Dragon Clan Treasure Vault, Emptying Plan

"Thump... thump... thump..."

The sound of Pangu's Heart beating echoed through the vast, empty grand hall like the thunder of Chaos.

Lu Chen lay prostrate on the cold ground, feeling as though all his bones were about to shatter.

The Heart floated a hundred zhang high, its body a dark gold, as large as a small mountain. Each beat caused the space of the entire hall to tremble. Twelve drops of fist-sized essence blood, each of a different color, floated around it, their emitted auras making Lu Chen's soul tremble.

"Ancestral Witch Essence Blood..." he licked his dry, cracked lips.

A single drop could create a Great Witch! Twelve drops together could even reshape an Ancestor Witch's true body!

But he dared not move.

Below the Heart, twelve giant phantoms sat in meditation. Though illusory, their terrifying aura and pressure made it difficult for him to even lift his head.

Especially the phantom in the very center—a human face with a bird's body, four wings on its back, and standing on a red dragon—the Head of the Ancestral Witches, Dijiang!

"Buzz—"

Dijiang's phantom seemed to sense the outsider and slowly opened its eyes.

There were no pupils, only two balls of burning blood flame.

Lu Chen's scalp tingled. He quickly took out Ancestor Qiankun's Jade Slip and held it high above his head:

"Junior Lu Chen, entrusted by Ancestor Qiankun, I have mistakenly entered this sacred land and have no intention of offending!"

Dijiang's phantom's gaze fell upon the Jade Slip, and the blood flames flickered.

"Qiankun..." A hoarse voice directly sounded in Lu Chen's mind, "That old fellow isn't dead yet?"

Lu Chen was startled—Dijiang knew Ancestor Qiankun?!

"Are you acquainted with the Ancestor?" he asked tentatively.

"Hmph, we've fought." Dijiang's phantom's tone was indifferent. "Since you are his successor... you have three breaths of time. State your reason for intruding here."

Lu Chen broke out in a cold sweat.

Three breaths? What could he say? That the Kirin Clan was trying to kill him outside, so he ran in to hide?

"Junior... Junior came here seeking a drop of Ancestral Witch Essence Blood!" He gritted his teeth and stated his true purpose.

"Oh?" Dijiang's phantom seemed interested. "What do you need Ancestral Witch Essence Blood for?"

"Body Refinement, to break through!" Lu Chen gritted out. "Junior already has Golden Immortal cultivation, but my physical body is too weak. I wish to use Ancestral Witch Essence Blood to strengthen my body and walk the path of Proving the Dao through Strength!"

This was the truth. He had the foundation of Sky-Opening Merit and fragments of the Law of Strength. Following Pangu's path of Proving the Dao through Strength was the most suitable. And Ancestral Witch Essence Blood was the best catalyst.

Dijiang's phantom was silent for a moment.

"Proving the Dao through Strength... what great ambition." His voice gave no hint of emotion. "But not everyone can walk the path of Father God Pangu."

Lu Chen's heart sank.

"However—" Dijiang's tone shifted. "Since you are Qiankun's successor and dare to trespass in Pangu Hall, you do have some courage."

He raised his hand and beckoned. One of the twelve drops of essence blood, as red as fire, flew out.

"This is Zhurong Essence Blood, which governs fire. If you can withstand its power, I shall give it to you."

The drop of essence blood flew before Lu Chen, its terrifying heat causing space itself to warp.

Lu Chen gritted his teeth and reached out to grab it.

"Boom—!"

Boundless flames surged into his body, burning his flesh, bones, and meridians. He felt as though he had been thrown into the core of the sun, every inch of him ablaze.

Don't pass out... hold on!

He frantically circulated the Golden Light of Merit and activated the Three Lights Divine Water to protect his primordial spirit.

A full hour passed.

The flames gradually subsided, and the essence blood completely merged into his body. Lu Chen's physical body's strength increased tenfold, and faint crimson patterns flowed beneath his skin.

"It's done!" He opened his eyes, joyfully discovering that his cultivation had stabilized at the Golden Immortal mid-stage, and his physical body was now comparable to a Great Witch!

"Thank you for the blood, Senior!" Lu Chen bowed respectfully.

Dijiang's phantom waved his hand. "No need to thank me. This drop of essence blood must be repaid."

"Repaid?" Lu Chen was stunned.

