In the depths of the Dragon Well, the water bubbled softly, releasing a faintly glowing aura of nitrogen and argon.
For the Dragon Clan, it was a well; for humans, it might as well be a pond.
There was no need for techniques like Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique to purify the spiritual energy—it was visible to the naked eye and could be absorbed automatically!
"This is incredible!"
Zhao Xing greedily inhaled the surrounding energy.
The sudden surge of fortune felt unreal!
He had assumed that even if there was spiritual energy within the Dragon Well, it wouldn't be excessive. But this level of richness far exceeded his expectations.
"The spring water is about three to four meters deep. This may just be a small amount for the Dragon Clan, but for me, it's practically a treasure trove!"
"Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique!"
Zhao Xing began by absorbing the spiritual energy in the air.
After that, he jumped directly into the spring water, swiftly employing Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique, extracting all the spiritual energy within.
"Gurgle—"
Multicolored spiritual energy rushed into his Pure Essence Space, while the water level visibly dropped.
In no time, the water turned into ordinary liquid as the spiritual energy was entirely drained.
"Let me see if this soil is useful."
Zhao Xing dug down about three feet, attempting to bring some of the soil into his space as well.
Unfortunately, the attempt failed.
"Perhaps this is decent survival soil in the outside world, but it doesn't meet the requirements to merge with Pure Essence Soil."
The Pure Essence Soil was fundamentally different from real-world soil, with strict criteria for what could be integrated.
"This can't go to waste!"
Zhao Xing expanded his Pure Essence Projection, planting some remaining vegetation to take root in the Dragon Well's soil.
"For low-growth-limit plant troops, absorbing spiritual energy would be a total waste!"
After the initial rush of excitement, Zhao Xing's rationality returned, and he quickly decided to allocate the spiritual energy more effectively.
"Using Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique, I've drained the Dragon Well dry. The previously near-liquid spiritual energy has been purified into fully liquefied form."
Zhao Xing stared at the seven droplets of spiritual liquid floating above the Pure Essence Soil.
Among them, the vibrant blue liquid represented water elemental energy and made up the largest portion. After liquefaction, the spiritual energy had gained tangible weight. Zhao Xing calculated that the water element liquid alone weighed over 1,000 kilograms!
"One ton may not seem like much, but this is spiritual liquid! Just now, the Floating Vine absorbed about 100 kilograms, enough to break through two levels from seventh-rank peak to the early ninth rank."
"It should ultimately stabilize at the late ninth rank!"
Growth from spiritual energy absorption took time to manifest fully. The small amount the Floating Vine had just absorbed was sufficient to reach the late ninth rank.
The reason Zhao Xing didn't let it absorb more was to avoid overloading and potentially harming the Floating Vine.
Spiritual energy wasn't simply a matter of quantity—the allocation had to be rational to avoid waste or deformity.
"The other six clusters represent metal, wood, fire, earth, wind, and thunder elements."
"Their quantities are much smaller compared to water elemental energy."
"Earth element liquid, 312.8 kilograms extracted."
"Wood element liquid, 52.5 kilograms extracted."
"Metal element liquid, 10.1 kilograms extracted."
"Wind element liquid, 8.5 kilograms extracted."
"Thunder element liquid, 5.2 kilograms extracted."
"Fire element liquid, just 2.1 kilograms."
Zhao Xing meticulously recorded the measurements, aware that even the smallest amount would be a precious treasure in the outside world.
As for why the spiritual energy in the Dragon Well exhibited all five elements, it was primarily due to the formations within the well.
"Though there's plenty of spiritual energy, I'll need to spend it carefully."
"Low-tier troops don't deserve to absorb spiritual energy."
"All remaining vegetation can be removed."
With a single thought, Zhao Xing ensured that the plants rooted in the Pure Essence Soil were transplanted back to real-world soil.
Only the Floating Vine and the mysterious Void Seed remained.
The plants Zhao Xing had initially selected for his space were mostly transitional options.
Letting them absorb spiritual energy now would have been a complete waste.
Even leaving them rooted in the soil wasn't an option, as they could still siphon off precious energy.
"After pulling them all out, only four targets are worth investing spiritual energy in."
Zhao Xing mused.
"First, the Pure Essence Soil itself. Its evolution can yield numerous properties, such as the heaviness of earth, the spiritual veins of earth, or other elemental characteristics. Nurturing these traits requires spiritual energy."
"Second, the Floating Vine. Based on Liu Tianning's past life account, this species is fully worth the investment."
