390 - Rebirth of a Star: Another Day, Another Drama

**Chapter 390: Apologize? _ I Quit Being This Resentful Senior Sister!** Jin Long was reluctant to discuss his past experiences much, perhaps out of embarrassment, or maybe for other reasons. Back then, after being sealed in this stamp, he was cast down to the lower realm due to the great war between immortals and demons, eventually ending up in the possession of that woman. However, Jin Long remained in a deep sleep all along. The chaotic spiritual energy of the lower realm provided him no celestial energy to stay conscious; simply maintaining his existence was a great challenge. Even though his dragon soul was dormant, the inherent power of the stamp itself was formidable. However, that woman never tapped into its full potential. Later, when serendipitously brought into Ye Ling Long's space, Jin Long slowly began to gain consciousness. It wasn't until the spiritual energy within the space completely transformed into celestial energy that Jin Long finally awoke. "We should make a deal," Jin Long suggested, his eyes darting keenly as he took in their surroundings and addressed Ye Ling Long. Ye Ling Long observed this guy whose face revealed everything with amusement; his schemes were as plain as day. "What kind of deal?" she asked. "You won't want to stay in this lower celestial realm forever, right? Take me to where they sealed my true form in the upper celestial realm, and as payment, I'll aid you on your journey. Moreover, once my dragon soul is reunited with my body, you can choose any treasure from my hoard," Jin Long proposed, looking pained, as though he was making a great sacrifice by offering his treasures, knowing full well that once he regained his true form, it was entirely up to him whether to follow through or not. Jin Long smugly thought his sly plan was well concealed, but Ye Ling Long saw through him completely and could only shake her head internally. His face betrayed his every thought; she didn't need to guess at all. Feng Li leaned over and whispered to Ye Ling Long, "This guy looks so shady, he's probably full of lies, surely up to no good inside." Though Feng Li's voice was low, Jin Long heard it clearly and immediately protested, "Hey! Don’t slander me! I'm a dragon; we don't deceive people. It's you lot, a bunch of motley birds, who are the masters of lies." "Stupid serpent, I've tolerated you long enough. If you call me a motley bird again, I’ll burn this lousy stamp right now and see if your dragon soul survives!" challenged Feng Li. "You wouldn't dare!" "Oh, wouldn't I?" In the ensuing argument, Feng Li’s Phoenix True Flame was poised to incinerate the stamp, and Jin Long rushed forward to grapple with Feng Li. Feng Li also transformed into his true Phoenix form, and their scuffle resulted in chaos. A little ginseng doll and the Tower Spirit cheered from the sidelines, and the Tower Spirit watched the chaos with a relaxed smile. Even the little Phoenix joined in, bouncing in mid-air, occasionally summoning small snowflakes to add to the atmosphere. The scene was lively and boisterous. Ye Ling Long could only sigh inwardly. Whoever said that the union of dragon and phoenix brought prosperity was clearly mistaken; here, it was nothing short of a calamity of adversaries. After the two finished their fight, Ye Ling Long finally voiced her conditions. She had no interest in Jin Long's treasure, reasoning that, even if he were wealthy, how could he compare to the private hoard of an Immortal Emperor? Ultimately, she changed the terms to suit her liking: once reunited with his true form, Jin Long would work for her for two hundred years, and after that, they would be even. Relieved that she wasn’t asking for his treasures, Jin Long readily agreed. For a dragon with a long lifespan, two hundred years amounted to little more than a short stint of service. Leaving Jin Long in the space, Ye Ling Long exited with Feng Li. The prohibitions around the courtyard remained intact, indicating that no one had entered during their absence. However, not long after their return, Zou Guan Qing came looking for them. "My good disciple, let's go, hurry," he said, dragging Ye Ling Long along without further explanation. "Where to, Master?" she inquired. "To uphold justice for you!" Their destination turned out to be the office of Chief Dean Qiu Ze Yuan, where several people had already gathered, including Tai Shi Yan. Qiu Ze Yuan acknowledged Ye Ling Long with a comforting smile before turning his attention to the middle-aged man seated opposite him. The man, clad in a dark robe exuding an aura of immortal grace, was accompanied by Tai Shi Yan. Zou Guan Qing led Ye Ling Long to a seat and whispered a few things in her ear. The man on the other side was Tai Shi Yan’s father's brother, Tai Shi Chao. Their presence was linked to Ye Ling Long's recent encounter of being attacked. Ye Ling Long was not in the least surprised to find Tai Shi Yan as the culprit, suspecting, of course, that the previous instigator played a part, a suspicion too obvious to ignore. Last time, during the trial in the courtyard, the man didn't say anything too outrageous but kept fanning the flames, manipulating Tai Shi Yan like a pawn. This time, the man hadn’t come; Mu Miao Miao, the gossip, had shared details about the man beside Tai Shi Yan. His name was Ming Qian, the heir to the Ming family, renowned for swordsmanship, and he had a betrothal to Tai Shi Yan, signaling prosperous relations between their families. Understanding the family's motives, Ye Ling Long knew that the intent wasn't just about love. Yet, even seeing through this, she chose not to say much more; her main goal remained finding more information on the formations within the Celestial Institute. "I don't want to apologize! I did nothing wrong!" Tai Shi Yan shouted, her eyes red, glaring with hatred at Ye Ling Long. "Yan'er~," Tai Shi Chao's voice dropped a few notches, a hint of severity in his tone. "I won't!" Tai Shi Yan insisted stubbornly. Tai Shi Chao frowned, contemplating disciplining her but unable to bear doing so. To him, Ye Ling Long was simply a nobody without background. He thought dismissing the issue with gifts would suffice — why should Yan’er apologize personally? His gaze shifted to Ye Ling Long. "You must be Master Alchemist Ye Ling Long," he addressed her. Ye Ling Long nodded in affirmation. With that, Tai Shi Chao waved his grand sleeves, revealing numerous precious celestial herbs and rare array materials on the ground, estimating a value upward of ten million celestial crystals. "Yan'er, youthful and impetuous, apologizes for the offense caused. These, from our Hunyuan Immortal Sect, alongside this alchemy cauldron, should adequately compensate for her transgressions," he declared. Despite his words, his tone lacked any genuine apology, exuding charity instead. Ye Ling Long's face darkened at once, and even Zou Guan Qing and Master Hai looked displeased.