Journey to the head

On the second day of the second lunar month, at the Heavenly Emperor's Dragon Palace.

Jade Dragon carried Lu Qian, and led Jiang Qingfeng and Hai Shuangyao forward.

Before my eyes was an unimaginably magnificent sight. The incomparably beautiful crystal palace complex floated in the misty fairy air, connected by countless rainbow bridges. The carved beams and painted rafters, the flying eaves and brackets all shone with precious light. Coral was used as trees, pearls as lamps, and huge pearl oyster shells opened and closed, breathing out thick spiritual mist.

This ancient and pure water elemental energy made Yu Jiao, Jiang Qingfeng, and Hai Shuangyao feel very comfortable and light, and they felt invigorated with every breath.

Beneath your feet are massive white jade bricks, smooth as jade and gleaming like mirrors, stretching forward into a straight, wide avenue. On both sides of the avenue are towering golden pillars, hundreds of feet high, carved with coiled dragons, soaring phoenixes, auspicious beasts, and celestial flowers, extending straight to the end of your sight.

The top of the golden pillar was inlaid with a large, round luminous pearl and strange gemstones that emitted various colors of light, illuminating this vast space as bright as day.

This is the treasure left behind by the Heavenly Dragon Sovereign, who overturned the oceans and seas—the Heavenly Dragon Palace! A small world independent of the Yuan Chen Realm!

Unfortunately, Lu Qian and the others had no time to appreciate such a magnificent sight. His spiritual power was rapidly recovering, and he could also clearly sense a powerful spiritual pressure entering through the gate behind him.

They are four teams led by Ao Ti, Shen Jian, Ji Yunrou, and Xing Han Xuanjun respectively!

"Come on!"

Lu Qian let out a low shout, and in his sea of ​​consciousness, the Dragon Palace map, which was drawn under the supervision of Meng Chi and modified and confirmed by the other nine dragon generals, instantly unfolded, showing a full four-fifths of the region in exquisite detail.

Every level, test, trap, puzzle, as well as every opportunity, treasure, and legacy, is dazzling with golden light!

At that moment, he pulled up a map in his mind and instantly locked onto a location, leading the group in a rapid sprint.

With a flash of light, Ao Ti, like a bolt of lightning tearing through space, rushed through the gates of the Dragon Palace.

His silver armor clanged, and his golden eyes, sharp as lightning, locked onto Lu Qian and his three companions who were fleeing. Suddenly, his bloodline stirred, and upon sensing this, he was filled with disbelief, shock, and anger.

Not only that human male cultivator, but also the one with the golden tree branch in his hand, was able to destroy the golden light of the immortal artifact, the magic conch, and directly sever the spiritual vein passage.

It wasn't just that one pure-blooded jade dragon; despite possessing such a bloodline talent, it became a traitor to the dragon race and a lackey of the human race.

There's one more person! The older human female cultivator we overlooked earlier.

The aura of a high-ranking dragon emanated from her was so intense. Moreover, her bloodline aura seemed to subtly surpass that of his own.

Although it is not as pure and flawless as mine, it is actually a true dragon bloodline that is more ancient, more mysterious, and more noble than the blood of the Bixie!
Are you kidding me, this woman!

She's actually a descendant of a true dragon!

The dragon princes following behind Ao Ti were also shocked, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

How is this going!

I've never heard of the True Dragon Heavenly Lord having a romantic entanglement that left such a legacy among the human race.

A mysterious male cultivator with a golden branch, a pure-blooded jade dragon who betrayed the dragon clan, and a female cultivator with the blood of a true dragon.
Ao Ti suddenly felt that the trip to the Dragon Palace was shrouded in gloom, and his heart sank.

"Chase them! Capture them!"

His voice carried suppressed anger and undeniable authority. Behind him, the remaining dragon princes were gathering, and people from the sea tribes and the hundred tribes of the underworld were also entering the Dragon Palace, causing some chaos at the palace gates.

