Lake Heart Island, at the very center of the Origin Lake.

  Little Yinglong perched atop Ni Yu’s head. Girl and dragon both had their butts in the air, staring intently at the scenes playing out in the Heaven-Spanning Mirror.

  “Pfft—!”

  Ni Yu suddenly burst out laughing so hard she nearly choked.

  “I thought the Azure Dragon was stabbing holes in himself for some noble reason—turns out he was just faking it for sympathy!”

  “Hahaha! Can’t win? Call big sis Zhulong! That’s… genius!”

  She laughed until tears formed, even spitting out the sugar-coated Body Tempering Pill she’d just popped into her mouth. It rolled across the floor, wasted.

  Little Yinglong’s eyes spun. A lightbulb clearly went off—he’d learned a new trick.

  “I always thought Azure was the aloof, dignified type. Who knew the cold act was all fake?”

  Ni Yu gave the little dragon’s rump a playful smack.

  Her gaze returned to the mirror, brows knitting with worry.

  She solemnly tossed another candy-coated pill into her mouth.

  “The Azure Dragon couldn’t handle that South Dou Mountain Nascent Soul… Can big sis Zhulong actually beat him?”

  Little Yinglong let out a dismissive snort, utterly unimpressed.

  He pointed one claw at Nan Yuefeng in the mirror, then at himself, smacked his lips, and shoved the air forward with a single claw.

  Ni Yu blinked.

  “You’re saying… you could take five of him?”

  Little Yinglong huffed indignantly, puffed out his cheeks, and sprayed her face with ice-cold dragon spit.

  Wrong answer.

  “…One of him could take five of you?”

  Little Yinglong’s eyes lit up. He cackled and flapped his wings in delight.

  Ni Yu had no idea why he was so happy.

  Then he pointed at Zhulong in the mirror, then at himself, pushed forward with both claws—once, twice, flipped them, and kept pushing…

  Ni Yu sucked in a breath.

  “One big sis Zhulong… can beat a hundred Little Yellows?”

  SPLASH!

  Another faceful of cold water, followed by frantic wing-slaps.

  She got it instantly this time.

  “A thousand?!”

  Little Yinglong practically danced with glee.

  Ni Yu’s eyes sparkled. She stealthily pointed toward the White Jade Capital pavilion and whispered conspiratorially:

  “Then… how many Little Yellows could the Young Lord beat?”

  The celebrating dragon froze.

  His claw trembled. He couldn’t even begin to count that high.

  Ni Yu saw the sudden gloom and instantly felt bad for hitting a sore spot.

  So she pointed at herself. “Okay, okay—how many Little Yellows could one Ni Yu take?”

  Little Yinglong gave her a sideways glance.

  Ni Yu’s cheeks burned crimson.

  What kind of look was that?!

  She was the Young Lord’s personally trained genius alchemist, thank you very much!

  Comparing combat power felt like an insult to him somehow?

  …

  Up in the White Jade Capital pavilion.

  Lu, who had overheard the entire conversation, couldn’t help but chuckle.

  He was fully aware of everything happening in the northern prefecture.

  South Dou Mountain pressuring Dantai Xuan, the Azure Dragon’s dramatic performance, Zhulong’s arrival—he’d seen it all.

  Fingers tapping lightly on his wheelchair armrest, Lu raised a brow in amusement.

  “And the Oscar goes to…?”

  Even he hadn’t expected the Azure Dragon to pull a full-on “porcelain bump” scam—playing possum and selling misery like a pro.

  Zhulong was genuinely furious. As the eldest sister of the heavenly dragon seeds, how could she not be when her little brother showed up covered in self-inflicted holes?

  “That guy couldn’t just learn from Little Red—endure, challenge himself endlessly, break through his limits…”

  Lu shook his head with a smile.

  Then the lines in his eyes shifted as he turned his full attention to the coming clash between Zhulong and the South Dou supreme elder.

  …

  Back on Tail Ridge.

  Nan Yuefeng frowned.

  He looked up—and saw a stunning young woman streaking across the sky toward him.

  A girl?

  The tension in his body loosened instantly.

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  He’d braced himself for the mysterious Young Lord of White Jade Capital himself. Instead, it was just some delicate-looking girl.

  Her aura was decent, yes—but nothing he feared.

  A perfected Nascent Soul like him had no reason to fear a mere girl.

  From what he could sense, she’d only just stepped into Nascent Soul—barely stronger than the Azure Dragon.

  Below, Dantai Xuan was still whimpering pathetically on the ground, twitching dramatically, the very picture of mortal suffering.

  The Azure Dragon rolled to its feet, blood pouring from countless “wounds,” letting out a roar that somehow managed to sound both wronged and enraged.

  Nan Yuefeng actually laughed.

  He no longer felt the slightest worry.

  “Pathetic acting.”

  His expression iced over as he stepped through the air toward the dragon.

  The Azure Dragon spotted Zhulong and bellowed as though this were their final farewell.

  Then it launched itself skyward in a suicidal charge.

  Nan Yuefeng’s eyes narrowed.

  The Nascent Soul above his head blazed brighter.

  “Courting death!”

  Today, he would slaughter a dragon!

  In the entire Tianyuan Domain there were no true dragons left—he never imagined he’d get the chance on the Five Phoenixes Continent.

  “Enough.”

  Halfway through its charge, the Azure Dragon skidded to a halt as Zhulong stepped in front of it.

  Her closed eyes were cold and serene.

  The dragon froze mid-air, looking utterly wronged.

