C18 Hidden Dragon Lake

In the front hall of the Spirit Treasure Building, Qin Ann, tall and slender as a bamboo pole, watched Yu Yuan with a blank expression. Clutching the lustrous Black Dragon Scissors, Yu Yuan strolled in from the backyard with an air of ease.

"I'll pay another visit in the future."

Yu Yuan gestured to Qin Ann, indicating there was no need for a formal send-off, then called out to the backyard, "Many thanks, Uncle Zhao. Once the contest among our four great families concludes, I'll be sure to call again. Oh, and I almost forgot, I'm a contender in the Pulse Opening Stage's Third Grade. I'd appreciate it if you could ask the Zhao family elders to go easy on me."

"No need for formalities, shopkeeper. Sorry to trouble you, no need to see me out."

Yu Yuan left the Spirit Treasure Building under Qin Ann's lingering gaze, having arrived with nothing and departing with the coveted Black Dragon Scissors in hand.

"Master?"

It took Qin Ann a while to snap out of his daze. Upon seeing Zhao Dongsheng emerge from the backyard, he hesitated before asking, "Why did you let him walk away with the Spirit Level Third Grade Black Dragon Scissors?"

"Don't concern yourself with matters that don't pertain to you!" Zhao Dongsheng snapped, his tone icy. "From this moment on, I want you to compile every scrap of information on Yu Yuan. Who he's met, what he's done—all of it. The clearer and more detailed, the better!"

"Yes!" Qin Ann responded, his voice barely above a whisper.

Zhao Dongsheng's imposing figure filled the doorway as he squinted in the direction Yu Yuan had vanished, a cold sneer forming in his thoughts. "Once the Third Grade contest is over, if your claims prove false, it won't just be you facing consequences—your entire Yu family will pay the price!"

...

In the dead of night at the Yu family residence in the northern part of the city, Yu Yuan examined the Black Dragon Scissors, a Third Grade artifact of the Spirit Level. The scissors gleamed black as he pondered the precious pearl set at the intersection of the blades. "Though it's a replica of the black pearl, it subtly carries the essence of the black dragon's breath. This must be the handiwork of Hidden Dragon Lake."

The Profound Sky Continent and the Quietus Continent were separated by an expansive, boundless ocean, dotted with innumerable islands and home to perilous, secret realms.

Nestled amidst the vast ocean, the Cold Abyss lay hidden. Equally shrouded in secrecy was the enigmatic "Hidden Dragon Lake," tucked away in the sea's expansive depths, its existence unknown to most.

Yu Yuan, once the revered Sect Master of the Medicine God Sect in his past life, was well aware of Hidden Dragon Lake. He understood that its cultivators humbly referred to themselves as "Dragon Servitors" and "Dragon Servants," their practices and even their Spirit Weapons deeply intertwined with the essence of dragons.

At Hidden Dragon Lake, the true rulers issuing commands and making decisions were not humans, but dragons—dragons of all kinds.

The human cultivators there served the dragons, obeyed the dragons, and pledged their loyalty to the dragons. Among the many families connected to Hidden Dragon Lake, hidden within the Profound Sky Continent, was the modest Zhao family.

Dragons lived for eons, their growth markedly slow, with the awakening and unlocking of their intelligence lagging far behind that of humans. The practice of "raising a young dragon" involved extracting a sliver of a young dragon's soul and infusing it into a human child. The child's precocious intelligence would then accelerate the young dragon's awakening, helping it swiftly grasp the complexities of the world and the nuances of human interaction, thus aiding the dragon in achieving "psychic communication" at an early age.

This Dragon Essence Soul, in turn, nurtured the "dragon raiser," paving the way for them to become a true cultivator of Hidden Dragon Lake in the future.

Should misfortune befall the young dragon, the Dragon Essence Soul within the "dragon raiser" could be stimulated by the secret techniques of Hidden Dragon Lake. It might even consume the "dragon raiser's" three souls to grow stronger, eventually coalescing into a dragon soul and merging with dragon blood. This process had the power to resurrect the deceased young dragon, rebuilding its flesh and bones, granting it life anew.

