Zhao Xing didn't linger for long at the slumbering ground of the Black Dragon "Zhi." Instead, he resumed his exploration within the Dragon Prison.
Occasionally, he encountered ancient and colossal dragon corpses:
One was an enormous dragon turtle spanning over a thousand kilometers, carrying an entire landmass on its back. The land itself held the skeletal remains of over a hundred Dragon Kings.
A dragon head protruded from the turtle shell, its vast expanse supporting the land, and the Dragon Kings' bones lay scattered across it, intertwined with massive chains suspended in the air.
The ground beneath was entirely desiccated, a barren desert devoid of life. Even the dragon well had been buried under layers of yellow sand.
"What a massive dragon turtle. It's a pity it's this enormous; otherwise, hauling it back as a turtle shell would make those Fate Officers kneel in awe."
Turtle shells were the most prized materials for divination among Fate Officers, with dragon turtle shells being the rarest and most effective.
"This must be a Prison-Warding Dragon Turtle. At the very least, it would have reached the Rule Stage, possibly even the Path-Binding Stage. Its shell could surpass the function of the Creation Disk in some aspects if used as a divination material," Zhao Xing speculated silently.
Beyond the First-Rank Destiny Palace Stage, there were the Rule Stage and Path-Binding Stage. However, these stages generally only appeared during the Spirit Qi Revival Era.
The First-Rank Destiny Palace Stage allowed for temporary rule alterations—limited changes that faded once the practitioner left.
The Rule Stage could maintain changes for longer durations, though it still had limitations.
Only the Path-Binding Stage could incorporate one's path into the fundamental rules of the Xuanhuang Realm. For example, True Lord Lihuo established the rule of "borrowing fire to travel, returning by foot." Similarly, the Great Ancestor decreed, "Trespass not into lands with a master."
These decrees continued to influence the world even after their creators perished, leaving only statues behind. While their spirits were long gone, the rules they established persisted as an enduring legacy of the Path-Binding Stage.
However, such decrees could fluctuate in strength as the world evolved.
Zhao Xing's belief that the Prison-Warding Dragon Turtle had reached the Path-Binding Stage was pure conjecture, not based on any sensory evidence.
"Unfortunately, I can't refine it. A turtle shell spanning a thousand kilometers is beyond my current capabilities. It would require a team effort involving Mechanists, Fate Officers, and Martial Artists working in unison with divine artifacts to process it."
Zhao Xing studied the massive turtle for a moment but didn't land on it to inspect further.
The Dragon Kings had long turned to skeletal remains, the land had become desertified, and all vitality had been lost. The dragon well had clearly dried up ages ago, leaving no trace of its original energy.
At times, Zhao Xing came across peculiar phenomena:
Flames rippled like water, revealing events from the Dragon Prison's past.
Scenes included the confinement of dragons or their executions on the Dragon Execution Platform.
"The Dragon Clan's civilization was surprisingly advanced, showing these criminals cautionary tales to reform them into better dragons?"
"And the Dragon Execution Platform… I wonder where that divine artifact went. Did the ancient dragons ascend and take some artifacts with them?"
Zhao Xing entertained such musings without restraint.
In his past life, the Xuanhuang Realm's dragons were largely unknown in the cosmic version, though dragon-related bloodlines existed. There was no definitive proof that the ancient Dragon Clan had ascended.
Even Fate Officers attempting to backtrack the Dragon Clan's history in the Xuanhuang Realm offered conflicting theories.
"Too distant to verify," Zhao Xing muttered, shaking his head.
He continued flying and searching, his musings uninterrupted as the life souls within his Sea of Consciousness observed and analyzed one another.
Time passed, and before long, it was already August of the thirteenth year of the Great Governance Era.
In the depths of the Dragon Prison, Zhao Xing hovered before a stone monument towering ten thousand meters high. A Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, twenty thousand meters long, floated nearby, seemingly asleep.
Suddenly, its eyes opened, and a brilliant light pierced through the darkness of the Dragon Prison.
The light surged while its massive form shrank rapidly, eventually transforming into a humanoid figure.
Standing before the stone monument, Zhao Xing appeared as insignificant as an ant, yet the dragon's imposing aura towered even above the colossal monument.
"It's already August of the thirteenth year of the Great Governance Era."
"Since entering the ancient grounds of the Dragon Court in June of the third year of the Great Governance Era, it's been a decade. Excluding the half-year spent in the Gu Ting Kingdom, I've been exploring the Dragon Prison for nine and a half years."
"Time truly flies," Zhao Xing reflected. Since reaching the higher stages of cultivation, he'd felt the acceleration of time.
For those at higher cultivation ranks, even a brief seclusion would be measured in years.
"It feels like a blink of an eye, and years have passed."
"I've spent nine and a half years exploring just over half of the Dragon Prison."
"And this was only a cursory exploration."
In many places, Zhao Xing had passed through cautiously, avoiding potential dangers.
Beings like the Great Dragon King "Zhi" and locations akin to the Prison-Warding Dragon Turtle were scattered throughout the Dragon Prison.
"Nine and a half years, and the gains have been immense."
"First, during the process of collecting spiritual energy, my repeated use of the Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique brought about a transformation in this wondrous art."
"Its purification efficiency has greatly improved. As a foundational technique of the Self School, its nurturing effects are now approaching the level of top-tier methods."
"This technique, created by Mi Fu, might warrant deeper study," Zhao Xing mused. "Perhaps I can reverse-engineer it to elevate essence into spiritual energy?"
In his previous life, no one had considered refining this technique toward "essence-to-spiritual" advancements. During the Spirit Qi Revival Era, spiritual energy was abundant, making such research pointless.
"In this era, however, the results would be entirely different. This research direction will be a key focus for me moving forward."
"I might even bring Old Mi along to work on this together. We could carve our names into history."
Not that Zhao Xing cared much about fame; practicality always came first.
