Guting Kingdom, Detached Palace.
The Detached Palace served as Yin Li's royal palace, situated atop the mist-enshrouded Fangzhang Mountain. The towering structure of the Detached Palace was majestic, standing as if a colossus in an ethereal realm, exuding an imposing aura.
Built along the mountain, the palace seemed to seamlessly merge with its natural foundation. The mountain peaks of the palace rose sharply, resembling the tips of long spears piercing the sky, their summits adorned with dragon skulls.
There were many such peaks, each crowned with dragon skulls representing the conquests of Yin Li and Yin Xiu.
Every single dragon skull belonged to a Dragon King! Each skull bore colors resonating with the Five Elements and Wind and Thunder, reflecting their profound connection. The number of Dragon Crystal Towers surrounding the palace had also increased significantly compared to the past.
These Dragon Crystal Towers served as the energy source for the teleportation arrays, enabling travel to the Central Dragon Court. Originally, there had been only one central teleportation array, but now, dozens of them had been established.
In the central square of the Detached Palace's camp stood a lifelike dragon crystal statue, its gaze fierce and commanding. The dragon whiskers swayed gently as though it might spring to life and soar into the clouds at any moment.
Although its stature was relatively smaller compared to other Dragon Kings, it radiated an unparalleled divine charm. Its form bore a striking resemblance to the Ancestral Dragon, yet it was not entirely the same.
This statue depicted Zhao Xing's appearance when he executed the Ancestral Dragon Transformation. Yin Li and Yin Xiu, the two brothers, had crafted this divine likeness as a tribute.
As Zhao Xing descended upon the Dragon Court once more, a faint feeling of sentimentality overcame him. "The first time I entered the Dragon Court, I was merely forty-something. Now, on my fourth visit, I am over three hundred years old."
"This ancient land of the Dragon Court is finally approaching its end," Zhao Xing murmured as he stepped into the Detached Palace region, immediately activating the Ancestral Dragon Transformation.
"—!"
A dragon's roar echoed into the palace.
Huo Ge, who was resting in the main hall, abruptly opened his eyes, excitement gleaming within them. "It's the Dragon Emperor! The Dragon Emperor has returned!"
A phantom projection emerged from Huo Ge's dragon head—it was his Dragon Spirit. "Huo Ge of the Guting Kingdom's Dragon Kings pays homage to the Emperor!" Prostrating himself on the ground, Huo Ge's voice carried reverence.
"Huo Ge, why are you the only one in the palace?" Zhao Xing inquired, activating the Eastern Emperor Golden Script to communicate.
Huo Ge had appeared during Zhao Xing's second entry into the Dragon Court, awakening of his own volition. His awakening was triggered by Zhao Xing's presence and the war within the Guting Kingdom at that time, during which two territories had been seized.
Although Huo Ge's strength surpassed Yin Li's, it fell short of Yin Xiu, the inheritor of the Eastern Emperor Golden Script. Following these events, the Guting Kingdom entered an era of tri-regency under three kings.
"Dragon Emperor, Yin Xiu and Yin Li are both waging war in the Dragon Abyss Kingdom. Yin Xiu is in the Thunder Howl Domain, while Yin Li is leading the forces in the Sea Domain."
"I sustained some injuries during a recent battle. My main body is recuperating in the spirit pool within the palace, so only my Dragon Spirit is here to pay respects. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Zhao Xing diminished his size and entered the Detached Palace.
The palace seamlessly integrated with the mountain, and deep within the mountain lay a massive Fire Spirit Pool. Within it, a colossal dragon was submerged—Huo Ge's true form.
Huo Ge's scales, originally black, were now bathed in fiery hues, glowing crimson under the pool's flames, making him resemble a Fire Dragon.
Huo Ge's body was incredibly formidable, renowned for his physical prowess. Compared to Yin Xiu and Yin Li, who excelled in spellcraft, the fact that Huo Ge was injured hinted at the intensity of recent battles, Zhao Xing thought to himself.
