The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 442 Strange Scenes and Mysterious Beasts (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Ascend to the Dao Palace! Become an Immortal! From now on, the mortal and immortal realms are no longer the same!
Ride the sword with the wind to eliminate demons between heaven and earth!
Her feathered robes are always tinged with the colors of rosy clouds, yet she remains untouched by the peach and plum blossoms of the mortal world. She wears rainbows as her garments and rides the wind as her steed, and the cloud lords descend in droves!
After swallowing a golden pill, I realized that my fate was not determined by heaven!

Zhao Ti's eyes shone brightly as he peered out through the dim light of the tent. He saw a continuous stretch of tents, seemingly endless, with soldiers patrolling, leaning against the gates in a drowsy state, or whispering among themselves, telling bawdy jokes and gossip from the streets.

Looking further upwards, the stars are faint, and the moonlight is obscured by clouds, making it not very clear.

After a moment's thought, he got off the bed and left the command tent.

"Your Highness..." Zhou Tong bowed beside the tent flap.

Zhao Ti nodded: "Guangzu, come with me for a walk."

"Yes!" Zhou Tong replied, a hint of doubt on his face. Zhao Ti had never practiced for more than one night since he started, but this time he had used almost a day and two nights, and he had not left the camp in the middle of the night.

Zhao Ti walked forward with his hands behind his back, and the man followed closely behind, whispering, "Has Your Highness mastered your divine skill?"

Zhao Ti smiled slightly: "You will know in a moment, Guangzu."

The two headed south and soon arrived at the southern camp. They ordered the soldiers to open the gate and continued forward.

After leaving the camp for about five or six miles, we saw several large trees scattered about, the grassland was slightly undulating, and some small hills rose in the distance. The world was quiet, with only the chirping of insects every few breaths.

"This is it." Zhao Ti looked around, walked to a big tree, and said, "Guangzu, watch me ride the clouds."

"Huh?" Zhou Tong was taken aback upon hearing this: "Your Highness, Your Highness can fly?"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "Indeed, I can fly. From now on, I will travel to Kunlun in the morning and the East Sea in the evening. With the green snake in my sleeve, I will be bold and fearless. There will be no obstacles in the world for me to go or go anywhere."

"Your Highness... has become an immortal?" Zhou Tong's face showed shock, with a hint of wild joy.

“He has become an immortal, he has become an immortal, and his lifespan is nearly a thousand years. He can use many techniques,” Zhao Ti said, “but he is only considered a beginner immortal, only at the first level of the Dao Palace, the Mingtang Palace.”

"Your Highness's ascension to immortality is truly a cause for celebration! Your Highness, I offer my congratulations!" Zhou Tong prostrated himself in worship upon hearing this.

Zhao Ti gently flicked his sleeve, lifting the other person up, and said, "Guangzu, you have been diligent in your cultivation. Sooner or later you will also step into this realm. At that time, your magical power will greatly increase, your lifespan will be extended, and you will be different from ordinary people."

"Your Highness, I thank you for granting me the opportunity to become an immortal!" Zhou Tong bowed again.

"Alright, Guangzu, watch me take flight!" Zhao Ti said, making a cloud-like hand gesture with his fingers, silently chanting an incantation, and then leaping into the sky.

It was clear from below that he was using his own strength to jump several feet into the air, but then he seemed to be supported by something and slowly rose up.

Zhao Ti did not use the fastest cloud-climbing speed at his current level, since it was his first time flying, and it was better to be slower and more stable.

He mastered more than a dozen methods of riding the clouds, as well as the magic of summoning mist and riding the wind. He also possessed two or three supernatural powers of flight: transforming into a white rainbow to pierce the sun, transforming into a red rainbow to skim across the sky, and transforming into lightning to travel thousands of miles in an instant.

However, those three divine abilities cannot be used by those at the Mingtang Realm. After all, they are high-level divine abilities that ordinary immortals cannot use. One must reach the third level of the Dao Palace Immortal Realm to barely be able to use them.

