Dragon Clan Arrives

"Good, good, very good!"

The Immortal Crane gave a cold laugh, then turned and left.

But the Immortal Crane had not given up. Although the Parasol Tree's aura had been concealed, as long as Red Cloud remained in the Primordial World, the Phoenix Clan would find him sooner or later.

Meanwhile, Red Cloud had already fled several hundred million li away and stopped in a remote valley.

"It was truly lucky that I managed to escape this time."

Red Cloud still felt lingering fear. The Immortal Crane's strength had left a deep impression on him.

The gap between a Great Luo Golden Immortal and a Taiyi Golden Immortal could not be bridged with treasures and pills alone.

Had Azure Parasol Ancestor not left him a means of escape, he would truly have faced certain doom this time.

But Red Cloud also knew that the crisis was far from over. The Phoenix Clan would not let the matter rest and would certainly continue searching for the Parasol Tree.

Moreover, news of the Parasol Tree had already spread. The Dragon Clan and Qilin Clan would also get involved.

"I have to leave this place as soon as possible and find somewhere safer."

After pondering for a moment, Red Cloud decided to follow his original plan.

Buzhou Mountain was the place where the Three Clans had the weakest influence. Their presence there was relatively limited, and its many mountains and complex terrain made it suitable for hiding.

Just as Red Cloud was preparing to leave, he suddenly sensed several powerful auras approaching rapidly from afar.

"They caught up so quickly?"

Red Cloud's expression changed. He immediately used Earth Escape and sank underground. Yet his divine sense remained fixed on those auras, and he discovered that they did not belong to the Phoenix Clan, but to the Dragon Clan.

The Dragon Clan?

Red Cloud's heart sank. The thing he feared most had still happened. News of the Parasol Tree had indeed reached the Dragon Clan, and they had sent powerful experts to hunt him down.

The Dragon Clan desired the Parasol Tree no less than the Phoenix Clan did. Although Parasol Tree Seeds could only increase the fertility of avian creatures and offered no direct benefit to the Dragon Clan, they would never allow the Phoenix Clan to obtain the Parasol Tree.

Once the Phoenix Clan acquired the Parasol Tree, their fertility would rise and their population would grow, breaking the balance of the Three Clans. Neither the Dragon Clan nor the Qilin Clan wished to see that happen.

Thus, the Dragon Clan and Qilin Clan shared the same stance: either seize the Parasol Tree or destroy it. In any case, they could not allow the Phoenix Clan to have it.

Red Cloud hid underground, concealing every trace of his aura. He scarcely dared to breathe.

In the sky, three Dragon Clan figures howled past, the fierce winds they stirred sending sand and stones flying across the ground.

They were three Horned Dragons, enormous in size and covered in dark green scales. Twin horns grew from their heads, whiskers hung beneath their jaws, and they radiated powerful dragon might.

None of the three had low cultivation. The leading Horned Dragon had even reached Peak Primordial Unity Golden Immortal, matching Fire Phoenix, while the other two were Late-Stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortals.

"Strange. I clearly sensed that brat's aura around here. Why did it suddenly vanish?" The leading Horned Dragon frowned, sweeping his divine sense across the ground.

"Big Brother, could that brat have used some secret technique to hide his aura?" another Horned Dragon asked.

"Possible. He managed to escape from the Phoenix Clan, so he must have some skill."

After pondering for a moment, the leading Horned Dragon said, "Split up and search. We must find him. The clan chief has ordered it: living, we see the person; dead, we see the corpse. We must obtain the Parasol Tree."

The three Horned Dragons scattered and began searching in three different directions.

Red Cloud hid underground, silently groaning to himself.

The Dragon Clan's arrival had made the situation even more complicated. Now, he had to evade not only the Phoenix Clan's pursuit, but the Dragon Clan's as well.

After searching for some time without result, the leading Horned Dragon suddenly threw back his head and let out an earthshaking dragon roar.

The roar spread outward in rippling waves, penetrating the earth and reaching thousands of li underground.

Red Cloud felt a strange fluctuation sweep across his body. Though he had concealed his aura, a faint wisp of magical power still leaked out.

"Found him!"

The leading Horned Dragon's eyes lit up, his gaze locking onto Red Cloud's hiding place. The other two Horned Dragons immediately changed direction and rushed over.

Red Cloud knew he could not remain hidden. Rather than continue concealing himself, he shot out of the ground and hovered in midair.

The three Horned Dragons surrounded him in a triangle. The leader sized Red Cloud up and down, a trace of disdain curling at the corner of his mouth.

"A Late-Stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal? With that trifling cultivation of yours, you dared snatch something from the Phoenix Clan?"

"You've got some nerve."

Red Cloud looked calmly at the three Horned Dragons, though his mind was racing.

Three Horned Dragons—one at Peak Primordial Unity Golden Immortal and two at Late-Stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal. Such a formation was powerful, but not impossible to fight. If he found the right moment, he might still have a chance to break through.

"I obtained the Parasol Tree first. I did not seize it from the Phoenix Clan," Red Cloud said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"You obtained it first?"

The leading Horned Dragon sneered. "Then you really are lucky. But luck alone is useless. Hand over the Parasol Tree, and I can spare your life."

Red Cloud shook his head. "The Parasol Tree has already been refined by me. I cannot hand it over."

Naturally, that was a lie from Red Cloud.

A glint of killing intent flashed through the leading Horned Dragon's eyes.

"Refined it? Then we'll kill you and extract the Parasol Tree's origin from your body."

Before he finished speaking, the three Horned Dragons attacked at once.

The leading Horned Dragon opened his mouth and spat out a stream of water. It appeared ordinary, but it contained terrifying cold. Everywhere it passed, even the air froze into ice crystals.

The other two Horned Dragons attacked from both flanks. One spat lightning, while the other expelled poisonous mist. The three attacks intertwined, sealing off every route of retreat for Red Cloud.

Red Cloud's expression grew grave. The Ice Soul Sword left its sheath, and a streak of azure sword light shot toward the Profound Ice Dragon Breath.

At the same time, the Illustrated Record of Literary Fortune behind him blazed with dazzling radiance. Countless golden words flew forth and formed a golden shield, blocking the lightning and poisonous mist.

Boom—

The sword light collided with the Profound Ice Dragon Breath, erupting with violent energy. Red Cloud staggered back several steps, his arm going numb. The power of the Profound Ice Dragon Breath exceeded his expectations.

"Not bad, but still not enough!"

The leading Horned Dragon snorted coldly. His body abruptly expanded, transforming into a colossal dragon ten thousand zhang long that opened its enormous jaws and lunged at Red Cloud.

The colossal dragon formed from the Horned Dragon blotted out the sky. Its open jaws resembled a bottomless abyss, and a terrifying suction force surged from within, drawing in the surrounding air, clouds, and even shattered stones from the ground.

Red Cloud steadied himself and swung the Ice Soul Sword several times before him, sending multiple streams of sword qi slashing toward the giant dragon. But when they struck its scales, they merely scattered sparks, leaving not even a mark.

"The Dragon Clan's defense truly lives up to its reputation."

Red Cloud sighed inwardly and flashed away, avoiding the giant dragon's devouring maw.

But he was still slightly too slow. The suction force caught him, making him stumble and nearly dragging him inside.

The other two Horned Dragons did not remain idle either. One controlled lightning while the other manipulated poisonous mist, attacking relentlessly from both sides.

The lightning slithered through the air like silver serpents, each strike carrying destructive power. The poisonous mist spread outward, shrouding the space for several li around. So long as one inhaled even a trace of it, they would be poisoned.