Chapter 1716: Adjusting the Dragon

Eastern Divine Region, Eternal Heaven God Realm.

Zhou Xuzi and Venerable Tai Yu sat facing each other. Zhou Xuzi’s eyes were lightly closed, his expression serene. However, Venerable Tai Yu's face was grim, his eyes filled with rage.

"What exactly is the Northern Divine Region planning?!" Venerable Tai Yu said in a deep voice. "The Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Cauldron fell into Yun Che's hands in the God Realm of Absolute Beginning back then. Those three star realms were likely self-destructed by them, then blamed on our Eternal Heaven!"

"Planning what..." Zhou Xuzi murmured, contemplating all possible scenarios.

To frame Eternal Heaven using the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Cauldron, even at the cost of destroying three star realms. Was it to tarnish Eternal Heaven's name?

If that had happened in the Western or Southern Divine Regions, it certainly would have. Destroying vast star realms out of personal vendetta would undoubtedly provoke the world's wrath and damage Eternal Heaven's prestige.

But that was the Northern Divine Region! Even if the Eternal Heaven God Realm used the most ruthless methods to destroy hundreds or thousands of star realms there, it would never be considered a crime. On the contrary, it would be hailed as an eternal, glorious achievement.

"Alas," Zhou Xuzi sighed softly, opening his aged eyes and speaking slowly. "During my trip to the Northern Region, I was extremely cautious. Yet, not only was I poisoned and schemed against by the Devil Queen and Yun Che, but I was also secretly recorded. It seems the older I get, the more useless I become."

Even the highest-grade profound imaging stones produce profound energy fluctuations when recording.

While stronger practitioners can better conceal such fluctuations, Zhou Xuzi was no ordinary individual.

It was the first time he had been secretly recorded without sensing it at all.

He thought of someone from the Northern Divine Region... The Soul Stealing Devil Girl, rumored to possess extreme concealment and transformation abilities.

The Seventh Devil Girl, Hua Jin!

It was said that once she concealed herself in darkness, no one could detect her presence. Her concealment abilities were so potent that they rivaled the Heaven Smiting Star God in a state of perfect fusion.

Venerable Tai Yu said, "That is the Northern Divine Region after all. The pervasive dark energy would interfere with spiritual senses, and they must have been fully prepared. It's not surprising that Your Majesty didn't detect it."

"I'm worried... what they recorded is far more than just that." The Eternal Heaven God Emperor's expression slowly darkened. "Qingchen is gone. My greatest fear is that the truth of him being transformed into a devil person before his death will become known."

"Your Majesty, the Eastern Divine Region is now rife with rumors. How should we handle them?" Tai Yu asked.

Zhou Xuzi shook his head, "There's no need to pay attention to them."

Because explanations are useless, and self-justification is impossible. His taking Zhou Qingchen into the Northern Divine Region was true. His angry oath upon leaving was also true. The Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Cauldron was also real. Especially... no one would believe that their Eternal Heaven Realm's Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Cauldron could ever fall into Yun Che's hands.

He slowly rose, his wide white robe suddenly billowing as he released a majestic God Emperor's pressure, vast as a myriad of mountains, within the sacred hall. "On the contrary, I am eager to know what exactly they are planning!"

"If... Yun Che uses the projection concerning Qingchen to threaten a meeting, that would be ideal!"

In the Eastern Divine Region, no one had ever thought the Northern Divine Region would launch a full-scale invasion of the Eastern Divine Region. Especially the God Emperors, who best understood the Northern Divine Region's condition and overall strength, would never entertain such a thought.

Because the devil people were confined to the Northern Region, they were helpless. If they were to forcefully step out, it would be akin to digging their own graves.

Therefore, facing this meticulously crafted and seemingly flawless framing, Eternal Heaven's reaction was remarkably indifferent, even finding it somewhat laughable.

Zhou Xuzi, and indeed anyone in the Eternal Heaven God Realm at this moment, could not have possibly imagined how terrifying a nightmare this firmly placed accusation would unleash upon Eternal Heaven.

