As these words were spoken, the ancient existence within the giant gate fell into terrifying silence, and atop the entire Kunwu main peak, there was complete stillness.
The rough man Meng Xizhou below, watching the battle, was almost ready to howl with excitement, desperately grabbing Qian Que’s collar: “It’s, it’s, it’s…”
It’s Senior, it’s Senior!
Such heroic bearing—who else but Senior could compare!
Never mind that she was a female cultivator, different from what he’d imagined. Even if she were some androgynous monster, he, Meng Xizhou, would only admire this one person!
Due to his extreme excitement, his tongue tied up, and for a moment he couldn’t fully express his meaning.
Poor Qian Que, currently injured, found his neck strangled by this grip, his face immediately turning purple, nearly fainting as he rolled his eyes frantically.
On Cliff Mountain’s side, everyone fell into the terrifying shock of “Senior Sister Jian Chou bare-handedly lifting and swinging dragons around.”
Fourth disciple Shen Jiu, who had always hoped that after their senior sister, Cliff Mountain would have more cute and shy female cultivators, now saw this scene and felt his vision go black. He slapped his peach blossom fan against his face and crouched down to wail: “Just kill me!”
The “image of Cliff Mountain’s senior sister” had always been mysteriously changing…
So fierce!
“…I really want to fight Senior Sister!”
Kou Qianzhi, standing with his sword, already had blazing battle fire in his eyes, gazing with burning desire at that nearly proud figure in Kong Hai, feeling countless yearnings.
The others all wore expressions of having nothing left to live for.
Really wanted to pretend not to know Senior Sister!
But when countless surprised and searching gazes turned toward them, these Cliff Mountain disciples instinctively straightened their backs, calmly and fearlessly returning the stares: Look, look, look at what?! The grace of our Cliff Mountain Senior Martial Uncle is not something you ordinary people can measure!
…All wore expressions of pride that “Senior Sister is the model for us Cliff Mountain disciples.”
Thus, the observing crowd suddenly understood: Cliff Mountain disciples were indeed extraordinary!
Everyone felt an indescribable excitement in their hearts.
Among them, Dragon Gate Elder Pang Dian felt it most intensely.
Thump, thump, thump.
It was the sound of hot blood in his body crashing against his blood vessels, rushing toward his head.
He stared almost dazedly at that Kong Hai, at that golden gate with ancient and simple patterns, at that desolate yet fierce world within the gate!
“Dragon Domain…”
It was actually the Dragon Domain that appeared after his Dragon Gate’s “Dragon Gate” opened!
How could it appear here?!
A flash of light exploded in his mind, and Pang Dian immediately thought of Jian Chou’s “quickly mastered” Dragon Scale Dao Seal, then remembered the small Dragon Gate underwater lake that had been lost before, and instantly exploded with rage!
No good, couldn’t breathe, going to die of anger…
That bastard!
His body trembled violently, and with a turn of his gaze, he pounced toward Fudao Shanren ahead with claws and fangs, looking crazed: “Aiyaaa Fudao old thief, I’ll fight you to the death!”
Fudao Shanren was just laughing proudly seeing everyone fall into his trap, never expecting Pang Dian to suddenly go mad. Caught off guard, he shouted: “What the hell are you going crazy about again! Who the hell knew this was your Dragon Gate’s dragon gate, this mountain man I…”
“You knew it was Dragon Gate!”
Already extremely furious, Pang Dian’s anger, originally three zhang high, immediately grew another level upon hearing this, nearly burning him completely.
Without hesitation, he immediately charged toward Fudao Shanren!
Damn, accidentally let it slip!
Fudao Shanren cursed inwardly, seeing Pang Dian approaching, shamelessly threw the half-eaten greasy chicken leg from his hand!
Whoosh!
The chicken leg accurately hit Pang Dian’s body, leaving an oil stain.
At the same time, Fudao Shanren had already precisely elbowed and pushed Hengxu Zhenren beside him forward: “Someone’s causing trouble at the Left Three Thousand Assembly, Hengxu old monster, why don’t you come out and handle it!”
“…”
Hengxu Zhenren was speechless.
Countless Dragon Gate disciples, though not understanding exactly what had happened, saw every bit of Fudao Shanren’s behavior clearly.
Even Zhou Chengjiang standing in place felt the urge to curse: And he’s supposed to be an enforcement elder—simply shameless!
For a moment, the atmosphere became tense as drawn swords, with a fierce battle about to break out.
Seven hundred and twenty zhang high on the Heaven-Reaching Platform, Xia Houshe paid no attention whatsoever.
Holding the crimson dragon sinew he’d obtained, upon seeing that giant gate appear, he immediately frowned: The world within Dragon Gate seemed to be summoning that black dragon to enter?
At the time, he had directly used poisonous fire to burn the entire black dragon clean, leaving only this dragon sinew, without so many complications.
He wondered if being so efficient had caused him to miss some opportunity.
