## Whispers of the Cloud Country: A Xianxia Tale

Within the ethereal expanse of the Cloud Country, nestled the Lingxiao Secret Place.

Upon a patch of flat ground, woven with clouds and shrouded in mist, Jiang Anan found herself locked in a battle of gazes with a small gray dog, their large eyes mirroring each other.

“Ah, is it called Stupid Gray?” Jiang Anan, her eyes fixed on the dog, inquired of her brother.

Jiang Wang beamed with self-satisfaction. “How about it? Isn’t that name perfectly fitting?”

Jiang Anan, at six years old, possessed a nascent judgment of her own. She weakly offered, “It won’t like it, perhaps…”

“Stupid Gray!” Jiang Wang boomed.

Woof woof woof!

The small gray dog immediately rose onto its hind legs, tail wagging furiously, its joyous barks echoing in the air.

“How about that?” Jiang Wang, a picture of pride, gazed upon his sister.

Since leaving Star Moon Plain, he had journeyed directly to the Cloud Country. While Grandmaster Chong Xuan had urged him to wander and indulge, he was not one to be idle. When not cultivating, he would hasten to see his sister. He had gathered various foodstuffs along his journey, and the gold thread embroidered garments he wore close to his skin were indeed exquisite. However, the most cherished gift, trained diligently throughout his travels, was the little gray dog.

Jiang Anan was clearly delighted with this gift. Though she harbored some reservations about the dog’s name, upon witnessing its boundless joy, her doubts were instantly scattered to the nine skies. She burst into peals of laughter.

Ye Qingyu, watching the siblings’ playful antics from the side, smiled silently. Such simple happiness, for a cultivator of her level, was often a rare treasure.

Suddenly, a burst of sound erupted from the clouds – “What a dreadful name!”

A swirling mass of flowing cloud dissipated, revealing a peculiar beast whose long fur resembled cloud fluff. A pearl of water shimmered on its slender tail, and from its mouth came human speech, laced with evident disdain.

Jiang Wang, with perfect politeness, clasped his hands in greeting. “This one presumes this must be Senior Ah Chou? Truly extraordinary! Upon our first meeting, this one already admires your distinguished bearing. I am Jiang Wang, Anan’s brother. I am deeply grateful for your care of Anan.”

Ah Chou let out a dry laugh. “Indeed, this is our first meeting… though I have often heard Anan speak of you.”

Ye Qingyu’s voice cut through their polite exchanges. “Uncle Chou, why have you come?”

Ah Chou, naturally, could not admit he was there on orders to supervise. His eyeballs rolled. “I’ve come to play with Anan!”

“Excellent,” Ye Qingyu’s eyes twinkled with a smile. “Then please don’t take Anan too far.”

Ah Chou was taken aback. *I never said I wanted to take Anan out to play! Can’t we just play here?*

“No!” Jiang Anan’s clear voice chirped. “I want to stay with my brother!”

Jiang Wang’s brows lifted in a joyful expression. He was about to offer a word of encouragement, when he saw Jiang Anan scamper forward, embrace Stupid Gray, and affectionately rub its head.

Stupid Gray offered no resistance, its eyes narrowed in pure enjoyment.

Ah Chou inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, though he outwardly expressed regret. “Alas, it matters not. I shall just accompany you from the side.”

Jiang Wang, feeling indebted to Ah Chou for his frequent companionship to Jiang Anan, initiated conversation. “Senior Ah Chou, you just said you seem to have an opinion on Stupid Gray’s name?”

Ah Chou was not quite so polite with him. He glared. “Do you think Jiang Wang sounds better, or Jiang Stupid?”

“Er…” Jiang Wang said awkwardly. “Comparing them in reverse is not quite right… Even with this name, Stupid Gray itself seems very happy!”

Ah Chou sighed mournfully. “Before I knew the meaning of ‘ugly,’ I was also very happy.”

“The person who gave you that name was indeed quite improper,” Jiang Wang echoed sympathetically. “I feel you are very free and uninhibited, very charming. You should be called Ah Mei, that would be perfect.”

Ah Chou was silent for a moment, then replied, “I am male.”

“Then you can be called Ah Xiao!” Jiang Wang offered suggestions with great enthusiasm. “Ah Jun is also very good.”

At this moment, Ye Qingyu cleared her throat, interrupting Jiang some-person’s path to self-destruction. She addressed Ah Chou. “Uncle Chou, weren’t there new fish species introduced into Tread Cloud Lake? Why aren’t you going to take a look?”

