Chapter Seven: The Dragon's Burial Pool

The sun was sinking behind the western hills, its dying rays casting a final glow across the land.

In the dusk-lit Monster Beast Mountains, the myriad Herbs Ridge lay devastated, a scene of utter desolation. The Golden Berserk Wolf’s final, desperate retaliation had obliterated half the ridge, collapsing the clearing at its end. For a hundred miles, all vegetation was destroyed, chaos reigning everywhere.

Ye Xuan’s brow furrowed as he gazed upon the wounded and fallen members of the Ye clan, regret gnawing at his heart. He hadn’t anticipated that the Golden Berserk Wolf would self-destruct in its death throes. Though he’d warned everyone, the explosion had still claimed many disciples, even two elders—among them, Ye Chen. His own greed was to blame: if only he’d taken the Golden Nectar Fruit and not coveted the wolf’s crystal core, perhaps the losses would not have been so severe.

But remorse now was futile. Ye Xuan could only direct the survivors as they picked through the chaos of battle.

“The wolf’s self-destruction cost us twenty-seven disciples. Elders Ye Chen and Ye Qing have also fallen,” reported a surviving elder at his side.

Ye Xuan sighed heavily. Such devastating loss—how could he answer to the clan?

“We’ve tended to the bodies of the disciples and elders, except for Ye Zihan…” the elder continued.

“Hmph, that useless fool brought ruin upon himself. Even at such a critical moment, he couldn’t resist the Golden Nectar Fruit, approaching far too close to the wolf. The explosion surely left nothing of him,” Ye Xuan muttered angrily, recalling Ye Zihan’s foolish actions.

“Settle the survivors, take the bodies of our fallen kin, and return to the clan!”

The disaster was immense. As the leader of this trial, Ye Xuan could not shirk responsibility. The most urgent task now was to lead everyone home and report the tragedy. As for Ye Zihan, whose death seemed certain, Ye Xuan had no time to spare him a thought.

…

The Ye clan was already in turmoil over the trial.

In the vast courtyard, the bodies of those lost in the trial were laid out. Their loved ones gathered around, weeping in unison.

Upon hearing the news, Ye Aotian was furious. He immediately stripped Ye Xuan of his rank as one of the ten great elders, confining him to the Ice Prison to reflect for three years for his failure to protect the clan. Yet beyond this, Ye Aotian could do nothing more. Losing over twenty bloodline members in a single trial was unprecedented in Ye clan history! The trial was meant to temper the disciples through firsthand battle, to hone their strength, but instead had brought calamity and sorrow. Ye Aotian grieved deeply.

“Brother! Brother!” A small figure dashed through the courtyard, voice thick with tears, searching desperately among the crowd. It was Ye Zixue, her face streaked with sorrow.

“Zixue, try to let go. When the Golden Berserk Wolf self-destructed, Ye Zihan risked everything for the Golden Nectar Fruit. He’s already…” an elder nearby spoke, unable to bear the sight.

“No! You’re lying! Brother isn’t dead! He promised he’d always stay by my side!” Ye Zixue screamed, her voice hoarse, her tear-stained face pitiful to behold. Suddenly she crouched on the ground, sobbing softly, “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have told Brother I needed another Golden Nectar Fruit to advance my summoning technique. It’s all my fault…”

Those around could only sigh, unable to offer any words of comfort.

…

Within the Monster Beast Mountains, the clearing at the end of Herbs Ridge was utterly collapsed and ruined. Below the cliff’s edge, an endless abyss yawned.

Deep in the abyss, a vast ancient forest stretched as far as the eye could see. Countless ancient trees towered skyward, branches intertwined, an air of wildness pervading the woods.

At the forest’s heart, a spring-fed pool shimmered—a deep blue ancient pond.

The pond was expansive, its icy waters flowing with a vitality unlike any other stagnant pool, yet the surrounding silence was absolute. All beasts avoided the pond, never venturing within a hundred miles, as though fearing something within.

Just then, on the grassy bank near the pond, a small, frail body lay motionless. Its rough linen tunic was shredded, wounds and blood covering it, the chest a mangled mess. In the left hand, a golden herb was still clutched: Ye Zihan, thrown from the cliff by the Golden Berserk Wolf’s explosion.

Ye Zihan’s eyes were closed, unmoving. Were it not for the faint breath from his mouth and nose, one might think him dead.

To survive such a violent blast and fall from a thousand fathoms was a miracle in itself.

He remained unconscious for two days, showing no sign of waking. But at a certain moment, the deep blue pond erupted in sudden change.

The previously calm waters sped up, waves swirling toward the center, forming a pitch-black vortex in an instant!

The vortex appeared, its suction surging, the surface roiling as water raced to its heart.

Moments later, a dark shadow emerged from the vortex’s depths, growing larger, finally bursting forth, soaring above the pond!