Xia Houshe gazed deeply at Jian Chou’s figure, feeling only an inexplicable rising pressure: Able to advance in attack and defend in retreat, possessing divine power in battle and divine assistance in leadership, fearless before the Dragon Domain—truly a real hero…
The Kong Hai suspended upside down in the sky now had half its area covered in dense clouds.
Seawater hung overhead but never fell.
Within the massive dragon gate, there was a grim and oppressive atmosphere, not a trace of vitality, only a floating deathly silence, like a desolate tomb.
After Jian Chou spoke those words, she stood before this tomb without the slightest retreat.
The seemingly supreme existence above the Dragon Domain’s sky appeared not to have expected anyone would dare contradict it and interfere with their clan’s affairs, immediately becoming extremely angry.
The low, dark clouds rolled and pressed downward.
That voice sounded again, no longer composed as before, carrying several traces of grimness:
“Who are you to dare meddle in my dragon clan’s affairs!”
Still intense pressure.
Jian Chou, covered in dragon scales reflecting the same light as the swimming dragons in the Dragon Domain, forcibly kept her spine straight without any bend, smiling: “Just an ordinary person. I dare not meddle, but I see injustice.”
“Injustice?”
The voice seemed to find this amusing.
Jian Chou also found it laughable: “The earthworm doesn’t wish to become a dragon yet you force it—how dare you speak of ‘justice’?”
The earthworm with half its body hanging in the seawater, nearly like a dead dragon, somehow felt a chill penetrate its entire body upon hearing this: Mother, how did this sentence seem to draw the battle fire onto itself?
But…
Nothing seemed wrong about it.
It just didn’t want to become a dragon.
What was a “dragon” anyway?
This appearance was terrifying and frightening to look at, not as good as its original form. Besides, being in water made it unable to breathe comfortably—how could it compare to eating soil comfortably in the earth?
So Jian Chou spoke correctly.
Although its head was down, the little earthworm, after thinking it over, actually nodded its tail downward to show it agreed with Jian Chou’s words.
This scene was truly indescribably comical.
Xiao Jin, standing not far from Jian Chou’s side, nearly couldn’t contain his laughter.
But the existence within the gate’s layers of clouds suddenly accumulated deep anger: “Doesn’t wish to become a dragon? Among all living beings in this world, there’s actually someone who doesn’t wish to become a dragon!”
As if hearing the world’s greatest joke, after this questioning, the voice actually began laughing toward the sky.
The entire Dragon Domain seemed to shake with this laughter.
Clouds surged and scattered; the angry sea churned, washing against the horizon.
The entire sky grew even more overcast, accompanied by a dark and void aura.
Within the Nine Dragon Gate, the entire world seemed to fall into darkness.
Unable to see one’s hand in front of one’s face, only faintly able to hear sounds in this endless darkness, as if many things were moving through the blackness.
Jian Chou felt this scene had a vaguely familiar feeling.
A flash of inspiration in her mind—she suddenly remembered: It was the chaotic universe!
“Swish!”
The moment her thought flashed, several subtle rays of light suddenly broke through the darkness, accompanied by a majestic figure.
That was the first ray of light in the universe. Many “things” were illuminated by this light.
They had various shapes, looking strange and peculiar, but only the shadow in the rear-center felt familiar.
Because…
That was a golden giant dragon!
Bathed in the universe’s first ray of light, the giant dragon began to shine, with endless brilliant radiance reflected by the dragon scales covering its body, also illuminating the endless darkness around it…
That laughter had somehow already stopped.
Jian Chou heard the existence in the clouds speak with ancient weariness: “My clan was born alongside the world in the chaotic universe, being primordial deities, living as long as heaven itself.”
The black dragon below didn’t quite understand His meaning, uneasily moving its body slightly.
Since the rear half of its tail was still in Jian Chou’s hands, the black dragon made no large movements, only struggling to raise its head to look into the Nine Dragon Gate, its huge dragon eyes seeming to show a hint of shock.
After that voice fell, the scene before Jian Chou and the others suddenly changed.
The void disappeared, the endless universe vanished.
In the starry sky were countless stars, glowing and heating. The giant dragon wandered among the stars, suddenly diving into one of them, and blue sky and white clouds reappeared.
Golden scales reflected brilliant golden light.
The giant dragon soared among white clouds—one dragon roar changed wind and clouds!
Instantly blue sky and white clouds disappeared, replaced by howling dark clouds and turbulent waves. A deep blue lightning bolt split the gloom, making the entire world wild with wind and rain!
On the ground, floods reached the sky, countless mortals swept away by the great waters, disappearing without trace.
Those not swallowed by the floods gazed at the golden figure hidden in the clouds, prostrating in worship, offering incense and sacrifice.
“My clan soars above the nine heavens. One dragon roar can bring clouds and rain, possessing supreme power.”
Seeing these scenes, the black dragon below began trembling slightly, whether from fear or some other emotion.
Seeing this, Jian Chou frowned slightly.
She somewhat understood the meaning of this existence within the Nine Dragon Gate.
Indeed, after this thought, the scene before them changed again.
Endless illusions seemed to suddenly become real things rushing toward them.
