The Dragon

Eastern Sea, Penglai Island.

Standing before Dongli was the Dragon King, whose very step could shake the four seas. Famous as he was, seeing him in person was a different experience altogether. The king’s presence was commanding and naturally demanded respect.

The three of them were brought here by the Merchant Association and had been safe for several days.

Upon laying his eyes on Zhong Michu for the first time, Di Jun immediately recognized her as his granddaughter, the last of his bloodline. The whole clan knew, and the whole clan celebrated.

With the protection of the Dragon Clan, one could say their circumstances were worry-free.

Dongli and Liu Guizhen were from the same sect as Zhong Michu. The Dragon Clan didn’t shun humans like the Azure Phoenix Clan did, so they were treated as honored guests.

However, the two felt each day like a year, burdened with the destruction of their sect, Gu Fuyou’s imprisonment, and the Qilin Marrow in the hands of the Four Immortal Sects. How could they act as if nothing had happened? Gathering the scattered disciples of their sect from the outside world was already too late, and their collective strength was insufficient. If they wanted to save anyone, they would need the help of cultivators from the Dragon Clan.

In the initial days following the incident, Dongli and Di Jun found themselves in a silent standoff, neither speaking to nor encountering each other face-to-face. During this time, Zhong Michu was grappling with severe injuries; her protective scales were destroyed, leaving her confined to her bed. From the moment Di Jun laid eyes on the injured Zhong Michu, he remained steadfastly by her bedside, a silent guardian.

Meanwhile, the Dragon King’s anger simmered for days, his wrath directed towards the physicians whom he deemed incompetent in their care.

No matter how grave the situation, nothing was as important as this last remaining descendant of his bloodline.

On the day Zhong Michu’s condition improved, Di Jun finally stepped out. The Dragon Clan received news that the Four Immortal Sects had gathered at Zhuling Platform to divide the Qilin Marrow. Hearing of this, Dongli and Liu Guizhen forcefully entered the sleeping chamber, finally getting a chance to see him.

Di Jun, with his hands behind his back, spoke gravely, “The Qilin Marrow, the spirit beast pact, it’s all because of that person.”

Dongli replied respectfully yet firmly, “Yes.”

Di Jun chuckled, “The Four Continents are truly ambitious,” His tone made it hard to discern whether he was pleased or irritated.

Dongli said, “Your Majesty, we absolutely cannot let Gu Fuyou fall into their hands. Furthermore, Zhong Michu has always been close to Junior Sister Gu. She got injured this badly trying to protect her. If she wakes up, she will definitely want to…”

The Dragon Clan didn’t seem particularly interested in the Qilin Marrow. Dongli was not sure if the Dragons would confront the Four Immortal Sects for it. This usually calm and measured woman was now anxious.

Even if the Dragon Clan saved Gu Fuyou, it was uncertain how they’d treat her. But with Zhong Michu’s protection, her situation would undoubtedly be better than if she were with the Zuo family.

Before she could finish her thought, a startled cry echoed from behind in the sleeping chamber, “Your Highness!”

Suddenly, the roof of the chamber was blasted open from within. A white silhouette soared towards the sky. Several figures emerged from the opening, chasing after it, shouting, “Your Highness!”

Di Jun’s eyes widened dramatically, and the air around him stirred into a tempest of winds and clouds. In an awe-inspiring transformation, he became a massive Dragon, his colossal form casting a looming shadow over the entire palace. With swift and decisive action, he ensnared the White Dragon in his powerful claws. Despite her frantic struggles, she found herself unable to break free. Di Jun’s voice then thundered in a roar, “Your injuries haven’t healed! Where do you think you’re going?” echoing like thunder through the vast halls.

Di Jun exerted his force, pushing the White Dragon down through the clouds. In her descent, she seamlessly shifted back into her human form. The surrounding mist dissolved away as she approached the ground, landing with a slight stagger. Regaining her balance after a few unsteady steps, she attempted to walk away, gathering her composure.

But Di Jun descended as well, blocking Zhong Michu’s path. His towering figure loomed over her, a full head taller than her. He looked down at her and said, “Go back to your room and stay there.”

“Move.”

“Go back to your room.”

“Your Majesty.”

“You should call me Grandfather.”

After a prolonged silence, Zhong Michu’s slender, pale neck twitched slightly. She looked up at Di Jun and uttered, “Grandfather.”

Di Jun raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by Zhong Michu’s compliance today, contrasting her initial resistance when she first woke up.

“I need to go save someone.”

“You want to save someone?” Di Jun echoed her words and added, “By yourself, you can’t. You can’t even defeat the cultivators guarding the Thirty-Three Skies.”

