Chapter 725: The Heavenly Dragon Five Branches

Dacheng City.

In just about a month, once the most prosperous city of Dacheng, it had become a dead city. Cold, viscous malice-energy enveloped the entire city; vines seemed to slowly writhe across streets and buildings—upon closer inspection, these vines were composed entirely of flesh and blood.

formed.

They appeared alive, twisting into blood-serpents that slithered freely.

From the deep shadows of ruined buildings, a faint sound emerged; in the darkness, something twisted flickered past.

Under this shroud of malice-energy, even sunlight could not penetrate, as if this place had been transformed into a twisted hell.

Now, this capital of Dacheng had become a haven for aberrations and a forbidden land for humanity—perhaps even a Marquis-level powerhouse would not dare set foot here lightly.

Turn the gaze toward House Luolan Mansion's headquarters.

The headquarters bore signs of ruin and decay, flesh-and-blood vines climbing wildly over its surfaces.

Beneath the headquarters, in the underground palace, thick malice-energy coalesced, forming a black lake that filled the space. Lord Zhu Xuan Chen stood with his hands behind his back on a staircase, gazing at the pool of malice before him and smiling: "Shen Shen Jinxiao, you've truly lost more than you gained this time—didn't even get the Lightheart, and now you've destroyed all six of your Marquis Platforms. The cost is too heavy."

As his words fell, the malice-water before him churned violently; next, a figure slowly rose from the thick, cold black water.

It was Shen Shen Jinxiao. Dressed in black, he seemed fused with the dark water; behind him, the void trembled faintly, and six ruined Marquis Platforms emerged dimly. Around him, the black water emitted wisps of black mist that

rose, drifting into the void and gradually merging into the ruined Marquis Platforms.

And the Marquis Platforms slowly became stained with cold, black traces.

"Shen Shen Jinxiao, you're using malice-energy to repair your Marquis Platforms? It seems the being from the Dark World holds you in high regard." Lord Zhu Xuan Chen regarded the void behind Shen Shen Jinxiao, surprised. Malice-energy was a deadly poison to humanity—even he dared not absorb it lightly—but Shen Shen Jinxiao was clearly using it to restore his Marquis Platforms. Such a method must have been granted by that being of the Dark World.

"Shen Shen Jinxiao, you intend to use the power of malevolent thoughts to repair the Marquis Altar? It seems the entity from the Dark World holds you in high regard," said Lord Zhu Xuan Chen, gazing at the empty space behind Shen Shen Jinxiao, somewhat astonished. Malevolent thoughts were a deadly poison to their human kind—even he dared not lightly draw it into his body—but Shen Shen Jinxiao was clearly using this power to repair the Marquis Altar; such a method must

"I was still hesitant before, but now that I've fallen to this state, do I still have a choice?" Shen Shen Jinxiao said calmly.

"Quite decisive." Lord Zhu Xuan Chen smiled. Shen Shen Jinxiao spoke truly—losing six Marquis Platforms was a devastating blow. If he followed the normal path, recovery would be nearly impossible. Better to take another route.

But once taken, this path has no return.

In a sense, this path shares a similar essence with our "Guanyi Society's" path of transcendence. "I came to tell you: Jiang Jiang Qinge and Li Luo have left Dacheng. One went to the Holy Light Ancient Academy to repair the Lightheart; the other returned to the Li Li Tianwang lineage in Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou. Hmph—two superpowers even our Guanyi Society finds troublesome."

"You've made them mortal enemies now. With those two kids' talent, they may achieve great things in the future—and when they do, they'll surely return to kill you." Lord Zhu Xuan Chen said.

Shen Shen Jinxiao's gaze flickered, yet his face remained impassive, showing no emotion. "Just two brats. Even with decent talent, to catch up within a few years? That's pure fantasy. They're not what I fear—it's Li Taixuan and Dan Tai Lan. If those two ever return to Dacheng, your Guanyi Society's arrangements here may not survive."

Lord Zhu Xuan Chen chuckled. "They won't return so easily. Something in the Dark World is watching them."

Shen Shen Jinxiao nodded slightly.

"Good. Pang Pang Qianyuan has sealed the spread of the Malice River, but his seal can only contain the Fish Demon King and the Corpse Wraith King for a few years. Once the seal breaks, Pang Pang Qianyuan will die without doubt."

"When that time comes, if Jiang Jiang Qinge and Li Luo haven't returned, I'll personally slaughter every last person in House Luolan Mansion—or turn them into aberrations. A nice little surprise for them."

His tone was calm, yet the chilling cruelty radiating from his words was extreme.