This time, it was above the sea surface.
The golden giant dragon descended from the clouds, diving into the endless deep sea. Its hundred-zhang-long body suddenly changed, growing upon entering water, soon reaching a thousand zhang. It didn’t leap from the sea surface, only a golden shadow swimming in the deep sea.
Bang!
The moment It swam from the sea surface, countless red, blue, and black giant dragons actually followed this golden giant dragon, leaping from the seawater!
The scene at that moment was shocking to the extreme.
The cold dragon scales carried an almost powerful and beautiful iciness, reflecting the light between sea and sky into everyone’s eyes.
“Roar…”
The golden giant dragon’s long tail swept fiercely in the seawater, creating endless tumbling waves.
Half the great sea crashed toward the sky!
After the furious waves, nine dragons of different colors actually connected head to tail, forming a hundred-zhang dragon gate above the sea surface!
This gate—how similar to what Jian Chou and the others now saw?
With their minds shaken, Jian Chou looked up to see the nine dragons on the dragon gate all turn their heads simultaneously, eyes tightly closed, yet emitting intense light. Thus, all creatures in the deep sea were attracted.
Small fish after small fish, filled with tremendous excitement, struggled to leap up, wanting to jump over this dragon gate.
But most of them could at most leap several chi or zhang before powerlessly falling back to the sea surface.
Only the outstanding ones among sea creatures could leap a hundred zhang in one bound, directly crossing the dragon gate!
This was “Leaping the Dragon Gate”!
A red carp swam from afar, its small tail slapping hard in the seawater, immediately borrowing force to fly up, actually leaping a hundred zhang in one breath.
Nearly transparent fins moved in the air, shining with dazzling brilliance.
It crossed over.
So the nine dragons all opened their eyes, and a vast dragon aura immediately swept from the entire gate. The nine giant dragons simultaneously opened their mouths, each exhaling a breath that condensed into a crimson dragon sinew, immediately entering that small carp’s body.
Thus, the originally palm-sized carp’s spine instantly transformed into hundred-zhang dragon bones, its originally fragile flesh completely burst apart, re-condensing around the dragon bones and sinew.
Countless golden-red dragon scales gradually grew from the fragile dragon body.
“Bang!”
When this red carp leaped over the dragon gate and fell back into the deep sea, it had become a new giant dragon, a member of the dragon clan!
The scene immediately became blurred again, beginning to shatter.
In every fragment was a dragon gate—some in lakes, some over rivers, some in the deep seabed…
Countless aquatic species prayed to heaven and earth, beseeching the dragon god, hoping for dragon gates to appear…
“All living beings in the world desire endless lifespan and powerful strength, prostrating in worship, offering incense and sacrifice, praying for favorable weather, praying for dragon gates to descend to the world, giving living beings a chance to leap over dragon gates and receive my clan’s inheritance…”
“Child, you are destined to have dragon sinew attached to your body, already possessing dragon form. Why not leap over the dragon gate, shed your mortal body, refine away mortal bones, wash away mortal blood, and become a supreme true dragon!”
“My clan’s descendant, why don’t you quickly leap over the dragon gate!”
Why don’t you quickly leap over the dragon gate…
Why don’t you quickly leap over the dragon gate!
Why don’t you quickly leap over the dragon gate!!!
…
Each cry higher than the last, gradually becoming magnificent as thunder.
Jian Chou felt her mind unstable, actually having an impulse to follow His words, leap over the dragon gate, and achieve supreme true dragon status.
The black dragon below even more so—at this moment it swished its tail, broke free from Jian Chou’s grasp, leaped from the seawater, as if attracted by something, raised its head and howled toward the sky!
A long dragon roar broke through countless illusions.
Snap snap snap!
Fragment after fragment of illusions disappeared in the dragon roar.
Golden sunlight broke through the clouds above, falling back into Kong Hai, returning Kong Hai to its original color.
In the azure blue, only within the Nine Dragon Gate remained grimly dark, with only the colors on countless giant dragons’ scales brilliantly radiant to the extreme—the only color in the Dragon Domain.
Jian Chou, Young Master Ruhua, and the other four were all shaken by this dragon roar, their scalps tingling.
“What does it want to do…”
Xiao Jin’s voice carried some worry.
“Isn’t that simple? That’s a true dragon—a chance that couldn’t be obtained in thousands of years. Anyone who doesn’t transform into a dragon has rocks in their head!”
The response came from the dizzy-headed Zuoliu.
After witnessing the dragons’ long history, powerful abilities, and the origin of dragon gates, who could not yearn for it?
That power to manipulate wind and clouds, to destroy heaven and earth with a raise of head and sweep of tail!
What do cultivators cultivate for?
Isn’t it to pursue eternal life and powerful strength?
Now with a shortcut before them, how many could remain unmoved?
Even if that little earthworm was foolish, after witnessing all this, surely it couldn’t remain unenlightened?
What Zuoliu said was also what others thought.
Unfortunately, facing this choice was that lucky little earthworm, not these ordinary cultivators who craved longevity and power.
