C928

In the Jade Peak Mountain Range, under the cover of night, brilliant starlit rivers entwined around a giant green serpent, making their way toward the Desolate Swamp. Bathed in the celestial glow, the serpent, with its body winding like the mountain ranges themselves, bore numerous wounds. Droplets of dark green blood, once congealed, dangled from its form like emerald fruits.

A colossal dragon, its appearance as though cast from pure gold, bellowed in fury. It led a cadre of lesser dragons—a Frost Dragon, a Black Dragon, a Green Dragon, and a Fiery Dragon—in relentless pursuit.

"Lvliu!"

"Lvliu, there's no escape for you now!"

The dragons' roars, powerful enough to shatter the heavens, reverberated through the void, striking terror into the hearts of the Medicine Sect's alchemists and cultivators. They lay prostrate on the ground, too frightened to even draw breath.

Members of the Medicine Sect dared not lift their gaze, for fear of being overwhelmed by sheer terror. The clash between the Green Willow Demon and the dragons, though deliberately steering clear of the sect's palace, still wreaked havoc on the surrounding landscape—mountains crumbled, forests were flattened, all laid waste by the sweeping tails of dragons.

Such a conflict was beyond the scope of the Medicine Sect's cultivators and alchemists; they could not even afford to be spectators. As the dragons' breath whipped up a tempest, engulfing the starlit rivers from all sides, the collision of myriad forces caused the sky to flicker erratically, punctuated by the crackle of lightning and the boom of thunder.

Within the confines of the Jade Peak Mountain Range, the people of the Medicine Sect struggled to maintain their composure, to steady their life force and spiritual energy. Only through such discipline could they avoid being caught in the maelstrom of chaotic energy, prevent the hemorrhaging that would surely disrupt their future cultivation.

"Loong Jie! If you're truly brave, come and find me yourself! Heh, still holding a grudge? Remember when I, as the commander of the Demon Army, led a campaign against your Hidden Dragon Lake, forcing your kin, the Nagas, into hiding? Is this your way of paying me back in kind?"

Lvliu, now in his true form, glared with venomous contempt from his vertical eye, his taunts laced with mockery. Once the great commander of the Demon Palace, he had led a horde of formidable demons on a dragon hunt within the domain of Hidden Dragon Lake, driving the Nagas to seek refuge deep within their natural fortifications, too fearful to venture back into the open waters.

Every ancient dragon vividly remembered the incident and harbored deep resentment.

This time, it was Loong Jie who spearheaded the effort, rallying the elder dragons under the banner of retribution to encircle and exterminate Lvliu, echoing a scene from the past.

"If you're so capable, Lvliu, go ahead and summon your forces from the Demon Palace. We're ready for you!" Loong Jie roared with laughter.

Lvliu countered with a disdainful snort as the Water Dao underwent a transformation.

The rivers and lakes, well-known throughout the Boundless Land, resonated in unison.

Whoosh!

The dazzling starry rivers split into myriad streams, each harboring a massive green serpent within.

The stars shimmered, warping the fabric of space.

Far beyond, the water bodies of the mysterious Domain Boundary seemed to respond, awakening the latent bloodline powers left by Lvliu.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In an instant, the starry rivers and Lvliu's integrated avatars vanished from sight.

Transforming into countless forms, Lvliu seemed to slip away into the riverbeds and lakebeds of the Boundless Land in the blink of an eye.

"Split up and strike!" Loong Jie commanded in the ancient tongue of the dragons.

His voice, cast in the archaic draconic language, reached every dragon of the Eighth Level, no matter their location. As long as they had undergone the rites of Hidden Dragon Lake, they could hear the call.

Dragons surged forth from Hidden Dragon Lake, from the icy depths of the Profound Sky Continent, from shattered caverns on the Quietus Continent, and from islands scattered across the seas.

For the sake of vanquishing the Green Willow Demon, Hidden Dragon Lake had unleashed its elite forces without reservation.

"Hidden Dragon Lake..." Feng Pu whispered atop a crimson mountain that rose sharply at the border with the Rainier Empire.

This mountain had been extracted from the Rainier Empire by Feng Pu's mighty magic and was now temporarily repurposed.

Besides Feng Pu, Mo Baichuan of Yang Mountain and Tang Zheng of Quill Mountain stood prominently at the summit.

Accompanying them were over a dozen practitioners of the Yang God Stage and Soul Wandering Stage, their auras blazing intensely, unmistakably hailing from the Primordial Yang Sect.

In the dominion of the Rainier Empire, such fervent mountains abounded, providing the perfect environment for these warriors to amplify their combat prowess.

This was precisely why Feng Pu, Mo Baichuan, and Tang Zheng had selected this location.

"Loong Jie, you've certainly gone above and beyond for that promise," Tang Zheng remarked with a snort.

Mo Baichuan, with his soft silver hair and striking features, sat in silence atop the mountain peak, his gaze fixed intently on the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, not joining in their conversation.

"How peculiar..."

His confrontation with Xi Quan had only just come to a definitive end.

The living flames that had danced upon Xi Quan's form, moments before being snuffed out by Xi Quan's desiccated sword light, had briefly detected a resonance with a similar power.

