Chapter 857: Side Story 4: 94

From afar, Xiao Jiu saw only that the small temple's incense was still thriving, a faint golden light enveloping it, with no apparent problem.

Liu Junyan strode toward the small temple, and Xiao Jiu hurried to follow.

The small temple remained the same small temple.

The golden statue of the Earth Vein Dragon God enshrined in the temple was still the one Xiao Jiu had someone craft.

Liu Junyan reached out and lifted the golden statue of the Earth Vein Dragon God.

This golden statue was not large, made according to the temple's dimensions.

When Liu Junyan turned the statue's back around, Xiao Jiu was suddenly startled.

On the back of the Earth Vein Dragon God's statue, a turtle shell had appeared at some point, covered with some scales.

Those five scales were clearly the molt shed by Xiao Lao San's Ao turtle shell!

Looking closely, Xiao Jiu also saw faint traces of blood on the turtle shell.

She wondered aloud, "Was this Earth Vein Dragon God's golden statue taken out and reforged? The turtle shell's material seems off."

"It should be made from raw materials mixed with the powder of that ancient great demon's crushed scales." Liu Junyan said, "With my suppression, he couldn't enter the molt stage, so the only explanation is that he used special means to force his body into molt, but couldn't complete it, so the scales taken to forge the golden statue were ripped straight from his back."

At the same time, he knew his few scales couldn't withstand my statue's mana, so he borrowed a few of Xiao Lao San's shed Ao turtle shells, using the fox to borrow the tiger's might.

Xiao Jiu hadn't expected it to be like this.

At this moment, she regretted her impulsiveness in having Liu Junyan's Earth Vein Dragon God golden statue made.

Back then it indeed helped Liu Junyan, but she never expected that a few months later it would become a medium for the ancient great demon's use.

Liu Junyan could tell at a glance what Xiao Jiu was thinking; he rubbed her head and comforted, "Xiao Jiu, don't overthink it. We're laying plans; the other side won't just sit and wait for death. Who built this small temple originally? Is someone behind them pulling the strings? Some things are hard to uncover even if we investigate; wanting to guard against them is easier said than done."

Yeah, it's impossible to guard against.

Xiao Jiu had checked the background of the person who built the temple back then; it was clean.

All we can say is that the devil rises a zhang for every chi the Dao rises.

Xiao Jiu asked, "Now the crux of the problem is, why did he go to such lengths to tamper with this golden statue?"

"It's for the golden cicada slough." Liu Junyan said, "He uses this statue, and the people's incense offered to me, to condense his primordial spirit. I just probed his physical body below; his current weakness is due to his primordial spirit exiting the aperture."

Xiao Jiu only felt her temples throbbing: "Once the primordial spirit exits the aperture, it needs a suitable physical vessel to attach to; once he finds such a vessel, he will be free."

That is the most ruthless.

Liu Junyan's face grew grave: "Since he dares to take this step, the suitable vessel must have been prepared long ago; now trying to find him is like searching for a needle in the sea..."

As his words fell, Liu Junyan and Xiao Jiu locked eyes.

They each saw the answer in the other's eyes.

The ancient great demon's current top target is Xiao Lao San.

He has done all this, even exposing the Dragon Shadow Society to draw their gaze, merely to buy himself time.

Xiao Jiu tried to steady herself: "No way? Even if he could infiltrate the Linghai Dragon Palace, wanting to enter the Linghai Forbidden Ground and approach Xiao Lao San would be extremely difficult."

Moreover, Liu Junyan occasionally visits Xiao Lao San during this period; if Xiao Lao San showed any abnormality, he would surely notice.

Liu Junyan lowered his head and firmly pinched his brow.

Xiao Jiu then knew Liu Junyan already had the answer in mind.

The problem is, even knowing the answer, he cannot stop it, which is why he is so troubled.

Xiao Jiu did not press further; she simply watched Liu Junyan, waiting for him to calm down.

After a while, Liu Junyan said, "I had imagined countless possibilities, but I never thought he would use the primordial spirit exiting the aperture, and that too during Xiao Lao San's weak adolescent stage; he wouldn't foolishly charge alone into the Linghai Forbidden Ground, he might not have the courage to challenge the Linghai Dragon Clan, and besides, he has a better option: the dragon vein... for Xiao Lao San, it is a double-edged sword."

As soon as Liu Junyan mentioned the dragon vein, Xiao Jiu immediately understood.

Xiaoye placed Xiao Lao San in the Linghai Forbidden Ground to cultivate, both for safety and to let him draw from the Linghai Dragon Clan's dragon vein line—though only a branch, it still continuously supplies Xiao Lao San with abundant spiritual and dragon qi.

After all, both Xiao Lao San and the ancient great demon have dragon-turtle bodies.

If the ancient great demon's primordial spirit were to travel along this dragon vein line and invade Xiao Lao San's adolescent body, it would happen unbeknownst to gods and ghosts.

"He shouldn't have succeeded yet, right?" Xiao Jiu anxiously tugged at Liu Junyan's sleeve, asking, "You've been with Xiao Lao San lately; you should be able to feel it, correct?"

Liu Junyan nodded: "It's not yet the right time."

Xiao Jiu let out a small sigh of relief: "All we can do now is, at the fastest speed, lock onto the vessel his primordial spirit has invaded; finding a suitable vessel takes time and manpower, so we must first pin down the Dragon Shadow Society."

"There is also a faster, better method." Liu Junyan said, "Xiao Jiu, go back to Wufu Town first; I'll return in two days."

Saying this, Liu Junyan turned and was about to go into the water.

Xiao Jiu grabbed him.

She knew what Liu Junyan intended to do.

Liu Junyan is the Earth Vein Dragon God; since he can clear the entire meridian line of China, he can certainly block off a meridian line, even a dragon vein.

He intends to block the dragon vein branch that passes through the Linghai Forbidden Ground before the ancient great demon's primordial spirit invades Xiao Lao San.

Doing so would inevitably cause turmoil in that body of water.

If it caused casualties among living beings, Liu Junyan would have to bear responsibility!

Xiao Jiu did not want Liu Junyan to do that.

"Idiot!" Liu Junyan pinched Xiao Jiu's worried little face, saying, "I won't forcibly block the dragon vein line, but I can guard that meridian stretch; if he wants to attack Xiao Lao San, he'll have to take risks and go the open route."

So that's Liu Junyan's plan!

Yeah.

Compared to invading Xiao Lao San via the dragon vein, taking the open route is much easier to control.

Xiao Jiu released her grip and urged, "Liu Junyan, you must be careful; I'll go back and inform Xiaoye and the others, carrying out the investigation."

Liu Junyan nodded, turned, and leapt into the water.

After Xiao Jiu returned to River City, she immediately went to the Linghai Dragon Clan...