Countless people cast their gazes toward the black dragon, wanting to know its final choice.
That long dragon roar gradually grew quieter.
As if its strength was exhausted, or its surging emotions slowly returned to normal.
The black dragon shook its head, its entire body contracting like a person suddenly shrinking their neck—a movement full of comical fear.
As if…
It was also surprised why it had howled toward the sky.
With its rear half buried in seawater, the black dragon looked at the Nine Dragon Gate, its dragon eyes reflecting the grim yet magnificent scene within.
But the next moment it turned its head to look at Jian Chou, as if seeking her opinion.
In this instant, Jian Chou actually found it somewhat amusing.
She didn’t want to speak.
Whether to transform into a dragon or not was the earthworm’s own choice. She had no right to comment, just as others had no right to decide for it.
During this moment of hesitation, the existence within the dragon gate seemed to have finally grown impatient, again urging with a mind-shaking voice:
“Why don’t you quickly leap over the dragon gate? What are you waiting for!”
“…”
This voice was quite loud, immediately startling the black dragon into shrinking.
It coiled on the sea surface, hesitating for a long time, finally opening its mouth to emit a dragon roar, much lower than before, as if inquiring about something.
Jiang Wenchao, standing behind Jian Chou, immediately showed a strange expression.
Without turning her head, Jian Chou asked: “What did it say?”
“…”
Jiang Wenchao looked at her deeply and sighed: “It asked where dragons live and what they eat…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
So after showing you all those illusions for brainwashing, your mind is still fixated on where to live and what to eat!
Truly mud that can’t stick to walls, a rotten earthworm that can’t become a dragon!
This brain is simply hopeless!
Inside and outside Kong Hai, countless people were dumbfounded, having the urge to faint.
Zuoliu was so angry he rolled his eyes frantically, wanting to kneel to this “ignorant” earthworm: You win, you really win!!!
The black dragon, or rather the earthworm, had no idea how earth-shattering it was.
It only tilted its head in confusion, still eagerly looking into the dragon gate, waiting for that supreme existence to give it an answer.
However, there was only endless silence.
At this moment, Jian Chou’s face suddenly bloomed with a bright and brilliant smile.
Dragons could dive in seas and fly in heaven, but absolutely would not live in earth, diligently eating soil for a living!
The question from this ignorant earthworm was simply a tremendous insult to the dragon clan with primordial bloodlines!
Indeed, the existence that had been hidden in the clouds finally became enraged by it.
Whoosh!
A fierce wind suddenly blew from the clouds, and upon reaching the dragon gate, mysteriously turned to form a massive whirlpool.
Endless pulling force immediately rushed toward the black dragon!
The black dragon felt its massive body about to lose control, frantically roaring once, emitting a frightened dragon cry, fiercely slamming its thick tail against the sea surface, trying to use the water’s resistance to counter the whirlpool’s attraction.
This life was impossible to live!
Disagreeing and then dragging people to become dragons, stubbornly not answering its questions. Needless to say, after becoming a dragon it couldn’t live in earth or eat soil properly. What was the point of being such a dragon!
Whoever wanted to go could go!
Being a dragon was so great?!
The black dragon angrily roared, absolutely refusing to comply.
The existence within the Nine Dragon Gate seemed to understand its dragon roar and became completely enraged!
“Covered in dragon scales, already possessing dragon body and dragon bones, you dare not join my gate…”
“Splash splash…”
The sea churned.
The sea surface at the black dragon’s tail was actually lifted by waves from nowhere, instantly pushing up the black dragon’s body, immediately eliminating all resistance.
The black dragon was dozens of zhang closer to the whirlpool!
Rumble!
From within the Nine Dragon Gate’s clouds, countless silver serpents simultaneously emerged, striking chaotically, illuminating the entire Dragon Domain like a lightning pool.
All the lightning turned direction, as if attracted by the whirlpool, and after forming, fiercely rushed toward outside the dragon gate!
For a moment, in the whirlpool suspended within the giant gate, countless lightning bolts madly rushed out!
The black dragon about to reach the whirlpool was absolutely terrified, scared half to death!
It wasn’t dead yet…
Only because a pair of already familiar hands, carrying a cold temperature, once again embraced it at the critical moment!
It was Jian Chou again!
Covered in golden dragon scales, facing the endless attacking lightning, her eyes flickered with light, showing only a cold smile.
“A forced melon isn’t sweet—how does Your Excellency not understand this principle!”
“Mere mortal with remnant soul and broken spirit, you dare meddle in my clan’s affairs!”
Damn!
The endless lightning, originally already attacking Jian Chou, suddenly intensified several times at this moment, as if to completely devour her!
Jiang Wenchao and the others never expected Jian Chou would make a second move, opposing that supreme existence in the clouds. Now they were simply dumbfounded.
While frantically wiping cold sweat, Xiao Jin couldn’t bear to see Jian Chou in trouble. Gritting his teeth hard, he stamped his foot, causing countless seawater to form ice mountains, rising from the sea surface between Jian Chou and the Nine Dragon Gate.
