C905 The Snake Swallowed the Dragon

"Lord Green Willow!"

Yu Yuan, spotting him within the Evil Cauldron, let out a soft, low whistle, brimming with delight and relief.

The Green Willow Demon, a formidable Ninth Level entity, had once refined entire rivers in the Outland Star River and managed to break free from the Sword Prison. Now restored to its peak combat prowess, it was nearly invincible in the absence of a Primordial Spirit Stage master.

"Green Willow!"

"The grand commander of the Demon Palace, leader of the Outland Star River demon armies!"

Taoist Tianjing and Taoist Chongxiao were profoundly shaken upon witnessing his arrival.

The confrontation between Tianjing and the Ice Concubine was abruptly halted. The notoriously cold-hearted Taoist Tianjing quivered, scattering ice crystals that skittered across the ground like marbles.

"Return."

Yu Yuan flashed a wide grin, summoning the Ice Concubine, five subordinate demon chiefs, and the multitude of demons forming the array, all back into the cauldron.

The meticulously assembled Demonic Formations vanished without a trace.

In the valley, the Eighth Level Green Dragon, previously stifled by the formations and tormented by the toxic winds, regained its senses. About to unleash a tirade, it caught sight of Green Willow amidst the fountain.

Loong Qi, the Green Dragon, shuddered at the sight of Green Willow, his massive form quaking.

Ignorant of Green Willow's origins and stature, the mere aura it exuded made him feel as though he faced his nemesis, robbing him of any will to fight.

"Blood, the inherent check within our bloodlines!" Fear flooded Loong Qi's gaze.

Just the sight of Green Willow, who remained still, was more daunting than the five Demonic Formations Yu Yuan had unleashed.

His blood slowed, and the innate talents of his lineage, awakened at birth, seemed to falter.

"Green Willow, the green dragon, and even the necklace in Lulu's hands, all pulsing with the essence of plant life, have turned the valley a vibrant green," Yu Yuan mused, stroking his chin with a curious look.

"Hidden Dragon Lake, heh."

With a low chuckle, Green Willow, his green hair and eyes gleaming, watched as fountains transformed into verdant streams, converging towards Loong Qi.

Starlight shimmered within the verdant streams, revealing an array of exotic aquatic creatures and numerous mysterious talismans refined to embody the grand Dao of Water.

Loong Qi, with a touch of his soul, sensed the presence and was instantly so terrified that his blood nearly turned to ice. "M-my lord, you?"

"I'm going to eat you."

At that moment, the Demon Palace's Great Commander unveiled his true form.

A colossal green serpent spanned the sky, its length rivaling mountain ranges, far too vast for Chilly Wind Valley to contain. Thus, it hovered mid-air within the valley.

The true form of Lvliu was immeasurably larger than the dragon's body below in the valley.

The overwhelming demonic energy emanating from his demonic form sent shivers down the spines of those from the Medicine Sect hidden deep beneath the earth.

Lvliu's vertical eyes, like twin green suns, bore down on Loong Qi.

Under that piercing gaze, Loong Qi became as if turned to stone, his body rigid, his dragon's blood congealed, his mind unable to process.

Then, jade-green streams, resembling crystal chains, swiftly coiled around Loong Qi, yanking the Eighth Level green dragon out of Chilly Wind Valley.

He was hoisted into the sky and then drawn towards the gaping maw of Lvliu.

As Loong Qi, a hundred meters in length, was drawn into Lvliu's mouth by the jade-green river, he seemed no more significant than a worm burrowing into the earth.

As Loong Qi's form vanished incrementally, there were no cries or screams.

Chongxiao, who had departed from Loong Qi's forehead long before, watched the towering green serpent in the sky, his face as dark as still waters.

Drip, drip, drip.

Viscous droplets fell from Lvliu's mouth, from between rows of razor-sharp teeth, to the valley floor below, boring deep, bucket-wide pits into the ground.

"Could it really be this effortless?"

Yu Yuan watched in disbelief as Loong Qi was devoured by Lvliu without the slightest hint of resistance.

Loong Qi's lineage was of the Eighth Rank, while Lvliu boasted a Ninth Level bloodline—merely one tier above.

Yet, in the face of Lvliu, Loong Qi was utterly passive, as if stupefied, motionless from start to finish, swallowed whole by Lvliu as if it were nothing.