"My second gain lies in a deeper analysis of the Myriad Straw Puppet's flaws."
"This progress comes from extensive use of spiritual energy, in-depth analysis of the Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique, proper cultivation of the Derivation of the Divine Spirit, and over nine years of soul observation and documentation."
"I've finally pinpointed the root of the Myriad Straw Puppet's issues."
"When I leave, I'll systematize my findings and collaborate with other practitioners of the Derivation of the Divine Spirit, including Old Liu, to validate the solutions."
"I also found five treasure-grade materials and equipment in the Dragon Prison, gathered an astonishing amount of spiritual energy, and mastered my first spell—the Dragon King's Bone-Extracting Curse."
"However, none of these compare to the sense of accomplishment from these two breakthroughs," Zhao Xing remarked, stretching his body.
Picking up divine artifacts and excavating dragon wells required little skill—just bending down and using one's hands.
Refining the Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique and resolving the Myriad Straw Puppet's flaws, on the other hand, demanded true expertise.
"This Dragon Prison is actually an excellent research facility."
"Quiet, undisturbed, with the occasional divine artifact for relaxation and spiritual liquid to drink."
"Surrounded by the corpses of powerful dragons and the chains of rules."
"This isn't a prison—it's a top-tier laboratory!"
Despite its merits, Zhao Xing knew he had to leave.
There would be plenty of opportunities to return in the future.
"Old Xu is set to pass away in the seventeenth year of the Great Governance Era. I should leave by then to send him off."
"And I'll take the chance to check on Old Liu."
Zhao Xing contemplated. Liu Tianning's cultivation speed was faster in this life, bolstered by his time at Shangluo Academy. Who knew how far he had progressed?
Zhao Xing felt a subtle shift in his emotions as he tried to focus. Thinking of Master Xu Xing, a figure he respected deeply, Zhao Xing wondered what might happen if he passed away. A sense of helplessness lingered. If Xu Xing died, and Liu Tianning, unable to process it, fell into overwhelming grief, things could turn grim.
"Honestly, if Old Liu couldn't even maintain his Yin Spirit transformation after such a loss, I'd probably feel devastated too," Zhao Xing muttered, reining in his thoughts as he activated the Ancestral Dragon Transformation once more.
"Roar~!"
A surge of energy accompanied the activation, and the Dragon Emperor Codex emerged from his body. The Sealing Spell inscribed on its pages started to operate, resonating deeply with his surroundings. The five-clawed golden dragon unleashed waves of dazzling golden light while continuously tapping against the towering stone stele that rose tens of thousands of meters high. The brilliance of the dragon energy roared, echoing with purpose.
This colossal stele was the entrance to the Dragon Prison Array, its methods clearly outlined in the Dragon Emperor Codex.
"This stele connects to several places, including the True Dragon King City," Zhao Xing explained to himself as his claws continued working on the inscriptions.
"If Dragon Emperor Xie wished to summon subordinates, they could pass directly from their residence to the deepest parts of Dragon Prison. Moreover, the Emperor could pardon certain dragons from imprisonment, allowing them to serve as loyal retainers."
"Roar!"
The inscriptions on the stele began to respond, glowing faintly as Zhao Xing's energy infused them. The ancient dragon script came to life, rearranging itself until a complicated line of text emerged: Palace of Misa.
The Palace of Misa, located within the True Dragon King City, served as both a residence and workspace for past Dragon Emperors. The name "Misa" carried layered meanings—symbolizing protection, authority, and governance.
"(In Dragon Tongue) Palace of Misa, open!" Zhao Xing invoked the corresponding incantation, and the dragon inscriptions rapidly finalized their formation.
The golden script expanded into a three-dimensional image, radiating faint ripples like a living entity. Zhao Xing minimized his size and dove into the shimmering doorway without hesitation.
"Truly remarkable," Zhao Xing murmured.
Upon entering the shimmering portal, he felt himself traveling through a rapidly shifting corridor of light and energy.
"The structure of the Dragon Emperor Script is more intricate than I imagined. It doesn't just move spatially but also interacts with dimensions on a deeper level," Zhao Xing observed, astonished. "Rumor has it that such constructs even touch upon the manipulation of time itself."
Time-based manipulation was an ability akin to that of Fate Officers or prophetic scholars among the dragon race—beings who could glimpse into both past and future.
The journey was not lengthy. After approximately three days of traversing the shimmering corridor, Zhao Xing emerged from the other side. The stele he now encountered was much smaller in comparison to the entrance.
"Palace of Misa," Zhao Xing announced softly as his feet landed on the solid ground of a floating plaza.
Before him, the scenery revealed a series of magnificent clouds and countless palace structures. The design of dragon palaces was distinct—they appeared like inverted bowls suspended in midair. The Palace of Misa was no exception.
Looking into the distance, Zhao Xing noticed the overwhelming desolation that permeated the surroundings.
"The shattered Dragon Court... what truly happened here?" he muttered under his breath.
The clouds above were pitch-black and unmoving, resembling an artificial backdrop torn apart by some terrible force. Most of the palaces were either completely destroyed or pierced by massive black spears emanating an ominous aura.
"A tragic sight," Zhao Xing said grimly. "Only the Palace of Misa seems to have remained relatively intact."
The Dragon Emperor Codex, glowing faintly, floated in front of him. The codex's light activated the hidden mechanisms within the palace, revealing a massive rectangular portal. Zhao Xing didn't hesitate to enter.
Inside, the palace was shrouded in dense spiritual mist, forming layers of multicolored clouds. The abundant spiritual energy radiating from these clouds made Zhao Xing instinctively take a deep breath.
"Ahh~!" He couldn't resist absorbing the energy with reckless abandon.
As the mist dissipated around him, a gigantic Water Mirror surfaced, rippling gently and resonating faintly with the Dragon Emperor Codex.
"What's this?" Zhao Xing murmured in curiosity as he cautiously approached the mirror.
