Chapter 627: The Green Pine Affair Concluded (II)
Li Xizhi sighed silently at their words, understanding their intent to console him. Speaking softly, he said, "Do you know why the Dawn Rayfish are drawn to rainbows?"
The two were taken aback, both delighted that Li Xizhi had finally spoken and puzzled by his sudden words. They asked a question in return, to which Li Xizhi replied, "Feathered beasts belong to the category of pristine and radiance, such as feathered serpents and Luan birds. Scaled beasts, on the other hand, follow convergence and merging, including creatures like demonic dragons and scaled-crows. The Dawn Rayfish, with its feathered wings and scaly body, exists between the two categories."
"Between these two categories, water disperses, and light converges, harmonizing and complementing one another—that is what forms rainbows." Li Xizhi spoke softly, "The last predecessor to cultivate the Dawn Dew Gathering Technique was Lingu Xia. His mount was the Venomous Eagle, another half-scaled, half-feathered demonic creature."
Yuan Chengzhao sighed and said, "When I was young and mischievous, I did not value studying. Now, all I can do is admire you, Senior Brother... It seems these five categories—feathered, scaled, furry, bare, and winged—all have their own connections to Dao lineage. The depth of knowledge here is truly boundless."
The group flew on for a while, and soon Yuan Family's Mushroom Forest Plain came into view. Yuan Chengzhao's expression darkened, and with a word of farewell, he descended. With Moongaze Lake now so close, Li Xizhi's mood sank once more.
————
Mount Qingdu.
For more than a year, the northern prefectures of Yue State had seen no more torrential downpours, but steady drizzles persisted. Paddies, millet, and beans withered in the fields, deprived of sunlight, leaving nothing to harvest.
Fortunately, the Li Family had enjoyed abundant harvests in prior years and maintained ample reserves. Grain was distributed to households according to protocol. Though there were unavoidable instances of corruption and greed, the family's wealth and resources prevented any major crises.