He then randomly chose a cloud-riding technique called Night Cloud Singing at Dusk, which was a black cloud, as thick as ink, and not easily spotted in the deep night.

His body had already risen into the sky, and the black cloud condensed beneath his feet, about three feet square. This was because he was new to the path of immortality and his magical power was insufficient. Otherwise, if he were more advanced, this cloud could have expanded to more than ten feet in diameter. The saying "drunk and lying on the blue clouds with the sky as a blanket" reflects this scene.

Zhao Ti waited for the dark cloud to support him, and with a thought, he could command the clouds with ease, moving them up and down as he pleased.

He didn't dare to fly too fast, but it was still faster than the fastest land-based light-foot technique, heading south.

Under the dim moonlight, the dark clouds, like ink lotuses, suddenly flew and drifted towards the horizon. Zhou Tong, on the ground, was dumbfounded, his eyes filled with admiration and envy.

Zhao Ti steadied himself on the cloud, formed a hand seal, and began to observe the surrounding scenery. He felt the wind whistling in his ears, and his clothes fluttering in the wind. He squinted to look left and right, and looked down. The scenery changed rapidly as the clouds spread out.

In the distance, almost dozens or hundreds of miles away, the rolling mountains on the other side of the grassland resembled a giant, dark-colored beast, seemingly lying at the edge of heaven and earth.

There was also a large, unnamed lake shimmering in the sunlight. Its waters were as clear as a mirror, reflecting the countless stars in the sky. It was impossible to tell whether the Milky Way had fallen to earth or the clear waters of earth had flown up to the heavens.

He then used his finger as a brush, making a stroke on the sky, and the ink cloud lotus bloomed accordingly, its heart supporting his figure as it soared straight upwards.

The endless sea of ​​clouds rolls beneath my feet, transforming into a stampede of ten thousand horses, then suddenly condensing into a deep, still pool. The distant mountains resemble the slumbering spine of a dragon, as if an ancient behemoth is hidden beneath them.

The night wind rustled past his ears, and as his clothes fluttered, he lowered himself slightly. The town below stretched out like a star chart, with lights and stars gazing at each other from opposite ends of the sky.

At this moment, a faint light, like a purple ray, stretched across the sky above, as if it were a guide to the heavens. Zhao Ti thought for a moment, took a deep breath, pressed down with his palm, and the black lotus accelerated, heading straight into the depths of that light in the sky.

In an instant, he felt a sudden increase in pressure on his body, and his bones made a "crackling" sound. The light was clearly the radiant domain of a large star, but he was too hasty to identify which star it was.

Even though the star was trillions of miles away, Zhao Ti vaguely felt his body beginning to feel unbearable.

How could starlight have such power? It seems unlikely, and starlight shouldn't be able to harm people. I haven't flown out of the sky at all; I'm just high in the sky. How could this happen?
Zhao Ti wondered if it was because his immortal cultivation level was still low and his immortal body was not strong enough to withstand the starlight beams.
But it still doesn't seem right. After all, the distance is so far that it's impossible to measure. And the starlight I'm receiving now is not much different from what I'm seeing on the ground. Compared to the distance to the distant star itself, it's negligible. Even a mortal shouldn't be unable to bear it. I've already become an immortal, so how could I have this feeling?
Zhao Ti was completely baffled. He secretly used his magic power to resist, but although the pressure on his body was reduced, his magic power was consumed rapidly, like snow melting under the scorching sun. In just a short while, half of it disappeared.

He was secretly alarmed and became cautious, no longer probing upwards. Instead, he began to descend. Once he reached normal cloud level, the pressure slowly disappeared, and he felt much lighter.

Something's strange, but what could be the reason? Zhao Ti frowned and pondered. He stopped in mid-air, his body motionless. Just then, he suddenly saw a white light appear in the distance ahead.

The white light was not dazzling, but rather peaceful, and it was not very fast as it flew towards him.

