ragginovel Chapter 2563 2 Roads
Chapter 2563 2 Roads
The North Sea Dragon Palace is a sacred place in the hearts of all aquatic creatures in the North Sea, but it is quite different from the crystal palace in legend.
Near the Dragon Palace lies the largest mirage in the North Sea, known as the Dragon Palace Mirage. However, any aquatic creatures from the North Sea who come here hoping to visit will likely be greatly disappointed.
This place is not much different from the streets of the Immortal City, so lively that it is almost noisy. Demon cultivators jostle each other, many of them with strange appearances and varying levels of cultivation.
The Dragon Palace City is located on the seabed of the North Sea. Its buildings stand side by side, and its streets stretch endlessly, seemingly without end. Curious aquatic creatures, wishing to pay homage to the Dragon Palace, searched everywhere in the Dragon Palace City, but found nothing.
Little did people know that the North Sea Dragon Palace was indeed nearby, but ordinary people could not see it because the North Sea Dragon Palace was located in a grotto-heaven called the North Darkness Grotto-heaven. The name 'North Darkness' was borrowed from the sunken North Darkness Continent.
The Northern Darkness Cave Heaven can also be called the Dragon Palace Cave Heaven. However, the scenery inside the cave heaven is not the deep sea world that ordinary people think of. The Northern Darkness Cave Heaven contains a boundless continent, and the Northern Sea Dragon Clan lives on the land.
This is the environment that the North Sea Dragon Clan is accustomed to. They used to live on the North Sea Continent and were the overlords of the land. Later, the North Sea Continent sank in the demonic calamity, and the North Sea Dragon Clan lost their ancestral land. Later, Dragon Island and Phoenix Pavilion divided the land and water, and the Dragon Clan ruled the four seas, which gradually formed this stereotype.
At the highest peak of Beiming Cave Heaven stands the Xuanbing Divine Palace, a sacred place of the North Sea Dragon Clan and the residence of the North Sea Dragon King.
Inside the Xuanbing Divine Palace, on the throne, sat an old man as solitary as a snow-covered cliff. His hair was silver, like strands of frost, and his pupils were not black, but rather a deep blue, like a frozen pool that had sealed away a fallen star for millennia.
He wore a simple black robe, neither silk nor satin, but woven from the silk of the northern ice silkworms, so long that it remained untouched by dust. His withered hands rested on his knees, his knuckles protruding like intertwined bamboo roots, as he slowly turned the black jade dragon-patterned thumb ring on his thumb.
Time seemed to freeze inside the shrine, with only the sound of knuckles rubbing against thumb rings.
Suddenly, the old man stopped turning the ring on his finger, and three deep vertical lines appeared between his brows, as deep as ice cracks.
This old man is the current Dragon King of the North Sea. Like the Phoenix King, he sits in the rear, guarding against the Azure Phoenix Clan.
Before opening the Wind Desert Cave, they regarded the Azure Phoenix Clan as their greatest rival. If the Azure Phoenix Clan were to send troops to seize the Ancient Demon Court, a great war would inevitably break out between the three clans.
Unexpectedly, the Azure Phoenix Clan, whom they were on constant guard against, did not react, while a major upheaval occurred in the Great Wind Plains.
Unexpectedly powerful enemies arrived one after another, and the situation spiraled completely out of control. Now it's no longer a question of whether or not information can be contained, but rather who will ultimately claim the Ancient Demon Court!
Are all the schemes of the Dragon and Phoenix clans over the years just going to benefit them?
Furthermore, the Azure Phoenix Clan remained inactive, a fact the North Sea Dragon King couldn't fathom, thus refraining from taking any rash action. Of course, even if he rushed to the Great Wind Plains immediately, it would likely be too late.
No more hesitation!
With a sudden wave of his hand, the Dragon King of the North Sea caused a roar of waves to resound in the palace, and a whirlpool appeared faintly. At the same time, the dragon figure on the black jade ring twisted, detached from the ring, and transformed into a blue light that shot into the whirlpool.
