Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: Ao Tian Palace**

###**Act I: Dragon Roar Shakes the Heavens · Ao Shi Immortal Palace**

Ao Tian Palace floated above the "Dragon Abyss" in the far east of the Immortal Realm, nine ancient bronze dragons biting onto pillars to support the ten-thousand-zhang palace, the starfire burning in the dragon eyes illuminating the three thousand immortal realms. At this moment, the "Lingxiao Hall" inside the palace was rattling from the roars of the Dragon Clan elders—

"Ao Zhan's bloodline is not extinct! That child bears the Burial Fire and Void Poison; it is the very opportunity for our Dragon Clan to regain control of the Immortal Realm!"

The Battle Dragon Elder Ao Lie, with a dragon head and human body, smashed the jade table, his dragon claws pointing at the surging Chaos Sea of clouds outside the hall. "If we don't act now, are we waiting for those hypocrites of the Immortal Sect to refine Jin'er into a puppet?!"

The seventy-two coiled dragon pillars in the hall groaned in response, and the remnant souls of past Dragon Emperors sealed within the pillars opened their eyes in unison. But the master of Ao Tian Palace, who sat in the seat of honor—Lin Jin's own grandfather, Ao Tian—was rubbing the half-piece of reverse scale in his hand, his gaze as dark as an abyss.

####**Ao Tian's Scheme**

-**Head of the Immortal Realm Dragon Clan**: Ao Tian Palace rules over the Thirty-Three Heavens of the Dragon Domain, but has been suppressed by the Immortal Sect since Ao Zhan's defection one hundred thousand years ago.

-**Cold-blooded Trade-off**: Back then, to preserve the Dragon Clan's foundation, he tacitly allowed the Immortal Sect to issue a kill order on Ao Zhan; now, his grandson Lin Jin's value far exceeds old debts.

-**Snobbish Nature**: "Saving the grandson" is a facade; "seizing the Burial Fire source seed" is the truth.

###**Act II: Reverse Scale Weeps Blood · Grandfather and Grandson Strangers**

Black blood suddenly seeped from the reverse scale in Ao Tian's palm, and the remnant soul of Ao Zhan sealed within the scale let out a mournful cry. The Dragon Clan elders in the hall fell silent instantly—this was a sign that the Dragon Emperor's bloodline was dying!

"News from the Return to Ruins..."

The Shadow Dragon Elder Ao Hui, who was in charge of intelligence, unfolded a Virtual Number scroll. The scene in the image of Lin Jin gouging out his heart to fuse the source seed shocked the dragons. "Young Master Jin has fused the Burial Fire source seed, but the Void Poison backlash leaves him with only three months of life. Before Ling Wuji's clone was annihilated, he laid down a 'Dragon-Slaying Order' across all realms—anyone who helps the Dragon Clan will suffer immortal punishment!"

Ao Tian finally raised his eyes, a flash of gold passing through them: "The Immortal Sect doesn't fear the Void Poison; they fear the true fusion of the Burial Fire and the Dragon Clan bloodline." He tapped his finger on the dragon throne, and a chaos star chart descended from the ceiling. "Pass the order: Open the 'Reverse Abyss Array' and bring my grandson back to the clan!"

###**Act III: Struggle of the Reverse Abyss · Elder Gambit**

"Master, think twice!" The conservative elder Ao Qing stepped forward, the dragon scale on his brow cracking. "The Reverse Abyss Array requires sacrificing three Dragon Emperor remnant souls! How can we destroy our clan's foundation for a mixed-blood bastard seed?!"

The Battle Dragon Elder Ao Lie erupted, his dragon claws aiming straight for Ao Qing's throat: "You old dog! You were the one who persuaded the Master to abandon Ao Zhan back then! Now you still want to harm Jin'er?!"

The hall was instantly on the verge of a fight. The remnant souls in the coiled dragon pillars sensed the killing intent and actually broke free from their seals, condensing into physical forms—

The remnant soul of the **First Generation Dragon Emperor Ao Gang** pierced the star chart with a spear: "What are you arguing about! The Burial Fire source seed that child bears is the only key that can awaken the 'Ancestral Dragon Tomb'! Saving him is saving the entire Dragon Clan!"

####**Secrets of the Ancestral Dragon Tomb**

-A forbidden ground of the Dragon Clan, where the Chaos Ancestral Dragon who created the world is buried.

-Only one who has fused the Burial Fire and the Dragon Emperor bloodline can open the tomb to obtain the "Ancestral Dragon Marrow."

-The Immortal Sect's one-hundred-thousand-year suppression of the Dragon Clan is actually out of fear that the Ancestral Dragon Marrow will appear in the world!

###**Act IV: Ao Tian's Decision · Dark Chess Piece Emerges**

Ao Tian stood up, his dragon might crushing the dispute: "The Reverse Abyss Array will be activated as usual; use the three immortal dragons in the Immortal Sect's prison as sacrifices!"

He flicked his finger, shattering the void, and three immortal dragons pierced by Pure Void chains fell down, wailing—they were actually dark spies sent by the Immortal Sect!

"Master... what a method!" Ao Hui's pupils shrank. It turned out Ao Tian had long known about the Immortal Sect's infiltration but had endured until now, just to use their own plan against them.

"In half a month, I will personally lead the 'Reverse Scale Guard' to the lower realm."

Ao Tian crushed an immortal dragon's skull, the Pure Void Qi mixing with dragon blood to soak the star chart. "Ao Lie and Ao Hui will accompany me. As for the rest... prepare for war with the Immortal Sect!"

###**Act V: Ancestral Dragon Blood Contract · Undercurrents Rise Again**

After the elders retreated, Ao Tian sat alone in the dragon hall. He cut open his chest and took out an Ancestral Dragon reverse scale eroded by Void Poison—

"Zhan'er, back then, as a father, I gouged out your reverse scale to sacrifice to the Immortal Sect... today, I will use this old life to repay the debt between father and son."

The reverse scale suddenly erupted, piercing into the shadows of the hall. A Dragon Clan spy wearing the black robes of the Supervision Hall screamed as he revealed himself, holding a secret order talisman intended for the Immortal Sect.

"Tell Ling Wuji..."

Ao Tian crushed the spy's soul, his gaze as cold as a frozen abyss, "The Dragon Clan's debt is time to be settled."

###**Finale: Reverse Abyss Opens · Chaos Arises**

At the bottom of the Dragon Abyss, the Reverse Abyss Array tore through the barrier of the Immortal Realm. Three thousand Reverse Scale Guards stood ready in armor, Ao Tian's dragon robes soaked in immortal dragon blood, his "Immortal-Slaying Halberd" pointing toward the lower realm—

"Bring my grandson home!"

At this moment, the Burial Fire Guards of the lower realm's Supervision Hall were being purged by the Immortal Sect. Lin Jin's white robes were bathed in blood, and the Abyss Slaying black blade sensed the Dragon Clan's aura, emitting a humming sound like a bird returning to its nest.

Ling Yue's remnant soul in the peach wood branch suddenly said: "Jin'er, your grandfather is more dangerous than Ling Wuji... do not trust the Dragon Clan's warmth!"

Above the starry sky, Ao Tian's dragon pupils pierced through the void, meeting his grandson's eyes.

This glance spanned one hundred thousand years of blood feuds and also planted the fuse for the collapse of the Immortal Realm.