127. Frosty-Eyed Stranger
.
Bailong turned down the East Sea throne, but the damage had already been done as word drifted into Yin Zhi's ears.
"That arrogant fellow!" Rather than relief that Bailong refused, Yin Zhi saw his actions as an insult.
And to get at Bailong, he attacked what he cared about the most...
The Carp twins, Yin Xing and Yin Yue.
And this led to Yin Yue's death...
Bailong arrived in time to save Yin Xing, but there was no time to mourn Yin Yue...
The twins had shared a core, half within each, and with Yin Yue's death, Yin Xing was fading away fast, leading Bailong to move heaven and earth, going as far as the shadow realm to heal him.
By the time he succeeded, years had passed, and he had learned a lesson...
'I can no longer stay here!' He thought sadly, looking up at the towering East Sea Palace.
"Must you really leave?" A swirl of water beside him revealed Yin Shuilong, 1st Prince of the East Sea.
Bailong let out a sad sigh. "Through the years, we've secretly countered 2nd brother's more sinister moves. Now he can even kill his own siblings... It's better if I leave and never return..." He turned to his brother.
"But 1st brother, don't be a saint worthy of the three realms! Please be a bit selfish or 2nd brother will seize the throne and be the worst King these waters have ever seen!"
Yin Shui chuckled and in the mild shimmering moonlight, they shared a moment of companionable silence, watching the colourful luminescent creatures swim by...
But Bailong finally sighed.
"I turned down the throne, yet 2nd brother didn't spare me. Even if father picks him today, he would try to make me pay in some way... And the most likely way is by harming that shrimp again."
Yin Shui protested, "But we can take care of A-Xing (Yin Xing)! Keep him under constant protectio-!"
But Bailong shook his head. "We'll never know who 2nd brother has coerced. So he'll never truly be safe."
He turned to Yin Shui. "Father is a dragon, you're a dragon, but we're surrounded by countless Merpeople.
I'm not saying they aren't loyal, but more than half the East Sea generals are already fond of Yin Zhi simply because he's a Merman.
"They don't know his true nature, and a few are still angry because they think father killed the Mer Princess in anger. All this might treace into the Palace and past our guards.
"It was my mistake... the twins were always too close to me. I'd have taken A-Xing with me now, but he's not fully recovered and needs his birth waters... The only way to stop 2nd brother from looking in his direction, is to remove the eyesore. Me."
"Aiyu..." He turned and walked away, scratching his head. "I was already planning to run off and wander the world... I'm just leaving a little earlier."
"Wait! Catch!" Yin Shui tossed something to him, and he swivelled and caught it.
It was a beautiful gleaming blue clam. "This is..."
"It's a compass and a key. To the south of here, in the shadowy regions of the sea, there's a vast land father once gifted me. The sea bed is full of nutrients and spirit energy." He turned away, a sad note in his voice. "I know you want to build a garden, so I'm giving it to you! Don't waste it!"
He resolutely walked towards the palace, determined not to turn around. "Silly brat, I'm your first investor! Don't forget me when you become something great!"
"Hao!" Bailong chuckled softly, shaking his head, and he stole a final glance at his home, a sigh on his lips.
'The world is vast. The skies are wide... Mother, I will embark on the endless quest for knowledge...!'
.
.
After leaving the East Sea Palace, Yin Bailong went about doing the things he had always wanted to do.
He began with the land Yin Shuilong had gifted him, and there he planted his first seeds, inventing the eight-point cloaking formation to hide his precious garden!
After that, he journeyed for a while through the mortal realm, acquiring seeds and herbs, skills and techniques. He was often disguised as a mortal, changing the colour of his hair to a regular black, and dampening his irises to a mild brown.
Sometimes he would even settle in a particular region and open a herb garden, or pill refinery, or even a basic pharmacy, dwelling in different regions for about thirty years, before his unchanging youth became too awkward!
Then he would 'disappear' from there, journeying to another unknown region, and so for hundreds of years, he appeared here and there as a 'miracle healer'.
But it wasn't too long before he caught Sky Realm's attention...
After all, the Fate Immortal was constantly complaining about some "...rogue immortal who goes about healing those destined for death!"
Which led the Sky Emperor to summon Bailong!
The East Sea, or really all the cardinal seas, were in the Mortal realm, which made Yin Xiaolong (Bailong) a 'Land Fairy' - a somewhat insulting term used to refer to immortals born or raised in the Mortal realm, as they were often viewed as less trained, tainted, or 'without the grace of heaven'.
But by now Bailong was already so popular in Sky Realm that no one dared look down on him!
There was the fact that he was the first pure dragon for millennia, and added to that, he already attained High Immortal level at such a young age, with his achievements in the mortal realm reaching most ears even before he left the East sea.
So it was with some awe that the Core deities and High Immortals gathered to meet him at Sky Palace.
"Th- This appearance-!" One stuttered as Bailong strutted into the hall.
"What a bright young immortal!"
"Even his aura is unique!"
"He really is at Saint Tier-! A High Immortal already?!"
"Such sheer talent!"
But amidst this admiration were a few gazes bloated with envy which nearly spilled over their eyelids.
As a pure dragon, Bailong bore an appearance most had only seen in ancient texts, with a presence which made one feel they had indeed stepped before true divinity.
It was hard for some of the older immortals not to feel jealous, especially amongst those with shady motives who didn't want such a talented individual around the Sky Emperor or those he trusted.