Flipping through the Dragon Emperor Codex, he found a passage detailing the Water Mirror.
"The Heaven and Earth Crystal Activation Spell? So, this is what it is!" Zhao Xing exclaimed, realization dawning upon him.
The mirror wasn't anything particularly rare. It was an artifact placed in the inner court by the Dragon Emperor to communicate directly with the Grand Hall of Pilgrimage.
Through the Heaven and Earth Crystal, the Emperor could hear the thoughts and suggestions of their subjects and issue decrees and official orders in return. Essentially, it served as the administrative hub for handling state affairs.
With no Dragon Emperor in existence for centuries, the Heaven and Earth Crystal had long operated autonomously.
"This connects to the Grand Hall of Pilgrimage? Doesn't that make it the central administrative hall of the Dragon Court?" Zhao Xing mused with growing interest. "Am I now the backend administrator of this system?"
His expression turned playful as he activated the mechanisms within the codex.
From the other side of the Grand Hall of Pilgrimage, dragons were already queuing up to receive tasks. Only powerful dragons—those of First Rank or dragon lords—had the privilege of entering this sacred hall.
Most came to the Grand Hall of Pilgrimage for one purpose: to complete the Dragon King Trials.
By finishing a series of missions, they could earn the Dragon Court's recognition and ascend to the position of Dragon King.
"Let's see who's here," Zhao Xing said mischievously, his claws moving deftly to manipulate the Heaven and Earth Crystal.
"Dragon Court's Emperor Command, reveal!"
The water rippled, projecting the scene within the Grand Hall of Pilgrimage. From Zhao Xing's vantage point, he could see everything, but the dragons in the hall couldn't perceive him unless he revealed himself.
"Oh, look who's here—Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable and Red Bone Heavenly Venerable!" Zhao Xing chuckled.
The two figures standing in the hall were none other than the White Bone Sect's Heavenly Venerables, who had once guarded the Ascending Dragon Platform.
"Ten years have passed, and to think they'd appear here," Zhao Xing remarked with amusement. "They're obviously here for the Dragon King Challenge Tasks. Let's see how far they've progressed."
Manipulating the crystal's backend interface, Zhao Xing quickly accessed their task history.
"One hundred and three years ago, they completed the ninth stage task, Dragon Soul Icefield. That must have been near the end of the last Ancient Dragon Court's activation cycle."
"Now they're here for the tenth stage, huh? Too bad they've run into me," Zhao Xing said with a sly grin.
If he hadn't intervened, the Heaven and Earth Crystal would have automatically selected a task from the Challenge Mission Pool upon their ritual offering. But now that Zhao Xing was present, he could decide how things proceeded.
"Let's have some fun with this," Zhao Xing muttered, his claws gleaming as he prepared to unleash chaos.
Upon completing the mission, a corresponding number of rewards would be granted.
But now, things were different.
"Jie jie jie———"
A sinister laugh echoed from within the Secret Palace.
Inside the Sacred Hall of Pilgrimage, the Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable prostrated obediently on the ground, his heart filled with anticipation as he awaited the Water Mirror to bestow his next challenge.
"If I can accomplish the tenth ring of the Dragon King's Challenge, I'll only be two steps away from attaining the Dragon King's position."
"Finishing the twelfth ring will grant me the title of Dragon King."
"Currently, the Southern Barbarian Court has no new Dragon King titles available. If I can complete all twelve rings in one go, I will be the only Dragon King of the Southern Barbarians!"
The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable was burning with excitement. Although the Great Zhou Dynasty had acquired a status surpassing the Dragon King, it did not diminish the value of the Dragon King's title. On the contrary, the title of Dragon King had become more significant in the Southern Barbarian Court.
"If I become the Dragon King, the Sacred Mountain of the Southern Barbarians will undoubtedly entrust me with countless divine artifacts to confront that mysterious Grand Dragon King of the Great Zhou!"
"My ascension to Divine Venerable will be inevitable!"
The current situation was entirely different from before.
All factions had gone underground, acting like rats hiding in the sewers, barely surviving in the shadows.
At the sight of anyone from the Great Zhou Dynasty, they would avoid them at all costs.
The Grand Dragon King had not been seen in nine and a half years, providing some breathing room for everyone.
Various factions were now focused on figuring out how to counteract the Vein-Severing Edict and the Execution Decree.
The Southern Barbarians and the Eastern Isles, as well as the sectarian world, unanimously believed that only a Dragon King wielding divine artifacts could resist these decrees.
But with no new Dragon King arising, even the divine artifacts sent their way were of no use. Thus, over the past few years, the strategic focus of the Southern Barbarian alliances had shifted from competing with the Great Zhou over treasures and territories to prioritizing the "Dragon King Challenge."
The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable had spent ten years preparing to take on the challenge at the Sacred Hall of Pilgrimage.
The difficulty of the mission was high, and sneaking into the hall undetected to evade the Great Zhou's formidable experts was no small feat.
Speaking of it was a tale of bitter tears—a Heavenly Venerable, reduced to sneaking around to undertake a challenge.
"Hopefully, I draw a relatively simple mission," he prayed silently.
The Dragon King's Challenge varied in difficulty. If the task were too challenging or time-consuming, he would have to wait another hundred years to attempt the next one.
"Ang~~"
Moments later, a dragon's roar emanated from the Water Mirror.
The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable listened intently.
"Lord 'Xuan Gu,' your tenth trial involves retrieving at least two rare treasures for the Dragon Court.
The more treasures you bring, the greater the reward after the trial. The highest reward for the tenth trial is the 'Dragon Emperor's Decree!'"
After speaking, a square challenge token flew out from the Water Mirror, with the trial details inscribed upon it.
"I am grateful to the Dragon Court for this opportunity." Suppressing the shock in his heart, the Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable calmly completed the process before exiting the Sacred Hall of Pilgrimage.
