Chapter 31: The Divine Dragon in the Clouds

Chapter 31: The Divine Dragon in the Clouds

All things in heaven and earth possess spiritual energy, and the Mystic Wood is capable of gathering this energy. Where the Mystic Wood grows, the land transforms into a "Spiritual Land," becoming a sacred place exceptionally suited for martial artists to cultivate.

Many powerful marquis houses and martial sects of the Yulan Empire scour the world in search of Mystic Wood, all for the sake of altering their fortunes and establishing a sacred cultivation ground that gathers vast energy from all directions.

The Jian Pavilion Marquis House cultivates a "Golden-Threaded Purple Wood," rumored to have been planted over 800 years ago. It is the very foundation of the marquis house's legacy.

Legend has it that the Golden-Threaded Purple Wood was planted within the "Jian Pavilion."

Yet, within the marquis house, no one knows where this "Jian Pavilion" is located.

This alone demonstrates the value of a living Mystic Wood—undoubtedly ten or even a hundred times more precious than a single piece of Mystic Wood. It is a sacred treasure that countless great families would fight madly to possess.

Ning Xiaochuan spent an entire half-day carefully excavating all the roots of the Blood Toad Wood. The longest root measured a staggering 17 meters.

Carrying the Blood Toad Wood, which weighed several thousand kilograms, Ning Xiaochuan struggled to climb the cliff, panting heavily. Had his cultivation not advanced to the Eighth Level of Profound Qi, he might have had to dismember the tree to bring it to the cliff's summit.

That would have been a great pity, as the value of the Blood Toad Wood would have diminished by at least tenfold.

Murong Wushuang practiced the "Turtle Breath Immobility Art" at the edge of the cliff. His body lay motionless on the ground like a mystic turtle, with waves of Profound Qi swirling around him, forming a massive dome of energy.

The wound on his neck had already scabbed over and begun to heal.

The so-called "Turtle Breath Immobility" involved breathing, resting, and circulating energy like a mystic turtle, achieving harmony between heaven and man. This allowed one to commune with the Profound Qi of the world, drawing it into the body more swiftly and converting it into one's own Martial Arts Profound Qi.

Over a century ago, the armies of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House besieged a rebellious sect, slaughtering all its experts and plundering its treasures—Green Gold, Mystic Stones, artifacts, cultivation techniques, and ancient texts—all of which were hauled back to the marquis house's treasury.

The "Turtle Breath Immobility Art" was one such technique, originally cultivated by a peerless expert of that sect.

Ning Xiaochuan observed him silently, thinking to himself, This boy's talent is truly extraordinary. To master the basics of the Turtle Breath Immobility Art so quickly... If he were to consume Heart Nurturing Liquid and Blood Nourishing Liquid daily, breaking through to the Ninth Level of Profound Qi within three months would be effortless.

Merely by practicing the most basic cultivation manual, "Heaven and Earth Profound Qi," he had reached the Seventh Level of Profound Qi by the age of fifteen—a feat that was nothing short of astonishing.

Had he not concealed his cultivation all this time, he would have long been recruited by the marquis houses, becoming a disciple of nobility or a saintly martial apprentice.

Sensing Ning Xiaochuan's presence, Murong Wushuang opened his eyes. Upon spotting the enormous Blood Toad Wood beside Ning Xiaochuan, he was utterly stunned and exclaimed excitedly, "Such a massive piece of Blood Toad Wood—how much money could this fetch?"

Ning Xiaochuan said, "Living Mystic Wood is a priceless treasure that cannot be bought even with money. It can alter the fortune of an entire region, transforming it into 'Sacred Soil.' Let's go! We must leave this place quickly. Since the manager of the Mystic Leaf Pavilion could follow us here, it means others in the Mystic Leaf Pavilion must also know about this. If they notice Cui Buping hasn’t returned for a long time, they might send other experts after us."

Just as Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Wushuang were about to leave, a deafening dragon roar echoed across the sky!

"ROAR!"

The roar shook the heavens and earth, like a thunderclap, tearing apart the clouds.

A single roar alone was enough to make Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Wushuang’s legs go weak, forcing them to kneel on one knee, barely supporting themselves with their hands to keep from collapsing.

"CRACKLE!"

The entire sky darkened, thick with clouds, as hundreds of lightning bolts weaved through them.

Faintly, a colossal dragon could be seen flying amidst the clouds, spewing lightning from its mouth as it attacked another figure—a black-clad man soaring through the clouds.

The black-clad man rode atop a Winged Serpent, its body stretching over a hundred meters long, a behemoth capable of spewing flames and poisonous mist!

These were two supreme powerhouses locked in battle, their mere residual energy pressing down so heavily that even cultivators in the Profound Qi Realm couldn’t stand upright.

It was as if two deities were clashing in the heavens, forcing mortals to gaze up in awe.

"Yue Wuyang, I never expected you to have reached this level," the black-clad man standing on the Winged Serpent’s back spoke, seemingly injured. His pitch-black eyes fixed on the dragon in the clouds—no, more precisely, on the towering figure standing atop the dragon’s head.

