Chapter 145: The Old Dragon Emperor!
"Oh~ Couldn't sit still any longer!"
Jiang Yun's gaze followed the direction of the roar. Within his soul perception came a terrifying aura—at least the strength of a six or seven-star Dou Zun.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun chuckled lightly and spoke with keen interest.
"Boom—"
A terrifying energy force wind swept over, stirring horrifying undercurrents within the magma sea. Carrying an impact of immense power, it surged toward Jiang Yun. Along with it came a furious, raging roar!
"Human! Slaughtering my clansmen, trespassing into the God's tomb—you court death!"
In a flash, that ferocious, savage Fire Lizardman appeared right before Jiang Yun's eyes. A giant arm, covered in dark-red scales, brought with it a fierce, ferocious force wind and viciously smashed straight toward Jiang Yun's head.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun condensed black-and-white Dou Qi in his palm. His hands flew through seals at lightning speed. "Today, this God's tomb—I'm set on trespassing!"
"Five-Wheel Separating Flame Art!"
"Roar—"
As the flames coalesced in his palm, five colossal fire spirits once again were reborn from the endless magma, bathed in flame. Five pairs of ferocious eyes glared hatefully at that Fire Lizardman.
"Insignificant tricks! With this pitiful level of strength, you'd best stay right here!" Sweeping a glance over the five fire spirits, the Fire Lizardman roared furiously. Stomping a foot, he lunged forward, closing in on Jiang Yun.
"Five-Wheel Separating Flame Disk!"
Jiang Yun's expression remained unchanged. The five fire spirits shot rapidly toward the Fire Lizardman. Mid-charge, behind the five spirits, a black-and-white flame disk nearly twenty zhang in size rapidly condensed and took form.
The moment the flame disk appeared, the five fire spirits shuddered, then shot toward the disk in unison.
In the next instant, the enormous black-and-white flame wheel disk's body abruptly shuddered violently. Then, transforming into a world-annihilating grinding millstone, it rolled and crushed toward that Fire Lizardman with lightning speed. Everywhere it passed, space itself began to tremble.
"Kill—"
The Fire Lizardman watched the changes in the flame disk, sensing the terrifying, mortal crisis now erupting from it. His heart convulsed violently. With a furious roar, he mustered his entire body's strength and blasted viciously toward the flame wheel disk.
"Boom—"
The terrifying collision was like meteors crashing together. Even within the magma sea, in that instant, a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering roar erupted. The surrounding magma, under the terrifying heat radiating from the flame wheel disk, was instantly vaporized into nothingness, forming a zone of absolute vacuum.
At this moment, not a trace of that Dou Zun-level Fire Lizardman remained on the spot. A single move from Jiang Yun had actually blasted him into nothingness.
Truly terrifying!
Beckoning with his hand, he collected that crimson flame bead. Jiang Yun's body rippled and distorted. His peak Spirit Realm soul power shrouded his entire body, blocking any probes. His figure swiftly vanished from the scene.
"Disappeared?"
The very second after Jiang Yun left, an aged voice abruptly rang out within this space.
"Tap, tap, tap!"
An aged figure, walking as if on flat ground within the magma, slowly strode over, even producing a series of footsteps that sounded rather strange and eerie.
An elder lizardman, his body nearly a zhang tall, his scales somewhat grayish-white, old and decrepit—was walking unhurriedly toward him, finally stopping right at the spot where Jiang Yun had just been.
Scarlet-red eyes swept the surroundings, seemingly finding nothing unusual. An extremely hoarse, rasping, and stiff voice rang out: "Slaughtering my clansmen wantonly, disturbing the 'God's' peace—a crime worthy of ten thousand deaths!"
"Boom—"
A vast, imposing pressure, like that of a giant dragon, rose and surged from within him. He was actually a Nine-Transition Dou Zun—just a single step away from stepping into the Half-Saint realm.