As soon as he stepped out, the Red Bone Heavenly Venerable approached him eagerly.
"Senior Brother, how did it go?"
The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable exclaimed excitedly, "A great opportunity! A truly great opportunity!"
The Red Bone Heavenly Venerable was puzzled. What kind of mission could make his usually composed senior brother so ecstatic?
"Take a look!" The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable handed the mission token to his junior brother.
"What? It's just a simple tribute mission?" The Red Bone Heavenly Venerable was stunned.
Among the Dragon King Challenge tasks, tribute missions were undoubtedly the easiest.
As long as you had wealth, how could it not be easy?
Two treasures were enough to complete the tenth ring of the challenge, which would likely cause countless people to flock toward it.
After all, they were part of a top-tier sect supported by the Southern Barbarian Court. While two treasures might be a challenge for an individual, it was nothing for them.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother!" The Red Bone Heavenly Venerable was so envious that his very bones seemed to glow red.
Indeed, this was a great opportunity. Not to mention the option to request treasures from the Southern Barbarian Court, their White Bone Sect itself housed many rare treasures.
As Heavenly Venerables, they naturally had the authority to access these resources. Moreover, the mission did not specify whether the treasures had to be divine weapons or materials.
As long as the treasures met the required level, they would suffice.
The most enticing part, however, was the clause:
"The more treasures offered, the more substantial the reward, with the possibility of obtaining the Dragon Emperor's Decree!"
The term "Dragon Emperor" was electrifying to the nerves.
Since Zhao Xing had summoned the Dragon King Yin Xiu to resolve the war on the Fiery Prison Plain, various documents about the Dragon Emperor had been unearthed.
People from all sides were frantically delving into historical records. Now, any item remotely related to the Dragon Emperor was being sold at astronomical prices.
"Senior Brother, you must not miss this opportunity. Aim for the highest reward!" The Red Bone Heavenly Venerable was visibly excited. If not for the fact that the mission token was bound to the Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable's true name, he might have thought of killing his senior brother to claim it for himself.
"Of course!" The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable felt delighted but maintained a calm facade. "However, Junior Brother, to complete this mission, we must work together."
The Red Bone Heavenly Venerable instantly understood his senior brother's hint.
He needed treasures!
Cursing internally, he replied, "I will fully support you, Senior Brother, by requesting treasures from the Court."
Purple Bone:
So your "full support" is just words?
The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable gave him a meaningful smile. "Junior Brother, we've grown up together. If I succeed, how could I forget you?"
"Of course, you wouldn't!" Realizing that he couldn't brush it off this time, the Red Bone Heavenly Venerable had no choice but to say, "If Senior Brother still lacks treasures at that time, I am willing to contribute one rare treasure to help you."
Hmph, that's more like it. The Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable sneered inwardly.
Outwardly, however, he maintained an amicable demeanor, stroking his beard with an air of immortality. "Very well, I thank you in advance, Junior Brother."
"The highest tribute mission often involves nine treasures. At that time, I will need you to be generous."
"Absolutely!"
Thus, the two Heavenly Venerables, Red Bone and Purple Bone, swiftly departed the Sacred Hall of Pilgrimage to gather treasures.
Meanwhile, in the Secret Palace, Zhao Xing wore a faint smile.
"He still has me to thank."
Gather as much as you can. If you can complete the twelfth ring of this mission, that would indeed be miraculous!
Zhao Xing had already made up his mind. For the eleventh ring, he would still assign an easy task to the Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable.
This would give the latter hope.
Then, for the twelfth ring, the difficulty would be cranked to the maximum!
He would send him to challenge Yin Xiu's Dao!
"That would be worse than death. I wonder what expression the White Bone Sect will have when they realize that the twelfth ring requires fighting Yin Xiu for enlightenment." A sly grin crept across Zhao Xing's face.
"With the White Bone Sect's resources, they can undoubtedly manage to gather two treasures."
"Besides, they have the backing of the sectarian alliance and the Southern Barbarian Court——for two rings, nine is the limit."
"Eighteen treasures in total. Even the lowest-grade treasures and materials won't leave me at a loss."
"The cost is merely a casually written decree, one that can be voided at any time."
Finding treasures on his own? Too troublesome! Even after killing two Supreme Lords of the White Bone Sect, Zhao Xing barely obtained any treasures.
But this method? It would be like squeezing the White Bone Sect dry of all its reserves!
And if they don't fall for it?
Zhao Xing wouldn't lose anything anyway.
"This is going to be interesting," he muttered, anticipation in his tone.
Zhao Xing resumed absorbing spiritual energy within the Palace of Misa, cultivating at the same time.
As the residence of the Dragon Emperor, the palace wasn't excessively lavish, but it certainly wasn't lacking in treasures either.
For instance, there was the Dragon Blood Holy Leaf, a material used to create Dragon Emperor edicts. This rare material could carry both magical power and the laws of heaven and earth.
Such items were almost impossible to find outside, but here? Several rooms were filled with them, stockpiled to the brim.
Another treasure was the Polar Dragon Whale Incense, crafted from the remains of polar dragon whales.
"Old True Lord Tianyang would definitely love this; it's premium-grade sacrificial material," Zhao Xing remarked.
"Outside of the Dragon Court, this stuff is practically unheard of. If used for rituals to summon deities, it could amplify the power greatly—enough to recreate the full might of a Yin Spirit."
Although it was considered a peerless treasure due to its scarcity, Zhao Xing valued practicality above all else. To him, it was merely a high-tier treasure.
"The decorations here are all ninth-tier supreme-grade luminous pearls—but they're ridiculously oversized."
"Forget it. This is Dragon Emperor Jie's domain, after all. I won't dig them out."
Looking around, Zhao Xing raised a hand and spoke to the air, "If your spirit watches over this place, please don't blame me. I promise not to destroy your sleeping quarters—just taking a little here and there."