"Third, the Void Seed. While it has only begun to show a faint green surface, it's already a voracious consumer of spiritual energy."
"Fourth, resolving the drawbacks of the Straw Puppet Technique. Spiritual energy can induce a qualitative transformation in the soul. In the spiritual energy revival era of the previous life, this technique had no issues, but the current lack of energy might be the missing piece."
"Hiss, now that I think about it, there's not enough at all."
Zhao Xing's desire only grew as his resources expanded.
If spiritual energy were like skill points, there were simply too many attributes to allocate now!
"I'll prioritize based on urgency. The Void Seed has already sprouted, so it must be provided for. Otherwise, it might just wither on me."
Zhao Xing separated a drop of spiritual liquid from each element—water, fire, wind, thunder, earth, and metal—and tested their effects on the Void Seed.
Surprisingly, every type of liquid yielded the same result.
"Oh? It doesn't reject anything!"
Since water elemental liquid was the most abundant, Zhao Xing began watering the Void Seed one drop at a time.
The Void Seed didn't require soil to survive, so Zhao Xing refrained from planting it in the Pure Essence Soil.
As more water elemental liquid was absorbed, the green surface of the Void Seed deepened.
Mysterious patterns spread across its shell, and the seed, originally the size of a fist, began to grow.
"It's already absorbed 100 kilograms. The Floating Vine needed only 100 kilograms to reach the ninth rank, but you still haven't sprouted?"
"Nurturing this is seriously demanding."
The Void Seed started as an absolute rarity!
Even in the current era, including records from Shangluo Academy, no such seed existed, and documentation was scarce. How could it not be called extraordinary?
At first, Zhao Xing was thrilled—after all, the rarer the plant, the stronger the potential troop.
But gradually, his excitement turned into frustration.
"Seriously, your level is too high!"
"You've already consumed 400 kilograms of spiritual liquid, and all you've done is grow bigger?"
The seed, initially the size of a fist, was now twice as large as Zhao Xing's head.
Its green color had vanished, replaced by an interplay of gray-black and light purple hues. Pinpoints of starlight shimmered faintly across its surface, resembling a miniature starry sky.
"If I run out of spiritual energy, I'll find more. I must see what kind of divine rarity you truly are!" Zhao Xing gritted his teeth and continued to feed it spiritual energy.
As Zhao Xing consumed 800 kilograms of Water Fortune Spiritual Liquid, a faint hum echoed.
Finally, it transformed!
A single leaf sprouted from the surface. The leaf was black at its core, edged with a faint purple hue, and streaked with starlit patterns that shimmered faintly.
With a booming sound, the emergence of this single leaf seemed to slice through the surrounding space, distorting the very rules of the Dragon Court's world.
"Hiss!" Zhao Xing was utterly shocked.
A mere tender leaf of this sapling could cut through space and twist the laws of the Dragon Court?
"Damn, this thing shouldn't even belong in the Xuanhuang Realm! Even in the cosmic version, this is an extremely rare entity!"
"How did Da Li acquire this? Did it fall from the heavens?" Zhao Xing could hardly contain his excitement.
He now understood the nature of the Void Seed before him.
"This is the classic plant soldier of the Shennong in the cosmic version—the Void Vine of the vine system, also known as the Mo Yun Vine!"
Looking at the single leaf on the exterior of the seed husk, Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel a hint of helplessness.
"What a surprise."
The joy came from the fact that, even in the cosmic version, obtaining such a plant soldier was incredibly challenging. The shock came from how overwhelmingly powerful it was. For Zhao Xing to nurture it to maturity at this stage would require an enormous effort.
"Boss, just rest in my space for now. I'll feed you properly once I have enough resources," he said with resignation, moving the Void Seed to the very center of the Pure Essence Soil for suspension.
Surrounding it with seven types of spiritual energy, he carefully allocated a wisp of energy every hour to keep it alive.
After taking a reluctant last look, Zhao Xing resumed his distribution of spiritual energy.
"Forget about the floating ones for now. Let's try addressing the flaws in the Myriad Straw Puppet first."
Now that he had the Mo Yun Vine, a veritable deity among plant soldiers, all the other vine-based plant soldiers seemed utterly inferior in comparison.
"Plop!"
Zhao Xing extracted a single drop of Five Elements Fortune Spiritual Liquid and placed it directly on his Divine Court Acupoint.
The spiritual energy entered his body and was immediately absorbed into his Sea of Consciousness.
Though it was only a single drop, it formed a wisp within the Sea of Consciousness.