"Search for me! Find that damned human!"
As a peculiar, special sound spread, the surrounding magma immediately erupted with violent ripples. Dense, countless crimson figures shot off in all directions.
Jiang Yun paid absolutely no heed to the chaos he had stirred up. After concealing his aura, he shot rapidly toward the place where that terrifying, monstrous aura originated. This was the most fearsome aura he had sensed since arriving on the Dou Qi Continent.
Even Gu Yuan, compared to it, still fell half a step short!
The mighty physical bodies of magical beasts granted them an unparalleled, incomparable vitality. Let alone the old Dragon Emperor—a supreme magical beast who had reached the absolute peak of the Dou Qi Continent.
Fortunately, these Fire Lizardmen used energy rather crudely. They couldn't even use Dou Techniques, let alone soul power. Concealed all along the way, Jiang Yun shot swiftly toward the Ancient Emperor's Mansion.
The deeper he went, the fewer Fire Lizardmen he encountered. But the auras they exuded grew ever more powerful and imposing.
Finally, Jiang Yun arrived at a border zone. The color of the surrounding magma, at some unknown point, had gradually shifted from dark crimson to a crimson-black hue.
On that outer perimeter, Jiang Yun also sensed two supremely powerful auras. Their identities needed no further words.
The Fire Lizardman clan's only two Half-Saint experts.
Jiang Yun did not disturb them. He looked at the surrounding black magma. Within that magma, a peculiar type of heat was hidden. This kind of heat—even with Jiang Yun's current Saint Demon Flame, he couldn't devour it in a short time.
At this moment, Jiang Yun's gaze fell upon the magma beneath his feet, which still seemed to stretch on without end. Spatial power condensed in his palm. With a light tear, the surrounding space immediately rippled and surged. The world before his eyes instantly changed.
Simultaneously.
The commotion here also awakened those two Half-Saint Fire Lizardmen.
"Human! This place is the God's tomb! It is not a place for you to come! Halt your steps immediately, or if you awaken the Guardian, you will be buried here forever!"
"Trespassing into the God's tomb—you will surely face divine retribution!"
From the distance, the frantic, panicked, stiff, and rasping words of the two lizardmen could be heard coming from behind.
Jiang Yun ignored them completely. With a sudden leap, he entered a strange, peculiar space.
What appeared before Jiang Yun's eyes was a somewhat dark and silent, boundless space. Who knew how many eons this space had been silent? The entire space was permeated with an aura of ancient, primeval desolation.
"Senior Qing Ming, how do you feel?" Looking at this space, Jiang Yun quietly asked Qing Ming in his heart.
"Stronger than I expected. But still manageable!" Only after a moment did Qing Ming's voice ring out within Jiang Yun's mind.
"Then let's go meet my father-in-law!" Hearing this, Jiang Yun let out a long breath. Chuckling lightly, he tapped his toes and flew toward the interior.
After flying for who knows how long, an enormous stone door, tens of thousands of zhang wide, abruptly appeared before his eyes.
This titanic door was cast entirely from a strange stone that even Chen Guan couldn't identify. On its surface were engraved intricate, complex, mysterious patterns, as if from the most ancient times, recording the profound mysteries of heaven and earth.
Standing before it, anyone would appear exceptionally tiny and insignificant.
At this moment, in Jiang Yun's eyes, this stone door was like a world unto itself—exceptionally profound, mysterious, and wondrous, radiating an aura that transcended and towered above this very heaven and earth!
Under the oppressive force of such an aura, all living things fell silent. From the depths of the heart rose a strange, sinister compulsion to prostrate and worship.
"Hmph—" Jiang Yun let out a cold snort, dispelling the anomaly in his heart. Sneering coldly, he said, "You want my kneeling worship? You're not yet qualified!"
Sweeping a glance at the four ancient characters—"Ancient Emperor's Mansion"—at the top of the stone door, Jiang Yun paid it no further mind and began searching for his dear father-in-law.
