While the player is in Battle Through the Heavens, the system is in The Great Ruler.

Chapter 266 Zi Yan: "What? You're not convinced?"

Soon after, in a void.

Zi Yan, holding Lu Yu's hand, moved freely through the spatial turbulence. A faint silver light emanated from her, and wherever she passed, the violent spatial forces became docile.

“Look, we’re at Donglong Island again.” Zi Yan pointed to the familiar glowing island in the distance, her tone relaxed. “Those three old guys are definitely going to start nagging again this time.”

Lu Yu gazed at Dragon Island, enveloped by a spatial barrier in the distance, a slight smile playing on his lips. He had visited this island several times before, but each time he saw its majestic dragon-shaped outline, he was still amazed by the grandeur of the Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void.

As the two passed through the spatial barrier, three familiar figures were already waiting for them.

"Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor, Pavilion Master Lu!"

Elder Qingshan led the way, followed by Elders Qingmu and Zhuli, who bowed in unison. Although their manners were impeccable, a hint of helplessness flickered in all three elders' eyes when they saw the two holding hands.

"Alright, alright, stop standing there."

Zi Yan waved her hand and pulled Lu Yu straight toward the Dragon Emperor's Palace. "Since you're all here, let's talk about the situation of the other three Dragon Islands."

The three elders exchanged wry smiles upon hearing this, but could only nod in agreement and respectfully welcome the two into Dragon Island.

Inside the magnificent Dragon Emperor Palace, Zi Yan leaned lazily against the Dragon Emperor's throne, with Lu Yu sitting beside her. Three elders stood below, their expressions respectful yet worried.

“Speak,” Zi Yan tapped the armrest lightly with her fingertips, “what have those three old guys been up to lately?”

Elder Qingshan stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the Dragon Emperor, West Dragon Island and North Dragon Island have been in frequent contact recently. Although South Dragon Island has not made a clear statement, according to reports from our spies, the three major dragon islands seem to be secretly joining forces..."

Elder Aoki stroked his beard and sighed, then said, "We are worried that they are going to join forces against Donglong Island. After all, His Majesty the Dragon Emperor has just broken through to the fifth-star Dou Sheng realm, and they must feel threatened."

Elder Zhuli nodded and said, "Moreover, according to reliable sources, the three Dragon Kings have been intensifying their military training recently, and they will probably take action soon."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yan's lips curled into a cold smile: "It seems these old fellows can't sit still anymore. I haven't even gone to settle accounts with them yet, and they've already lost their composure."

She turned to look at Lu Yu, a sly glint in her eyes: "That's fine too, it saves us the trouble of going to each of them one by one."

Lu Yu looked at the three elders and asked in a gentle voice, "I wonder what the top combat forces of the other three Dragon Islands are like now?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Qingshan frowned and said, "The three Dragon Kings have all cultivated to the late stage of the Three-Star Dou Sheng realm, with the Northern Dragon King being the most powerful. The Great Elder of the Western Dragon Island, Zhu Mu, and the Great Elder of the Southern Dragon Island, Lie Shan, are both in the mid-stage of the Two-Star Dou Sheng realm, while the Great Elder of the Northern Dragon Island, Xuan Yan, has reached the late stage of the Two-Star Dou Sheng realm."

Elder Aoki added, "In addition, the commanders of the three Dragon Islands are also two-star Dou Sheng level experts, and each of them has several one-star Dou Sheng level elders."

Elder Zhuli looked worried: "If the three Dragon Islands join forces, their top combat power is indeed not to be underestimated."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu nodded and said, "In other words, the other side has a total of three three-star Dou Sheng, six two-star Dou Sheng, and several one-star Dou Sheng level experts."

Zi Yan toyed with the ends of her hair, saying casually, "With this little strength, you dare to covet Donglong Island? I, the Emperor, can take care of it all by myself..."

Lu Yu shook his head slightly: "The number of Dou Sheng experts on the other side is indeed far greater than ours. More importantly, the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan cannot afford internal strife; capturing them alive is far more important than killing them."