Zhao Ti immediately became alert. What was this? He couldn't see any strange phenomena when he wasn't in the air, so why was it completely different from what he encountered on the ground once he took to the air?
The light took quite a while to approach, and within it was a strange beast. This beast was enormous, even larger than the tallest warhorse in Qing Tang. It had horns on its head like a dragon, round eyes like copper bells, bright and piercing, whiskers that fluttered like dragon whiskers, a body like a deer or horse, a broad back covered with white jade-like scales, and fiery mane on its shoulders.

The limbs are similar to those of a deer and a horse, long and powerful, with hooves like those of a giant horse, and snow-white flame-like hair on the legs and elbows.

Its tail resembles both a cow's and a dragon's tail, thick and powerful, with an extremely large end that spreads out in a fan-shaped lotus pattern.

This is... a Qilin? Zhao Ti opened his mouth in surprise. Did he really see a Qilin? Or the legendary, rare white jade Qilin?

The Qilin is one of the four auspicious creatures of ancient times, and was considered a lucky beast in ancient times, possessing the ability to communicate with heaven and earth.

In the Investiture of the Gods, Grand Tutor Wen's mount was a Qilin, a rare black Qilin, which was extremely spiritual. It was completely black, could travel ten thousand miles a day, ride the clouds and mist, and could also breathe clouds, fire and smoke. It was not only Grand Tutor Wen's mount, but also an important helper in battle.

Zhao Ti stared intently at the strange beast ahead, and within a few breaths he was certain it was a Qilin. It wasn't impossible for a creature like a Qilin to appear after such a great change in the world, but the fact that it appeared so quickly, and that it was flying in the night sky with no idea where it was going, filled him with astonishment.

The white jade unicorn in front of him was also looking at him. After a while, it suddenly raised its head and let out a cry that was neither too loud nor too soft. Then it spoke in human language: "This little beast pays respects to the sage and greets the sage." After speaking, it stood up and performed a Confucian salute.

Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows, stroked his chin, and looked at the jade unicorn without saying a word.

The Qilin continued in human language: "This little beast received the sage's literary energy, which swept across the world and enlightened all living beings. Nourished by the sage, it was born in the western mountains of Lu. Following the sage's aura, it came all the way north to seek refuge. It is willing to be the sage's mount, to work hard without complaint, and to follow the sage in teaching the world."

“The Western Hills of Lu?” Zhao Ti’s heart stirred, and he immediately understood. This must be the Qilin that Confucius spoke of when he said that the Qilin had appeared and died, and that his way was exhausted.
This beast was born because it was inspired by Confucius's great vow to teach and enlighten people. However, it was accidentally seen by a woodcutter from the Western Mountains. In a panic, the woodcutter killed it with a woodcutter's axe. When Confucius learned of this, he was filled with grief and indignation. He said, "The beast has died after being born. My way is exhausted." He was implying that his lifelong ambition and vow could not be fulfilled. Not long after, he passed away.

It is a Qilin, but it is different from the real Qilin. It is not formed from flesh and blood, nor is it transformed from the essence of heaven and earth. Instead, it is born from a wisp of pure and supreme spiritual energy.

This beast was born because he wrote the Confucian classics and made a great vow that everyone in the world would be like a sage, like Yao and Shun, and that the spirit of literature would sweep across the world.

Zhao Ti looked at the Qilin and nodded, saying, "So it's you. You were born at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, but you were dull and ignorant. When attacked by a woodcutter, you didn't know how to dodge or escape, nor did you know how to defend yourself. You died at birth. Have you become enlightened now?"

The Qilin nodded vigorously in the white light: "The little beast was foolish from reading too much, so it did not know how to protect itself and died as a result. Now it will not repeat the same mistake. It knows good and evil, understands right and wrong, distinguishes truth from falsehood, and will definitely follow the sage to teach the world."

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "That would be best. There is a second chance, but not a third or fourth. If you are injured again, your soul will be shattered, and you will probably never have another chance to start over."

"This humble beast understands, and will certainly not do so this time. Please rest assured, Your Majesty," the Qilin said respectfully.

"Tell me about your abilities," Zhao Ti said. This Qilin could fly, so it must have some other skills.

