Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

The fire phoenix, carrying Xia Jin, suddenly flapped its enormous wings and soared into the sky!

The towering mountains beneath its feet rapidly shrank, transforming into a continuous expanse of small black dots. It flew southward, cutting through clouds and mist at an astonishing speed.

Xia Jin sat cross-legged atop the fire phoenix's head, frowning as she looked in the direction it was flying.

After all, in his memory, that black dragon had always been in the Blackwater Swamp in the Central Region.

"Where is that black dragon now?" Xia Jin glanced at the fire phoenix beneath her and asked calmly.

Upon hearing Xia Jin's question, Huo Feng's eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness: "That Black Dragon is currently in a swamp near the sea ahead. Several months ago, it fought with a powerful figure from the Tianqi Continent and was seriously injured. It has been hiding there to recuperate. That place has a heavy yin energy, which is most suitable for a dragon like it to heal its wounds."

"Seriously injured?" Xia Jin raised an eyebrow, as if she had thought of something.

Several months ago, a person claiming to be from the Heavenly Sword Sect of the Apocalypse Continent also descended upon the Great Xia Imperial Palace, but was killed by him.

Could it be that the person who severely injured the black dragon was also that person?

"Hmm." Fire Phoenix responded, then felt a pang of guilt towards the Black Dragon. "That guy is incredibly stubborn. He wouldn't have hidden there if he hadn't been so badly injured. In this entire Eastern Xuan Continent, the only one who knows where it is is probably my friend."

At this point, Fire Phoenix sighed inwardly.

My old friend, don't blame me this time. It's not that I want to betray you, it's just that the one above me... I can't resist him at all.

If you want to blame someone, blame our bad luck for running into such a jinx.

Just then, a gray swamp appeared on the horizon ahead.

The swamp was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was perpetually shrouded in a layer of gray-black miasma, preventing even sunlight from penetrating.

There is probably only one such swamp in the entire Eastern Xuan Continent, located so close to the sea.

We've arrived at the swamp.

The fire phoenix slowed its pace, its massive form slowly passing through the miasma and flying towards the depths of the swamp.

Meanwhile, deep within the swamp...

A huge black shadow was lurking in a bottomless swamp.

The black shadow was a hundred feet long, its entire body covered in dark purple scales. Two short horns had grown on its head; it was the black dragon that Xia Jin was searching for!

At this moment, the black dragon was closing its eyes, inhaling and exhaling the surrounding chilling energy. Although its injuries had mostly healed, it would still take quite some time to fully recover.

Suddenly, it opened its enormous, lantern-like eyes!

"Hmm!? This aura... it's that Fire Phoenix guy!"

A hint of doubt flashed in the black dragon's eyes.

"Why is Fire Phoenix here at this time? Has something happened again?"

Its enormous body began to writhe, the surrounding mud churned, and plumes of black mist rose from its body. As it rose, the mist swirled around it, making it appear from a distance as if it were riding on clouds.

The black dragon's massive body rose from the mud pit, accompanied by a misty rain.

It flew towards the direction from which the aura came and soon saw that familiar figure.

The enormous body of the fire phoenix appeared and disappeared in the miasma, and the red flames rising from its body forced the surrounding mist back several miles.

"Fire Phoenix, it's rare to see you here. What's wrong? What happened?"

The black dragon let out a deep roar, its voice carrying a hint of doubt.

However, its eyes changed as soon as it finished speaking.

Because it saw that there was a person standing on the top of the fire phoenix's head!

A human being!

And that human... why does he look so familiar?

The black dragon stared wide-eyed, trying to make out its features.

Suddenly, it shuddered!

It's him!

That human who fought it back in the Blackwater Swamp!

Strange, this is very strange.

Fire Phoenix has hated humans ever since it met them, let alone letting a human sit on its head!

The fact that a demonic beast could allow a human to sit on its back was something the Black Dragon knew all too well.

Unless it's a close relative, it means submission!

Could it be...

A glint of light suddenly flashed in the black dragon's giant eyes as it stared intently at the approaching fire phoenix.

Impossible! The Fire Phoenix is ​​even more arrogant than it; how could it possibly submit to a human?!

But the scene before us cannot be faked.

The fire phoenix flew to the black dragon and slowly came to a stop.

It glanced at its old friend, a complex emotion flashing in its eyes. But there was nothing it could do now, so it could only let out a low phoenix cry as a greeting.

Before the black dragon could even ask a question, the human above its head spoke first.

"What's wrong? You seem to have many questions for me?"

"Human, your relationship with the Fire Phoenix seems unusual. Speak, what brings you here?" The black dragon's gaze was fixed on Xia Jin, who was standing atop the Fire Phoenix's head.

Xia Jin stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the black dragon. "I have come here today to make you submit to me and protect the Great Xia for me."

Black Dragon was taken aback at first, then his eyes turned hostile.

Its massive body arched slightly, and the dark clouds swirling around it surged even more violently, with lightning even visible from the collision of the clouds.

"Human, I remember you."

The black dragon stared intently at Xia Jin, its voice tinged with anger, "It seems you've already made the Fire Phoenix submit to you!"

"But do you really think I'm as easy to bully as the Fire Phoenix?!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the black dragon suddenly opened its massive maw and let out a deafening roar!

The surrounding swamp churned violently, sending countless plumes of mud soaring into the sky!

However, at that moment, the Fire Phoenix suddenly spoke.

"Black Dragon, if you still trust your old friend, then don't make a move."

Fire Phoenix's voice carried a hint of helplessness, "Because if you make a move... the consequences will be dire."

The black dragon's roar suddenly stopped.

After all, he had known Huo Feng for so many years, and he knew his old friend's temperament well; she was definitely not the kind of person who would speak carelessly.

"Fire Phoenix, you...you couldn't possibly have been with this kid too...?"

"That's right, I just tried too, but it didn't work." Fire Phoenix nodded helplessly. "The aura emanating from him... I can't resist it. Do you understand that suppression from his bloodline?"

The black dragon fell silent.

It certainly understood the Fire Phoenix's meaning. These kinds of demonic beasts valued bloodlines above all else. What kind of being could command the submission of a demonic beast like the Fire Phoenix?

However, this kid is clearly human, so why does he have a bloodline suppression effect on a demonic beast like the Fire Phoenix?

No, no, we can't just make it submit like this, it won't accept it!

"Human, listen to me! I will not submit to any human! Even if you are powerful enough to make my friend unable to resist!"

Xia Jin looked at the stubborn black dragon in front of her and suddenly smiled.

That smile sent a shiver down the spine of Fire Phoenix, who was standing nearby.

It knew that smile all too well.

It was unlucky when Xia Jin gave it that smile before.

"Not bad, you and this fire phoenix both have some backbone." Xia Jin nodded, her tone revealing neither joy nor anger. "Fine, let you experience what the fire phoenix went through!"

After she finished speaking, the sun mark between Xia Jin's eyebrows reappeared!