Zhao Yafu was one such "dragon raiser," chosen by Hidden Dragon Lake and bestowed with the soul of a young dragon. Should this young dragon thrive and transform, Zhao Yafu stood to gain immensely. She would be guided to Hidden Dragon Lake, where she would join the ranks of its cultivators, becoming what is known as a "Dragon Servitor" and "Dragon Servant."

Hidden Dragon Lake was far more formidable than the seven lesser sects of the Heavenly Source Continent.

Zhao Yafu was destined for a radiant future, with prospects of advancing her cultivation at Hidden Dragon Lake with high-rank Spiritual Spells.

Regrettably, the young dragon, whose life was intertwined with hers, had perished just outside Hidden Dragon Lake for reasons unknown.

Upon the dragon's death, Zhao Yafu should have realized that, in keeping with the pact between Hidden Dragon Lake and the Zhao family, she was to be discreetly delivered to Hidden Dragon Lake by her family to offer herself as a sacrifice for the dragon's rebirth.

But the Zhao family broke their vow...

They not only concealed the truth but also plotted a scheme of dragon consumption, urging Zhao Yafu to absorb the young dragon's spirit and soul for their own gain.

Regardless of the outcome, the Zhao family had committed an act of betrayal against Hidden Dragon Lake!

Should this treachery be exposed, the cultivators from Hidden Dragon Lake would surely descend in silence, and in a single night, eradicate the Zhao family line.

Zhao Yafu would be taken captive by the cultivators of Hidden Dragon Lake and transported there, where a ritual akin to a sacrifice would be performed to resurrect the young dragon that had met an untimely death.

"The Zhao family must have secured a new patron to dare such betrayal against Hidden Dragon Lake," Yu Yuan mused with clarity. "Otherwise, they would have already willingly sent Zhao Yafu to Hidden Dragon Lake."

With these thoughts, he caressed the imitation pearls inlaid at the intersection of the scissor blades with his fingertip.

"Glorious Heavenly Wheel!"

A myriad of delicate strands of Spiritual Qi began to drift towards him as he executed the Spiritual Spell, entering through his breath and pores, converging towards his lower dantian.

A soft glow burst forth from the imitation pearls!

Instantly, Yu Yuan detected subtle forces emanating from the pearls, seeping into his body through his fingertips.

This mysterious force made a beeline for the Yellow Court aperture in his lower dantian!

At the Yellow Court aperture, a cluster of Spiritual Qi, no larger than nine millimeters, swelled intensely, shining as brightly as the morning sun, its brilliance blinding!

The potency of the Channel Opening Pill was fully unleashed!

Nine orbs of light, like nine fierce suns, circled the Yellow Court aperture, creating a resplendent divine rainbow that seemed to encase a mighty dragon within.

"The combined power of the Glorious Heavenly Wheel and the Channel Opening Pill is truly miraculous!" Yu Yuan exclaimed in amazement.

In the next instant, he concentrated, harnessing the trace of dragon breath within the imitation black pearl to further assault the Pulse Opening Stage.

Before long, he was gasping for air, drenched in sweat!

The dragon breath, enhanced by the Channel Opening Pill and channeled through the Glorious Heavenly Wheel, created a dazzling rainbow that caused his meridians to throb painfully, as if on the verge of bursting.

Yet, the process of opening his pulse channels became markedly more efficient!

"Aunt, my cultivation level is quite low, but even a slight dragon breath, in conjunction with the Channel Opening Pill and the Glorious Heavenly Wheel, can elevate me to new heights," Yu Yuan said through gritted teeth as he persisted in his efforts. "I'm only borrowing a bit of dragon breath. Rest assured, the Black Dragon Scissors will be returned to you before the tri-stage battle."

...

On the outskirts of Darkmoon City lies Jewelry Mount.

This modest mountain, a few hundred meters tall, is riddled with holes, resembling a honeycomb.

