The Endless Promise

97. A Beautiful Dream

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'Zhurong Tianlong!'

Amidst the scent of flowers, and the roaring sound of a waterfall, Luoyin stared at his old friend for the first time in thirty thousand years.

His light brown eyes narrowed, meeting Tianlong's icy grey eyes, which looked immensely sad.

But Luoyin wasn't moved.

He had expected to fear Tianlong...

That was logical.

Tianlong was a Grand Immortal, while he was a mere mortal.

But the instant his eyes met Tianlong's, an unbelievable rage flooded him, and reasonable fear was flung far away- perhaps somewhere beneath the pouring waterfall.

Even he hadn't expected this level of anger, and he calmly raised an eyebrow.

"Ho? You're the one who wanted to meet me? We've met, so I'll be leaving now." And he swivelled to walk away.

"Bailong, wait!" A desperate look crossed Tianlong's face and he quickly followed, but maintained some distance. "I- I'm sorry! I've come to apologize!"

For some reason, those words enraged Luoyin even further, but his feet did halt.

"What makes you think I want to hear such words from you?"

'Because you do.' A voice replied. 'You've waited to hear it for so long.'

Luoyin pushed it away. "What makes you think I'm interested in your apology?" His voice was still calm, but it echoed around the clearing, causing a mild rumble.

Tianlong drew in a breath. "I'm sorry. I know it doesn't excuse me, but I fell for the Empress's manipulation, and ended up listening to the words and incitement of others. I know an apology of words is weightless, and I owe you several lifetimes of Atonement, but I will do everything in my power to make things right!"

A silence passed, the breeze teasing their hairs and robes.

But then Luoyin resumed walking. "Some wrongs can never be righted..."

"Bailong!" Desperate, Tianlong cast his gold-lightning barrier to prevent Luoyin's exit, but the sight made Luoyin momentarily freeze, as the memory of his death on Caoyang replayed before his eyes.

'Oh no!' Tianlong felt even worse, as the Bailong he remembered had never really been afraid of anything...

"Do you think such a flimsy barrier can hold me?" Luoyin snapped, his ire rising. "You've clearly forgotten who I am!" His irises flashed golden in that moment, and the wind picked up speed.

The faint outline of a large white dragon swirled around him, before rushing at the barrier, which instantly shattered.

Luoyin had merely intended to use one of his more powerful talismans, so he was a bit surprised.

'How... How has my dragon aura reawakened?!'

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At the Tea house, Weiyan felt a mild discomfort as the pearl within her awakened.

But rather than flare as usual, it gently pulsed in place... like a constant heartbeat.

'It's about time I found out what it is!' She decided, making a mental note to explore the strange orb after they returned.

But for now, she was finding it hard to maintain her anger.

Not when she was so worried for the one who annoyed her in the first place.