Breaking the Dragon Palace Restriction, Entering the Treasury Core

The outer passage of the Dragon Palace Treasury stretched for several miles. The walls on both sides were cast from Deep-Sea Darksteel, covered in densely packed restriction runes that exuded a chilling aura. These runes were the "Azure Water God-Banning Talismans" laid down by generations of Dragon Clan experts. Should anyone intrude without permission, the runes would activate and unleash formidable water-element divine arts—at best, inflicting grievous injuries; at worst, reducing the intruder directly to dust.

Xuan Chen proceeded slowly down the passage, his divine sense fully focused as he carefully investigated the operating patterns of every rune. He discovered that these "Azure Water God-Banning Talismans" did not exist independently, but were interconnected into a vast restriction network. At the heart of this network was a water mirror at the end of the passage, which continuously drew upon the energy of the Eastern Sea to sustain the restrictions.

To break these restrictions, I cannot destroy them by force. Otherwise, it will trigger a chain reaction and alert the guards of the core area. Xuan Chen silently pondered. He circulated Primordial Unity Power and gathered a wisp of Chaos True Qi at his fingertip, lightly touching a rune on the wall. Chaos True Qi was the source of all arts, containing the power of the Dao's origin. The instant it came into contact with the rune, it traveled along its patterns, probing the restriction's flow of energy.

Before long, Xuan Chen had grasped the operating principles of the "Azure Water God-Banning Talismans." He took out several specially made formation-breaking talismans. These talismans were not meant to forcefully break formations, but to imitate the restriction's energy fluctuations and temporarily deceive the runes' perception. Xuan Chen affixed the talismans to the walls at specific positions and infused them with Primordial Unity Power. The talismans immediately lit up, releasing energy fluctuations similar to those of the "Azure Water God-Banning Talismans."

As the talismans activated, the restriction runes within the passage indeed dimmed, and the energy that had once circulated through them gradually settled. Seizing this opportunity, Xuan Chen quickened his pace and raced down the center of the passage. Though the runes along the way occasionally flashed with light, they did not activate any attacks under the talismans' deception.

At the end of the passage stood a colossal stone gate. It stood ten zhang tall and five zhang wide, carved from a single block of Innate Dark Ice. A lifelike Five-Clawed Golden Dragon was engraved upon it, its body entwined with countless water-element runes and radiating overwhelming pressure. On either side of the gate was a recess, each inlaid with a massive luminous pearl that illuminated the patterns upon the gate.

This was the second line of defense of the Dragon Palace Treasury—the "Dark-Ice Dragon-Pattern Gate." The Five-Clawed Golden Dragon on the gate had been refined from the essence blood of the Dragon Clan's ancestors, containing powerful dragon might and restrictive force. To open the stone gate, one had to break the restrictions within the dragon pattern while possessing enough strength to withstand the impact of the dragon might.

Standing before the stone gate, Xuan Chen carefully examined the paths of the dragon patterns. He found that the restrictions within them came from the same source as the earlier "Azure Water God-Banning Talismans," both founded upon the water-element Dao. Yet their power far surpassed the latter. Every turn of the dragon pattern and every scale contained an exquisite restrictive arrangement. The slightest misstep would trigger the Golden Dragon's attack.

Xuan Chen drew a deep breath and circulated Primordial Unity Power throughout his body, sinking his divine sense into the dragon pattern and sensing the restriction's energy flow. His divine sense moved like flowing water along the dragon pattern's paths, avoiding one dangerous node after another as it sought the core of the restriction. Half an hour later, a sharp glint flashed in Xuan Chen's eyes. He had finally found the core of the dragon-pattern restriction—a tiny rune located between the Golden Dragon's brows.

This rune was the pivot of the entire Dark-Ice Dragon-Pattern Gate's restrictions, controlling the flow of energy through the dragon pattern. Xuan Chen gathered a thread of pure Chaos True Qi at his fingertip and cautiously extended it toward the rune. The moment Chaos True Qi touched the rune, it began to seep inside, attempting to seize control of the restriction's energy flow.

However, just as the Chaos True Qi was about to touch the rune, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon on the stone gate suddenly opened its eyes. Two golden beams shot from its dragon eyes, carrying terrifying dragon might as they enveloped Xuan Chen. At the same time, every rune upon the dragon pattern activated, blazing with dazzling blue light. Vast water-element energy gathered together, forming an enormous dragon claw that slammed toward Xuan Chen.

"Just as I thought, it wouldn't be that easy!" Xuan Chen had been prepared. With a flash of his body, he evaded the dragon claw's attack, while simultaneously activating the Chaos Imperishable Body. A thick layer of chaotic mist swirled around him, resisting the impact of the dragon might. He knew this was the stone gate's defensive mechanism. To break the restriction, he first had to suppress the Golden Dragon's attacks.

Xuan Chen drew the Primordial Unity Sword and infused it with Primordial Unity Power. The blade immediately erupted in dazzling radiance, carrying the momentum to sever all laws. He swung the Primordial Unity Sword at the Golden Dragon's eyes. The sword light streamed like a silken ribbon, bearing biting sharpness. The Golden Dragon let out an enraged dragon roar, and another dragon claw condensed to collide with the sword light.

"Boom!" With a deafening crash, the sword light collided with the dragon claw, unleashing a massive energy shockwave that made the entire passage shudder violently. Xuan Chen was forced several steps back by the shockwave, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his lips. Yet he did not retreat. Instead, he seized the gap after the Golden Dragon's attack, once more plunging his divine sense into the dragon pattern. As the restriction's energy fluctuated, the Chaos True Qi at his fingertip forcefully entered the rune between the Golden Dragon's brows.

