Lock

Madame Wan had claimed that the Little Dragon Maiden once frequented Fiend Gorge. Xu Yuan had taken this piece of intelligence with a grain of salt. After all, it was information pried out while holding a blade to her neck. Yet considering that grievances are better resolved than deepened, even if some unpleasantness had occurred, Madame Wan likely wouldn't dare offend a "Saint-grade Ghost Willow" who had supposedly lived for tens of thousands of years. Both of their lifespans were far too vast. So vast that even if Madame Wan fled immediately after he left, the two might very well cross paths again in the distant future. If she had lied to him, their next reunion would truly turn into a tearful, awkward mess. Furthermore, Fiend Gorge was shrouded year-round in apocalyptic sandstorms. The howling gales whipped up by the central eye acted as a barrier against all spiritual detection, making it an unmatched sanctuary for anyone driven into a corner and fleeing for their life. From a logical perspective, the likelihood of that dying young male dragon fleeing into Fiend Gorge while being hunted was indeed very high. And so Xu Yuan decided to come try his luck, though he did not let down his guard in the slightest. To prevent any mishaps, the party didn't plunge straight into the depths of Fiend Gorge. Instead, they skirted the perimeter of the sandstorm, circling around as they searched for Dragon Burial Valley. Xu Yuan was in no hurry to delve deep into Fiend Gorge. Although the Prime Minister's Manor's intelligence claimed there was no danger here besides the extreme weather, years of abysmal luck had forged an ironclad instinct in him to guard against unexpected ambushes. A boundless sandstorm that raged ceaselessly was clearly unnatural. Just because others had emerged unscathed didn't mean he would be so lucky. With his glorious three points of Fortune, what if stepping inside triggered some supreme hidden dungeon? It wasn't that he couldn't explore it himself—it was simply far more cost-effective to summon backup. Yet now, it seemed backup wouldn't be necessary. Ran Qingmo had told him the valley lay on the very outer edge of Fiend Gorge. Although the big block of ice occasionally skipped leveling up to march him straight into a boss's lair, she was reliable most of the time. After tethering the carriage horses, the four passengers followed Ran Qingmo, darting swiftly toward the valley she had discovered. Stepping into Fiend Gorge, Xu Yuan soon noticed that the myriad grains of sand swept up in the gale were sharp as tiny iron shavings, stinging against his skin. At his current cultivation level, it was still bearable, but if a mortal—or even a low-tier cultivator—ventured in here, they would likely be flayed down to dry bone within breaths. Yet the Manor's intelligence hadn't mentioned this at all. How strange. Had the retained elder who investigated this place simply overlooked it, or had Fiend Gorge undergone some recent change? As he pondered this, Xu Yuan suddenly felt the razor-sharp sting vanish from his skin. An invisible barrier of light rose a foot around him, shutting out the swirling storm of blade-like grit. Someone had cast a protective ward over him. Detecting this faint ripple of qi dynamic, Annoyance flashed in Bai Muxi's bright eyes, while Su Jinxuan's plump red lips curled into an almost imperceptible pout. Xu Yuan instinctively glanced toward Ran Qingmo beside him. Yet in the next moment, Tianyan's clear, aloof voice rang in his ear: "The Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's records state that although the sandstorm here is vast, it does not harm people. Something must have changed within. It would be best not to blindly delve deep." "..." Right, he had nearly forgotten—the big block of ice was the kind of person who would hand you ice in the rain; it was still his punch-bag Saintess who proved the most thoughtful. Xu Yuan shifted his gaze from Ran Qingmo toward Tianyan, only to be met with an even frostier glare. Nevertheless, the invisible barrier remained intact, silently shielding him from the razor-like grit. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Xu Yuan mused for a moment before making small talk: "Tianyan... your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion investigated this place too?" Tianyan kept her little face cold. "Any faction with the means would dispatch someone to look into such an unusual, perilous place, wouldn't they?" Xu Yuan chuckled awkwardly. "Oh? And what did your Pavilion's intelligence say? I'll trade you for the Prime Minister's Manor's." Tianyan looked away, staring straight ahead as she said crisply and coldly: "Rather than asking me, why don't you ask Ran Qingmo beside you? Their Sect Alliance must have investigated this as well." Hearing her name, Ran Qingmo blinked and looked back, glancing between Tianyan and Xu Yuan before murmuring softly: "Xu Yuan, Master only ever made me cultivate. He never let me read any of that, so I don't know..." "Pure as a blank sheet of paper, indeed," Tianyan scoffed softly, then went on of her own accord, "At the center of Fiend Gorge lies a violent spirit eye. The source qi within dissipates rapidly and is compressed by the Gang crystal mountain at its core, giving rise to this perpetual sandstorm over countless years. It is a pity the spirit eye inside is too tempestuous, making the cost of development far too high. Otherwise, this place would