Su Jingxuan held his breath, watching the scene of the suddenly cracking prohibition in the imperial palace. He never expected that there would be a hidden world within the old demonic emperor’s residence.
He didn’t recognize the white-haired man with dragon horns on his head, dressed in a dragon-patterned robe, but judging by appearance, it was undoubtedly the old demonic emperor. However, contrary to the rumors outside, the old demonic emperor didn’t seem to be nearing death; he appeared lively. Even though his lifespan might be short, he could probably endure for a few more years.
On the other hand, the situation of the black dragon in front of the old demonic emperor was much worse. The black dragon seemed to be in its prime, with shiny scales covering its massive body. However, it was bound by several chains made of millennium-grade mysterious iron, preventing it from flying freely. The dragon’s body was covered in scars, as if it had been ruthlessly tortured, appearing quite miserable.
Despite its battered appearance, the black dragon’s gaze was remarkably calm, coldly staring at the old demonic emperor, exuding the dignity and intelligence of a powerful being. Even though it was currently imprisoned, its soul remained formidable.
Su Jingxuan nervously observed the scene. The old demonic emperor seemed to be frustrated with the unyielding black dragon. He threatened and persuaded, offering various benefits, but the dragon remained defiant.
“This is the last time I’ll say it. Give me your dragon body, and I will find another dragon body for you. In the future, when I ascend, you will be the next demonic emperor. If you don’t agree, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I will directly devour your soul,” the old demonic emperor’s voice was sinister and threatening, focusing on the defiant black dragon. The old demonic emperor was becoming impatient.
The old demonic emperor’s lifespan had come to an end, and the injuries from his youth had ruined his foundation, making it impossible for him to ascend. However, after cultivating for so many years, he was determined to ascend to the higher realm. He couldn’t bear the suffering of reincarnation in the cycle of life and death.
Although the black dragon was not as powerful as a true dragon, it was temporary, and this particular black dragon had the best innate potential Su Jingxuan had ever seen. With some additional time for cultivation, its enormous potential made it the most promising. Occupying the body of this black dragon would pave the way for the old demonic emperor’s ascent to the higher realm.
But the black dragon was more stubborn than he had imagined. Offers of a true dragon’s body, the position of demonic emperor, and the privileges of the demonic tribe were all futile.
“With your experience, you are not capable of utilizing this body properly; you will only waste its potential. I’ll compensate you with a genuine dragon body, saving you from the pain of transforming from a dragon to a true dragon. I’ll also give you the position of demonic emperor. Your stubbornness is only leading you down a path of self-destruction,” the old demonic emperor threatened and persuaded once more. However, the black dragon’s gaze remained cold and unyielding.
“Fine, fine, you have integrity. In that case, wait here to die,” losing patience with the black dragon’s attitude, the old demonic emperor angrily left. This was the last chance. The next time he returned, it would be to take the black dragon’s body.
Hidden in the corner, Su Jingxuan watched the frustrated departure of the old demonic emperor and couldn’t help but sneer. The grand rumors he had heard about the old demonic emperor being infuriated by several dragon sons and lying in the imperial palace, worrying about the demonic tribe’s future, turned out to be the actions of a shameless old creature.
Speaking grand words, he was just afraid of death and dreaded the pain of reincarnation. He didn’t want to die and was willing to resort to such despicable means, trying to seize someone else’s body to avoid the hardships of the cycle.
The term “body-snatching” was not unfamiliar in the cultivation world. In simple terms, it meant taking someone else’s body for personal use. Almost every cultivator knew about it, but it was a heinous taboo because the person whose body was snatched would not have the opportunity to reincarnate.
Su Jingxuan glanced at the cave that had been sealed by prohibitions, feeling a solemn mood. Although he despised the old demonic emperor’s actions, looking at the current situation, his plan to sneakily peek at the spirit spectrum during the old demonic emperor’s weakness seemed to have failed. The energetic old demonic emperor was not someone he could approach or deal with, especially considering the apparent ruthlessness.
However, the spirit spectrum was his only chance to find Jiang and his whereabouts. How could he easily give up?
After standing silently in the imperial palace for a while, Su Jingxuan finally lifted his head again. His gaze returned to the hidden prohibitions, and he walked over, taking out a magical tool to open a small hole in the prohibitions, transforming into smoke and drifting inside.
He couldn’t deal with the old demonic emperor, but that didn’t mean others couldn’t. Perhaps this black dragon was his hope.
