On the other side, Jian Huaishuang slipped into the palace under the cover of night.
With his perfect mastery of the Hidden Sword and his own cultivation, he successfully bypassed the multiple layers of arrays and patrolling malevolent ghost guards within the palace.
Following the guidance provided by his master, he arrived outside the side hall where Chen Zhou was located.
"Master."
Jian Huaishuang called out softly from outside the door.
"Enter."
Chen Zhou’s calm voice drifted from inside the room.
The Ghost Domain opened a corner, and Jian Huaishuang pushed the door open and entered.
As soon as he stepped inside, before he could even bow, the paper ball in his arms began to vibrate violently.
Pop!
With a light sound, a vermilion head poked through the white paper.
The Dragon Carp’s eyes instantly lit up like two small suns the moment it saw Chen Zhou sitting at the table.
It excitedly wriggled out of the paper ball, and with a flick of its tail, it shot directly out of Jian Huaishuang’s arms.
The Dragon Carp circled Chen Zhou incessantly, sometimes rubbing against the back of his hand, sometimes nudging his shoulder with its budding horns. Its display of affection was even more intimate than a child seeing their own father.
Chen Zhou looked at the Dragon Carp, a trace of a smile flashing in his eyes.
He extended a finger, lightly tapping the Dragon Carp’s small head and pressing it down onto the table.
"Alright, be a bit more composed."
Only then did the Dragon Carp obediently stop. It lay on the table, head tilted back, looking at Chen Zhou with a face full of anticipation.
Chen Zhou took out the wisp of the dragon vein that Wu Gou had found earlier.
A wisp of black current coiled around Chen Zhou’s hand.
This dragon vein, which had always been stubborn and unyielding, requiring a bit of hardship to quiet down, actually acted as if it had met the heavens and earth upon seeing the Dragon Carp.
It immediately curled itself into a ball, trembling.
"I saved a good thing for you. See if it's what you need." Chen Zhou held the dragon vein to the Dragon Carp’s mouth.
The longing in the Dragon Carp’s eyes deepened. It opened its large mouth and swallowed it directly.
Gulp!
As the dragon vein entered its belly, the Dragon Carp’s body instantly went stiff.
In the next second, a dazzling golden light erupted from its body. Its body lengthened rapidly, its scales became denser and harder, and two tender dragon claws faintly sprouted from its abdomen.
"Roar—"
A low, majestic dragon roar actually emerged from its throat.
Although the sound was not loud, within the cramped space of the side hall, it vibrated enough to make the teacups tremble slightly.
With the Dragon Carp’s transformation, the auspicious qi on its body also became increasingly thick.
Because of the Dragon Carp’s evolution, the black smoke that Chen Zhou had previously suppressed well actually surged out uncontrollably, becoming even denser than before.
As the black smoke churned, it faintly formed the phantom of a giant black dragon, coiling around Chen Zhou’s body and letting out faint dragon cries that echoed the Dragon Carp’s calls.
Jian Huaishuang watched from the side with a racing heart.
Just as he thought the Dragon Carp would leap forward and fully evolve into a dragon, the golden light slowly faded.
"Master..." Jian Huaishuang couldn't help but speak up to remind him.
Chen Zhou waved his hand, signaling him to be patient.
He carefully observed the Dragon Carp’s state, confirming that it was fine after consuming the mutated dragon vein and had instead successfully completed its first transformation. Only then did he feel relieved.
He reached out and patted the Dragon Carp soothingly.
"Little fellow, that was quite a commotion."
Chen Zhou felt the restless power within his body and frowned slightly.
The Dragon Carp hadn't fully transformed into a dragon, perhaps because the dragon vein wasn't enough.
However, in its current half-transformed state, it was already very difficult to conceal the skyrocketing auspicious qi with just the passive ability of Cloud Sea Resplendence.
The Dragon Carp was also anxious. It was just one step away from full transformation, stuck at this awkward halfway point, and it couldn't suppress the aura itself.
Chen Zhou pondered for a moment before removing the bone ring from his left hand.
This was the divine artifact, Cloud-Hiding Silk, which he had obtained by fishing at the Immortal-Slaying Shrine; it could enhance the concealment ability of Cloud Sea Resplendence.
With a thought from Chen Zhou.
The bone ring twisted and deformed, finally turning into an exquisite and small bone tail-ring.
Chen Zhou caught the Dragon Carp’s thrashing tail and slid the tail-ring on.
"Transform," Chen Zhou commanded.
Although the Dragon Carp was a bit reluctant to have something put on it, it was absolutely obedient to Chen Zhou’s orders.
Black smoke flashed across its body, and its majestic half-dragon form instantly vanished, turning into a jade pendant carved in the style of "The Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate," hovering in Chen Zhou’s palm.
The jade pendant was warm and smooth throughout, and the carp was lifelike, as if it could come to life at any moment.
The bone ring on its tail had also cleverly turned into the hanging cord and tassel of the jade pendant, looking perfectly natural.
By transforming into the jade pendant, the Dragon Carp’s aura was instantly and completely retracted, no longer leaking even a trace.
Even the churning black smoke on Chen Zhou’s body subsided along with it.
Chen Zhou nodded with satisfaction.
"This way, we can rest easy."
He hung the jade pendant from his waist. "With the Cloud-Hiding Silk boosting you, and you being worn on me, it's double insurance. A perfect solution."
Having solved the Dragon Carp’s problem, Chen Zhou finally looked at Jian Huaishuang, who had been waiting on the side.
"Did you bring the things?"
Jian Huaishuang immediately took a step forward, removed a wooden box from his robes, and presented it with both hands.
"Master, the Nine-Age Crane Feather and the unaging pine cone are both here."
Chen Zhou took the wooden box, looked inside, and after confirming everything was correct, he stood up.
"Let's go. I'll take you to meet your future colleague."
At this time, in the kitchen of the side hall.
Song Zi'an was watching a large black pot, absentmindedly stirring the spiritual porridge inside.
Ever since he entered the palace, he had been in a state of extreme anxiety.
He had smelled that familiar scent of crane feathers; he knew his master might be here, or might have already met with misfortune.
This wait and torment had only slightly subsided last night when he felt his master’s presence nearby.
He was preparing the Soul-Settling Banquet, trying to recapture the feeling of his master holding his hand to toss the wok last night, but he found that no matter what he did, he couldn't get it right.
Just then, the curtain of the kitchen door was lifted.
Song Zi'an looked back and saw Chen Zhou walking in with a man who exuded an icy aura.
"Master..." Song Zi'an hurriedly put down the ladle and wiped his hands.
Chen Zhou walked to the stove and lightly placed the crane feather and pine cone on the cutting board.
"Here, take a look at these."
Song Zi'an froze for a moment, his gaze instinctively falling on the cutting board.
When he saw that familiar crane feather, his pupils shrank violently.
He reached out with a trembling hand and carefully picked up the feather.
The familiar touch from his fingertips made his entire being feel as if struck by lightning.
That was A Ling’s feather.
It was a plume shed by the old crane who had watched him grow up and had spent countless days and nights with his master in front of the stove.
He then looked at the pine cone.
It was a natural treasure he had eaten once before. Song Zi'an understood everything in an instant.
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