Edge of Life and Death

On the mountaintop, Long Jiuyyao lay flat, gazing at the rising morning sun that illuminated the distant darkness. Outside the Dragon Domain, countless demonic beasts stirred restlessly.

Beside him, a Mighty Lion, at least half a meter tall, also looked towards the distant morning sun.

Long Jiuyyao looked at Jin Ming, whose physique had drastically changed, and chuckled, "Jin Ming, I can't hold you anymore!"

"Roar!" Jin Ming let out a low growl.

Just yesterday, it was the size of a cat, but now Jin Ming's body had grown several times larger. It had clearly stepped into the Early Earth Origin Realm.

It was likely the effect of the Flood Dragon Meat and Spiritual Medicine it had consumed, causing such a massive transformation overnight.

Long Jiuyyao stood up, stretched his body, and then beckoned Jin Ming to leave the mountaintop.

At this moment, Long Jiuyyao was taking his daily Medicinal Bath, while Jin Ming was gnawing on a Demon Crystal given by Long Jiuyyao. This was the Demon Crystal from a Thunder Pattern Fierce Lion, a beast from the Origin Core Realm.

It wasn't that Long Jiuyyao couldn't afford a higher-grade Demon Crystal. It was just that Jin Ming was currently only in the Early Earth Origin Realm, and even consuming a Demon Crystal from an Origin Core Realm beast was its limit. It would take some time to refine it. Therefore, a Demon Crystal from an Origin Core Realm beast was the best for it right now.

After half an hour, Long Jiuyyao was fully dressed. He stepped out of the room and left the Courtyard with Jin Ming.

He took out the Secret Treasure Map, confirmed the direction, and then leaped onto the Lion Back. Jin Ming also began to run swiftly, the man and the lion heading towards the Secret Treasure Land alone.

Last night, Long Jiuyyao had obtained the map from Yuan Gan. The reason was that he wanted to go to the Secret Treasure Land alone with Jin Ming, rather than with the elders. He also planned to take the opportunity to see the scenery of the Dragon Domain during the month-long journey.

Yuan Gan naturally agreed. The reason was simple: in the Tian Xuan Continent, where could be safer than their home, the Dragon Domain? If any accident were to occur, he could arrive instantly.

The Golden Sun Nether Lion's speed was truly astonishing, and its senses were sharp, allowing it to avoid many dangerous areas. By noon, they had already traveled over a hundred miles.

Even within the Dragon Domain, it wasn't entirely safe. There were still perilous places, but these could also be places of opportunity. Danger and opportunity went hand in hand.

The Dragon Domain spanned a hundred thousand miles, with countless mountain ranges stretching as far as the eye could see. The Secret Treasure Land was tens of thousands of miles away from the Dragon Domain.

Riding on Jin Ming, Long Jiuyyao arrived at a region marked on the map called the Yin Dragon Mountain Range, which was a necessary path to the Secret Treasure Land.

The scorching sun enveloped the vast Yin Dragon Mountain Range. The intense sunlight poured down, but the mist within the Yin Dragon Mountain Range blocked it out.

Within the mountain range, thick fog permeated, causing the entire Yin Dragon Mountain Range to exude a strong chill.

When Long Jiuyyao came into contact with the mist, it instantly condensed into layers of frost on his exposed skin. Long Jiuyyao looked at Jin Ming and found that its golden fur was also covered in a layer of frost.

"There's something wrong with this mist!" Long Jiuyyao exclaimed.

The scorching Golden Sun Yuan Power in his hand erupted, and the frost immediately dissipated. However, when Long Jiuyyao withdrew his Golden Sun Yuan Power, the dark blue mist once again condensed into frost on the bodies of the man and the lion.

"Jin Ming, hurry!" Long Jiuyyao flipped himself onto the Lion Back, grabbed the golden mane around Jin Ming's neck, and released Golden Sun Yuan Power with both hands to resist the dark blue mist for Jin Ming.

Long Jiuyyao was unafraid of this dark blue mist because he had absorbed Blood Yin Sha Qi. In terms of coldness, this mist couldn't compare. Furthermore, the Golden Sun Power he absorbed from the Flame Dragon Platform was the nemesis of this mist.

However, although this mist was useless against Long Jiuyyao, over time, it would cause some harm to Jin Ming.

Jin Ming only had the strength of Early Earth Origin Realm at this time. Jin Ming could not endure the chill emanating from the smog for long. The only reason it hadn't collapsed yet was because Long Jiuyyao was continuously releasing Golden Sun Yuan Power to resist the smog's invasion for Jin Ming.

However, with Long Jiuyyao's current strength of Mid Heaven Origin Realm, how long could he maintain this Golden Sun Yuan Power!

