Chapter 793: Extra Chapter 4: 30

The rain stopped and the sky cleared.

A bloody storm had just passed.

The tourists didn't know the details; after experiencing this rainstorm and the 'earthquake,' many people who returned to Dragon Phoenix Elegant Lodge immediately checked out and left.

Xiao Jiu, however, stayed at Dragon Phoenix Elegant Lodge for a few more days.

First, Fang Chuanzong was doing cleanup work, so Xiao Jiu had to stay to see if there was anywhere she could help, and she also needed to finally confirm whether the broken Branch Vein had truly been restored.

Moreover, Xiao Jiu genuinely sensed Liu Junyan's presence.

Those dragon roars, and that final damp embrace, Xiao Jiu didn't believe she could be mistaken.

Unfortunately, after four full days, Fang Chuanzong's side finished their survey; the broken Branch Vein in Suedi was finally connected after being filled in at Laojing.

And the patch of Golden Scale beneath Laojing was indeed gone.

But nobody saw Liu Junyan.

Fang Chuanzong comforted Xiao Jiu: 'This is definitely Liu Qiye's doing; according to our Special Affairs Handling Office's inference, Liu Qiye's mission is not limited to Suedi but encompasses all of China.'

Xiao Jiu frowned: 'Wasn't it said that Liu Junyan oversaw the Suedi Branch Vein as Old Turtle's dying wish? How did it expand to all of China?'

In all of China, there are only a few main Dragon Veins, but the number of Branch Veins is vast.

Even this one Branch Vein in Suedi caused such a commotion; Xiao Jiu would surely worry about Liu Junyan.

'The able take on more work,' Fang Chuanzong said, 'and we reckon Liu Qiye took on such a big task because it falls within his duty.'

Xiao Jiu understood even less: 'Duty-bound? What does that mean?'

Fang Chuanzong said: 'The meaning is that after Liu Qiye ascended, he quickly passed the trial period, received a divine office and descended to the mortal world; integrating and restoring all of China's Dragon Veins lies within the scope of his divine office, so Suedi is likely neither his first nor his last stop.'

Xiao Jiu had once had a similar thought, but she only dared to guess that Liu Junyan's fief might be in Suedi; she never dared to imagine it could be all of China.

The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.

Likewise, the greater the responsibility, the greater the pressure.

Xiao Jiu thought and then asked: 'Old Fang, in your view, what specific position do you think Liu Junyan has been appointed to?'

Since the Special Affairs Handling Office pays such close attention to Liu Junyan's movements, based on the Suedi incident, they should have reached some conclusion by now.

Sure enough, Fang Chuanzong said: 'Liu Qiye's true form is a dragon; after dragon clan members ascend, pass the trial, and descend, they can be appointed to many offices—for example, guardian deity of the rivers and lakes, Dragon King; deity who regulates wind, rain, thunder, and lightning for a region; since dragons are inseparable from water and water governs wealth, they could also be appointed as a regional wealth god or treasury protector, etc.'

Liu Qiye had lain low for over five years, and we could never be sure which of those posts he would receive, but after the Suedi Branch Vein incident, it became clear.

Since Liu Qiye's appointed office concerns the Dragon Vein and Earth Vein, he should be the Earth Vein Dragon God.

Earth Vein Dragon God…… that office sounds huge and important.

'The Earth Vein God office also comes in ranks, from low—only overseeing an area's Earth Vein—to high; if that Old Turtle back then hadn't been persecuted by Xu Chun, after ascending and being appointed, his post would likely have been Suedi's Earth Vein protector; but Liu Qiye left only a patch of Golden Scale in Suedi, and with a single move he connected and cleared the broken Branch Vein, so he is certainly not just Suedi's Earth Vein Dragon God; he must be at the highest level.'

Of course, a new official makes his mark in the first three months; every region has its own guardian deity, so Liu Qiye must achieve something to win people's trust—five-plus years… is still too short.

Yeah, that's the entire China's Earth Vein and Dragon Vein!

Liu Junyan wanted to gnaw at this hard bone; five years is merely a drop in the bucket.

A Cheng also speculated that Liu Junyan might have already descended and taken office long ago, only recently perhaps anchoring a sealed memory of his, which is why he appeared in Xiao Jiu's dream.

That is to say, over the past five years or a bit less, Liu Junyan has been striving along a certain Earth Vein line in China.

Until he followed the Earth Vein and traced it to Suedi.

And coincidentally, Xiao Jiu also came to Suedi to try her luck.

One must say, fate is wonderfully strange.

Xiao Jiu and Liu Junyan, whether separated by past and present lives, or by heaven and mortal realm, or by the ends of the earth, they ultimately can sense each other, and in the dark they gradually draw closer, step by step.

The conclusion reached by Fang Chuanzong and the Special Affairs Handling Office gave Xiao Jiu great encouragement.

This trip to Suedi was not in vain for her.

At least she has confirmed that Liu Junyan is indeed in the mortal world.

As for when he will remember himself, remember Wufu Town, when they will reunite and continue their fate… those no longer matter.

Initially, Liu Junyan told Xiao Jiu that he might need to wander the world for over ten years.

During that time, he could not return home, they could not stay in contact, Xiao Jiu willingly agreed and gave strong support to his endeavors and pursuits.

Actually, the current situation isn't much different from wandering the world.

Xiao Jiu turned the beads on her wrist, thinking of Xingchen's attitude toward Liu Junyan after his birth.

During the time Xingchen first stayed in the Zàng Qū, he already strongly supported Liu Junyan going out more.

Those years, Liu Junyan indeed often went out, his purpose then being to help his eldest son clear the remnants of Emptiness scattered everywhere.

But Liu Junyan was still too homesick; after Xingchen settled firmly on the Buddhist high altar, he stayed contentedly in Wufu Town, managing the Jiǔyàn qū all day, and then just raising the children.

In those years, Xingchen's attitude toward Liu Junyan changed noticeably.

Xingchen seemed to have long calculated that Liu Junyan would head for broader skies, so he early on distanced himself, giving him the cold shoulder.

In terms of family ties, that's called 'relatives cannot be relied upon.'

Sure enough, Liu Junyan dodged again and again, but ultimately, urged by Old Turtle, he had no choice but to ascend……

As long as he's well, Xiao Jiu thought, whether they meet or not isn't that important.

The Suedi matter was basically settled; Fang Chuanzong still had to go elsewhere for work, and he left first.

Xiao Jiu, meanwhile, packed her suitcase, booked a high-speed rail ticket back to River City, checked out, and prepared to return to Wufu Town.

During those days she was away, nobody in Wufu Town called her about work.

Everyone supported her going out to relax, hoping she would cheer up.

So everyone tacitly avoided disturbing her.

Xiao Jiu carried her suitcase; as she left Dragon Phoenix Elegant Lodge, a breeze blew, and the two rows of willows by the small lake in front of the guesthouse swayed in the wind.

On the tip of the willow tree nearest the intersection, a jade-green willow-branch bracelet hung from the branch, swaying gently……