CHAPTER 1038: CHAPTER 1035: NINE MUSIC WELCOMING

On the way to Dragon Ascending Valley, Ximen Qingxue’s mood was constantly nervous.

The closer she got to Dragon Ascending Valley, the more nervous she became.

If her father still refused to acknowledge her as his daughter, or wouldn’t let Li Chen enter the valley.

What should she do then?

Conflicted, so conflicted!

Ximen Qingxue felt like her intestines were tied in knots, and they were tied like a butterfly knot.

Lian Hongshang noticed Ximen Qingxue’s thoughts, approached her, held her small hand, and comforted her, "Qingxue, it’s okay, don’t worry!"

Ximen Qingxue nodded, then gave Li Chen a very resentful glare.

Li Chen curled his lips, casually trying to find a topic to talk about.

"Qingxue, are you almost at Dragon Ascending Valley?"

Ximen Qingxue pouted towards the front and said, "Hmm, once we pass that Dragon Ascending Mountain ahead, we’ll be there!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she covered her face with her hand and timidly asked Li Chen.

"Li Chen, what should I do if my father hits me again? It hurt so much last time, sob sob!"

As she spoke, she put on a pitiful expression, almost shedding a couple of tears.

Li Chen shook his head firmly and confidently promised, "No way, as long as I’m here, no one can touch a single finger on you, even if it’s your father!"

Hearing Li Chen’s words, Ximen Qingxue felt a little comforted. Instantly, she smiled through her tears, revealing two faint dimples, looking very cute.

"Boom!"

At this moment, a thunderous rumble suddenly came from the Dragon Ascending Mountain ahead.

Immediately, the entire mountain split open in the middle, forming a large crack.

The crack grew larger and larger!

When it widened to several hundred feet, a soul-stirring dragon roar came from below.

Next, a completely transparent Ice Dragon emerged, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, shooting straight into the Nine Heavens Cloud.

Seeing this scene, everyone was shocked.

Li Chen’s eyes narrowed slightly; such a grand display, could it be that Ximen Longting wanted to fight him?

With Li Chen’s current combat power, he naturally did not fear Ximen Longting.

However, this old fellow was, after all, Ximen Qingxue’s father, and it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to strike at him.

Just as Li Chen was pondering how to respond, the Ice Dragon suddenly lay horizontally on the mountain, forming an arch bridge.

The arch bridge floated among the sea of clouds, surrounded by dazzling red light.

From a distance, it looked like the legendary Dragon Gate!

"Look, it’s the Dragon Gate, it’s the Dragon Gate!"

Just as Li Chen was feeling suspicious, Mu Changying and other disciples of Dragon Ascending Valley suddenly got excited as if they were on drugs.

At this moment, a pleasant sound of silk and bamboo instruments came from within the mountain.

Soon after, a group of beautifully dressed men and women, wearing white attire, slowly walked out from within.

There were a total of nine columns, each column consisting of nine people, making a total of eighty-one people.

Their hands held not weapons or magical treasures, but musical instruments.

The young men in white played flutes, while the young women played the Yaoqin. Some drummed large drums, while others played the konghou. Some hammered on large chimes, while others arranged and played the panpipes. The sounds of qin and se harmonized, the pipa stirring the heart...

Seeing this formation, all the disciples of Dragon Ascending Valley, including Ximen Qingxue, let out cries of disbelief.

"This is Nine Music Welcoming!"

Regarding the "Nine Music Welcoming," Li Chen had heard about it before; it was documented in the Zhou Li.

The Nine Music was the welcoming ritual of the highest rank, reserved only for the Emperor Zhou at the time.

He never expected Ximen Longting to be so tactful, welcoming him with such a high-standard ceremony.

At this moment, Ximen Longting led Bai Xueqin and a group of elders and deacons from Dragon Ascending Valley to greet them.

"Immortal Master Li, welcome to our Dragon Ascending Valley!"

Ximen Longting was the first to salute Li Chen.

Li Chen quickly went up to return the salute.

The host and guest chatted happily, like old friends reuniting after many years, with all past unpleasantness disappearing, a smile resolving old grudges.

At this moment, Ximen Qingxue stepped forward and timidly called out to Ximen Longting.

"Father!"

Hearing his daughter’s voice, a warm current surged in Ximen Longting’s heart, making the corners of his eyes redden.

"Qingxue, I shouldn’t have impulsively hit you that day, it was wrong to make you suffer!"

Ximen Qingxue, with tearful eyes, was already too choked to speak.

Bai Xueqin hurried forward to console Ximen Qingxue, taking her into her arms.

Ximen Qingxue called out "Aunt Qin" and collapsed into her embrace, sobbing painfully.

Bai Xueqin patted Ximen Qingxue’s back, and after soothing her emotions, she turned her eyes to Mu Changying and others.

"Changying, I heard you encountered Demon Sect people on the road?"

Mu Changying nodded vigorously, responding, "Yes, thanks to the young lady and Immortal Master Li’s assistance, we narrowly escaped disaster!"

Bai Xueqin glanced at Li Chen from the corner of her eye and continued to ask, "Did you also encounter Heng Mountain Ancestor?"

Without waiting for Mu Changying to answer, Ximen Qingxue took over and answered first, "Aunt Qin, that Heng Mountain Old Monster was already crushed by Li Chen using the Divine Tripod."

"Heng Mountain Ancestor’s seat was a top-grade defensive treasure, indestructible. How could it be so easily crushed?"

Bai Xueqin asked suspiciously, and when she posed this question, her eyes weren’t on Ximen Qingxue but rather on Li Chen.

Regarding this question, Ximen Qingxue couldn’t give her a definite answer.

Only Li Chen, who was involved, had the right.

Li Chen knew there was doubt in her heart, but he didn’t explain a word. Instead, he casually brought forth a jade green chair radiating a rainbow glow.

Seeing this chair, everyone, including Ximen Longting and Bai Xueqin, had their pupils involuntarily widen.

Ximen Longting had fought with Heng Mountain Ancestor and was very familiar with this chair.

Though he already knew beforehand that Li Chen had used thunderous means to crush Heng Mountain Ancestor, witnessing Li Chen produce this mysterious chair with his own eyes still set off turbulent waves inside him.

Li Chen smiled and handed the chair to Ximen Longting.

"I came in a hurry this time and didn’t bring anything special. I hope Valley Master Ximen won’t dislike this small token of my regard!"

Li Chen’s words were like a thunderclap exploding in Ximen Longting’s ear, making his head buzz incessantly.

What did he mean by this, was he actually offering to hand over this strongest defensive magical treasure of Jiuzhou?

Moreover, how come the top-grade treasure that not even the combined forces of five top Nascent Soul Great Powers, including Tian Yazi and Jian Chen, could break, was now considered a small token of regard by Li Chen?

If Heng Mountain Old Monster heard this, wouldn’t he be furious enough to revive on the spot...