Person and Zihui Mountain’s six-hundred-year accumulation, she had once been “the strongest First Rank in Daqian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After landing, Nan Gong Ye bowed respectfully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness summoned me—is there something to discuss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was ethereal, calm and unhurried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Dan was always affable; he gestured for her to sit:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nothing major—the capital sent word that Fanyun Temple recently petitioned the court, claiming demonic energy is rampant in Danzhou, and that sects have failed in their duty to suppress it; if unchecked, it may soon endanger the common folk. They propose building a ‘Ziyun Temple’ outside Danyang City, to jointly guard Danzhou with the Daoist sect against demonic disturbances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye sat at the side of the chess table; upon hearing this, her brow furrowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The only celestial ground outside Danyang City is Zihui Mountain—if Fanyun Temple comes, won’t they demand Zihui Mountain surrender its ancestral lands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Dan nodded: “Fanyun Temple intends exactly that. His Majesty asked my opinion, and since you’ve just returned, I called you here to talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Sect Master, how could Nan Gong Ye surrender territory to Buddhist monks? She turned to Mu Yunling:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does Master Mu think of this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Yunling had been absorbed in the chess game; now he casually interjected:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it were me, I’d go to Fanyun Temple tomorrow and lecture those monks—until they fully grasp ‘Emperor Qi Wu’s Suppression of Buddhism,’ then they can come back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Dan laughed: “Master Mu still prefers persuasion through reason—but Fanyun Temple covets Zihui Mountain. Your lecture wouldn’t suit. If Master Nan Gong could expound Daoist principles to the abbot, I’d have a proper reply for the court.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye understood now why she’d been summoned—the court suspected Zihui Mountain no longer fulfilled its duty to guard the region, and they wanted her, the pillar of the sect, to prove Zihui Mountain was still one of the Three Great Pillars of Dan Ding, not some sect ruled by a courtesan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye possessed the secret treasure passed down by Zhenxia True Person; under normal circumstances, she had no fear of the Fanyun Temple abbot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now she had a small problem she couldn’t resolve in the short term.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reason goes back to last year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before winter arrived, she went to the Southern Frontier’s Phoenix Feather Valley to wait for a ripening Phoenix Feather Herb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bu Yuehua, the mistress of Queyue Manor, was of equal cultivation, also a female sect master, and they had often interacted in past years; she too was nearby searching for the herb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Celestial treasures belong to the capable; only one herb existed. When they met, they had to settle it by strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unexpectedly, during their clash, both fell into the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath Phoenix Feather Valley lay a vast space filled only with yang energy—suspected to be the legendary “Zhuque Tomb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhuque Tomb, like the Dragon Caves of the Eastern Sea and the Soldier Sage Mountain of the Western Rong, was a legendary realm brimming with opportunities—Wei Wu Yi had risen to power in the Soldier Sage Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for selling hooks in the Western Rong—that was merely folk legend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with such a great opportunity, neither wished to abandon it. Solo exploration was too risky, yet each feared the other would strike treacherously—so they decided to swear blood oaths!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pact: she implanted the “Seven Stars Nail” into Bu Yuehua, while Bu Yuehua planted the “Burn Immortal Gu ” into her—should one die, the other would barely survive, forcing mutual aid; if they found treasures underground, they would split them fifty-fifty afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, after days of searching underground, they found only broken stones; Bu Yuehua’s yin energy was too strong to replenish her dantian in the pure yang environment, so they withdrew and discussed how to proceed further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Bu Yuehua, realizing her cultivation made it impossible to go deeper—and that any treasure within was beyond her reach—secretly plucked the Phoenix Feather Herb and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We swore blood oaths—we’re sisters now. All the underground treasures are yours; I’ll take only this immortal herb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye, uncertain whether treasures truly lay beneath, refused—whereupon the demoness turned and fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye chased her for days, then gave up; after all, they were still bound by blood oath—the demoness couldn’t remove the Seven Stars Nail and would eventually come to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so it came to pass: when Bu Yuehua saw Nan Gong Ye didn’t come to negotiate, she soon returned voluntarily, proposing reconciliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye’s response was simple: “Hand over the Phoenix Feather Herb, and we’ll duel again—winner takes all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bu Yuehua felt she’d sacrificed the Zhuque Tomb’s opportunity and kept it secret—she deserved hush money, and refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye, having found no treasure, naturally refused too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so from last year to this year, they’ve remained bound in life-or-death sisterhood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her time is running short, so is Bu Yuehua’s—now it’s a race to see who cracks first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without removing the Burn Immortal Gu , Nan Gong Ye cannot confront the Fanyun Temple abbot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, she now has word of the “Resurrection Herb”—tomorrow she’ll meet the mysterious buyer; once she removes the Gu , the demoness will surely yield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Sect Master, revealing her physical condition invites opportunists