With Daoxuan Zhenren's urgent order echoing across the peaks, the entire Qingyun Sect mobilized.
Inside the main hall of Xiaozhu Peak, the atmosphere was a bizarre mix of spiritual reverence and casual petting.
"Master, is Lord Pig truly the Grandmaster?" Wen Min asked, gently stroking Zhu Hao's furry, golden ears. It felt utterly unbelievable that this soft, round creature held such an ancient, high rank.
"The Head Master Brother has confirmed it, so it cannot be wrong," Shuiyue said, her small hands gently smoothing Zhu Hao's back fur in a rhythmic, comforting motion. "Moreover, Lord Pig is an exact match for the ancient portrait in the ancestral temple. There is no second creature like him in the world."
"Master, who do you think is more powerful, Lord Pig or the Water Qilin (Lingzun)?" Lu Xueqi suddenly asked, her eyes holding a rare flicker of curiosity.
"I don't know," Shuiyue admitted. "Lord Pig has existed for too long and disappeared for over a thousand years. We have no clear record of his current abilities."
"I think Lingzun is definitely more powerful! Lord Pig is all furry and chubby; he doesn't look like he has any fighting power at all. He's not even as big as Lingzun's toe!" one disciple whispered.
"We shouldn't judge by appearance," Shuiyue gently countered. "Every ancient species possesses unique abilities. Lingzun's ability to control water is unparalleled. Lord Pig must have his own formidable skills as well!"
"Hehe! I think Lord Pig's unique skill is being adorable and sleeping a lot, just like Lingzun!" another disciple giggled.
"Hehe, can Lord Pig's abilities even compare to that stupid Qilin's?"
At that precise moment, Zhu Hao cracked his eyes open. He was not amused.
"Hold on! Did someone suggest comparing Lord Pig's colossal, world-shaking power to that stupid Qilin's measly skills?" Zhu Hao sat up, clearly dissatisfied. "Come on, Lord Pig will personally escort you to beat up that idiot!"
Shuiyue instantly felt a wave of icy panic. "Lord Pig, Wen Min was only joking, of course, you are the greatest!" she quickly flattered him, her voice strained. She knew that if Zhu Hao and Lingzun were to actually fight, regardless of the outcome, the resulting damage and spiritual disturbance would be catastrophic for the mountain.
"Yes, Lord Pig! Your disciple spoke wrongly, and it is entirely my fault. Your profound strength is naturally incomparable to that of a mere Spiritual Master!" Wen Min stammered, her pretty face turning pale with fear. She hadn't realized her casual gossip could provoke a world-ending duel.
"Don't worry," Zhu Hao assured her, patting his chest with a tiny paw. "Lord Pig is here. Nothing will happen. I'll protect you. I've been meaning to beat that idiot up for a long time anyway!"
Lord Pig reasoned that a grand duel with the sect's ancient guardian would provide an absolutely massive influx of Experience Points—far more than he could gain from simple petting. He had already gauged the strength of Daoxuan and the others; defeating the Water Qilin was well within his projected capabilities.
"Lord Pig, Lingzun has protected Qingyun for thousands of years. Even if he has no other merit, he has certainly worked hard. We all belong to Qingyun. It would be terrible if he were hurt! It's better not to go," Shuiyue pleaded, trying to appeal to his non-existent sense of sect loyalty. "How about we go eat something delicious instead?"
"It won't be too late to eat after Lord Pig beats up that stupid Qilin!" Zhu Hao declared, pointing his little paw toward the outside with unwavering determination. "Are you coming or not? If not, I'll go by myself!"
"Fine, Lord Pig, but please, do not harm Lingzun!" Shuiyue warned, though her concern was now split. She did not truly believe Zhu Hao could defeat the powerful Water Qilin, but she absolutely could not allow the Grandmaster Uncle to wander off alone to his doom, or worse, cause an unmonitored catastrophe. She decided to follow, reasoning that the resulting alarm would at least force Daoxuan to intervene.
"Don't worry! Let's move!" Zhu Hao waved his paw impatiently.
Shuiyue resigned herself to her fate, picked up Zhu Hao, and began the quick journey to Tongtian Peak. They crossed the great Rainbow Bridge and arrived swiftly at the Bishuitan (Clear Water Pond), the sacred basin where the Water Qilin resided.
The water of the Bishuitan was an exquisite emerald green, clear as a flawless mirror, reflecting the surrounding mountain peaks perfectly. Lying deep within the pool, the colossal Water Qilin was peacefully asleep, its massive body occasionally twitching with loud, rumbling snores.
"Junior Sister Shuiyue!"
They were spotted immediately. Cangsong and several other Peak Lords, who were actively searching for Zhu Hao, descended rapidly from Tongtian Peak.
"Lord Pig!"