He began reviewing the records of Guting Kingdom's campaigns over the past century.
"The Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One: Dragon Emperor Zhao was born. Yin Xiu, the Dragon Lord of Guting Kingdom, was appointed as the First General by the Dragon Emperor." The chronicle of Guting Kingdom began anew from Zhao Xing's arrival three centuries prior during his first entry into the Dragon Court.
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year Fifty-Two: The Ruize Kingdom provoked conflict in the Blazing Fire Domain. Dragon Lord Yin Xiu retaliated and seized the Hundred Mountain Domain of the Ruize Kingdom."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year Fifty-Five: The Frost Blossom Sovereign State invaded the eastern region of the Guting Kingdom. Dragon Lord Yin Xiu retaliated, capturing the Seven-Colored Sea of the Frost Blossom Kingdom."
Zhao Xing nodded as he read. These two territories were the same ones he had questioned Yin Xiu about during his second entry into the Dragon Court—why Yin Xiu had initiated war without prior approval.
At the time, Zhao Xing had merely ordered Yin Xiu to prepare for war, not to commence it. The timing had to be precise.
What timing? Zhao Xing had left Yin Xiu with a single line of instruction to interpret: "When a hurricane arises from the Abyssal Pass, and vitality surges from the Grass Sea, that is the sign of the Fortune Tide."
Thus, during the Yuan Shou Era's early stages outside the Dragon Court, Yin Xiu's campaigns became increasingly frequent.
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One Hundred Fifty-Eight: Dragon Lord Yin Li led fifteen thousand lords to campaign against the Northern Spirit Sea Kingdom."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One Hundred Fifty-Nine: Dragon Lord Yin Li slew Dragon King Xin."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One Hundred Sixty-Two: Dragon Lord Yin Li conquered the Northern Spirit Sea Kingdom, renaming it the Northern Spirit Territory."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One Hundred Seventy: Dragon Lord Yin Xiu led thirty thousand lords in a campaign against the Heavenly Dragon Ancient Kingdom."
"Dragon King Quan awakened, summoning the nation's lords for defense. Dragon Lord Yin Xiu invoked the Eastern Emperor Golden Script to rally the dragons, leading half of the lords to surrender without a fight."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One Hundred Seventy-Three: Refusing to submit to the Dragon Emperor's will, Dragon Lord Yin Xiu deployed the Dragon Battle Mystical Yellow Grand Formation. In the Four Fields Territory, he beheaded Dragon King Quan, leading to the fall of the Heavenly Dragon Ancient Kingdom."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year One Hundred Eighty-Three: Dragon Lord Yin Xiu waged war on the Dragonwood Kingdom, journeying alone to the Skywood River. There, he faced three opponents simultaneously and demonstrated the profound mystic arts of the Dragon Clan. At the Skywood River, he subdued the Greenleaf Dragon King Hong, slew the Amber Dragon King Hua, while the whereabouts of the final Dragon King remain unknown."
"Dragon Emperor Calendar Year Two Hundred Three: Dragon Lord Yin Xiu…"
Zhao Xing read the records silently, nodding with approval.
The Guting Kingdom's campaigns had been predominantly led by Yin Xiu.
Compared to Yin Li's more reckless style, Yin Xiu's warfare displayed a calculated rhythm and strategic finesse, avoiding mindless slaughter. This difference was why Yin Li, after a single major battle, had stepped back from leadership roles, ceding wartime command entirely to Yin Xiu. Meanwhile, Huo Ge and Yin Xiu safeguarded the Guting Kingdom, overseeing logistics and defense.
The dragon clan's chronicles were richly illustrated, and Zhao Xing could discern the contributions of Huo Ge and Yin Xiu from the stone slabs.
For instance, the two dragons were shown refining warships, divine weapons, and formation equipment with their fiery breath within the Fuming Shrine.
Even once, two dragons worked together to carry a secret weapon, the "Dragon God Claw," to the battlefield for deployment.
