Yefutidaolu

Chapter 372 Yuan Family
One day later.

At the entrance to the abyss, space distorted slightly, and a figure slowly stepped out from it.

That's a brilliant insight.

Compared to when he stepped in a day ago, his aura has undergone a complete transformation.

The aura of the seventh realm is deep and restrained, and his Qi Sea has been opened. He can now freely use martial arts internal energy. However, correspondingly, Gao Jian has also lost the ability to use magic.

He opened his Qi Sea and condensed 'martial internal energy'.

Techniques are formed by the condensation of qi, and the internal qi of martial arts is an extremely special kind of qi. This qi does not have the properties of 'materials', but is like a bomb, capable of destroying all things with orderly structures.

In fact, magic is a manifestation of this kind of ordered structure. To use an analogy, each magic is a precisely operating machine. Different types of energy have different properties, just like pistons and connecting rods, lubricating oil and fuel, wires and insulation components. They all have their own unique characteristics. By using these characteristics and assembling them, you can assemble various magics just like assembling a machine.

Moreover, some special techniques, much like alloy making, can use different basic energies to smelt special alloys or energies with unique properties, thereby constructing their own 'unique techniques', leading to even more ever-changing techniques.

This is the principle of magic. Under this principle, martial arts internal energy is an incompatible exception. If other energies can be constructed, then martial arts internal energy is like a black hole without gravity. Apart from dismantling the surrounding things, it cannot be combined with anything. Putting something that can only melt the surrounding parts into the machine will naturally cause the structure of the magic itself to collapse.

Therefore, Gao Jian has now lost all his previous ability to use magic.

But what you gain in return is the power of martial arts internal energy itself.

Like chaos, it is a kind of energy that can devour and melt all other energy. Almost any spell will simply collapse and dissipate when it faces Gao Jian. For Gao Jian, close-range defensive spells have become completely ineffective, and things like magic treasures can only rely on their own hardness to withstand it.

Unfortunately, there's no way to find someone to try it right away.

Thinking about all this, he walked out with steady steps and a deep, calm gaze, as if taking a stroll, no longer displaying the deliberate "respect" he had maintained when facing Yuan Lu.

The moment he stepped out of the entrance to the secret treasure, several sharp gazes, like searchlights, instantly focused on him!

They really were searchlights, because these gazes were 'visible'; in the dark seabed, there were indeed several beams of light shining on Gao Jian.

Beyond the hidden treasure lies the vast ocean floor. Several enormous creatures, their scales shimmering with various divine lights, dwell there.

Several true dragons, radiating blue, gold, and dark light, coiled atop the massive sea rocks surrounding the entrance, silently watching Gao Jian. Their cold, vertical pupils pierced the deep seawater, firmly locking onto him.

Seven realms!

This information struck like a silent thunderclap, exploding in the hearts of all the true dragons. They clearly sensed the stable and powerful aura emanating from Gao Jian, aura belonging to the seventh realm.

Less than a month!

It's only been less than a month!

This human brat has actually broken through to the seventh realm in such a short time since entering the Dragon Clan's secret realm?!
When he went in, he looked like he had only broken through to the sixth realm less than half a year ago, and his foundation was not very solid. How did he suddenly become like this?

What exactly happened inside? Could the divine essence of that broken eggshell truly possess such miraculous power? The dragon race has guarded it for countless years, yet they have never heard of anyone achieving such an immediate breakthrough within it!

Shock, confusion, an indescribable...jealousy? Complex emotions churned deep within the dragons' cold, vertical pupils. This human is too bizarre!

Moreover, besides him, what about Yuan Lu?

Gao Jian remained unmoved by the dragon's might that would terrify ordinary cultivators. His gaze calmly swept over the powerful dragons, his voice, though not loud, clearly pierced the water pressure and reached the ears of each dragon:

"Ancestor Yuanlu still needs to use this precious place for a period of time to meditate and comprehend the cultivation technique he has gained. This is a crucial time, so please do not disturb him."

His tone was flat, and his manner was one of "informing" rather than "requesting," which was quite irritating.

At this moment, one of the true dragons, its entire body covered in blue, glass-like scales and with prominent horns, slowly opened its mouth, its voice like muffled thunder rumbling from the seabed:
“We are here on His Majesty’s orders, not to disturb Senior Yuan Lu.” The Azure Scale True Dragon’s vertical pupils stared intently at Gao Jian with scrutiny. “His Majesty has decreed that once you come out, we will invite you to the Dragon Palace for a chat.”

