Are you really trying to cultivate immortality? Something feels off.

"Let go!" Su Boyu was in pain from being grabbed, so she pulled her away, tears welling up in her eyes.

There was no pretense, no feigned pitifulness; it was as if the veil of a hazy, indistinct mask had been torn away, revealing the real him.

"Mother, I'm injured, can't you see?" He gritted his teeth, holding back tears. "Several of my bones are broken, and I almost..."

"The Phoenix Sword is not in the Southern Frontier!" The woman cried out in terror, her arms outstretched, her head thrown back in disbelief. She turned and strode into the room. "Without the Phoenix Sword, how can the Southern Frontier ever rise again? How can you and I ever rise again!"

"Having such a son is my fault!"

"It is my fault."

"It's my fault..."

The sound slowly carried away. Su Boyu stood there, her face pale, looking at her arm, which had been broken and was now as limp as a lump of rotten flesh.

Yu Xintang, standing beside him, remained motionless, her eyes still gray.

Speechless.

*

The Dragon Abyss of the Eastern Sea.

For millennia, the dragon race has surged and churned, an unending tide.

For many days, Tan Suiting has been sleeping in the deepest part of Longyuan.

The damage from the broken divine bones could only be smoothed out little by little by the purest primordial dragon energy from the ancestral land of the dragon race, which gradually healed the dense cracks on his bones.

As the first rays of dawn broke, the silent Dragon Abyss suddenly trembled.

"boom--"

A towering dragon aura surged into the sky, carrying fierce and domineering silver-blue lightning, tearing through the deep-sea fog.

The originally gentle and flowing spiritual energy of the ancestral land suddenly became violent, and the protective array of the entire Taixu Dragon Palace roared and shone brightly on its own.

The boy on the jade bed slowly opened his eyes.

Deathly silence, coldness, killing intent, and malevolence layered over the depths of his eyes, completely erasing the former clarity and leaving only a chilling void.

Tan Suiting stood up, his five fingers outstretched.

The dormant spiritual energy returned to its place, and silver-blue arcs of electricity coiled around his fingertips, its power several times stronger than before.

The dragon scales not only completely repaired his broken divine bones, but also caused his cultivation, which had stagnated due to the collapse of his mental state, to surge against the trend and break through the shackles in one fell swoop.

He has become the youngest person in the Dragon Clan's history to reach the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul Realm.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, he still saw the crimson sword mound of Wanjian Mountain, the lingering warmth of Xie Weixing's fingers on his cheek, and himself lying prostrate on the ground, helpless and speechless with blood and tears.

Gu worm.

The Gu worms have taken control of Yu Xintang.

Su Boyu is from southern Xinjiang.

He stood up and changed into the robe that had been prepared for him.

A moment later, Tan Suiting, dressed in the robes of a prince, walked out of Longyuan.

A gilded crown stands up the white hair, with a large, deep, wine-red diamond set in the center of the crown. The earring is a single dangling earring with a silver-white metal base and a red bead of the same origin as the crown. It is paired with a slender silver tassel chain that sways gently with movement.

The black and gold prince's dragon robe is intricately carved with intertwined cloud and animal patterns, the gold patterns are sharp and the lines are curving and flowing.

His pale, cool skin and heterochromatic eyes gave him a chilling, murderous aura.

Upon seeing him, the guard at Longyuankou immediately knelt on one knee: "Your Highness, you're awake."

With a flick of his finger, Tan Suiting sent two arcs of light piercing the deep sea and hurtling toward him.

Encountering the sword of compassion, I inquired about the dragon's scales.

One became a ring worn on his finger bone, and the other wrapped around his wrist.

The two instruments resonated together, their sound echoing throughout the world.

The guard lowered his head, not daring to look directly at the Crown Prince's face, and said with reverence, "Your Highness, the Emperor and Empress have instructed that after you wake up..."

Tan Suiting stepped out of Longyuan, his posture upright and his expression cold. The heavy, suffocating pressure of thunder around him said, "Issue my order: Raise an army."

The guard hesitated for a moment: "Dragon soldiers? Your Highness, you have just woken up, please do not act rashly—"

"impulse?"