The instant Chaos True Qi entered the rune, the Golden Dragon on the stone gate released a pained dragon roar. Its body twisted violently, while the rune-light on its body flickered erratically. Xuan Chen took the chance to increase his output of Primordial Unity Power. Chaos True Qi continued flooding into the rune, gradually taking control of the restriction's energy flow. Half an hour later, the Golden Dragon's light completely dimmed. Its body transformed into streams of light and merged into the stone gate, while the restriction runes upon it also fell still.

Xuan Chen put away the Primordial Unity Sword and wiped the blood from his lips. Though he had expended a considerable amount of Primordial Unity Power, he had successfully broken the Dark-Ice Dragon-Pattern Gate's restrictions. He walked before the stone gate, pressed both hands against it, circulated Primordial Unity Power, and slowly pushed.

"Creak—" A dull sound echoed out as the heavy Dark-Ice Dragon-Pattern Gate slowly opened. An even denser spiritual aura, mixed with the scent of treasures, rushed toward him and stirred Xuan Chen's spirits. Beyond the stone gate was not the grand hall he had imagined, but a staircase leading underground. More luminous pearls were embedded in the walls on both sides, illuminating the path below.

Xuan Chen descended the stairs. They stretched for several hundred steps, each one paved with Innate Spirit Jade and emitting a gentle spiritual aura. At the foot of the staircase, a vast grand hall came into view. This hall was even grander than the main hall of the Zichen Cave Abode, standing dozens of zhang high and more than a hundred zhang wide. Countless glowing pearls and gemstones were embedded in its ceiling, resembling a glittering starry sky.

At the center of the hall stood dozens of enormous jade platforms, displaying all manner of treasures. Some were Innate spiritual herbs radiating dense spiritual qi, their crystal-clear leaves giving off a faint fragrance. Some were Innate spiritual treasures gleaming with cold light—swords, sabers, spears, and halberds alike, each containing formidable power. Others were rare ores and materials, such as Innate Essence Gold, Chaos Stone, and Seven-Colored Divine Mud, all exceptional materials for refining magical treasures.

Xuan Chen's gaze swept across these treasures, and a trace of amazement rose in his heart. The Dragon Clan truly deserved to be the overlords of the Primordial World. Their accumulated wealth was so abundant that any one of these treasures, if taken out, would be enough to drive Primordial World cultivators mad. Yet Xuan Chen did not linger. His target was the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron at the deepest part of the hall.

At the very depths of the hall stood a raised platform, upon which rose a jet-black iron pillar. It stood three zhang tall and roughly a foot in diameter. Its surface was covered in fine patterns, emitting immense water energy and a faint chaotic aura. That aura was heavy and steady, as though it could suppress the four seas and eight wastelands. It was precisely the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron!

Xuan Chen strode quickly toward the platform. The closer he came to the iron pillar, the more keenly he felt the powerful force contained within it. The Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron had been formed from the Innate Spiritual Root, Seabed Divine Iron. It had absorbed the essence of the Eastern Sea's waters for hundreds of millions of years, containing pure water-element origin power along with a trace of chaotic aura. No wonder it could become the future Ruyi Golden-Banded Staff.

Xuan Chen stepped onto the platform and stretched out a hand, lightly touching the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron. A cold yet weighty sensation came from his fingertips. At the same time, a vast surge of energy flowed into his body through his fingers, echoing with his Primordial Unity Power. Xuan Chen could sense the endless potential contained within this iron pillar. Once refined, it could change in size at its master's will and become a magical treasure of boundless might.

As expected of the treasure designated by the system. Its reputation truly was well deserved. Xuan Chen was overjoyed. He circulated Primordial Unity Power and began attempting to communicate with the artifact spirit of the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron. Though the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron had not yet fully taken shape, it had already nurtured a weak artifact spirit. To take it away, he had to gain the artifact spirit's recognition. Otherwise, a forcible attempt to collect it would not only provoke the treasure's resistance, but also alert the nearby guards.

Xuan Chen's divine sense sank into the iron pillar, and he began communicating with the weak artifact spirit. He conveyed his intentions to it, promising to give it to Nüwa so that she could protect living beings and perfect the Creation Dao. Though the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron's artifact spirit was weak, it possessed innate spirituality. Sensing the Primordial Unity Power upon Xuan Chen and Nüwa's aura of creation—Xuan Chen bore Nüwa's Living-Beings Karmic Affinity mark—the artifact spirit seemed to respond, and its formerly resistant energy gradually calmed.

Half an hour later, the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron's artifact spirit finally gave Xuan Chen its complete recognition. The patterns on the iron pillar's surface began to glow with soft blue light, while its size gradually shrank. In the end, it became an iron needle three chi long, floating above Xuan Chen's palm. Xuan Chen was overjoyed and was just about to store the iron needle in his storage space when a piercing alarm suddenly rang from the ceiling of the hall. At the same time, a powerful aura approached from outside the hall, accompanied by an enraged dragon roar.

Damn it! I still alerted the guards! Xuan Chen's heart tightened. He knew that the disturbance from collecting the treasure had still triggered the alarm. Without further hesitation, he stored the Proto-Dinghai Needle Iron in his storage space, turned, and dashed toward the exit of the hall.