As Zhao Xing repeatedly infused himself with spiritual energy, he found that apart from feeling slightly more alert, there were no significant changes.
"I must develop a detailed process to make this truly effective."
"Otherwise, this will remain a hidden danger."
"Split!"
He directed one of the Seven-Star Life Souls to separate from the rest.
"From now on, whether in combat or daily life, one Life Soul must avoid contact with spiritual energy. It will serve purely as an observer to monitor how the other six main souls react under the influence of spiritual energy."
"Conversely, the six main Life Souls must devote part of their attention to observing the single Life Soul under non-spiritual conditions—its soul fluctuations, emotional states, and feedback on enlightenment. These differences will be meticulously recorded."
"Researching this process is also a form of cultivation. If it proves effective, then I'll have a solution."
Zhao Xing surmised that the Shenluo Academy, like Shangluo Academy, likely had no shortage of this particular "medicine material" in terms of spiritual energy.
The key, however, lay in how to use it.
He speculated that Xu Xing's true body had remained within Shangluo Academy's spiritual grounds for years to recuperate.
Xu Xing might not know how to resolve the issue, but simply staying in a place rich in spiritual energy could suppress it.
To find a real solution, Zhao Xing guessed that a complete cultivation method for the Derivation of the Divine Spirit and a clear understanding of the role of spiritual energy in it were still missing.
Together, these would form the ultimate resolution.
This would enable practitioners of this art in the Fortune Era to avoid going astray or descending into madness.
"This will be a long-term project, and I need to keep a reserve of spiritual liquid."
Even so, the remaining spiritual liquid still brought about earth-shattering changes for Zhao Xing.
Within the Pure Essence Space, the land had expanded to a staggering extent.
"The radius now exceeds 10,000 meters. This is Grade Seven Soil!"
Grade Seven Soil marked a milestone, making Zhao Xing a formidable Shennong of the Self School.
If Zhao Xing could achieve a one-to-one projection ratio for his Pure Essence Projection, summoning it would cover a radius of 10 kilometers with him at the center.
This would allow his plant soldiers to appear at any point within a 314-square-kilometer area.
Of course, the Pure Essence Projection would inevitably face suppression in the Xuanhuang Realm, making a perfect one-to-one projection impossible.
With increased comprehension of the world's rules, the projection could infinitely approach a one-to-one ratio but never truly achieve it.
"However, if my Pure Essence Soil expands to a radius of 100 kilometers, or even 1,000 kilometers, or 10,000 kilometers, then the results will be truly terrifying."
Imagine Zhao Xing standing 1,000 kilometers away while his plant army surrounded an enemy who hadn't even glimpsed his shadow!
Unlike the Mechanist School's long-range attacks, the Shennong's Pure Essence Projection, accompanied by plants, enabled them to leap, conduct close-range reconnaissance, and maintain greater concealment than the Mechanist School.
"Raising the Pure Essence Soil to Grade Seven unlocked seven attributes."
Zhao Xing focused his consciousness, gazing down at the land below.
"The attribute of Heavy Earth has advanced to the level of 'Earth Vein.'"
"Each attribute has nine sub-levels, and the Earth Vein is now at the fifth level."
Zhao Xing could distinctly sense the presence of a fifth-level Earth Vein within the Pure Essence Soil.
At this strength, it was already formidable.
The Great Zhou Dynasty's top-tier fertile fields typically only had fourth-level Earth Veins.
Even the experimental fields of Shangluo Academy's Twin Academy rarely surpassed the fifth level.
The creation of Earth Veins within the Pure Essence Space was extraordinary. It was as if Zhao Xing carried an Earth Vein within his body!
"The generation of Earth Veins is a prerequisite for developing an internal world."
"With this, my abilities in Earth Techniques will also receive a boost."
"A fully-fledged Shennong truly encompasses a blend of every school's techniques." Zhao Xing looked at the mound at the center of the soil with a sense of awe.
The central area had already risen five meters above the baseline!
"In Shangluo Academy, a Shennong of the Self School whose Pure Essence Soil produces Earth Veins must be ranked at the first grade. In Shenhua Academy, second grade might occasionally see this due to the need to preserve ancient wood."
"The second attribute, birthed by the Water Fortune Spiritual Liquid, is the Nurturing Waters attribute. It accelerates plant growth."
"Thanks to the Water Fortune Spiritual Liquid, I skipped the initial stage of this water attribute and reached the second stage: 'Spring of Spiritual Energy.'"