have become the mountain gate of some sect." "That aligns perfectly with my Manor's findings," Xu Yuan coughed lightly, playing along. "Yet this sandstorm hasn't changed for decades. Why would it suddenly turn like this recently?" Tianyan narrowed her golden eyes and suddenly smiled faintly. "If you want to know why, wouldn't we find out by heading inside to see for ourselves?" Xu Yuan refused without a second thought. "Not going." "Why?" "Too dangerous." "Dangerous? How do I recall you being someone who loves nothing more than taking risks—stubborn as a dead donkey, impossible to rein in?" The golden-eyed girl's tone softened slightly, carrying an involuntary trace of amusement as she mimicked a certain someone's leisurely cadence: "'How can you catch the tiger cub without entering the tiger's den? Danger is opportunity; the greater the risk, the greater the reward.'" Fragmented memories flashed through his mind, and Xu Yuan rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Back then, if we hadn't taken risks, we would have died waiting! Is our situation right now anything like the Meishen illusory realm?" "Sophistry. There were clearly safer paths." "None of the safe paths you proposed could solve the problem once and for all." "Is proceeding steadily step by step so bad?" "Tch. If we had done what you said, who knows how many times over we would've died." "How would you know without trying?" Tianyan knitted her brows, her tone turning sour. At the mention of this, Xu Yuan retorted crossly, "Back in the Valley of Swords, if we had just blindly run away like you said, do you think we'd still be alive?" "You still have the nerve to bring that up? We thought only a single Transcendent was leading the team. And the result? One Transcendent and one Half-Saint! If our luck hadn't been good, and our techniques hadn't happened to counter their Dao domain, we would have perished on the spot!" "Ah, right, right, right! Running would've kept us perfectly safe, and that Half-Saint would've just committed suicide!" "Xu Yuan, what are you trying to say?" "Exactly what I said." Xu Yuan stiffened his neck. Tianyan glared at him, eyes brimming with indignation, before letting out a cold sneer. "Of course. You certainly should insist you were right." Here, the girl's crisp voice pitched slightly higher: "If you hadn't done that, you wouldn't have ended up tangled together with that enchantress Tianye." "..." Ran Qingmo's eyes went wide. "..." Bai Muxi's gaze turned horrified. "..." Su Jinxuan fell into thoughtful contemplation. Xu Yuan, however, remained exceedingly calm. "Why bring her up? She's dead." Tianyan's gaze grew piercingly scrutinous. "Dead? Is she truly dead? The Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow survived for so long—who knows what methods she might have had to endure?" Xu Yuan frowned. "What nonsense are you babbling!" "Ha~ why are you so flustered?" Tianyan's gorgeous eyes narrowed as she looked Xu Yuan up and down for several breaths, her brow furrowing. "Did that enchantress truly survive?" As she spoke, The girl's slender, graceful figure flickered, teleporting right to Xu Yuan's side, and she reached straight for his wrist. Xu Yuan wanted to dodge, but he couldn't. This would not do. He was still linked to Tianye by the Lock of Shared Life. If Tianyan discovered it... With that thought, Xu Yuan cast a desperate, pleading look toward the other three women. Ran Qingmo's eyes were melancholic, her lips pursed, looking down. Dejected. Su Jinxuan offered a smile brimming with endless charm, then gently shook her head, utterly helpless. Sorry, can't beat her, can't do it. Xiao Bai wanted to speak up and dissuade her without hesitation, but a single glare sent her head ducking low. Amid the howling wind, the group of five came to a dead halt. In the eerie silence, Xu Yuan could only watch helplessly as Tianyan poured her Heavenly Yan divine soul into his body. Because Xu Yuan's own nature bore the qualities of a divine soul, no deconstructive reaction occurred between them. And as if anticipating where to look, Tianyan surged straight for his sea of consciousness, which was flooded with her divine soul almost in an instant. Yet at this very moment, Xu Yuan suddenly relaxed, letting the girl do as she pleased. Even he, the bearer of the Lock of Shared Life, couldn't be certain where Tianye was or in what form she existed. How could Tianyan possibly find any trace? Just as a hint of amusement rose in his heart, a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning, terrifying him. In the Meishen illusory realm, The girl before him had attempted more than once to help him break the Lock of Shared Life that Tianye had placed on him. He was doomed. Before the thought could even settle, Xu Yuan sensed Tianyan's divine soul on the verge of contacting the Lock of Shared Life hidden in the deepest recesses of his sea of consciousness. And right on the verge of that contact— Crack! The sharp, shattering echo of breaking chains rang in his ears. Then, Xu Yuan discovered that the Lock of Shared Life Tianye had planted in him back then had abruptly shattered, dissolving into specks of starlight within his sea of consciousness. Tianyan grabbed at empty air, a flicker of bewilderment rising in her golden eyes. Xu Yuan let out a long breath of relief. It seemed Tianye had undone the Lock of Shared Life a step ahead of time. Damn it all, what kind of internal cyber-infidelity