Zhong Michu lowered her head, her hands clenched and then relaxed, her voice barely audible, “I need your help.”

Di Jun replied, “Alright.” He had already intended to bring that girl back; the Dragon Clan couldn’t afford to have the weakness of their princess in someone else’s hands. But he needed Zhong Michu to ask first, owing him a favor wasn’t a bad thing for this disobedient granddaughter.

Zhong Michu was still injured, and Di Jun wouldn’t allow her to go herself. But he couldn’t win against his stubborn granddaughter, who was not only disobedient, but she also seemed to reject the entire Dragon Clan.

He suspected that her mother was to blame for this attitude. The thought made him grind his teeth in frustration – that woman had monopolized his granddaughter for years, teaching her who knows what! The thought of the Merchant Association’s description of Zhong Michu – being well-mannered and dignified – seemed like a huge joke for his Dragon Clan.

Aware of the gathering of the Four Immortal Sects at Zhuling Platform, Zhong Michu had a constant uneasy feeling, prompting her to travel day and night towards the Thirty-Three Skies.

Finally, on this day, she could see the thirty-three floating islands. Standing on the clouds, she hesitated, not daring to take another step forward.

The gates to the Thirty-Three Skies were now open. With Di Jun’s personal presence, Xu Ling Sect couldn’t simply refuse him entry.

As the gate opened, Michu’s heart raced with an inexplicable anxiety. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder, making her clench it and break into cold sweat.

She looked around, panic evident in her eyes.

The cloud transformed into a White Dragon as she rushed into the Lihen Tian. Having never been there before, she relied on her instincts to find the Zhuling Platform, moving swiftly like a gust of snowy wind. There, at the center of the Zhuling Platform, surrounded by imposing cultivators, the person she was looking for seemed so frail.

She called out, “Ah Man!”

The White Dragon dove down and wrapped around Gu Fuyou. As the mist cleared, Zhong Michu transformed back into her human form, kneeling and catching Gu Fuyou’s collapsing body, whispering “I’m here.”

“I’ll take you away from here.”

There was no response from the person in her arms.

Zhong Michu, with blood streaming from her body, gently lifted Gu Fuyou’s face. In a moment of panic, she softly called out “Ah Man,” her voice trembling slightly. Then, with more urgency, she shouted “Dongli!” towards the back.

Hearing her call, Di Jun, followed by several others, barged into the room. Dongli, pushing her way through the crowd, quickly made her way to Gu Fuyou’s side. Kneeling down, she carefully examined her, lifting her sleeve to reveal her pale wrists. The veins were visibly red and swollen, almost protruding through her skin.

Dongli hesitated.

Zhong Michu called out, “Ah Man,” trying to awaken her, but realized the person in her arms was no longer breathing. Those eyes, lacking focus, looked emptily into the distance.

Turning to Dongli with tears in her eyes, she pleaded, “Save her.” Her voice choked with helplessness.

Dongli’s voice was filled with sorrow, “Michu, she’s already…”

“Save her, save her.”

Dongli had never seen Zhong Michu in such a state, expressing herself with such emotion.

Zhong Michu genuinely seemed out of options, pleading with such desperation, hopelessly sinking into an abyss of despair.

Dongli was choked up and couldn’t bring himself to say it – Gu Fuyou was beyond saving, even the gods couldn’t help her. What baffled Dongli was the fact that Gu Fuyou had the Qilin Marrow within her. As long as the heavens hadn’t recalled this essence and its spirit hadn’t faded, she wouldn’t die – the Qilin Marrow was inexhaustible.

How could the Four Immortal Sects let her die?

Dongli looked around at the people present; their faces were filled with shock and even anger, emotions that had clearly been there before they entered, and it was clear it wasn’t a result of the Dragon Clan’s intrusion into Zhuling Platform.

Dongli’s attention returned to Zhong Michu, and she suddenly noticed white smoke rising from Zhong Michu’s clothes, accompanied by a strange fragrance. She quickly looked at Gu Fuyou, whose body was disintegrating, turning into blood and water, starting from her wrists and her face was also dissolving.

Covering her mouth in shock and struggling to find words, Dongli finally managed to speak, “Michu, let go of her quickly!”

Zhong Michu realized the horror as she touched Gu Fuyou’s cheek, she felt a sticky sensation followed by a sharp pain in her palm. When she opened her palm, she saw it was covered in fresh blood, and Gu Fuyou’s face had turned blood-red, as if her skin had been peeled away.

Gu Fuyou was melting in her arms, turning into liquid.