Western Divine Region, Dragon God Realm.

The Dragon God Realm was immensely vast. It was not only the most powerful King Realm but also the largest star realm in the entire God Realm.

Each year, countless profound practitioners would journey here for pilgrimage.

The aura of the Dragon God Realm was extraordinarily ancient and profound, somewhat resembling the God Realm of Absolute Beginning. This sense of ancient profundity reached its peak in the core of the Dragon God Realm, a sacred place named "Dragon God Domain."

Countless profound practitioners who came for pilgrimage would gaze from afar at the vast and majestic Dragon God Domain. It wasn't that they didn't want to approach, but rather that the overwhelming aura emanating from the Dragon God Domain was simply too terrifying.

Even a thousand miles away, they dared not take another step forward.

This terrifying, exclusive aura of the Dragon God Domain was known as Dragon Qi.

The Nine Dragon Gods, forty-three Dragon Monarchs, three hundred and eight Master Dragons, coupled with the supreme Dragon Emperor.

Unrivaled, unshakeable.

The most crucial factor in a King Realm's power was its undying legacy.

But the Dragon God Realm was not among them.

Because what they relied on was merely bloodline inheritance!

Dragon bodies that no other living being could match, long lifespans, bearing the faint bloodline of ancient Dragon Gods—even without an undying legacy, they became the supreme existence, crushing all other races and King Realms.

Dragons were the venerated masters of all living beings, a truth unquestioned throughout eternity.

In the center of the Dragon God Domain, the Dragon Qi was so dense that it could easily obliterate the will of any living being. Without sufficiently powerful cultivation or soul, one wouldn't even be able to stand upright, let alone take a step.

A tall figure descended from the sky at that moment, walking slowly towards the great hall ahead.

He stood nine feet tall, had long blue-gray hair, and his hands were covered in dull gray scales. A pair of dark blue eyes seemed to contain a vast world.

As he descended, the Dragon Qi in the surrounding space lost its oppressive power. The Dragon Guards on both sides all knelt, bowing: "Greetings, Dragon God."

The blue-haired man said nothing, his steps slow. Even after he had walked far away, the Dragon Guards remained bowed and kneeling, showing the utmost reverence.

The Azure Dragon God, one of the Nine Dragon Gods of the Dragon God Realm, was a transcendent existence in the Dragon God clan, second only to the Dragon Emperor. He was fully capable of standing as equals with the God Emperors of other King Realms.

As he stepped into the hall, his eyes blurred for an instant, and a man appeared with his back to him.

In this Dragon God Domain, where supreme Dragon Qi permeated everywhere, the man before him had no aura whatsoever. He wore white robes, had black hair, stood eight feet tall, and his physical features were no different from a human's.

The Azure Dragon God knelt on one knee without speaking, but his dark blue dragon eyes revealed full respect.

"Cang, you've arrived."

The man slowly turned, revealing a remarkably handsome yet awe-inspiring face. Especially his eyes, like the blazing sun in the sky, emitted a divine light that seemed to have witnessed endless vicissitudes.

The Dragon Emperor!

The Azure Dragon God stood up and said, "On my way back, I heard an interesting piece of news."

"Is it about Eternal Heaven in the Eastern Region?" Long Bai spoke indifferently.

"Indeed, Your Majesty already knows, as expected." The Azure Dragon God said, "I'm just a little surprised that, given the Eternal Heaven God Realm's principles, they would resort to such underhanded tactics and even be caught with irrefutable evidence. It's quite laughable."

"I'm more curious why the Eternal Heaven God Emperor, who tolerates darkness the least, quietly took his son to the Northern Divine Region. Could it be that, as some rumors claim, his son was indeed transformed into a devil person back then?"

The Dragon Emperor glanced at him and said, "You interrupted your journey to the God Realm of Absolute Beginning and returned so quickly. It couldn't be for these trivial matters concerning other regions, could it?"

The divine light in the Azure Dragon God's eyes receded, and his voice lowered. "In the God Realm of Absolute Beginning, I detected the Dragon Queen's aura."

