Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Festival of Qi and Lu

Finally, the exams are over—almost burnt to a crisp myself. Now, updates resume. “Azure Dragon of Another World” has officially signed a contract; I hope everyone will support it enthusiastically.

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On the Tianxuan Continent, a legend has been passed down for generations. Long ago, there was a peerless genius named Qilu, who, in less than a century, broke through to the Saint Domain, and after another hundred years, surpassed even the Saint Domain.

It is said that Qilu achieved this breakthrough on a dark night. For reasons unknown, the sky blossomed with magnificent fireworks, illuminating the entire Tianxuan Continent. All the common folk fell to their knees in reverence, believing a divine miracle had descended.

Soon after Qilu reached the Saint Domain, a traditional festival on the continent was renamed Qilu Festival. On this day, all magicians would launch spells into the sky, creating dazzling magical flames that lit up the continent, just as they did on the night of Qilu’s breakthrough.

For children about to turn nine, this day holds special significance—not only can they witness beautiful fireworks, but they also discover their aptitude and attributes for cultivation.

All children nearing nine years of age and possessing talent for cultivation inexplicably perceive a wondrous world on this day, vibrant and filled with magical elements.

No one knows why only nine-year-olds can sense magical elements. No one can cultivate magic or battle energy before nine. The continent’s most renowned church claims all of this is the will of the gods.

And now, the annual Qilu Festival has arrived again. All the children sit cross-legged in their courtyards, watching the magical flames bloom overhead, waiting for midnight to see whether they possess the gift for cultivation.

Elsewhere, in a forest, a little boy about to turn nine, still innocent, clutches a bone sword and hides within a shadowy thicket. Like a venomous snake, he inches closer, under the scattered moonlight, to a tusked pig rooting among withered leaves.

Swish...

Suddenly, a flash of blood arcs through the night, stabbing at the tusked pig. As the pig turns, the blade pierces its neck, swift and deadly, then immediately retreats.

Roar...

The pig, stunned for a moment, lets out a painful howl, its small eyes flashing with ferocity as it charges toward the boy, who has just landed, bone sword gleaming with blood.

Swish...

The boy’s lips curl into a slight smile, fearless, sword raised to meet the pig. The deadly crimson light flashes again; a despairing scream fills the night, a geyser of blood sprays forth, and the pig’s massive head flies into the air.

Ooo... Ooo...

A small white lion cub, excited, bounds from the forest and leaps onto the boy’s shoulder, letting out joyful cries. It raises a tiny paw, displaying the thickest digit—apparently its thumb.

“You little flatterer!”

With affectionate amusement, the boy pats the white lion cub’s head. His name is Wang Luo. He glances toward the nearby woods, a smile playing on his lips. Although he cannot see the black panther, the bond of their contract assures him it is there.

In these ten days, led by the blood wolf, Wang Luo’s group has been heading toward the edge of the magical beast forest. Along the way, Wang Luo intended to secretly observe those journeying into the forest, learn about their customs and so forth.

But, alas, every time Wang Luo neared humans, a scream would ring out, and all he found was a corpse—and a black panther grinning provocatively at him, leaving Wang Luo speechless.

After several such episodes, Wang Luo stopped worrying about the deaths. Once the panther left, he would search the unfortunate victim’s remains, finding some gold coins—presumably the local currency.

Wang Luo never wasted the magical beasts slain by the panther. When hungry, he roasted their meat; when not, he would extract blood pearls for the blood wolf, teaching it the body-forging techniques.

When the panther discovered this practice, Wang Luo found not corpses, but piles of bones corroded by the panther’s dark energy. Even the magic crystals were carried off by the panther to unknown places.

Gradually, Wang Luo came to understand the panther—it behaved like a mischievous child, deliberately antagonizing him. With insight, Wang Luo began to respond accordingly.

Each time he traveled, Wang Luo left behind roasted meat and blood pearls, recalling his lion mother’s words that blood pearls have an irresistible allure for any magical beast.

After days of this, the panther became less antagonistic—at least, it no longer corroded the magical beasts for the sake of blood pearls and roasted meat.

However, its attitude toward humans remained unchanged. Perhaps, unable to vent its mischief on Wang Luo, it targeted his kind instead—a tactic that seemed to have no effect on Wang Luo at all.

After instructing Little White and the blood wolf to keep watch, Wang Luo sat cross-legged and began condensing blood pearls. Strands of blood gathered into a mass before him, churning and writhing.

In the lightless forest, a shadowy figure flickered in and out of view, watching the child condensing blood pearls once again. Though he had witnessed this over a dozen times in recent days, he could not shake a chill from his heart.

Who taught this child such sinister techniques? Who trained him to be so bloodthirsty? What is his true identity?

Questions swirled endlessly in the mind of the man in black, yet no answers came. For this reason, he continued to follow Wang Luo, never making a move against the black panther.

Oblivious to the man’s confusion, hovering above him was a little boy floating in midair, biting into a red fruit, looking vexed as he pondered why the man had not acted.

Suddenly, the boy looked toward the forest’s edge. The shadowy figure paused atop a tree, also gazing outward, his eyes filled with mysterious emotion.

“I nearly forgot today is the Qilu Festival!”

The man in black muttered softly, waving his hand to send a small, inconspicuous black sphere into the sky, where it silently blossomed into clusters of black fireworks.

Bang, bang...

Suddenly, the sound of explosions startled Wang Luo as he was condensing blood pearls. Startled, he saw dazzling light streaming in from the human world at the forest’s edge, as the blood wolf had described.

His heart trembled, his hand faltered, and the mass of blood before him paused.

“Not good!”

Thinking quickly, Wang Luo flung the blood pearl aside and retreated in the opposite direction. Sensing danger, Little White and the blood wolf had already leapt away.

Bang—

No sooner had Wang Luo released the blood mass than it churned violently, and as he rose to flee, it exploded, transforming into monstrous, blood-red fireworks.

Azure Dragon of Another World, Chapter 28: Qilu Festival update complete!