Since desire could serve as nourishment for his advancement, Luohu began studying emotions as well.
Luohu's aura was like a bucket of cold water poured over the still-celebrating Xuan Qing. Someone had already broken through to the Primordial Origin Golden Immortal realm, while he had not even finished the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. It seemed he had been far too lax. He needed to advance to the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm as soon as possible.
Xuan Qing stopped wasting time and began searching for a way out of this secret realm. After observing it for over a Kalpa, he finally discovered the pattern of the Space Rifts.
After calculating when the next one would appear, Xuan Qing and Han Xi seized the opportunity and charged into the Space Rift. After several thousand more years of drifting, they finally escaped from it.
The two sat on the ground in a sorry state, breathing in the air of the Primordial Heaven and Earth. This journey had finally come to an end. After getting their bearings, they flew toward the East Sea.
This time, Xuan Qing was eager to return home. Neither he nor Han Xi stopped along the way, and after more than three Kalpas, they reached the East Sea.
The moment he arrived, Xuan Qing sensed that something was wrong with the East Sea. The entire sea seemed tense, as if it were on edge. Could the Dragon Clan be plotting something major? He immediately felt that things were not good.
Just then, Xuan Qing spotted a sea turtle fleeing outward and directly grabbed it.
The sea turtle suddenly found itself lifted into the air and immediately begged for mercy. "Senior, Senior, please don't kill me! I'm willing to submit to the Dragon Clan!"
"Hm?" What was the Dragon Clan trying to do?
"Senior, aren't you from the Dragon Clan?" Seeing that Xuan Qing's reaction was off, the sea turtle looked utterly confused.
"How do I look like a Dragon Clan member? Are there any Dragon Clan members as handsome as me?"
Xuan Qing made a small joke.
"No, no. This little turtle was blind. Please forgive me, Senior. May I ask why you sought me out?"
Hearing Xuan Qing joke with it, the sea turtle's fear immediately vanished.
"My Dao Field is in the East Sea. I just returned and found the atmosphere a little strange, so I wanted to ask you what was going on."
"Oh, so that's it!"
"Senior, since you've only just returned, you may not know that the East Sea is now the Dragon Clan's main stronghold. They want to place it under strict control. Unless one joins the Dragon Clan, they will face suppression.
"That's why those of us unwilling to submit have suffered. We have no choice but to flee this place. Senior, you should leave quickly as well. It isn't safe here."
"Oh? The Dragon Clan is this domineering? They won't even leave other living beings a way to survive?"
Xuan Qing had not expected the Dragon Clan to treat the East Sea's living beings this way.
"You haven't seen it, Senior. Whenever the Dragon Clan passes through, they strip away every Spiritual Root and spiritual item. Weak living beings like us can no longer cultivate here."
Seeing the sea turtle's miserable expression, Xuan Qing had no intention of doing anything to it and released it.
"Senior, you should leave quickly as well. This little turtle will be going now."
Before leaving, it warned them once more. The sea turtle had a decent nature. If its Root Origin had not been too poor, Xuan Qing might have taken it in.
"Brother, is the Dragon Clan really like this? Even the Fire Kirin back then did not seem this overbearing."
Han Xi looked incredulous. She had never expected the Dragon Clan that had proclaimed itself to the entire Prehistoric Era not long ago to be so vile.
"Enough. How they act has nothing to do with us, as long as they don't affect us. Come on, let's go home."
Xuan Qing wished he could reach home in a single step. He had not seen Qing Ya and the others for a long time.
That day, Xuan Qing happily led Han Xi into the waters surrounding Azure Nether Island. The once sparse islands had now become a vast archipelago, with countless streams of Innate Spiritual Qi rising into the air.
"Brother, is this our home? It's so beautiful!"
Han Xi gazed excitedly at the island cluster ahead. Under the sunlight, the spiritual qi shone in a dazzling array of colors, while the sea reflected a flourishing scene. It was truly a brilliant, multicolored painting.
"No."
"These islands were formed from the overflowing spiritual qi of Azure Nether Island. We haven't reached our real home yet."
"Ah!"
Han Xi was stunned. What exactly would her future home look like?
Since the island cluster had developed to this extent, it could be considered his territory no matter what. Xuan Qing naturally had to go up and take a look, so the two flew over.
Before they could approach, a group of Dragon Clan members suddenly appeared and blocked their path.
"Who are you? Why have you come to Dragon Clan territory?"
What the hell? How did my Dao Field become Dragon Clan territory? Are the Dragon Clan really this shameless? Xuan Qing was dumbfounded.
Han Xi was equally stunned. How had her brother's Dao Field become the Dragon Clan's? When she heard the sea turtle's words upon arriving in the East Sea, she had not thought much of it. Yet now it was happening to them personally.
"Dragon Clan territory? What grand Dragon Clan territory. This entire island cluster was derived from my Dao Field. I never even called it my territory, yet you people have claimed it for yourselves. So the Dragon Clan really has no shame."
Xuan Qing flew into a rage. As soon as he finished speaking, he took out the Jade Bamboo of Creation and struck with it. Dragon Clan or not, he was not afraid.
Bang!
The dragon was smashed into the seafloor with a single blow. Xuan Qing ignored it and flew toward his Dao Field with Han Xi, wanting to see what the Dragon Clan had done to it.
He did not believe the Dragon Clan could breach his Dao Field, but he did not know whether Qing Ya and the others had been affected. He was still quite worried.
Before long, the two arrived at the entrance to the Formation. A massive dragon lay sprawled there, guarding the entrance and radiating the pressure of a Grand Luo Golden Immortal.
