Chapter 150: Dragon Island
"Is there anything else within the Hun clan?" Yun Yi looked at Nihility Devouring Flame and asked. Then he continued, "If not, I'll be heading out traveling again."
"I heard you humiliated Gu Yuan's daughter in the Northwest Continent, making her lose face?" Nihility Devouring Flame didn't answer Yun Yi's question. Instead, he looked at Yun Yi and asked with keen interest.
"Just a minor friction," Yun Yi nodded, not expecting such a small matter to escape Nihility Devouring Flame's notice. His tone was indifferent, as if it were utterly trivial and unworthy of mention.
"Minor friction?" Nihility Devouring Flame laughed meaningfully. "I've heard you've already made it onto the Gu clan's Black Annihilation Army blacklist. Right now, they're full of fighting spirit, eager to capture you and avenge their young miss!"
"Hmph—a bunch of fools living in ignorant arrogance. If they want to come, let them come!" Yun Yi's face was full of disdain. As he spoke, he rose and looked at Nihility Devouring Flame. "If there's nothing within the Hun clan, I'd like to go to the Central Plains and see, by the way, whether those fellows truly dare to appear before me."
"Lay low for a while. Don't provoke the Gu clan further. Because of the last incident, my strength has already been exposed. The Gu clan is extremely sensitive right now. Provoking them further will affect our subsequent plans. For the time being, the Hun clan cannot go to war with the Gu clan!"
Nihility Devouring Flame's voice came from behind, laced with a rare trace of caution and gravity toward the end.
"I understand," Yun Yi nodded and turned to walk out of the great hall.
"Heh heh—interesting flame."
Nihility Devouring Flame watched Yun Yi's retreating back until the other had completely vanished. After a moment of silence, a low chuckle echoed within the hall.
On this day, everyone gathered in Jiang Yun's courtyard.
Jiang Yun looked at Su Qian and the two elders, Qian and Bai, who had already broken through to Dou Zun. With a light chuckle, he said, "Great Elder—after this parting, who knows how many years it will be before we meet again. I hope that the next time we meet, you will already be a Dou Zun!"
"Sigh—" Su Qian let out a sigh as he looked at Jiang Yun and Zi Yan. He couldn't help but feel deeply emotional. It seemed like only yesterday that he had first met the two. In the end, he said nothing more, only speaking solemnly, "Be careful."
Jiang Yun and Zi Yan nodded. This was the Great Elder's care and concern for them.
"Traveling from the Northwest Continent to the Central Plains requires taking a spatial wormhole. The nearest one to the Black-Corner Region is at Tian Ya City—a journey of ten thousand li. Take this Griffon beast."
Su Qian waved his hand. A massive black shadow, accompanied by an eagle's cry, slowly descended from the sky. Its enormous wings stirred up fierce gales, bending the small trees all around.
"This..." Jiang Yun and Zi Yan exchanged a glance, barely suppressing their laughter. With Zhu Kun—an expert equivalent to a nine-star Dou Sheng—here with them, they still needed to take a spatial wormhole?
They simply hadn't revealed Zhu Kun's true strength, fearing they'd frighten everyone.
"Many thanks to the Great Elder," Jiang Yun cupped his fists toward Su Qian with a smile. Then he said, "Uncle Zhu Kun's strength is not weak. There's no need to go to Tian Ya City for the spatial wormhole."
As Jiang Yun's voice fell, while Su Qian and Elders Qian and Bai were still in a daze—
Zhu Kun casually slashed his right hand through the void. In an instant, a spatial rift nearly three zhang wide appeared before everyone's eyes.
The Great Elder and the two elders were somewhat stunned. Staring in awe at Zhu Kun, they secretly gulped. Zi Yan's father's strength... seemed somewhat unfathomably deep!
"Great Elder, we take our leave!"
A bright, hearty laugh pulled the three back to their senses. Jiang Yun, arm in arm with Zi Yan, waved to them, then stepped into the spatial rift one after another.
Qing Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, and Medusa followed closely behind. Zhu Kun, bringing up the rear, nodded toward Su Qian, then gradually disappeared from their sight.
"Zi Yan's father... is likely even more terrifying than we imagined!" After the group had left, Elders Qian and Bai couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
"With such a backer, won't Zi Yan become even more lawless and unrestrained?" Su Qian thought. Then he chuckled ruefully, "With Jiang Yun watching over her, what need is there for me to worry!"
"Ang!"
Within the void passageway, Zhu Kun directly summoned a Taixu Ancient Dragon phantom. Carrying the group, it shot madly in a single direction.
All along the way, violent silver spatial turbulence continuously swept past their sides.
Ahead stretched a boundless, endless void space. Zhu Kun had forcibly carved out a spatial transmission passageway of unknown length right through this void space.
The space around them was wreathed in heart-shaking darkness. Dense spatial fluctuations seeped out from within. The entire passageway was exceptionally deathly silent, without the slightest foreign sound.