He looked around at everyone and continued, "What we want is to unify Dragon Island, not to exterminate our own kind. If we go on a killing spree, even if we unify Dragon Island, the Ancient Dragon Clan of the Void will be severely weakened."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yan slightly pursed her lips: "Then what do you suggest we do?"

Lu Yu said calmly, "I have set up a spirit array on Donglong Island that can trap a mid-level Dou Sheng. Since they want to join forces to attack, we might as well invite them into the trap."

He looked at the three elders: "At that time, we only need to feign weakness and wait for them all to enter the range of the spirit array before we can wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yan smiled slightly: "That is indeed an effortless method."

Elder Qingshan pondered, "However, the three Dragon Kings have all lived for thousands of years and are very experienced. It might not be so easy to make them obediently fall into the trap..."

Lu Yu calmly replied, "This is not difficult. We can spread the word that a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit tree was found by chance on Donglong Island, and a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit is about to ripen on the tree."

Zi Yan nodded in understanding: "That's indeed a good idea. The Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit has a fatal attraction for the Ancient Dragon of the Void. Those old guys will definitely be unable to resist once they hear this news."

She then raised an eyebrow and asked, "But where are we going to find a second Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit?"

Lu Yu smiled calmly: "I don't need a real Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit. I happen to have a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit tree in my hand, and I have seen the real Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit with my own eyes. I know its shape and aura very well, which is enough to make a replica that even a three-star Dou Sheng would find difficult to distinguish from the real thing."

"But what if they are afraid of the Dragon Emperor's strength and dare not come?" Elder Qingmu cautiously raised his concerns.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu chuckled and said, "They dare to secretly join forces now, preparing to strike first. With the temptation of the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, how could they possibly resist?"

He paused, then continued his analysis: "Moreover, we can deliberately spread the news that the fruit is about to ripen. If they wait until the fruit is fully ripe and consumed by the Dragon Emperor, they will have no chance left. This sense of urgency is enough to make them take the risk."

The group exchanged glances, all seeing agreement in each other's eyes, and nodded in unison.

……

Several days later, North Dragon Island.

The entire Dragon Island was shrouded in a gray mist, with jagged black rocks rising like the spine of a giant dragon. The palace complex was built against the mountain, and the bone bells hanging from the eaves made a crisp sound in the cold wind.

At this moment, two dazzling beams of light descended before the Dragon Island Palace. One golden beam transformed into a burly man wearing a crown, while the other gray beam coalesced into a gloomy-faced man in a green robe.

The two stepped into the main hall, where they saw a man in a black dragon robe sitting in the main seat. His face was warm and smiling, but there was a faint chill in his eyes.

The burly man wearing a crown spoke in a booming voice: "Northern Dragon King, what is the matter that you have summoned us here in such a hurry?"

The man sitting in the main seat smiled slightly, and with a light tap of his fingertip, an image of the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit Tree appeared on a light screen: "East Dragon Island has obtained a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit Tree, and the fruit is about to ripen."

The man in the green robe's pupils contracted slightly, his voice hoarse: "Is the news true?"

"Multiple sources have confirmed that it is indeed true." The Northern Dragon King said gently, "That person is currently in seclusion, which is the perfect opportunity to make a move."

The man in the green robe pondered for a moment and said, "That new Dragon Emperor is said to be a five-star Dou Sheng. How should we deal with him?"

The Northern Dragon King's lips curled into a meaningful smile: "I have my own plans. At that time, the two of you only need to restrain the other forces on Eastern Dragon Island. Once Eastern Dragon Island is destroyed, that girl will be powerless to fight alone, and the Dragon Emperor's position will naturally become a mere formality."

He glanced at the two of them and said in a gentle tone, "As for the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, let's divide it equally among the three families. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The burly man burst into laughter upon hearing this: "Just what I wanted! It's long overdue to teach those ungrateful bastards from Donglong Island a lesson!"