Seeing this, Xuan Qing finally relaxed. It seemed the Dragon Clan had no way to deal with Qing Ya and the others and could only blockade the entrance.
While the Grand Luo Golden Immortal dragon was still asleep, Xuan Qing silently circulated his Magic Power and gathered strength. Han Xi also took out the Western Plain Cloud Boundary Banner and prepared herself.
Over the long period of time that had passed, Han Xi had refined part of the banner's restrictions. Its offensive power was far greater than that of the Water Bell, which was mainly known for its formidable defensive capabilities.
The two exchanged a glance and raised their brows.
They aimed their Spiritual Treasures at the giant dragon and attacked together.
Boom!
Before the giant dragon could react, it was blasted away and slammed into the Formation. It spat out a mouthful of blood, and many of its scales fell away.
With Xuan Qing and Han Xi's cultivation, coupled with their Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, even though this giant dragon had reached the Early Stage of Grand Luo Golden Immortal, it suffered serious injuries after being ambushed without any preparation.
Seeing that the giant dragon was still dazed, Xuan Qing grabbed Han Xi's hand and rushed into the Formation.
Realizing that it had been injured by a sneak attack from two Grand Unity Golden Immortals, the giant dragon flew into a rage and blasted at the Formation. Then it remembered that it could not break the Formation at all and could only glare viciously at Xuan Qing and the others.
"You two juniors, are you the masters of this Formation? You dare treat the Dragon Clan this way? You will not meet a good end. Hand over this territory, and my Dragon Clan will let you leave the East Sea."
Seeing that the masters of the Dao Field had returned, the giant dragon suppressed its anger and tried to complete the task Zu Long had assigned it.
If this brat knew what was good for him, there would be plenty of chances to deal with them later. Besides, the two of them possessed Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures. That was another great opportunity.
Xuan Qing looked at the giant dragon as though it were an idiot. He had not expected the Dragon Clan to have such members.
Sensing the disturbance in the Formation, the Qing Ya Sisters instantly appeared before Xuan Qing with the Formation's help. Seeing that Xuan Qing had returned, Qing Ya was overwhelmed with excitement and happily cried, "Master, welcome home."
Qing Ling was different. She immediately pounced over, grabbed Xuan Qing's hand, and said, "Master, Master, you're finally back! You have no idea how hateful that loach is. It blocked our gate and even tried to force us to hand over the Dao Field."
Seeing the agitated Qing Ling, Xuan Qing rubbed her head and soothed her. "Don't worry. I'll avenge you. We've never eaten Dragon Meat before, and it just threatened your Master as well."
"Let me introduce you. This is Han Xi, the Sister I acknowledged. You must treat her as well as you treat me and get along with her. She is at the Later Stage of Primordial Unity Golden Immortal!"
Xuan Qing immediately introduced Han Xi to the two sisters, then pointed at the Qing Ya Sisters and said, "These are Qing Ya and Qing Ling. They are transformed High-Grade Innate Spiritual Roots, similar to the Shore Flower. They are helping me manage the Dao Field now, so you must not bully them."
The three women looked at one another, then walked aside to chat, leaving Xuan Qing standing alone.
"You ants, can't you hear me? Have you considered it? Once our Clan Leader breaks through, none of you will survive."
Seeing how the people inside the Formation ignored it, the giant dragon could no longer hold back and cursed loudly.
It still dared threaten him, so Xuan Qing could not tolerate it. He activated the Formation, and an Azure Nether Light flashed past.
The giant dragon was instantly blasted into two halves. Its Primordial Spirit shattered, and its True Spirit was annihilated.
Villains died from talking too much. This dragon had been far too talkative.
Xuan Qing then walked out of the Formation and put away the giant dragon's corpse, intending to bring it back for a barbecue. His return called for a celebration.
Han Xi had been happily chatting with the Qing Ya Sisters when she suddenly saw this scene. Instinctively, she said, "Um... is this Formation really that powerful? How did it disappear in one hit?"
"Hahaha! Sister Han Xi, don't be stunned yet. You'll have even more to be shocked by later."
Qing Ling looked as though she were showing off something precious to her sister, waiting for Han Xi to discover it.
The four of them then returned to Xuan Qing Dao Palace.
As soon as they arrived at the Dao Palace, Han Xi saw a lake of Three Lights Divine Water outside. Several High-Grade Innate Spiritual Roots were planted around it, and at the center stood an ancient tree she could not comprehend. It felt both right before her eyes and impossibly distant.
"That is the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree. Master said it seems to be a Chaos Spiritual Root. We still cannot touch it."
Qing Ling happily explained it to Han Xi.
At that moment, Xuan Qing took out the Green Lotus of Creation and removed Han Xi's Innate Gui Water Spirit Apricot.
He then scooped up a mass of Nine Heavens Breathing Soil from the bottom of the lake and planted it beside the water.
The three women immediately ran over. Qing Ya recognized at once that it was a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Root and could not help but admire Xuan Qing even more. He had gone out once and returned with something so good.
"Qing Ya, I have two tasks for you."
Before they could say anything, Xuan Qing took out all the Shore Flowers and soil, then walked to an empty stretch of land on the other side of Divine Water Lake and planted them.
"Take good care of the Shore Flower that has developed spiritual intelligence. She will be your good sister in the future. Qing Ya, I also brought back some living beings who do not like fighting. Later, arrange for them to live on the islands."
After saying that, Xuan Qing released those living beings.
Before you continue