Zhong Michu stared, her eyes reddening and filling with tears. She blinked after a long moment. She still held onto Gu Fuyou, clueless about what to do. Out of all the methods in the world, there was none that could save her.

“Michu, let go of her,” someone urged.

Di Jun wasn’t concerned about Gu Fuyou’s life or death. If anything, her death could be beneficial; Zhong Michu’s contract would be immediately nullified, and there’d be no worries about the Qilin Marrow falling into the hands of the Four Immortal Sects. Watching Gu Fuyou’s entire body turn into poisonous blood, Di Jun gestured to his subordinate to pull Zhong Michu away.

The subordinate approached Zhong Michu, addressing her, “Your Highness.”

Zhong Michu didn’t respond. She just hugged Gu Fuyou tighter, watching helplessly as her fair skin disintegrated, flesh turning into blood, and even the skeleton vanished, bit by bit, slipping away from her grasp. She couldn’t hold on to anything. The whole process took no longer than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

All that was left in her hand were Gu Fuyou’s hands, which eventually turned into foul blood and flowed through her fingers. Zhong Michu’s palms were covered in this corrupt blood, which corroded and consumed her flesh.

She could no longer support herself and fell forward, her hands in the pool of blood. Looking at the dark red blood spreading in all directions, who would have thought that this once bright-eyed, beautifully smiling girl was now in such a state?

Tears fell from Zhong Michu’s eyes into the pool of blood as she moaned in anguish, “Master, mother, even you…hmm…you’ve abandoned me too.”

Zhong Michu clutched at her heart, curling up as if whimpering or about to vomit.

Di Jun stood confronting the Four Immortal Sects, taking pleasure in their painful loss of the spiritual treasure. He mockingly said, “Sect Leader Zuo, it’s quite lively at Zhuling Platform today. Are we celebrating your birthday or your advancement to Immortalization? Why didn’t my Dragon Clan receive an invitation?”

Zuo Taisui’s expression darkened. “Your Majesty, don’t pretend to be clueless. You know exactly why we’ve gathered today. You’re here for the same reason. It’s a shame that beings like us, who’ve lived for thousands of years, were outwitted by a mere young girl.”

Di Jun retorted, “You are all here for the Qilin Marrow, but I didn’t come for that. I came to watch the excitement.”

Zuo Qingfeng frowned, saying, “You!”

Zuo Taisui interrupted him, “Since His Majesty isn’t here for the Qilin Marrow, he naturally won’t intervene.”

He signaled to Du Pan, who, along with several subordinates, started walking towards the pool of blood.

Zhong Michu warned, “Don’t come any closer.”

But they kept advancing, only a couple of steps away.

Suddenly, Zhong Michu raised her head, her voice cold and sharp, “Back off!” Her golden eyes were piercing, watching them intently like a hawk eyeing its prey.

Du Pan, who was closest to her, felt an unusual sensation in his body, an unexplainable heaviness.

Then, a series of screams echoed as those with lower cultivation levels inside the hall suddenly burst open, blood gushing out of their bodies as if punctured blood bags, spurting out in an instant like blooming red lotuses – a hauntingly beautiful yet terrifying sight to behold.

Zuo Taisui stood up abruptly and accused Di Jun, “Your Majesty, by allowing your kin to act violently in my place, are you declaring war on our human race?” His words seemed to drag the other three sects into the dispute.

Di Jun seemed unconcerned, “My granddaughter, a Dragon princess, was chased and nearly killed in Nanzhou. Who’s responsible for this, you know well. Dragons always avenge their wrongs. Let her vent her anger, or she might suffer from it.”

With a smirk hiding his true feelings, Di Jun added, “Other than me, she’s the only White Dragon in our clan. If she’s harmed, be prepared for the Dragons to cause trouble without reason.”

Zhong Michu transformed into a dragon, coiling on the platform, showing off her sharp fangs while letting out continuous, pained roars. At the same time, thunderclouds began to gather in the sky, echoing with rumbling sounds.

Violet lightning crackled, signaling imminent thunder strikes.

“She’s about to undergo the Thunder Tribulation!”

“How’s that possible? She’s only at the mid-stage of the Golden Core. How can she jump levels like this?”

“She must’ve used the Qilin Marrow!”

As realization dawned upon everyone, there were sighs of sympathy. However, internally, the Zuo family breathed a sigh of relief; they had prepared early and retained some Qilin marrow.

While the crowd was lost in thought, the White Dragon, Zhong Michu, paid no attention to the Thunder Tribulation and charged roaring towards Zuo Taisui.

Seeing this, Di Jun was annoyed, exclaiming, “Hey now, don’t let your hatred cloud your judgment. Do you have a death wish?”