As the shadow revealed itself, the pond dimmed. Above, a colossal figure blocked the light—a blue dragon a hundred yards long!

Suspended in the air, the dragon slowly beat its massive wings, its breath weak.

Upon closer inspection, its body was covered in wounds, many scales missing, bloody gashes everywhere—a clear sign of fierce battle, and injuries inflicted by humans.

“Roar~”

The dragon let out a low moan, its face twisted in pain as its body writhed.

After a while, the dragon’s groaning intensified, its agony deepening. Finally, with a desperate roar, it shuddered violently and laid a stone-sized dragon egg!

The egg fell, but the dragon swiftly caught it with its tail, bringing it before its eyes, gazing lovingly.

But when its gaze fell upon the nearby Ye Zihan, the dragon was startled. Then a fierce, murderous glare flashed in its eyes, and it bellowed in rage, “Human!”

The dragon, gravely wounded and exhausted from giving birth, had no time to sense its surroundings. It never expected a human in this forbidden land!

“All humans must die!”

Staring at the human body below, the dragon recalled the betrayer who had plotted against it, fury surging. With a roar, it unleashed a torrent of dragon fire at Ye Zihan!

Though he bore no personal grudge, though the child was wounded, to the dragon, all humans deserved death.

Bloodshot eyes wild with madness, the dragon lost all reason. Dragon fire erupted, blazing with terrifying heat, streaking toward Ye Zihan!

But just as the fire reached him, Ye Zihan’s body shuddered, and two beams of light shot from his brow!

“Divine Silence Mirror!”

“Boom!”

The dragon fire, instead of incinerating Ye Zihan as expected, collided head-on with an almost transparent energy mirror. Fire and mirror met, exploding in a shower of sparks, the shockwave rippling outward!

“How close, how close! To encounter such a powerful foe the moment we emerge—thank goodness we acted in time, or the consequences would have been dire.”

As the smoke cleared, two figures gradually became visible.

One was clad in red, the other in blue. Upon inspection, their forms seemed ethereal, as if they were spirits.

“These past two days, it’s been no easy task to keep his heart beating. One more mishap and the boy’s life would hang by a thread,” the blue figure spoke in a voice like music.

“As you say, if he suffers another accident, his life is at risk. We won’t fare much better ourselves. So next, you protect the boy, and leave the dragon to me,” the red figure said, eyes fixed on the dragon above, a flicker of excitement in his gaze.

The blue figure shot him a glance, then gazed upward as well. “Don’t underestimate it. This is a Thousand Nether Blood Phantom Dragon, a descendant of ancient divine beasts, not much weaker than you.”

The red figure grinned and nodded.

Meanwhile, the dragon’s pupils contracted at the sight of the sudden apparition. Its instincts screamed caution, especially toward the red-clad man, from whom it sensed a hint of danger—a faint, intangible pressure!

“No matter who you are, all humans must die!”

The sense of danger lasted but a moment. The dragon’s eyes reddened again, consumed by rage and vengeance.

“Oh? Do humans bear you such hatred? The Thousand Nether Blood Phantom Dragons are known for keeping to themselves, never meddling in human affairs. Why seek to kill a wounded child?” the red-clad man asked, surprised.

“Enough talk! Vile human, die! Azure Dragon Strike!”

With its claws joined, the dragon summoned a surge of power, gathering vast energy beneath its talons. In moments, it coalesced into a mighty azure dragon! The summoned dragon roared, shaking the clouds, then turned, charging down at the three below with astonishing speed and force!

Seeing the attack, the red-clad man was alert. His hand blurred, creating dazzling afterimages, as he shouted, “Wavefire Slash!”

With his cry, a blaze flared before him, spreading into waves of fire that swept toward the azure dragon, lighting up the sky!

“Bang!”

The explosion thundered, smoke billowing as the fire waves and azure dragon collided. The shockwave sent sand and stones flying, even the ancient trees of the forest shattering beneath its force.

Both attacks were evenly matched, neither prevailing.

“I don’t know why you hate humans so deeply, but you’re wounded, and I’m in spirit form. A fair fight, I’d say,” the red-clad man said, rising slowly to face the dragon.

The dragon replied only with a cold snort, lunging with icy claws toward him!

The man dodged swiftly, his eyes gleaming with battlelust. “I’ve long heard the Thousand Nether Blood Phantom Dragon is the god among beasts, unrivaled strength. Today, I, Hong Yan, shall test your might.”

With that, he spread his arms, body arching as his bones creaked and his form began to swell!

“You’re not human?!”

The dragon’s pupils contracted sharply. Despite its senses, it detected no beastly aura from the man—only one explanation remained: the man’s bloodline surpassed its own!

Under the dragon’s astonished gaze, Hong Yan’s transformation completed. When the dragon saw his final form, a shocked cry echoed through heaven and earth.

“Phantom…Phantom Emperor Dragon!”