The sound of the waves immediately subsided, and the dragon vanished without a trace.
Deep in the North Sea, in an unknown land.
On the vast sea, there lies an unnamed island. The island is small, a rocky islet with jagged rocks and hardly any greenery to symbolize life.
The island's terrain is extremely steep and precipitous, especially the western side, which is almost a sheer cliff, so steep that even monkeys cannot climb it.
'Whoosh! Whoosh!'
Waves crashed relentlessly against the cliffs, whipping up white foam, yet unable to budge them an inch. The crimson sun shone on the cliffs, gilding the rocks with a golden sheen. This island stood alone in this sea, enduring the relentless pounding of the waves for countless millennia.
Suddenly, the light and shadow on the cliff under the glow of the sunset began to distort slightly, and a person emerged from the cliff.
This man was wearing a black cloak and looked very young, appearing to be a young man in his early twenties. However, it was impossible to judge his appearance; people would see him one moment and forget what he looked like the next.
Although he did not conceal his face, he seemed to be shrouded in a fog at all times, hiding his innate domineering aura.
His eyes were like stars, and his gaze swept across the sea, his figure gradually becoming illusory.
Suddenly, his figure shifted from solid to ethereal, and his eyes truly reflected a sky full of stars.
In a short time, the sky turned completely dark, instantly transforming from daytime to midnight. The stars filled the sky, and a vast Milky Way appeared in the heavens.
The dazzling starlight shone down, and the sea surface rippled. This area of the sea became completely silent. The fish and birds all fell into a deep sleep, and even the sound of the waves disappeared.
In the eerie silence, starlight converged on the young man.
The young man stood with his hands behind his back in the void, gazing at the starry river. The starry river, high above, required one to look up at it, but the young man's demeanor made it seem as if he were looking at it at eye level, or even looking down at it!
"How dare you stop me!" the young man said in a deep voice.
His voice was very calm, and his expression showed no emotion, but no one could ignore it and couldn't help but think of a volcano about to erupt.
The Milky Way twinkled, the stars shifted and the constellations moved, and suddenly a large star appeared, making all the surrounding stars pale in comparison.
This star is like a solitary moon, hanging in the mid-sky.
At the same time, a faint, ethereal voice drifted over.
"The old Dragon King is detached from worldly affairs; why should he get involved in karma? Let those juniors settle the score and determine who belongs to whom..."
……
Phoenix Clan Land.
When the North Sea Dragon King summoned the old Dragon King, Phoenix King also learned about the situation in the Great Wind Plains, but he faced an even more difficult choice.
The North Sea and the Great Zhou are far apart, but the Wilderness under the rule of the Phoenix Clan is right next to the Great Zhou, and the Great Zhou is their greatest enemy.
With the impending demonic calamity, the conflict between the human and demon races has only just come to an end, but in the borderlands, open and covert struggles have never ceased.
To ensure that the Ancient Demon Court would not be taken over by the Azure Phoenix Clan, the Phoenix King had to rearrange his troops. However, due to the large number of powerful warriors he had transferred, the front lines were now at their weakest point in many years.
The original plan was to seize the Ancient Demon Court and immediately return to defend it, but the Great Zhou's reaction wouldn't be so swift. When the Phoenix King learned that the Qianzhou Spirit Network had also appeared in the Great Wind Plains, his heart skipped a beat.
Is Qianzhou's true intention merely to seize the Ancient Demon Court?
Or perhaps they want to kill two birds with one stone, while also probing the situation here, with a bigger scheme in mind!
Logically, with the demonic calamity imminent, a ceasefire is a consensus between the two races. Anyone who were to start a war between the two races at this time would be disregarding the overall situation and would incur public wrath. However, the enmity between the human and demon races runs deep, and no one can guarantee that someone won't suddenly go mad.
Just then, another urgent report arrived.