"What did you say?!" These four words exploded like muffled thunder. The Dragon Qi instantly spiraled out of control, causing the Azure Dragon God's long hair to fly up abruptly, and the surrounding air currents to be swept away. The Dragon Guards far outside the hall were momentarily stunned, their bodies shaking violently, nearly fainting.

The Azure Dragon God's hair slowly settled, but he frowned deeply, astonished by the Dragon Emperor's intense reaction.

Losing composure for a moment, the Dragon Emperor's aura instantly returned to calm the next second. He said indifferently, "Impossible. My Dragon Queen has been in seclusion in the Samsara Forbidden Land for all these years, and she needs to remain in seclusion for at least a thousand... or even ten thousand years. How could she possibly appear in the God Realm of Absolute Beginning?"

Although the sudden emotional shift and loss of Dragon Qi control lasted only an instant, they resonated deeply within the Azure Dragon God's heart for a long time.

He was the Dragon Emperor!

In over two hundred thousand years, it was the first time he had seen the Dragon Emperor react in such a way... all because he heard that the Dragon Queen's aura was detected in the God Realm of Absolute Beginning?

Without further words, the Azure Dragon God slowly extended his hand, holding a small isolation barrier.

The barrier broke open, revealing a handful of grayish-white soil in the Azure Dragon God's palm. Anyone who had been to the God Realm of Absolute Beginning could easily recognize it as the grayish-white ancient soil of that realm. Every grain of dust emanated a unique ancient aura.

And these ancient auras clearly contained faint traces of... light profound energy!

Long Bai's dragon eyes slowly contracted... With his very first glance, in the first instant, he recognized it: this was the light aura of Shen Xi!

He would never, ever, even until death, mistake it.

It had been several years... the longest years of his life. Shen Xi's aura had appeared in his life once more.

As the Azure Dragon God watched with growing astonishment, Long Bai's palm slowly rose, inch by inch, approaching the ancient soil of Absolute Beginning that was emitting Shen Xi's aura. Every single one of his fingers was trembling slightly.

But abruptly, he finally turned away, his hand quickly retracting and returning to rest behind his back. All expression on his face also returned to serenity.

He turned around and asked with extreme flatness, "Cang, where did you find this?"

The Azure Dragon God suppressed the shock in his heart and replied calmly. "In the Southern Territory of Absolute Beginning, within the endless rock forest of the Ancient Forest Ruins."

"...Was it detected by anyone else?"

"No." The Azure Dragon God replied without hesitation. "The Ancient Forest Ruins are already difficult for ordinary people to approach. And this wisp of light aura from the Dragon Queen was extremely faint; it would be impossible for anyone other than the Dragon Emperor or a Dragon God to recognize it."

After a long silence, the Dragon Emperor emitted a low voice. "No one must know about this... you yourself must also completely forget it."

"Yes." The Azure Dragon God responded, "Cang has already forgotten everything."

The shock in his heart was dozens of times more intense than before.

"Relay my order," Long Bai spoke again. "I need to enter seclusion for several months... or even several years. Before I choose to emerge from seclusion, no matter how major the matter, I am not to be disturbed."

For the Dragon God Realm, unless an otherworldly anomaly like the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor reappeared, there would be no such thing as a "major matter" in the world.

Because the Dragon God Realm was heaven itself, and the Dragon Emperor was the heaven above heaven.

"Yes, Cang will go and relay the order now."

Bowing respectfully, the Azure Dragon God re-enclosed the ancient soil in his hand within the barrier, placed it behind the Dragon Emperor, then turned and left... not questioning the reason for even half a sentence.

Leaving the hall, the Azure Dragon God's dragon brows furrowed deeply.

He knew that the Dragon Emperor's "seclusion" was a pretense; it was highly probable that he was going to venture deep into the God Realm of Absolute Beginning.

In his mind, he pictured the isolation barrier personally set up by the Dragon Emperor outside the Samsara Forbidden Land... After that, he dared not think any further.