Zhu Kun had raised a protective barrier. Rich, dense spatial power swam and coursed across its surface, appearing quite mysteriously profound and wondrous. The barrier shielded the group within it. A barrier casually set up by Zhu Kun was absolutely more stable than any spatial ship from the outside world.
On the Dou Qi Continent, Zhu Kun's comprehension of the path of space was absolutely unmatched under heaven. Even Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi at the same level couldn't compare.
Seeing this for the first time, the four women—Zi Yan, Medusa, and the others—studied their surroundings with curiosity.
Jiang Yun, however, was very familiar with this sight. Looking at Zhu Kun ahead, he asked, "Uncle, you've been gone ten thousand years now. Within the Ancient Dragon Clan, unable to find you, I'm afraid changes and upheavals have long since occurred."
Hearing Jiang Yun's words, everyone was immediately drawn in, looking toward Zhu Kun.
Indeed—Zhu Kun, this Dragon Emperor, hadn't just been gone for ten or a hundred years. It had been over ten thousand years!
Even for the Taixu Ancient Dragons, with their immensely long lifespans, ten thousand years was enough to erode away many things. Whether the clan members from Zhu Kun's generation were even still alive was utterly uncertain.
"When I left, there were still several high-star Dou Shengs within the clan. With their cultivation, plus our Ancient Dragon Clan's long lifespans—as long as the ancient clans didn't attack, that would be more than enough to stabilize the situation." Zhu Kun was quite calm and composed, extremely confident in the clan's stability.
As long as those few high-level Dou Shengs hadn't run into problems, absolutely no one could shake the Ancient Dragon Clan.
Hearing this, the women couldn't help but nod. Zhu Kun was powerful, experienced, and knowledgeable. He absolutely understood the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan's internal affairs better than they did. His words were naturally trustworthy.
Jiang Yun outwardly wore an expression of agreement. Inwardly, however, he couldn't help but grumble.
Father-in-law—you have far too much faith in the Ancient Dragon Clan. The three Dragon Kings of the North, South, and West stirred up division, splitting apart the clan. Those high-star Dou Sheng elders of your clan, unable to bear seeing fellow clansmen slaughter one another, fled one by one into the void, hoping to find you, old man, and have you return to preside over the overall situation.
The great and mighty Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan had actually fallen so low that there wasn't a single expert above four-star Dou Sheng left! So much so that the descendant of the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix—the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan Leader, Huang Tian—had become the number one expert in the Magical Beast World on the surface!
When Zhu Kun saw such a state of affairs, would he cough up blood in fury?!
To be honest—if not for Dragon Island's geographic location being so superior and exceptionally difficult for ordinary people to find, the news of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan's internal emptiness wouldn't have remained unknown to the outside world for ten thousand years.
The moment this news became known to outsiders, Jiang Yun was absolutely certain—those ancient clans would not resist the temptation and would carve up and devour the Ancient Dragon Clan.
A magical beast's essence blood and demonic core were all supreme treasures—especially with ninth-rank magical beasts on the verge of extinction. An Ancient Dragon Clan with power roughly on par with the Soul Hall would absolutely be seen as fish on the chopping board.
At that point—even if Zhu Kun and his cadre of experts returned, everything would be far too late!
"Once we return to Dragon Island, Zi Yan can also undergo her baptism." Zhu Kun looked at Zi Yan with a face full of doting fatherly love. Then, recalling something, his expression turned thoroughly grave. "Earlier, when I sensed the bloodline within you, I discovered that your bloodline, Zi Yan, was prematurely awakened by external stimuli. Later, there were several more instances of using powerful Dou Techniques, causing the bloodline power to become somewhat unstable."
As he said this, a flash of lingering fear crossed Zhu Kun's face. Beside him, Zi Yan guiltily lowered her head.
"Fortunately, later on, I don't know what heavenly treasure you obtained, but your bloodline miraculously stabilized. Now, compared to before, it has even advanced and improved. This time, returning to the clan and undergoing the bloodline baptism—the quality of your bloodline may well surpass mine at the same age!" A look of pride surfaced on Zhu Kun's face. As a daughter-slave, what could be more fulfilling than his daughter being even more outstanding?
"That's good then!" Hearing this, the group couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"Right!" At that moment, Zhu Kun suddenly recalled something. Looking at Zi Yan and Jiang Yun, he asked, "What kind of heavenly treasure did you encounter before? To actually produce a certain beneficial influence even on Zi Yan's bloodline?"
Jiang Yun, Zi Yan, and Medusa exchanged glances. Jiang Yun spoke up, "That matter—we'll have to start from the Yun Lan Sect..."
Hearing Jiang Yun's brief account, a sharp gleam burst forth in Zhu Kun's eyes. "As I thought—there does exist an even greater world beyond. So this is the reason the Dou Di have vanished over these tens of thousands of years! In that case, within the void beyond the Dou Qi Continent, there may still exist fragments like that..."