The pitch-black space did not hinder Jiang Yun's vision. Very soon, he spotted an enormous, colossal behemoth off to the side.
It was a creature so unimaginably vast it defied description. It coiled, utterly motionless, within the dark void, stretching on seemingly without end.
Jiang Yun's first reaction at this moment was not to step forward and identify himself. Instead, a strange, bizarre thought rose in his mind: given Zhu Kun's size... would it be enough for even one feeding of a baby dragon? (Lol, just kidding.)
Zhu Kun was simply a magnified, blown-up version of Zi Yan—a mature Taixu Ancient Dragon. His entire body was a purple-gold color. Cold, icy scales covered his form. A sensation of ancient, rugged power, as unyielding as steel, arose spontaneously.
Suddenly, Jiang Yun felt a sensation that made his very hairs stand on end. Focusing his gaze, he saw that within the dark void, a pair of enormous, gigantic eyes had abruptly opened.
Zhu Kun silently stared at Jiang Yun, this ant. His huge eyes were cold and utterly indifferent. No ripple of emotion stirred within them. An exceptionally terrifying, oppressive might directly blanketed and descended.
"Grave trespasser... Do you hold the ancient jade?"
Simultaneously, space vibrated. A voice devoid of the slightest emotion suddenly resounded.
"Senior's aura... is very similar to one of my friends. Could it be... you share some relation?" Jiang Yun did not answer Zhu Kun's question. Instead, he spoke with a tone of some puzzlement.
Sure enough, the moment Jiang Yun said this, within those enormous dragon pupils, a flash of disappointment flickered first, followed by a glimmer of killing intent, finally transforming into stupefied shock.
An enormous surge of wild joy surfaced in his heart. Zhu Kun's voice, trembling with agitation, rang out: "Child... you know my child!"
"Boom—"
The pressure of a nine-star Dou Sheng erupted with a boom. Zhu Kun stared deathly at Jiang Yun, his eyes brimming with hot tears, full of expectation as he looked at Jiang Yun.
"That friend of mine is indeed a Taixu Ancient Dragon. Could it be... Senior is her father?"
Facing the old Dragon Emperor's sudden outburst of pressure, Jiang Yun complained inwardly. If not for the Qing Ming Tower, from this alone, even if he didn't die, he'd be gravely wounded.
What a terribly unreliable father-in-law!
"Taixu Ancient Dragon... no mistake. There's no mistake. That is my child!" Sure enough, upon hearing the words 'Taixu Ancient Dragon,' Zhu Kun grew increasingly stirred and agitated.
His gaze fixed upon Jiang Yun, he asked full of hope: "My child—where is she?"
"Senior..." Jiang Yun didn't rush to answer Zhu Kun's question. Instead, he gestured at the disparity in their respective sizes.
Zhu Kun abruptly caught on. In the next instant, upon his winding, seemingly endless dragon body, dense, rich purple light began to flicker. Immediately after, his body rapidly contracted.
In just a few short breaths, as the purple light dispersed, the colossal dragon body was gone. What appeared before Jiang Yun was a middle-aged man dressed in black dragon robes, his face firm and resolute, exuding solemn authority.
At this moment, Zhu Kun stared fixedly at Jiang Yun and demanded: "Boy, you can speak now, right? If you dare deceive this Emperor..." Zhu Kun glared at Jiang Yun, thick with killing intent: "This Emperor will ensure you die without a burial site!"
"This junior's life and death rest in Senior's grasp. How would I dare deceive?!" Jiang Yun paid no mind to Zhu Kun's murderous words, replying calmly.
"This junior has a friend. We met over ten years ago. We grew up together from childhood. Her name is Zi Yan. She is a Taixu Ancient Dragon stranded outside her clan. We met in the nearby Magical Beast Mountain Range..." Jiang Yun spoke quietly, a reminiscent, reminiscing light flickering in his own eyes.
