Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 340 - 197 Azure Dragon Opportunity_2

Chapter 340: Chapter 197 Azure Dragon Opportunity_2

"I... I don’t know."

Yan’er trembled all over, her blood seeming to congeal within her delicate body.

"It should be coming into the world now, shouldn’t it? Otherwise, at this moment, the third prince should have gone to the frontier instead of staying here."

He Benquan’s eyes were deep and mysterious as he smiled and said, "It’s a bit earlier than we had anticipated. That dragon egg is the one with the purest bloodline among the great demons of the dragon clan. Once this Azure Dragon is born, if one can subdue it and become its master, it’s as if they have obtained the totem of the Azure Dragon clan."

Of course, I am not aware of its specific uses, but... since the third prince values it so much, it indicates its importance. If someone else were to get their hands on it first, do you think he would be very angry?"

Yan’er bit her pale lips tightly but said nothing.

The one who was originally in charge of nurturing the Azure Dragon project was the former Magistrate standing before her.

He knew where the Azure Dragon was hidden.

He was also intimately familiar with the formations and mechanisms inside.

He Benquan indeed might be able to take the newly born Azure Dragon from the Crown Prince’s hands first.

"Do you know why I am wasting so much breath talking to you?"

He Benquan lifted the woman’s chin again, smiled, and said, "I need your help with something."

——

Shangguan Yunjin carefully arranged his clothing, smoothing out every crease with patience... Being someone so meticulous and a bit of a clean freak, the most important thing to him was his appearance.

With the cleanly wiped painting scroll on his back, Shangguan Yunjin opened the door of the inn.

But he found a lady standing pretty as a picture outside the door.

The woman was in a plain dress, exuding nobility, and holding a painting scroll in her arms.

Shangguan Yunjin was momentarily startled, then a warm smile curved his lips. He bowed respectfully but distantly, "Your Highness, the Princess."

"What? Heard I came to Qingzhou and planned to flee quickly, did you?"

Zhou Wanyue said teasingly.

Shangguan Yunjin laughed awkwardly, "You’re joking, Your Highness."

"I copied a painting, take a look and see how it is." Zhou Wanyue stepped into the room, saw him standing at the doorway, and frowned slightly, "You’re that afraid of idle talk?"

Shangguan Yunjin said softly, "A gentleman should not be a mere vessel, for it can burn both others and oneself."

"Fine, if our conversation is overheard by others, you bear the consequences," Zhou Wanyue retorted with a coquettish glare.

Shangguan Yunjin smiled faintly, remaining at the door and not closing it.

"Speaking of which, I visited Qingchen at the Liushan Division recently..."

Zhou Wanyue spoke casually, sitting on the chair and sincerely admiring, "Indeed, he is the most talented prodigy among the young generation, just one step away from entering the Saintly Ascension Realm, and even reached the ’Love-void’ state."

Shangguan Yunjin was taken aback, the smile that had been on his lips suddenly froze.

The light outside the window dimmed at that moment.

All emotions sank to the bottom of the lake.

After a long while, he seemed to ponder something and gently closed the door.

Zhou Wanyue’s lips curved slightly, she unrolled the scroll and said softly, "These days, I have been copying Master Zhong Yuanzi’s ’Dreamless Landscape Painting,’ not quite grasping the essence. Then I thought, if it is dreamless, then the mountains are not mountains, the waters are not waters... So I copied one in a sort of trance."

Shangguan Yunjin looked at the landscape painting imbued with a spiritual air and said softly, "Your Highness has a lot of insight."

Zhou Wanyue’s smile was playful as she blinked, "It’s my honor to be praised by you, the gentleman of painting. But the painting lacks a bit of natural charm. Could you, Master Shangguan, perhaps add a stroke for me?"

Shangguan Yunjin frowned and said, "Your Highness, just say what you want."

Zhou Wanyue’s gaze fell slightly, her eyelids drooped, and her cherry lips pursed lightly. After a moment of silence, her eyes turned to the painting scroll Shangguan Yunjin carried on his back, and she asked with a beaming smile, "I wonder how many creatures have you collected in your zodiac beast painting, Master Shangguan?"

Shangguan Yunjin hesitated for a moment, then replied indifferently, "Four."

"Is there a dragon among them?"

"A dragon?"

Shangguan Yunjin showed a look of astonishment, then shook his head with a wry smile, "Dragons are scarce in this world; how could I have the ability to absorb a dragon spirit."

Zhou Wanyue asked, "Would the power of the zodiac beast painting increase if it absorbed a dragon spirit?"

"Naturally."

