Lu Chen and Torch Dragon's Deal

Within a massive crystal palace beneath the sea, dazzlingly multicolored from the outside and extravagantly magnificent.

An aged, imposing man with two horns on his forehead sat upon a crystal throne, an alluring woman with faint silvery-white scales along the side of her face held in each arm. The white scales did not make the women ugly; instead, they added an exotic charm and several shades of seduction.

Each woman held a crystal glass cup.

Amid coquettish laughter and fawning smiles, they continually brought the cups to the old man's lips.

"A great power has arrived. Go receive them, and remember to be respectful in your etiquette!"

An aged voice exploded in the old man's mind.

Startled, the old man directly shoved the two women from his arms away and nearly slipped from his chair.

Yet he did not care. Tears welled in his aged eyes, and his face was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Ancestor, you still remain!"

Though there was no reply, the excitement in the old man's eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

The ancestor had spoken just now. That alone was proof enough!

"Attend me!"

"Dragon King, what are your orders?"

An old man carrying a turtle shell on his back entered.

The old Dragon King waved a hand.

"Arrange the grandest reception the Dragon Palace can offer."

Without minding the turtle elder's shock, he straightened his clothes and strode out.

No great power had come calling in all these years. Now, someone whom even the ancestor recognized as a great power had arrived. Only by receiving him personally could he demonstrate proper respect.

After all, the Dragon Clan no longer possessed its former glory.

The moment Lu Chen and Six Ears caught sight of the Crystal Dragon Palace, they saw an elderly horned man approach with a cheerful smile and a face full of respect.

"I am Ao Lin, Dragon King of the current Dragon Clan. Knowing that a senior had arrived, I came specially to welcome you."

The Dragon Clan truly has declined. Even such an aged Great Luo can become Dragon King.

Seeing the thick air of twilight about the old Dragon King Ao Lin, Lu Chen sighed inwardly.

The world had not yet shattered. Though the Dragon Clan's control over the oceans had weakened day by day, the Four Seas had not yet been divided among separate Dragon Kings as they would be in later generations. There was still only one great Dragon King overseeing all affairs of the Dragon Clan.

Moreover, the Witch-Demon War had now reached its conclusion. Unlike its original course, where rivers of blood flowed and all great Witch-Demon powers fell, this was still an era where Quasi-Saints walked everywhere and Great Luos were as common as dogs.

Yet in such an era, the Dragon Clan's helmsman was actually an aged Great Luo, and only an early-stage Great Luo at that.

Unless the Dragon Clan was deliberately concealing its edge, its strength must have been rapidly weakened beneath the crushing weight of immense Karmic Sin.

Judging from the divine sense Lu Chen had felt upon entering the East Sea, the old relics from the Dragon-Han Era still survived, but they were merely lingering on, hanging onto their last breath.

However, whether the Dragon Clan was hiding its strength or had truly declined had nothing to do with him. Even if the Dragon Clan truly had hidden power, they would not dare touch him.

"I have something to ask you."

"Please speak, Senior. This little dragon will surely speak all he knows and hold nothing back."

Ao Lin bowed deeply and answered respectfully.

"Does your Dragon Clan possess any information regarding the Three Immortal Islands?"

"The Three Immortal Islands?"

Ao Lin's heart jolted. Naturally, he had heard of the Three Immortal Islands, but... he did not know where they were.

A trace of regret appeared on Ao Lin's face. If he knew the whereabouts of the Three Immortal Islands, he could tell the other party and forge a good bond. Perhaps the Dragon Clan would then have someone to rely upon in the future.

"Little friend, I know the approximate whereabouts of the Three Immortal Islands."

"Ao Lin, bring this little friend to Dragon-Sinking Abyss!"

"That senior..."

Ao Lin heard the ancestor's voice again. He was both shocked and delighted, yet hesitation appeared on his face as he looked at Lu Chen.

Whether to go or not depended on the senior's wishes.

Seeing Ao Lin's hesitation, Lu Chen smiled faintly. "Take me to see him."

"Yes, Senior. Please follow me."

Lu Chen did not move. Looking at Six Ears beside him, he introduced him casually, "This is my disciple, Six Ears."

The words made Ao Lin's eyes light up. "Senior, if you do not mind, your disciple may rest for a while in the Dragon Palace."

"Six Ears, what do you think?"

"I will follow Master's arrangements."

Six Ears answered obediently.

"Go on, then."

"Senior, this way. Prime Minister Turtle, take the senior's beloved disciple to rest in the Dragon Palace."

Ao Lin led Lu Chen toward Dragon-Sinking Abyss and summoned Prime Minister Turtle to bring Six Ears to the Dragon Palace.

Dragon-Sinking Abyss lay in even deeper waters beneath the Dragon Palace. The immense pressure of the sea made Ao Lin's face flush red.

"Senior, Dragon-Sinking Abyss lies another three hundred thousand meters below. I will not go any farther."

Seeing Ao Lin's somewhat purplish-red face, Lu Chen nodded and stepped toward the depths.

That degree of sea pressure was insignificant to him.