Zhao Xing moved to another location, where a small pool about 10 meters in diameter had formed.
This pool stored the Water Fortune Spiritual Liquid, emitting faint wisps of spiritual energy.
Using it as a foundation, the energy could radiate throughout the Pure Essence Soil.
This eliminated the need for Zhao Xing to nurture plant soldiers individually. The spiritual energy from the pool could now be harnessed to resolve storage issues.
Before its appearance, Zhao Xing had to constantly focus on constraining the energy.
"The remaining attributes—Agile Wind, Vitality of Wood, Warmth of Fire, Solidity of Metal, and Destructive Thunder—are still at the first stage, between Levels Seven and Eight. They're not yet ready to advance."
Zhao Xing withdrew the Pure Essence Projection and soared into the air.
"The Nine-Star Inferno is only a part of the Dragon Prison. There's more to explore, and the spiritual energy here exceeds my expectations."
Zhao Xing muttered to himself, "Next, I need to search for spiritual energy while addressing the issues with the Myriad Straw Puppet. At the same time, I'll test my earlier hypotheses."
"If the spiritual energy I find next exceeds my expectations, it'll serve as a preliminary verification of my theories."
"There are places I still need to figure out how to enter. I need to move quickly."
Zhao Xing continued flying within the Nine-Star Inferno. By the time he exited, three months had passed since his entry into the Dragon Prison.
Absorbing and refining such a large quantity of spiritual energy required an enormous amount of time.
While Zhao Xing searched for spiritual energy within the Nine-Star Inferno, the outside world was in an uproar.
The Dragon King Yin Xiu had awoken from his slumber and intervened in the encirclement of the Great Zhou by the Southern Barbarians, Dongying, aquatic tribes, and sect forces. The sheer scale of his actions left people stunned.
The results were explosive:
The Dragon King Yi Chuan of the Great Snake Kingdom was killed, while the Southern Barbarian Dragon Kings Pompeii and Tuoyan lost their titles and fled in disgrace, their fates unknown!
The news spread like wildfire, leaving everyone in disbelief.
"Didn't they say the White Dragon King of the Great Zhou was trapped? How did the situation suddenly flip?"
"Heavens, Yi Chuan was actually killed! Pompeii and Tuoyan lost their Dragon King titles!"
"Am I hearing this wrong? Dragon King titles can actually be stripped?"
"It's absolutely true! The Alliance issued a warning, but no one believed it."
"Who issued it?"
"The White Bone Sect's two Heavenly Venerables!"
"Damn it, how could they be so nonchalant about something this serious?!"
At that moment, the two Heavenly Venerables of the White Bone Sect were still refining the skull of a Grand Dragon King on the Ascension Platform.
Upon hearing the news, they were stunned speechless.
"Red Bone, did we… overstep?" The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable asked with difficulty.
The Red Bone Heavenly Venerable gulped nervously.
They had never imagined that the Great Zhou people could secure such immense authority from the Dragon Emperor's Ascension Platform!
Not only did they summon Yin Xiu to slay the Wind Dragon King, but they also managed to shake the foundations of the Dragon King titles!
"The Dragon King status is our cornerstone in the Dragon Court. Without it, exploration in many areas becomes impossible!"
"This incident… it's too big." Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable grew increasingly anxious. "If they can achieve this level of control, who can stop the Great Zhou from monopolizing the Dragon Court?"
"This isn't the time to dwell on that. No matter how strong the Great Zhou is, their slots are limited. The Dragon Court's ancient grounds are vast, and they can't explore everything. It's impossible for them to claim all the benefits."
"Right now, our priority is figuring out how to report this to the Royal Court," said Red Bone Heavenly Venerable.
Although they had issued a warning, it was too vague.
With one Dragon King dead and two fleeing, someone had to take the blame.
The problem was that the blame was too great, and the White Bone Sect couldn't shoulder it.
"What else can we do? Hide!" Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable gritted his teeth. "At the very least, we issued a warning."
"Who could have predicted that the Great Zhou possessed such power? Bai Yunwu hasn't even died yet and is about to emerge from the Nine-Star Inferno. This is entirely Pompeii's miscalculation!"
Hiding was indeed a viable option. They could venture out for treasures first and negotiate over responsibilities later—it would only result in a redistribution of benefits.
"What about that?" Red Bone Heavenly Venerable pointed to the Grand Dragon King's skull.
"We'll have to take it with us and refine it elsewhere."
"For now, that's our only option. If we can successfully refine it and find additional treasures to strengthen our position, we might not only escape blame but even gain more influence."