The "Dragon God Claw"—a plain name for a divine artifact—was said to be a claw shed by the Dragon God itself. It was crafted into a massive killing weapon by Fu Ming, capable of severing dragon bloodlines.
Later, the Dragon God Claw became the heirloom weapon of Fu Ming, the dragon craftsman. While the original's whereabouts were unknown, the crafting method of the Dragon God Claw was passed down. It could even be made using the bodies of Dragon Kings or Grand Dragon Kings.
"Without the Dragon Emperor Codex, Yin Xiu could still dominate the ancient lands as a ruler-level Grand Dragon King." Indeed, Yin Xiu was already immensely powerful, which made him worthy of the Dragon Emperor Codex.
This Dragon Emperor Chronicle, nominally used to showcase his reputation, was actually filled with the glorious deeds of Yin Xiu. "In the sixty-second year of Yuan Shou, large-scale tides began appearing in the Dragon Court's ancient lands."
"That was also the third opening of the Dragon Court, but I didn't enter then. Yin Xiu, the Dragon King, wasn't in a hurry and maintained a steady pace in his conquests."
"Now, after three hundred years, he has conquered seven of the nine Dragon Kingdoms, leaving only the Longyuan Kingdom and the Tianhai Kingdom!"
Zhao Xing examined the latest Dragon Court map. He marked the Kingdom of Guting in red, the yet-to-be-conquered areas in gray, special zones in black, the central Dragon Court area in gold, and the seas in blue.
On the map, the red-colored land already covered eight-tenths of the territory. Even the central regions of the Dragon Court were dotted with flags bearing his likeness.
"Among the Ten Dragon Kingdoms, only the Longyuan Kingdom and the Tianhai Kingdom remain unconquered. As for the special zones, Tianyuan and the Sea of Sin, Yin Xiu has heeded my advice and left them untouched."
"These two zones border the Tianhai Kingdom and the Longyuan Kingdom. It seems Yin Xiu has taken my words to heart."
Zhao Xing was delighted. Yin Xiu hadn't acted recklessly, saving him considerable time and effort.
"Now Yin Xiu is already a ruler-level Grand Dragon King. He has many Dragon Kings under his command. Despite this, he has managed to restrain himself from acting rashly in Tianyuan and the Sea of Sin. Instead, he's focusing on retrieving the remaining two parts of the Dragon Emperor Codex. His fate has already diverged from his past life," Zhao Xing mused.
In his past life, Dragon King Yin Xiu had conquered the nine Dragon Kingdoms and retrieved the Dragon Emperor Codex in the wrong order and timeline, leading to his downfall at a critical juncture.
This time, however, things were different. With Zhao Xing's guidance, Yin Xiu had avoided many disasters.
"I should contact Yin Xiu first." Zhao Xing headed to the rear of the palace, where a massive star conch, resembling a mountain, was located. The star conch was used for communication, crafted from a deep-sea mother conch equivalent to the Fate Palace stage. It allowed long-distance transmissions.
"Huāng~"
A dragon's roar echoed within the enormous conch.
The deep interior of the conch shell lit up layer by layer, and soon another dragon's roar resonated back. "Great Dragon Emperor, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me, Yin Xiu. I've returned."
"That's wonderful!" Yin Xiu's voice carried a trace of excitement. "I will come to see you immediately!"
Yin Xiu's excitement stemmed from the fact that much of what had occurred during his conquests aligned with the Dragon Emperor's predictions.
This included precise instructions on when and where to consume certain treasures to purify his bloodline and gain stronger innate abilities.
It also included descriptions of the treasures and special abilities held by each dormant Dragon Lord. Most of these predictions had come true.
In other words, the wars were unfolding according to the Dragon Emperor's plans. Even if it had been Yin Li, his brother, leading the campaign, the outcome would have been the same, albeit perhaps slower.
Although Dragon Lord Yin Xiu was now a Grand Dragon Lord, he still held deep respect for Zhao Xing.