But that lightning was extremely swift and vicious.
Crack!
A terrifying explosive sound.
The incredibly hard sea ice actually shattered with a thunderous crash, having no effect on the rushing lightning.
But Xiao Jin’s face turned pale.
Those lightning bolts came with fierce momentum—Jian Chou had nowhere to dodge, and wasn’t planning to dodge either!
The golden dragon scales covering her body were enhanced by her, suddenly bursting with a layer of intense golden light.
But in the blink of an eye, the golden light was covered by lightning, with ball after ball of electric light exploding on the dragon scales, as if she wore a battle armor woven from blue electric light.
For a moment, she appeared majestically imposing!
Inside and outside Kong Hai, everyone’s mouths immediately gaped open as if they could swallow entire eggs!
“Dragon Clan Dao Seal!”
Seeing Jian Chou nearly unharmed under this endless lightning, the existence above the clouds seemed to finally determine what exactly covered Jian Chou’s body.
The surging anger in His voice intensified: “You dare use the Dragon Clan’s seal to oppose dragons!”
A trace of fresh blood spilled from her lips.
Jian Chou’s eyes also rarely carried a fierce meaning: “So what if I use your Dragon Clan Dao Seal? People can kill people with man-made weapons—can’t I fight dragons with Dragon Clan Dao Seals!”
After speaking, she firmly grasped the dragon tail in her hand and asked a single question: “Are you willing to become a dragon!”
“Aohou…”
Never in death!
The black dragon shook its head desperately.
The next moment, it completely regretted its answer…
A slender palm immediately came together like a blade, and after receiving its clear answer, struck fiercely into its spine!
Puff!
Dark yellow fresh blood splattered everywhere!
The pale palm was immediately stained by dragon blood, looking even more slender and more ferocious!
Zuoliu and Xiao Jin couldn’t suppress their exclamations.
Young Master Ruhua and Jiang Wenchao also simultaneously had their pupils contract sharply: What was she doing!
Severe pain struck, worse than when the dragon sinew was extracted!
The black dragon struggled desperately, not understanding at all what Jian Chou intended to do.
It was about to faint from this terrifying pain.
Jian Chou’s hand was steady—one hand gripping the black dragon, the other feeling for the hard dragon bone in the flesh. Her five fingers immediately clenched tight, then forcefully pried and tore outward!
“Roar—”
An extremely terrifying wail of pain!
In that instant, a stream of blood shot out like an arrow, even staining several zhang of sea surface around Jian Chou!
Everyone felt their scalps explode, seeing Jian Chou actually tear a dragon bone from the black dragon’s flesh. They immediately felt their own spines go cold, as if her action had also pulled out everyone’s spinal bones!
So ruthless!
The black dragon was almost going insane: What was this for!!!
Jian Chou’s eyes held brilliant divine light, but her mind remained cold and calm the moment she gripped that dragon bone.
Because it had dragon form, this dragon gate appeared; because it had dragon form, the whirlpool produced unique attraction to the black dragon; because it had dragon form, the existence within the dragon gate demanded the black dragon return to the Dragon Domain.
But…
What kind of dragon was it really!
Now that there was no other good solution, and it wholeheartedly wanted to return to eat soil, Jian Chou used a ruthless method.
Removing the dragon sinew wasn’t enough.
The dragon bone remained—why not extract it!
The dragon scales remained—why not peel them off!
Thus, with all dragon characteristics dissipated, how could it summon the black dragon?
So Jian Chou’s actions were ruthlessly merciless.
Her gaze shifted and she discovered the existence within the giant gate seemed extremely angry at her actions. Points of golden light were gradually overflowing from the clouds, with a massive dragon tail faintly appearing.
Couldn’t wait any longer!
If this being made a move, there truly would be no chance of survival.
To “help” the earthworm was just a sudden burst of willfulness, but Jian Chou rarely did things she had no confidence in.
Right now, as long as she timed it right, everything was possible!
The moment that dragon tail revealed its shape, Jian Chou unhesitatingly gripped the dragon tail with one hand, smashing it fiercely toward the dragon gate, while her right hand gripping the dragon bone didn’t loosen at all.
The effect of this moment was like when Jiang Wenchao had pulled the dragon sinew while Jian Chou dragged the dragon tail.
An even more miserable dragon roar sounded.
Jian Chou didn’t even furrow her brow, already ripping and tearing a dragon bone covered in flesh remnants from the dragon’s back like a chain!
“If you still want to return to the soil, rub off the dragon scales on your body!”
“Bang!”
Jian Chou’s words accompanied the terrifying crash of the black dragon hitting the edge of the Nine Dragon Gate.
The black dragon rolled in pain, its dragon eyes already crimson.
But Jian Chou’s voice clearly reached it.
Return to eat soil!
If it rubbed off the dragon scales, it could return to eat soil!
For a moment, its mind was filled with this voice, making it forget the endless pain.
Without dragon bones, its body became incredibly soft. Though blood flowed everywhere, as a “dragon” it had abundant blood and wouldn’t die!
