News of the Blackwater Dragon King mobilizing his forces quickly reached Abyss.
The source of the news was simple.
Ao Lie.
Although he had been punished and stationed at Dragon-Suppressing Pass, he still possessed Dragon Clan secret arts that allowed him to vaguely sense large-scale troop movements from the Blackwater Dragon Palace.
The moment he noticed the Blackwater Dragon King personally mustering troops, his expression changed on the spot.
At Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
Ao Lie coiled atop the black reefs beyond the pass and said in a deep voice, "My father has mobilized his forces."
Han Jue tightened his grip on his spear.
"How many?"
"Three thousand Blackwater Dragon Army soldiers."
Battle intent immediately ignited in Han Jue's eyes.
"Perfect."
Ao Lie gave him a cold look.
"Do you know what three thousand Blackwater Dragon Army soldiers represent?"
"The Blackwater Dragon Army is an elite force personally trained by my father."
"Even the weakest have Celestial Immortal cultivation."
"There are at least a dozen Golden Immortals."
"There are probably three Supreme Unity Golden Immortals."
"And my father himself is joining the battle."
"You can't stop them."
Han Jue grinned.
"Even if we can't, we still have to try."
Ao Lie fell silent for a moment.
For the first time, he did not mock Han Jue.
Because he knew Han Jue was telling the truth.
If Abyss retreated, the weak races beyond Dragon-Suppressing Pass would fall back into the Dragon Clan's hands.
The news reached the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
Lan Shuang's expression was grave.
Lady Mingzhu had also lost her usual composure.
Three thousand Blackwater Dragon Army soldiers.
The Blackwater Dragon Palace had truly developed killing intent.
Since Abyss's founding, it had suppressed Ao Zheng, punished Ao Lie, and established Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
But Abyss had never faced a true, organized Dragon Clan army.
Moreover, the Blackwater Dragon King was a Great Luo Golden Immortal.
A powerhouse of that level could suppress countless small races alone.
Before long, the leaders of Abyss's various divisions gathered at the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
Han Jue was the first to speak.
"My Realm Guard is willing to hold Dragon-Suppressing Pass."
Lady Mingzhu said, "The Mystic Clam Tribe can open our treasury and provide spirit pearls to stabilize the formation."
The Cold Whale Tribe's leader, Jing Yue, said in a deep voice, "The Cold Whale Tribe can transport Abyssal Northern Stone to reinforce the pass walls."
Han Cang cupped his hands. "The Cold Sand Clan has only recently joined Abyss, but we are willing to use our city-building arts to strengthen the outer city."
As Lan Shuang listened to everyone speak, warmth stirred in her heart.
Abyss had already changed from what it had once been.
In the past, these races had merely been fugitives.
Now, they were beginning to regard Abyss as their own home.
But this was still not enough.
Three thousand Dragon Army soldiers and a Great Luo Golden Immortal far exceeded the limit that Abyss's races could easily bear.
Lan Shuang raised her head and looked toward the depths of Abyss.
"We must seek the Emperor's instructions."
In the depths of Abyss.
Lu Chen had already received all the news.
He was in a very bad mood.
A very, very bad mood.
The Blackwater Dragon King was coming personally.
Three thousand Dragon Army soldiers.
And Supreme Unity Golden Immortals.
This had completely escalated.
Lu Chen's first thought was whether he should simply seal the Abyssal Womb Membrane and play dead.
But Dragon-Suppressing Pass had already been built.
There were thirty-six races inside, plus fifteen newly joined ones.
There was no way to hide that many people completely in an instant.
Besides, Ao Lie was still outside.
The Blackwater Dragon King had clearly come to settle scores this time.
The more Lu Chen thought about it, the more his head hurt.
The system's voice sounded at that moment.
"Detected that the Blackwater Dragon King is personally leading three thousand Dragon Army soldiers in an attack. Host, please choose."
"One: Manifest the Black Tortoise True Form and kill the Blackwater Dragon King. Reward: one-tenth of Northern Water Fortune."
"Two: Abandon Dragon-Suppressing Pass and retreat into the Inner Realm of the Abyss. Reward: Calamity-Averting Divine Light."
"Three: Do not reveal the true body. Face the enemy with the Abyss Dharma Body and the Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Formation. Reward: Abyss Dharma Body."
Lu Chen barely hesitated.
He chose the third option.
Manifest his true body?
Wouldn't that be the same as placing himself directly before the Dragon Clan?
What if the Blackwater Dragon King went back and described him, and the Ancestral Dragon personally came to study his turtle shell?
Retreat into the inner realm?
That was not suitable either.
If they abandoned Dragon-Suppressing Pass right after building it, the morale of Abyss's races would surely collapse.
More importantly, the enemy would see Abyss as weak.
There would only be more trouble later.
The third option was the safest.
Do not reveal the true body.
Use the Dharma Body.
If he could win, then fight.