In Zhao Xing's perspective, he had been away for a long time. But to Yin Xiu, a mere one or two centuries was insignificant. To him, the Dragon Emperor had never truly left and was always guiding him.
"There's no need, Yin Xiu. Continue with your plans," Zhao Xing declined Yin Xiu's request. "I will summon you when the time is right."
"In addition, be cautious of a being claiming to be the Violet Dragon God. Its bloodline power is extremely potent and could pose a significant threat to you. Under no circumstances should you part with the Dragon Lord's Reverse Scale Sword or lend it to another Dragon Lord."
"Yes, I understand. I will strictly follow your orders!" Yin Xiu replied fervently. Zhao Xing ended the communication with the star conch shortly after.
Yin Xiu, a ruler-level Grand Dragon King, was already more powerful than many human cultivators at the Rule Realm. However, he had not yet reached the Path-Binding Stage.
"Even my younger brother has reached the Rule Realm. I need to enhance my combat strength further before meeting Yin Xiu again."
The Grand Dragon King could already withstand one-third of the Dragon Emperor Codex's power. If Zhao Xing rushed over and encountered Yin Xiu fighting other Grand Dragon Kings or the Violet Dragon God, he might not be of much help.
With his mid-stage Rule Realm soul, he would only provide minor assistance, playing a negligible role. In that case, it was better not to go at all. After all, he didn't want to tarnish the Dragon Emperor's dignity.
"Prominent figures always make their appearance last. I'll wait until I've gathered the four divine trees of the Four Seasons Divine Splendor Dao Field." Zhao Xing resolved. "For now, I'll remain a behind-the-scenes orchestrator."
After delegating tasks to Hog, Zhao Xing left behind a straw puppet clone and flew northward. "The Spring Dragon Spirit Bamboo governs the east, and the Summer Lihuo Lotus governs the south."
"These two plants have been thriving in my Pure Essence soil for over two hundred years. They've fully adapted to the soil and can now unleash their full potential."
"Based on their domains and innate characteristics, their combined power could rival late-stage Rule Realm cultivators."
"However, when released, they operate on instinct and have a relatively simple and clumsy attack style. Whether their combat strength can improve further depends on how I, their master, utilize them."
"The Four Seasons Divine Splendor Dao Field, Divine Soldier Decision, and Rule Jump are key techniques to fully harness the combat power of plant-based soldiers."
The Dragon Court might still hold two more divine trees: the Autumn Plum Divine Splendor in the west and the Winter Plum Divine Splendor in the north." As Zhao Xing flew north, he activated his soul observation to search.
Yuan Shuo Year 43, Eastern Season, Northern Region of the Dragon Court's Ancient Lands.
Snow blanketed the mountains, creating a lifeless landscape devoid of vitality.
Zhao Xing flew through the icy mist in the sky. Even with his ultimate transformation dragon body, he felt a chill.
"This frozen forbidden zone could easily kill even a Dragon King." He glanced around. "I wonder how it has fared."
Zhao Xing was searching for the divine tree that governed the Winter season's Divine Splendor. Suddenly, he sensed a dramatic increase in the cold intensity of the surrounding area. Without hesitation, he shifted his course, flying swiftly toward the northwest.
Three days later, atop a mountain peak, a five-clawed golden dragon descended. "Hoooo~" Its massive body caused the ground to tremble as frost-laden winds roared, and icy debris struck the dragon's scales with deep, resonating thuds.
"This isn't just ice—these are ice cannons," Zhao Xing murmured, glancing down at his scales, now covered in a layer of frost. Moments later, his golden dragon form transformed into an icy crystalline dragon. "Clang~" He shook his body slightly, and the power of the Ancestral Dragon activated, shattering the ice crystals instantly. "It seems the Ice Soul Divine Tree is nearby."
Zhao Xing sent out strands of his divine soul into the endless snowstorm, beginning to search for the precise location of the Ice Soul Divine Tree.
