Chapter 1692: Meeting Li Hongyou Again

"Li Luo!"

When Li Luo recognized the Apothecary Celestial Dragon before him, the latter also let out a clear voice filled with intense joy, and that familiar voice naturally belonged to Li Hongyou, whom he hadn't seen in many years.

Li Luo, meanwhile, looked at the Li Hongyou before him with curiosity in his eyes. Counting the time, it had been more than six years since they last met, and during those six-plus years, Li Hongyou had clearly undergone earth-shattering changes.

Not only had she stepped into the King Realm, but the dragon body before him radiated vast, surging blood energy and a fragrance of herbs—this was clearly a true dragon-race physical form.

It was somewhat similar to the "Dragon Blood Tracing-Ancient Art" that Li Luo cultivated, tracing back to the origin of the bloodline and transforming the physical body into a true dragon form.

It seemed Li Hongyou had obtained an enormous opportunity during her years with the dragon race.

Li Luo walked forward with a beaming smile, arriving before Li Hongyou's dragon head, then couldn't resist reaching out to touch the dragon horns atop her head, cast as if from green jade.

Seeing this, Lin Miao hurriedly tried to stop him. He was a person from the Mystic Spirit Outer Shenzhou, and knew the customs of the dragon race best—the dragon horns could not be touched by outsiders.

But before his words had even fallen, he saw the Apothecary Jade Dragon before him voluntarily lower her head slightly, pressing her dragon horn into Li Luo's palm and nuzzling him affectionately.

"Senior Sister Hongyou, have you really become an Apothecary Jade Dragon?" Li Luo asked curiously, feeling the hard, cool dragon horn.

"This is a secret art of the dragon race. Over these years I've been soaking in the Medicine Dragon Pool, and my bloodline has already transformed. I can switch between human and dragon form, but my human body hasn't stepped into the King Realm, so normally I don't take human form," Li Hongyou said.

Li Luo understood at once—in other words, Li Hongyou only counted as a One-Crown King while in dragon form; if she reverted to human form, her strength would drop somewhat.

Still, this was an enormous improvement. It seemed sending Li Hongyou to the dragon race back then had indeed been a good choice.

Li Luo was also happy for Li Hongyou's advancement. The two hadn't seen each other in years, and now they chatted happily.

But this cheerful atmosphere didn't last long, because suddenly from all around rose a series of angry dragon roars one after another. From among the ancient mountain ranges, numerous dragon shadows tore through the sky, their dragon pupils glaring furiously at Li Luo's hand as it stroked Li Hongyou's dragon horn.

"Human, take your filthy hands off! The dragon horn of our clan's Sacrificial Priestess is not something you can touch!" a dragon-race powerhouse roared angrily.

Li Luo was briefly stunned, then sheepishly withdrew his hand. He seemed to have somewhat underestimated Li Hongyou's current status within the dragon race. Judging from these dragon-race powerhouses' reactions, even touching the dragon horn was sacrilege.

"So utterly rigid," Li Luo muttered under his breath.

Facing the censure of these dragon-race powerhouses, the Apothecary Jade Dragon that Li Hongyou had become let out a thunderous dragon roar, her jade-green dragon pupils sweeping outward with fury: "Back off! You must not be rude to my friend!"

This thunderous roar had something of a motherly raging dragon's air about it, utterly different from the cold beauty Li Hongyou had in her human form in the past. It seemed that years of living among the dragon race had, to some degree, changed her.

But the effect of this roar was very clear—those dragon-race powerhouses all obediently retreated: "Yes, Sacrificial Priestess!"

Boom!

And just then, from deep within the Dragon Domain came the thunderous sound of void shattering. A streak of black light tore through the sky, finally transforming into an incomparably massive black dragon shadow that coiled across the void, radiating extremely terrifying dragon might that swept out to blanket the heavens and earth.

"Haha, honored guests from afar—it is our clan's discourtesy." As this black giant dragon appeared, a hearty laugh rang out.

Li Luo's gaze sharpened. Within his field of vision, the black giant dragon filled half the sky. Its black dragon scales flickered with endless profound light, like ten-thousand-year profound iron, unbreakable. Along its back, like a mountain range, black spikes extended, revealing an extremely menacing aggressiveness.

Compared to this black giant dragon, the Apothecary Jade Dragon that Li Hongyou had become undoubtedly appeared far more delicate and exquisite.

Moreover, what startled Li Luo most was that the energy fluctuations emanating from within this black giant dragon had already reached the peak level of a Three-Crown King.

However, it was not at the absolute peak like the Light King or the Zhuyin Nether King.

But compared to an ordinary Three-Crown King like Lin Miao, it was already far more formidable.

And with the appearance of this black giant dragon, the dragon-race powerhouses among the surrounding mountain ranges all lowered their heads and let out respectful dragon roars: "Greetings, Grand Elder!"

"Li Luo, this is the dragon race's Grand Elder, Ao Yan. He is the clan leader's most capable right-hand man and holds an extremely high position within the dragon race." Li Hongyou's voice, wrapped in energy, reached Li Luo's ears.