But Ao Ti didn't have time to wait for the dragon sons to finish assembling. Seeing that Lu Qian and the others had already rushed far away, lightning exploded under his feet, and his speed soared to the extreme, transforming him into a streak of silver lightning.

Then, palace illusions rose from the ground, and the phantoms of ten thousand dragons stood solemnly on pillars. The phantom of the majestic Dragon Court's domain appeared and disappeared in mid-air, and the pressure of the roaring dragons surged towards Lu Qian and his companions like a tidal wave.

Unfortunately, the Dragon Palace is filled with immortal restrictions, which prohibit flying. The higher one goes, the greater the resistance. Once one's primordial spirit cultivation reaches three zhang high, it becomes difficult to move an inch. Only by staying close to the ground can one unleash their speed.

Otherwise, the light would pierce through the air from top to bottom, capturing them like an eagle hunting a rabbit!
But it doesn't matter.

No matter how mysterious their origins are, they are ultimately only at the Nascent Soul stage. How could they possibly escape my control?

In addition, I have a map of the Dragon Palace compiled from the direct descendants of my nine ancestors, with all the key passages clearly marked on the paper. Capturing you will be a piece of cake!
A huge map of the Dragon Palace had already unfolded in his mind, with the main roads, buildings, and the mechanisms and challenges that had been discovered marked.

The Dragon Palace is the sacred site where the True Dragon Heavenly Lord and the Nine Great Dragon Ancestors passed down their lineage, and it is a place of testing for future generations of dragon sons and grandsons. Only by passing the test of their ancestors can they obtain those incomparably mysterious treasures.

For 20,000 years, the first generation of those who entered the palace set out in complete ignorance and darkness, striving to explore this vast celestial palace that spanned thousands of miles.

With the intention of benefiting those who come after, each generation of those who enter the palace will record the maps and checkpoints they have explored in their memories, and will also try their best to describe the tests they have not yet passed, explaining their conjectures and suggestions.

Although each session lasts only thirty-three days, after twenty thousand years, they have finally cleared away a layer of the mystery surrounding the Dragon Palace, gained a general understanding of its overall appearance, and found ways to overcome many of the trials.

Originally, there were some grudges among the nine sects, and they would hide something on the map.

But this time was different. Under the command of the ancestor Bixi, the nine veins were united for a common and lofty goal, and the map of the Dragon Palace was more detailed than ever before.

The dragon clan's high command proudly declared that they had mastered two-fifths of the Dragon Palace's secrets!
How exciting!

Ao Ti's eyes flashed with lightning as he rapidly closed the distance between himself and Lu Qian and the others.

Human cultivators!

Regardless of your origins, I stand on the shoulders of my predecessors, bearing the hopes of the entire clan, and have taken on this great mission. With the Dragon Palace map here, let's see where you can escape to!
The difference between the Nascent Soul and the Primordial Spirit was laid bare at this moment. The majestic dragon might and chilling killing intent put immense pressure on Lu Qian and the others, causing their spiritual energy to stagnate.

"Lu Qian!" Hai Shuangyao exclaimed in surprise. She had her own trump card for survival bestowed by her great-grandfather, but was she going to use it now?
"Follow me!" Lu Qian shouted, abruptly changing direction and veering off the wide central avenue, rushing onto a rainbow bridge. The rainbow bridge meandered, flanked by turquoise pools filled with sculptures made of jewels and gold. At the end of the bridge was a viewing platform surrounded by water and shrouded in mist.

This area was clearly marked on the dragon map that Ao Ti possessed as "Beautiful scenery, but no opportunities. The water in the pool is bound by a restriction; touching it will cause harm."

"Heh, panicked and reckless?" Ao Ti sneered inwardly, increasing his speed even further. Behind him, several Nascent Soul Dragon Princes followed closely, their spiritual pressure forming a dense mass, like dark clouds pressing down from above.