Miners with bamboo baskets on their backs could be seen emerging from these tunnels, weary from their labor, delivering the mined Jewelry Stones to the Huang family for record-keeping.

Jewelry Stones are but Common Grade Two spiritual materials. Once refined into Gold Jade Essence Iron, they're suitable only for crafting the most basic spiritual artifacts.

However, even the most common spiritual materials can add up to a significant revenue stream.

The annual yield of Jewelry Stones from Jewelry Mount is a substantial source of income for the Huang family.

Thus, the mountain is greatly prized by the Huang family.

Halfway up the mountain, a spacious cave serves as a luxurious meeting place, with fine furniture and walls embedded with luminous pearls that shine as bright as daylight.

"Brother Lin, what brings you to visit Jewelry Mount, which our Huang family so diligently guards?" Huang Chen, a towering figure with brawny, bare arms that shimmered with flowing light beneath his skin, was clearly a cultivator who had reached the Profound Break Stage and had invested considerable effort in physical refinement. "Heh, ever since your dear one graced Darkmoon City with her presence and joined the Yu family, she's been nothing but trouble for us."

At this point in the conversation, he took a brief pause before saying, "Your Lim family wields considerable power, one we dare not provoke. We've already been as accommodating as we can. But now, you show up unannounced. Are you suggesting that we, the Huang family, should deliberately lose to the Yu family in the upcoming three-realm battle?"

Lim Hanyu, who had arrived alone, appeared only slightly pale, but he alone knew the true extent of his condition. The poison from the Lizard Blood Pill had been purged, yet the microcosm within his dantian was severely damaged. It would be a lengthy process to heal, and his current fighting ability was less than half of what it was at his peak.

With a loud clank, he tossed a bag onto the stone table in front of Huang Chen, startling him.

"Brother Lim, what's this about?" Huang Chen asked, his eyes widening at the sight of the Spirit Stones spilling from the bag. His face grew solemn as he realized, "These Spirit Stones are worth half a year's yield from Jewelry Mount."

"Has the Huang family not caught wind of any recent news? From just two days ago?" Lim Hanyu asked, his eyes holding a peculiar glint.

Huang Chen shook his head. "Nothing."

"Yuan Lianyao has been discreet, probably ensuring the Yu family keeps quiet and deliberately hiding the news," Lim Hanyu mused silently. Then, with a grave tone, he declared, "I want Yu Yuan dead during the three-realm battle among the four major families!"

Huang Chen was taken aback for a moment before realization dawned on him. He glanced again at the Spirit Stones on the table and remarked, "As you know, the battles of the three realms in Darkmoon City are typically fought for victory or defeat, not life and death."

"I'm well aware," Lim Hanyu replied with a cold smirk. "But if both parties consent, a fight to the death is permissible. I cannot openly defy my mother's dying wish. With the engagement approaching, I want Yu Yuan dead. His death would render that ridiculous marriage contract null and void."

Huang Chen wavered, uncertain.

"Should you succeed in this, the Huang family will become a valued ally of the Lim family, and the Cold Yin Sect will owe you a significant debt of gratitude," Lim Hanyu tempted.

"The favor owed to the Cold Yin Sect..."

Huang Chen's eyes sparkled with resolve. "Agreed! I'll talk to my son and we'll devise a plan to ensure Yu Yuan meets his end during the Tri-Realm Battle!"

"Excellent!" Lim Hanyu exclaimed.

With Lyu Yue and Yinn Jue gone, and based on City Lord Yuan Lianyao's claims, it seemed likely that Yu Yuan had a powerful backer.

Yuan Lianyao had also cautioned him against stirring up trouble in Darkmoon City.

Faced with this situation, he decided to withdraw from Darkmoon City with his daughter, Lim Zhuyun, to put Lianyao's mind at ease.

Afterward, he discreetly approached Huang Chen, seeking the Huang family's influence to openly and honorably eliminate Yu Yuan on the upcoming stage of the Tri-Realm Battle, thus eradicating a future threat.