Chapter 348: A Miracle Happened

Liu Junyan grabbed my hand first and swiftly pulled me out of the abyss, with Xiaoye closely following.

At the moment we rushed out of the abyss, behind us, it turned pitch black again.

The seal resealed itself.

Just now… did the seal open by itself?

A series of abnormal occurrences left me completely dazed.

But soon I had no energy left to think about what was in the abyss, because the third heavenly thunder struck down.

This heavenly thunder was fiercer than the previous two; I saw a huge fireball pierce down from above the water surface, heading straight for the Dragon Transformation Cauldron.

I and Liu Junyan clasped hands, gripping them tightly together.

The unconscious force seemed as if it wanted to crush the other's hand.

Meanwhile, Xiaoye had already leapt toward the Dragon Transformation Cauldron, his roar, bolstered by inner energy, almost piercing the entire Linghai: "Shushu..."

My guess in the abyss was correct; the heavenly thunder that should have struck the abyss was blocked midway.

It wasn't the Sword Tomb, but the Dragon Transformation Cauldron.

The first two heavenly thunders only caused vibrations; no fireballs were launched.

But the third, the fireball shot straight toward the Dragon Transformation Cauldron.

This blow, Liu Mu and Zhong Shushu inside the Dragon Transformation Cauldron… probably couldn't withstand it.

Xiaoye is impulsive; he charged toward the Dragon Transformation Cauldron without hesitation, but Liu Junyan and I both knew we were too late.

Sure enough, he hadn't gone far before the heat wave pushed him back.

Liu Junyan stepped forward, grabbed him, and steadied his stance.

Xiaoye shook off Liu Junyan's hand forcefully, still wanting to go.

Seeing him like that, who could not be moved?

But… boom!

The next second, a miracle happened.

A huge formation light ring, resembling a Bagua disk, shot up from the Dragon Transformation Cauldron, instantly expanding and spreading out, nearly covering half of Linghai.

The Bagua disk shimmered with flowing light, feeling filled with endless energy.

The fireball from the heavenly thunder struck the Bagua formation, sending sparks flying; the embers rode the water current, constantly jumping and scattering on the disk.

The heavenly thunder fireball was shattered just like that.

The Dragon Transformation Cauldron held!

Everyone was stunned.

Only after the heavenly tribulation ended, with a downpour pouring down, did the Bagua light ring vanish and we come to our senses.

It was then that we saw a group of people still standing in the water opposite us.

Judging by their appearance and attire, they were likely high-ranking members of the Linghai Dragon Clan.

But at this point, we couldn't care less; we rushed straight for the Dragon Transformation Cauldron.

The Dragon Transformation Cauldron isn't something just anyone can approach.

We hovered above the Dragon Transformation Cauldron and saw Liu Mu's deathly pale face once again.

At this moment, she looked even weaker than when we last saw her.

In her arms, she held a fainted girl.

The girl wore a white dress, its hem torn, with drops of blood staining the fabric, looking both tragic and pitiful.

Her palm-sized face had no color, blood still trickling from the corner of her mouth.

She closed her eyes, collapsing into Liu Mu's arms, deep in unconsciousness.

Xiaoye called out repeatedly: "Shushu... Shushu..."

Liu Junyan's voice also trembled: "Mother..."

Liu Mu nodded at us, her gaze sweeping past us to the elder leading the group behind, and said: "Big Brother, this tribulation has passed; it was Shushu who withstood the final heavenly thunder."

It turned out that person was the Linghai Dragon King.

The Linghai Dragon King said nothing more, only uttering: "Come with me."

He was speaking to the three of us.

Liu Junyan obviously had many questions for the Linghai Dragon King, but Xiaoye refused to leave.

He only wanted to stay here guarding Zhong Shushu, yet he couldn't get close.

Liu Mu said: "A Xiao, go back; Shushu is just exhausted, trust me, she's fine."

Xiaoye opened his mouth to say something, but Liu Junyan stopped him.

Liu Junyan said: "Brother, don't you want to go back and ask how Zhong Shushu burst forth with energy to withstand the third heavenly tribulation?"

Xiaoye froze.

Indeed.

That Bagua light ring just now was actually created by Zhong Shushu.

Not only us, but apparently even Xiaoye hadn't expected it.

He and Zhong Shushu grew up together as childhood sweethearts; he knows best what she is capable of.

Xiaoye no longer hesitated; he cupped his fists and bowed to Liu Mu: "Aunt, I entrust Shushu to your care; I'll be right back."

Having said that, Xiaoye was about to leave.

I held the Soul-guiding Lamp, looking at Liu Mu.

I had many things I wanted to say to her, but didn't know where to begin.

Finally my gaze fell on the inner elixir inside the Soul-guiding Lamp; I was about to say I would return the inner elixir to her, but she saw what I was thinking, shook her head, and said: "Xiao Jiu, the Dragon Transformation Cauldron first refines the inner elixir; the higher the grade, the sooner it is refined. Try to absorb it yourself—keeping it nearby is also dangerous, child, I'm making this hard on you."

I shook my head.

I neither want the inner elixir nor find it difficult.

I only hope that Liu Mu and Zhong Susu will be well.

Liu Junyan held my shoulder and said, "Mother gave it to you; just keep it for now."

Keep it for now; when Liu Mu someday emerges safely from the Dragon Transformation Cauldron, return it to her.

Liu Junyan expressed concern for Liu Mu a few more times.

There weren't many words between mother and son, but love is unspoken understanding.

Thus line: Xiaoye waited for us ahead and led us to the Linghai Dragon Palace.

The Linghai Dragon Palace is huge, huge, with various palaces arranged in orderly rows; it's impossible to take them all in.

Walking among the high-walled courtyards on the seabed, I actually had the illusion of having entered an imperial palace.

The Linghai Dragon King is a person who rarely smiles; when he puts on a stern face, he is especially solemn, and even a somewhat timid child could be frightened to tears by his aura.

I can hardly imagine such a person, yet Thus line: Xiaoye actually dared to rush up and pluck his beard.

He waited for us in the reception hall of the dragon palace's main hall.

In the vast reception hall, there were only the four of us.

Although the dragon clan had many elders and such, not even Liu Junyan's second and third uncles were present.

It seems the matter the Linghai Dragon King wants to discuss with us is far from ordinary.

He dismissed everyone.

Thus line: Xiaoye sat down and got straight to the point: "Father, what's going on with Susu? Are you hiding something from me?"

"Susu is a good child, always has been." The Linghai Dragon King sighed and said, "Her father was once the Linghai Dragon Clan's chief military advisor, the person I trusted most. At his deathbed, I stayed by his side, and he told me that his greatest regret in life was being unable to help Susu awaken the Zhong family's hereditary potential, unable to cultivate someone for me to inherit his mantle..."

This...

How is this different from what we previously understood?

Thus line: Xiaoye earlier told Liu Junyan that, back then, after Zhong Lao died, the Linghai Dragon King threw Zhong Susu into the Dragon Transformation Cauldron and then forced him to marry the East Sea Dragon Clan's princess.

Now it seems this is a mistaken understanding?

Furthermore, this mistaken understanding was likely deliberately caused by the Linghai Dragon King.

The Linghai Dragon King said, "Susu bears the Zhong family's generational mission to guard the Linghai Dragon Clan; before her potential is awakened, it is impossible for her to become engrossed in romantic affairs."

Thus line: Xiaoye objected, "Being with her doesn't delay her awakening, does it? Perhaps I can even help her!"

The Linghai Dragon King meaningfully said, "Ah Xiao, Susu's arm has been marked with guardian palace sand..."