Yinglong's reaction took the two beside him by surprise.
After all, both Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian knew full well that he belonged to the Dragon Clan, and was a Yinglong at that. In myths and legends, such beings commanded the wind and rain and possessed immense might. Combined with his formidable innate talent and strength, why would the mention of a single location elicit such an expression?
What was more, that place was merely a prison. It truly struck the two as odd.
"Could it be that some kind of entity is imprisoned in that Dragon Prison you spoke of?" Lu Yuan asked, feeling this was the only plausible explanation. Otherwise, Yinglong would not have reacted this way.
Jiang Ningxian turned her head as well, waiting for his answer.
Hearing their questions, Ao Ze nodded immediately, but soon shook his head. "In the past, some truly terrifying entities were indeed locked away there. But an enormous amount of time has passed, and the world has undergone dramatic upheavals. Surely nothing could have survived. When I visited last time, I didn't discover anything."
Even so, lingering fear remained in his heart. After all, the Dragon Prison had once been a forbidden ground. His previous visit had only been because he knew something vital to him was located there. That was why he seemed so hesitant now.
"With the two of us here, what are you worried about?" Jiang Ningxian asked, completely unconcerned.
This was not recklessness on her part, but absolute confidence in her own strength. Furthermore, Lu Yuan was right beside her; no matter what danger they encountered, they could emerge unscathed.
"All right." Yinglong considered it briefly and nodded.
The Dragon Prison was merely somewhat dangerous, not an inescapable death trap. Besides, didn't he have two powerful companions with him?
Without further hesitation, he released a drop of fresh blood.
*Buzz, buzz, buzz—*
In the next instant, ripples spread across space. Led by Ao Ze, with Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian following behind, a spatial passage slowly emerged.
From within it, waves of an aura emanated. Yet this aura was completely different from that of the Dragon Palace—it carried a biting chill and a peculiar, unsettling sensation. Merely coming into contact with it seemed to provoke an uncontrollable shudder, an innate suppression bearing down upon the soul itself.
"This place is truly out of the ordinary," Jiang Ningxian remarked first upon sensing it.
She knew that any entity imprisoned by the Dragon Clan had to be extraordinary. Even after so many years, that powerful, unfathomable chill had yet to completely disperse. No wonder Yinglong was being so cautious.
By her estimate, anything the Dragon Clan had locked away here must have been at least at the First Tier Immortal level. Under normal circumstances, no one would dare approach, but all of that was in the past now. These were just remnant auras.
In Jiang Ningxian's view, after countless years and turbulent upheavals, no prisoner could have endured; they had surely perished, their Dao extinguished. In reality, the Dragon Prison posed little danger.
Soon, they stepped into a separate pocket of space, where their surroundings turned somber and gray.
Colossal prisons loomed before their eyes, presenting an imposing and awe-inspiring sight, yet that strange aura felt all the more suffocating. If ordinary mortals were to arrive here, they likely would not last a moment, utterly unable to withstand the atmosphere and oppressive aura within.
However, neither Lu Yuan nor Jiang Ningxian was an ordinary cultivator; endowed with immense strength and cultivation realms, they naturally shrugged it off and pressed forward.
"Could it be that the Dragon Clan only imprisoned colossal beasts? This is the first time I've ever seen cells this massive," Jiang Ningxian could not help remarking as she took in the sight.
Even she had to admit that this place was extraordinary. These cells were no ordinary cages; every single one was reinforced with restrictions that endured to this day despite the vast passage of time. A prison like this had been built an unknown number of ages ago, yet restrictions still remained active upon the cells. It naturally caused one to wonder what manner of beings had been held here by the Dragon Clan.
"To be honest, I'm not sure either. I was young back then, and the inherited memories I've unlocked so far are limited," Ao Ze said. "However, now that we've entered the Dragon Prison, I'm certain that one of the Nine Cauldrons we're looking for is definitely here."
Ao Ze had recalled that the cauldron he had previously seen was indeed located within the Dragon Prison.
Hearing this, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian exchanged a glance, both finding the situation peculiar.
Even if the Nine Cauldrons held little use for the Dragon Clan, they were still one of the foremost symbols of the human race, forged in the ancient era and carrying profound significance. Why would one be placed directly inside a prison?
"Come, follow me," Ao Ze spoke up again. "I've basically remembered the way now."
He led the pair onward.
The Dragon Prison was immense, each cell breathtaking in scale. Yet the deeper they ventured, the smaller the cells became, until at the very end, they were only large enough to hold beings roughly the size of humans.
Neither Lu Yuan nor Jiang Ningxian spoke, but both understood: the deeper inside, the more perilous the prisoners had been.
*Could the Nine Cauldrons be suppressing something here?*
*No, that doesn't make sense.* Lu Yuan knew full well that harnessing the power within the Nine Cauldrons required holding at least one Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token.
Soon, however, a thought struck him. Hadn't his second Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token been acquired right from the Crystal Palace within the Dragon Palace?
*Could there truly be a connection between the two?*
Contemplating this, Lu Yuan and Jiang Ningxian, led by the Yinglong Ao Ze, finally reached the innermost sanctum of the Dragon Prison.
There stood a small cell, bearing the decayed aura of endless ages. Had it not been situated within the Dragon Prison, it would have seemed entirely unremarkable.
Naturally, Lu Yuan's attention was drawn not to the cell, but to what stood directly before it: a four-legged, two-eared square cauldron cast in bronze.
However, it was heavily encrusted with rust, making it difficult to distinguish while standing at a distance.
"It truly is one of the Nine Cauldrons, though I can't tell which one," Jiang Ningxian said.
With her exceptional discernment, even though the cauldron displayed no divine phenomena or radiance, she could still perceive its extraordinary nature.
"Indeed," Lu Yuan agreed with a nod. Having already collected six cauldrons, he naturally recognized it at first glance.
Yet neither he nor Jiang Ningxian had expected the Dragon Clan to leave one of the Nine Cauldrons in such a place. Unprotected, resting right before a prison cell, as though anyone who came could simply take it away—it was truly baffling.
"Don't let the fact that it's sitting out in the open fool you; restrictions are placed upon it, cast by a grand figure of our Dragon Clan. So whether you can take it or not will depend on yourselves," Yinglong spoke up once more.
Chapter 360