Upon hearing this, Gao Jian's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Dragon King?

The image of when he first arrived at the East Sea Dragon Palace and the other party came to cause trouble flashed through his mind.

At that time, the Dragon King clearly didn't want him to come and comprehend, so he proposed to "test" Gao Jian. The terrifying will from the abyss and the phrase "test" that seemed to freeze one's soul made Gao Jian's heart pound.

Strangely, when he calmed down and prepared to face the "test," the other party simply said that he had "passed" and then let him in.

This matter is already extremely strange. How could someone like the Dragon King of the East Sea act so half-heartedly? Now that he has just come out, he is immediately invited to the Dragon Palace... What exactly is he up to?

Did they sense something amiss within the secret treasure? Or do they have ulterior motives?
Gao Jian's mind raced, countless thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant. In his current state, although he had broken through to the seventh realm and possessed a rare treasure like the Rusty Blade, he was still like an ant gazing at the sky when facing an unfathomable being like the Dragon King.

To refuse rashly, or even anger the other party, is tantamount to courting death.

However, at this point, he had no other choice.

He no longer needed to concern himself with Yuan Lu's affairs. The layout of Youming Land was mostly completed, and he had nowhere to go for the time being. Rather than being suspicious, he should face it calmly. At least, the Dragon King did not seem to have any obvious malice.

"I see." Gao Jian's doubts quickly disappeared, and he regained his previous calm. He bowed slightly towards the direction of the Azure Scaled Dragon, his posture neither humble nor arrogant. "Since the Dragon King has invited me, how could I dare to refuse? Then I will trouble you... to lead the way."

He asked no further questions, nor did he show any unease. This composure only intensified the scrutiny in the eyes of the dragons. The Azure-Scaled Dragon nodded its massive head slightly, letting out a low roar. Its enormous body swam down from the sea rock, stirring up surging undercurrents. It did not transform into human form, but merely gestured for Gao Jian to follow.

Without hesitation, Gao Jian moved like a nimble fish, following the enormous body of the Azure Scaled Dragon at a leisurely pace, heading towards the East Sea Dragon Palace.

The dark sea closed in behind him, and the entrance to the secret treasure gradually disappeared into the darkness. Several remaining dragons remained coiled in place, their cold gazes fixed on the direction where Gao Jian had disappeared, occasionally glancing towards the entrance to the secret treasure. A silent, heavy atmosphere filled the air.

----------

Meanwhile, Gao Jian and the Azure Scaled Dragon were already on their way.

In the deep sea, a huge azure-scaled dragon led the way, its massive body stirring the water and creating a silent undercurrent. Gao Jian followed behind unhurriedly, his demeanor relaxed, as if he were taking a stroll in his own backyard.

The silence continued, broken only by the faint sound of water flowing over scales and the hem of clothing.

Gao Jian's gaze swept over the cold dragon body ahead, and a thought flashed through his mind. Since he had nothing better to do, and the Dragon King's attitude was unclear, if he could get some information from this dragon who was leading the way, he could make plans as soon as possible.

"Ahem," Gao Jian cleared his throat, breaking the silence. His voice carried clearly through the water. "Brother Dragon, may I ask your name? The journey to the Dragon Palace is quite long. Since we have some free time, why don't we chat?"

The Azure Scaled Dragon ahead seemed surprised that Gao Jian would take the initiative to speak. Its massive body paused slightly, and then a muffled groan, clearly impatient and cold, rang out: "Hmph! You dare to speak to me first? Don't you know who I am?"

The voice carried suppressed anger.

Gao Jian raised an eyebrow slightly, but his face showed just the right amount of doubt. He asked sincerely, "Oh? Forgive my poor eyesight, but may I ask who you are?"

"My surname is Yuan!" The Azure Scaled Dragon's reply carried a deliberate emphasis.

Yuan?
Gao Jian instantly understood!

The true dragon of the Yuan family! The enemy of Dansha!
Immediately, the scene flashed through his mind: back in the East Sea, he had just arrived and was blocked at the gate. Gao Jian, who was only at the third realm at the time, was at a loss for what to do when Lord Jingjiang suddenly descended and ruthlessly killed the Yuan family's true dragon that intended to harm the cinnabar. That scene, and the Yuan family's true dragon's roar before its death, remained vivid in his memory. Moreover, it was because of that battle that Gao Jian had taken a proper bath in dragon blood, which led to Doctor Bai later using that dragon blood to cleanse his injuries.