Shangguan Yunjin nodded and said, "Even the lesser Jiaolong dragons possess formidable power not to be underestimated, and more importantly, if one can assimilate the dragon’s soul, it will be much easier to absorb the spirits of other zodiac creatures in the future, for the dragon is the most revered of all spirits. The only regret is that the Dharma Seal of the Zodiac has been lost, otherwise..."

All of a sudden, Shangguan Yunjin realized something, staring intently at the woman in front of him, "Princess, the purpose of your visit today is..."

"In Qingzhou, there exists a dragon demon, which is the Azure Dragon."

Zhou Wanyue stopped beating around the bush.

Shangguan Yunjin’s pupils suddenly constricted, his breathing a bit hurried.

He strove to calm his mind, refraining from speaking, instead he studied the noble head princess of Dazhou, waiting for her to continue.

A dragon demon!

Even in the Wanshou Mountains and Rivers, only two dragons were nurtured.

One was a dark Jiaolong, the other a fish dragon.

Let alone the Azure Dragon, one of the "Four Spirits of the Heavens," which was second only to the legendary Zhulong among true dragon demons!

Zhou Wanyue poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip to moisten her throat before speaking slowly and methodically, "The third Prince... or rather, the Crown Prince, once acquired a dragon egg containing the Azure Dragon Bloodline. Because of the presence of the ancient remnant Formation of the dragon and phoenix in Qingzhou, he chose to nurture it there.

Initially under the responsibility of the former Qingzhou Prefect He Benquan, after He Benquan’s death, the current prefect took over the care, who is a man of the Crown Prince. Lately, there have been signs of hatching on that dragon egg, so the Crown Prince didn’t leave for the border as planned and stayed in Qingzhou instead."

Shangguan Yunjin looked at her in surprise, "You want me to snatch the Azure Dragon from your imperial brother’s hands?"

The head princess smiled and said, "I’m simply providing you with a clue. Whether you choose to strive for it or not is up to you. As a sister, I still hope that my own brother can gain an opportunity."

Shangguan Yunjin’s expression was complex.

He approached the painting and, looking at the mountains and rivers meticulously outlined by the woman’s brushstrokes, said softly, "Doing this... will anger your father, the Emperor. It’s not worth it, for my sake."

For the imperial family, the Azure Dragon was of extraordinary significance.

The benefits it could bring to a future ruler were immeasurable.

For the head princess, an imperial progeny, to undermine her own brother for the sake of an outsider was quite...

Shangguan Yunjin was both amused and touched.

"The Emperor wants the third Prince to train himself more, so this time, let’s consider it a trial for my little brother. If he gets the Azure Dragon, it means the opportunity is his. If not, it means he’s not worthy of it," Zhou Wanyue spoke nonchalantly.

Shangguan Yunjin pondered for a moment and said, "Even with the Zodiac Beast Picture, my odds aren’t great. First, I don’t have the Dharma Seal of the Zodiac, so I can only use the techniques of the Wanshou Mountains and Rivers to reclaim it. Secondly, the Crown Prince will definitely possess the essence of the dragon, and with it, he can deal with any dragon demon in the world."

However, Zhou Wanyue shook her head,

"Initially, I too thought that the Emperor would give the Dragon Essence to the Crown Prince, but as far as I’m aware, he hasn’t. So, the Crown Prince must also be planning to use some secret technique to subdue the Azure Dragon. In the end, the chance you both have to compete is the same."

The Crown Prince doesn’t have the Dragon Essence?

Shangguan Yunjin was very surprised by what the woman had said.

The Emperor isn’t even willing to give the Dragon Essence to the Crown Prince; does he truly intend to challenge him?

This father seems rather harsh.

If that’s the case, then my own chances are indeed higher, especially with the Zodiac Beast Picture... Thinking this, Shangguan Yunjin felt a surge of fervor in his heart.

Could this be his destiny?

Looking at Zhou Wanyue’s beautiful countenance, recalling everything she had done for him, a cord in Shangguan Yunjin’s heart was gently plucked... Yet, the image of Ran Qingchen floated into his mind.

Love-void Realm...

Is there truly no man in this world who can move your heart?

No!

I will not give up!

Shangguan Yunjin clenched his fists tightly.

He exhaled softly, flipped his wrist to produce the wolf-hair brush he always carried, and gently marked the painting scroll with it.

In an instant, the mountains and rivers in the painting seemed to come alive.

Zhou Wanyue’s eyes sparkled brilliantly.

Shangguan Yunjin’s smile was carefree.

Since destiny has arrived, then I... can only reluctantly accept it.