The thing that Feng Wang feared most has come to pass. Reports from the front lines indicate that the Qianzhou army has suddenly broken out of the Sword Qi Great Wall and is charging into the wilderness with great momentum!
Qianzhou sent troops, ready to fight them to the death, but the unexpected turn of events left them unable to ascertain the truth of the matter.
Is the southern front merely a ruse, intended to coordinate with the Great Wind Plains' actions and contain them? Or is the Great Wind Plains a ruse, with the true intention being to invade the Wilderness?
It's even possible that both sides are true, depending on the circumstances!
Phoenix King's face was ashen, and he tightly gripped the feather token left by his ancestor, hesitating to make a decision.
……
Desert.
The little Qilin's actions surprised Qin Sang and Zhuque; it enveloped them in spiritual fire and disappeared underground.
"The legacy is right below?"
Zhuque was overjoyed to see this, never expecting that it would come so easily.
However, they soon realized something was wrong. The little Qilin wasn't leading them underground the whole time. The underground of Fengmo seemed to be divided into layers of space. As the little Qilin continued to move through, Qin Sang and Zhuque vaguely sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar power.
It felt familiar because its aura was very similar to that of the little Qilin, creating a certain resonance between them, yet it didn't belong to the little Qilin.
This is clearly the power of the Qilin clan. They have found the rightful owner, but the situation below seems extremely complicated. They don't know where the little Qilin will take them.
After a moment of silence, Zhuque started shouting again.
"I see!"
"What?" Qin Sang hurriedly asked. He was the most ignorant one at the moment and dared not disturb the little Qilin.
"Beneath the desert lies a hidden paradise! The Qilin's legacy is concealed within it!" Zhuque declared confidently.
"Dongtian?"
Qin Sang was surprised.
He had long suspected that the Qilin inheritance might not be in the Great Thousand World, but a grotto-heaven should have a gate that marks the way, and this place seemed different from the grotto-heaven he knew.
"Perhaps the ancient demon court caused the anomaly in the grotto-heaven..."
The Vermilion Bird was also somewhat puzzled, and its guess coincided with that of the demon saints of the Dragon and Phoenix clans.
"Ancient Demon Court..."
Qin Sang silently repeated these three words in her heart.
For him, the Ancient Demon Court represented another possibility, another possibility of breaking through to the realm of fusion.
Before departing, the deity entrusted another dream seed to the Dharma image to take with it.
Back then, when Qin Sang was cultivating the "Heavenly Demon Refining Form," she discovered that her destiny star was trapped in an unknown abyss, and she suspected that it was the Ancient Demon Court.
The emergence of the Ancient Demon Court will not only allow them to find their destiny star, but may also bring other opportunities.
It should be understood that the Ancient Demon Court represents the ultimate path of the Demon Soul's Star-Entry Great Dao, and it must contain the inheritance and treasures of the ancient Demon Court. He does not need to compete with the Dragon and Phoenix clans for ownership of the Ancient Demon Court; even a small opportunity can bring him endless benefits.
Therefore, he made two preparations. If something unexpected happened and the path of comprehending the Great Dao by relying on the power of the half-demon kingdoms was not feasible, he would try to use "Heavenly Demon Refining Form" to break through to the Integration Realm!
Whichever path leads to success, it will resolve the current crisis.
Qin Sang cautiously sensed her surroundings and discovered that they were surrounded by an aura similar to that of the little Qilin. The little Qilin seemed to be heading towards the cave in an unprecedented way.
The good news is that they have not yet encountered the dragon and phoenix clans' groups, and they may be able to enter the cave undetected, or even get there before the dragon and phoenix clans!
Just then, Suzaku suddenly shouted again, "Wait! Something's not right!"
Before the words were finished, a tremor came, and the little Qilin stopped abruptly, causing the Qilin aura around it to fluctuate violently.