The one in front of me is from the same clan as the other party.

However, Gao Jian's facial expression control was impeccable. He first paused for a perfectly timed "stunned" moment, then immediately adopted a look of "surprised" realization, even his tone becoming somewhat "warm":
"Oh my! It's Brother Long from the Yuan family! My apologies for not recognizing you!" He cupped his hands in greeting, as if he had met an old acquaintance. "Then isn't he a cousin of Senior Yuan Lu? It's like the flood washed away the Dragon King's temple, we're family and we don't even recognize each other! Senior Yuan Lu is currently in seclusion in your esteemed place. When he emerges from seclusion after his success, we must get to know each other better!"

This series of "family reunion" tactics clearly took the other party somewhat by surprise.

“You…!” The Azure Scaled Dragon suddenly turned its head.

After a moment of stunned silence, he opened his vertical pupils and stared at Gao Jian. The anger in his eyes was almost bursting out, and the temperature around him seemed to drop several degrees!
It was clearly speechless at the insightful answer.

Yuan Lu? He didn't realize he was talking about the Shun family.
It would be strange if someone didn't know; this person definitely knows, they're just trying to fool me!
It held its breath for a few moments before finally squeezing out a dry, slurred sentence: "Yuan Lu... that's a title! His real name... isn't Yuan!" Even it felt incredibly aggrieved and absurd saying this. It had intended to use this identity to intimidate Gao Jian, but instead, it was rendered speechless by the other party's use of the "Yuan Lu" title.

"Oh? I see!" Gao Jian nodded as if he had just realized something, a sincere smile of "I've learned something" on his face. "Thank you for reminding me, brother! I was ignorant. I will remember this favor."

He spoke casually, as if he truly owed the other party a tremendous favor.

This series of combined attacks left even the Yuan family's true dragon somewhat bewildered by Gao Jian's slippery, feigning ignorance yet subtly cunning attitude.

It felt that the situation had completely deviated from its expectations, and if things continued like this, it would become the one being led by the nose.

The massive dragon's body thrashed restlessly in the sea, stirring up a chaotic eddy. It decided to stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point, its voice carrying a suppressed coldness:
"Hmph! Clever talker! Stop pretending! I don't believe you don't remember what Lord Jingjiang did! You're trying to talk to me now just to get some information about the East China Sea so you can prepare for your next move! Let me tell you, don't even think about it! I won't tell you a single word!"

It directly reveals the purpose of the insightful observation.

Gao Jian's smile slowly faded, but didn't disappear; instead, it became somewhat amused. He looked at the enormous dragon shadow ahead, filled with wariness and hostility, and pondered for a moment.

After a few moments of silence, he suddenly asked in an extremely calm tone, as if discussing the weather:
"I see... Well then, according to the rules of your East Sea Dragon Palace..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, completely drawing the attention of the Azure Scaled Dragon.

"If I want you to talk... wouldn't it be... just to beat you up?"

"boom--!!!"

The moment the words fell, the enormous blue-scaled dragon in front of them froze in place!

The raging dragon's might erupted like a runaway tsunami! The surrounding seawater was instantly pushed aside, forming a huge vacuum sphere! The Azure Scaled True Dragon suddenly twisted its body, its ferocious head almost slamming into Gao Jian's face!

His cold, vertical pupils contracted to the size of pinpoints, burning with unbelievable rage and an extreme sense of absurdity at being provoked by ants!

"What—did—you—say—?!" Every word seemed to burst forth from the ice, pressing down fiercely on Gao Jian!

It simply couldn't believe its ears!

This human brat who has just entered the seventh realm actually dared... actually dared to say such a thing in front of it!
Beat it up?!

On the East China Sea?! Attack it?
Surname Yuan? The true dragon of the Yuan family? The enemy of Dan Sha?! (See Chapter 117 for details)
Does he still remember the Yuan family's true dragon that was killed by Lord Jingjiang?
"Give it a try, you won't lose anything. The Dragon King's orders are there, you wouldn't dare kill me. I need you to speak, but I won't kill you either. Consider it a wager for a friendly spar, how about it?" Gao Jian slowly reached out and beckoned with his finger.

(End of this chapter)