He secretly thought to himself, "Once we conquer Donglong Island, I'll be the first to grab the Origin Fruit and devour it. Let's see what you can do to me then!"

The man in the green robe gave a cold snort without expression: "I have no objection either."

He secretly pondered, "Would that old fox, the Northern Dragon King, truly intend to divide it equally? He must be keeping something in reserve. However... I am not just a figurehead."

The Northern Dragon King took in their expressions, his smile growing even more gentle, while inwardly he sneered, "Two fools, once you're both severely injured, the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit and the Dragon Emperor's throne will ultimately be mine." He clapped his hands lightly, and immediately, the sound of orderly footsteps echoed outside the hall: "Since you two have no objections, we will march on Eastern Dragon Island in three days. At that time... we will have to rely on you both greatly."

……

Soon after,

Inside the Dragon Emperor's Palace on Donglong Island, Lu Yu and Zi Yan stood in front of a huge star map.

“The Zhou Tian Star Locking Spirit Array has been set up,” Lu Yu said, his fingertips tracing the shimmering points of light on the star map. “Once they step into the array, they will find it difficult to escape.”

Zi Yan nodded slightly, about to speak.

Suddenly, a deafening dragon's roar and the clash of weapons erupted outside the hall. The two exchanged a glance, a look of surprise flashing in their eyes.

At this moment, in the void surrounding Donglong Island, a massive, dark army of dragons blotted out the sky, their dragon might pressing down on the entire void as if it were a tangible force.

The three Dragon Kings hovered in front of the formation, followed by dozens of powerful Dragon Clan elders, each surrounded by energy fluctuations at the Dou Sheng level.

Elder Qingshan led the elders of Donglong Island in a state of high alert before the protective array, his white beard billowing amidst the turbulent energy: "Why have the three Dragon Kings arrived at the same time? Why have they raised an army to invade my Donglong Island?"

The Northern Dragon King stepped forward slowly, his black dragon robe fluttering in the air, and a warm smile on his face: "Elder Qingshan, you flatter us. We came to congratulate you on obtaining the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, such a rare treasure of heaven and earth."

His gaze swept over the Donglong Island members who were on high alert, his tone gentle yet sharp: "Such a treasure concerns the rise and fall of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan, so it should be jointly managed by the four Dragon Islands, shouldn't it?"

"Insolence!" Elder Qingshan roared, "How dare you covet what belongs to His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!"

Just then, the Western Dragon King suddenly attacked. His golden dragon claws tore through the void, accompanied by a piercing explosion: "Why waste words with him, you old bastard, get out of my way!"

"Elder, be careful!" Elder Zhuli exclaimed in alarm.

Elder Qingshan hurriedly circulated his battle qi, unleashing azure dragon seals with both palms. The two forces collided violently, distorting space. Then, the Western Dragon King grinned maliciously, his dragon claws suddenly erupting with blinding golden light—

"puff!"

Elder Qingshan spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the mountains deep within Dragon Island, stirring up clouds of dust.

"Pathetic." The Western Dragon King retracted his claws and stood there, his face full of arrogance.

The Dragon King of the South gave a sinister smile, and thousands of poisonous mists flew out from his sleeves: "Kill! Leave no one alive!"

"Protect Dragon Island!" Elder Qingmu roared, leading the strongmen of East Dragon Island to form a battle formation to meet the enemy.

……

At this moment, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. Hei Qing strode into the hall, his expression solemn: "Reporting to the Dragon Emperor and Pavilion Master Lu, the allied forces of the three Dragon Islands have broken through the outer defenses and are approaching the Dragon Emperor's Palace."

Lu Yu and Zi Yan exchanged a glance, both of them understanding. The shouts of battle outside the hall grew closer, and the faint sounds of colliding energy could be heard.

