Golden Dragon King's Plan to Succeed the Dragon God

Soon, after passing through a cave, the space before them suddenly opened up, revealing a deep cliff face.

The air here was extremely humid. A faint mist rose from beneath the cliff, spreading through the air, while the smell of sulfur slipped into their nostrils.

Looking at the inverted cone-shaped hollow in the mountain that sank downward, Jin Yan's face lit up. He knew they had arrived.

He hurried forward and looked down. Through the thick white mist, he could indeed see red and white springs slowly releasing steam like a taiji diagram.

"This is the place." Dugu Bo carried Dugu Yan on his back as he spoke calmly.

With that, he leaped down first. Relying on the powerful Soul Power of a Titled Douluo, he floated in midair and descended leisurely.

Just as Zhang Yan was about to step forward to take Ye Lingling and Jin Yan down, Jin Yan shook his head in refusal. The clothes on his back tore apart, and a pair of brilliant golden wings spread open.

Jin Yan extended his hand to Ye Lingling, motioning for her to come over.

Ye Lingling's face reddened, but she ultimately did not refuse. She slowly stepped forward and took Jin Yan's hand.

With a beat of his wings, Jin Yan spread and flapped them. Amid Ye Lingling's cry of surprise, he carried her directly down through the air.

In midair, Ye Lingling's little face turned pale. Both arms tightly wrapped around Jin Yan's waist as she pressed herself against his chest. Listening to his strong heartbeat, she suddenly felt a wave of reassurance and closed her eyes in peace.

At the bottom of the valley, Dugu Bo had just set Dugu Yan down when he saw Jin Yan flying over from above. He snorted coldly.

"Could this kid's martial soul be some kind of flying bird?"

But as Jin Yan and Ye Lingling drew closer, he noticed something was wrong. Frowning, he probed them with his spiritual power.

"An External Soul Bone. Spirit Hall really does have deep pockets!"

Having figured it out, he spoke with a hint of envy.

"Aren't you getting down yet?" Jin Yan landed on the ground. Though he wanted her to remain in his arms a while longer, business came first.

Ye Lingling's face immediately flushed red. She smacked Jin Yan, then used both hands to comb her disheveled white hair behind her head.

"Who wants to stay in your arms? You stink."

"I wouldn't mind staying in your arms either. I don't find you disgusting," Jin Yan said with a grin.

"Pah!"

Dugu Bo's face darkened as he watched from the side. Did these two really not know to mind their surroundings?

After teasing Ye Lingling for a while, Jin Yan's eyes burned as he looked around. Countless herbs rarely seen outside grew here in unremarkable clusters, like weeds.

Ye Lingling might not have recognized those Immortal Herbs, but she recognized great swathes of the precious herbs on the outskirts. Her cries of amazement echoed endlessly through the valley.

Jin Yan did not even glance at those precious herbs on the outskirts. He headed straight toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well at the center.

"Kid, you've found yourself a wonderful place!"

Before he even got close, the Golden Dragon King's excited, restrained voice rang out from within his heart.

Jin Yan was not at all surprised that it could sense the wondrous nature of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Others might not know, but how could he not? This Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had formed after the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings fell into Sunset Forest. Many of the herbs here had been steeped in dragon blood!

As a fellow dragon, it was only natural that the Golden Dragon King could sense the presence of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings beneath the spring.

"Kid, I originally thought that inheriting my power would be enough for you to become a god. But now, I think we can change the plan. Want to hear it?" the Golden Dragon King tempted him in his mind.

Jin Yan did not slow his pace. "Let's hear it."

"Kid, have you heard of the Dragon God?"

"The first dragon to open heaven and earth?"

The Golden Dragon King grew excited. "That's right, that's right. During the great war in the God Realm, the Dragon God split into me, the Golden Dragon King, and the Silver Dragon King. I inherited his physical power, as well as his Godhead of Destruction.

"And the Silver Dragon King, my dear little sister, inherited the Dragon God's elemental power and Godhead of Creation. If the two of us merged, no matter which one devoured the other, it might allow the Dragon God to return to the world!

"I originally thought that whether or not you could devour the Silver Dragon King, you would still be able to become a god. But now, I think we can be a little bolder."

"Wait a moment. Didn't you say you didn't have a godhead?" Jin Yan interrupted.

The Golden Dragon King awkwardly shook his head. "That Godhead of Destruction was no good thing. After inheriting it, I fell into endless chaos. I had no consciousness and could only wreak destruction and ruin. Later, when I regained some clarity, I forcibly stripped the Godhead of Destruction from my body in order to escape the seal."

"Fine. Go on."

The Golden Dragon King excitedly shifted within Jin Yan's Sea of Spirit. "After the Dragon God created the Dragon God Realm, he used his own origin divine power and essence of life to create the Nine Great Dragon Kings. It could be said that every Dragon King inherited, to some extent, the Dragon God's origin divine power.

"Now, all Nine Great Dragon Kings have fallen.

"But they were all peak First-Level Gods in their day. How could they have completely perished so easily? Their remaining dragon souls still exist.

"The Silver Dragon King and the Nine Great Dragon Kings are all elemental dragons. There are many similarities between them, so the Nine Great Dragon Kings can temporarily fill in for the Silver Dragon King.

"The nine Dragon Kings are all god-level beings. They can help you open a second martial soul slot. If you can then fuse all the origin powers of the Nine Great Dragon Kings, you can be considered a pseudo Dragon God."

It became increasingly excited. "Then, if you devour the Silver Dragon King, your strength may surpass even the Dragon God at his peak!"

Jin Yan's expression became strange. He understood now. He was to awaken a second martial soul, devour the origins of the Nine Great Dragon Kings, fuse them with his own martial soul, and become a pseudo Dragon God similar to the Dragon God. Then he would devour the Silver Dragon King and naturally succeed the Dragon God!

He had to admit, Jin Yan felt that this plan was genuinely feasible. After all, weren't two Dragon Kings lying right before him? Once he found and devoured the other seven Dragon Kings, that would be enough.

"I can sense that beneath these springs lie the divine bodies of two Dragon Kings. We can first test whether this plan is feasible. Even if it fails, I can protect your life," the Golden Dragon King said.

Jin Yan thought rapidly. Finally, he gritted his teeth. There was no harm in giving it a try!

As they spoke, Zhang Yan and the others followed them down from above and arrived beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Though they were all well-traveled and knowledgeable, they could not help looking around in wonder at such a miraculous sight.

Snake Lance Douluo was particularly interested in the ice and fire springs. He had only taken two steps forward when he sensed the terrifying energy emanating from within and instinctively retreated two steps.

"The scorching and freezing energy inside is more than even a Titled Douluo could endure. Old Poison, you had such a good place?" he said in astonishment.

"Hmph." Dugu Bo snorted coldly. Still angry, he could not be bothered to respond.