[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-lies-hidden":3,"chapter-the-dragon-lies-hidden-the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-100":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon Lies Hidden",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2289398,4477,"Chapter 100: My Title Is","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-100",100,"\u003Cp>Ningzhou, Hanyang Pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan rode a thin horse out of the pass, setting foot on the western road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan wore a cultivator’s tight-fitting attire, draped in a rain-cloak, boots of long leather, a thin horse, and two square wicker baskets strapped behind the saddle—this was the most common garb of a lone cultivator in the west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had just passed noon; the sky was cloudless, yet the sun seemed veiled in gauze, glowing crimson with blurred edges. The air was stiflingly hot and damp—travelers often found their clothes soaked through enough to wring out water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanyang Pass was one of the empire’s great fortresses and the gateway to Ningzhou. Ten thousand elite troops were stationed within; its walls were low but broad—five zhang high, five zhang wide. Inside stood eight colossal crossbows, capable of shooting ten thousand zhang, each arrow capable of wounding a Dharma Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the murky sunlight, the three large characters “Hanyang Pass” were faded, streaked with verdigris. The walls were covered in thick moss, giving the entire fortress a deep, green hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking out, the land everywhere was shaded in varying tones of green; far to the west stretched a thin line of deep, damp black-green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the pass, the road turned muddy, pitted and rutted, littered with murky puddles. Few travelers walked the western road; the two groups who had left with Xiang Weiyuan split off after just a few li, leaving him alone. Within a few more li, the road became a path, then faded into nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no one in sight, Xiang Weiyuan halted his horse, walked to a roadside puddle, and cupped a handful of water. The water itself had a green tint, slippery to the touch, with a faint fishy stench. Tiny creatures swam within, some even burrowing into his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swarms of flying insects hovered above the puddle, their buzzing loud and shrill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Liaoyu, here there was no clear boundary between heaven and earth; the farther west one went, the wetter and rainier it became. Soon after leaving Hanyang Pass, vast ponds appeared on both sides of the road, lined with the region’s unique black willows—trunks deep green-black, dozens of roots plunged into the water. From afar, they looked like strange creatures standing on dozens of slender legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patches of insect swarms often hovered above the ponds, buzzing loudly. The farther west they traveled, the larger the insects grew. If one of these insects bit a person, it left a small bloody crater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the territory of the Witchlands—rain fell for months on end. Further west lay boundless marshes, where forests teemed with countless ferocious, venomous insects. Though water was everywhere, like the water in Xiang Weiyuan’s palm, drinking it directly would bring instant illness. Natural water sources within the Witchlands were outright poisonous; toxic mists filled the air, making survival impossible for ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan finally scooped up a clump of wet mud, examined it, then washed his hands with a Dao technique and remounted his horse to continue west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond Hanyang Pass lay lawless land—no flying vessels existed here; one had to hire transport or fly using one’s own artifact. Xiang Weiyuan’s destination was Quliu Town, now the largest city in the Broken Realm, three thousand nine hundred li from Hanyang Pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yun Feifei would meet Xiang Weiyuan in Quliu Town, then return together to Tai Chu Palace. Records indicated Yun Feifei might have several fellow sect members; Xiang Weiyuan could place them at Hanyang Pass and take Yun Feifei back first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no one on the road, Xiang Weiyuan stirred his spiritual sense—a wisp of black qi slipped into the thin horse. The horse let out a long neigh, its speed surging as it galloped westward. When he encountered others, he slowed; when alone, he raced. Occasionally he camped in wild mountains. Three days later, he arrived outside Quliu Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan reined in his horse, squinted at the sky above Quliu Town, his pupils faintly glowing gold. Through the Art of Observing Qi, the town was shrouded in black qi, with faint blood glows scattered everywhere—but at its center, a spot showed sparse bloodlight and a faint shimmer of green qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the ideal place to settle. Xiang Weiyuan withdrew his spiritual observation; the horse reverted to its listless state and trudged into town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quliu Town had once been a small village of a thousand people, repeatedly captured and destroyed in war. After the Witchlord army withdrew, its convenient location drew mixed clans to settle here; now over a hundred thousand lived here, far surpassing its pre-war size. Arriving here meant reaching the heart of this lawless land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The town was filled with crude huts and tents made of rain-cloth; streets were narrow and packed. Many wore oilcloth cloaks, covering their faces with cloth, refusing to reveal their true identities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the streets were shops, but many simply set up roadside stalls selling goods Xiang Weiyuan had never seen. Yet none of them radiated spiritual energy—he guessed they were bait for the gullible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some stallholders didn’t look like merchants at all—they watched every passerby with cold, predatory eyes, like venomous spiders hunting dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xiang Weiyuan passed through the muddy, crowded streets, hostile gazes flickered from the shadows around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his journey west, Xiang Weiyuan had carefully planned two strategies: stirring the grass to flush out snakes, and fishing for destiny. After much deliberation, he chose to impersonate a volatile sword cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sword cultivators were already known for their tempers; Xiang Weiyuan, as a volatile sword cultivator, now unleashed his killing aura, glaring back without mercy. The hostile