In the Kingdom of Guting, in the royal city at Xila Mansion.
Bai Yunwu led a team to hunt down external forces, while Long Xiao, Bai Yang, King Shenluo, Ye Yukong, Tong Jin, and Ji Mengjun returned to the royal city.
Escorting the artifact back safely was of greater priority.
"Sir, a letter from Zhao Xing." Long Xiao handed the letter to Ji Si.
"Oh? Where is he?" Ji Si asked.
"He entered the Nine-Star Inferno and hasn't come out yet," Long Xiao replied. "Zhao Xing mentioned continuing his exploration of the Dragon Prison and asked you not to worry."
Ji Si frowned but then relaxed upon recalling Yin Xiu's presence at the entrance of the Nine-Star Inferno and the Dragon Emperor's decree. His tension eased.
Opening the letter, Ji Si calmly read through it and then discreetly stored it.
He turned to the back. "King Shenluo, could you move the dragon ship to the rear?"
"No problem."
After some thought, Ji Si instructed Long Xiao, "Stay here and rest for a while."
"Understood."
Ji Si then discussed matters privately with Ji Mengjun and Tong Jin in a side hall.
Afterward, the two quickly departed.
Once everything was arranged, Ji Si entered the Heavenly Secret Chamber.
Using the Clouded Jade Talisman, he wrote a letter to the external world addressed to King Tianyan.
"The siege of Bai Yunwu has been resolved. Yi Chuan, the Wind Dragon King of the Great Snake Kingdom, was slain by Yin Xiu."
"Pompeii and Tuoyan have lost their Dragon King titles—"
"Everything happened too quickly. Please inform the military department immediately to guard against desperate counterattacks or unrest among external forces."
In the Matrix Palace, Heavenly Mechanism Hall.
"What?!" King Tianyan was stunned. "The results were this effective?"
Then came overwhelming joy. "If this is true, our dynasty will dominate for a long time!"
The birth of a Dragon King required numerous trials, and the short human lifespan meant these trials alone took 300 to 500 years to complete.
It was foreseeable that in the next three to four centuries, external forces would struggle to regain Dragon King authority.
Even if they managed to, it wouldn't matter. Zhao Xing could strip it away at will unless they developed new countermeasures.
Ji Si's message continued, now addressed to Emperor Jing.
"Zhao Xing has entered the Nine-Star Inferno for exploration. He left a letter stating—"
"Within the Dragon Court's ancient grounds, two locations remain impervious to his authority: the Sea of Sin and the Abyss of Heaven."
"Additionally, some dragons with Dragon King status are beyond his control and cannot have their authority easily revoked. While they can be killed, Zhao Xing has not yet fully mastered the law's power and must proceed cautiously."
"The Dragon Emperor's Codex is bound to his soul. Until his death, it cannot be transferred for use by others."
"Furthermore, Zhao Xing has acquired two new artifacts: the Wuji Sword Embryo and the Giant God Weapon. Both are of treasure-grade, exceeding prior predictions and demonstrating his loyalty—"
"Ji Mengjun and Tong Jin have already begun a secret mission under the command of the Heavenly Guards—"
Pausing briefly, Ji Si added another matter:
"Previously, this minister managed to exchange for a treasure-grade artifact from Dragon King Yin Xiu's vault."
"In recent days, I have made considerable progress. It seems this artifact could serve as a vessel for the power of Fate Officers, potentially replacing the Yunji Sign. I humbly request His Majesty's permission to further research this divine artifact," a court official proposed.
At Frost Morning Territory, the radiance of the teleportation array flared, and the figures of Ji Mengjun and Tong Jin emerged.
The two produced their Star Conch communication devices, exchanging a few words before swiftly heading toward the Lord's mansion of Frost Morning Territory.
Inside the mansion, Luo Guanxiu, a Martial Artist of the Destiny Palace Realm, was visibly restless.
As someone at the Destiny Palace Realm, Luo Guanxiu had a unique intuition about his destiny. He strongly felt that this journey to the Dragon Court was fraught with danger, and he might very well perish there.
For this reason, he had refrained from assisting Bai Yunwu when the latter was besieged.
It was simply too perilous.
With three Dragon King-level commanders deploying troops and so many Lord-level dragons attacking, even a First Rank cultivator like him could fall.
Using his current task as an excuse, Luo Guanxiu had declined orders from the imperial clan twice.
The third time, Ji Mengjun and Tong Jin arrived.