"Moreover, Ao Yan only has the most ordinary Black Dragon bloodline, yet he forcibly broke through the shackles of his bloodline, continuously evolving and advancing, and has now become the strongest beneath the clan leader within the dragon race. Countless ordinary dragon race members worship and admire him."

At the same time, Li Hongyou's dragon body radiated green-jade profound light, and then her body rapidly shrank. After just a few breaths, she transformed into the figure Li Luo knew so well—a cold, beautiful face like a bright moon came into view.

And just as she had said, upon taking human form, the energy fluctuations emanating from within her body also weakened sharply, until they fell below the King Realm.

Li Luo was slightly surprised. Within the dragon race, bloodline was especially important—for example, once a Celestial Dragon bloodline was born, as long as it reached maturity, it possessed a strength that ordinary dragon-race members would struggle to surpass in a lifetime of cultivation. Yet this Ao Yan, relying on an ordinary Black Dragon bloodline, had surpassed numerous higher-grade bloodlines to reach his current achievements—such a disposition was indeed extraordinary.

"Greetings, Grand Elder Ao Yan." Li Luo cupped his fist toward the black giant dragon and said.

At this moment, the black giant dragon erupted with black light, and then its massive figure rapidly shrank, transforming into a figure of exceptionally robust build, draped in black armor, with a martial and fierce bearing.

"I've heard Hongyou mention many times that Alliance Leader Li Luo is her friend." Even in human form, Ao Yan appeared extremely burly, his body several zhang tall. He strode to Li Hongyou's side, and compared to him, Li Hongyou's slender and tall figure only reached the height of his thigh.

And facing Ao Yan's approach, Li Hongyou was clearly somewhat uncomfortable, and then took a few steps closer to Li Luo.

Li Luo keenly noticed this scene and immediately found it somewhat strange.

But Ao Yan was the first to laugh and say: "I won't fear Alliance Leader Li Luo laughing at me when I say this—I've been pursuing Hongyou for several years now, but there's never been any progress."

Li Luo's expression couldn't help but turn somewhat odd. This Ao Yan was quite frank, but this fellow was already a veteran powerhouse—his age and seniority exceeded Li Hongyou's by who knew how much. Wasn't this a case of an old dragon eating tender grass?

"Grand Elder, I've already told you many times—I don't like you, and it's impossible between us." Facing Ao Yan's direct confession, which he had no idea how many times he'd made, Li Hongyou once again said with a helpless expression.

Although the dragon race didn't pay attention to so-called seniority and the like, Li Hongyou still couldn't accept it, even though the other party was the high-ranking, powerful Grand Elder of the dragon race, and his strength had reached the peak of a Three-Crown King.

"Mm, I know, but I won't give up." Though rejected, Ao Yan wasn't angry, and said with a beaming smile, his gaze on Li Hongyou carrying deep affection.

Li Luo didn't know what to say about this. He respected all of Li Hongyou's choices, but if she was unwilling, he wouldn't allow anyone to force her—even if that person was the Grand Elder of the dragon race.

But Ao Yan didn't continue on this topic, and instead smiled at Li Luo and Lin Miao: "Honored guests, the clan leader is already in the Zhudian. Please, the two of you, come and meet him."

Zhen Linshuang?

Li Luo and Lin Miao exchanged a glance, then nodded.

After that, Ao Yan transformed into black light to lead the way ahead, while Li Luo, Lin Miao, and Li Hongyou followed.

The group passed through layer upon layer of mountain ranges and seas, and after a while, they saw a golden giant mountain—magnificent to the extreme, occupying nearly half the field of vision—rise from a vast, endless sea region.

The golden giant mountain was grand to the extreme, with continuous Jin Dian upon it.

And when Li Luo saw this golden giant mountain, his physical body seemed to emit a subtle resonant roar. Deep within his pupils, purple-gold light flowed, and his pupils even showed signs of dragon transformation.

This was the sign that his physical body couldn't resist transforming into a Celestial Dragon.

"Such ancient Celestial Dragon Qi."

Li Luo was astonished in his heart; the Celestial Dragon Qi emanating from this golden mountain was extremely ancient and pure, nearly causing him to involuntarily activate the Dragon Blood Tracing-Ancient Art and transform into a Celestial Dragon.

Fortunately, Li Luo still suppressed this stirring, and following Ao Yan's lead, went straight into the golden mountain, finally landing before a golden giant Judian at the peak that radiated a majestic, primal aura.

The great doors of the Jin Dian stood open, but within was a haze of blinding golden light, grand and majestic, too awe-inspiring to look at directly.

"Honored guests, please." Ao Yan smiled, then stepped in first.

Li Hongyou followed him in. She was now the Sacrificial Priestess of the dragon race, and her status was extremely high—high enough to enter this sacred hall of the dragon race. However, as she passed Li Luo's figure, she slightly turned her head and cast him a glance of reminder.

Li Luo's expression was calm as a deep pool, and he too stepped into Jin Dian.

And the instant he entered Jin Dian, he sensed an incomparably terrifying pressure, wrapped in a weight even the void could not bear, sealing heaven and earth, crashing down upon him in an overwhelming flood.