Tan Suiting spoke softly, his voice low and slightly cold, carrying a hint of hostility, each word sharp as ice: "This prince only wants to reclaim some things."

The guards were unable to move under the pressure, bowing their heads deeply and daring not to utter another word.

"Raise an army—" Every word he uttered was like crushing blood and bones, "Southern Frontier."

In the Crown Prince's eyes lay a cold, resolute determination that would never let them die.

"By order of the Crown Prince! Three thousand Thunder Guards of the Taixu Dragon Clan, accompany the Crown Prince on the expedition! Break through the Southern Border Barrier and crush the Witchcraft Clan!"

A thunderous dragon roar resounded throughout the East Sea, and the elite dragons, clad in silver armor adorned with thunder patterns, assembled within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The armor reflected the morning light of the East China Sea, and lightning surrounded the cold, icy blades.

The aura of killing intent soared straight to the sky.

*

Southern Xinjiang is shrouded in miasma and poisonous fog year-round, with layers of Gu formations hidden in the forests, making it a place no one has dared to set foot in for thousands of years.

This place is home to the Southern Xinjiang tribes who have been raising Gu poison for generations. They have entrenched themselves in this area, killing people indiscriminately and committing countless atrocities.

At this moment, within the Gu Ruins, the clansmen are still living peacefully as usual.

Su Boyu stood on the clan altar, his eyes lowered as he examined the Rebellious Heart Gu in Yu Xintang's body, a cold smile playing on his lips.

next moment--

"boom--!!!"

The sea of ​​clouds in the sky suddenly exploded, and silver-blue lightning crashed down like a celestial river overturning, forcefully cleaving open the poisonous miasma that had lingered in the Gu Ruins for thousands of years.

Su Boyu's expression changed drastically, and she abruptly looked up at the sky.

The dragon race's vast thunderous power pressed down from the clouds, the armor gleamed coldly, and the oppressive aura swept across the sky, instantly sealing off all entrances and exits of the entire Gu Ruins.

No one could escape.

The entire southern border region trembled violently, and almost everyone emerged from their shamanic tents.

Su Boyu looked up in shock.

As the clouds dispersed, that familiar figure stood silently in mid-air.

Tan Suiting lowered his eyes and looked down at the entire Gu Ruins. His eyes showed neither sorrow nor joy, only a cold and desolate killing intent.

"You..." Su Boyu began, her voice trembling.

"Kill them all," the Dragon Prince said softly, each word as cold as ice kissing jade, "leave no one alive."

The sound wasn't loud, but it pierced through the howling wind, causing all the members of the Wugu tribe to experience excruciating eardrum pain.

Su Boyu was shocked and looked at him in disbelief: "You actually survived?! Your divine bones were destroyed, how could you possibly recover?!"

Tan Suiting didn't say much. He raised his hand, and Feng Lian's sword was drawn half an inch from its sheath. Lightning quickly climbed up the spine of the sword. He spoke coldly, each word like a tear of cold blood.

"I will make your entire clan pay for my senior brother's life."

As soon as he finished speaking, he flipped his wrist, and the dragon scales flew out, while the ancient black and red whip instantly emitted a dazzling red light.

The protective array that had enveloped the Gu Ruins for centuries crumbled and shattered like brittle paper under the impact of the Dragon Scale Power.

Su Boyu staggered backward: "Impossible... Isn't this Xie Weixing's spiritual artifact? He's dead, how can you still use it...?"

The Southern Frontier tribesmen control cultivators by raising Gu poisons, but if it comes to a direct confrontation, they are definitely at a disadvantage. This is why the Southern Frontier tribesmen can only hide in this small area and live in the shadows for generations.

The moment the formation shattered, the people of Southern Xinjiang were thrown into chaos. Countless Gu Masters, wielding poisonous blades, drove their ferocious Gu worms and charged forward, amidst billowing black mist and pervasive poisonous miasma.

"You're courting death," Tan Suiting said coldly, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes, before uttering two words: "Slaughter your entire clan."

---

You know I've actually been wanting to take leave, but I have so many posts on Aifa (a job-sharing platform) that I feel embarrassed to ask for leave. Ugh...