Half a month later, Zhao Xing finally found it. "An unparalleled treasure—the Ice Soul Divine Tree," he murmured, halting a hundred miles away from the tree.
"Just looking at it makes me feel like my soul is freezing. The growth pattern of the Ice Soul Divine Tree itself embodies the Dao of Ice and Snow!"
"It's the perfect choice to govern the Winter season's Divine Splendor."
The leaves of the Ice Soul Divine Tree appeared translucent, with veins so intricate they resembled Dao patterns. Zhao Xing gazed at the tree, which seemed to grow not from the ground but as though the Dao itself had sprouted from the earth.
"It's at least at the late stage of the Rule Domain Realm—perhaps even at perfection," Zhao Xing assessed internally. "If it goes any further, subduing it will be exceedingly difficult."
Once a divine tree reaches the Ascension Realm, it will inevitably develop its own will.
When Zhao Xing had subdued the Dragon Spirit Bamboo and the Lihuo Lotus, they had only exhibited survival instincts, resisting relocation on instinct alone. But once a tree possesses self-awareness, it enters the realm of spiritual beings.
Advancing further to the Path-Binding Stage, a great tree would fully achieve sentience, and in certain regions of the universe, it is even said that such trees could ascend to the heavens, breaking through space.
"Fortunately, this one hasn't reached the Path-Binding Stage yet," Zhao Xing thought.
How could he tell? The conditions simply weren't there. The tides of vital energy in the current era could only nourish beings up to the perfection of the Rule Domain Realm. To truly step into the Ascension Realm, only extraordinary beings like Ji Che, Wu Yue Shen, or Qing Yuzi could achieve that.
"Even at perfection in the Rule Domain Realm, subduing it won't be easy," Zhao Xing concluded. "I'll need my big brother's help."
Zhao Xing activated his Pure Essence Projection and summoned a basket from the ground.
The basket was small compared to his massive dragon body, but in reality, it was fifty meters long and twenty meters wide. It was crafted from rare materials such as Dragon Crystal and Profound Mother Essence, all of which were treasures of the highest quality.
Inside the basket was a miniature Spirit Pool for storing water, specifically designed as a residence for the Moyun Vine. Naturally, a big brother deserves accommodations worthy of his status. "It's all up to you, Moyun. Help me scare it a little so it doesn't move," Zhao Xing instructed.
Without waiting to see if the Moyun Vine understood, he carried the basket toward the Ice Soul Divine Tree. "Ssshh~"
"Sssshhhhhh!!!"
The Ice Soul Divine Tree trembled violently, as if shouting, "Don't come any closer!" But Zhao Xing paid it no mind, continuing his approach at high speed.
The trembling of the Ice Soul Divine Tree grew more intense, and a large number of leaves began to fall, shooting toward Zhao Xing like arrows. "Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish~" The impacts caused his dragon body to ache, even cracking some of his scales. The Pure Essence Soil surrounding him churned and rolled as well.
The Moyun Vine wasn't pleased. The Pure Essence Soil was its home—how could this intruder be allowed to wreak havoc here? "Humm~"
Two purple-black leaves of the Moyun Vine gently quivered, releasing a wave of energy.
In the next instant, the Ice Soul Divine Tree seemed to freeze entirely, as if immobilized.
"Hahaha," Zhao Xing laughed aloud.
It looked as though the Ice Soul Divine Tree didn't even dare to shed a single leaf anymore. "Capture!"
Zhao Xing enveloped the roots and trunk of the Ice Soul Divine Tree with his Pure Essence Projection, severing a large portion of its roots in an instant before wrapping it up and pulling it into his body. The Ice Soul Divine Tree didn't even attempt to counterattack, remaining in its immobilized state.
"Big brother, you're incredible!" Zhao Xing couldn't help but praise. He then returned the Moyun Vine to its original location and activated the Divine Soldier Decision technique.
A stream of spiritual energy, infused with Zhao Xing's will, began invading the Ice Soul Divine Tree. "Its Ice Domain is at the ninth level—truly a late-stage treasure of the Rule Domain Realm."
