The downpour continued relentlessly over West Lake.
Ao Qing used his sleeve to cover the little green snake on his arm.
He let her reveal only her front half, allowing her to swim around his fingers.
Xiao Qing, feeling dizzy from the dragon Qi radiating off Ao Qing, wrapped around his hand and fingers, swaying in a daze.
Ao Qing extended his index finger and gently scratched Xiao Qing's chin.
“Sit still, I’m going,” he said.
Xiao Qing, still dazed, didn’t react. Perhaps the scratching tickled her, for she opened her tiny mouth and gently nibbled Ao Qing’s fingertip.
She didn’t show her teeth, just playful nibbling, but her body tightened around Ao Qing’s arm.
Ao Qing waved his left hand, parting the lake water before him and stepping into West Lake.
The scene below the surface was quite different from the one above.
The dim sunlight, filtering through the surface, instead became vibrant under the water, illuminating the entire lake bottom.
Close by, lotus roots formed a forest, while further out, water grasses carpeted the depths.
Fish and shrimp frolicked, while snakes and turtles lay coiled.
Further still, in the center of the lake.
A crystal palace, covering several acres, emitted a faint glow.
Upon entering the water, Ao Qing transformed into his dragon form, a fifty-zhang-long blue dragon, with golden pupils like brilliant lamps, illuminating the world.
Xiao Qing coiled on the giant dragon's right front claw, her tiny snake body blending with the massive claw.
The dragon’s body moved, naturally stirring the water, propelling it forward.
Ao Qing landed before the crystal palace, transforming back into his human form, startling the female guards at the gate.
This female guard was the spirit of a drowned woman, a fact Ao Qing saw through, though he didn’t mind.
“Go summon your princess, tell her the Heavenly Court-appointed West Lake Dragon King has arrived. Tell her to come meet me,” he said.
The spirit guard, not daring to hesitate, hurried inside the palace.
Ao Qing, with Xiao Qing coiled around his arm, waited leisurely for the West Lake Mistress to appear.
The West Lake Mistress was also a character from the stories in "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio."
It told the story of a scholar who, while boating on Dongting Lake, rescued a pig-shaped dragoness from being shot by her companions.
This pig-shaped dragoness was no ordinary being. She was the wife of the Dongting Dragon King.
After rescuing the dragoness, the scholar returned home, and when he passed Dongting Lake again, his boat overturned, and almost everyone on board died.
The scholar, by chance, survived and, in a place called Mount Shou, encountered the West Lake Mistress, who was fond of hunting. A groom warned him to leave quickly.
The scholar, heeding the groom’s advice, tried to hide, but he stumbled into the Dongting Dragon King’s lair and found the West Lake Mistress’s lost handkerchief.
And then, there was a tale of repayment of kindness.
Ao Qing didn’t have a strong impression of this story, only remembering the book’s description of the West Lake Mistress:
“About fourteen or fifteen years old. Her hair, like a gathering of mist, her waist so slender it could not withstand a gust of wind, her beauty surpassing even the jade flower buds and the jeweled blossoms.”
Translated, that meant.
A fourteen or fifteen-year-old young lady, with hair like mist, a waist so slender it couldn’t withstand the wind, even the jade flower buds and jeweled blossoms wouldn’t suffice to describe her beauty.
At the time, Ao Qing didn’t pay much attention, merely silently recalling her appearance before dismissing it from his mind.
But now, he had met her by West Lake.
The story had taken a slight turn. The West Lake Mistress, who should have lived in Dongting Lake, was now in West Lake, even occupying the West Lake Dragon Palace, usurping Ao Qing’s position.
He recalled the information the Heavenly Official had given him when he descended to the mortal realm.
Ao Qing was then thinking about how to deal with this…
Not long after, a young lady, about fourteen or fifteen years old, walked out, surrounded by her maidservants.
She wore a short-sleeved military uniform with her long hair tied up behind her head.
Her slender waist, barely a hand’s breadth, was cinched with a silk belt, which swayed gracefully as she walked, revealing her charming curves.
Her beautiful and stunning face held a faint smile, her starry eyes gazing at Ao Qing with curiosity.
“My daughter greets the Dragon King. Have you come to give me a dismissal order, Dragon King?”
Ao Qing waved his hand and smiled.
“My niece is overthinking. I have just arrived and haven’t even found a place to stay, how could I do such a thing, to directly drive you away?”
“I’m here to visit you, niece. It’s just that I hope you can tell your father to choose another name for you.”
Even though West Lake wasn’t as big as Dongting Lake, Ao Qing, with his Immortal Realm strength, could call the West Lake Mistress his niece without any issue.
The West Lake Mistress smiled sweetly, gesturing behind her with her hand, inviting him.
“Dragon King Uncle, you’re such a good man. Since you’re not here to drive me away, please come inside and have some food.”
Ao Qing, naturally, had no objections, walking alongside the West Lake Mistress with a relaxed air.
The West Lake Mistress didn’t avoid his gaze, her smile radiant.
“My niece’s name is Hua Yun. What about your name, Uncle?”
Ao Qing stroked Xiao Qing on his wrist.
The little blue snake, breathing in the dragon Qi radiating off Ao Qing, was lazy and didn’t resist, only using her head to nudge Ao Qing’s finger, likely in protest.
“Ao Qing. You can call me Qing Shu or Qing Shu Shu,” he said.
“Blood uncle, love uncle…”
Hua Yun muttered the two terms under her breath, a blush spreading across her face, and she lightly spat out a few words.
“You’re being naughty, Uncle,” she said.
Ao Qing felt somewhat helpless about this.
His name was Ao Qing. What could he do?
Hua Yun’s watery eyes twinkled, and she laughed again.
“Dragon King seems young. Can I call you Ao Qing Gege?”
Ao Qing raised his left hand, giving Hua Yun a tap on the head.
“Want me to lower my generation?” he asked.
His touch was light, and he didn’t hit hard.
But Hua Yun still acted out, covering her head and tilting her face, feigning fear.
“Ao Qing Gege is my older brother in front of me, but in front of my father, you’ll naturally still be the West Lake Dragon King,” she said.
She walked a few steps quickly toward Ao Qing, then turned, facing him as she stepped backwards, her hands clasped together, and smiling sweetly, she pleaded.
“Hua Yun only has an older sister, but no older brother.”
“Please be my good older brother. I’m begging you,” she said.
The little snake on his wrist quietly lifted her head.
This dragon girl was so different from what she imagined.
Ao Qing allowed her to move around in his sleeve, then waved his left hand, turning Hua Yun around.
“Build me a dragon palace, and I’ll agree,” he said.
Hua Yun caught up to Ao Qing and, with her hands behind her back, bounced along, feigning disdain.
“Hua Yun is voluntarily acknowledging an older brother, and you’re not even giving me a gift, but you’re asking me for a gift instead?” she said.
Ao Qing reached out and pressed his hand on Hua Yun’s head, gently stroking her jet-black hair.
“Then will you give it or not?” he asked.
Hua Yun leaned closer to Ao Qing, sniffed the air with her upturned nose, and a look of pure delight spread across her face.
“This is the pure dragon Qi.”
“Since Ao Qing Gege has said so, how could Hua Yun refuse?” she said.
Her true form, like her mother’s, was a pig-shaped dragon from the Yangtze River, not a pure-blooded dragon.
Ao Qing allowed her to stay by his side, letting her enjoy the nourishment of the pure dragon Qi, which would greatly benefit her cultivation.
This was the real reason why Hua Yun was calling him brother and giving him gifts.
They chatted as they walked.
They passed through the coral palace gate.
A palace emerged before them.