Supreme Sword Exalt

Tiansheng Hall, Northern Domain of the Eastern Wasteland.

Zhao Mengyou wearily gazed at the Tiansheng Hall Master. “Master, if you help the Great Flame Empire get through this crisis, the Flame Emperor will owe you a favor. A favor from a Feather Transformation realm expert... I don’t need to say more, Master should know how significant that is.

“Also, all the top-tier major powers like the Fu family of Central Continent, the Luoheng Holy Land, and the Western Extreme Holy Demon Sect will send out their experts in full force to support the empire in its final battle against the barbarian tribe. There’s only one chance! Master, you must seize it well!”

The hall master was rendered completely speechless. Where was my disciple who would always say, ‘Let’s wait and see how things go,’ no matter what happened? It’s only been how long since I last saw her? How did she change this much?

He pondered for a moment, somewhat suspicious. “The opportunity is good, but I feel like you have another goal in mind?”

Zhao Mengyou was serious. “No. Everything I do is only for the Tiansheng Hall, for you. It has nothing to do with anyone else!”

The hall master showed a hint of shame. What a good disciple! Back then, I actually feared the powerful and forced her to become someone else’s maid... As a master, I’m unworthy! How shameful of me!

***

On a mountain peak at the Great Flame Border, the War Prince frowned deeply upon sensing the faint but powerful aura emanating from afar. “I wonder if Brother can succeed.”

Beside him, Elder Cen sighed softly. “With him being severely injured, and forcibly merging with the inherited mark, I’m afraid that he won’t last long...”

Even so, neither of them tried to dissuade him. Not only did they know the emperor’s character well, they also had to save Gu Han. Once he decided on something, no one could talk him out of it, like killing Yun Lie earlier.

***

Within the void, the Flame Emperor sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. His mark flickered in and out of visibility. Strands of ancient, desolate aura continuously drifted down and merged into him. His complexion grew increasingly pale.

Suddenly, he shuddered, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The blood turned a deep purple, transforming into a wisp of flame that engulfed him all over.

The purple flame coiled upward into the air, once again transforming into the several-hundred-zhang long purple dragon. Cold indifference and ancient desolation filled its amethyst-like eyes.

A dragon’s cry rang out, spreading a sense of desolate, primeval antiquity outward.

***

In the secret realm of the War God Hall, Yun Ao’s eyes snapped open.

Having absorbed the vitality of the three Saint realm barbarians, his injuries had nearly fully recovered. As a descendant of the Dragon Ancestor, with cultivation higher than others, he had vaguely sensed a change in the ancestral dragon mark.

“Hmm? That seems like Yun Tian? What is he trying to do? Could he still be thinking about saving this brat? Hah... Truly persistent!” His gaze instantly landed on that pond, and said calmly, “Go see if that brat is dead. If he’s not, then go shatter Yun Tian’s hopes!”

With a flick of its tail, the little green dragon vanished into the depths of the pond, disappearing from sight.

***

Within the Dragon Seal, over ten days had passed. The two of them had already traveled an extremely long distance, drawing closer and closer to the hub that the Illusory Demon had mentioned.

During this time, aside from occasionally spotting giant skeletal remains, they hadn’t encountered any other unexpected incidents. However, since that day’s strange transformation, the demoness had grown increasingly weak. It didn’t seem to be related to her cultivation, but rather to her Heavenly Demon Physique.

Upon seeing her listless appearance, Gu Han couldn’t help but ask, “What’s going on? Did forcibly controlling a Transcendent realm expert damage your foundation? I still have two half-saint herbs here, both used to replenish soul power—”

The demoness smiled and forced herself to perk up. “It’s nothing. I’m... just a bit tired.”

Gu Han frowned deeply. He had asked many times and received the same answer each time. He felt that the demoness was hiding something from him.

Just as he was about to ask again, a dragon’s cry rang out. Then, in the dim sky above, a green dragon projection appeared. It moved extremely fast, as if searching for something.

Gu Han’s expression changed slightly. Shit!

He remembered distinctly that on the battle between Yun Ao and the Flame Emperor, there had been one green dragon and one purple dragon. This green dragon was clearly related to Yun Ao!

Without hesitation, he grabbed the demoness’ hand and pushed his cultivation to its limits, swiftly fleeing forward. “Go!”

There was no need to guess what would happen if the dragon projection discovered their whereabouts.

With speed nearly ten times his own, the dragon projection was rapidly closing in.

At this critical moment, Gu Han spotted the remains of some creature that was a few thousand zhang long. Its head didn’t seem completely decayed, faintly shrouded in a layer of ghostly light.

Although he didn’t know if that place could evade detection, he had no other choice at this point.

In an instant, he sped up again. “There! Quick!”

Just as the dragon projection caught up, he barely managed to hide inside the skull.

***

At the same time, not far from Gu Han, a tall skeleton stumbled along. It had also heard the dragon’s cry.

Suddenly, it stopped and lay down right where it stood. The brilliant light in its eyes quickly dimmed, no longer showing any trace of life fluctuations.

After a moment, it seemed to feel this wasn’t entirely safe. Quickly, it scraped the ground a few times, digging out a pit. It rolled a couple of times and fell in, half-burying itself in the earth.

Just then, a tremendously authoritative will swept over it.

***

The instant Gu Han entered the creature’s skull, the dragon projection flashed past.

Faintly sensing that authoritative will from outside, Gu Han breathed a long sigh of relief. That was close! We almost got discovered! Luckily, the head of this unknown creature could block that will’s probing.

The demoness said quietly, “If you hadn’t taken me along, you could have run faster just now.”

Without saying anything, Gu Han calmly released her soft hand. Then, he swept his gaze around and examined the interior of the skull.

The skull turned out to be a carapace. Moreover, unlike the divine clan’s skull, this carapace was rough and uneven. Large layers of gray, rocky substance covered it. It was likely the creature’s congealed flesh and blood. About thirty zhang ahead of him lay a high, bluish-gray protrusion. Ten zhang wide and a hundred zhang long, it resembled a giant egg. Somehow, he sensed a faint yet vicious aura from it.

The demoness sighed softly. “Little Brother, it seems we’re about to run out of luck again.”

Gu Han’s heart tightened, and he secretly prepared himself. “Hmm?”

She stared at that giant egg. “If I’m not mistaken, this should be a Red-Gold Centipede’s egg.”

“Red-Gold Centipede?”

The demoness nodded. “Yes. It is a relatively rare and ferocious creature. An adult Red-Gold Centipede is several thousand zhang long, its body tougher than immortal metal. Not only is it violent and bloodthirsty, it feeds on the flesh and blood of living beings. Few cultivators who encounter it survive. Moreover, it has one special ability.

“When facing a desperate situation, it will generate an egg inside its brain to store its flesh and vital qi. When the right time comes, it will break out of the egg again. It probably already noticed us when we came in. It just didn't make a move because it feared that thing outside.”

Gu Han’s scalp tingled. From the illusions, he knew that the demoness didn’t like going out on ordinary days and preferred reading strange tales and exotic records, so he didn’t doubt her words.

The demoness continued analyzing. “However, it’s been here for god knows how many years. Even if this method preserves some of its flesh and vital qi, its strength will have greatly diminished. However, that actually makes it more dangerous for us...”

“Why?”

“It’s very hungry.”

By then, the dragon shadow had searched several times with seemingly no success. It let out a clear cry, its authoritative will slowly fading away.

Gu Han grabbed the demoness’ hand again and fled. “Let’s go!”

Faintly, the sound of carapace breaking came from behind.