Chapter 306: The Dragon King's Birthday

Chapter 306: The Dragon King's Birthday

One of the elders dashed toward Hualong City at lightning speed. With a single leap from the base of the city wall, his body soared over 50 meters high, attempting to vault over the wall and escape into the city.

"Whoosh!"

Ning Xiaochuan stood firmly on the ground, channeling his Profound Qi toward his brow, where a blinding light began to coalesce. It was as if a blazing sun had ignited between his eyebrows—this was the manifestation of the "Blazing Sun Scorching the Heavens" Martial Arts Divine Ability. The surrounding temperature skyrocketed, causing the grass and trees on the ground to burst into flames.

"Whoosh!"

A golden pillar of fire shot forth, striking the Mo Family elder just as he was about to clear the city wall. The elder's body ignited like a paper lantern, quickly reduced to wisps of ash—not even a single strand of hair remained.

Ning Xiaochuan then pursued the last remaining Mo Family elder, who fled desperately into Muteng Forest, his speed astonishing as he darted through the trees like a ghost.

Having heard the agonized screams of his fellow elder, the fleeing elder knew his companion had met a gruesome end. Terror gripped his heart—tonight had been a stroke of terrible luck. They had come to ambush someone, only to realize too late that their target was an unparalleled powerhouse.

The Mo Family had likely provoked someone they shouldn’t have.

The fleeing elder suddenly skidded to a halt, sliding over 10 meters forward before staring in horror at the white-clad youth standing before him.

Ning Xiaochuan stood with his hands behind his back beneath a tree. Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting eerie, shifting shadows on the ground, amplifying the already oppressive dread of Muteng Forest.

The Mo Family elder’s heart shuddered violently as he sensed the aura of a Martial Venerable emanating from the youth. The pressure alone disrupted the flow of his Martial Arts Profound Qi, nearly shattering his Martial Arts Heart Palace.

"Tap, tap."

Duanmu Linger finished off the remaining Mo Family martial artists, dozens having fallen to her blade. She approached from behind, wielding her blood-soaked Desperate Crescent Blade, sealing the elder’s retreat.

Ning Xiaochuan spoke calmly, "Tell me the purpose of Ye Nan Tian and Nie Lanxin’s arrival in Hualong City, and perhaps I’ll spare your life."

A look of grim resolve flashed in the elder’s eyes. He forcibly circulated his Martial Arts Profound Qi, activating a self-destructive Martial Arts Divine Ability. Scales erupted across his skin as his body swelled, transforming into a 7-meter-tall Dragon Elephant—several times larger than an ordinary elephant.

Since childhood, he had consumed Dragon Elephant essence blood and cultivated the "Dragon Elephant Body Refining Divine Ability." Once activated, this technique granted him monstrous strength, rivaling that of a true Dragon Elephant.

"Boom!"

The Dragon Elephant charged madly toward Ning Xiaochuan, its stomps shaking the earth and sending leaves raining from the trees.

Ning Xiaochuan showed no intention of dodging. A draconic roar and tiger’s growl resonated within his body as his arm became enveloped in dragon-shaped Lightning. With a single punch, he shattered the Dragon Elephant’s hardened scales, blasting its skull apart in an explosion of force.

Duanmu Linger watched the scene with a mix of awe and disgust. "This guy’s physical body is absurdly strong. How does he even cultivate like this?" she muttered inwardly, unable to fathom how he could clash head-on with a Dragon Elephant and emerge unscathed.

The power and defense of a Dragon Elephant are terrifying, far surpassing those of other Mystic Beasts. Even with Duanmu Linger's Martial Arts cultivation, encountering a Dragon Elephant would force her to retreat—there's no way she could be as monstrous as Ning Xiaochuan, who punched straight through the Dragon Elephant's skull with a single blow.

"Boom!"

The Dragon Elephant's massive body collapsed, its Martial Arts Divine Ability shattered, reverting to the frail form of the Mo Family elder.

A bloody hole pierced the elder's forehead, oozing red and white fluids. He was on the verge of death, his life force rapidly draining. Even if an immortal deity intervened, saving him would be impossible.

"Let's go. The experts in Hualong City must have been alerted. If they see us together, it’ll be trouble," Ning Xiaochuan said.

Duanmu Linger snorted. "So what if they see us? I’m your cousin—it’s perfectly normal for us to be together."

Despite her words, she still followed Ning Xiaochuan as they retreated into Muteng Forest.

Not long after their departure, a large group arrived.

Mo Lingyun, the head of the Mo Family, led the way, arriving at the scene of the battle. His heart turned ice-cold at the sight of the scattered corpses.

"Reporting to the family head, Elder Lin was killed by Profound Yin True Qi. It’s highly likely the Demon Sect Enchantress was the one who struck them down," an older Martial Artist said.

Mo Lingyun, with his superior Martial Arts insight, shook his head. "They died from two different forces. Besides the Demon Sect Enchantress, that Minor Marquis from the imperial court must have been present as well. Young Master Ye, you must uphold justice for our Mo Family."

Ye Nan Tian also arrived outside Hualong City, his jade-like face radiating divine grace, his demeanor extraordinary. His eyes emitted three feet of profound light as he swept a glance over the corpses, instantly reconstructing the battle scene in his mind.

"Impressive. To decapitate a Mo Family elder in a single strike—this Minor Marquis’s Martial Arts prowess is truly formidable."