Zhao Xing continued scavenging through the Palace of Misa while adhering to his own promise: he didn't dismantle anything. For instance, in one of the side halls, there were pillars crafted from Stabilizing Sea Divine Needles, considered supreme treasures. He didn't touch them.
Time passed as Zhao Xing alternated between cultivating, collecting treasures, and delving into spells.
Meanwhile, outside the palace, the two Supreme Lords of the White Bone Sect worked rapidly to gather treasures.
First, they employed destiny sorcerers to spread the message, delivering the information to the highest authority of the Southern Barbarian Royal Court, Tuoba Gong, and the Heavenly Shaman, Tian Gui.
Tuoba Gong treated the matter with utmost seriousness. Guided by Tian Gui, the destiny sorcerers performed thousands upon thousands of divinations.
After a month, the sorcerers finally emerged from their secluded efforts, and Tuoba Gong was the first to approach them outside the chamber.
"You're finally out. What's the result?" he asked.
Despite being of the same cultivation realm as Tian Gui, Tuoba Gong displayed deep respect for the Heavenly Shaman.
"I saw Purple Bone successfully complete the tenth task, radiating pure joy," Tian Gui said, his dual-pupiled eyes shimmering like mirrors reflecting the future.
"Afterward, I saw him holding the Dragon Emperor's decree, summoning a Dragon King from the Gu Ting Kingdom."
A flicker of delight passed through Tuoba Gong's eyes. "That's excellent news!"
"Don't celebrate too soon," Tian Gui cautioned, his voice thoughtful. "The future revealed two points of uncertainty. You'll need to decide how to proceed."
"Please elaborate."
"The first point of uncertainty is that after Purple Bone completes the tenth task, his eleventh mission will also involve tribute, but the specifics remain unclear."
"The second is that I didn't observe Purple Bone completing the twelfth task and ascending as a Dragon King."
Tuoba Gong frowned. "What do you think is causing these uncertainties?"
"In theory, since he's one of us and not affected by external interference, I should have been able to see the details of the eleventh task, and even a possible future where he becomes a Dragon King," Tian Gui explained.
"But right now, I cannot see these outcomes."
Tuoba Gong pondered. "Then why are you asking me to decide?"
"Destiny insight is not omnipotent," Tian Gui said calmly. "These uncertainties can be explained to some extent.
"Even though there's no interference from external forces, the ascension to Dragon King status and the rewards tied to the Dragon Emperor inherently invoke disruptions from the Dragon Court's laws of heaven and earth."
Tuoba Gong nodded in agreement.
Two consecutive tribute missions requiring a total of eighteen treasures placed a significant burden on the Southern Barbarians.
But Tuoba Gong quickly made his decision. "In truth, we don't have a choice."
"Without the status of Dragon King, even with Dragon Clan artifacts, we cannot contend with that mysterious expert from the Great Zhou."
Tian Gui nodded in acknowledgment; the conclusion was inevitable.
He even harbored a suspicion—could that mysterious expert interfere with the Dragon King's trial?
Yet such speculation could never be verified beforehand, making it useless as a basis for action.
Additionally, Zhao Xing had disappeared into the Nine-Star Inferno several years ago without any sightings since. The probability of his involvement was minuscule and thus not worth considering.
"I'll have the royal court contribute twelve items. The White Bone Sect can supply the remaining treasures. I'll bring this to the deity for approval," Tuoba Gong declared decisively.
There was no other option—they had to bet on Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable's success.
Otherwise, they would have no foothold left in the ancient lands of the Dragon Court.
With the Great Zhou's mysterious expert in play, they couldn't openly operate in the Dragon Court's territory.
"Understood."
While the Southern Barbarians and White Bone Sect scrambled to gather treasures, the Year 14 of the Great Governance Era marked Zhao Xing's first full year inside the Palace of Misa.
The Water Mirror trembled slightly.
"Oh? Another dragon has arrived. Could it be Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable already gathered everything so quickly?" Zhao Xing said, flying over to observe the scene in the Holy Hall through the Water Mirror.
"It's not them—it's experts from the Great Zhou," he remarked after a glance. "It's the Shui Tribe chieftain, Ao Tian, alongside Tang Yinglong. Bai Yunwu is waiting outside."
"They've reached the eleventh task."
With a single thought, Zhao Xing altered Ao Tian's eleventh task.
Moments later, Ao Tian left the Holy Hall, looking utterly bewildered.
"Well?" Tang Yinglong asked.
"What's wrong? Say something," Bai Yunwu urged, equally confused.
Ao Tian handed the mission decree to the two of them, his face filled with uncertainty. "See for yourselves. I can't make sense of it."
Bai Yunwu grabbed it and quickly scanned the contents, his expression shifting into one of confusion.
"Say something, Bai!" Tang Yinglong snapped, frustrated by the silence.
Snatching the decree from him, Tang Yinglong also froze in place upon reading it.
Ao Tian's eleventh task was absurdly simple—so simple it felt fake!
"Defeat the Dragon Lord of the Gu Ting Kingdom, Ye Yukong. Knock him down, and the task is complete."
"What the hell is this?"
Tang Yinglong was stunned.
"Who's Ye Yukong?"
"I have no idea!"
"I know him—he's the Lord of Bright Moon Prefecture, Ye Yukong—but this task? It's way too easy!"
"Ao Tian, did you accept a fake mission or something?"
Bai Yunwu bit the challenge token hard.
"Crack, crack, crack!"
The mission token retaliated, making Bai Yunwu's gums ache.
"It's real?"
"This smells fishy," Tang Yinglong pondered. "Don't you think this task seems like something he would set up?"
"You mean him?" Bai Yunwu immediately caught on.
"Exactly."
"But isn't he still in the Nine-Star Inferno?" Ao Tian questioned in confusion. "The people guarding the inferno haven't reported him leaving."