And speaking of the Sky Emperor, his own features were rather stern as he asked Bailong, "So... You're the one who is swaying the hands of fate...?"
But all who knew the Sky Emperor could sense an undercurrent of awe and admiration. In fact, they could sense his struggle to maintain his 'Royal appearance and grace'!
...
One short 'reprimand' later, the Sky Emperor could no longer hide his impressed look!
"Ahem! You have boundless talent for your age... You're sentenced to work here in Sky Realm! But I'll let you select which deity or department to work with!"
And the Sky Emperor's praise and commendation opened doors faster than any gate guard ever could.
"Come and work for me! I'll make you Fate Pavillion's vice!" Grand Immortal Ye cajoled him, deciding it was better to have Bailong under his wing.
"'Tis not my 'Fate'!" Bailong replied with a cheeky bow and several immortals chuckled, more than a few still vying for him.
"How about the War Hall?" The war deity asked.
"Come to Starry Pavillion!" The Night Deity offered.
"Do I even need to say anything?" The old Lord Medicine raised a brow, and Bailong beamed at him.
But the others suddenly flooded in, pushing the medicine deity aside.
"What about Culture Pavillion?!"
"Weaver temple?!"
"Wind Peak?!"
"Red Fox Palace!" One voice rang out loudly- Sky Realm's matchmaker, bestowing love and destiny on mortals. "Your face alone will draw in an endless flow of young maidens to my temple...!!"
It went on and on, but eventually, the Sky Emperor calmed them. "Let the young fellow speak. A few of you are projecting your thoughts... Isn't it too soon to plan what living quarters or salary to offer him?!
"Have you decided what position you want?" The Sky Emperor asked, an excited look on his face. "If you're still unsure, you can remain here in Sky Palace till you make a decision!"
"I would like to work under-!" Bailong began to say 'Lord Medicine', but his gaze somehow met a pair of crystal frost like irises filled with immense sadness.
'It's him!' Bailong instantly recognised him.
He had run into this person years ago... the night he had snuck into Sky Palace to steal the Starlight Furnace.
This person had noticed him just before he disappeared.
A desperate gaze had met a desperate gaze, each acknowledging the other, and the frosty-eyed stranger had sighed and simply turned away without raising alarm.
Bailong had never known who he was, and though he could still have escaped even if the stranger raised an alarm, there was no telling what would have happened...
At the time Bailong had desperately needed the Starlight Furnace to save Yin Xing, and the process required time and concentration, so it would have been problematic if Sky soldiers - or worse, the Grand Immortals, had come after him!
Which made him grateful to this frosty-eyed stranger, and as Bailong studied the young immortal's face, blatant red hair, rich royal robes, and countenance, all so similar to the Sky Emperor, it was hard not to guess his identity.
This was surely Zhurong Tianlong, Crown Prince of Sky Realm.
Tianlong sat in an obscure corner the entire time, his face, the same sad defeated expression Bailong remembered, except now it clearly stated that Tianlong's own father had never shown this level of excitement toward him.
That didn't sit well with Bailong...
Even if he could ignore his debt to young 'frosty-eyes', he couldn't help imagining how his father's own enthusiasm towards him might have hurt his brother, Yin Shuilong, no matter how little Yin Shuilong acknowledged it, or how much he pushed it away altogether.
And so Bailong found himself bowing.
"I haven't made up my mind!" He replied to the Sky Emperor. "Please permit me to stay and study with the Crown Prince!"
There was shock on all the faces and Tianlong's eyes narrowed at him.
The Emperor eventually sighed. "You can certainly stay... But I was hoping to place you in the care of Immortal Kai Zhen here... or a few of my personal Aides. That way, you can train with the ruling circle. What do you want with the Crown Prince?"
"Er... He's a genius! I want to compare knowledge and skill!"
Of course a spatter of laughter rang out, for who didn't know the Crown Prince was essentially a waste for his age?
"Yin Xiaolong, perhaps you're too young to know... The Crown Prince is not exactly on your level..." One Immortal began.
"Ah, well since you're putting it nicely..." Another continued. "Let's say, he's still 'up and coming'!"
"This Yin Xiaolong possesses a wealth of genius... But he doesn't seem to possess good eyes!" All comments were met with snickers between most of the immortals.
But Bailong simply shook his head. "Heh! The Crown Prince is currently at a bottleneck, but you won't recognise him after his breakthrough... Within two thousand years, he might surpass almost everyone present!"
It was a bold declaration, earning him several more displeased looks, though most simply looked skeptical... The crown prince's problem was a birth mutation, and even Lord Medicine had deemed it hopeless.
Who was this young upstart daring to say a different thing?!
A few faces however, registered their respect.
This included the Sky Emperor who could tell Yin Xiaolong was particularly interested in Lord Medicine. Which meant he was simply staying back to help the Crown Prince in some way, even if only to build his confidence...
It also impressed Lord Medicine, Immortal Ye, and last of all, Immortal Kai Zhen, who turned curious eyes to Bailong.
'A rare combination of empathy, selflessness, talent, and ambition... This stone can be polished!'
Meanwhile, Bailong also eyed Immortal Kai Zhen with ingot-shaped irises.
'Hmmm... My medical ventures will get immensely expensive! I should cling to this wealth deity's robes for tips!'
And so, two immortals eyed each other, unaware they would eventually become Master and Disciple...!
.