C220 Those Who Know Him Well

Loong Tianxiao's serpentine form twisted through the air, his scales shimmering like crafted gold.

Months had passed, and the man with the human head and dragon body had evidently grown even more powerful.

Having lost his dragon form, Loong Tianxiao existed as a spirited body, within which the energy of his Dragon Soul surged with a vitality that was once absent.

Yu Yuan, sensing this covertly, realized that Loong Tianxiao, having broken free from the confines of Moonfall Sanctuary, had undergone an unknown transformation, emerging far stronger.

Without his dragon form, Loong Tianxiao's Dragon Soul resembled that of a human Lunar Spirit.

A Lunar Spirit is a pure soul, devoid of flesh and blood, rendering many of the Nagas' potent blood magic unusable.

Loong Tianxiao, with only his Dragon Soul, was merely surviving.

Yet now, observing him still in his Dragon Soul state, his seemingly ethereal dragon form radiated a subtle vital energy.

It was akin to a human Lunar Spirit evolving into a Solar Spirit, using pure vitality and spiritual energy as a foundation to reconstruct a new flesh-and-blood body.

The current Loong Tianxiao, with this trace of vital energy, indicated he had discovered an alternative route, a novel path to rebirth and the reconstruction of his corporeal form.

Loong Tianxiao was not purely of Naga descent; he was a dragon-human hybrid.

He may have blazed a new trail, no longer fixated on the Nagas' dragon form, possibly leveraging his human aspect to forge a new body in an unprecedented manner.

Regardless of the path chosen, he had become more formidable than during his time in Moonfall Sanctuary.

This newfound strength filled him with confidence.

However, Yu Yuan had advised him against venturing into Gloomhollow, warning that he wouldn't withstand the dangers there...

Had it not been for their shared history in Moonfall Sanctuary, and Yu Yuan's peculiar ways, or the fact that Yu Yuan had spared him during his escape, Loong Tianxiao would have slain Yu Yuan with a single swipe of his claw.

With his human head and dragon body, he possessed four arms—two human and two that could morph at will.

Transforming into dragon claws, he could wield the Nagas' arcane abilities to penetrate gold, cleave stone, and even rend souls asunder.

A cultivator at the Soul Awakening Realm, without the protection of the Moonfall Sanctuary's rune circle, would find themselves easily overpowered in a new place like the Serpent Spine Mountains.

"What's the matter with Gloomhollow?"

Loong Tianxiao stood with two arms crossed over his chest and the other two wrapped around his midsection, gazing down at Yu Yuan with a peculiar stance.

He then turned his attention to Chen Qingyan.

Loong Tianxiao's eyes suddenly shifted to golden vertical pupils, radiating a dazzling light.

With a soft whistle, Chen Qingyan released a burst of sword's will from within her.

Surprise flickered in Loong Tianxiao's golden eyes as he gave Chen Qingyan a few more glances, his expression growing significantly more solemn. "That's a formidable sword's will you have. It must have been bestowed upon you by one of your elders."

Chen Qingyan, not wanting to appear disrespectful, nodded slightly. "My teacher is from the Sword Sect."

"I can tell," Loong Tianxiao said, frowning, showing no interest in further conversation with her. He turned back to Yu Yuan. "After you vanished from the Moonfall Sanctuary, many have been searching for you. Why didn't you go back to the Silvermoon Empire as expected? And what do you know about Gloomhollow?"

Chen Qingyan was inwardly astonished.

Loong Tianxiao, who seemed to soar above all, was even more powerful than Zanas, a Lunar Spirit.

How did such a lofty being recognize Yu Yuan?

Despite the vast differences in their status and power, Loong Tianxiao spoke to Yu Yuan as an equal, not with condescension.

She was quite puzzled.

"I had intended to visit Sacred Hands for the herbalist exam, but I changed my mind," Yu Yuan replied dismissively. "What brought you to Gloomhollow?"

"I sensed that something was amiss," Loong Tianxiao admitted openly. "Many creatures died mysteriously near Gloomhollow, their bones littering the ground. There used to be a peculiar rune circle around Gloomhollow, forbidding outsiders from entering. But somehow, the circle has become ineffective."

Gloomhollow has always been the most enigmatic forbidden area within the Serpent Spine Mountains, zealously guarded by the Sacred Hands.

"Many speculate that Gloomhollow is where the Sacred Hands store their rare Spirit Elixirs, essentially their treasure trove. My advancement in cultivation depends heavily on unique magic items and herbs. I'm going to try my luck in Gloomhollow," Loong Tianxiao declared candidly.

Yu Yuan was taken aback.

Rumors, once spread, can easily be mistaken for truth.

Gloomhollow, intended as a barrier against the Nightstorm, had been misconstrued as the Sacred Hands' treasure haven by outsiders, attracting the greedy gaze of an alien soul like Loong Tianxiao.

"You're mistaken. There are no pills or rare herbs in Gloomhollow, only trouble," Yu Yuan informed him.

"I'm not afraid of trouble," Loong Tianxiao said with a smirk. "The Serpent Spine Mountains, the Sacred Hands—what can they possibly do to me? Whatever secrets lie within Gloomhollow, I'll unearth them myself."

"Yu Yuan, look after yourself. It would be a shame to survive Moonfall Sanctuary only to perish here."

Ignoring the advice, Loong Tianxiao cackled as he soared over the dense forest, disappearing into the distance.

"How do you know this alien soul? He's so amiable, willing to engage in patient conversation with you?" Chen Qingyan asked, her curiosity piqued as she watched him.

"Indeed, he's quite affable and eager to mentor someone younger," Yu Yuan replied with a smile.

"Not a single word of truth," Chen Qingyan retorted with an eye roll.

They pressed on deeper into the wilderness.

Approaching Gloomhollow, a series of eerie howls began to resonate.

The sounds were a bizarre blend of the wind's whistle and the growls of wild beasts.

As they neared Gloomhollow, Chen Qingyan, with her keen senses, involuntarily slowed her pace and remarked, "Yu Yuan, you might be right. It seems a fierce battle has taken place deep within Gloomhollow."

"You can sense it?" Yu Yuan asked, astonished.

"No, I can't discern the level," Chen Qingyan admitted, shaking her head. "But from a distance, I can see the divine force stirring tumultuously in the sky above Gloomhollow. Based on the mystique taught by my master, I'd say that battle is not one we should meddle in."

Yu Yuan abruptly halted, his face grave. "So, it seems that Gloomhollow is teeming with formidable individuals."

"That appears to be the case," Chen Qingyan responded.

"Whoosh!"

A streak of black and white light shot from another direction and came to a sudden stop in midair, gradually transforming.

Eventually, it took the form of the familiar black and white-clad boy from the Moonfall Sanctuary.

"Yu Yuan!" he exclaimed, his mouth agape and eyes wide with alarm. "What are you doing here? Gloomhollow is treacherous; you mustn't go there! Leave at once and seek refuge with the Sacred Hands! Deep within Gloomhollow, there's a miasma cloud concealing unknown dangers, and a slaughter is underway!"

"Who is he?" Chen Qingyan was taken aback.

The black and white boy before her was an enigmatic life form, completely foreign to her understanding—stranger even than Loong Tianxiao.

How did these unusual souls come to recognize Yu Yuan?

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