Chapter 313: Dragon Prince, Dragon Princess
A group of ferocious Mystic Beasts charged out from the forest, crushing trees and cracking the ground beneath their feet. White smoke billowed from their nostrils, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
They surrounded the entrance of the mountain cave.
Among them were towering Golden Explosive Apes standing 7 to 8 meters tall, Earth Lizards as massive as small hills... Above, a colossal shadow blotted out the sky, its enormous azure bird claw alone as large as a house.
These were all elite warriors of the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp.
They had all gathered here, including two Thousand-Ride Captains, nine Hundred-Banner Captains, and over a hundred soldiers—each a formidable expert capable of holding their own.
The ground and sky were sealed off as the Mystic Beasts roared incessantly, turning the entire mountain forest into a scene of chilling hostility.
The Nie Sisters had just departed when the warriors of the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp converged here, blocking all escape routes. Clearly, they had received secret orders to take Ning Xiaochuan’s life.
"Ning Xiaochuan, you’ve colluded with the Tianyin Sect to sow chaos in the imperial court. Come with us," a towering, gaunt man spoke in a sinister voice. He was the shrunken form of a 70-meter-long silver serpent.
Wei Tushe, a Thousand-Ride Captain of the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp, held an extremely high status, on par with the generals of the army.
His cultivation was profound, and with the Jade Emperor’s backing, he dared to barge even into the Marquis Houses. To the Hereditary Nobles of the Imperial City, he was nothing short of a headache.
Ning Xiaochuan stepped out of the cave, neither submissive nor arrogant. "You accuse me of colluding with the Tianyin Sect. Do you have proof?"
"Of course we have proof," Wei Tushe replied.
Ning Xiaochuan said, "Show me the proof, and I’ll go with you."
"You’ll see the evidence once you’re in the Imperial City Dungeon," Wei Tushe sneered.
The Imperial City Dungeon was no place for the living. Once inside, no one had ever come out alive—it was a veritable death trap.
Once, a Marquis had been imprisoned there on charges of treason. Later investigations proved his innocence, and the Jade Emperor personally ordered his release. But by then, the Marquis had already perished in the dungeon, reduced to Ku Gu.
If even a Marquis could not escape death in that dungeon, what hope did an ordinary Martial Artist have?
Ning Xiaochuan let out a cold laugh. "I am the heir of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, crowned in the grand sacrificial ceremony, witnessed by the Jade Emperor and the Hereditary Nobles themselves. You dare to arrest me without evidence—do you have no respect for the nobility? No respect for His Majesty?"
If it were an ordinary Marquis, the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp would have stormed the Marquis House without hesitation to seize the person.
But these Hereditary Nobles were not to be trifled with. Even the Jade Emperor dared not move against them directly, let alone a mere Thousand-Ride Captain.
However, they had received secret orders from the Jade Emperor to execute Ning Xiaochuan discreetly, so they no longer held back. Their true goal was not to imprison him but to kill him without alerting anyone.
"Creak—"
Over a hundred God-Slaying Crossbows were drawn, all aimed at Ning Xiaochuan, their killing intent reaching its peak.
"The Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp truly has immense audacity! Are the heirs of the imperial marquises so insignificant in your eyes that you dare to capture them at will? The Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp grows increasingly arrogant, now even daring to defy imperial law and scorn His Majesty. It seems I must report this matter to my father upon returning to the Imperial City and have the Prince personally discipline you all."
Yu Qing emerged from the cave, wearing the Divine Dragon Golden Crown, his demeanor majestic and imposing. Ancient Dragon Aura swirled around his body, exuding the domineering authority of royalty in its purest form.
Yu Qing was a genuine noble of the imperial clan, the son of a prince, the Little Prince of the Divine Dragon King's Residence. His status was even more exalted than Ning Xiaochuan, the Minor Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House.
The soldiers of the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp were clearly caught off guard to see the Little Prince of the Divine Dragon King's Residence here as well.
If it had been only Ning Xiaochuan, they could have easily silenced him and disposed of the evidence.
But with the heir of the Divine Dragon King's Residence also present, the situation became far more complicated. Could they really kill the prince's son as well?
If both the Minor Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House and the Little Prince of the Divine Dragon King's Residence were to die in Muteng Forest, it would undoubtedly cause a great uproar in the imperial court—one so massive that even the Jade Emperor might struggle to suppress it.
"This humble officer greets the Little Prince." Wei Tushe bowed deeply.
Yu Qing said coldly, "This prince and the Minor Marquis have been training in Muteng Forest, cultivating the Martial Path. We have never even seen anyone from the Tianyin Sect. When did we ever collude with them?"
"This humble officer witnessed it with his own eyes. The two women from the Tianyin Sect were rescued by Ning Xiaochuan..." Wei Tushe insisted.
Yu Qing snorted. "The Minor Marquis and I have been together the entire time. Are you implying that I, too, colluded with the Tianyin Sect?"
"This humble officer... would not dare."
Yu Qing said, "Since you don’t dare, then get lost!"
Wei Tushe gritted his teeth, shooting Ning Xiaochuan a venomous glare, but in the end, he led the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp in retreat.
Wei Tushe was a clever man. He had already calculated that even if the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp acted forcefully, there was no guarantee they could suppress Ning Xiaochuan and Yu Qing. After all, both were among the top young talents of the imperial court—neither was an easy opponent.
After the Mystic Beast Slaughter God Camp withdrew, Ning Xiaochuan, Yu Qing, and Shi Jinyu set off toward Dragon Valley, deep within Muteng Forest.
Dragon Valley had existed for an extremely long time, far surpassing the history of the Yulan Empire. Its origins could be traced back to the era of the Heavenly Emperor, with a legacy spanning tens of thousands of years.