Atop the dragon’s head stood a young man.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he exuded an air of unrivaled pride. He appeared remarkably young, dressed in white robes, like an immortal banished from the clouds.

Yue Wuyang!

Could this be the youngest Martial Venerable of the Jade Orchid Imperial Palace—the Cloud Marquis, Yue Wuyang!

Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Wushuang were stunned, sitting on the ground as they looked up at the sky, staring at the colossal dragon and the legendary figure standing upon it—the most fabled figure of the Jade Orchid Imperial Palace, the idol countless youths strived to emulate, the hero worshipped by countless prodigies.

The Cloud Marquis!

"So Yue Wuyang is a Dragon Warrior," Murong Wushuang murmured, his eyes filled with longing. He had always believed every Dragon Warrior was a mythical figure, a true peerless hero.

In the sky, Yue Wuyang glared imperiously at the black-robed man and declared, "Tianchenzi, you might as well surrender! The South Mountain Branch of your Dark Emperor City has already been uprooted by the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion and the Crimson Armor Battalion. If you tell me the location of the Dark Emperor City’s headquarters, I can personally plead for leniency before the Emperor and grant you a chance to redeem yourself."

Ning Xiaochuan’s heart trembled in astonishment. So, a branch of the Dark Emperor City had been established in South Moon Mountain. It seemed the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial and Crimson Armor forces he had seen at the South Mountain Gathering were there to besiege a branch of the Dark Emperor City, not its headquarters.

Tianchenzi sneered coldly, "Yue Wuyang, are you joking? You actually want me to betray the Necropolis Lord? Opposing the Necropolis Lord—even you would find it impossible to escape death."

"Is that so? I truly don’t believe it. Since you’re so stubborn, I’ll have to send you on your way." Yue Wuyang extended his palm forward, and surging Earth Martial Essence condensed into a colossal handprint, as vast as a cloud, pressing down toward Tianchenzi.

This was a force that defied the heavens. The air compressed violently, currents clashing against each other with explosive cracks, as if the very atmosphere were about to shatter.

The entire South Moon Mountain trembled, as though a single strike from this palm could sink the peak.

Under Yue Wuyang’s overwhelming pressure, Tianchenzi didn’t even have the strength to fight back. With a wretched scream, he plummeted from the sky.

Boom!

Tianchenzi’s mount, the Winged Serpent, was instantly reduced to a bloody mist by the massive handprint, raining down in a crimson shower without leaving behind a single intact bone.

At the moment Tianchenzi fell from the sky, a hoarse and feeble voice echoed in Ning Xiaochuan’s mind— "Save... me..."

The voice seemed to whisper directly into his ear.

Ning Xiaochuan collapsed weakly to the ground, turning his head with great effort to stare at Murong Wushuang. "What did you just say?"

Murong Wushuang, also sprawled on the ground, replied blankly, "I didn’t say anything!"

Though both of them were considered exceptional talents among the younger generation, the sheer aura unleashed by Yue Wuyang’s palm strike had pinned them to the ground, rendering them completely immobile.

"How strange... Who was that voice just now? Was it Tianchenzi? Or perhaps a ghost of the mountain?" Ning Xiaochuan’s gaze shifted to the enormous Dragon in the sky. Only half of its head emerged from the clouds, yet its presence dominated the heavens, cowing every living creature on South Moon Mountain into submission.

Standing atop the Dragon’s head, Yue Wuyang absorbed the vast currents of Earth Martial Essence back into his body like flowing rivers, not sparing a single glance at the ground below.

"Tianchenzi is dead. The Dark Emperor City has lost one of its generals. To the South Mountain Branch—let’s see if the battle is over."

As if understanding his words, the Dragon beat its wings, tearing through the clouds as it swiftly soared away.

Ning Xiaochuan and Murong Wushuang remained sprawled on the ground, stunned into silence, forever unable to forget the terrifying sight of that colossal handprint.

That was true power—the kind that could suppress everything in this world.

Beneath the might of that hand, all things seemed insignificant.

"I too will become a Dragon Warrior. I too will be granted titles—Marquis, Sovereign!" Murong Wushuang’s excitement burned fiercely, his dream of strength ignited. Clenching his fists tightly, his gaze grew ever more resolute.

Murong Wushuang and Ning Xiaochuan spent only a single day leaving South Moon Mountain and returning to the small village at its base.

In that same day, Murong Wushuang had completely memorized the Turtle Breath Immobility Art and then destroyed the inscribed stone slab, swearing never to reveal the technique to anyone.

As they were leaving the small village, Ning Xiaochuan turned back to look at the towering mountain behind him, a peculiar expression flashing in his eyes as he recalled the aged voice echoing in his ears.

"Save me, save me..."

The voice continued to reverberate in Ning Xiaochuan's mind.

"Young Master, what are you still thinking about? We must return to Haitang Manor," Yu Yan called out to him. Standing beside the Green Deer Horse Carriage, her figure graceful, she turned and noticed Ning Xiaochuan lost in thought.