"The Ice Soul Divine Tree is a true battle tree, with no auxiliary abilities. Its two innate secret techniques are both offensive in nature."
"The first is 'Snowstorm in the Sky,' a large-scale attack. The Ice Soul Divine Tree has numerous pores that can release ice, cold winds, and heavy snow. Even my ultimate third transformation of the Ancestral Dragon form can't fully defend against it."
"The second is 'Extreme Frost Splendor.' When stimulated by external forces, the Ice Soul Divine Tree instinctively gathers its ice power in its underground roots and crown. It alters the weather above and suppresses the earth veins below, causing the temperature within a hundred miles to plummet instantly. It can drop the temperature by 208 degrees in a split second."
Based on the Great Zhou temperature scale, every 20-degree drop below the standard threshold was enough to freeze beings of a specific realm. "A rapid freeze exceeding 200 degrees could even kill those in the Rule Domain Realm."
"Thankfully, the Moyun Vine suppressed it. Otherwise, this innate skill would've definitely activated, and I would've been in serious trouble." Being frozen to the core could slow down soul processing speed, making it difficult to even react.
"Both innate skills operate at the ninth-level domain. By right, the Ice Soul Divine Tree should have a final desperate move—'Ice Soul Descent.'"
"However, I'll need the third layer of the Divine Soldier Decision to control its self-detonation."
This skill was best suited for the Ice Soul Divine Tree. Other plants wouldn't have much effect with it, but the Ice Soul Divine Tree, when detonated under my command, could instantly create a dead zone."
"If the power of Extreme Frost Splendor reaches 249 degrees below the threshold, even beings at the Ascension Realm would be frozen to death instantly, plunging everything into complete stillness."
"Of course, I'd have difficulty escaping myself. This is a suicide attack unless I use a Void Ring to traverse space and flee with just my soul, leaving my body behind."
With the successful subjugation of the Ice Soul Divine Tree, Zhao Xing had completed half of his objective!
There weren't many rare treasures in the Dragon Court, and the Ice Soul Divine Tree was the best choice to govern Winter. "Let's go find the next rare treasure!"
While Zhao Xing continued his treasure hunt, in the Longyuan Kingdom...
A violet-gold dragon descended upon the royal palace of the Longyuan Kingdom.
"Roar!" The Heavenly Dragon Lord of the Longyuan Kingdom, Ji, roared repeatedly, but its massive body was firmly grasped by the violet-gold dragon.
The dragon claws emitted a thick and oppressive aura, spreading across the surroundings.
The purple-gold aura resembled a sharp blade. With every rotation, it tore through the defenses of the Longyuan Kingdom's Ji, stripping off large patches of dragon scales.
"[Dragon Clan Golden Script] Submit, or die."
Ji roared in defiance, his voice filled with fury as he exposed the true identity of the Purple Dragon God. "You dare use the artifact of the Abyss Demon Clan to kill me? You will face the punishment of the Dragon God..."
Before Ji could finish, a resounding "Splat!" silenced him.
The Purple Dragon God gave no opportunity for rebuttal. The purple-gold blade slashed down, slicing Ji into more than ten pieces. "Crack, crack—"
The Purple Dragon God devoured the severed limbs one bite at a time. The horrifying sight made the dragon generals, lords, city masters, and even seven newly awakened Dragon Kings around Longyuan Kingdom lower their heads in submission.
The Purple Dragon God had brutally slaughtered and consumed Ji, the Great Dragon King. Witnessing this gruesome scene, Dragon King Yin Xiu let out a low growl, his eyes filled with anger. "He used the Abyss Demon Clan's weapon to kill his own kin! This violates the laws of the Dragon God!"
A Great Dragon King could be killed, but not tortured and humiliated. What's worse, the Purple Dragon God used an enemy artifact to kill his kin and then consumed him—a direct insult to the Dragon God's laws.