"A Calamity is about to begin, and the Witch Clan must emerge." Dijiang's phantom's tone was solemn. "In three thousand years, a great tribulation will occur in the Primordial Era, and the Witch Clan must enter the world to face it. At that time, you will need to do something for the Witch Clan."

"What is it?"

"You will know when the time comes." Dijiang's phantom finished speaking and waved his hand.

An irresistible force swept Lu Chen up and threw him out of the hall.

"Remember, in three thousand years, below Buzhou Mountain, the Witch Clan will emerge. You must be present."

Before the voice faded, Lu Chen had already appeared outside the valley.

The entrance to Pangu Hall vanished, as if it had never existed.

"We're... out already?" Lu Chen was still a bit dazed.

But soon, he had no time to be dazed.

Because not far away, Shi Qilin was leading three Grand Unity Kirin, madly attacking the valley's formation. It was on the verge of being broken!

"Damn it, they just won't leave me alone!"

Lu Chen turned and ran.

He now had the Zhurong Essence Blood's enhancement, doubling his speed, and transformed into a crimson rainbow shooting towards the east.

"Chase!" Shi Qilin sensed his aura and furiously pursued him.

One chasing, one fleeing, they crossed a million miles.

Three days later, Lu Chen finally shook off his pursuers and hid on a desolate island at the edge of the East Sea.

"Safe for now..." He collapsed on the beach, gasping for air.

Reviewing the past few days' experiences was more thrilling than a roller coaster. But the gains were also immense: mid-stage Golden Immortal cultivation, a physical body comparable to a Great Witch, Zhurong Essence Blood, and Dijiang's "agreement."

"The Witch-Demon Calamity in three thousand years... I'll worry about that then."

He was more concerned with immediate benefits now.

Taking out the Dragon Palace Third Prince Token, Lu Chen's eyes flickered.

"The Dragon Clan Treasure Vault... it's time to get some things."

He meditated for a day, his condition returning to its peak, then dove into the East Sea.

The deeper he went, the greater the water pressure, but it was nothing to him now. Following the Jade Slip map, he found the East Sea Eye—a terrifying vortex with a diameter of ten thousand zhang.

In the center of the vortex, a golden palace phantom could be vaguely seen; this was the Dragon Clan Treasure Vault.

"On the fifteenth of every month, the Sea Eye's restrictions weaken for three breaths due to the tides..." Lu Chen calculated the time, "That's tonight!"

He lurked among the coral reefs, waiting quietly.

Night fell, the moon was as round as a plate.

As soon as midnight struck, the East Sea Eye's vortex slowed dramatically, and the golden palace's restrictions showed subtle fluctuations.

"Now!"

Lu Chen transformed into a water arrow and shot towards the center of the vortex.

Within three breaths, he passed through the weakened restriction and entered the golden palace.

The treasure vault was divided into three levels.

The first level: mountains of Houtian Spiritual Treasures, ores, and spirit herbs. Lu Chen didn't even look—there were too many to take, and their value wasn't high.

The second level: collected Xiantian Spiritual Materials, Dragon Clan cultivation techniques, and Grand Unity-level Dragon Pearls. He casually took three Dragon Pearls and over a dozen pieces of Xiantian Geng Metal.

He went straight for the third level!

Using the Third Prince Token to break through the restriction, Lu Chen stepped inside.

"Hiss—"

He sucked in a cold breath.

The third level's space wasn't large, only a hundred zhang square, but every treasure exuded Innate Spiritual Light:

In the center floated twelve Sea Calming Divine Pearls, as blue as the sea, with phantom worlds faintly visible within—these were a set of Innate Spiritual Treasures; when all twelve were out, they could form the Lesser Zhou Tian Array!

To the left was a Dragon Blood Coral, three zhang tall, blood-red all over, emitting a rich dragon aura—it could purify Dragon Clan bloodlines and was a treasure for the Dragon Clan.

To the right were three jade boxes: one contained a drop of Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, one contained the complete version of Ancestor Dragon Nine Transformations, and the last... contained a golden scale, its aura even more ancient than the Ancestral Dragon's Reverse Scale!

"This is... the Reverse Scale of the Father of the Ancestral Dragon, the Primordial Azure Dragon?!" Lu Chen's heart pounded.

The Primordial Azure Dragon, one of the Chaos Demon Gods, the Dragon Clan Progenitor! Its Reverse Scale contained the Chaos Dragon Dao!

"Take it all!"

Without a second word, Lu Chen unfurled the Qiankun Diagram and swept all the treasures into it.

