Chapter 409
Chapter 409
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Death of the Dragon Heir
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“Boom!”
Astral clouds scattered in all directions. The majestic dragon body had been refined away for more than half, leaving only a dragon head the size of a mountain peak plummeting from the sky to smash heavily onto the ocean surface.
Half the flesh on that dragon head had already been burned to flying ash by the fire baleful qi, and even the exposed bones bore patches of charring. For it to end up like this, one could see that this body—which should have been impervious to myriad calamities—had long since had its divine marrow devoured clean, scattering its divinity and stripping away the transcendence befitting a true dragon.
Above the dragon head stood a handsome young man in a flapping daoist robe, hands clasped behind his back. The halo of his divine ability gleamed behind him like a bright moon suspended high in the sky, lending him an even more solemn, majestic bearing that was impossible to fathom.
‘Tian Qiu is dead.’
In that instant, countless Foundation Establishment cultivators who had witnessed the scene held their breath. Even those at the peak of Foundation Establishment furrowed their brows one after another.
‘What an insidious divine ability.’
‘In that final moment, Tian Qiu’s destiny clearly fluctuated. This person is versed in karma as well—he severed Tian Qiu’s lifeline with a karmic technique at the end.’
‘Could it be one of our Primal Saint Sect’s Perfected Beings?’
In the northern reaches, amid a sea of myriad clouds, Hong Ju knit his brows tightly as he replayed the scene of Tian Qiu’s demise in his mind, a shadow of doubt gradually forming in his heart.
At the same time, Suo Huan below had yet to recover his wits.
Tian Qiu was dead! A true dragon bloodline heir, the Dragon Lord’s second son, the indisputable foremost cultivator below the overseas True Lords—he had perished inexplicably right here!
To be sure, as an overseas demon cultivator, Tian Qiu’s strength fell a bit short of those inland peak Foundation Establishment experts, but only by a hair, and that hardly mattered given his status. The true dragon clan pinned all their hopes on him to claim the throne—who would dare provoke him on a normal day?
Yet now, he was dead!
The Dragon Lord wasn’t gone forever, merely secluded for the time being. If he returned and learned the whole story, one could only imagine the frenzy.
Just the thought made Suo Huan’s head spin.
‘No, I’ve got to run—now!’
This wasn’t a place to linger! Though both were extraterrestrial cultivators, he shared no ties with the one above. He couldn’t afford to let anyone misunderstand!
With that in mind, Suo Huan moved to slip away quietly.
He figured that since the figure overhead was at peak Foundation Establishment, lording high above, his unobtrusive departure shouldn’t draw any notice.
But the very next moment—
“Fellow Daoist, why the rush to leave?”
That single call froze Suo Huan’s freshly conjured escape light in place. The next instant, he turned around, a fawning, servile smile plastered on his face.
“Junior Suo Huan pays respects to Senior!”
Seeing this, Lu Yang hurriedly reached out to steady Suo Huan, then gave his shoulder a friendly pat with a smile.
“No need for such courtesy, Fellow Daoist. You and I hit it off right away!”
The words hit Suo Huan like a thunderbolt. He wailed inwardly.
‘It’s over!’
In plain view of everyone, and with the other party an extraterrestrial cultivator just like him, he was well and truly screwed—like mud in his pants, innocent or not.
Resigned, Suo Huan could only cup his hands helplessly.
“May I ask what instructions Senior has?”
Lu Yang flashed a toothy grin.
“I noticed your aura’s nothing like that demon spawn’s from moments ago. It’s more like mine—could it be you’re from the outer heavens too?”
Suo Huan gave an awkward chuckle.
“Senior’s discerning eyes see true.”
“Excellent, excellent.”
Lu Yang squinted, sizing Suo Huan up for a moment before chuckling.
“This world isn’t kind to outsiders like us, Fellow Daoist. You’d best take care.”
“My thanks for Senior’s concern.”