With this turmoil, the little Qilin, which had been moving with ease, had its supernatural powers disrupted and was forced to retreat repeatedly, letting out a low, unwilling cry. Once the turmoil subsided slightly, the little Qilin immediately activated its supernatural powers and continued to charge forward, but soon another tremor came.
At this moment, they seemed to be going against the tide, advancing and retreating in turn, their speed of movement greatly limited.
Although we don't know exactly what happened ahead, it's not hard to guess the reason.
"It must be the Dragon and Phoenix clans forcibly opening this cave!" Qin Sang said in a deep voice.
The Dragon and Phoenix clans forcibly entered the cave, causing it to tremble and bringing trouble to themselves as well.
"Damn it!"
Suzaku couldn't help but curse.
Qin Sang knew she couldn't rush things, so she comforted the little Qilin while having the Vermilion Bird investigate the source of the tremors, and they soon made a discovery.
"It's a formation! They've set up a huge formation here," Zhuque said anxiously.
Qin Sang remained calm, realizing a problem: "If Little Qilin leads us in now, will they notice?"
Although most of the demon saints from both races were entangled outside, the other side would definitely leave a demon saint behind to preside over the great formation. This was the time when they were most focused, and it was unlikely that any changes in the cave would escape the demon saints' notice.
The Vermilion Bird has a way to conceal their aura, but if they trigger unusual phenomena upon entering the cave, it might not be able to completely hide it. As the little Qilin leads them deeper, the surrounding fluctuations become increasingly obvious, making such a possibility quite possible!
"I, the Vermilion Bird, will fight them to the death!" The Vermilion Bird was truly desperate. The Qilin's essence was so close, yet obstacles kept appearing.
"Don't worry, their target is the Ancient Demon Court. They don't know that the Qilin Origin is still here..."
Qin Sang tried to dissuade her telepathically, "Besides, have you forgotten that we still have the Climbing Vine?"
Once inside, the Dragon and Phoenix clans will definitely be drawn to the Ancient Demon Court, leaving no one to compete with them for the Qilin's essence. If it truly is a grotto-heaven, the climbing vines will also prove invaluable.
Furthermore, the great battle outside will not end anytime soon, and there won't be many experts from the Dragon and Phoenix clans entering the cave heaven. The Vermilion Bird can barely handle it.
Thinking of this, Qin Sang couldn't help but glance at Zhuque.
The Vermilion Bird is one of the four great holy clans of the Ancient Demon Court. Why is this guy in such a hurry? Could he also have designs on the Ancient Demon Court?
Before the operation, Suzaku didn't react much after learning about the Ancient Demon Court. Now that I think about it, something seems off.
Qin Sang had always suspected that Zhuque might have regained some of her memories.
In recent years, Zhuque's temper remains volatile, but it is not as reckless as it was at the beginning. If the spirit of Zhuque back then had the composure it has now, Qin Sang would not have had the opportunity to turn the tables.
He and Zhuque had been through thick and thin together. Their biggest problem was the restriction placed on Zhuque by the First Sword Servant. However, Qin Sang had never regarded Zhuque as a spirit pet and did not know how to break the shackles. If Zhuque wanted freedom, he would not and was powerless to stop it.
Thinking too much now is pointless. Qin Sang's ambitions weren't great to begin with. With his strength, even if he obtained the Qilin's essence, he couldn't refine too much of it. He couldn't compete with the small Qilin; the lion's share would definitely go to the Vermilion Bird.
In the blink of an eye, a dense tremor came, and the surrounding aura was like a great tide, wave after wave, with continuous impact. The little Qilin also knew that it could not be rushed, so it did its best to maintain its supernatural power. Even if it could not get ahead of the dragon and phoenix clans, it had to enter the cave the moment it broke open.
'Huff! Huff! Huff!'
The 'tidal wave' kept surging, and the vibrations suddenly reached their peak.
In the big formation.
Cheers erupted from the cultivators of the Dragon and Phoenix clans: "The grotto-heaven has opened!" (End of Chapter)