A brand-new world unfolded before Liu Xi's eyes — a vast realm of darkness, where the heavens above shimmered like a sea of distant stars.
He exhaled softly. For now, they were safe. The first obstacle was behind them. Ahead lay the true test — meeting Zi Yan's father, the Old Dragon Emperor himself.
He raised one hand, taking out a jade bottle. Uncorking it, he poured a few pills into his mouth. The medicine dissolved instantly, replenishing his Dou Qi. For what was to come, he needed his energy restored to peak condition.
Then, retracting the bone wings behind him — now webbed with cracks — Liu Xi frowned slightly. He wasn't even sure if they could be repaired anymore. Still, there was no time to worry about that.
Looking down at the girl in his arms, he asked softly, "Zi Yan, are you all right? We've arrived — this is the world beneath the magma."
Zi Yan rubbed her temples, twisting slightly in his embrace. "I'm fine, just… a little weak. I'm still too useless. Not only did I not help you, but I even dragged you down."
Her voice grew smaller with each word, guilt creeping through her tone.
Liu Xi smiled faintly, holding her closer as he flew toward the distant light that shone faintly within the endless darkness. "Don't think like that. Your potential is enormous, Zi Yan. You're just growing slower because your foundation is too strong."
The world beneath was vast, as though a starless night had swallowed an entire realm. Even with Liu Xi's speed, it took several minutes before the light ahead finally came into view.
It wasn't a flame, nor an illusion, but a colossal bronze door. Its entire surface gleamed faintly in the void, covered in intricate ancient runes that flowed like rivers of time. The sight of it made the air itself feel sacred.
And carved at the very top were four massive characters — bold, sweeping strokes that seemed alive, exuding an aura of divine majesty: Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion.
A wave of ancient pressure rolled outward. Just looking at those words made Liu Xi's soul quiver, as though a mighty will from an age long past sought to make him kneel. He turned his gaze away quickly, suppressing the urge to bow.
"So domineering," he muttered, a spark of sharpness flashing in his eyes. He nudged Zi Yan's curious little head aside. "Don't stare too long. That Toushe Ancient Emperor's will isn't something worth admiring."
Zi Yan pouted slightly but quickly turned her gaze back toward the door. "Big Brother, there's only this bronze gate here. If there's a treasure inside, it must be beyond that. Let me try opening it!"
Her eagerness made Liu Xi smile. She wanted to prove herself — after all, he had brought her this far.
"Not necessarily…" Liu Xi's voice trailed off, his tone suddenly strange, laced with disbelief and awe, as if he had seen something extraordinary.
Zi Yan blinked and leaned closer, her face mere inches from his. "What is it?" she asked, her warm breath brushing against his cheek.
Liu Xi's eyes shimmered with cyan flame. With his Spiritual Perception pierced through the shadows, revealing what lay beyond.
Following his gaze, Zi Yan's pupils turned violet-gold, her sight sharpening as she peered into the darkness — and then her breath caught.
A massive form filled the void ahead, its body coiled endlessly through the dark like a living mountain range. The creature didn't move, yet its presence crushed the air itself. Zi Yan's gaze followed its form, but no matter how far she looked, its end was nowhere to be seen.
The creature's entire body was covered in violet-gold scales, each one radiating a cold metallic sheen that spoke of unbreakable strength. The aura it emitted was ancient, regal, and terrifying.
Zi Yan's heart pounded. Instinctive fear surged up, and her small hands tightened around Liu Xi's robes. Yet the longer she looked, the more confused she felt — the fear began to fade, replaced by something warm, something… familiar.
"Big Brother," she whispered, her brow furrowed, "why does it feel like I've met this creature before?"
Liu Xi's lips curved wryly. 'Of course you have. That's your father…' he thought silently, but he didn't dare say it aloud. How could he? He had just barged into the old man's tomb carrying his daughter.
The aura of the creature — the Old Dragon Emperor — was suffocating. It pressed on Liu Xi like the weight of the heavens, making his heartbeat thunder wildly. His soul screamed warnings, urging him to flee, but there was nowhere to run.
Forcing his voice to remain steady, he said, "Zi Yan, think carefully. Try to remember where you might have seen it. Whether we can leave safely depends on you."
"Alright…" Zi Yan murmured, closing her eyes and thinking hard.
And then — the creature's eyes opened.
Twin crimson pupils, vast as suns, flared to life. The endless darkness trembled under their gaze. A voice rolled through the void, deep and thunderous, each word echoing like divine judgment.
"Intruders… Do you possess the Ancient Jade?"
Liu Xi's entire body tensed. He clutched Zi Yan tighter, every instinct screaming to escape. But he stood his ground. "No."
At that single word, the dragon's eyes flickered. The dull, lifeless orbs began to burn with awareness — and wrath. The colossal body stirred, each movement causing the void itself to quake.
"Then… you will stay here forever."
The voice was cold and merciless, shaking the world apart. The endless coils began to move, the darkness churning like a storm — until suddenly, the dragon froze.
Its gaze locked onto the small figure in Liu Xi's arms.
Recognition. Shock. Then something deeper — a trembling emotion that shattered through the cold fury.
"...My child."
The mighty roar became a trembling whisper. The rage vanished. What remained was guilt — endless, overwhelming guilt. The massive dragon's eyes softened, glowing with fatherly warmth as violet light rippled across its scales.
The titanic form began to shrink rapidly, light engulfing it. In mere seconds, the colossal dragon vanished, replaced by a middle-aged man clad in black dragon robes. His bearing was regal, his face stern yet dignified — every inch an emperor of dragons.
He stepped forward, emotion flickering in his eyes. But when he saw Zi Yan still nestled in Liu Xi's arms, that fleeting softness froze over. Murderous intent erupted from him like a tidal wave.
In an instant, Liu Xi felt death close in. His blood stopped flowing, Dou Qi vanished, and even his soul seemed to collapse under that killing will.
'So this is… the power of a 9-Star Dou Saint…'
Despair blurred his thoughts. The sheer pressure alone crushed his body from within. He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness — until a furious, childish voice rang out beside his ear.
"Stop it, you big meanie!"
Zi Yan's shout split through the killing intent like sunlight through a storm. The pressure vanished in a blink. Liu Xi's body went limp with relief, darkness closing over his vision.
And just before he blacked out, he thought bitterly—'First meeting the father-in-law… and I'm already dead.'
(End of Chapter)
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