Melodia healed them both, though she did not appear in her form as a beautiful fairy. Instead, she transformed herself into an elderly crone. She sat and waited for a while until the two woke up, staring blankly, unsure of where they were.

  Noe still held the horrific memory of being strangled to death by the Dragon Lady. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he lay here with his body fully restored, as if he had just endured a nightmare. Had it not been for their scorched and tattered clothes, they might have believed it was all a dream. Noe noticed an elderly woman sitting nearby, roasting sweet potatoes and various vegetables. She was plump and aged, but she possessed a kind, graceful aura that her years could not hide.

  Tu Zhongsha took the initiative to approach and greet her. "You look very familiar, ma'am. Have I met you somewhere before?"

  Melodia replied, "I am... Melodia's elder sister. I happened to be passing by when I saw you two being beaten. Out of respect for our shared sect, I stepped in to help."

  Tu Zhongsha bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Elder Sister, for your help. Without it, our corpses would surely be rotting back there."

  Melodia pointed toward Noe. "And who is this friend of yours?"

  "This is my friend, Noe. He is a Prophet," Tu Zhongsha introduced.

  Melodia grimaced with feigned annoyance. "A Prophet, yet reduced to such a pathetic state? If I hadn't saved you, both of you would be dead."

  Noe let out a heavy sigh, his face clouded with sorrow. "I no longer possess the powers of a Prophet." He began to recount how he had prophesied a place teeming with fish, which provoked the River God, eventually leading to the god's decapitation and the subsequent string of disasters. Melodia and Tu Zhongsha listened in stunned silence. All of this, sparked by a sliver of pride and a desire for praise, had led to such horrific consequences. The path of a Prophet was terrifying indeed—truly like "standing near a king as if near a tiger," never knowing when divine punishment might strike.

  Melodia began to understand the heavy burden borne by a Prophet of the Heavenly Dao. This realization only made her fonder of him and more determined to help. She asked, "I saw that you know how to use Luck Aura. Is it effective?"

  Noe shook his head. "Hardly. I don’t understand why."

  Melodia smiled and suddenly radiated a Luck Aura of her own. Immediately, a strange sense of joy washed over them, its effect many times more potent than Noe’s. She explained, "An Aura is a power intimately tied to emotion. A Luck Aura is bound to joy. If you want it to reach its full potential, Noe, you must smile. You must draw out every ounce of happiness within your heart."

  Noe sighed again, his heart heavy. "So that’s it. Next time I use the skill, I will try to smile."

  Melodia frowned. "What a waste of such a high Luck stat! Come now, try to follow my lead. Give me a natural, happy smile. Do it now—let me hear a 'ha-ha'!"

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Noe’s lip twitched as he forced out a hollow, "Ha... ha..."

  Melodia tried everything to make him laugh. She told jokes, danced wildly, and made adorable gestures. On the outside, Noe remained stoic, but inside, he felt a profound warmth. Rarely had anyone cared so much for his well-being. This stranger's enthusiasm touched him, and Noe told himself that whenever he used Luck Aura in the future, he would remember this moment.

  Thinking she had failed, Melodia huffed, "I give up! Is your face glued shut? Why is there no emotion?" She paused, then added, "This is your last chance. I’ll teach you the Joyful Steps—running and laughing at the same time. It’s like normal running, but before you switch feet, you must perform a high-speed hop. Stand up and try it!"

  At first, Noe struggled with the rhythm, but as he grew accustomed to it, it became easier. Each stride was accompanied by a rhythmic bounce, making it feel as though he were dancing with Melodia. Finally, a radiant smile bloomed on his face like a flower, his laughter echoing alongside Melodia’s rhythmic counting in the quiet wilderness.

  The White Jade Pagoda

  Melodia contacted her master, Grandmist Tu—the Sect Leader of the Everlasting Houtu Sect—to report the situation. Her master fell into a pensive silence. "Strange. The Dragon Blood Manipulation Art is a forbidden technique. The Dragon Race pledged never to use such magic again. They are a race known for their integrity; how could they break their word?"

  Melodia replied via telepathy, "This dragon, Long Siniang, is very young. She may not be connected to the Great Dragon Clans. It’s possible she practiced the forbidden art in secret out of a deep-seated vendetta. However, there is something that worries me: I feel the presence of a powerful Yinglong nearby. I’m not sure if they are involved."

  Grandmist Tu instructed, "I will investigate this. Find a way to detain them. I will send reinforcements and decide on a resolution later."

  "Understood!" Melodia complied.

  To carry out the mission, Melodia tossed the White Jade Pagoda into the air. The tower expanded into a magnificent structure of thirty-three stories, each floor connected to a vast, independent pocket dimension. It was a one-way gate: one could only go up, never down. From the outside, there was no way to break in; no matter how high one jumped or flew, a powerful energy barrier would repel them. The only entrance was the door on the first floor.

  After several days of pursuit, Long Siniang and Lian Chen saw Noe enter the tower and immediately gave chase. They did not expect to be trapped inside for months. Melodia, as the temporary master of the pagoda, easily manipulated the internal space: she raised mountains, created rivers, and used seismic shifts to constantly rearrange the terrain. This caused Long Siniang and Lian Chen to lose sight of each other, significantly weakening their combat effectiveness.

  Melodia decided to arrange a private meeting with Long Siniang. Having recently broken through to the Core Formation Stage, Long Siniang was incredibly arrogant. She immediately transformed into a dragon to attack. However, Melodia had reached the Great Circle of Core Formation long ago.

  Without exerting much effort, Melodia gently flicked one of her twelve White Jade Rings. With just a single ring, Long Siniang began to struggle. By the time the third ring was released, the crushing pressure forced the dragon to a standstill, compelling her to surrender.

  Melodia spoke calmly, "This is enough. Stop hunting Noe."

  Long Siniang roared with resentment, "You want me to stop? Dream on! Unless I die, I will never let him go!"

  Melodia sighed. "It takes two hands to clap. If only one side were at fault, things wouldn't have gone this far. Noe is to blame, but your father was also in the wrong. You must understand that."

  "I don't care!" Long Siniang screamed. "He is the primary cause. If he hadn't appeared, my father would still be alive!"

  Realizing that words could not sway Long Siniang’s blind obsession with revenge, Melodia gave up. She decided to keep her imprisoned within the White Jade Pagoda while awaiting further instructions from her master.