"Lord Ji," Luo Guanxiu responded via Star Conch, "I am currently engaged in a critical matter. I have discovered a secret treasure trove and am in the midst of preparations to explore it. If successful, I might bring back precious materials for our dynasty. Unfortunately, I cannot leave at this moment."
Ji Mengjun and Tong Jin didn't say much, heading directly to the City Lord's mansion.
When Luo Guanxiu saw Ji Mengjun and Tong Jin descend upon him, his heart skipped a beat.
Still, he hadn't imagined these two had come to kill him. Putting on a welcoming smile, he planned to brush them off with some excuses.
However—
"Huh?" Luo Guanxiu, who had flown forward a kilometer, suddenly shivered.
Turning back, he realized with a jolt that he was somehow already separated from his physical body. His soul had left its shell, and his flesh stood rigidly on the steps.
"A soul extraction? She's here to kill me!"
Furious and desperate, Luo Guanxiu immediately attempted to return to his body.
But Ji Mengjun had already begun performing the "Imperial Dance."
Though her body remained motionless, her Life Soul in the Sea of Consciousness swayed rhythmically.
The Imperial Dance, also known as the Soul Dance, ranked first among the Six Minor Dances!
Derived from the ultimate methods of the Six Major Dances, Ji Mengjun had mastered this supreme-level Soul Dance technique to perfection.
Techniques targeting the soul had a common trait—they could often bypass the rules of the domain.
The moment Luo Guanxiu's soul reacted, it was already too late.
His soul began to involuntarily mirror Ji Mengjun's movements.
"Why? Why are you trying to kill me?" Luo Guanxiu roared.
Yet his Life Soul was entirely unable to resist.
Having been caught off guard and in a state of soul extraction, Ji Mengjun could control him for at least ten breaths!
Such an ample window of time was more than enough for Tong Jin to obliterate his physical body.
"!"
Neither Ji Mengjun nor Tong Jin responded. Or rather, Luo Guanxiu's exploding body served as the most definitive response.
"I am a direct appointee of His Majesty…!"
Luo Guanxiu tried to say something more, but suddenly, he understood.
A bitter smile appeared on his face as realization dawned.
He understood everything.
"Boom!"
In the final moments of his life, Luo Guanxiu, filled with boundless regret, was consumed by utter nothingness.
"Humm~"
As Luo Guanxiu's Life Soul and body vanished, a glow emerged from the decree hidden in Ji Mengjun's sleeve.
The fortunes of the dynasty were reclaimed!
All the imperial blessings Luo Guanxiu had received from the Great Zhou were withdrawn entirely.
Tong Jin and Ji Mengjun stood silently.
Half an hour later, a group of formidable warriors clad in golden armor and wielding long spears emerged from various parts of the Lord's mansion, their faces concealed beneath helmets.
"Report, my lords, everything has been handled."
"Let's go."
Efficient! Swift!
The Great Zhou had such elite, highly efficient warriors who appeared suddenly and decisively across various regions to hunt down outsiders and renegades.
Figures like Mu Dingbang, Lan Zhongji, and Luo Guanxiu—many strong individuals—vanished in the chaos of these operations. They would appear on the official lists of those who had fallen in service.
No one would know the precise details of their deaths.
Even the executors of these missions would undergo memory-cleansing rituals afterward.
The families of these fallen elites would gradually decline following the loss of their First Rank cultivators.
Time passed.
In the Nine-Star Inferno, Zhao Xing had been flying for three days.
The Nine-Star Inferno consisted of eternal darkness, interspersed only by fiery chains of rules. These chains ensnared any lifeform that ventured within.
Zhao Xing could only rely on the movement of these flaming chains to navigate.
"This is maddening. Trapped in a place like this, utterly silent and constantly bound by flaming chains of rules—it's pure torment."
"If not for the spiritual energy, I'd never have come to this cursed place," Zhao Xing muttered.
After an extended period of flight, he finally found another dragon well.
It was yet another small, floating landmass, identical to the last.
"After spending an entire month, it should now be April of the fourth year of the Great Governance Era," Zhao Xing calculated silently.
The vastness of the dragon lands was secondary; the real issue was the low efficiency of navigating through the Dragon Prison, where progress relied solely on the fiery chains of rules for guidance.
That he could even discern his way was due to his transformation and the amplification effect of the Dragon Emperor Codex.
Of course, the wells were naturally spaced far apart to begin with.
Each well, like the first, could sustain the bare minimum life force of many dragon criminals.