bust was this? "What are you making a scene for?" Seeing Tianyan gradually withdraw the divine soul filling his sea of consciousness, Xu Yuan shook off her hand and sent a teasing voice transmission: "Did you forget how old Tianye was when she slew the Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow and took control of the Meishen cherry tree? She was an old granny well over a hundred years old!" "..." Tianyan. "..." Tianye. Seeing the girl fall silent, Xu Yuan pressed his advantage: "Drinking twenty-thousand-year-old vinegar—how entertaining. At least pick the right time and place. Is this really the moment for this?" In one ear and out the other, the doubt in Tianyan's eyes did not diminish in the slightest. She couldn't understand. She couldn't understand why she had been wrong. This bastard clearly acted just like this whenever he lied in the past. Had she missed something? Over a decade of living together had left Tianyan with zero doubt in her own deductions; she only assumed the scoundrel before her had pulled off some trick to deceive her. Pursing her lips, Tianyan shot him a cold glare, huffed softly, and shot forward into the distance. Seeing this, Xu Yuan also breathed a slight sigh of relief. Signaling the others to follow, he began inspecting his own sea of consciousness. According to his memories of the Meishen illusory realm, once the Lock of Shared Life was established, it was exceedingly difficult to undo. At the very least, it shouldn't have been possible to undo across such an immense distance. Moreover, Why had it shattered right as Tianyan's divine soul probed into his sea of consciousness? Given that enchantress's temperament, far from fearing being caught red-handed, shouldn't she have relished making a brazen scene right in front of another woman? Xu Yuan pondered this question the entire way, but found no answer. Descending into the valley Ran Qingmo had spoken of, Xu Yuan gradually reined in his scattered thoughts. Guided by the big block of ice, the five walked toward a cave inside the valley. In Cangyuan, Dragon Burial Valley was not a dungeon, but a fortuitous encounter. Much like the cave beneath Tianmen Mountain that hid the Blood Yuan Heart Calamity Art. No minor monsters, no bosses—as long as you stepped inside, you could claim the corresponding treasure. Now realized in this world, aside from the added wind and sand blown in from Fiend Gorge, it hadn't changed at all. Entering the cavern, they walked down a long, narrow excavated passage, occasionally smashing through piles of dirt that had collapsed due to loose soil, until a colossal, dark karst cave opened before their eyes. Not a breath of draft passed through; the interior was completely sealed off, cavernous and pitch-black. Piercing through the darkness, the gazes of all five lingered unanimously upon the deepest corner of the cave. There stood a massive conical mound of earth. This served as the young male dragon's tomb. Before dying all those years ago, it had coiled its massive body like a giant serpent. Decades of earth crumbling down from the cave ceiling had gradually buried it beneath this mound. Back when playing the game, Xu Yuan had controlled his character to shovel away the fallen soil bit by bit before revealing the demonic dragon's true appearance. Now, however, Xu Yuan merely cast a sideways glance at Xiao Bai. Bai Muxi understood instantly. She flicked a slender finger, and the mound let out a low tremor. A colossal dragon corpse tens of zhang long was forcefully hauled out from the earth mound, crashing down before the five of them with a thunderous boom that kicked up a billow of dust. When the dust settled, A pair of wide-staring dragon eyes came into view, glaring lifelessly at the tiny mortals before it. Even after several decades, the flesh showed no sign of decay. The blood within the gruesome wound that pierced through the dragon's body hadn't even congealed. Tianyan hovered in midair, gazing at the dragon corpse with a peculiar look in her eyes. "Xu Yuan, how did you know Bai Xing's remains were here?" Bai Xing—the young male dragon's name. Xu Yuan curved his eyes at the girl with a mysterious smile. "Guess." With that, Xu Yuan chuckled as he stepped forward, drawing the willow ghost blade. Next came the time to harvest the spoils. As the sovereign of all beasts, beyond the Dragon Transformation Essence that Little Four needed for her research, every part of a dragon was a treasure. Dragon scales, dragon claws, dragon eyes, dragon tendons, dragon horns—all were peerless treasures for artifact forging. In Cangyuan, one could butcher the corpse, but if you dismembered the young male dragon, you wouldn't be able to ride the Little Dragon Maiden as a dragon knight even after handing over the Dragon Transformation Essence. Right now, Xu Yuan had no such reservations. The value of this single demonic dragon corpse was already enough to cover the military expenditures of the crypt remnants. Thinking this, Xu Yuan leapt straight onto the dragon's head, the willow ghost blade in his hand trailing a brilliant arc of light. A bloody gash instantly opened between the dragon's brows. Squelch. Xu Yuan reached inside and pulled out a black spherical crystal, holding it in his palm. And the very instant his skin made contact, Buzz— Xu Yuan felt as if he had plunged into an illusion, and the phantom of a ferocious, terrifying dragon materialized abruptly before his eyes!