Chapter 450

This moment appeared to be a showdown between Liu Junyan and the White Dragon's Dībā pò, yet it was so "calm and tranquil".

Liu Junyan had already taken up the Ancient Bronze Sword and stood before the White Dragon's Dībā pò, but the other remained relaxed, seeming unaware of any approaching danger, continuously chanting sutras devoutly.

Just as Liu Junyan lifted the Ancient Bronze Sword and pointed it at the White Dragon's Dībā pò, a thunderclap boomed inside the heavenly gate.

That thunderclap was trapped inside the heavenly gate and did not escape; after a burst of lightning and thunder, a huge… White Dragon's head suddenly appeared within the gate!

It vanished in an instant.

But I saw it, and Hu Yulin obviously saw it too.

He exclaimed in shock: "How can there be another White Dragon?!"

I was utterly bewildered as well.

The little White Dragon was already dead; he was merely a Fēnshēn of the White Dragon, the opener of Linghai. Therefore, if another White Dragon were to burst forth from the Pagoda Formation within the Linghai Forbidden Ground at this moment, I would not be surprised.

Moreover, the White Dragon's head that had just appeared was majestic and overbearing, full of attacking power—an aura of dominance unique to those in high position; it should be closer to the White Dragon's true self.

But why would he appear inside the heavenly gate?

After opening the heavenly gate, isn't the next step ascension?

How did the course of events change again?

What exactly is the truth?

My thoughts are in turmoil, unprecedentedly so.

That extremely bad premonition surged again; I am very worried about Liu Junyan.

Yet I understand even more clearly in my heart that, no matter how dire the path ahead, he will not turn back.

He not only must slay the White Dragon's Dībā pò with his own hand, but also retrieve the three Golden Scales that belong to him!

Between him and his opponent lies a deep enmity as vast as a sea of blood.

On Xiaoye's side, someone hurriedly came to report, whispering something into Xiaoye's ear—I don't know what was said—and Xiaoye's expression instantly changed.

Immediately, Liu Junyan's second and third uncles led their people away.

Zhong Susu went with them as well.

At such a critical juncture, if the Linghai Dragon Palace had not erupted in great turmoil, they would absolutely not have left this place.

What was bound to come, eventually arrived.

I had thought Di Lan was truly that calm, but in fact he first launched a surprise attack from the outskirts.

After Xiaoye finished his deployments, he trotted over to us and said, "Junior sister, the situation's development has long deviated from what we originally planned, and perhaps it also differs from what Āyàn had preset.

The hidden traitor is concealed too deeply, his methods too superb; killing a venerable, respected elder was only the beginning. Just now my subordinates reported that strange Formation Arrays have been discovered at several key positions within the Linghai Dragon Palace. Susu is versed in these and has gone to investigate, but… I fear we may run out of time.

He glanced back at Liu Junyan, poised and ready on the bone ladder, and continued: "Before taking action, Āyàn repeatedly stressed that, no matter what happens, his contest with Di Lan, the Dībā pò, and the White Dragon permits no interference from any of us."

Hu Yulin also echoed, "Indeed, that is the case."

"So now we dare not act rashly." Xiaoye was very worried, saying, "Junior sister, my father and I would like to hear your advice—should we move forward, or hold back?"

This is an extremely thorny problem.

To act, we fear damaging some of Liu Junyan's arrangements.

To refrain, we fear missing the best opportunity to rescue Liu Junyan.

For a moment, everyone found themselves caught between advancing and retreating.

Now it seems everyone is anxious, yet ironically, the two parties facing off on the bone ladder beneath the heavenly gate are the least urgent.

When the White Dragon's head appeared just now, my whole body was tense.

Hu Yulin's and Xiaoye's questioning released that tension all at once.

When I turned my head again to look at the Dragon Gate, I suddenly felt enlightened.

"I understand now—this is the Nine Dragons' Coronation Moment."

I blurted this out unexpectedly, and both Hu Yulin and Xiaoye were somewhat puzzled.

"The White Dragon was killed long ago." I said, "Back when they were trapped in the Pagoda Formation, there were the White Dragon, his Dībā pò, and countless Fēnshēns, including Liu Junyan's father, the little White Dragon.

Today, all those Fēnshēns, including the little White Dragon, have been utterly annihilated; most of the Pagoda Formation's Mana has been destroyed, and the White Dragon's Dībā pò has been drawn out by Liu Junyan's scheming.

I don't know if you've noticed, but inside the White Dragon's Dībā pò there are organs—he is a high-grade patchwork monster."

Xiaoye frowned.

Hu Yulin said, "A high-grade patchwork monster? What has he stitched together? I seem to have seen Golden Scales."

"Yes, there are Golden Scales." I said, "Three Golden Scales guard his heart, which is a living heart; he even just took heart's blood, yet the Dībā pò was originally merely an illusory form cultivated by the White Dragon—even after later cultivation gradually solidified it, he should not have developed such vital organs."

The two suddenly came to a realization.

Xiaoye said, "That heart belongs to the White Dragon!"

"Since they were able to obtain the White Dragon's heart, it shows that the White Dragon's true self is suppressed within the Pagoda Formation." Hu Yulin analyzed, "Only when the White Dragon truly meets disaster would he be so wantonly abused; yet they control his flesh but have not gotten what they most desire."

I nodded: "What they most desire is Dragon Qi."

As the opener of Linghai, the White Dragon's own strength needs no elaboration.

He even cultivated a Dībā pò.

Had it not been for his own suspicion and paranoia, allowing Di Lan to slip in, Linghai today might be quite another scene.

"What Di Lan wants is not only the White Dragon's own formidable Dragon Qi, but also the fortune of the entire Linghai Dragon Clan; yet it is obvious they have not yet obtained either."

I pointed at the heavenly gate and said, "Climbing the Dragon Gate is a scam; opening the heavenly gate and ascending to immortality are also scams. If I'm not mistaken, this so-called 'heavenly gate' is actually a powerful barrier the White Dragon created before his misfortune, within which lies his own Dragon Qi!"

My gaze locked with Xiaoye's as I asked, "Xiaoye, I want to ask: what exactly is buried in the Dragon Mausoleum?"

Xiaoye's expression instantly turned grim.

Hu Yulin wondered, "Those buried in the Dragon Mausoleum must be the ancestors of the Linghai Dragon Clan, right? This time we have also received the full support of the tomb guardians, which is how we've gotten this far."

I did not correct Hu Yulin's words, but continued to press Xiaoye: "Let me put it another way: is the Dragon Mausoleum guarded by the tomb keepers truly the ancestral graveyard of your Linghai Dragon Palace?"

This time, even Hu Yulin was dazed.

He looked at me, then looked at Xiaoye.

Suddenly realizing something: "You... you've taken over the magpie's nest?"

"Not occupying the magpie's nest!" Xiaoye immediately corrected, "It's accepting a commission in a crisis!"

I and Hu Yulin instantly stared fixedly at Xiaoye, waiting for his next words.

Xiaoye glanced toward the Heavenly Gate again; Liu Junyan is too patient, while the body of the White Dragon's Dībā pò has already risen to before the Heavenly Gate.

Xiaoye said: "Ice Sea was opened up by the White Dragon; this is his territory, and he is the true Dragon King. Our branch, it is said, are the descendants of his most trusted aides back then."