"These dragon descendants are truly wealthy. They brandish Second and Third Grade Magical Artifacts as if they were nothing."

Seeing this, Yun Chi couldn’t help but comment in admiration:

"This ’Mystic Mirage Qi Pearl’ of the Bohai Dragon King is truly wondrous. It can manifest illusions as reality and change size at will. How incredibly convenient."

The Green Jiao, Rain Concubine, smiled faintly.

"It took three hundred years of gathering five hundred portions of sea-mirage qi to refine this Magical Artifact. I can just barely consider it my life-bound treasure... Everyone, please step inside."

Everyone chose a floor to use as a place for meditation.

Jiang Yi also stepped into the jade pavilion. He casually picked a Quiet Chamber and sat down, feeling rather surprised himself. The furnishings and various items within the room were not illusory at all.

’This Mystic Mirage Qi Pearl, refined from sea-mirage qi, actually has the power to pass the false for the real. What a masterful technique.’

After admiring it with great interest for a moment, Jiang Yi reined in his thoughts.

’Lesser worlds have their day of decay, and even heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon will eventually fall to ruin. But the Yanfu Vast Land is home to countless Daoist Lineages, and I’ve never heard of it facing such a calamity... Could this be the reason it’s called the ’Ancestral Land of Myriad Heavens’?’

He had never understood why the Yanfu Vast Land had almost no concept of "ascension."

Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer, Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer, all the way to the enthronement of a True Monarch...

Even after becoming a Daoist Monarch, one would be a Heavenly Venerate ruling over Yanfu, still based in the boundless Vast Land.

The patriarchs of the various Daoist Lineages, for example, were only said to have traveled to the outer cosmos, as if they were just taking a long trip.

Now that he thought about it, the Yanfu Vast Land was likely ranked above the myriad heavens, perhaps even possessing the profound quality of being "immortal, indestructible, and free of all disaster and calamity."

’In that case, if I travel to other heavens in the future, won’t I be able to hold my head high and act like a ’Lord of Yanfu’?’

...

...

Five full days!

Not a single person had stepped out of that bedchamber!

Inside Shenhai Hall, Xuan Guang’s eyes practically spat fire.

"Rain Concubine and that white Jiao! They’re so blissed out of their minds, they don’t know which way is up!"

’It’s true that the dragon bloodline carries a hint of licentiousness, but there have to be limits! We’ve all gathered at the Raging Jiao Mansion to organize the Dragon Son Assembly, not to let two Jiao descendants fornicate wildly!’

’It’s one thing for that slut Rain Concubine to be lost in her debauchery, but for those two from the True Chi Palace to be just as ridiculous is unbelievable!’

Xuan Guang was a whirlwind of anger and anxiety, his frustration curdling into a furious rage.

’Delaying the submission of essence-blood for the Dragon Son Assembly is a minor issue, but if it ruins the task assigned by the Immortal Master from the Upper Sect, who can possibly bear that responsibility!’

He mulled it over and over, finally deciding to barge in himself and see what the hell those bastards were up to! 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Just as he was about to make his move, a Merfolk lady-in-waiting hurried in to report:

"Great King, the white Jiao seems to have had an argument with the Bohai Dragon King and has left the Raging Jiao Mansion alone."

Xuan Guang was overjoyed but didn’t immediately give chase. He patiently pressed for more details:

"Was there anything unusual about the white Jiao before he left?"

The Merfolk lady-in-waiting recalled for a moment, then answered truthfully:

"His steps seemed a little weak, and he was in a great hurry. He had an angry look on his face and even said, ’There’s no need for us to ever meet again!’"

Xuan Guang burst out laughing, instantly figuring out what had happened.

"Rain Concubine is a Green Jiao who cultivates illusion techniques; she’s always been insatiable. How could a puny little white Jiao like him ever satisfy her... Hmph. Ignoring a virile man like myself and going for some pretty boy who’s all show and no go!"

The tiger Jiao’s gaze shot toward the hall’s entrance, naked killing intent flashing in his eyes. He bellowed at his attendants:

"Bring me my halberd! Quickly!"

...

...

Above the Shenhai Sea, the sky was high and the clouds were vast. If not for the absence of the sun, moon, and stars, it would be impossible to tell this was a minor realm.

A great serpent pulled the canopied treasure chariot through dense layers of dark clouds.

Jiang Yi sat primly within, and the Crab General standing beside him asked cautiously:

"Lord Jiao, are we returning to the Cloud-Intercepting River?"

"Yes. Go slower."

A golden glint flashed through Jiang Yi’s eyes as he lowered his head, seemingly calculating something.

Before long, a mass of black cloud-qi swept across the sky, covering an area several miles wide.

It was followed by a spreading water vapor, as thick as heavy smoke, obscuring everything in all directions.

The great serpent pulling the chariot seemed terrified. It faltered, refusing to move forward. No matter how the Crab General berated it, the beast dared not budge an inch.

"Hahaha! You little white Jiao whelp, you’ve certainly kept this king waiting!"

In an instant, a deep laugh like rolling thunder boomed across the sky, making the great serpent tremble and the Crab General fall prostrate.

The thick, mountain-like clouds parted like waves on water.

A towering figure, as burly as a mountain, strode forth. He had the head of a tiger and the body of a man. He wore a Good Wings Crown, a sea-green robe, a Jade Belt, and black boots, and he dragged a massive, gleaming halberd behind him.

It was none other than Xuan Guang, the Dragon King of Shenhai!