"The Dragon Emperor was right. This rebellious being is incredibly powerful," Yin Xiu murmured, his pupils trembling slightly. "Order the troops to halt the offensive. Withdraw from Longyuan Kingdom's territory and fall back to defend Xuanhuang Territory!"
The emergence of the Purple Dragon God greatly boosted the strength of Longyuan Kingdom and Tianhai Kingdom. Moreover, he had united rebellious dragons from Niesea and Tianyuan regions, further amplifying their might.
Following the Dragon Emperor's instructions, Dragon Lord Yin Xiu ceased all attacks and switched to a defensive strategy.
The Purple Dragon God's existence also allowed the Outer Alliance to conduct open explorations in areas such as the Central Royal Court and Inner Sea.
The Dragon Emperor Zhao's march toward unification came to an abrupt halt.
As time passed, nine years of peace enveloped the Dragon Court Ancient Land.
Western Forbidden Forest, Ancient Land of the Dragon Court
In the far western Forbidden Forest, Zhao Xing perched atop a massive tree. His split souls constantly returned and departed, tirelessly searching.
"It's been five years since I began exploring the Forbidden Forest in the far west. Why haven't I found it yet?"
For four years, Zhao Xing scoured the northern and western regions, collecting treasures from his memories. The appearance of the Purple Dragon God forced him to gather more resources to increase his chances of unifying the lands.
Four years ago, Zhao Xing had packed his findings and sent them back to the Ancient Ting Kingdom. Only then did he embark again on this journey to locate the final rare treasure.
"Could it be that the elemental tides have caused the geography of the Dragon Court to expand, and I've been searching in the wrong place?"
"That shouldn't be. I'm using the Dragon Court Ancient Land's leyline fluctuations as coordinates. It should be around this area."
"Even if there's some margin of error, my Soul Sight should have already covered an entire province. Coupled with my split souls for exploration, I could search an entire nineteen prefectures in a single year."
"Could it have gone dormant during autumn? No, that doesn't make sense—it's supposed to emerge during autumn..."
"Something feels off!"
Suddenly, Zhao Xing felt a chill run down his spine. With a sharp cry, he leaped into the sky.
At that moment, the colossal tree he had been resting on was abruptly uprooted. Out of nowhere, eighteen massive pits appeared on the ground.
Eighteen enormous tentacles silently burst forth from the pits, aiming directly at the ascending Five-Clawed Golden Dragon.
They were fast—unbelievably fast!
The speed of the tentacles' rise was twice as fast as Zhao Xing's post-transformation flight. They stretched explosively towards him.
"Transform!"
Without hesitation, Zhao Xing transformed into human form, his body shrinking rapidly.
At the same moment, a deafening roar echoed through the sky. Two colossal tentacles crossed paths, narrowly missing him.
If Zhao Xing had remained in his transformed dragon form, he would've been caught by the tentacles!
The tentacles' immense collision force sent vibrations through the air. A red mist emanated from them, filling the surroundings. Zhao Xing instinctively held his breath, but his blood still surged uncontrollably. A wave of bloodthirst and killing intent surged into his mind.
"Boom!"
Zhao Xing activated Cloud Steps, his body dissipating into mist with the Heaven's Edge Technique.
This allowed him to evade the bloodthirsty assault. He maneuvered through the arch-like encirclement of the eighteen tentacles.
"Boom!"
The tentacles seemed to possess countless smaller tendrils. To his horror, the tendrils formed into blood-colored dragon shapes, rushing straight toward Zhao Xing.
It had methods for dealing with the big creatures, and it had ways to handle the smaller ones too!
"Substitute Straw Puppet!"
At the moment Zhao Xing was about to be surrounded, he executed a Rule Jump.
In the next instant, a straw puppet doppelganger was obliterated and dragged underground by the blood-soaked hemisphere barrier formed by the eighteen tentacles. Zhao Xing, having retreated to a safe distance, looked down at the ground below.
The eighteen pale red tendrils slowly retracted back into the earth, and the holes on the surface were quickly covered with soil, as if someone had cast an Earth Vein Law.