As the distance between them continued to close, Ao Ti's sharp gaze could even see Lu Qian's hair being blown by the strong wind.

He raised his arm, and the Azure Sea Thunder Halberd crackled with thunder and roared like a dragon. But then he thought that these few human Nascent Soul cultivators might not be able to withstand the power of his halberd and would be directly blasted apart, so that the secrets on their bodies could not be solved.

So Ao Ti pointed, and the spirit artifact above his head, the Bi'an Prison Suppressing Seal, roared and was about to fly up and strike Lu Qian. Just then!

Lu Qian and his three companions suddenly leaped from the Rainbow Bridge into the pool!
Ao Ti frowned. If these cultivators were injured by the pool's restrictions, it would take some effort to heal them; otherwise, how could he question them?

Huh?
Instead of rushing into the water, Lu Qian and his three companions stepped onto a sculpture inlaid with pearls and jade.

The statue depicts a scene of the ancient ferocious beast, the Golden-haired Hou, resembling a Qilin with flowing golden mane, battling a giant dragon. The two are locked in a stalemate, and the battle has entered its most intense phase.

Without hesitation, Lu Qian unleashed a five-colored divine light from his palm, and with a heavy slash, the golden-haired beast's head was severed!
In an instant, the pool water boiled, and a whirlpool suddenly opened. Just as the Bixie Prison Seal took flight, Lu Qian and the other three plunged headfirst into the whirlpool!
With a muffled boom, the power of the Prison Suppression Seal swept across, and the clear water in the pool surged up and down like a torrential downpour.

At that very instant, a powerful wave surged through the Prison Suppression Seal, and the mighty Dragon Court could not withstand it in the slightest, crashing heavily into Ao Ti's chest!
Ao Ti let out a muffled groan, a metallic taste rising in his throat.

The map is correct; the pool is protected by a true dragon, and touching it will cause harm!
He endured the pain and quickly reached the edge of the pool. When he looked down again, he saw that the water was as smooth as a mirror and the pool water was crystal clear. There was no trace of Lu Qian and the others.

How...how is this possible?!
Ao Ti felt a tightness in his chest, and a trickle of blood seeped from his lips. His eyes widened, golden lightning crackling within them, as he stared incredulously at the headless golden-haired beast statue. Then, with a flick of his halberd, he cleaved the golden-haired beast in two.

But this time, nothing changed. Lu Qian and the others had completely vanished without a trace.

It's a secret passage to the Dragon Palace! A secret passage that our predecessors had never discovered in the past 20,000 years!

How would mere humans know about this secret passage? Was it just good luck?
That's impossible. Those people rushed here in one go, their goal was clear and they didn't hesitate for a second.

Ao Ti was still reeling from the massive impact when the dragon princes who had followed him also witnessed what had just happened. They used their respective methods to smash the sculptures in the pool to pieces, wanting to see what they could gain.

"live--"

Before Ao Ti could even utter the word "hand," a dragon prince smashed the giant dragon confronting the golden-haired beast to pieces. Then, in full view of everyone, he let out a scream and was instantly teleported to an unknown location.

Only a few dragon princes remained, looking at each other in bewilderment, and immediately withdrew their spiritual power.

……

At the entrance to the Dragon Palace, Shenjian and his companions had gathered. In the end, only three people, including Shenjian, were able to enter the Dragon Palace, all of whom were at the Nascent Soul stage.

The naked, muscular giant glanced around and saw that the dragon princes had followed Ao Ti and chased people to who-knows-where. Ji Yunrou of the Hundred Races had just entered the gate and seemed to be overwhelmed by the sight of the Dragon Palace, still looking it up and down. Meanwhile, the human prodigies such as Xinghan Xuanjun were a step behind and were undergoing inspection outside the gate with their Ascension Certificates.

A surge of joy welled up within me—what a great opportunity!

He strode forward with two companions to the center of the entrance plaza, in front of a prominent stone platform.