A flash of intense excitement streaked through Zhu Kun's eyes. "Jiang Yun, do you think there might be an opportunity to break through to Dou Di within them?"
Dou Di—that was the goal he had pursued all his life. Had it not been for the obstruction of Origin Qi, he would have long since become the new Dragon Emperor. It was even because of this that he had been trapped within the Ancient Emperor's Mansion for over ten thousand years. The two words "Dou Di" had nearly driven Zhu Kun to obsession and madness.
"All along, I've also been unclear on what exactly the Origin Qi required to break through to Dou Di is. So I can't be certain either." Jiang Yun slowly shook his head. What exactly the Origin Qi needed to break through to Dou Di was—no one could say for sure.
It could allow a Dou Sheng to break through to Dou Di, producing a qualitative transformation. Clearly, it wasn't something the ordinary spiritual energy of the Great Thousand World could accomplish.
It was likely some kind of power of the most fundamental origin!
"Is that so!" Hearing this, Zhu Kun shook his head with some disappointment. "Forget these matters. In any case, I'm still trapped in the Ancient Emperor's Mansion. Breaking through to Dou Di will still depend on you and Zi Yan. When the time comes, help me fully liberate myself, and I can bask in your reflected glory—go to the Upper Plane and see even vaster, more magnificent scenery!"
As they traveled, they had already been shuttling through the spatial passageway for half an hour. Finally, within the monotonous, unchanging darkness, a flash of silver light appeared.
Looking closely, a silver ring of light could faintly be seen emerging at the very end.
"Are we about to arrive?"
Seeing that ring of light, everyone's spirits lifted. The giant dragon beneath their feet increased its speed slightly. Moments later, carrying the group, it transformed into a streak of light and shot into the silver ring.
Charging into the ring of light, after a brief moment of blurred vision, everything abruptly became bright and clear. The view before them was no longer that monotonous silver hue. Lush, verdant greenery and mountain peaks once again filled their eyes.
"This is..."
Standing high in the sky, the group stared in stunned amazement at the stretch of land that had appeared before them.
It was a cluster of enormous islands, exceedingly vast in area. Above the island skies, a pale-silver, bowl-shaped light barrier hung inverted, enveloping and enclosing the entire island.
Outside these light barriers was the void space—pitch-black, enough to chill one's very heart.
This was the advantageous condition that made Dragon Island inherently invincible! These islands were all suspended within the void space!
The void space—a place even Dou Zun experts dared not casually wander into. No wonder the Ancient Dragon Clan was known for its mystery.
"What an incredible grand design..." Medusa looked at the scene before her with some wistful emotion. In her heart, she couldn't help but wonder: had the Heaven-Devouring Python Clan not been wiped out, had it been passed down to the present day—would it also be like the Ancient Dragon Clan?
"Sister Zi Yan, congratulations on becoming a true little rich heiress!" Qing Lin came back to her senses and looked at Zi Yan beside her, teasing with a giggle.
Hearing this, Zi Yan struck the pose of a big sister boss. Pulling Qing Lin into a side embrace, she patted her chest and guaranteed, "Qing Lin, from now on, just follow my lead! I won't treat you badly, hahaha!"
Watching the getting-carried-away Zi Yan, Jiang Yun stood off to the side, shaking his head with a rueful chuckle. Medusa, seeing this, looked away with disdain. Xiao Yi Xian was giggling secretly at the side.
At this moment, no one noticed that the expression on Zhu Kun's face had, from its initial excitement, slowly grown dark and overcast.
Jiang Yun turned his head and saw this scene. He was briefly taken aback, then immediately understood. Zhu Kun possessed an Emperor Realm soul. Likely, the very instant he had emerged just now, he had unwittingly and thoroughly probed and sensed everything on Dragon Island.
Just moments ago, he had been so confidently swearing up and down, telling everyone how Dragon Island absolutely wouldn't have any problems—only to have his face slapped the moment he turned around. How could this not infuriate Zhu Kun?!
Inwardly, he mourned for the three Dragon Kings.
"Has something happened? Father!" Zi Yan had also noticed that something was off with Zhu Kun. A flash of worry crossed her eyes as she asked quietly.
Sensing everyone's gazes upon him, even with Zhu Kun's thick skin, he felt rather ashamed and infuriated. Right now, he hated nothing more than to tear apart those traitors who had splintered and split apart Dragon Island.
To actually make him lose face in front of Zi Yan!
"Are there still any fellows in the Ancient Dragon Clan capable of moving?! All of you, get the hell out here before this Emperor!"
Boom!
Zhu Kun's fury erupted. Heaven and earth trembled before it. Space quaked and collapsed along with it. The energy of heaven and earth from ten thousand li away came rolling in.
Centered on Zhu Kun, ring after ring of waves formed. The pressure of an Emperor Realm soul fully erupted, blanketing and shrouding the entirety of Dragon Island.
The icy cold shout rang out by every single Taixu Ancient Dragon's ear. In that very instant, everyone's souls trembled violently.