Thus, the black dragon actually coiled around the giant gate, like a rope wrapped around the dragon gate, desperately rubbing itself.
Pop!
A dragon scale rubbed against the ancient rough carvings on the dragon gate, immediately peeling off the black dragon’s body, splashing tiny drops of blood.
Ow, this feeling was so perverted!
But there was a tremendous satisfying feeling of expelling something that didn’t belong to oneself.
Simply addictive!
With the first scale, soon came the second, third…
The black dragon went completely mad!
Seeing this, Jian Chou suddenly felt she hadn’t misjudged the earthworm.
She needed exactly this kind of crazy determination.
Without forcing herself, how would she know she was also a qualified madwoman?
Completely ignoring the horrified gazes of her teammates behind her, Jian Chou’s eyes burned with a small flame.
The nearly hundred-zhang dragon bone in her hand shook once, creating a “snap” sound, transforming into a long whip that lashed toward the already opened giant gate!
Everyone initially thought Jian Chou’s target was the giant gate, but looking carefully, they realized she was striking that dragon sinew that had transformed into a seal!
In that instant, Young Master Ruhua couldn’t help but gasp: “Smart enough!”
Previously, everyone was shocked by the ancient Dragon Domain scene within the Nine Dragon Gate, but all forgot why this ancient Dragon Domain had opened.
Wasn’t it because of that small seal formed by the coiled dragon sinew?!
Though the Dragon Domain contained dragons of various colors, the sky was gray and the dragon pillars were covered with mottled cracks—clearly a scene of defeat, obviously something had happened.
Though they couldn’t determine if the Dragon Domain before them was real or illusion, closing it would solve everything!
“Snap!”
The hundred-zhang dragon bone whip carried a fierce aura, striking that ancient golden dragon seal!
In that instant, everyone seemed to hear a scream!
The dragon seal, originally fixed in a certain form, was actually twisted by Jian Chou’s whip, no longer maintaining its previous shape.
“Boom!”
The entire giant gate immediately shook, dust flying!
The more the dragon seal on the gate twisted, the more the giant gate trembled.
The giant dragon above the clouds seemed to sense the threat. That massive golden dragon tail appeared to cover the entire Dragon Domain’s sky, with golden runes lighting up one by one on the dragon tail—mysterious and profound, mystical and distant.
“Mortal, you have Dragon Scale Dao Seal on your body, golden sinews and iron bones, excellent aptitude. Why not also leap my dragon gate, transform into a true dragon, enjoy endless life, and command infinite power!”
The voice shaking the wilderness still carried vast meaning.
Everyone hearing this was immediately stunned: This was…
Taking a liking to Jian Chou’s aptitude?
Their gazes involuntarily turned to fall on Jian Chou.
Her slender body was covered with seemingly soft golden dragon scales, giving an inviolable feeling. With her whip-wielding movements, golden flowing light streaked across the dragon scales.
Most importantly were her eyes—seemingly frenzied but actually deeply calm, like an unsheathed precious sword, sharp enough that people dared not look directly.
Dragon Scale Dao Seal, excellent aptitude, worthy of leaping the dragon gate?
This terrifying existence had good judgment!
Everyone immediately became envious: If she agreed, this would be a great opportunity to reach heaven in one step!
Unfortunately…
Jian Chou sneered dismissively.
No one knew why she suddenly wanted to help an earthworm that had become a black dragon return to being an earthworm, nor why she laughed mockingly at this moment. All anyone could hear were her cold, stern words.
“I am already a dragon among people—why should I need your charity to transform me into a dragon!”
As her words emerged, the white bone whip in her hand showed not the slightest hesitation, striking out fiercely again!
“Snap!”
Another vicious, fierce whip strike!
No matter what terrifying existence lurked in the Dragon Domain’s sky, if she found it distasteful, she found it distasteful.
When had there ever been logic for forcing people to become dragons?
Do not impose on others what you do not desire for yourself—just because you have ability, you can be unreasonably domineering?
Like using your ability to slaughter innocents.
What was wrong with not becoming a dragon?
Some people only liked peaceful, simple lives. Being able to eat soil in the earth—for an earthworm, wasn’t this happiness?
Perhaps everyone thought it short-sighted, everyone thought it missed a great opportunity, everyone thought it ungrateful—a worm too stupid to be stupider, ignorant and unenlightened…
But didn’t it also find those countless creatures desperately trying to leap dragon gates pitiful?
Even heaven and earth cannot force me to bow my head—how dare some Dragon Domain of unknown origin make her retreat without fighting?
Battle spirit blazed.
Jian Chou’s second whip made the dragon seal struggle desperately, yet it still tried to stick to the giant gate, unwilling to let this gate close.
The black dragon coiled around the edge had already rubbed off most of the dragon scales on its body. Though bloody, it grew increasingly excited…
Freedom seemed right before its eyes.
Within the Nine Dragon Gate, that massive dragon tail also thunderously struck outward.
Endless hurricanes were carried by the dragon tail, blowing from within the giant gate.