But he was cautious—he only took seventy percent of each item, leaving thirty percent to cover his tracks. He also placed the Third Prince Token in a conspicuous position, creating the false impression of "the Third Prince stealing from himself."

After finishing everything, he prepared to withdraw.

But just then, there was movement outside the treasure vault.

"Third Prince, why have you come?" a guard's voice.

"My father ordered me to retrieve the Sea Calming Divine Pearls to set up an array." a young voice, filled with arrogance.

Lu Chen's expression changed—the main culprit had arrived!

He looked around; there was nowhere to hide on the third level.

Seeing the footsteps getting closer, Lu Chen gritted his teeth, took out the drop of Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, and smeared it on his brow.

"Ancestor Dragon Nine Transformations—Dragon Transformation!"

"Buzz--"

His body began to transform: dragon horns, scales, and a tail grew... In the blink of an eye, he morphed into a ten-zhang Azure Dragon, his aura indistinguishable from that of the Dragon Clan.

This was a divine ability he shared from his clone, "Ao Chen," amplified by the Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, making it utterly convincing.

Just as his transformation completed, the treasure vault door opened.

A youth in golden robes walked in. He had two horns on his head, handsome features, and the aura of a peak Golden Immortal—it was the Third Prince of the Dragon Clan, Ao Bing!

Ao Bing saw Lu Chen (in his Azure Dragon form) and paused, "Which branch of the Dragon Clan are you from? Why are you here?"

Lu Chen mimicked the Dragon Clan's tone and said gravely, "Your subordinate is the East Sea Patrol Yaksha Commander. I was ordered by the First Prince to come and inventory the treasures."

"Big Brother?" Ao Bing frowned slightly, "Why would he send someone to the treasure vault..."

Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed drastically.

"Where are the Sea Calming Divine Pearls?! Why are there fewer Dragon Blood Corals?!"

Lu Chen thought, This is bad, and quickly said, "The First Prince has already taken some. He said it was urgently needed for a formation."

"Bullshit!" Ao Bing roared, "A formation only needs three Sea Calming Divine Pearls, but twelve are missing here! And the Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, the Reverse Scale... Big Brother wouldn't take these!"

He stared intently at Lu Chen, his dragon eyes flashing golden light, "You're not from the Dragon Clan! You're a spy!"

His identity was exposed!

Without a word, Lu Chen revealed his true form, the Black Brick in his hand, and smashed it towards Ao Bing's face.

"You're asking for death!" Ao Bing summoned his Natal Dragon Pearl.

"Bang!"

The Black Brick collided with the Dragon Pearl, and the Golden Light of Merit erupted.

Ao Bing was repelled three steps, cracks appearing on his Dragon Pearl, his face filled with horror, "Merit Spiritual Treasure?! Just who are you?!"

Lu Chen didn't answer and turned to flee.

"Stop him!" Ao Bing roared.

Outside the treasure vault, four Golden Immortal guards rushed in.

"Get out of the way!" Lu Chen summoned the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner to protect himself and forced his way out.

"Chase him! Sound the alarm! A thief is stealing treasures!" Ao Bing's dragon whiskers bristled with rage.

The entire Dragon Palace erupted.

Lu Chen fought his way through, the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner providing unparalleled defense, and the Black Brick specifically targeting dragon heads. He broke through seven checkpoints.

Just as he was about to escape the Dragon Palace, suddenly—

"Buzz!"

A terrifying pressure descended.

The entire East Sea's waters froze, and time seemed to stand still.

A phantom image of a ten-thousand-zhang Golden Dragon materialized, its dragon eyes like the sun and moon, looking down upon Lu Chen.

"You steal my treasure vault and injure my offspring... you ant, who gave you the courage?"

The Ancestral Dragon itself had arrived!

Under the Ancestral Dragon's pressure, Lu Chen couldn't even move a finger. But the Qiankun Diagram in his embrace suddenly unfolded on its own, and a phantom image of Ancestor Qiankun appeared, saying faintly, "Fellow Daoist Ancestral Dragon, would you give this old man some face?"

The Ancestral Dragon's gaze flickered, "Qiankun, you are already dead, and you still want to stop me?"

The phantom image chuckled, "Yes, but if you kill him, the matter of your Dragon Clan's treasure vault being stolen will never be cleared up—because the real culprit is within your Dragon Clan!"

The Ancestral Dragon's dragon eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?" Lu Chen's heart pounded—what exactly was this contingency left behind by Ancestor Qiankun?!