After all, this wasn't a place for comfort—survival was enough.
"Clang~"
Zhao Xing tugged at the chains on the dragon well. This time, the difficulty of pulling them had noticeably increased.
He fully transformed into the form of a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, coiling his claws around the chains and hauling them onto his back to drag them loose.
"Humm~"
As the chains gave way, the second dragon well erupted, though the intensity was slightly weaker than the first.
"Transform!"
Reverting to human form, Zhao Xing quickly activated Pure Essence Soil.
"Absorb!"
As before, Zhao Xing first captured the dissipating spiritual energy, ensuring none went to waste.
He then leaped into the dragon well, employing the Xuanhuang Elemental Refinement Technique to purify the energy.
"Splash~ Splash~"
The spiritual energy liquefied, dripping into the soil, which Zhao Xing stored away.
Due to the varying attributes of the spiritual energy, Zhao Xing carefully purified and stored it to avoid causing imbalances in the development of his Pure Essence Soil.
"The balance of the Five Elements is critical. If my Earth Vein grows too strong while the other attributes are weak, it's like a barrel with only one plank that keeps extending—it will eventually interfere with the others."
"This time, I've obtained another ton of Water Element Spirit Liquid, 258.52 kilograms of Earth Element Spirit Liquid, and less than 100 kilograms of the remaining elements combined."
"Better to store it for now."
Zhao Xing didn't immediately absorb it. Considering his exploration efficiency, he needed to calculate whether he had enough time left.
Time passed. Since Zhao Xing entered the Nine-Star Inferno, two years and four months had gone by.
At the plain's entrance to the Inferno, Long Xiao opened his eyes again.
Seeing that Zhao Xing hadn't emerged, he followed Zhao Xing's earlier instructions, leaving the Inferno Plains and returning to Guting Royal City.
Long Xiao could still sense the location of the Dragon Emperor Codex, which continued to move.
Clearly, the great Dragon Emperor's successor was busy with important matters. As the first Dragon King under his command, Long Xiao only needed to return to Guting Royal City, reorganize the Dragon Army, and await his king's summons.
Back in Guting Royal City, Long Xiao didn't choose to sleep. Instead, Guting Kingdom entered a new era of dual governance by the two Dragon Kings.
The two brothers, Long Xiao and Long Li, began frequently convening the Dragon Lords and City Lords.
The fires of the Fuming Palace burned day and night, producing large numbers of elite Dragon Soldiers.
Dragon Turtles, carrying Dragon Crystals, traversed the kingdom ceaselessly. Dragon Ships transported a steady flow of materials.
Even many humans living within the kingdom were assigned to military tasks by the Dragons.
"What's going on? Why are all the tasks mining missions lately?" Lu Manman and her brother Lu Xiuyuan emerged from the Lord's mansion, covered in soot.
They had just completed one mining task, only to be handed another.
If it wasn't diving into the sea to gather resources, it was venturing into dangerous areas to pick fruits.
In short, all the work was labor-intensive and lacked any technical skill.
"War is coming. The Dragons of Guting Kingdom are gearing up their military," Lu Manman speculated.
"Still, this is too harsh! Who exactly is this Dragon King 'Zhao'? Every order from Long Xiao and Long Li includes this name. It's so impressive!"
"If you're asking me, who should I ask?"
At the Fuming Palace in Guting Royal City, Cao Qianyue was hard at work forging a weapon component. Beside him, a massive forge stood atop a magma lake, radiating intense heat.
Nearby, a little girl with twin buns dangled her white legs from an iron scaffold, clearly bored.
"Dun Lie, how much longer are you going to take? This is so dull," Li Muwan complained as she peeked out from behind a giant Dragonfruit, her lips smeared with its juice.
"I've already eaten three Dragon Abyss Pears, and you're still not done."
"Almost there!" Cao Qianyue responded with a good-natured laugh. "Once I'm done, we can go eat."
"Fine, fine." Li Muwan jumped down, beaming. "What are we eating today?"
"How about some eighth-rank Fire Dragon Axe fragments? What do you think?"
"You can get that?" Her eyes lit up.
"Not on my own, but I'm a personal guard of Marquis Shenwei!" Cao Qianyue said, rubbing his shiny bald head.
"Do you think this Dragon King 'Zhao' is actually Marquis Shenwei, Zhao Xing?" Li Muwan asked curiously.
"Umph!" Cao Qianyue covered his mouth and shook his head. "I don't know."