"Could there be a disciple from my Yang Mountain lineage within the Forbidden Area? It's quite odd. Only a select few from Yang Mountain are entitled to practice my creation, the 'Glorious Heavenly Wheel', and even fewer achieve mastery. It's improbable for any of them to be in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, especially near Xi Quan."

Mo Baichuan was at a loss for an explanation.

Unbeknownst to Yu Yuan, the mere act of cultivating the "Glorious Heavenly Wheel" meant that any essence of fire refined by the Wheel within the Yellow Court Little World could trigger a response from the power emanating from Mo Baichuan's body.

This was because the "Glorious Heavenly Wheel" was Mo Baichuan's unique invention, and his cultivation had ascended to an extraordinarily profound realm.

"The Sword Sect, Profound Sky Sect, and our Sect Master have given Loong Jie their word: if Hidden Dragon Lake is prepared to atone, not only will Loong Jie's past actions be forgiven, but the five supreme powers will no longer thwart his efforts to break through to the Tenth Level Bloodline. His success now hinges on his own fate," Fenng Pu explained.

"And what of Hidden Dragon Lake's future?" Tang Zheng inquired, surprised.

"It all comes down to their valor," Fenng Pu replied, eyes narrowing as he observed the dragons plunging into the rivers and ravines of the Profound Sky Continent. "Should their merits be exceptionally high, there's still a chance for Hidden Dragon Lake to reemerge into the limelight. Currently, Hidden Dragon Lake and the Nagas find themselves in the awkward position of exile, unable to openly bolster their strength."

"Hidden Dragon Lake and those mighty dragons seek to clear their name through this battle," Tang Zheng realized.

As they conversed,

Sword Sect's blade-shaped flying vessels shimmered in the distant night sky.

Majestic palaces soared through the air, drawing closer.

The convergence of the Sword Sect and the Profound Sky Sect at the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area signaled the gathering of the Heavenly Source Continent's elite powers.

"The Demon Palace and the Demon Palace will seize control of the other critical gateway at the juncture of the Silvermoon Empire and the Forbidden Area," declared Van Heqing, known as the Shattering Sword, standing atop a sword-shaped vessel, his robes billowing, his presence commanding.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Tang Zheng.

Fenng Pu, Mo Baichuan, and Ji Ningshuang, upon noticing not only Van Heqing but also Ji Ningshuang, exchanged nods of acknowledgment.

For Unrestrained Stage cultivators, merely being in the vicinity of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area meant they could instantly intercept any Heavenly Devils or foreign powerhouses attempting to escape, regardless of their breakout point.

Distances of thousands of miles were traversed in mere moments.

Thus, those who had already arrived were effectively together, whether stationed at this end or along the border with the Silvermoon Empire.

Their communication remained unhindered by distance.

...

Deep within the Forbidden Area, the Outsiders, having learned of the external situation from Xi Quan, wore somber expressions.

"There's no need for concern—we'll be out before you know it."

"Stay calm, everyone. The Withered Sword has merely encountered its nemesis and sought refuge in the Forbidden Area for the time being."

"The Realm passageway connecting to the Delude Devil Abyss is likely under repair. Yan Qiling of the Divine Soul Sect, Zhou You of the Babel Chamber of Commerce, President Lyi, and others are addressing the issue. Once the passageway opens, we can move to the Delude Devil Abyss and from there, transmit the teachings to our realm."

"Focus on strengthening your bloodline and avoid wild speculation."

Canli, Beru, Mia, and the Demon God of the Devaputra Race used such words to soothe their people and maintain calm.

They shared an unspoken agreement to avoid discussing the dire situation outside.

Elsewhere, Yu Yuan sat in contemplative silence within the deep crater left by the departing meteorite. Before him was Luo Yue, now a Ghost King. From the storage pouch gifted by Ann Ziqing, Yu Yuan selected blood essences that promised to fortify his soul.

"Does advancing to the Soul Wandering Stage necessitate extra spiritual materials?" Yu Yuan inquired while rummaging.

"You don't need them, in my view," Luo Yue said with a smile.

Qin Yun had secured a substantial amount of spiritual materials on credit from the Babel Chamber of Commerce's Spider City branch for his own breakthrough. Others like Old Cash and Qi Yunhong had similarly prepared extensively for their attempts to reach the Soul Wandering and Yang God Stages.

Yet, as Yu Yuan stood on the cusp of his next breakthrough, Luo Yue surprisingly suggested no such preparations were necessary.

"Preparations serve two purposes: to address any deficiencies and to guard against the unforeseen," Luo Yue explained, gazing at him. "If your soul is already complete and robust before you attempt the Soul Wandering Stage, there are no gaps to fill, no need for extra measures. Qin Yun's precautions were born out of concern for insufficient soul strength during the breakthrough."

"I don't think that's something you need to worry about."

"Qin Yun also fears that if the breakthrough fails, his Yin God might not return to his body, or worse, be dispersed by external forces, resulting in grave injuries. Hence, he requires certain spiritual materials and artifacts to provide refuge for his Yin God, should it struggle to return promptly."

"With the Evil Cauldron in your possession, such concerns are unwarranted," Luo Yue assured him.

After listening intently, Yu Yuan nodded in understanding. "So, I'm ready to break through at any moment."

"Exactly," Luo Yue confirmed.

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