Though he hadn’t witnessed the battle firsthand, merely analyzing the traces left behind allowed him to deduce the entire fight. This required not only unfathomable Martial Arts cultivation but also keen and powerful intellect.

Nie Lanxin descended from the sky, clad in white robes and carrying an ancient zither.

A pair of white wings, nine meters long, stretched from her back, glowing with a holy aura as she flew through the night, resembling a celestial fairy descending from the heavens.

This was an exceedingly rare Martial Arts Divine Ability that allowed flight—the "Holy Light Wings."

"Among this generation’s Marquis heirs, only five possess such formidable strength. And only one matches his age," Nie Lanxin said, her body enveloped in sacred light, her face veiled, exuding an ethereal beauty.

Ye Nan Tian immediately thought of the same person, his expression grave. "The Imperial City’s Top Genius—Ning Xiaochuan. To think he’s come to Hualong City. It seems the imperial court takes this matter very seriously."

Muteng Forest covered most of the Qingmeng Domain, a primeval wilderness where massive trees with diameters of seven to eight meters were commonplace. Fierce Mystic Beasts nested among the branches, turning the area into a forbidden zone.

"The Little Prince of the imperial court, the Saintess of the Demon Sect, and outstanding young individuals from major sects have all come to Muteng Forest. This is truly unusual. What exactly is happening inside Muteng Forest?" Ning Xiaochuan sat atop the Double-headed Stone Beast, asking Duanmu Linger.

Duanmu Linger replied, "They are all here to celebrate the Dragon King's thousand-year birthday."

"The Dragon King's Birthday..." Ning Xiaochuan's heart stirred, and his gaze involuntarily turned toward the depths of Muteng Forest.

Without a doubt, the oldest living fossil in the Yulan Empire was none other than the legendary Dragon King.

The lifespan of Martial Artists was far longer than that of ordinary people, but it paled in comparison to that of the dragon race.

An average Martial Venerable could live between 140 to 200 years, and even figures like the Master of the Martial Palace would not exceed 300 years.

However, it was said that the Dragon King residing in Muteng Forest had lived for nearly a thousand years—older than the founding of the Yulan Empire itself.

Over seventy percent of the dragon race lived in Muteng Forest, including Winged Dragons capable of flight, Savage Dragons with immense strength, and Flood Dragons with serpentine bodies, among others.

The combat power of these true dragons was terrifying. A single breath of flames could incinerate an entire city, and a flap of their wings could topple mountains. Yet, they all obeyed the Dragon King's commands—he was their sovereign.

Ning Xiaochuan narrowed his eyes. "For the Dragon King's Birthday, even the Jade Emperor, the Demon Emperor, and the Sword Saint should have personally attended. Why have only the younger generation of geniuses been sent to offer congratulations?"

Duanmu Linger shook her head. "I’m not entirely sure either. I heard it was the Dragon King’s wish. He said the future belongs to the young, and only when the younger generation grows strong will true strength emerge. Thus, all major factions sent their top young talents to pay respects to the Dragon King. If they can win his favor, he might even gift them a Dragon Hatchling to raise."

"This is an incredibly rare opportunity. Gaining the Dragon King’s goodwill could mean securing the support of the dragon race."

Ning Xiaochuan said, "I’ve heard that the imperial court once signed a Millennium Contract with the dragon race, gaining their support to train the Dragon Warriors, who swept across the land undefeated. Now that the Millennium Contract has expired, whoever secures a new contract with the dragon race could become the next ruler of the Yulan Empire."

"Exactly. That’s why the Saintess has come in person—to negotiate a contract between the Demon Sect and the dragon race."

Duanmu Linger did not hide this from Ning Xiaochuan, as it was no secret. Every outstanding individual who came to Muteng Forest harbored the same ambition.

The Demon Sect’s ambitions were vast. If they truly secured a contract with the dragon race, it would be akin to dismantling the imperial court’s two elite forces—the Dragon Warriors Battalion and the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion—without shedding a drop of blood.

Ning Xiaochuan had no interest in the Jade Emperor’s throne. As long as the Jian Pavilion Marquis House survived the turmoil, it made no difference to him who ultimately ruled the Yulan Empire.

The gathering place of the dragon race was Dragon Valley, deep within the wilds of Muteng Forest. Those whose Martial Path cultivation was insufficient would die on the way, becoming food for the Mystic Beasts before ever reaching it.

Ning Xiaochuan traveled through the dense forest for two days, constantly encountering fierce mystic beasts, making the journey extremely perilous. Despite his cultivation level, he accidentally strayed into forbidden zones twice, nearly being devoured by the mystic beasts.

In the evening, Ning Xiaochuan encountered a White Demon Spider, leading to a fierce battle.

The White Demon Spider's body was as large as a millstone, with legs stretching five meters long and sharp, hooked claws. Its claws could slice through a 5,000 kg boulder as easily as cutting tofu, leaving behind a trail of stone dust.

Though the White Demon Spider was a fifth-rank mystic beast, its speed was astonishing, and its combat power was nearly on par with a sixth-rank mystic beast.

Ning Xiaochuan expended great effort to finally slay the White Demon Spider, using the Demonic Sword to absorb all of the spider's Blood Qi.

He then began refining the massive amount of Blood Qi. A portion of it enhanced his own cultivation, while the rest flowed into his tenth Divine Ability—the Annihilation Divine Monument.