On Lion Back, a blurry Rune appeared between the center of Long Jiuyyao's brows, and a wave of Spiritual Power spread outwards with Long Jiuyyao as the center.

"Jin Ming, there's a scorching aura a few thousand meters ahead. We'll be saved if we go there," Long Jiuyyao said, leaning down.

"Roar!" Jin Ming let out a low growl and accelerated. The ancient trees around them flashed past.

A few minutes later, a Lake that stretched as far as the eye could see appeared before Long Jiuyyao. The warm air currents rising from the boundless Lake dispelled the coldness from the surrounding dark blue smog.

"Jin Ming, let's go down for a soak and get rid of the cold in your body." Long Jiuyyao took off his robe and jumped into the water, speaking to Little Jin.

Seeing Long Jiuyyao jump into the Lake, Jin Ming followed suit. The warm Lake water washed away the coldness in Jin Ming's body.

Long Jiuyyao swam around the Lake non-stop. The pale white mist emanating from the Lake obstructed Long Jiuyyao's vision, and he also became lost in this boundless Lake.

Long Jiuyyao continued swimming, seemingly without fatigue. Suddenly, the mysterious Rune between Long Jiuyyao's brows emitted a faint white light, and Long Jiuyyao's dazed eyes regained clarity.

"Jin Ming..."

Long Jiuyyao kept calling out for Jin Ming, but his calls were like stones sinking into the sea, with no reply from Jin Ming.

Long Jiuyyao steadied his mind and looked around the Lake. However, all he could see was pale mist. The Rune between his brows emitted strong Spiritual Power, which permeated outwards.

But it was not very effective, only managing to detect the situation within a three-meter radius.

"Detecting three meters around me is already my limit. This mist can actually block the detection of Spiritual Power," Long Jiuyyao exclaimed in surprise.

Long Jiuyyao's Black Dragon Wings, like obsidian, appeared behind him. Long Jiuyyao flapped his wings and lifted off the Lake surface. However, after only rising one meter, an accident occurred.

A powerful pressure struck, and in an instant, Long Jiuyyao grunted, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, Long Jiuyyao fell from the air. He retracted his Dragon Wings, wiped the blood from his lips, and stared intently ahead. He actually swam directly forward, while his Spiritual Power continuously probed the surroundings.

Time passed. Long Jiuyyao swam forward for an unknown distance, without fatigue. He didn't know himself, perhaps thousands of meters, or perhaps tens of thousands of meters.

After swimming for a long time, Long Jiuyyao's limbs were already sore. But Long Jiuyyao still moved his arms like a machine. He knew that if he stopped, he might be trapped here forever. His tired face and listless expression revealed his current predicament.

Long Jiuyyao's body was in an extremely fatigued state, but his survival instinct instantly cleared his mind a bit. He bit the tip of his tongue sharply, using the intense pain to awaken his listless spirit.

The thick white mist rising from the warm Lake obscured Long Jiuyyao's vision. All he could see was a vast expanse of white, with no end in sight. He could only rely on his tenacious willpower to push his body to its limits, thereby stabilizing his form and slowly swimming forward.

Long Jiuyyao's stamina was, after all, limited. His swimming speed began to slow down more and more. His limbs felt heavy as lead, but he still managed to move his arms, propelling his body forward slowly.

Everything in his vision became increasingly blurry, and Long Jiuyyao's movements became slower and slower. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

Finally, Long Jiuyyao's body could no longer support him. His limbs moved weakly, and a strong sense of dizziness made his consciousness blur. He could no longer control his body and began to slowly sink.

"No!" Long Jiuyyao roared in his heart. His blurry consciousness suddenly cleared for a moment. At this instant, he felt as if a new power erupted within him.

The Ancient Dragon Bone within his body flickered with Dark Gold light. His limbs, already in unbearable pain, actually felt a slight relief. Long Jiuyyao stabilized his sinking body, desperately flailing his arms and kicking his legs.

Whether it was a Last Resuscitation or something else, he knew this was his final strength. If he couldn't find a place to rest, he was finished.

After a long time passed again, the stimulated power finally began to wane. Long Jiuyyao's vision blurred once more, his limbs heavy and powerless. I can't... am I really going to die?

"No!"

He roared internally, forcing out another surge of strength to maintain his sinking body.

Finally... an Island appeared before Long Jiuyyao's eyes. Long Jiuyyao swam with all his might and reached the shore, lying flat on the bank and gasping for breath.

Lying flat on the shore, Long Jiuyyao's limbs trembled slightly, his chest heaved violently, and an intense wave of sleepiness washed over him, his vision blurring more and more.