"Ah, so it’s the great king."

Jiang Yi put on a brave front, forcing a smile.

"I wonder why the Great King is blocking my path? Perhaps you wish to see this little brother off on his journey?"

Xuan Guang grinned, baring rows of sharp, needle-like teeth, looking for all the world like he couldn’t wait to taste blood.

"You whelp! You killed a Qiu Demon under my command, acted insolently in the Raging Jiao Mansion, and offended this king! You’re simply courting death! And today, this king is here to grant you that death!"

A look of horror crossed Jiang Yi’s face. He said urgently:

"I am a Jiao descendant, from the same lineage as you, Great King! Why must we fight amongst ourselves? If the Mansion Lord learns of this, he will surely punish you!"

Seeing the white Jiao in a state of panic gave Xuan Guang immense satisfaction. He finally had an outlet for the frustration that had been building for days.

"The Mansion Lord is trapped on Dragon Head Mountain; he has no time for trivial matters like this. Besides, this king has already deployed the ’Dense Cloud Nine Smokes Barrier.’ Even a Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer would struggle to break through it.

You little whelp! Only when death is at your doorstep do you finally feel fear? It’s too late! In a moment, this king will flay your skin and rip out your tendons..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Yi slowly rose to his feet. The fearful expression was gone, replaced by a calm one as he stepped down from the treasure chariot.

"Since the Great King has made such thorough preparations, this little brother won’t pretend any longer."

Jiang Yi was the picture of composure. With each step he took, a deafening BOOM echoed through the sky, rumbling for miles around as if an invisible giant’s hand was scattering the clouds.

Xuan Guang was slightly taken aback.

’This white Jiao brat... he wasn’t drained dry by Rain Concubine?’

’First, let’s test this tiger Jiao’s mettle.’

Jiang Yi activated his Dao Embryo. He casually grabbed a mass of water vapor and hurled it forward, then opened his mouth to spit out a blast of Magical Power.

The water vapor instantly coalesced into a roaring tidal wave that crashed down on Xuan Guang with overwhelming force!

Xuan Guang was momentarily stunned by its power, but when he saw the white Jiao was only using simple water-manipulation techniques, he sneered.

"Pathetic tricks!"

He raised his long halberd, infused it with brutish strength, and unleashed a massive wave of energy, forcefully cleaving the tidal wave in two.

The cultivation of Demons differs greatly from other Daoist Lineages. Most follow the path of "Innate gods and monsters," using all their True Qi and Magical Power to temper their physical bodies and comprehend their innate gifts from the extraordinary bloodline within.

Xuan Guang himself was a transformed tiger Jiao, so his physique was naturally tough. When he revealed his true form, his strength would increase severalfold.

That was why he never bothered refining other Magical Artifacts, relying solely on this trusty, cold-iron halberd. No matter how powerful his opponent, he always fought in close-quarters combat!

The endless waves dispersed, the radiant water vapor scattering into nothing.

Xuan Guang didn’t hesitate. He unleashed a powerful Magical Profound Light as two pillars of water erupted from below, which he stepped upon, transforming them into two colossal, turquoise Mangs.

His towering figure blurred, crossing hundreds of yards in an instant. The immeasurably heavy, cold-iron halberd came crashing down!

Jiang Yi currently had no suitable Magical Artifact on hand and had no desire to clash head-on with the tiger Jiao’s raw power.

An aqua-colored Profound Light surged from beneath his feet, enveloping his body as he instantly shot into the dense clouds.

"Trying to run? Trapped within my Dense Cloud Nine Smokes Barrier, there’s no way out! Just lie down and die!"

Xuan Guang assumed Jiang Yi was fleeing out of fear and pressed his advantage. The two giant Mangs beneath his feet soared gracefully, closing the distance in an instant!

The great serpent and the Crab General trembled uncontrollably, watching the two Jiao descendants fight for their lives amidst the thick clouds and dense smoke.

...

...

「Outside.」

The Green Jiao, Rain Concubine, along with Yun Chi and Cang Chi, arrived in a hurry, only to find their path blocked by impenetrable layers of smoke and mist.

No matter how they channeled their Magical Power or unleashed their Profound Light to sweep away the mist, endless waves of Dense Qi rushed in like a tide, obscuring their surroundings and making it impossible to even tell which way was which.

"This is bad! Xuan Guang actually brought the ’Dense Cloud Nine Smokes Barrier’ from the Raging Jiao Mansion!"

The Green Jiao, Rain Concubine, was frantic. She waved her wide sleeves again and again, sending out waves of aqua Profound Light, but she still couldn’t break through the smoke barrier.

The dense fog covered an area several miles wide, making it impossible to find a way out anytime soon!

"Xuan Guang was certainly thorough, to have borrowed this Magical Artifact from the mansion’s treasury."

The expressions on Yun Chi’s and Cang Chi’s faces turned grim. The two Chi weren’t worried about the white Jiao’s life or death, but without his introduction, they had no way to connect with the Daoist, let alone get their hands on those two Boundary-Breaking Orders!

"I hope Little Brother White Jiao can hold out for a while..."

The Green Jiao, Rain Concubine, had a worried look in her eyes.

’Little Brother White Jiao is only at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer. His foundation is still too shallow. How can he possibly fight a brute as fierce as the tiger Jiao, Xuan Guang?’

’This Bohai Dragon King was frantic. She hadn’t even had a taste of this tender morsel herself; she couldn’t let him be broken now!’