"Zi Yan, is it?" Zhu Kun murmured these two words softly. Then, brimming with doting, fatherly love, he said, "Zi Yan... truly a fine name. Zi Yan..."
Watching Zhu Kun's state, Jiang Yun could understand. After so many years, receiving the very first news of his daughter—how could this number one daughter-slave of the Dou Qi Continent possibly remain calm?
"Young... Worthy Nephew. Where is Zi Yan now?" After his initial agitation subsided, Zhu Kun rubbed his palms together. Looking at Jiang Yun, nervousness filled his voice as he asked.
"This junior is Jiang Yun. Zi Yan is at the Jia Nan Academy, just above this magma. This junior can go up immediately and bring her down to meet you, Uncle!"
Jiang Yun smiled ruefully. Zhu Kun was indeed quite pitiful. The Tuo She Ancient Emperor had truly been utterly lacking in human decency. Trapped for a full ten thousand years. Had not the Taixu Ancient Dragon's lifespan been exceedingly long and Zhu Kun's own strength exceedingly high, he'd likely long since have turned to a handful of yellow earth.
"Good! Good! Good! Go, quickly!" Sure enough, upon hearing he could see his daughter, Zhu Kun grew even more stirred and agitated, anxiously urging Jiang Yun.
"Is Uncle not afraid that what I just said was all lies—just to let me escape with my life?" Jiang Yun didn't rush out. Instead, he countered with a question.
"You wouldn't." Facing Jiang Yun's question, Zhu Kun now recovered his calm. An aura of unprovoked, spontaneous authority arose from him. A pair of eyes stared fixedly at Jiang Yun, the light of wisdom flickering within them. "Not just anyone can withstand this Emperor's pressure!"
He looked at Jiang Yun with deep, meaningful eyes. Having calmed down, Zhu Kun had also noticed Jiang Yun's peculiarity.
Just moments ago, he had unconsciously erupted with his aura. Let alone a mere two-star Dou Zun like Jiang Yun—even a one-star Dou Sheng would have been enough to suffer heavy injury from that.
Yet Jiang Yun stood here completely unharmed, utterly unaffected. How could he possibly be simple?
Moreover, when he had just probed Jiang Yun with his Emperor Realm soul, it had actually been blocked by a strange, mysterious power. This further highlighted Jiang Yun's unordinariness.
When he was Dragon Emperor, what kind of people had he not seen? Whether a person spoke truth or lies—he could still distinguish that.
For all these reasons, the old Dragon Emperor trusted Jiang Yun immensely!
The absolute worst outcome was merely being made a fool of. He had nothing to lose from that. But... if it was true...
"Heh heh. This junior shall go out now and bring Zi Yan here to meet you, Uncle!" Noticing Zhu Kun's gaze, Jiang Yun chuckled lightly and flew toward the outside.
After Jiang Yun departed, Zhu Kun began to feel somewhat restless and anxious. He had no idea what kind of attitude or demeanor he should adopt when facing his daughter.
At the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, the stone door to the subterranean space slowly opened. Jiang Yun's figure emerged. After greeting the two tower-guarding elders, he slowly made his way toward his own courtyard.
Jiang Yun made no effort to conceal his aura. The very instant he returned to the courtyard, four graceful silhouettes appeared within it one after another.
"Broke through?" Medusa looked at Jiang Yun, raising a brow, her tone even as she asked.
"Broke through. And you've also broken through to four-star!" Jiang Yun nodded, then added with a light laugh.
"No one's been slacking off!" Sweeping his gaze around, he saw that Zi Yan and the other two had all improved by a level. He chuckled.
"Then... shall we set off for the Central Plains?"
Facing the others' inquiring gazes, Jiang Yun shook his head. Then, under their puzzled stares, he said, "I'm afraid we still have to wait a bit longer."
"Zi Yan... I've found your father."