Chapter Ninety-Eight: I Would Rather Die Than Step Outside
“Clear returns to clear… turbid returns to turbid…”
Ao Lan stared blankly at the person before her, putting down her chopsticks and speaking solemnly, “Sir, your words are truly thought-provoking…”
“Ah—”
Xu Boqing quickly raised his hand to interrupt her, his face serious as well. “I am but a peer to my sister-in-law, far younger than you, how dare I accept the title of ‘Sir’?”
“There is precedence in learning, unrelated to age…”
Ao Lan clicked her tongue in surprise. “Before I met you, I was like a frog at the bottom of a well, unaware of the vastness of the sky; hearing your words, I realized that even in this mundane world, true immortals exist…”
“…”
Xu Boqing smiled wryly and shook his head. “Sister-in-law, as peers, I feel unworthy and unable to accept the title of ‘Sir.’ Perhaps we should use another form of address?”
“Another form of address?”
Ao Lan furrowed her brows. “What do you suggest?”
“Aren’t we still friends?”
“We’ve had such pleasant conversations; naturally, yes…”
“Then that’s settled…”
Xu Boqing pondered for a moment, as if struck by an idea, his eyes brightening. “From our first encounter, I felt a kinship, regretting that we met so late. Since you are older than me, why don’t we address each other as uncle and niece or elder sister and younger brother?”
“Uncle and niece… elder sister and younger brother?”
Ao Lan blinked, feeling somewhat at a loss.
“Exactly…”
Xu Boqing nodded slightly. “If I call you sister-in-law, then your late husband becomes my older brother from a different father and mother, whom I have never met. Calling each other uncle, niece, elder sister, and younger brother would then be fitting, wouldn’t it?”
He paused, then added with a sly smile, “If he is my older brother and you my sister-in-law, then we are family. You may call me Boqing or Brother Qing.”
“Boqing… Brother Qing…”
Ao Lan muttered in astonishment, unsure of what to think, her inner confusion deepening.
Earlier, she had observed from the clouds, unable to discern Xu Boqing’s true nature, which piqued her curiosity. Knowing he had resolved a karmic bond triggered by her own transformation into a dragon, she took human form to forge a connection.
Now, the friendship was established, but somehow, unknowingly, it had turned into a bond of uncle, niece, elder sister, and younger brother.
Was this karmic entanglement growing too vast?
“This feels just right~”
Xu Boqing sighed and spoke earnestly, “My older brother passed many years ago. Sister-in-law, as a woman, shouldering the household’s burdens must not be easy. Should you ever need my help, do not hesitate to ask.”
“…”
Ao Lan blinked, unsure whether it was her imagination, but she sensed a hidden meaning in the younger man’s words.
Something stirred within her; her cheeks warmed slightly. She hastily straightened up and stammered, “Bo… Qing, well… sister-in-law still has young children at home. It’s not suitable to stay long here. I shall take my leave…”
“Mm hmm…”
Xu Boqing noticed her unease and smiled, saying, “Very well, I shall not detain you, sister-in-law.”
“Until we meet again.”
Ao Lan returned to her fishing boat, and just as she was about to push off, she heard a voice behind her: “Remember well the child-rearing advice I just shared, sister-in-law~”
“I remember, I remember…”
As the woman replied, a thin mist rose over the river, and the fishing boat slowly disappeared into the haze until it vanished from sight.
“My brother… sister-in-law…”
Xu Boqing smiled inexplicably, watching Ao Lan’s somewhat flustered figure fade into the mist. He muttered softly, “You know that I know you, and I know you know me—how marvelous~”
…
Within the Tongtian River…
Ao Lan returned to the Dragon Palace, once again transformed into her regal form, adorned in splendid robes that radiated imperial dignity, her face as cold and stern as frost…
“Greetings, Dragon Lord…”
The shrimp soldiers and crab generals before the palace shrank back in fear at the sight of their Dragon Lord.
Ao Lan glanced at them and asked, “Where is Ao Xing?”
An old man, bowed and hunchbacked, with a pair of mustaches shaped like the number eight, hurried out of the palace, trembling as he said, “Dragon Lord, His Highness is inside the palace forging magical artifacts…”
“…”
Ao Lan’s expression stiffened.
Thinking of that unfilial son who wasted his days without progress, remaining only a flood dragon after many years of cultivation, her teeth itched with anger.
If only that wayward son focused his mind elsewhere—even if it were on some other girl—it would be better…
But he stayed cooped up at the Dragon Palace’s gates, never venturing out. Either he was underwater, fiddling with fire to forge artifacts, or concocting pills…
He didn’t even set foot on the shore.
Not only that, even when other river and lake gods came to pay respects, the Crown Prince of the Tongtian River Dragon Palace rarely made an appearance…
Her younger brother had spoken truly…
This indulgence could not continue!
Ao Lan steeled herself, frost deepening on her countenance. With a cold snort, she swept her sleeves and departed…
At this moment, Crown Prince Ao Xing sat before a massive cauldron, holding a book filled with insights on artifact forging offered by the river and lake gods, engrossed in reading.
Suddenly, he shivered for no apparent reason…
Turning around with a dawning realization, he saw his mother standing coldly at the door, as frosty as ice. Embarrassed, he immediately straightened up.
“Mother, what brings you here?”
“I came to see what sort of magical artifact you’ve forged…”
Ao Lan snorted lightly and entered the room. Seeing the array of weapons—knives, spears, swords, and halberds—her lips twitched involuntarily. With a cold snort, she sat down at the table…
…
Ao Xing sensed his mother’s displeasure and quickly put on a sheepish face, patting his leg, massaging his shoulders, trying to appease her.
“Mother, are you interested in these minor arts too?”
Ao Lan’s coldness deepened. Slapping the table sharply, she scolded, “You know these are trivial arts!?”
“I…”
Ao Xing was startled, his body jerking. Recalling past scoldings, he instinctively considered slipping away…
“Come here… kneel!”
“…”
“Come here!!”
“…”
Before Ao Xing could escape, seeing that his mother seemed truly angry, he reluctantly stepped back, then knelt before her with an innocent expression.
“Mother, I haven’t made a mistake; you…”
“No mistake?”
Ao Lan rose, glaring at him and reprimanding, “Tell me, from the day you were born until now, how many years have you cultivated!?”
“…”
Ao Xing’s face stiffened. Counting on his fingers, he sheepishly said, “Mother, it seems… about eight hundred years.”
“Eight hundred years… eight hundred years!!”
Ao Lan, furious, held her forehead. After a few heavy sighs, recalling their earlier discussion about ‘engagement with the world versus withdrawal,’ she stifled her anger and said coldly, “After eight hundred years, you’re still a flood dragon. Pack yourself up and get out of the Dragon Palace to cultivate in the secular world.”
“I… I won’t go…”
Hearing that he had to leave, Ao Xing twisted around and adopted a defiant stance, saying, “The Dragon Palace is my home. The outside world is treacherous. I’m not leaving.”
“You… still dare to talk back!!”
Recalling her younger brother’s words on ‘the way of nurturing,’ Ao Lan suddenly stretched out her hand. A rod-shaped magical artifact lying in the corner of the room flew into her grasp!
With a cold voice, she scolded, “Will you go out to cultivate or not?”
“…”
Ao Xing was momentarily stunned by his mother’s anger and the raised rod. Then, remembering that although she was fierce, she had never hit him in all these years, he was no longer afraid.
“If you want to hit me, go ahead. Even if you kill me, I won’t go out…”
“Good… ha… good!!”