"It wouldn't be surprising if he appeared here. After all, this is the Dragon Emperor's residence," Bai Yunwu said, the more he spoke, the more convinced he became.
"I understand now! It must be him. He likely has his reasons—perhaps to avoid revealing his presence, or it might just be the rules—but he's clearly giving us a hint this way."
"Are you sure about that?" The others were still skeptical.
"It's simple," Bai Yunwu concluded. "We'll head back to the Gu Ting Kingdom. Ao Tian, you can knock Ye Yukong down, and we'll see if it works."
"Fair enough," Ao Tian agreed.
Over an open field in the Gu Ting Kingdom...
"Boom!"
Ye Yukong was slammed into the ground by a claw strike, his body embedded in the dirt, staring up in bewilderment.
"Ao Tian, why did you ambush me? And you even transformed!"
Ao Tian said nothing, instead bursting into laughter.
Ye Yukong grew furious. What the hell are you doing?!
As he flew up, ready to confront Ao Tian angrily...
"Whoosh—"
Ji Si and Bai Yunwu appeared midair.
"Ye Yukong, stand down."
"Lord Ji, I was just minding my own business, and suddenly Ao Tian ambushed me, slamming me into the ground! He won't even explain himself. It's absurd—" Ye Yukong protested, clearly ready to escalate the issue to higher authorities.
"If he didn't ambush you, how could he beat you into submission?" Ji Si responded flatly.
"Wait—you knew about this ambush?"
"Classified," Ji Si replied curtly.
Ye Yukong froze. I got beaten, and I'm not even allowed to know why?
How is this classified?!
Ji Si felt helpless. It truly was classified information.
"You'll just have to bear with this for now," Ji Si said.
Ye Yukong, having no official position and only recently reaching the second-rank realm, was indeed not qualified to know such things.
"I—" Ye Yukong was exasperated but had no choice but to nod reluctantly.
This task was nothing more than Zhao Xing's experiment to see how simplified he could make the challenge mission.
So, he casually wrote a task and surprisingly—it worked!
However, the final twelfth mission couldn't be improvised this way.
It involved the heavenly laws decreed by the Dragon God, requiring Zhao Xing to choose from predetermined tasks, with the difficulty level fixed.
While Zhao Xing could increase the difficulty, he was not allowed to reduce it.
This was because the task was tied to the "heavenly law blessings of the Dragon Court," typically linked to the Grand Arena.
Of course, the Dragon Emperor had the authority to bestow the Dragon King title directly, but that was a separate process altogether.
In the fifteenth year of Great Governance, early February, marking Zhao Xing's second year in the Palace of Misa...
"Buzz—" The crystal lit up, ripples spreading outward.
Zhao Xing's primordial soul emerged, drifting toward the water mirror. With a gentle touch, the image of Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable appeared.
"Impressive speed. In less than two years, he's gathered this many treasures?" Zhao Xing chuckled.
Thanks to Tian Gui's guidance, Tuoba Gong and the Bone Emperor had arranged for Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable to prepare for the subsequent tasks in advance.
This time, Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable arrived with a total of eighteen treasures.
"Great Dragon God above, I am here to complete the Dragon King Trial," Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable prostrated himself, reverently placing nine treasures on the crystal platform.
Mist billowed forth, and the nine treasures vanished, reappearing within the Palace of Misa moments later.
"Not bad, gathering them so quickly," Zhao Xing mused with a smile.
Casually, he used the Dragon Blood Holy Leaf to write an authentic decree, embedding it with limitations on scope and duration, ensuring it could dissipate with a single thought.
"Buzz—" A freshly written Dragon Emperor Decree materialized from the water mirror.
"Great Dragon God above, I am grateful—"
After completing the ritual, Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable took the decree and exited, his heart pounding with excitement, his hands trembling.
Immediately, he sought out two royal court envoys to verify the decree.
"This appears authentic, crafted from the ancient Dragon Blood Holy Leaf. Its method of creation has been lost, but it was historically used for Dragon Emperor edicts," one envoy confirmed.
"You should now have one opportunity to summon a Dragon King."
Only one? Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable was slightly disappointed.
But even one opportunity was excellent. If he could locate a powerful Dragon King—such as Yin Xiu—and pair it with the Reverse Scale Sword, the effects would be extraordinary!
"Should I test it? Could it summon Yin Xiu?" Confidence surged through Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable. "With just one chance, it can't be wasted casually."
"Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable, proceed to complete the eleventh task. It should be another tribute mission."
"Understood." Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable nodded and returned to the hall.
Just as Tian Gui had predicted, the eleventh task was indeed another tribute mission, requiring the submission of nine more treasures.
Zhao Xing didn't even bother changing the reward this time, casually issuing another blank promise to Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable.
"Two now!" Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable and his accompanying envoys were thrilled.
These decrees represented their hope of countering the mysterious Great Zhou expert.
Observing their elation from the water mirror, Zhao Xing couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Using decrees I wrote to fight me? Hah, how cruelly ironic—"
Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable soon returned to the hall to accept the final twelfth task, aiming to fully claim the Dragon King title.
"Buzz—"
The mirror quickly responded, generating a new task token.
Eagerly, Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable seized the token, grinning broadly as he exited the hall.
"What's the task?" he was asked.
"The final challenge of the Dragon King Trial, defeating the Dragon King Yinxiu of the Guting Kingdom alone—" Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable's smile froze, unable to even fake a laugh.
"What?" The envoy of the royal court was stunned, as were the Fate Warlocks, who stood completely dumbfounded.
"Me? Alone, defeat Dragon King Yinxiu?" Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable's entire skeletal frame tingled with numbness, and his brain buzzed loudly.
This was simply an impossible task!
Guting Kingdom, Xila Mansion
"Ugh!"
Ye Yukong was once again slammed into the dirt.
He looked up at Tang Yinglong, who had suddenly appeared in the sky, his expression brimming with indignation.
"Are you also part of this secret arrangement?"