Suo Huan glanced at Lu Yang, his thoughts drifting to his own glory days. He sighed inwardly and murmured,
“The true dragon you slew, Senior... his background is sky-high. He has an elder here—a True Lord of this realm. Does Senior know what a True Lord is? A great cultivator who holds a dao fruit position...”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Lu Yang obligingly put on a look of curiosity.
“A dao fruit position... like those supreme figures? I never imagined this world harbored such mighty beings.”
“So Senior, you’d best not linger.”
Suo Huan shook his head and gave a brief rundown of why the realm’s True Lords had gone into seclusion.
“Leave now, and Senior still has a fighting chance.”
“I see.”
Lu Yang’s expression grew grave, though his confidence soon resurfaced.
“Even so, if you and I join forces, we might stand against the whole world!”
Suo Huan blinked in bewilderment.
Wait, we’re not that close. What does your war on the world have to do with me?
But in the next instant, realization dawned, and Suo Huan’s eyes widened.
*Grandma’s grave!* This bastard wanted to drag him down with him? Extraterrestrials screwing over extraterrestrials?
‘That beast!’
Suo Huan’s expression shifted subtly as he instinctively tried to put some distance between them. But Lu Yang seized his hand first.
“Fellow Daoist, looking at you now, it’s clear you haven’t fared well in this forsaken place. So many eyes saw us talking. I could slip away on my own, but when that Dragon Lord comes back and can’t find me... don’t you think he’ll take it out on you?”
“This...”
The words halted Suo Huan in his tracks, forcing him to confront reality. No one needed to pull him into the water—he was already soaked!
‘He’s right.’
‘Tian Qiu left the Dragon Palace because of me. The Dragon Lord’s sure to take it out on me later. The moment Tian Qiu died, my path to survival ended!’
Suo Huan’s face grew darker.
The next moment, he looked to Lu Yang and said gravely,
“Senior, what exactly do you want? Or... do you have a True Lord backing you?”
“No.”
Lu Yang shook his head.
Suo Huan gnashed his teeth.
“No True Lord backing... When the Dragon Lord returns, how will Senior stand against him?”
“Simple. I’ll just become a True Lord myself.”
Lu Yang gave a faint smile.
“Fellow Daoist Suo Huan, since we hit it off so well, help me out, and who knows—you might seize a heaven-defying chance at the dao in the days ahead.”
‘Big talk, empty promises.’
Suo Huan knew full well Lu Yang was just dangling a carrot. But what galled him was this—even empty promises came only from Lu Yang.
What choice did that leave him?
Suo Huan wasn’t some rigid fool. He’d spent all this time dithering in fear, but now that it had come to this, his old decisiveness returned.
The next moment, he spoke in a deep voice.
“To answer Senior, this junior knows a secret passage straight to the Dragon Palace. With Tian Qiu’s unexpected death, the palace is in chaos. Plenty of demon cultivators must be eyeing its vaults by now. If we sneak in amid the turmoil, we’re bound to make off with a huge haul!”
Death either way? Might as well bet it all!
Robbing the Dragon Palace would at least net some gains—better than nothing. Things were already hopeless; he might as well make them explosively so!
Lu Yang burst into laughter.
“I knew I hadn’t misjudged you, Fellow Daoist!”
With that, he produced the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner.
“Come, Fellow Daoist. Join my [Sealing God List], and you’ll be one of us from here on. I guarantee you peak Foundation Establishment cultivation on the spot!”
Suo Huan eyed the Ten Thousand Spirits Banner hesitantly.
“Senior, this [Sealing God List] of yours... the color looks a bit off, doesn’t it?”
Black qi was still wafting from it.
Lu Yang didn’t reply. Instead, he summoned Ancestor Tingyou right then and there, elevating him to peak Foundation Establishment via the incense fire divine path before Suo Huan’s eyes.
Suo Huan: “...”
“I pledge my life to Senior’s service!”