"The little beast can breathe clouds and mist, ward off evil and poison, move mountains, and cut off rivers. It can roar to open up clouds, create water with its will, travel thousands of miles in an instant, and has boundless strength." The Qilin said, "The little beast is also literate, knowledgeable in classics, understands the meaning of classics, knows literature and reason, can write, and can compose essays. It is no less than most talented scholars and writers in the world."

"You certainly have quite a few skills," Zhao Ti said with a smile. "In that case, come back with me."

"Please, Your Majesty, guide me," the Qilin said joyfully upon hearing this.

Zhao Ti urged Mo Yun to come before the other party. He saw a peaceful white light, with many patterns faintly appearing in the light. They were all divine strokes, exquisite and beautiful, with auspicious meanings such as "exquisite writing" and "splendid literature". He couldn't help but nod. This Qilin was indeed born with literary spirit, and it actually radiated such literary light. It was truly auspicious and lucky.

He took Mo Yun in, leaped onto the back of the Qilin, and pointed slightly in the direction, and the Qilin headed north.

A moment later, he arrived at the spot where he had flown. He saw Zhou Tong waiting by the trees below. Looking up at the night sky, he saw a white light that seemed to contain some strange beast. He was immediately alarmed, drew his sword, and shouted, "Who goes there? State your name!"

Zhao Ti, sitting leisurely on the back of the Qilin, said, "Grand Ancestor, don't panic, it's me who's back."

"Ah, so it is Your Highness, Your Highness is..." Zhou Tong hurriedly rubbed his eyes and looked carefully.

Zhao Ti then landed on the ground riding the Qilin. Although the Qilin was no longer flying and the white light had receded, there was still a faint layer of soft light shimmering on its surface, which left Zhou Tong speechless.

"Your Highness, this is..." Zhou Tong seemed unable to believe what he was seeing and rubbed his eyes hard again.

"Does Guangzu not even recognize the auspicious beast Qilin?" Zhao Ti laughed loudly and jumped off the Qilin's back.

"Your Highness, it's not that I don't recognize it, but I'm shocked and can't believe it. This is a legendary spiritual object; I can't believe I'd see it with my own eyes," Zhou Tong hurriedly said.

“With the great changes in the world, spiritual energy is flourishing. Even dragons and phoenixes may appear. There’s nothing to be surprised about.” Zhao Ti shook his head. “However, this Qilin is not a creature of spiritual energy. It appeared in response to the literary fortune of heaven and earth when I was writing the Confucian classics. It then came to me and happened to be encountered in the sky tonight.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Tong's face lit up with a mixture of joy and surprise. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Highness has studied the teachings of the Celestials and the Humans, and your talent is so great that it shakes heaven and earth. You are even born with an auspicious beast by your side. I admire you so much that I prostrate myself before you. Your Highness's talent is unprecedented and unparalleled. You are truly a blessing to the Great Song Dynasty and to us subordinates."

Zhao Ti smiled faintly, looked up at the starry sky, and said, "Has Guangzu also learned this art of flattery?"

Zhou Tong shook his head, his lips twitching: "I speak from the bottom of my heart, unlike Steward Tong who always has flattering words on his lips."

Zhao Ti said, "I wonder how Tong Guan's cultivation is going, and whether there has been any trouble in Hexi."

Zhou Tong pondered, "Miss He Ximu, Miss A Zhu, and others are all here, along with Master Kumārajīva, Chief Xiao, and Master Xu Zhu. I don't think anything will happen. Otherwise, I should have informed His Highness."

Zhao Ti thought for a moment, then suddenly thought of A Zi. He felt uneasy and glanced at the night sky above. The moon was high in the sky. He nodded and said, "Let's go back to camp."

Zhou Tong agreed, and Zhao Ti was about to take a step forward when suddenly his body paused slightly, and a faint tremor came from him.

His expression changed slightly. How could a Tribulation Realm expert arrive even after everyone had entered the Dao Palace? He said in a deep voice, "Guardian!"

He then flashed to the foot of the tree, and just as he was about to sit cross-legged, a ripple appeared before his eyes...

(End of this chapter)