Jian Chou immediately felt her entire body being cut like knives. Puff puff puff—with sound after sound, the hard dragon scales on her body were actually cut by wind blades, spilling spray after spray of blood.
No time left!
Jian Chou’s scalp went numb. Seeing that increasingly approaching dragon tail, she knew only the next strike hitting its mark could win a chance for survival in this critical moment.
Though startled but not confused, her eyes turned fierce. Seeing the dragon sinew-formed seal still clinging to the giant gate, constantly struggling and writhing, she pointed her finger and swung the third whip!
The first two whips couldn’t make the dragon seal fall—how could the third whip succeed?
The same doubt arose in everyone’s minds.
But moments later, they discovered the difference—
This third whip actually had an additional layer of azure spiritual fire, spreading from Jian Chou’s fingertips, instantly covering the entire hundred-zhang dragon bone whip.
In that instant, what she wielded was no longer a whip, but a burning azure dragon!
Whoosh!
The long whip created wind as it swung.
“Snap!”
A solid crisp sound—the dragon bone struck the giant gate, violent to the extreme.
A ball of azure spiritual fire exploded from the whip tip the moment it struck, fiercely hitting the dragon seal.
“Sizzle sizzle sizzle…”
The sound of flesh being doused with boiling oil, accompanied by wave after wave of miserable screams!
Hair-raising!
Those were actually the dragon sinew’s screams!
How powerful was the Azure Lotus Spirit Fire?
Far beyond what such an undefended dragon sinew could withstand.
Almost the instant the spirit fire covered it, the dragon sinew lost all resistance, transforming from a solid dragon seal back into a burning dragon sinew, falling from the giant gate!
“Rumble…”
The giant gate that had been trembling but never moving suddenly made a shuddering sound.
The giant gate thundered, finally closing from both sides toward the center!
“Roar!”
An unwilling roar burst from within the gate—a terrifying dragon cry that seemed to tear apart the entire Dragon Domain!
The door gap grew smaller and smaller!
Jian Chou shook her dragon bone whip, the tip coiling to wrap the dragon sinew that had been burned of all consciousness by spirit fire. Reaching out to catch it, she steadily gripped it in her palm.
The originally terrifying spirit fire became docile in her palm, like a tamed lamb.
Her gaze turned to the black dragon coiled around the dragon gate’s edge!
“No time left, come down quickly!”
The last dragon scale!
The black dragon rubbed hard against the ancient patterns carved on the dragon gate.
Just one more scale and it could return to eat soil!
For a moment, the black dragon became excited, slamming its already bald dragon head against a dragon horn on the gate!
That was a scale growing in the center of the black dragon’s forehead, but its growth direction seemed somewhat different from normal dragon scales.
A flash of inspiration struck Jian Chou: “Reverse scale, don’t touch it!”
“Bang!”
Too late!
The moment Jian Chou’s words emerged, the black dragon had already struck this scale against the carved dragon horn.
In that instant, it convulsed in pain throughout its body, actually rolling down from the dragon gate—
At this moment, the giant gate had only a crack left, but the whirlpool remained. Inside was the dragon tail about to emerge, outside was the powerless black dragon that had just fallen!
The situation was critical—no time to spare.
Jian Chou didn’t want to see the earthworm that didn’t want to become a dragon re-enter that desolate Dragon Domain, nor did she know if there were traps within. In that instant, gritting her teeth, she shook the long whip again, coiling around the black dragon’s scale-covered body.
At the critical moment, she barely avoided the striking dragon tail!
Then, a tremendous crash shook heaven and earth.
The entire dragon gate finally thunderously closed!
“Boom!”
The giant gate shook violently. That massive dragon tail struck the closed gate at the last moment, nearly overturning the entire dragon gate!
An angry dragon roar came through the giant gate.
But with the dragon gate closed, the countless surrounding dragon pillars began slowly sinking. The dragon gate was no exception—soon it descended toward the seabed and quickly disappeared.
Above the sea surface, all illusions immediately vanished.
No more grim tomb-like Dragon Domain, no more colorful dragon shadows, no more terrifying pressure in the sky…
Except for the wounds on Jian Chou and the black dragon, everything seemed like a dream.
Swish swish swish swish!
Four beams of light almost simultaneously reached Jian Chou’s side: “Are you alright?”
Jian Chou looked up to see Jiang Wenchao and the others.
Though she was bloody, she hadn’t actually suffered serious injury. She shook her head at them, then looked at the black dragon coiled in the dragon bone whip.
Dragon horn broken, dragon bone extracted, dragon sinew gone, even the dragon scales covering its body reduced to a pitiful few.
Where was the black dragon’s former majesty?
Or rather…
It looked more like a worm.
The black dragon barely swam from the seawater, dizzily shaking its head, seemingly finding the scale on its forehead troublesome.
But the near-shattering pain when it touched this scale earlier lingered in its heart, giving it no courage to try a second time.
Perhaps the earthworm didn’t know what this was, but Jian Chou understood clearly.
