In the small courtyard, several square tables were set up.
The tables were filled with teacups.
"Don't be polite, everyone. This tea is made with mountain spring water, fetched from the Dragon King Temple. It's much better than the city tap water."
"It's especially fragrant. Everyone, give it a try."
Shuanzi and his wife enthusiastically served tea to everyone.
"If it's that good, I really should try it," Jing Jian said curiously, picking up a bowl, blowing on the tea leaves, and taking a sip, only to spit it out with a puff.
"What the heck is this tea? It's so bitter and astringent, it's terrible!"
Looking at the slightly murky tea, everyone only took a few sips, praising it superficially.
Only Jing Jian spoke the blunt truth.
Shuanzi and his wife visibly became embarrassed.
"A swine cannot eat fine bran!" Lu Fei tried to smooth things over and changed the subject: "Brother Shuanzi, what do we need to prepare for the Dragon God worship?"
"Of course, offerings, incense, and candles are a must. Besides that, it depends on where you plan to go in the mountains, as the rituals vary." Shuanzi's expression softened a little.
He Yunsong got straight to the point: "We want to go to the place where the true dragon landed."
"You mean the Dragon Fall Cave?!" Shuanzi was taken aback, and a look of difficulty appeared on his rugged face, "It's not just about the offerings. That place is too dangerous to go to easily; you might not be able to come back out."
"What do you mean?" He Yunsong frowned slightly.
"It's all underground caves, like a maze, steep and perilous. Even young men might not be able to climb out, let alone someone your age, sir,"
Shuanzi waved his hands vigorously.
"Sir, why don't you consider visiting somewhere else? All these mountains here have the aura of the dragon. There are many wondrous flowers and plants, just as you city folks say."
"We only want to go to the place where the true dragon fell. Please think of a way for us." He Yunsong signaled to the bodyguard, who immediately took out a stack of money from a leather case and placed it on the square table.
The Breath-of-Dragon Elderberry grows because of the last breath of spiritual energy exhaled by the true dragon before its death, and it can only be found near the true dragon's resting place.
Shuanzi and his wife's eyes went wide instantly.
"If you must go, then you can only ask Uncle Qin to come to the rescue! He is the only one who has ever been to the Dragon's Den and returned." Shuanzi chuckled and corrected himself.
"And, if you are going to the Dragon's Den, you must definitely pay homage to the Dragon God, and a grand homage at that! The dragon worshipped in the Dragon God Temple is the very one that fell from the sky back then."
"Oh?" Intrigued by what he said, everyone immediately became eager to hear the detailed story about the descending dragon.
"That was over a hundred years ago." Shuanzi pulled up a stool, sat down, took a sip of tea, and began to recount the story in detail.
In that year, the village was hit by a flood.
It was not the rainy season, yet heavy rain had been pouring for seven days and nights with no sign of stopping. The villagers, seeing the imminent rise of the floodwaters, were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
Back then, there were no roads in the mountains, and the mountain paths were treacherous. With the heavy rains, they had no way of leaving the village to seek refuge.
On the eighth night.
The villagers suddenly heard a deafening crash above them, followed by violent shaking of the earth, as if a thunderbolt had struck the mountain, or as if some colossal object had fallen down.
The villagers were terrified, thinking a flood was coming. They braced the doors with objects and huddled inside, shivering in fear.
But after waiting for a long time without seeing any floodwaters rushing down, they finally gathered the courage to open their doors and go out.
To their surprise, the rain had lessened considerably.
However, there was now a massive creature in the mountains, as if it was stuck in a crevice and couldn't get out.
Every time it struggled, it produced a tremendous noise, like thunder.
The villagers, who had never seen such a sight before, did not dare to approach.
"Do not be afraid! Do not be afraid! I am not a monster, but a true dragon in the midst of tribulation. I was struck by lightning and my body is now stuck in this mountain crevice, unable to move. Please help me leave, otherwise, the rain will not stop."
The enormous creature spoke in a voice like a great bell.
Upon hearing this, the villagers became very anxious.
If the rain continued without end, the village would surely be doomed.
After discussing, they decided that no matter whether this gigantic creature was a monster or a dragon, it had to be removed.
So, mustering up their courage, they took their own ropes and farming tools, and despite the rain, laboriously climbed up the mountain to chisel at the rock crevice with all hands on deck.
As the colossal entity was freed, a deafening roar filled the air.
A golden light soared skyward.
Like a mighty dragon circling and soaring in the air, magnificent and dazzling.
It turned out to be a real dragon!
The villagers hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.
The divine dragon nodded in acknowledgement to everyone, then ascended and vanished into the clouds.
"I heard this is called a true dragon's tribulation. After surviving the calamity, its body transforms into a mountain, but its soul has already ascended to the heavens as an immortal."
"The Dragon God, in gratitude for our village's help, left a piece of dragon bone for us."
"We built a Dragon King Temple, and every year we pay homage to that dragon bone. With the protection of the Dragon God, there hasn't been a flood in these mountains for years."
Shuanzi finished his vivid narration and took several sips of tea to moisten his throat.
The story was fascinating.
But after hearing it, He Yunsong did not show any surprise; instead, he looked at his old friend, Duan Tiankui.
Duan Tiankui stood up and gazed into the distance.
The surrounding mountains undulated, covered in lush greenery.
"A dragon's path is unpredictable; a divine dragon shows its head but not its tail, and these mountain ranges also rise and fall, concealing and revealing... This place really does have a dragon-like aura."
Then, he took out a complex-looking compass, turning it while continuously performing calculations with his fingers.
After a few minutes, he stopped and pointed to a range of mountains in the southeast.
"Old He, Xiao Lu, if my calculations are correct, the Falling Dragon Cave should be in that direction."
Shuanzi was instantly astonished, his eyes wide open: "Old man, how did you know?"
Duan Tiankui smiled but said nothing, putting away the compass without answering.
Lu Fei followed his gaze.
With Duan Tiankui pointing out the key, the distant scene became clear. The mountain to the southeast resembled a coiled dragon lying among several mountain ranges.
In its tranquility, there was a faint aura of grandeur.
"Great! With a true dragon appearing, Grandpa He is sure to find the Dragon's Breath Elderberry!" Duan Lingyue clapped her hands happily.
"But Lu Xiaoyou said that the Dragon's Breath Elderberry grows from the last breath of the true dragon before it dies. If the true dragon has successfully transcended the tribulation, will the Elderberry still grow in the mountains?"
Lu Fei thought for a moment and said, "The true dragon's soul has ascended to the heavens, leaving its body here to turn into the mountains. This should also count as a form of death."
"That's very good," He Yunsong breathed a long sigh of relief. "It's rare enough to have a true dragon appear. No matter what, we have to give it our best shot."
Afterwards.
He looked at Shuanzi.
"Then, please have the Uncle Qin you mentioned come over."
"Calling him now is useless. Without the Dragon God's permission, he wouldn't dare to lead you up the mountain!" Shuanzi waved his hand, "Old man, you'd better prepare the offerings quickly!"