Although he hadn’t seen the full picture through the cracks outside the prohibitions, now that he was inside the cave, Su Jingxuan realized that the cave’s area was extraordinarily vast, at least the size of a football field.
Except for the exit sealed by prohibitions, there was no other way in or out of the cave, not even a crevice for ventilation. It was a completely isolated space. Despite the lack of openings for light and air, the cave was not dark. A fist-sized white pearl embedded in the cave’s ceiling emitted enough light to illuminate the entire cavern.
The black dragon was imprisoned in the direction of the straight light from the white pearl. Wrapped in chains, the dragon was surrounded by eight pillars carved with grim monster patterns. Between the pillars, there was a subtle energy fluctuation, undoubtedly forming the array supports imprisoning the black dragon.
Seemingly sensing someone entering, the black dragon abruptly opened its eyes and looked towards Su Jingxuan. The deep eyes conveyed wariness, aloofness, and a chilling indifference that could make one’s heart palpitate.
“Don’t worry; I’m not on the same side as the old demonic emperor. I just want to make a deal with you,” Su Jingxuan said cautiously, not daring to get too close. He stopped at a distance of three meters from the black dragon, making it clear where he stood.
Even though the black dragon was firmly restrained, the aura of the powerful being still pressed down on him, making him feel breathless. Even if the opponent was currently trapped, Su Jingxuan couldn’t handle it. The black dragon only needed to exert a bit of pressure, and he would lose his life.
“I can help you leave this place if you help me with something. I want to see the demonic tribe’s spirit spectrum to find someone.”
Su Jingxuan stared at the massive black dragon in front of him, feeling tense and uneasy. He directly expressed his intention, understanding that under the tremendous pressure exerted by the black dragon, any tricks or cleverness would be futile. In the face of absolute strength, any form of cunning was useless.
Unfortunately, the black dragon was not easily convinced, nor was it quick to trust anyone. It stared at him, revealing his appearance in its deep eyes, but on the surface, it remained expressionless, cold, and indifferent from a distance.
Su Jingxuan felt a bit disappointed, but he didn’t give up. Sensing no hostility from the black dragon, he cautiously took a small step forward.
“If you don’t speak, I’ll come over,” he warned.
The black dragon still showed no expression, coldly observing him. Its aura remained stable, seemingly not showing any signs of anger. This gave Su Jingxuan a bit more courage, and he continued to approach cautiously.
However, when he reached a distance of two meters from the black dragon, the dragon suddenly erupted, spewing a jet of black flames directly at him. Everything happened too quickly, and even though Su Jingxuan tried to dodge immediately, he was still burned by the black flames and fell to the ground.
When he regained his senses, the colossal dragon head of the black dragon was already in front of him, its sharp teeth about to descend as if to devour him. Su Jingxuan widened his eyes and hastily rolled backward, stopping only when he reached the exit of the prohibition, panting for breath.
Looking back at the struggling black dragon blocked by a layer of light membrane, unable to advance, Su Jingxuan finally realized that the dragon didn’t move earlier because it was imprisoned and couldn’t leave a three-meter radius from the pillar. It wasn’t because it agreed to let him approach; it was a deliberate lure.
“What a cunning black dragon,” Su Jingxuan thought.
Pressing his arm, which had been burned, he felt his heart pounding. He hadn’t expected the black dragon’s vigilance to be so strong, not trusting anyone easily, not even when offered a chance to leave.
But the black dragon was his last hope. He couldn’t defeat the old demonic emperor, and it was even more impossible for him to ask Qi Yan for help and drag the entire Night Demon Clan into this mess. His only hope lay with the black dragon.
“I really have no ill intentions,” Su Jingxuan said again, somewhat helplessly. He took out a bottle of internal injury medicine from his storage ring and threw it over. He then retreated to a corner away from the black dragon, applying the medicine to his burned arm and planning to patiently negotiate.
However, it was still unfortunate. The black dragon showed no willingness to accept his goodwill. Without even looking at the bottle of medicine, it silently retracted its dragon head, coiling around the pillar in the center and licking its wounds.
It didn’t resemble a dragon but rather a lone wolf, a proud and solitary wolf that rejected anyone from a distance.
For the first time in his life, Su Jingxuan felt a bit of a headache. People who were cold, resistant, and guarded he had encountered before, but this black dragon seemed different from anyone he had ever met.
The dark and chilly gaze filled with suspicion was truly unsettling.