Lu Yu stared at the moving dots of light on the star map; those dots representing the enemy forces were rapidly advancing towards the center of Dragon Island. He calmly asked, "Have all the Dou Sheng powerhouses from the three Dragon Islands entered the formation?"

Hei Qing hurriedly reported: "The three Dragon Kings and most of their Dou Sheng subordinates have landed on the island, but the Great Elder of North Dragon Island, Xuan Yan, is still guarding outside the island with three one-star Dou Sheng elders, seemingly in preparation for any unforeseen events."

"They are cautious, indeed." Lu Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.

Zi Yan slowly rose, a cold smile playing on her lips: "Since they dare not come in, then I, the Emperor, will personally 'invite' them into the formation."

Lu Yu nodded slightly and said, "Go and come back quickly."

As Zi Yan transformed into a silver light and streaked out of the main hall, Lu Yu formed hand seals, and his fighting spirit surged like a river.

In an instant, the entire Donglong Island lit up with dazzling starlight, and countless rays of starlight rose from the island, weaving into an impenetrable net of stars in the sky.

The Zhou Tian Star Locking Spirit Array was activated with a roar, enveloping the entire world in the power of stars.

The three Dragon Kings, who were rampaging through Dragon Island, suddenly changed their expressions. The Western Dragon King punched at the suddenly appearing starlight barrier, but was forced back several steps by the force of the impact, exclaiming in shock and anger, "This is... an array?! When was it set up?"

The Southern Dragon King attempted to activate the poisonous mist, only to find that the surrounding space had been completely sealed off, with even the slightest flow of energy being imprisoned.

He looked at the Northern Dragon King with a grim face: "We've been ambushed!"

Even the ever-composed Northern Dragon King finally changed his expression. He looked around at the increasingly dense starlight curtain and said in an icy voice, "We've fallen into a trap! This is a trap specifically prepared for us."

At this moment, Elder Xuanyan outside the island saw the starlight screen that suddenly rose up, and his expression changed drastically. Just as he was about to warn the island, a silver figure quietly appeared behind them.

Zi Yan stood in mid-air, her dragon and phoenix robes shimmering under the starlight, a half-smile playing on her lips: "Since you've come, why linger outside?"

Elder Xuan Yan's pupils constricted sharply, and he shouted sternly, "Form the formation!"

The four Battle Saints immediately formed a battle formation, and their immense battle energy converged into a thick energy barrier.

A hint of excitement flashed in Zi Yan's eyes, and she charged forward like lightning. She completely ignored the opponent's defensive formation and directly punched the energy barrier.

"boom!"

The solid energy barrier shattered like glass under her fist. Elder Xuan Yan was the first to be hit, his chest struck solidly by the punch, and he was sent flying backward like a cannonball.

"Lu Yu, catch it!"

Zi Yan shouted, her figure never stopping. She threw out her left fist, sending the elder on the left coughing up blood and flying backward; her right fist followed closely behind, and the other two elders had no time to react before being blasted towards the formation by the violent force of the fist.

The four Battle Saints, like sandbags, streaked through the air in four disheveled trajectories as they plummeted towards Dragon Island.

On Dragon Island, Lu Yu stood at the core of the formation, calmly observing the scene. Just as the four were about to collide with the light barrier, he subtly moved his mind, and the starlight barrier opened a gap at the opportune moment, precisely drawing the four into the formation.

Four star chains shot out in response, coiling around their limbs like silver snakes. The runes on the chains lit up one by one, and as the silver light flowed, they had firmly bound the four of them.

Zi Yan landed lightly and casually clapped her hands: "These few are yours to deal with."

Lu Yu nodded slightly, manipulating the chains to suspend the four people in mid-air. Elder Xuan Yan coughed up blood, struggling to raise his head: "Such brute force... how is that possible..."

He stared intently at Zi Yan, his voice hoarse: "You are the new Dragon Emperor of Donglong Island?"

Zi Yan raised an eyebrow, put her hands on her hips, and slightly raised her chin: "What? You're not convinced?"

(End of this chapter)