Within the dense Primeval Forest, towering ancient trees blotted out the sky and sun. Their thick canopies obscured the heavens, and only the sparsest rays of sunlight could penetrate the layered leaves to reach the depths of the woods.
Amid the dappled shadows, Bai He had fully entered his draconic state, silver scales covering his body and bone spurs protruding from him. Threatened by the Giant Ship approaching the shore, he unleashed his full strength, speeding through the forest like a streak of silver light.
Because of the battle not long ago between the two great dragon overlords on the forest's outskirts, the Eight-Armed Evil Dragon and the ancient tyrannosaur, many Beast Kings that had occupied parts of the Primeval Forest's perimeter had vanished. Thus, in less than half an hour, Bai He reached the dwelling by Small Lake.
At that moment, Xiao Chen sat quietly beside Small Lake, cultivating in silence.
Under the effects of the Heavenly Tablet Mystic Skill, vast amounts of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy were drawn in and gathered around Xiao Chen. There was the essence of grass and trees, sunlight, and morning glow... The hazy spiritual energy accumulated in the air like clouds and mist, forming a dim yet brilliant veil over the sapphire-like Small Lake and making the place seem like an ethereal fairyland.
Seeing Bai He emerge from the dense forest still in his draconic state, Xiao Chen frowned and asked, "Bai He, did something happen?"
Bai He withdrew the silver scales and sharp bone spurs covering his body, slowly exiting his draconic state. With a grave expression, he replied, "Master, I think I saw a Giant Ship heading this way at the shore. I think someone may be landing on this island."
"People? Could they be humans from the Realm of Longevity?"
Xiao Chen's sword-like brows furrowed as he fell into thought.
"Yeah, I think so! Then, Master, should we avoid them?"
Bai He looked at the contemplative Xiao Chen and asked tentatively.
"Why should we avoid them? We don't know the people on those ships. Although their purpose for landing on the island is unclear, we have no direct conflict of interest with them. Besides, the island is so large that they may not even find this place. Abandoning such a safe dwelling merely because of a possible risk would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater!"
Xiao Chen shook his head and rejected Bai He's suggestion. In his view, that was not a rational course of action. As for what to do specifically, they could wait until they encountered those people.
Can I say that I actually know who these people are? They're all prodigies from powerful factions in the Realm of Longevity. Most of them are arrogant and look down on everyone, and they came to this island to search for the Accompanying Dragon King of this generation of dragons. That means everyone on the island is their enemy!
Though Bai He had already expected Xiao Chen's response, he could not help grumbling inwardly. But considering that more and more people would arrive on the island soon, there was no avoiding them, so Bai He could only accept it calmly.
It was not that he was afraid. He simply did not want to face needless risks after already gaining so many benefits.
But then he suddenly thought: if he could kill some of the people who came to the island, would that count as causing a plot deviation, since he had killed them himself? Perhaps he could obtain even more Source Energy that way. At the thought, Bai He could not help rubbing his hands together eagerly!
Source Energy was immensely useful to him. Aside from upgrading the system and increasing his strength, its more important function was helping him deduce cultivation techniques. The Heavenly Tablet Mystic Skill he had obtained was incomplete, and he might find it difficult to return to the Realm of Longevity again. Therefore, he could only rely on the system to deduce the later portions of the technique.
Just as master and disciple Xiao Chen and Bai He were discussing how to deal with the people about to arrive on Dragon Island, an unusual disturbance suddenly came from the distant forest.
Flocks of seabirds burst from the dense woods. Amid the rustling of branches, people were rapidly approaching through the forest. They were fast, and there seemed to be quite a few of them.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
Like fleeting shadows, accompanied only by the sound of feet landing on branches, a man crossed the dense forest and arrived beside Small Lake where Bai He was in the blink of an eye.
The man was tall and handsome, but his eyes were incomparably deep and radiated a chilling coldness, giving him an exceedingly sinister air. He stood at the top of a great tree with his hands behind his back, silently watching Xiao Chen and Bai He.
Seeing the sinister man on the treetop, Xiao Chen stepped forward and pulled Bai He behind him, then met the man's gaze without yielding.
The sinister man did nothing, merely watching as though waiting for something. Suddenly, birds took flight again in a nearby stretch of forest, and several more people emerged from the dense woods to arrive by Small Lake.
There was a man and a woman.
The man was handsome and dressed as a scholar. His temperament was effeminate, yet he too gave off a sinister feeling. The woman was seductive and graceful, dressed in an almost transparent gauze skirt. Only a thin layer of cloth wrapped around her ample breasts, while her flat abdomen was left completely exposed, making her exceptionally alluring.
The two stood side by side beneath the tree where the sinister man stood.