When Lu Chen arrived at the Dragon-Sinking Abyss Ao Lin had mentioned, he fell silent.

"No wonder it is called Dragon-Sinking Abyss."

The pitch-black seabed was covered with gleaming white bones. Killing Intent and crimson Karmic Sin wound around them.

These bones should all have belonged to the Dragon Clan.

"Some of these remains belonged to Dragon Clan great Divine Ability users who fell during the struggle for supremacy in those years. Others belonged to gifted dragons who later died because endless Karmic Sin wrapped around them."

An aged voice tinged with nostalgia rang out beneath the sea.

"You have already become like this. Sending me divine-sense transmissions will only hasten the extinction of your dragon soul."

Before Lu Chen floated a dark-red scale. Upon it appeared an ancient, withered old dragon, thin in body and crimson all over.

"Heh. In my condition, what difference is there between living and dying?"

"If you tell me the whereabouts of the Three Immortal Islands, I will owe you a karmic debt. If the Dragon Clan faces disaster in the future, its descendants may come find me. I can act once for the Dragon Clan to repay this karmic debt."

Lu Chen knew why the old dragon had called him here at the cost of his own life, so he directly stated his terms.

He ordinarily never made promises, much less promises to act on another's behalf. The reason he made such a promise to the old dragon was that the Three Immortal Islands were worth such a price.

The Three Immortal Islands had all evolved from fragments of Chaos. Their whereabouts could not be found through divining Heavenly Secrets.

"I thank you on behalf of the Dragon Clan, little friend. These are the approximate locations of the Three Immortal Islands. Back then, members of the Dragon Clan sensed something unusual there, but because of the restrictions, they could not set foot upon the islands. They reported the information to the clan, but before we could explore and develop them, war erupted."

A dark light appeared on the dark-red dragon soul's claw and entered Lu Chen's mind.

To make himself more credible, he even explained why the Dragon Clan had known the location of the Three Immortal Islands yet had not claimed them for itself.

Lu Chen did not care about any of that, nor did he fear that the old dragon would give him false coordinates. The old dragon had paid the price of an early death to contact him, only to deliberately deceive him with fake coordinates.

That would be making a mountain out of a molehill, and he would still have to bear the consequences of deceiving him.

The loss would outweigh the gain.

"Which ancestor of the Dragon Clan are you?"

"This old man is called... Torch Dragon!"

Upon hearing the words Torch Dragon and seeing Torch Dragon's present state, Lu Chen revealed a trace of melancholy.

Once the Dragon Clan's second-ranking figure, a great power from the same era as Dao Ancestor Hongjun, he had once enjoyed boundless splendor. Yet now his fleshly body had been ground away, leaving only a weak wisp of dragon soul lingering in the world.

If the Investiture Catastrophe comes and the Jie Sect loses... perhaps my fate will not be much better than Torch Dragon's.

Seeing Torch Dragon's miserable fate, Lu Chen could not help but think of himself.

Although he had been in the Primordial World for so long and had indirectly changed quite a few things, even influencing some of the greater currents, he had always acted as an observer and merely spoken a few extra words.

He had not participated directly, but in the Investiture Catastrophe, he was one of the central figures. He would not even have the chance to withdraw.

Unless he swore an oath now and declared his departure from the Jie Sect. But Tongtian had treated him well—more than well, even. Knowing the danger and then running away on his own... could he still call himself human?

As Lu Chen thought this, resolve appeared in his eyes. This was the first time he had established his stance with such determination.

Before, he had only considered how to scheme and preserve his own miserable life during the Investiture of the Gods.

Now that he had obtained the location of the Three Immortal Islands, Lu Chen turned and left Dragon-Sinking Abyss.

When Lu Chen returned to the Dragon Palace, surprise flashed through his eyes.

Six Ears stood in the great hall, wielding a chaos-colored iron rod in his hands.

Perhaps monkeys were born with a deep understanding of staff techniques. Six Ears handled the rod with decent form, carrying a hint of true style.

"Six Ears."

At the sound of his voice, Six Ears planted the iron rod against the ground and ran toward Lu Chen.

"Master, this Compliant Iron Rod was chosen for me by the old Dragon King, who brought me to the Dragon Clan's treasure vault and intended to give it to me. But I did not accept it. I was merely playing with it."

"The Compliant Iron Rod... fate?"

A trace of emotion appeared in Lu Chen's eyes. Seeing the desire Six Ears was struggling to suppress, Lu Chen chuckled softly.

"Since the old Dragon King gave it to you, accept it."

He had already become entangled with the Dragon Clan over the Three Immortal Islands. Accepting one more Lingbao now was nothing much.

"Yes, Master."

Hearing Lu Chen tell him to accept it, Six Ears no longer suppressed the longing in his eyes. He began playing with the Compliant Iron Rod, his face brimming with delight like a child who had received a beloved toy.

"Ao Lin, let Six Ears stay here with you for a while."

"Oh, oh, all right, no problem, Senior. Your beloved disciple may remain in the Dragon Palace for as long as he wishes."

"Master, I will wait for you in the Dragon Palace."

