On the other side of the mountain, Lord Pig—now a certified escapee—left the heavy atmosphere of Dazhu Peak and burst into the heavens. He flapped his spectral Wind and Thunder Wings, the golden light of his speed slicing through the air like a meteor.
The world beneath him was transformed. He was enveloped by vast expanses of white clouds and swirling mist, yet this sublime shroud could not impede Lord Pig's enhanced sight. He soared high above, gazing down upon the breathtaking, magnificent, and utterly magical expanse of the Qingyun Mountains.
A moment later, Lord Pig punched through the cloud layer. The boundless blue sky above was an inverted deep sea, a pure, unending azure that stretched into eternity, magnificent and majestic. In the distance, the colossal mountains stood proud, reaching toward the celestial sphere.
One peak, in particular, was the most towering and supreme. Shrouded in ethereal white clouds, the faint, resonant sound of spiritual bells echoed across the sky, as if beckoning travelers to the heavens themselves. This was Tongtian Peak, the central and most powerful peak of the Qingyun Seven Veins, where Daoxuan Zhenren held court.
The remaining six peaks paled slightly in comparison, but each was still a spiritual haven of immense power. Lord Pig's eyes, naturally enhanced by his own divine essence, glowed with a subtle purple light. His gaze effortlessly penetrated the dense layers of fog and spiritual mist, allowing him to survey the activity within the peaks. After a brief survey, his attention—and his trajectory—swung decisively toward a single location.
Xiaozhu Peak. A destination known across the sect for its unique composition of disciples.
Ah, yes. The beautiful, feminine energy of Xiaozhu Peak. Lord Pig is nothing if not a connoisseur of beauty and comfort, and the fastest way to accrue spiritual experience points, it seems, is through the gentle caress of fair maidens. Lord Pig is, of course, a genius of cultivation strategy.
He saw the Peak Lord, Master Shuiyue, standing before a gathering of her female disciples, currently delivering crucial instructions—the very instructions about him.
Lord Pig arrived in the sky above the training grounds, hovering just out of immediate sight, preparing for his theatrical descent.
The first figure to draw the eye was, naturally, the Peak Lord herself, Master Shuiyue. She appeared to be in her prime, perhaps thirty years of age, with an elegant oval face, finely sculpted eyebrows, a gentle nose, and a pair of bright, observant almond eyes. Dressed in a flowing, moon-white Taoist robe, she possessed a quiet grace and an air of dignified resilience.
Standing directly in front of her were her two most prominent disciples. One was visibly younger, dressed in snow-white robes, her beauty sharp and cool. Strapped to her back was a long, scabbarded sword of vibrant sky-blue, its hilt gleaming, faint ripples of spiritual energy flowing across its surface—an immortal treasure of obvious power. This was Lu Xueqi, the rising star and prodigy of Xiaozhu Peak, whose cultivation level already surpassed her seniors.
Next to her stood Wen Min, slightly older, projecting an image of calm maturity and gentle steadiness—the epitome of the senior sister.
"Yesterday," Master Shuiyue spoke slowly, her voice clear and precise, "a true Patriarch arrived at our Qingyun Sect. He is Zhu Hao, the sworn elder brother of Qingyun Patriarch himself."
"What? Patriarch Qingyun had a brother? And he's still alive?" The female disciples gasped, their beautiful eyes wide with incredulity. Qingyun Patriarch was a legend from two millennia ago! To possess a contemporary whose cultivation allowed him to survive this long suggested a power beyond imagination.
Swish!
At a gesture from Shuiyue, Wen Min unrolled a spiritual scroll. Appearing on the silk was a vivid, golden image of a round, furry beast—part pig, part bear—looking impossibly plump and cute.
"Is this... the ancestor?"
All the disciples were shocked, though several instantly recalled the ancient, dusty painting enshrined in the sect's main hall—it was an exact match.
"Remember this," Master Shuiyue warned, her voice firm. "When you encounter our Grandmaster, you must address him as Grandpa Pig. You are under no circumstances to offend him!"
"Master, Pig!"
Suddenly, a cry of sheer, unbridled surprise erupted from the back ranks of the female disciples.
"Xiao Rong! Who gave you permission to shout? How can you be so loud and disrespectful?" Shuiyue frowned slightly, scolding the disruptive disciple.
"Master! It's the Pig... the Pig..." stammered Shui Rong, her trembling finger pointing a frantic trajectory toward the sky.
"How dare you insult your Master? Come forward and apologize immediately!" Wen Min glared, her beautiful eyes blazing with indignation, failing to notice the terrifying golden object that Shui Rong was pointing at.
"I can't believe Junior Sister Shui Rong, usually so quiet, would have the audacity to publicly insult the Master! She is truly lawless!" The other female disciples exchanged confused glances.
"Master! It's Lord Pig!" Shui Rong cried out, on the verge of tears, finally managing to articulate her warning.
"Hm?"
Shuiyue frowned, annoyed by the persistent interruption, and finally raised her head. She saw a compact, golden, spherical object hurtling downward through the azure sky, picking up speed. It was, unmistakably, Zhu Hao.
Perfect timing. Lord Pig always sticks the landing!
Snap!
Zhu Hao executed a masterful, intentional crash landing, positioning himself perfectly to fall directly into Shuiyue's soft, startled arms. He immediately twisted his body, patted his chest dramatically, and let out a shaky sigh, his fat face contorted in mock terror. "You scared Lord Pig half to death! I thought I was going to fall and shatter myself!"