The collective heads of the search party instantly swiveled from panic to astonishment when they saw the golden figure cradled in Shuiyue's arms. He didn't run away at all! He just flew to the all-female Xiaozhu Peak!
Ignoring the sudden crowd of powerful figures, Zhu Hao wriggled free of Shuiyue's grasp, flapped his wings, and flew directly toward the sleeping Water Qilin.
"Wake up! Don't sleep anymore! Lord Pig is calling you to get up and eat a knuckle sandwich!"
With a decisive, reckless movement, Zhu Hao delivered a tiny, yet forceful, kick directly onto the massive, scaled head of the Water Qilin.
"No!"
Cangsong, Tian Buyi, and the others screamed in unison, their hearts instantly leaping into their throats. It was too late. Zhu Hao had already made contact.
"ROAR!"
The Water Qilin instantly snapped open its eyes, a deafening roar of pure fury shaking the mountainside. It had been rudely awakened from its deep spiritual slumber by an unimaginable audacity. For someone to dare trespass and act so wildly upon its sacred head was an unforgivable offense that no guardian of Qingyun could tolerate!
As the Water Qilin became enraged, the celestial order around Tongtian Peak seemed to shatter. The beautiful blue sky suddenly turned an ominous, turbulent gray, and the gentle mountain breeze transformed into a fierce gale that howled sharply, scouring the top of the peak.
The placid Bishuitan began to tremble, its mirror-like surface shattering into violent ripples. The water then started to spin rapidly, forming a deep, churning whirlpool around the creature's immense body.
BOOM!
With a thunderous explosion, a massive column of water, thick as three grown men embracing, shot straight up into the darkened sky from the center of the vortex. The water solidified, condensing into a crystalline, serpentine form. Driven by the Water Qilin's ferocious will, the water column became as agile as a swimming dragon, coiling and striking through the air, absolutely furious.
"What in the world is going on here?"
Taoist Master Daoxuan arrived at the scene with terrifying speed, immediately witnessing the spectacle of the enraged Qilin. He quickly turned to the gathered Peak Lords for an explanation.
Everyone looked at Shuiyue. Though they were all confused, it was obvious that she was the one who brought Lord Pig here.
"Lord Pig... announced he wished to beat Lingzun," Shuiyue stated, her voice tight. She saw the collective confusion and decided not to evade responsibility. "Earlier, Lord Pig was sleeping in my arms. Wen Min and Lu Xueqi were there, and we were discussing Lingzun. Lord Pig woke up, overheard the conversation, and perhaps disagreed with the comparison to Lingzun. He became determined to fight him to prove his own strength, and so he came here."
"Junior Sister Shuiyue, how could you discuss the Spirit Master in front of Master Zhu!" Cangsong exclaimed, finally understanding the root of the problem. It was clear that Shuiyue and her disciples had inadvertently provoked Zhu Hao's competitive spirit by daring to compare him to Lingzun.
Shuiyue hung her head in shame. She had an undeniable responsibility in this disaster and could offer no defense.
"Enough! We can argue about this later. Prepare yourselves immediately!" Daoxuan commanded, his eyes fixed on the boiling Bishuitan. "If Lord Pig and the Spirit Master begin to fight, we must use all our power to separate them!"
Daoxuan decided against immediate intervention. Firstly, he desperately needed to assess Zhu Hao's actual capabilities. Secondly, the fight hadn't actually begun; the Water Qilin was simply furious, and Zhu Hao was standing his ground. The best, most sustainable moment to separate them would be only after one of them had decisively settled the matter and Zhu Hao had the answer he was seeking. Otherwise, Zhu Hao would certainly seek out Lingzun again later to finish the contest.
"What's happening? Why is the Spiritual Master angry? Is the mountain under attack?"
As the Water Qilin's rage distorted the weather, the change was visible to every disciple across the Seven Clans of Qingyun. Puzzled and alarmed, they quickly activated their magical weapons and began rushing toward Tongtian Peak. They were driven by both curiosity about the unprecedented spectacle and a sense of duty to offer aid.
On Dazhu Peak, in Shoujing Hall, Zhang Xiaofan watched his senior brother preparing to leave.
"Senior Brother, could you please take me to see it?" Zhang Xiaofan urgently pleaded. Since he had not yet mastered controlling a flying weapon, he was utterly grounded and relied entirely on his senior brother, Song Daren.
"Very well, but once we get there, you must strictly follow my instructions and do not wander off!" Song Daren warned, before summoning his sword and rushing off with Zhang Xiaofan clinging to his robes.
The stage was set. The great masters of the Qingyun Sect watched anxiously from the sidelines, and the disciples rushed to the scene. The fate of the Water Qilin—and perhaps the entire peak—rested on the tiny shoulders of the golden, arrogant Lord Pig.