Tang Yinglong transformed into his human form and nodded. "Lord of Bright Moon Manor, apologies."
"Apologies?! You don't seem the least bit sincere about it!" Ye Yukong cursed loudly.
Tang Yinglong's grin was as unconvincing as a waterwheel grinding against stone. No one would buy it!
From a high platform not far away, Ji Si couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the scene unfold. While observing, he scribbled notes:
"In the 20th year of the Great Governance Era, the Emperor must bear witness—
"Zhao Xing has reappeared in a veiled manner. He is now capable of interfering with most of the Dragon King Trials."
"Both Ao Tian and Tang Yinglong's missions have been verified on Lord Bright Moon Manor Ye Yukong—
"However, the final challenge seems to remain unaltered, presenting Tang and Ao with a relatively difficult task."
"Nonetheless, this development has saved our kingdom's experts significant amounts of time—"
"Additionally, rumors from the Great Serpent Kingdom suggest that two Heavenly Venerable from the Bone Sect are burdened with massive debts—"
"Spy reports indicate that Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable has even pawned his own artifacts—"
Spring, 16th Year of the Great Governance Era
Zhao Xing had already spent three years in the Palace of Misa.
"It's about time to leave the Palace of Misa," Zhao Xing murmured to himself. "Two more stops—Ace Royal City and the Shrine of Fuming. Then, I will head to Dragon King Island to seek my breakthrough."
"My preparations are complete now. Using the three ancient coins, along with this heavenly-gifted fortune, I should easily enter the second-rank Heavenly Luck Realm," Zhao Xing thought silently.
The gap between the Heavenly Luck Realm and the third-rank True Soul Realm was not inherently vast.
The only true distinction was that practitioners in the Heavenly Luck Realm typically possessed Derivation Seven-level fortune.
"By aligning one's insights with the forces of heaven and earth, one can discern the proper path of cultivation to follow the will of the heavens."
"As the saying goes, 'Heaven's fortune is my fortune.' This marks the beginning of distorting the rules of heaven and earth."
"At the higher levels of the Heavenly Luck Realm, one can utilize fortune in conjunction with mystical arts, enabling battle premonitions," Zhao Xing reflected deeply as he flew through the portal leaving the Palace of Misa.
"In the early stages of the Heavenly Luck Realm, battles often feel like a void search; multiple exchanges in an instant, yet a thousand moves may land nowhere."
"Only at the later stages of the Heavenly Luck Realm, where 'heaven's fortune becomes one's own,' does it become truly terrifying."
While musing over these thoughts, Zhao Xing found himself entering a new space.
The surroundings mirrored the devastation of the Palace of Misa: black fissures in the air, frozen clouds, and terrifying cracks across the ground. Black spears pierced through the ruins.
"This is Ace Royal City, also known as the Dragonling Royal City. In ancient times, dragon civilization concentrated their dragon eggs here for incubation and their young for nurturing," Zhao Xing surveyed the environment.
"However, that tradition has long vanished." He scanned his surroundings.
The nests and citadels of countless hatcheries had been annihilated.
Protective arrays were no more, and the dragon city was dim and lifeless.
Bones littered the ground—many of them belonging to Dragon King-level beings sprawled atop the ruins, their stances frozen as though howling in fury.
Enormous skeletal remains of Great Dragon Kings were split in two by the black fissures.
Some dragon bones formed bizarre, composite shapes—partly of dragon origin, partly unidentifiable.
What should have been a serene paradise was now a broken battlefield.
"Let's see if there's anything intact left here." Zhao Xing darted through the skies, searching rapidly.
Fifteen Days Later
"Phew," Zhao Xing muttered as he descended into a massive underground cavern.
Inside the cavern, numerous elliptical crystal tanks, made of dragon crystals, were scattered. Most were shattered.
"There was fighting here as well," Zhao Xing noted somberly, a trace of melancholy surfacing in his heart. "The defense battles must have raged even in this place. It's unimaginable."
"Traitor dragons?" Zhao Xing speculated. "It seems a faction of the dragon race betrayed the Dragon Court and ambushed this place—"
"Originally, these crystal tanks should have been filled with medicinal liquids to incubate dragon eggs."
"I need to find the Life Dragon Spring forged by the ancient Shrine of Fuming," Zhao Xing resolved, speeding through the area.
Leaping over what resembled a vast junkyard littered with dragon bone fragments and dim relics of divine weapons, Zhao Xing finally approached an enormous gate.
"Divine Court Edict, True Word Holy Command, Gate of Ace, open!"
Zhao Xing chanted, invoking the sealing incantation.
"Boom!"
The long-sealed gate creaked open, releasing a surge of spiritual energy.
For a full month, Zhao Xing stood outside, absorbing the overwhelming aura until it finally subsided.
Cautiously stepping inside, Zhao Xing beheld a nearly dried-up spiritual spring behind the gate.
At the center of the spring stood three crystalline tanks, each towering ten times taller than the others outside.
The tanks were adorned with entwined dragon carvings, with dragon heads on either side pointing toward the center.
A wave of sorrow welled in Zhao Xing's eyes.
Even the tome within him seemed to emit a low, mournful dragon's cry.
"This is where Dragon Emperor Xie was nurtured."
"After Dragon Emperor Xie and another true dragon were born, they fled the tanks and escaped through the teleportation arrays on either side."
"Sensing the external danger, they were forced into premature birth. However, the anticipated catastrophe never struck, and the terrifying entities failed to fully breach this place."
From the tome, Zhao Xing glimpsed fragmented scenes, piecing together fragments of history. Yet, the distant past offered only fleeting glimpses.
"The tanks on either side have shattered, but the one in the center remains intact." Zhao Xing gazed downward.
A faint spiritual spring enveloped the central tank, its aura radiating softly around it.
"A sealed true dragon egg." Zhao Xing stood quietly, analyzing further. "Years after Dragon Emperor Xie escaped, he eventually grew into an unrivaled Dragon Emperor, subduing the Abyss and the Sinful Sea."