This failed attempt to seize the Lightheart, and being wounded so badly by Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge, had filled Shen Shen Jinxiao's heart with furious rage.

After speaking, he fell silent, closed his eyes, and slowly sank back into the depths of the malice-water.

Lord Zhu Xuan Chen raised his gaze, studying the underground palace of House Luolan Mansion.

"This guy came here to gather malice-water—what a perverse taste."

He smiled, then his figure vanished into thin air.

A green airship streaked across the endless sky, piercing through clouds, leaving a long trail of light. After the initial novelty wore off, Li Luo grew bored again. This journey to Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou would be the longest of his life—according to Li Li Rouyun, even with full speed and long-range teleportation arrays, it would take a full month to arrive.

Hearing this, Li Luo felt a quiet relief—he was glad he hadn't brought Jiang Jiang Qinge along to the Li Li Tianwang lineage. Just the month-long journey alone would drive anyone mad.

Though the Holy Light Ancient Academy was equally distant, at least there was a definite solution there.

As Li Li Rouyun piloted the airship, she noticed Li Luo's boredom and smiled. "Li Luo, has Li Taixuan ever mentioned our 'Li Li Tianwang lineage' to you?"

Li Luo shook his head awkwardly. "My father rarely speaks of it."

Even the term "Li Li Tianwang lineage" he learned from Chancellor Pang. "Back then, when you refused to act, even Li Taixuan's gentle nature must have been resentful—why would he mention it to Li Luo? I doubt you'd have received his message unless he'd activated the 'Li Tianwang Token.'" Niu Niu Biaobiao sneered.

"Niu Niu Biaobiao, if you say another word, I'll throw you off this ship!" Li Li Rouyun snapped, glaring at him.

"Heh, little girl who used to cower now dares talk to me like this?" Niu Niu Biaobiao's jowls trembled as he glared fiercely at Li Li Rouyun.

Li Li Rouyun rolled her eyes. "You're barely holding onto your Fourth-Rank Marquis title. I've already surpassed you. So act your age—times have changed."

Watching their quarrel, Li Luo sighed. "Aunt Yun, what exactly happened to my father and mother back then?"

He'd always wondered why Li Taixuan and Dan Tai Lan had fled from Tianyuan Outer Shenzhou to remote Dacheng.

Even the phrase "Li Li Tianwang's lineage" he had learned from Dean Pang. "Back then, when you refused to act, even if Li Taixuan had the gentlest disposition, he must have harbored resentment—how could he possibly have mentioned these things to Li Luo? I suspect that unless Li Luo activated the 'Li Tianwang Token,' you would never have received his legacy"

"Before I tell you that, I need to first explain the full history of our Li Li Tianwang lineage."

"Our Li Li Tianwang lineage was founded by our Ancestor Li Jun, who reached the Li Tianwang Realm—a supreme being, one of the mightiest on this world."

"Strictly speaking, our lineage has five branches. You may know our clan often manifests 'Dragon Phases'—because our Ancestor once forged a blood pact with a Heavenly Dragon Ancestor of the Dragon Clan, so the Heavenly Dragon Qi endures, giving rise to many Dragon Phases among us."

"Thus, our five branches are tied to the Heavenly Dragon, hence called the Heavenly Dragon Five Branches."

"Dragon Blood, Dragon Fang, Dragon Scale, Dragon Bone, Dragon Horn."

"And we belong to the Dragon Fang Branch."

As Li Li Rouyun's soft voice spoke, the mysterious Li Li Tianwang lineage slowly unveiled itself before Li Luo.

"Before discussing these matters, I feel it necessary to first inform you in detail about our Li Li Tianwang lineage."

"Our Li Li Tianwang lineage was founded by the Ancestor Li Jun, who ranks in the Li Li Tianwang Realm and is a supreme powerhouse, a peerless existence at the pinnacle of this world." "Strictly speaking, the Li Li Tianwang lineage is divided into five branches; you may already know that our clan frequently births the 'Dragon Aspect' because the Ancestor once formed a bloodline pact with an Ancestral Sky Dragon from the Dragon Clan, thus the Sky Dragon's"

"qi has persisted, causing numerous Dragon Aspects to be born within our clan."

"Therefore, our clan's five branches are also related to the Sky Dragon, and thus are called the Five Sky Dragon Branches."

"Dragon Blood, Dragon Tooth, Dragon Scale, Dragon Bone, Dragon Horn."

"And we belong to the Dragon Tooth branch." As Li Li Rouyun's gentle voice sounded, the mysterious Li Li Tianwang lineage began to gradually shed its veil, truly revealing itself before Li Luo.