The stone platform is dark gold in color, and its surface is covered with battle marks that look like they were cleaved by knives and axes. In the center of the platform is a rusty bronze spear that exudes an astonishing aura of menace.

Behind the spear stood a lifelike stone statue of a lion, its appearance fierce and imposing, as if it were about to come to life and pounce on the intruders.

This is the Suanni Battle Platform, passed down from generation to generation!

A glint of light flashed in Shen Jian's eyes. Excellent! It hadn't been used by anyone else yet!
This was a test set by Suanni, one of the nine sons of the Dragon King, ranked fifth. He placed his test directly at the entrance of the Dragon Palace.

As long as you pass the test, you will receive the Suanni's combat experience!

However, the trials of the Suanni were so powerful and formidable that the stone statue could not be subjected to them frequently. Ancient explorers had already discovered that each time the Dragon Palace opened, after undergoing one trial, the Suanni statue would fall into a state of dormancy, unable to regain its power until the Dragon Palace closed.

It's unclear how long it will take to recover, but for explorers of the Dragon Palace, the test of the Suanni will only be able to continue when the Dragon Palace reopens.

In other words, only one person every thousand years can undergo the test of the Suanni and have the opportunity to gain combat experience from the Suanni!
The Suanni stone statue is placed at the main entrance. Whether it is the dragon race, the sea race, or the human race, they all know the secret behind it. Therefore, every time the Dragon Palace is opened, they fight and compete with all their might for the right to inherit the throne.

I never expected it to be so easy this time; I managed to snag a huge bargain!

Shen Jian strode onto the dark gold stone platform, while his two companions could only watch, not daring to compete with him.

Amidst the envious gazes of his companions, Shen Jian reached out and grabbed the bronze spear, while the eyes of the Suanni stone statue suddenly lit up with a dazzling red light!

"Roar--!"

This roar reverberated through their souls; it wasn't a physical sound wave, but a pure surge of battle intent. The two observing sea creature primordial spirits felt a violent, fearless, and domineering battle intent slam into their souls like a giant hammer, instantly making them dizzy and causing them to involuntarily take a step back.

This is just the aftershock, yet it already possesses such power!
Shen Jian let out a low roar, his muscles bulged, and the totem patterns lit up with a ghostly blue light. Countless phantoms of sea creatures surrounded him as he roared to the sky. His indomitable sea creature fighting spirit surged up and clashed fiercely with the Suanni!

The two companions were shocked. Then, their vision blurred, and they realized they had disappeared, having been teleported to some other space.

They all knew that the test had begun.

Instead of setting up complicated puzzles, the Suanni directly attacked the challengers with the immense battle intent it left behind. Only by enduring the violent battle intent in the assessment space and surviving for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn could one gain recognition!

The two were waiting intently when they suddenly heard a soft laugh behind them. Turning around abruptly, they saw Ji Yunrou approaching with three Nascent Souls from various races.

It turns out that four members of the underground tribes successfully entered the Dragon Palace, and all of them were powerful demons with the cultivation of the primordial spirit.

"It is truly gratifying and commendable that Fellow Daoist Shenjian has taken the lead."

Having just formed an alliance with the underground races, the two sea race primordial spirits were somewhat wary.

Seeing that neither of them spoke, Ji Yunrou smiled and gently waved her hand, opening a small purple folding fan with tassels to cover half of her fair and delicate face.

"Don't be nervous. Shenjian is a fierce general of your sea tribe. I have great confidence in him."

"Besides, what you need to worry about right now isn't me, look—"

With a gentle flick of his folding fan, the expressions of the two sea creature primordial spirits changed. They saw a young man with a proud and slender figure, his head held high, enter through the gate amidst a dazzling array of starlight.

Behind him, four human primordial spirits followed.

Xinghan Xuanjun, leading the Immortal Fallen Army, entered the Dragon Palace! (End of Chapter)