stares around him vanished—most of them, at least. But Xiang Weiyuan sensed two deep, hidden spiritual signatures already holding contempt. In this lawless land, showy types were usually simple-minded—and quick to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was exactly the impression he wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan played the volatile sword cultivator with ease—but he didn’t know whether he was naturally suited to being a sword cultivator, or simply to being volatile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quliu Town was unexpectedly vast; he passed through several districts before reaching the center. There he saw a three-story wooden building—the only well-preserved structure in town, sizable and imposing, its back courtyard nearly enclosing half a block. Above the gate hung a plaque: “Li Ping Inn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place he had seen through his Art of Observing Qi was here. Xiang Weiyuan smoothed his two mouse-like mustaches, lifted his head, and entered the inn. He would never show his true face—he had long used a Dao technique to alter his appearance. Now he looked nearly fifty, with thin eyebrows, mouse-like eyes, small eyes gleaming with malice—vile and cruel, unmistakably a bad man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cultivator’s robes were worn, though still magic artifacts, low-grade and frayed at the edges, radiating an aura of destitution. Yet Xiang Weiyuan walked with a steady, unhurried step, deliberately projecting indifference to wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the entrance lay the dining hall, with seventeen or eighteen tables, nearly all occupied. The second and third floors housed guest rooms; behind stood several small courtyards, reserved for the wealthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he entered, several malicious spiritual senses swept over him, lingering deliberately on his waist and chest—utterly brazen. But in terms of Primordial Spirit, Xiang Weiyuan had never feared anyone—and since he’d decided to play a sword cultivator, he’d prepared accordingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his mind, he visualized Xiang Xiaoyu’s immortal sword, Great Sun, infusing his spiritual sense with blazing sword intent, and slammed it back!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall erupted in cries of pain. Several guests clutched their faces; others collapsed backward, blood spurting from their noses, unconscious. A pack of fish, turtles, and crabs—daring to challenge Xiang Weiyuan, who had already established his Foundation—ended up with no chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All guests turned pale, refusing to meet his gaze. Xiang Weiyuan picked a random table, walked over, and tapped the surface with his fingers. “You two—move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two middle-aged men, dressed as merchants but whose true identities were unknown, said nothing. They rose instantly, abandoning their half-eaten food and drinks, and moved to a corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan sat down, called over the waiter, and said: “Give me the most expensive courtyard. Put my luggage inside. And feed my horse well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waiter glanced at the thin horse and the two wicker baskets, smiled broadly, and said: “Rest assured, I’ll make sure your immortal steed is fed splendidly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words “immortal steed” pleased Xiang Weiyuan immensely; his small eyes nearly vanished in a grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A waiter working in an inn here was no ordinary man—he knew sword cultivators’ temperaments. Even if they couldn’t afford their next meal, they’d still demand the finest room, lest their sword hearts grow dim. If you served these masters well, the rewards were substantial. Many sword cultivators had little money—but they spent recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan ordered more wine and dishes, ate a few bites, then headed to the back courtyard. The innkeeper followed, personally opening the door to the largest courtyard, then bowing and scraping as he entered behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtyard was clean enough, though moss grew on the stone walls and two small puddles dotted the ground. Stone tables and chairs stood inside, all damp—special rattan pads were needed to sit on them. Night had begun to fall; without lanterns, visibility was nearly impossible—here, it was already dark, while in Tai Chu Palace, daylight still filled the rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper lit oil lamps and candles, led Xiang Weiyuan inside, and clasped his hands. “Honorable Immortal, where are you from? Where are you headed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan’s face darkened. “Are there officials here? Do I need to report my business?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper smiled apologetically. “Forgive my jest—there are no officials here. Even if there were, they’d be torn down! I ask because we have other services—certainly useful to you. You’re a connoisseur; look at our location, our building, our courtyard—you understand, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan didn’t fully understand, but nodded. “I ran afoul of the law in Xijin. Heard this place was full of opportunities, so I came to try my luck. In my spare time, I take contracts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper’s smile widened. “What kind of contracts do you take?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan pulled a sword from his wicker basket and slammed it on the table. “Anything that needs this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how sharp is this sword of yours?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan rolled his eyes. “I killed a Regional Commander in Xijin who was about to be promoted. What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The innkeeper instantly bowed. “Understood! If you need a Foundation Establishment cultivator dead, you’re the man!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan murmured: “If you’re tired of the Earth Grade realm, you can hire me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood!” The innkeeper’s back bent lower. “Give me a title—so others may speak your name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan spoke low: “My name is ‘Ding Jian Shuang Jue’ Li Zhi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect! A job may come soon. As a token of goodwill, your first three days’ lodging are free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiang Weiyuan’s face could no longer hold its sternness—he beamed with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1836,"2026-06-20T03:38:27.933Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0a018c3ea8aadd5987b0f011a445527efa5c5d97d23dbe8fe42b9f7489e6bbbd","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-101","the-dragon-lies-hidden-chapter-99",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-lies-hidden-cover.jpg"]