Chapter 142: Poor Little Dragon Girl

Outside the mirror.

Seeing Gu Changqing subjected to cold stares, the gathered cultivators were also at a loss for words.

“When the principal consort was young, she seemed far too arrogant. She actually didn’t hold the Heavenly Emperor in regard.”

“But it’s not entirely incomprehensible. After all, the Empress was doted on from birth and is powerful, so she’s naturally proud. I’m just annoyed at that Great Emperor called Qin Yuan, always thinking of suppressing the Heavenly Emperor at every turn. Is he even qualified to do that?” a cultivator murmured softly.

Since Gu Changqing rose to imperial status, his pressure spanned ancient and modern times. In the eyes of the cultivators, he was not to be offended.

To be so slighted when going to the Dragon Palace, the cultivators felt not pleasure but rather a sense of resentment.

At this moment a cultivator said, “But then again, the Heavenly Emperor still didn’t go along. Don’t forget, the old Heavenly Emperor once instructed him to protect the principal consort.”

“Now, the Heavenly Emperor seems to have forgotten the old Heavenly Emperor’s admonition.”

“Exactly, looking at it this way, the Heavenly Emperor does seem a bit petty.”

Another cultivator indignantly said, “If you had the Heavenly Emperor’s strength, and were treated with such contempt by the Dragon Palace and the Heavenly Palace, would you still meekly follow? Wouldn’t that be shameless?”

Ye Chen frowned and spoke, “Do you really think the Heavenly Emperor simply refuses to go because he feels insulted?”

“Don’t forget, ancient rumors say the Dragon Clan was slaughtered solely by the Heavenly Emperor.”

“In my view, the Heavenly Emperor is deliberately using the excuse of not going out of indignation to, in turn, have the Youming clan to weaken the Dragon Clan’s strength.”

“Otherwise, with the Dragon Clan’s current foundation, by what right could the Heavenly Emperor slaughter dragons?”

The cultivators fell silent.

Those words seemed quite reasonable. Given the Heavenly Emperor’s temperament, he was indeed not petty. Besides, such a calculation fit the Heavenly Emperor’s usual meticulous thinking.

…

Inside the mirror.

As the Dragon Clan and the Heavenly Palace’s armies rushed into the rift, the entire Dragon Palace suddenly fell silent.

Gu Changqing left the Dragon Palace and wandered through this vast Dragon Clan secret realm.

As an ancient divine family, their foundation was undoubtedly terrifying. This world’s spiritual qi was dense. Immortal Roots and divine herbs were countless.

Gu Changqing came to a wide plain as the great night fell.

He lit a campfire and roasted a large lobster.

He sat quietly, staring at the fire in a daze.

He wasn’t sure when it had started, but Gu Changqing had always liked the habit of roasting things outdoors.

Logically, now that he stood at Quasi-Emperor, he completely lacked the mortal hunger he once had. Spiritual qi was the best source of energy for cultivators.

The cause might be attributed to old human habits.

Or perhaps sitting by the fire and watching it burn quietly always brought him some memories of old acquaintances.

The aroma of meat wafted through the air.

At some point, Gu Changqing noticed a little girl had appeared not far from him.

She was about three or four years old, her face filthy.

She stood there, her eyes shining, unblinking as she stared at the roasted lobster beside Gu Changqing.

Gu Changqing’s gaze fell on the little girl, somewhat startled.

He could sense Dragon blood in her, yet she, like him, was of the human race.

“Want some?” Gu Changqing asked.

The little girl stared with bright large eyes. She touched her small belly and then nodded.

But she still stood there without moving, a little afraid.

“Come over, I won’t hurt you,” said Gu Changqing.

The little girl hesitated, then came to Gu Changqing’s side, lowering her head and not daring to look at him.

Gu Changqing tore off half a lobster and handed it to the little girl.

The little girl did not take it. Instead she looked at Gu Changqing, her river-clear eyes filled with innocence, bewildered ignorance, and timidity.

She seemed to be carefully asking Gu Changqing whether he truly intended to give it to her.

“Go ahead and eat,” said Gu Changqing softly.

The little girl cracked open the lobster shell, used her small hand to take out the meat, tilted her head, and in a beseeching manner offered it to Gu Changqing. Her jet-black gem-like eyes were very pure.

“I’m not hungry, you eat it. Don’t be afraid of me, I mean no harm,” Gu Changqing said gently.

The little girl finally relaxed a bit. She glanced at Gu Changqing secretly while obediently sitting there and slowly eating the lobster meat.

“It’s fine. If you’re hungry, don’t hold back… Here, I’ll peel it for you…”

Gu Changqing patted the little girl’s head and peeled off a piece of lobster meat to hand to her.

The unease deep inside the little girl finally disappeared. She immediately became lively, grinning innocently, clutching the lobster meat and gobbling it down in a way that tugged at the heart.

Suddenly the little girl looked to the left and jumped up excitedly. “Sister Long Kui.”

Gu Changqing followed the little girl’s gaze and discovered that the female cultivator who had argued with Mu Nanzhi in the Dragon Palace had also appeared here.

Long Kui came over, crouched down, patted the little girl’s head, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the little girl’s dirty face.

She said softly, “Eat slowly.”

“Mm,” the little girl mumbled indistinctly.

Long Kui stood and looked toward Gu Changqing, her gaze was somewhat complex.

She didn’t seem to bear much hostility toward this man.

Perhaps she thought it odd that a Quasi-Emperor who resembled a common beggar nonetheless had something different about him. Or perhaps it was his act of giving food to the little girl that made her feel he had a decent character.

She, inexplicably, sat down by the fire, kept her eyes on the little girl, and said to herself, “This child has had a hard life.”

“Her father was human, her mother was of my Dragon Clan.”

“The Dragon Clan is noble, so intermarriage with mortals is considered a grave taboo and is despised by our clan.”

“Her father died because of it, and her mother sacrificed herself for that man. They left this poor girl alone in the Dragon Palace with no support. Though she is technically a member of our clan, her bloodline is impure and she is looked down upon.”

“You might be the second person in this Dragon Palace to give her something to eat.”

Gu Changqing looked at the little girl, somewhat moved, but did not say anything.