Six Ears stopped moving the rod and spoke to Lu Chen.

He did not think of accompanying Lu Chen. He could sense that Lu Chen was in a good mood now, so he must have obtained information about the Three Immortal Islands.

And since Lu Chen was not taking him along, the place must be dangerous. If he went, he would only become a burden.

He was an obedient and sensible disciple. He would not make Master dislike him.

"Mm. Cultivate diligently. I will come back for you."

Lu Chen nodded, took a step, and sent ripples spreading out. His entire figure vanished from the Dragon Palace.

Three hundred million li beyond the Dragon Palace,

Lu Chen stepped out of the void above a placid, wave-free expanse of azure sea.

He casually swept his gaze around.

There was nothing at all. Apart from the sea, there was only more sea—not even a piece of driftwood.

Had Torch Dragon not given him this location, he did not know how long he would have needed to search before finding this place.

Lu Chen slowly closed his eyes and released his divine sense, carefully sweeping every corner of the sea's surface.

After an unknown amount of time, a faint smile appeared on Lu Chen's face.

"It truly is well hidden. If I had not also cultivated the Dao of formations, I really would not have been able to catch that faint fluctuation of a formation."

After detecting the formation's fluctuation, Lu Chen summoned the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.

He directly activated the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase with all his strength toward the direction from which he sensed the formation's fluctuation.

The Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase released an irresistible suction force comparable to a black hole.

The seawater rose in columns and poured backward into the Heaven-Devouring Treasure Vase.

BOOM!

After an unknown period of time, a violent crash rang out.

Heaven and earth shook. A pillar of light shot straight into the clouds, followed by a second, then a third.

Three pillars of light, each stronger than the last.

Within each pillar, the vague shape of an island emerged...

"Come to Zixiao Palace to discuss matters."

A cold, imposing voice spread through every corner of the Primordial World.

Upon hearing the voice, Yuanshi and Laozi hurried toward Zixiao Palace.

Tongtian was likewise awakened from seclusion by those words, confusion appearing in his eyes.

What did Teacher need them for at a time like this?

As Tongtian pondered, he rose, transformed into a streak of dark light, and shot into the sea of clouds, entering Chaos.

Would he not know once he went to listen?

"Teacher, why have you summoned all of us here today?"

Laozi, as the eldest senior brother, spoke first.

Seeing only five people seated upon the six cushions, Hongjun shook his head.

Speaking of which, he truly admired Nuwa's decisiveness.

"Now that the Witch Clan has retreated into the Netherworld, while the Demon Race has set all its sights upon the Starry Sky, neither side has any thoughts of the Heavenly Court."

"The Heavenly Court is presently in ruins and awaiting reconstruction. A Heavenly Emperor must be selected. What are your thoughts?"

"Teacher, I..."

"You two should stay wherever it is cool. The selection of the Heavenly Emperor is an affair of our East. What business does it have with your Western Sect?"

Zhunti had only just begun speaking when Yuanshi cut him off.

"The Heavenly Court governs the Primordial World. How can there be a distinction between east and west?"

Jieyin glanced at Zhunti and spoke slowly.

"The Heavenly Emperor governs heaven and earth, but with those few useless pieces of firewood under you, even if you were given the chance, could you possibly be chosen?"

Tongtian gave a contemptuous snort from the side and spoke coldly.

Yuanshi rarely agreed with him, but he nodded. "That is right. Teacher, I believe my Chan Sect's chief disciple Guangchengzi possesses deep fortune, outstanding talent, and a powerful foundation. He can become the Heavenly Emperor."

Second Brother truly knows how to boast. If someone with Guangchengzi's aptitude can become Heavenly Emperor, then what does that make my Jin Ling?

Tongtian mocked inwardly.

It had to be known that when the two had first entered, their cultivation levels had been about the same. Yet now, Jin Ling's cultivation was more than a full level stronger than Guangchengzi's.

"Does that mean Jin Ling can also become the Heavenly Emperor?"

"Master, I believe my disciple Duobao can serve as the Heavenly Emperor."

Laozi watched the show from the side. Seeing Tongtian and Yuanshi join forces to make Zhunti lose face, his beard twitched; he was clearly in a fine mood.

"Master, my disciple Xuandu can likewise serve as the Heavenly Emperor."

Thinking of his excellent disciple Xuandu, Laozi casually made the suggestion.

"Elder Brother!"

Yuanshi let out a low roar, disbelief flashing across his face.

This was far too sudden!!

Tongtian had many disciples, so it was only natural that he wanted the position of Heavenly Emperor. Those people from the Jie Sect could support the Heavenly Court.

But Elder Brother had only Xuandu under his discipleship!

And he still wanted Xuandu to compete with my Guangchengzi for the position of Heavenly Emperor?

"Second Brother, I merely mentioned it in passing."

Laozi seemed to explain.

After he spoke, everyone turned their eyes to Hongjun.

After all, Hongjun was the one who would decide the outcome. Laozi had spoken only to state his position.

"Haotian, Yaochi, come here."

Hongjun beckoned to the young male and female attendants beside him.