"Pfft! Oh, he is so adorable!"
"He's so unbelievably cute! I must hug him!"
The collective gazes of the female disciples instantly turned molten. If Shuiyue hadn't been standing there, radiating the dignity of the Peak Lord, the entire rank would have broken formation, surging forward to cradle and 'ravage' the newly arrived ancestor.
"Lord Pig, please be careful next time! You mustn't fall from the sky!" Shuiyue held Zhu Hao instinctively, a mixture of spiritual panic and maternal protectiveness washing over her. She couldn't possibly throw the ancestor away. She managed a strained, awkward voice.
But wait, she thought, if he can summon the Wind and Thunder Wings, how could he possibly 'fall'?
"Thank you, fair lady. What is your name? Lord Pig must thank you for saving my life!" Zhu Hao raised his big, innocent eyes and asked in his highest baby voice.
Lord Pig won't tell you the landing was calculated for maximum comfort and experience gain!
"Lord Pig, please just call me Shuiyue. I dare not be called 'lady' or 'sister' by the Grandmaster!" Shuiyue quickly clarified, blushing slightly. If the highest elder in the sect addressed her as "sister," how would Daoxuan or Tian Buyi ever treat her seriously again?
Yet, the word 'sister' felt surprisingly warm and kind.
"Yes, Shuiyue... or, even better, Xiaoyueyue!" Zhu Hao announced with finality. He then turned over, tilted his head, and announced, "Lord Pig is feeling sleepy again!"
Ga...
Shuiyue and her two senior disciples were petrified. Xiaoyueyue? This Grandmaster was indeed a creature of the primordial era—irreverent, unpredictable, and entirely top-notch in his audacity.
"Alright, everyone. Remember what I said. Now, return to your practice!" Shuiyue's pretty face was a picture of helplessness as she dismissed her disciples.
"Yes!"
All the disciples withdrew, leaving only Lu Xueqi and Wen Min, who lingered, unable to tear their eyes away from the golden orb nestled in their Master's arms.
Shuiyue, alone with the pig, couldn't resist. She reached out and gently rubbed Zhu Hao's back. The fur was incredibly soft, smooth, plump, and immensely comforting. She rubbed him again, and again.
"Master, may I also touch Lord Pig?" Wen Min walked closer, her eyes glittering with longing, a rare lapse in her steady composure.
Shuiyue looked down at the sleeping pig and then back at her disciple. "You may touch him, but be extremely gentle. Do not wake him. If he wakes up angry, he might be difficult to handle."
"Thank you, Master!" Wen Min was overjoyed. She stretched out her soft, white hands and reverently touched Zhu Hao's head, then lightly massaged his round belly.
Lu Xueqi, standing by, her usual icy composure melted by the sight of the cozy creature, couldn't resist. She reached out a finger and delicately rubbed Zhu Hao's back.
Experience +20 (From the Peak Lord, very nice!) Experience +5 Experience +5
"Mmm, excellent! I've gained more experience! Beautiful hands generate better quality experience points. This was a wise tactical retreat!" Zhu Hao narrowed his eyes, tracking the floating system prompts, utterly satisfied with his chosen location.
Meanwhile, far away on the majestic heights of Tongtian Peak, the situation was descending into pandemonium.
In the solemn, ancient expanse of Yuqing Palace, Tian Buyi's short, fat figure burst through the doors, his usual scowl replaced by raw anxiety.
"Master Daoxuan, it's disastrous! Lord Pig has escaped!"
Taoist Master Daoxuan was instantly stunned. His benevolent expression hardened with alarm. "What? Where did he go?" he demanded.
Zhu Hao's presence, as a true ancient relic, was an absolute geopolitical and spiritual necessity for the sect. Such a being could easily live for ten thousand years, unlike even the most successful human cultivators, whose lifespans topped out around six or seven hundred years. With Zhu Hao anchored at Qingyun, the sect's strength, reputation, and celestial guidance would be secured for dozens of future generations—a certainty akin to the Water Qilin that Patriarch Qingye had subdued and which had guarded Qingyun for over a millennium.
"I don't know, Master!" Tian Buyi frantically explained. "Lord Pig manifested eight golden wings containing the power of Wind and Thunder. They flapped once, and he vanished in an instant. The speed was far beyond mine; I couldn't catch him, not even remotely!"
"I immediately sent Su Ru to search for him, but if Master Zhu truly wishes to leave the mountain, it will be impossible to find him!"
Daoxuan's face was grim. The loss of such a primitive relic was unthinkable. "Immediately notify the heads of all peaks! They must drop everything and search for him! You know the importance of this! An ancient relic can protect our Qingyun for dozens of generations, and Lord Pig is clearly powerful—at least equal to, if not greater than, the Water Qilin!"
"Yes, Master!"
Tian Buyi rushed out, carrying the frantic order. The heads of the remaining peaks were quickly alerted and galvanized into a chaotic, desperate search. Lord Pig had caused more upheaval in two hours than the entire demonic faction had managed in the last fifty years.
The great Qingyun Sect, the pillar of righteousness, was now desperately hunting for a tiny, golden, arrogant piglet who was currently asleep in the arms of the Peak Lord of Xiaozhu Peak, gathering Experience Points and dreaming of roast chicken.