Mo Palace
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The Commander, Wang, nodded slowly, his eyes glazed with the peaceful remnants of the Lotus Veil. "Be swift, Young Master Qian."
"Your consciousness shall be restored. Thank you. " Johan murmured as he passed by the dazed guards.
Gong Feng was already ahead, leading the way.
The group walked past the now-serene guards, and Gong Feng, still arrogant despite his failure to talk his way out, decided to summon his mount.
He brought his right hand closer to his mouth to whisper something only he could hear onto his golden blue onyx ring that gleamed under the moonlight.
The winds continued to whistle serenely, humming a lullaby for the tired.
"Young master, do you think that young master Gong Feng's mount has deserted him?" Li Ping whispered, stifling a giggle behind her sleeve.
"If the guards regained consciousness too soon, the palace alarms would activate." She added.
"I can hear you." Gong Feng snarled, his face flushing a deep red under the moonlight.
The Mo Palace walls stretched further as they walked. Crane statues and that of Phoenix and Eagles adorned the palace, sitting in each angle as if forming a protective formation. Each brick was infused with divine energy from the merits of its old inhabitants.
It was rumored that their walls were capable of fending off demonic energy for a century due to accumulated merits. It was also rumored that this divine fortress was invisible to mortals and pure demonic cultivators.
Johan's mind replayed the technique Li Ping displayed earlier. He remained silent, his gaze fixed on the palace walls. He noted how the eagle and phoenix statues seemed to watch them, their stone eyes shimmering with a faint, judgmental light. The air suddenly began to thrum with a low, bone-vibrating intensity.
Gong Feng smirked, having missed the entire subtle shift in authority, and whistled sharply. A shadow fell over the courtyard. A massive Divine Dragon descended. Her scales were a dizzying mosaic of onyx and gold, clashing against the night sky like polished bronze as her talons struck the stone. There was no crash, only a heavy, magical silence.
"An actual dragon in the flesh. It seems that I might not be dreaming after all." Johan thought, his dead blue eyes widening just a fraction. "New world, continue to amaze me."
Johan noted the intelligence in her eyes that according to him was far too sharp for a mere beast as he looked at the magnificent creature that looked down on him. The dragon scrutinized them all before her gaze landed on Gong Feng.
"You called for me, Gong Feng?" Xinyi, the Divine Dragon asked, her voice like grinding tectonic plates—yet unmistakably feminine
"Yes. Xinyi, take us away before the guards become conscious." Gong Feng commanded.
The dragon was annoyed because she realized that Gong Feng was likely trying to make himself presentable in front of these taoists.
"Fine." The dragon huffed. A jet of orange flame erupted from her nostrils, accidentally scorching the hem of Gong Feng's pristine white robes. He yelped, slapping at the smoke.
"Xinyi! Don't forget that you disappear if this handsome face disappears!" he barked, frantically smoothing his singed silk.
"A handsome face might wrinkle tomorrow but a dragon's scale lasts forever." Xinyi waved her hair.
"Hop on, little attendant! And you too, Savior," Gong Feng commanded through gritted teeth, scrambling onto the saddle positioned just behind the dragon's large, ridged head.
Li Ping swallowed as she looked up at the terrifying beast, but her composure held. Although she was capable of disarming fear, she was still mortal.
"Dharma or not, dragons are still dragons." She thought as she climbed onto the dragon's back cautiously, followed by Johan.
The dragon lowered her head as she allowed them to climb onto her. After a few seconds, they were all settled..
"Gong Feng, where are we heading to?" She rolled her eyes, taking them off the ground.
"Hey Savior, where are we heading to?" Gong Feng tried to save himself some face.
"This shall be one tiring flight." Xinyi sighed, trying not to flare them up as she flew above the palace.