to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Prince Dan’s inquiry, Nan Gong Ye merely replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll go to the capital tomorrow to gauge the situation—if Fanyun Temple is foolish enough to press on, I’ll make them retreat on their own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Nan Gong Ye’s confidence, Prince Dan smiled:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Ling’er has already departed and should arrive in the capital tomorrow; Qingmo and Xie Jin arrived a few days ago. Xie Jin is a rare talent—if you have time, Master Nan Gong, please guide him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nan Gong Ye had already heard of Xie Jin’s astonishing deeds and was deeply intrigued; she nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Naturally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, it was afternoon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin, accompanied by Meiqiu and Yang Dabiao, spent the whole day searching for clues about the Spirit Worship Cult—with predictable results: nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remembering he had only nineteen days left, and had already wasted a full day, Xie Jin grew increasingly anxious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo was a workaholic; after chasing around all day, she’d nearly forgotten Xie Jin’s embarrassment over her kiss, and now back at the Wang Fu, seeing his gloomy expression, she comforted him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know you want to slay demons and purge evil, but the Spirit Worship Cult is deeply rooted—this can’t be rushed. You’ve worked hard already; it’s just one day with no results.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Dabiao’s legs were nearly broken; he nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly—investigations need rest too. I heard the Crown Prince is hosting a ‘whole-roasted elephant’ on Changjie—how about we…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu, hearing “roasted elephant” for the first time, perked up instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xie Jin still had five thousand taels of silver to collect this week—he had no time for spectacles. After returning to their rooms, he sat again and pulled out the “Palace Haunting Case” dossier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d told Fei Shu he’d deal with Zhou Ming’an later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he didn’t know if Zhou Ming’an even had a “later”—if you don’t settle a grudge immediately, who knows what trouble might arise in a few days?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Hongshang already understood Xie Jin’s nature; now she emerged from behind him again, asking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Planning your next move?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin had considered it, but hesitated:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Ming’an is deeply problematic—he must be investigated. But I killed Han Jingchuan yesterday, just received the dossier this morning, and if Zhou Ming’an dies tonight, my actions are too brazen—even Qingmo will guess it’s me. It’ll be hard to cover up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Hongshang, like a devoted wife, reached out and massaged Xie Jin’s shoulders:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then make it look like ‘suicide out of guilt.’ Let me curse him—he’ll hang himself. The court can’t forcibly arrest you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin blinked, turning to his beautiful ghost bride:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you do that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ye Hongshang lifted her chin proudly: “Zhou Ming’an is just a civil official—without cultivation, I can curse him as easily as hypnotizing Wanyi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin truly wanted to investigate his father’s case; if a method existed, he wasted no time—he tucked away the dossier, rose, and stepped outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a nearby room, the ever-workaholic Qingmo sat at a round table, diligently writing today’s “Xie Jin Quotes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu, exhausted from wandering all day, squatted on the table, tilting her head to watch Qingmo write.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing footsteps outside, Linghu Qingmo turned:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You just got back—are you going out again to search for clues?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin intended to collect debts, but couldn’t tell Qingmo—after thinking, he said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I’m going to visit Lin Da.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo blinked her eyes, her gaze suggesting—You just went to see Doctor Lin last night, and you’re going again today?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if she didn’t let Xie Jinhuan go, he’d probably crawl into her bed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of silence, Linghu Qingmo still said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh… then go. Ling’er should arrive in the capital tomorrow; remember to come back early.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan could feel Qingmo’s gaze was off, but he was going to kill and set fires—he couldn’t take Qingmo with him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright. If you’re bored, have Meiqiu keep you company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re still injured, uh… take care of your body, let Doctor Lin check on you often, don’t overexert yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Xie Jinhuan leapt into the air and vanished beyond the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing her patrol notes, Linghu Qingmo sat alone in her room, stroking Meiqiu, feeling bored; she couldn’t focus on cultivation, so she turned to look at Meiqiu on the table:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does Xie Jinhuan do when he’s bored?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu blinked her amber eyes twice, then raised her wings and rubbed Linghu Qingmo’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo figured this must mean “slay demons and exterminate evil,” so she hoisted Meiqiu onto her shoulder, drew her sword, and stepped out, planning to follow Xie Jinhuan’s example—when bored, hunt down demonic heretics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu hadn’t expected following Qingmo meant overtime, but overtime meant extra meals—so she perked up immediately…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2125,"2026-06-20T01:38:11.747Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ee1989d5d79fd138cc9a28e22743b6f69465ac7d8d6616ffe68e50e62ae60dfe","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-104","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-102",252,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-roaring-dragon-cover.jpg"]