“What?”

Ah Chou’s voice instantly rose, startling the small gray dog who was playing with Anan nearby. Its front legs went soft, and it tumbled three times. “This is such an important matter, and Ye Little Flower actually hid it from me?”

He wasted no time. With a four-legged stride, he was airborne. “I’m leaving!”

*To hell with his supervision duties! Ye Little Flower is not acting like a human! Ordering Ah Chou to do tasks, yet not giving Ah Chou fish to eat!*

The clouds scattered, and Ah Chou departed with the speed of wind and lightning.

Jiang Wang watched the small gray dog, its behind wiggling as it followed Jiang Anan, his brow tightly furrowed.

“You say…” He turned towards Ye Qingyu, who was always someone he could consult. “Should I perhaps change Stupid Gray’s name?”

Ye Qingyu chuckled. “A name already decided, how can it be changed so casually? It hasn’t even gained spiritual sentience yet, there’s no need to confuse it. Besides, Stupid Gray is quite a good name, strangely endearing.”

Jiang Wang was greatly comforted. “Really?”

Ye Qingyu was about to speak, when another voice suddenly rang out—

“Ha, isn’t this the world’s number one Inner Mansion, Jiang Qingyang?”

A handsome man in flowing white robes, stepping on clouds, appeared.

Ye Qingyu silently covered her forehead with her hand.

Jiang Wang, who had been sitting cross-legged near Ye Qingyu, quickly stood up and bowed. “Greetings, True Person Ye!” He said humbly. “Before True Person Ye, who has ‘horizontal push across nations unparalleled, eternal human most heroic,’ how dare Jiang Wang claim to be first?”

He was rather proud of this particular flattery.

But True Person Ye’s sword-like brows lifted. “Are you mocking me?”

To be fair, at the Inner Mansion level, Jiang Wang could truly be considered ‘horizontal push across nations unparalleled,’ and even ‘eternal human most heroic’ was highly competitive. As for True Person Ye… he still had a ways to go before reaching the level of Xiang Fengqi from back then. He was certainly far from being called ‘horizontal push across nations unparalleled.’

Jiang Wang felt greatly wronged. *I specifically remembered your old lines, and put in so much effort to get along with you. How is it that repeating what you said has now become me mocking you?*

“Dad!” Ye Qingyu also stood up, tapping her foot on the cloud ground in dissatisfaction.

“What do you want me for?” True Person Ye feigned deafness. He turned his head back to find fault with Jiang some-person. “Why are you free today to be a guest at my Lingxiao Pavilion?” A hint of schadenfreude danced on his handsome face. “What, couldn’t make it in Qi Country anymore?”

“Dad!” Ye Qingyu called again.

“Why so loud?” Ye Lingxiao gave her a sidelong glance. “Your dad isn’t deaf!”

Faced with her father’s roguish behavior, Ye Qingyu was truly helpless for a moment. She could only glare at him, puffed up with anger.

But Ye Lingxiao only stared at Jiang Wang, not even sparing her a glance.

Jiang Wang, however, felt no need to be evasive. He frankly stated, “There were some troubles in Qi Country before, but they are being resolved. I estimate you will receive news soon.”

“Young man, this True Person isn’t scolding you,” True Person Ye said in the tone of an experienced elder, his hands clasped behind his back. “Don’t get a little insignificant achievement and immediately become proud and self-satisfied. I heard you still want to take Anan to Qi Country? With your turbulent situation, it’s difficult enough to take care of yourself!”

Jiang Wang simply replied, “True Person’s teachings are correct.”

Ye Lingxiao continued, “Jiang Anan is a true disciple of my Lingxiao Pavilion. I must be responsible for her safety, no?”

“I trouble you with this concern,” Jiang Wang said.

“No need for such polite words,” Ye Lingxiao waved a large hand. “This is my, Ye Lingxiao’s, responsibility. I am duty-bound!”

“In that case.” He glanced at Jiang Wang. “The matter of taking Anan away, you should temporarily not consider it. Young man, you need to focus on your career, focus on your struggles. Wait until I feel you have the ability to protect yourself, then you can bring this matter up again. Alright?”

“Er…” Jiang Wang hesitated. “How is ‘having the ability to protect oneself’ defined?”

Ye Lingxiao vaguely stated, “Being able to defeat me will suffice.” He quickly added, “Alright, then that’s decided. I still have matters to attend to, I’ll take my leave first!”

“Hey!” Jiang Wang opened his mouth to call out, but True Person Ye had already vanished without a trace.