"I really don't know," he explained. "Stop asking. My treatment has improved a lot recently. In a year or two, I might even reach Third Rank. If you keep asking, I might lose all this, and we won't have so much good food."
"I won't ask anymore!" Li Muwan giggled. "Next time you see Marquis Shenwei, though, tell him to transfer me too."
"Sure." Cao Qianyue smiled. "I've already mentioned it. Your Culinary Arts are even better than mine. The Marquis would definitely like you."
Three years passed in the Nine-Star Inferno.
Above a vast expanse of dark red earth, a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon hovered, surveying the ground below.
"Three years have passed, and I've reached the depths of the Inferno."
"I didn't expect to find a living Grand Dragon King here."
Zhao Xing's gaze fixed on the land below, where a massive Black Dragon lay coiled.
Its size covered nearly three-fifths of the land, leaving it little room to move. Even in slumber, its enormous head and gleaming scales radiated an aura of danger.
Its body spanned over 100 kilometers. Even from a great distance, Zhao Xing could feel the terrifying natural energy it exuded.
"It's asleep now, but it's still alive," Zhao Xing thought.
"Under its body, there must be Spirit Springs keeping it alive. Otherwise, it couldn't have lasted this long."
Unlike other areas, this Black Dragon King's prison had a stone monument nearby, inscribed with its name, incarceration period, and the reason for its imprisonment.
"Grand Dragon King 'Zhi,' imprisoned for violating the law and returning to the Dragon Court without authorization, sentenced by Dragon Emperor 'Xie' during the Fifth Dragon Yuan Era to one era of confinement."
"The Dragon Yuan Era spans a million years. The Fifth Dragon Yuan Era must have been during Dragon Emperor Xie's later reign, coinciding with the war against the Abyss Demon Clan."
"This offense is akin to a border general returning to the capital without orders."
"Imprisoned for over a million years—it's probably been even longer," Zhao Xing mused.
After all, with Dragon Emperor Xie dead, no one would have released 'Zhi.'
Zhao Xing studied the stone monument, his thoughts racing.
"In my past life, every time I came to the Nine-Star Inferno, I only saw the corpse of Grand Dragon King 'Zhi.'"
"He was supposed to be dead, yet now he's alive and well, simply slumbering as if nothing had happened."
"Why is he still alive? It must be due to the Spirit Springs extending his life."
"This confirms one thing: the total amount of Spirit Qi in this world is far greater than I imagined. Or perhaps, the total Spirit Qi of the Xuanhuang Realm hasn't changed, but slower consumption has left a surplus."
Zhao Xing's eyes gleamed as he continued to analyze.
Zhao Xing's gaze remained fixed on the enormous black dragon below. His thoughts churned as he pieced together the significance of this discovery.
"If the absence of players in this lifetime leads to slower consumption of Spirit Qi, it explains why the reserves are so abundant. This world, without the resurrection mechanics of players, retains a surplus far beyond what I accounted for."
Zhao Xing's expression turned contemplative. The more he delved into the implications, the more the gears of his mind turned.
"This could change everything. If Spirit Qi is already this plentiful now, the tidal wave of Qi Revival during Emperor Wu's era might become something far more substantial."
In his previous life, Zhao Xing had witnessed the effects of the Qi Revival during Emperor Wu's reign—a small but significant resurgence of Spirit Qi that laid the groundwork for future cultivation advancements. However, with the present world brimming with dormant reserves, he began to envision a more ambitious path.
"What if, during Emperor Wu's time, I could amplify the Qi Revival to unprecedented levels?" he wondered.
"What if I could manipulate it into a full-scale Spiritual Revival? This would not only accelerate my plans for ascension but also reshape the very foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty."
A determined glint appeared in his eyes. "Manually triggering a grand Qi Revival… It was part of the players' old project, the 'Heavenly Tilt Restoration.' If I take charge of it this time, can I achieve what they couldn't?"
Zhao Xing clenched his fists. His mind raced through calculations, scenarios, and risks.
"I have to validate my hypothesis. For now, I need more data to confirm just how much Spirit Qi remains untapped. When I return, I must complete my preliminary calculations during Emperor Jing's era."
His thoughts turned to the future. "If this works, the timeline for ascension will need to be compressed drastically. I'll have less than a millennium to orchestrate everything—ascension, revival, and guiding the dynasty to new heights."
The enormity of the challenge didn't deter him. Instead, it ignited a spark of ambition.
"If I succeed, not only can I rewrite the fates of countless individuals, but I could also alter the trajectory of an entire era—perhaps even the world itself."