"This formidable demon is the archenemy of the Green Dragon Clan. It seems that the Water Serpent Clan, from which Lvliu hails, emerged victorious in a clash over the Great Dao, thus their lineage naturally exerts dominance over the Green Dragon Clan to which Loong Qi belongs," Yu Yiyi, the cauldron soul, offered a somewhat ambiguous explanation. "Only the emergence of a Tenth Level Green Dragon within Loong Qi's clan could potentially reverse the bloodline suppression that resulted from their defeat in the Great Dao conflict."

Yu Yuan was visibly shocked by this revelation.

So, the downfall of the Nagas led to various dragon species being usurped by demonic entities in the Boundless Land, causing the once-mighty Nagas to falter and never recover?

Had the Nagas truly lost their exalted status from that point on?

Was it that simple for Lvliu, the leader of the Water Serpent Clan, to dominate by consuming a green dragon through bloodline suppression?

It's no surprise then that the dragons of Hidden Dragon Lake now prefer the safety of the deep sea, seldom venturing into other regions of the Boundless Land.

The green dragons, oppressed by the Water Serpent Clan's lineage, and possibly the Frost and Gold Dragons as well, might be fundamentally constrained by the great demons of the Demon Palace.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

In that instant, Taoist Chongxiao and Taoist Tianjing transformed into two beams of light, hastening their escape from the valley.

With the appearance of the Green Willow Demon and the warning from Taoist Xinshang, the two Yang Gods of the Spirit Void Sect realized they had no further gains to make and promptly chose to depart, taking advantage of the moment Lvliu was preoccupied with consuming Loong Qi.

Suddenly, the Chilly Wind Valley was saturated with a dense, omnipresent sword intent.

As Taoist Chongxiao and Taoist Tianjing's lights streaked through the net of sword intent, they were battered and bloodied, their attempts to escape thwarted and their lights extinguished.

They soon reappeared, drenched in their own blood.

The moment the sword intent shrouded the valley, Yu Yuan sensed it and a look of delight crossed his face.

He recognized the master of the sword intent.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of cascading water filled the air as the Green Willow Demon once again assumed the form of a human with green robes and vertical eyes.

Squinting slightly, he fixed his gaze on Taoist Xinshang, who was trapped within the rainbow circle, his face a portrait of displeasure. "I told you, you're free to leave at any time. But if you decide to intervene, even just once, forget about leaving."

"The Withered Sword!"

Taoist Xinshang bowed his head, his gaze locked on Chilly Wind Valley. He observed strands of ashen sword intent enveloping the entire valley, sealing off the space within.

Death's scent quickly pervaded Chilly Wind Valley. Every living creature, from flesh and blood beings to flowers and trees, seemed to march inexorably towards demise and withering.

This peculiar sword intent was unparalleled in the world, unmistakable to any observer.

"Oh, how difficult this is," Taoist Xinshang lamented inwardly.

Without his assistance, Chongxiao and Tianjing, despite their cultivation and skills, stood no chance of escaping the valley.

Yet, even if he intervened, they would still struggle to evade the unseen Great Sword Immortal and the subsequent sword light assaults.

And looming above, the Green Willow Demon watched intently, having issued a grave warning.

To help or not to help?

Taoist Xinshang was torn.

"Greetings, Elder Xi."

Yu Yuan, supporting Lulu, emerged from the Evil Cauldron and raised a fist to the sky in salute.

A cold snort resonated from beneath the earth. "I never imagined you'd be the direct disciple of that faithless man! Were it not for a promise made, your fate would be of no concern to me!"

"A faithless man?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.

Then it dawned on him; in his past life, he had indeed failed Ji Ningshuang.

Xi Quan had been close to the Starfrost Sword, and due to that incident, had always looked upon him unfavorably.

"I'm here out of respect for President Lyi and the Babel Chamber of Commerce."

Xi Quan materialized, standing at the mouth of a cavern within the valley, his gaze chilling as he regarded Taoist Xinshang. "You wish to save those two? Taoist Xinshang, feel free to try."

With a swoosh, a serene green lake materialized beneath the arc of a rainbow.

Confronted with the lake and sensing the profoundness of the Dao it contained, Taoist Xinshang's face was etched with deep concern.

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