"That was close—I nearly got myself killed."
This vine right here—it was none other than a botanical treasure of the Dragon Court: the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine!
The Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine thrived within the earth's leylines, preying on dragons as its sustenance. The attack on Zhao Xing just now came from it.
"What a formidable Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine. It seems this particular vine has already developed intelligence."
For most plants, gaining sentience typically required reaching the Ascension Realm. However, under extraordinary circumstances, certain plants—like the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine—could achieve self-awareness before that stage.
This vine had undoubtedly consumed countless powerful dragons, assimilating their lingering consciousness. These fragments of dragon souls coalesced within the vine, forming a collective consciousness.
Strictly speaking, this wasn't true sentience. It was more like the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine had become possessed by a multitude of fragmented souls. However, those souls had completely merged with the vine, becoming inseparable.
"Unbelievable! I was actually ambushed by a vine—how embarrassing would that be if word got out?" Zhao Xing first felt a wave of lingering fear, which was quickly replaced by anger.
"I spent four years hunting for it here, and it spent the same four years setting me up?" He then muttered to himself, "Ah, of course. It's extremely sensitive to the aura of dragons."
It had likely sensed him entering its range a long time ago. The vine must have concealed its presence to evade his Soul Sight. While his vision could scan the surface in detail, it wasn't effective underground—especially not against such cunning camouflage.
"Let's see how strong you are!"
"Rise!"
From Zhao Xing's body, numerous doppelgangers burst forth, diving toward the vine's root systems beneath the ground.
Although the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine delighted in devouring dragons, it coexisted harmoniously with other plant life. As Zhao Xing's doppelgangers lacked blood and flesh, they slipped into the ground undetected.
"Descend!"
Utilizing a high-level Profound King Law, Zhao Xing sent his doppelgangers diving three thousand meters into the earth, but they still hadn't found the vine's main root.
It wasn't until they reached a depth of nine thousand meters that they encountered an invisible barrier of rules obstructing further exploration.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A surge of crimson energy shot through the leylines, annihilating most of Zhao Xing's weaker doppelgangers. However, three of his strongest doppelgangers managed to evade and conceal themselves.
"Gotcha!" Zhao Xing immediately redirected his main form toward the source of the attack.
After advancing several hundred meters underground, a ferocious roar echoed through the depths.
"Roar!"
The sound was so overpowering that Zhao Xing's three doppelgangers nearly lost their balance.
"Wow, now that's impressive—it's mimicking the Pseudopath Realm!" Zhao Xing exclaimed, recognizing the roar contained an unmistakable intent.
Its intent? It was like a dragon saying, "Get lost!"
"Alright, alright—you're quite the lunatic. I like that even more!"
The stronger the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine, the more excited Zhao Xing became.
"The Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine feeds on dragons and has a natural restraint over them. There are even historical records of it killing a Dragon Emperor!" Zhao Xing recalled reading numerous ancient texts in the Dragon Emperor Xie's palace.
One account described how a Dragon Emperor from an earlier era had fallen to an attack by the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine. However, the vine had vanished along with the end of the Primordial Era.
Even Dragon Emperor Xie had never encountered one personally.
"Although these records are ancient, they're proof enough of how terrifying this vine can be."
"Retrieve!"
After pinpointing its location through his doppelgangers, Zhao Xing promptly recalled them.
"Whoosh~"
A projection of Pure Essence unfolded above him, manifesting a large flower basket in midair.
As per his usual method, if it couldn't be subdued, he'd use his ace in the hole: the Moyun Vine!
"They're both vine-type entities. Could the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine really be stronger than a void-born species?" Zhao Xing chuckled as he addressed the Moyun Vine. "Big bro, get in there and suppress it for me!"
Zhao Xing poured an enormous amount of spiritual liquid into the flower basket, then tossed it in the direction of the Bloodthirsty Dragon Vine's main root. Afterward, he quickly retreated to a safe distance.