"Who are you, and why are you here?"
The sinister-looking man spoke. His accent was peculiar, but still understandable.
After speaking, the three slowly advanced and formed a triangular formation around the two. Faint killing intent emanated from them, as though they would not rest without a satisfactory answer.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."
With another burst of shaking branches, several more people crossed the dense forest and arrived. Leading them was a burly man with a Bearded Face. His muscles bulged all over his body, fallen leaves clinging to his bare upper torso. He held a large saber and strode over while cursing under his breath.
The moment he saw the people confronting one another in the distance, Bearded Face fell silent. He stretched out an arm to stop the underlings hurrying up behind him, and the group stood where they were, quietly observing.
Looks like the plot has changed!
Behind Xiao Chen, Bai He's heart suddenly sank.
In the original story, it seemed that only the sinister man and seductive woman had come here. But now there was an additional sinister scholar and a group of sailors.
Fortunately, the sailors watching from nearby did not seem to be on the same side as the three before them. Otherwise, they would not merely be standing aside and observing. Bai He could only comfort himself with that thought.
As the three before him gradually closed in and an indistinct killing intent wafted over, Xiao Chen could not help taking a step back. Then, expressionless, he answered, "My name is Xiao Chen, and the youth behind me is Bai He. We both came from the Human Realm by Shattering the Void."
"Shattering the Void?"
Hearing Xiao Chen's words, the three who had been aggressively closing in suddenly seemed to hear something astonishing. They instinctively retreated several steps, their expressions becoming slightly unnatural.
It seems cultivators capable of breaking through the void are absolute powerhouses even in the legendary Realm of Longevity.
Seeing the undisguised shock on their faces, Xiao Chen thought to himself.
Unfortunately, although they currently believed that either Bai He or Xiao Chen was an expert at the level of Shattering the Void, such a lie could not be concealed forever. They would discover something was wrong sooner or later, so it was better to be honest.
After Xiao Chen briefly explained the situation to them, the three before him finally relaxed, as though a weight had lifted from their hearts.
So they had simply stumbled in by dumb luck, following someone else inside!
Once they learned the truth, the three resumed their arrogant, superior attitudes.
"Hehe, so that's how it is. I was wondering. You are one thing—we can sense that you are a cultivator. But that boy behind you has not the slightest fluctuation of true qi. I thought we had encountered an expert on the level of our grandmaster!"
The effeminate scholar opened the folding fan in his hand and gently waved it. He casually swept a glance over Bai He behind Xiao Chen, a trace of contempt flashing through his eyes as he said mockingly.
Damn it! This guy looks respectable enough, but he's actually a narrow-minded hypocrite. He was clearly scared out of his wits himself, yet he's mocking me instead. Does he think I'm easy to bully? If I really were someone on his grandmaster's level, I'd make him kneel and sing "Conquer" for me!
Listening to the scholar's contemptuous and mocking words, Bai He's face darkened as he cursed furiously in his heart.
But a moment of impatience could ruin great plans. Now was not the time to fall out with them, so Bai He could only suppress his anger and pretend not to understand. Yet in his heart, he had already sentenced this man to death: Given the chance, I'll definitely kill him!
"I do not know whether to call you fortunate or unfortunate. Though you entered the Realm of Longevity, the place where you arrived after Shattering the Void is truly terrible. This sea is the infamous Forbidden Sea, and this island is even more... hehe."
The sinister man suddenly laughed midway through his words. Though his laughter was cold, the killing intent radiating from him had vanished. It seemed that he did not intend to kill Bai He and Xiao Chen for the moment.
"Can you prepare something for us to eat?!"
Though the sinister man's words sounded like a request, his tone was forceful. Rather than a request, it was an order.
Yet Xiao Chen calmly agreed, because he knew that a wise man submitted to circumstances.
Watching Xiao Chen's retreating figure slowly disappear, Bai He was about to follow him and discuss what to do next when his body suddenly became light. He was yanked away, and his face crashed directly into a deep softness. A faint fragrance entered his nose, and a seductive figure flashed through Bai He's mind.
"Tsk, tsk, little brother, you really are handsome! I've never seen such a pretty young man before. If those slutty girls in my sect saw you, wouldn't they go wild with joy? Why not stay and let Elder Sister have a good look at you?"
The seductive woman grabbed Bai He and pulled him into her embrace. While gently stroking his face with her tender, jade-like fingers, she spoke in a breathy voice filled with teasing and temptation.
But at that moment, Bai He felt not the slightest stirring in his heart. Instead, his heart suddenly sank.
Damn it! Have I been taken hostage?!
Though the seductive woman spoke alluringly and smiled brightly, Bai He saw nothing but coldness and warning in her crescent-shaped, narrowed eyes.
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