If he could not, then retreat.
"I choose three."
"Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the Abyss Dharma Body."
A profound power surged into Lu Chen's Primordial Spirit.
The Abyss Dharma Body was not merely a simple clone.
It was more like a projection condensed from the Abyssal Womb Membrane, the Black Tortoise Sea-Calming Formation, and Lu Chen's divine sense.
The Dharma Body did not possess all the combat power of his true body, but it could wield the power of the Inner Realm of the Abyss.
Most importantly, it could continue concealing Lu Chen's true body.
Lu Chen was very satisfied.
This reward suited him perfectly.
Outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
The Blackwater gradually began to churn.
In the distant sea, a dense black tide was approaching.
Within that black tide, three thousand Dragon Army soldiers advanced in formation.
At the very front was a crystal dragon carriage pulled by six Black Flood Dragons.
Seated within the dragon carriage was the Blackwater Dragon King, dragon might weighing upon his body like mountains.
Three Dragon Clan elders at the Supreme Unity Golden Immortal level stood at his sides.
More than a dozen Golden Immortal dragon generals stood behind them.
The three thousand Dragon Army soldiers strode over the waves, the aura of their military formation linking together like a black beast pushing across the Northern Sea.
Upon Dragon-Suppressing Pass, the faces of Abyss's races were pale.
They had seen Dragon Clan pursuers.
They had also seen Dragon Clan prodigies like Ao Lie.
But for many of them, this was their first time witnessing a true Dragon Clan military formation.
That oppressive force was enough to make weak races tremble instinctively.
Han Jue stood at the forefront, spear in hand, but his eyes only grew brighter.
"So this is the Dragon Clan's elite? They really are strong."
Ao Lie said coldly, "Don't be careless. Once the Blackwater Dragon Army forms its formation, even Supreme Unity Golden Immortals can be ground to death."
Han Jue raised a brow. "Are you warning me?"
Ao Lie replied indifferently, "I just don't want Dragon-Suppressing Pass to be smashed apart right after it was built."
Han Jue laughed.
"Don't worry."
"With the Emperor here, it won't break."
Ao Lie did not refute him.
After all these years, he had also developed an extremely complicated reverence and fear toward the never-seen Mysterious Abyss Emperor.
Before long, the Blackwater Dragon Army halted outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
The Blackwater Dragon King slowly rose to his feet.
The pressure of a Great Luo Golden Immortal spread outward.
Even the seawater throughout Abyss's outer region froze along with it.
"Abyss Black Tortoise."
"Come out."
His voice was like thunder as it crashed into Dragon-Suppressing Pass.
Quite a few Abyss creatures of low cultivation turned deathly pale.
Lan Shuang stood atop the pass wall, forcibly holding herself back from retreating.
The Blackwater Dragon King continued, "You sheltered Dragon Clan fugitives, detained my son, and privately established Dragon-Suppressing Pass."
"Today, you must give the Dragon Clan an explanation."
Above Dragon-Suppressing Pass, the Abyssal Womb Membrane trembled slightly.
The next moment.
A colossal Black Tortoise phantom slowly condensed.
The phantom bore a black sea upon its back, its four limbs hanging down, while patterns resembling mountains and rivers flowed across its shell.
The moment it appeared, the minds of everyone at Dragon-Suppressing Pass immediately settled.
Lan Shuang was the first to kneel.
"Welcome, Emperor's Dharma Body!"
Abyss's races all knelt and cried out in unison.
"Welcome, Emperor's Dharma Body!"
The Blackwater Dragon King's gaze narrowed slightly.
A Dharma Body?
Even at a time like this, this Black Tortoise still would not reveal his true body?
Lu Chen's voice came from within the Dharma Body.
"Abyss does not involve itself in the conflict between the three clans."
"Yet your Dragon Clan has repeatedly forced its way into Abyss."
"And now you still demand an explanation from me?"
The Blackwater Dragon King sneered.
"What a fine claim of not involving yourself in the conflict between the three clans."
"You sheltered Dragon Clan fugitives."
"You suppressed my son Ao Lie."
"And now you have even established Dragon-Suppressing Pass."
"And you call that staying out of the conflict?"
Lu Chen fell silent for a moment.
He realized that reasoning seemed useless.
From the Blackwater Dragon King's perspective, Abyss had indeed taken in a great many refugee clans.
But from Lu Chen's perspective, he merely wanted these small clans to survive.
Their positions differed, so no amount of talking could bring them to an understanding.
So he could not be bothered to explain.
The Black Tortoise Dharma Body slowly lowered his head.
"Then enter the formation."
The Blackwater Dragon King's gaze turned cold.
"This king was thinking the same."
He raised his hand.
Three thousand Blackwater Dragon Army soldiers advanced in unison.
A black tide surged into the heavens.
The army formation was like a Dragon.
Before Dragon-Suppressing Pass, the first battle in the truest sense erupted.