This was the dwelling place of the dragon race. Under normal circumstances, even a Martial Venerable would not dare to trespass here.
If discovered by the powerful dragons, even a Martial Venerable would face the risk of perishing.
The sky within a thousand kilometers around Dragon Valley was covered by thick, dense clouds, sealing off the entire region. Anyone who entered this domain would feel a mysterious force acting upon their body, suppressing their strength.
After two days of arduous travel, Ning Xiaochuan and his companions finally arrived at the outskirts of Dragon Valley, standing beside an ancient stone monument over 300 meters tall. Engraved on it were two massive, archaic characters—Dragon Valley.
"Who goes there?"
A man and a woman emerged from Dragon Valley.
Each had two crystalline dragon horns atop their heads, as if carved from mystic stone, brimming with immense energy. Lightning crackled between their horns.
Their Blood Qi was incredibly dense. Though they appeared to be only in their twenties, their entire beings exuded the formidable aura unique to Martial Venerables. With every movement, they seemed capable of effortlessly toppling mountains and severing rivers.
These were the Dragon Prince and Dragon Princess of the dragon race. The Dragon Prince was strikingly handsome, resembling a scholarly figure in white robes, while the Dragon Princess was breathtakingly beautiful, her presence ethereal and otherworldly.
Both had reached adulthood, and if they transformed into their true forms, they could engage in battle with Martial Venerables.
Yu Qing quickly clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Yu Qing, heir to the Divine Dragon King's Residence, pays respects to the two esteemed elders of the dragon race."
Though the Dragon Prince and Dragon Princess appeared youthful, their ages undoubtedly exceeded a century—likely surpassing even the Old Marquis of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House and the Divine Dragon King himself. They were more than qualified to be regarded as elders.
Ning Xiaochuan also promptly spoke, "Ning Xiaochuan, heir to the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, has come to offer birthday felicitations to the Dragon King."
Shi Jinyu's plump frame trembled slightly as his beady eyes shamelessly lingered on the Dragon Princess. With an ingratiating smile, he said, "Shi Jinyu, a wandering Martial Artist, has also come to offer congratulations."
Shi Jinyu's identity was shrouded in mystery. Though he claimed to be a wandering cultivator, his Martial Path cultivation was unfathomably profound.
A wandering cultivator without access to cultivation resources could never have reached such heights. Moreover, he seemed exceptionally knowledgeable about the dragon race, boasting of having "seen countless dragons."
Ning Xiaochuan had once tried to probe him, but the sly fat man concealed his secrets too well, leaving no trace of his true origins.
Recently, many Martial Artists had come to offer birthday wishes to the Dragon King. Those capable of traversing the Muteng Forest to reach Dragon Valley were no weaklings, all possessing the qualifications to enter. The Dragon Prince and Dragon Princess were long accustomed to such visitors and simply waved them through.
"This is the first time I've seen dragons in human form," Yu Qing mused once they were farther away, his demeanor instantly turning rakish. "That Dragon Princess sister has quite the charm. My father's mount is a Savage Dragon—why has it never taken human form?"
If the Dragon Princess knew of Yu Qing's unrestrained thoughts beneath his earlier respectful facade, would she revert to her true form and swallow him whole?
Shi Jinyu chuckled. "The dragon race is divided into dozens of lineages—Tyrant Dragons, Winged Dragons, Savage Dragons, Responding Dragons, Flood Dragons... But only the 'Flood Dragons' can undergo Transformation, along with the legendary Divine Dragons."
"Divine Dragons are elusive, appearing only in the Nine Heavens Divine Realm. It's impossible to encounter a true one in the mortal world."
"Clearly, the Dragon Prince and Dragon Princess we just met belong to the Flood Dragon lineage."
"Why is it only Flood Dragons that can assume human form? Well, 'Flood Dragons' are also known as 'Dragons.' As spirits, they gather to form shape and scatter to return to nothingness."
"However, the dragons of the Yulan Empire are not pure-blooded descendants of true dragons. Their dragon bloodlines have grown exceedingly thin. True dragons dwell in the vast oceans, far beyond the reach of human Martial Artists."
Shi Jinyu, once he started talking, couldn't stop himself and continued, "The descendants of the Dragon Clan, known as dragon offspring, are far inferior to true dragons in terms of combat power and lifespan. Generally speaking, even lesser dragon offspring are rare, and it's impossible for them to gather in a Fifth-Grade Civilization. It must be related to the Heavenly Emperor. The homeland of the Heavenly Emperor cannot be judged by common logic."
As they spoke, the three of them entered Dragon Valley. From a distance, they spotted the Nie Sisters of the Tianyin Sect, who had arrived at Dragon Valley ahead of them, standing by a turquoise lake. Behind them was a cliff, with a waterfall cascading down its face, creating a murmuring sound of flowing water.
Nie Lanxin was entirely enveloped in Profound Qi, her delicate and graceful figure appearing hazy. With a veil covering her face, she stood by the lakeside like a beauty straight out of a painting. The spring night in the cave two days prior seemed to have left no shadow in her heart.
Nie Lanzhi stood beside Nie Lanxin, petite and pure, her large golden eyes blinking. When she noticed Ning Xiaochuan and the other two arriving at the lake, her lips twitched slightly. She wanted to step forward and express her gratitude to Ning Xiaochuan. Unaware of what had transpired between Ning Xiaochuan and her sister, she only knew that he had saved her sister and felt deeply thankful toward him. However, she hesitated and withdrew her foot, as there were other talents from various factions by the lake. She didn’t dare to show any familiarity with Ning Xiaochuan.
One belonged to the imperial court, the other to a sect—if they appeared too close, it would undoubtedly invite unnecessary trouble.
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