"What transpired in between to make him seal this dragon egg?"
"Did he perceive it as dangerous?"
"Or was it an act of protection due to some mishap with the other true dragon that escaped alongside him?"
Zhao Xing had no way of knowing. However, the seal on this egg was immensely powerful.
The entity sealing it had employed none other than the Dragon Emperor's Sealing Curse, one of the Nine Great Curses.
"Seal it!"
Zhao Xing decided against unsealing the dragon egg as he hadn't yet mastered the Dragon Emperor's Sealing Curse. Instead, he directly took the sealed dragon egg along with the remaining spiritual liquid and stored them.
As for when to unseal it, he would decide depending on future circumstances.
With a flash, Zhao Xing quickly left the Dragonling Royal City.
A month later, Zhao Xing arrived at the Ancient Fuming Divine Palace.
This was an expanse of a vast sea of fire.
Even now, the fire raged fiercely, its heat radiating across the scorched land. Amidst the fiery sea floated an enormous furnace, rising and falling within the flames.
"The Fuming Furnace!"
Zhao Xing's gaze locked onto the furnace within the fire.
"The unparalleled treasure of the Mechanist Sect, so it's truly here." A hint of excitement crept into his expression.
However, technically, it wasn't yet considered a true Mechanist treasure, as this was merely its prototype.
Later, it would be taken away, modified over the years, and eventually transformed into an artifact suitable for human use, revered by the Mechanist Sect.
"With this furnace, in just a few centuries, it'll be possible to mass-produce war artifacts."
"Thankfully, the fire sea is not as strong now. Without spiritual energy fueling the flames, retrieving it later would have been nearly impossible."
"Ancestral Dragon Transformation!"
Zhao Xing roared, his body transforming into a massive five-clawed golden dragon.
He activated the innate ability of the transformation—Ancestral Dragon Roar.
"Roar—"
The sound reverberated like the splitting of heaven and earth, forcefully parting the distorted space and dividing the raging sea of fire.
Zhao Xing darted through the opening, heading straight for the furnace.
In moments, his massive dragon body coiled around the Fuming Furnace.
"Rise!"
Letting out a furious roar, Zhao Xing exerted all his strength and forcibly pulled the furnace free from the flames.
He quickly flew away from the fiery zone, retreating to safety.
The entire process took only half a moment, yet Zhao Xing's dragon body bore numerous burn marks from the intense heat.
"Hiss—" Zhao Xing sucked in a sharp breath, gritting his teeth in pain.
"Damn it, this really could roast a dragon alive."
"Even with my immense defenses, coupled with the protection of the Dragon Emperor Codex—capable of withstanding attacks from Dragon King-level weapons—my scales have still been scorched."
"I need to transport this furnace elsewhere."
Zhao Xing rested for an entire month, allowing his injuries to heal before using a spatial transference technique to move the furnace outside the Fuming Divine Palace.
Instead of rushing to his next destination, Zhao Xing headed toward the Ancient Heavenly Dragon Island.
Three ancient coins were laid before him: the "Zhuan · Mountains and Seas," the "Changyi · Heavenly Bestowal," and the "Fortune Coin."
Zhao Xing carefully spread the coins out in front of him, activating the divination technique of the coin hexagrams.
"Manifest my intent, seek heavenly bestowal."
"Zhuan decrees it; let the mountains and seas bear witness!"
"Fortune is my fate."
A column of purple radiance descended from the heavens, enveloping Zhao Xing.
In that instant, the three ancient coins completed their mission and disintegrated into nothingness.
An immense surge of Fortune poured into Zhao Xing's body, propelling his cultivation to break through to the Second Rank of the Heavenly Fortune Realm.
Half a year later.
On the 9th day of the eleventh month of the sixteenth year of the Great Peace Era, Zhao Xing opened his eyes.
"Second Rank Heavenly Fortune Realm, Derivation Eight Fortune."
"This effect surpasses my expectations."
If it had only been the three ancient coins, their power would never have been enough to grant such overwhelming Fortune.
Clearly, Zhao Xing's prior experiences within the Dragon Court had amplified the results.
"I inherited part of the Dragon Emperor's authority, allowing me to bypass the hurdle of Derivation Seven and directly ascend to Derivation Eight."
"Most Rank One cultivators barely reach Derivation Eight, yet I've already achieved it." Zhao Xing felt momentarily dazed by his accomplishment.
But he quickly composed himself, setting aside his emotions.
Instead of leaving immediately, he meticulously recorded his breakthrough insights, refining his methods to resolve the drawbacks of the myriad straw puppet techniques.
On the 1st day of the twelfth month of the sixteenth year of the Great Peace Era, Zhao Xing returned to the area outside the Ancient Fuming Divine Palace.
Once again, he activated the Ancestral Dragon Transformation, coiling his dragon body around the Fuming Furnace and departing from the Central Dragon Court.
As he exited the Central Dragon Court, Zhao Xing reverted to his human form and retrieved an ancient token from his belongings.
"The Shangtang Token. It's not yet time to leave the Dragon Court officially, but I've acquired almost everything I can at this stage. It's time to leave."
"If I want to take this massive artifact, the Fuming Furnace, with me, I can only use the Underworld Path."
Activating the restrictions inscribed on the token, Zhao Xing patiently waited.
Suddenly—"Boom!"
The sky darkened as ominous clouds gathered overhead.
An ancient warship emerged from the black void, cutting through the darkness.
But at that moment, countless dragon roars filled the heavens as a terrifying force surged toward the ancient warship.
"Breaking through the Dragon Court's spatial rules—the ship is facing backlash. Move quickly!"
Zhao Xing swept up all his belongings, including the Fuming Furnace, and leaped aboard the ship.
The world erupted in deafening explosions, but the chaos quickly subsided, leaving behind an eerie calm.