That was a dragon’s reverse scale—touch it and die.
Could it ultimately not transform back into an earthworm?
Then why had she expended such effort earlier?
A sudden melancholy arose in her heart, but before the thought could settle, dark light suddenly rose from the black dragon’s body!
Whoosh!
The originally hundred-zhang black dragon’s form rapidly shrank the moment the dark light rose!
In the blink of an eye, a hundred zhang had shrunk to three inches!
An earth-colored earthworm immediately appeared on the sea surface, identical to the one Fudao Shanren had casually thrown into Kong Hai!
It, it transformed back?
Everyone was somewhat dumbfounded!
Even Jian Chou hadn’t expected such a change would occur. What about the dragon’s reverse scale?
Looking carefully, she actually discovered a small black dot-like existence on the three-inch earthworm’s head. If she wasn’t mistaken, the dragon’s reverse scale had followed the earthworm back to its original size and also shrunk.
“This works too?” Zuoliu was completely stunned.
That little earthworm, suddenly returned to its original form, was confused for a while before joyfully swimming: Could return to eat soil, could return to eat soil!
With effort, it actually leaped from the sea surface, bending its body to bow toward Jian Chou, seeming very grateful.
A vast voice sounded: “Dragon sinew extracted, black dragon returned to position.”
Whoosh!
The earthworm immediately became a small shadow, flying from Kong Hai and disappearing.
Presumably, it could finally return to eat soil?
But…
Having endured tribulations and returned to the soil, it carried the mark of its Kong Hai journey—that strange dragon reverse scale. Was it still the same earthworm?
Even more, it had unknowingly lost another “self.”
Jian Chou gazed at the empty sky, suddenly feeling somewhat confused.
However, this confusion lasted only a brief moment.
Since the crisis was resolved, Jian Chou hesitated no further, directly using her fingers like a blade to cut the dragon sinew into five sections!
The originally shrunken dragon sinew was only six zhang long. Jian Chou took no courtesy—she divided two zhang for herself, with the other four people each taking one zhang to evenly split the remaining four zhang of dragon sinew.
Zuoliu and Xiao Jin immediately felt unworthy of receiving it.
But Jian Chou said: “We cooperated to surround the black dragon and extract the dragon sinew. Caring about the black dragon’s life or death is my own business—no matter how great the sacrifice, it’s unrelated to the dragon sinew. So I take two zhang, you each take one zhang—you’re still looking after me, no need for any courtesy.”
“With Fellow Daoist Jian Chou’s words, Jiang accepts your kindness and will take it.”
Jiang Wenchao didn’t be overly polite, but promised Jian Chou a favor.
Honestly speaking, this was worth much more than a section of dragon sinew.
With Jiang Wenchao leading, Xiao Jin and Zuoliu stopped struggling, each taking a section and thanking Jian Chou.
Only Young Master Ruhua picked up his dragon sinew section, looking at it repeatedly with little interest: “Running a trip just for this thing—we call it dragon sinew, but the existence in the ancient Dragon Domain called it lawless, constant, and ever-changing dragon veins… Could this thing have some peculiarity?”
He muttered, but no one could answer his question.
“The second trial Kong Hai dragon hunt is over. Please, little friends, hold your dragon sinew and exit Kong Hai!”
This time, surprisingly, it wasn’t Fudao Shanren’s voice but the rare voice of Hengxu Zhenren.
Jian Chou was startled, feeling the endless deep sea beneath her feet seemed attracted by something, suddenly rushing outward—
Like when it formed, the endless seawater receded. Under Hengxu Zhenren’s long sleeve wave, from east to west, it returned to the Western Sea!
The Western Sea, which had become shallow due to the Left Three Thousand Assembly borrowing its water, immediately swelled!
Above Kunwu main peak’s dome, that sky-covering deep blue sea had completely disappeared, revealing five figures standing in the high sky.
In that instant, countless people looked up.
Most gazes unanimously fell on that moon-white blood-stained figure!
Rumble—
Forty-four Heaven-Reaching Platforms immediately spun up from below, supporting Jian Chou’s feet, carrying her soaring upward!
One thousand three hundred twenty zhang!
In the blink of an eye, Jian Chou could clearly see the endless sea of clouds plaza and the towering Palace of All Heavens above!
Fudao Shanren had gone somewhere, leaving only Kunwu’s Hengxu Zhenren standing at the plaza’s edge, with misty cloud energy surrounding him and high-altitude cold winds billowing his robes.
His wise gaze touched Jian Chou’s in this moment.
Thus, the phrase that flashed through her mind when she struck with her whip suddenly echoed: “I am already a dragon among people—why should I need your charity to transform me into a dragon!”
Something quickly passed through Hengxu Zhenren’s eyes and disappeared.
He smiled slightly, carrying the unique immortal bearing of a Kunwu leader, calm and enlightened: “Congratulations, little friend Jian Chou. After the second trial, one thousand three hundred twenty zhang, forty-four Heaven-Reaching Platforms, first place in battle achievements—truly a dragon among people!”