  Dantai Xuan coughed up blood and struggled to his feet, imperial dragon qi flaring dramatically around him—like a golden dragon roaring:

  Big sis! We’ve got dragon qi! We’re family!

  Zhulong’s lashes trembled slightly. Her head tilted a fraction toward Dantai Xuan, as if giving him a glance.

  “Young lady, there’s no need to get involved in this mess,” Nan Yuefeng said with a smile, strolling through the sky.

  Though ancient, in his rejuvenated state he still cut a dashing figure.

  Zhulong ignored him.

  His brow furrowed.

  Was she human or dragon?

  Why couldn’t he see through her at all?

  “Young lady.”

  The smile faded.

  Still no response.

  “Since you insist… then forgive this old man for offending you.”

  He’d given her a chance.

  Suddenly—Zhulong moved.

  She raised a delicate hand, pointed at the wounded Azure Dragon, and spoke in a voice like clear spring water:

  “This dragon is my little brother.”

  The words fell.

  Her figure vanished, leaving only afterimages as she appeared directly in front of Nan Yuefeng and swung a palm.

  The strike collapsed the air itself.

  In Nan Yuefeng’s eyes, it looked like a colossal, multicolored dragon tail whipping down.

  The void shattered.

  He raised a spiritual energy shield instinctively.

  Her aura wasn’t that strong—he had nothing to fear…

  BANG!

  The seemingly soft palm struck the shield.

  The shield didn’t even slow her—it exploded like glass.

  Nan Yuefeng’s expression changed drastically.

  How could the attack be this strong?!

  That shield was a defensive battle art—even same-realm Nascent Souls couldn’t break it easily!

  Yet this girl shattered it with one casual slap!

  BOOM!

  The impact sounded like the sky splitting open.

  Cold sweat soaked Nan Yuefeng’s back.

  He roared, crossing his arms to block.

  CRACK!

  Brilliant light exploded in the heavens like the first dawn piercing the dark.

  Nan Yuefeng felt as though an ancient behemoth had rammed him.

  Both arms shattered instantly.

  His body lost all control, plummeting like a meteor, smashing a hundreds-meter-wide crater into the Great Xuan Academy grounds.

  One slap.

  The arrogant supreme elder—sent flying.

  The entire Tail Ridge fell deathly silent.

  South Dou Mountain’s Golden Core disciples stood frozen, blood turning to ice in their veins.

  Mo Ju, hair disheveled and blood at his lips, stared in stunned awe.

  So… strong!

  He recognized her—the mysterious girl from Buzhou Peak’s dragon gate.

  The one Great Xuan had flagged as an ultra-dangerous entity.

  The Azure Dragon coiled proudly in the sky, dark-golden eyes gleaming at the crater.

  Keep acting tough now!

  Dantai Xuan’s imperial dragon qi blazed as he struck a heroic pose—one hand on hip, the other gripping his sword, unable to hide his shock.

  This lady was insane!

  No wonder the Azure Dragon had put on such an Oscar-worthy performance—this was the real thigh to hug!

  With the Young Lord away, she was the ultimate backer!

  When all seemed lost, a new dawn!

  Dantai Xuan had thought he was done for. Now hope burned bright.

  Hugging a big thigh felt amazing.

  In the rubble, Nan Yuefeng rose.

  One arm was pulp and splinters, but Nascent Soul regeneration would mend it—given time.

  “I misjudged you… You were hiding your strength.”

  “Are you also Nascent Soul?” he asked grimly.

  His heart sank.

  He had stumbled upon a massive secret.

  The Five Phoenixes Continent… wasn’t as weak as they’d believed.

  A hidden Nascent Soul expert.

  And that Azure Dragon possessed Nascent Soul-level combat power too.

  This continent was far from simple.

  Zhulong hovered serenely, eyes still closed.

  But Nan Yuefeng no longer dared underestimate her.

  That gentle, fragile-looking girl had shattered his arm with one slap.

  “Since you stand with the dragon… I will settle for the Path of the Human Emperor alone.”

  He backed down, asking for less.

  He didn’t want an all-out fight—his lifespan was nearly spent. Overexertion could bring his end even sooner.

  With this mysterious girl here, the Azure Dragon Gate wasn’t falling today.

  But the imperial path—he had to have it.

  His last hope.

  Zhulong’s lashes trembled.

  Then she raised her pale hand.

  WHOOSH!

  She answered with action.

  Another casual palm descended.

  Nan Yuefeng felt a terrifying pressure crush down from above.

  He saw it—a radiant tail covered in seven-colored scales whipping straight at his head.

  Every hair on his body stood on end.

  He roared.

  Nascent Soul aura exploded to its limit.

  He raised both palms, forming an illusory towering mountain—South Dou Mountain’s ultimate defensive art.

  The dragon tail struck.

  The mountain shattered like sand.

  Blood mist burst from Nan Yuefeng’s body. His flesh cracked. He was being toyed with.

  BOOM!

  The earth caved again, debris flying.

  The Azure Dragon lay off to the side, casually squeezing more blood from its “wounds” and letting out the occasional pitiful whimper—just to keep up appearances.

  Nan Yuefeng roared in fury and shot out of the rubble.

  “Kill!”

  Eyes crimson, he locked onto Zhulong with murderous intent.

  He knew today would not end peacefully.

  No more holding back—or he’d be slapped to death.

  His spirit, energy, and essence peaked. His skin glowed like jade.

  The Nascent Soul above poured down power.

  Yet against his frenzied aura, Zhulong remained perfectly still, eyes closed.

  ROAR!

  He hugged an illusory mountain to his chest and charged—South Dou’s strongest offensive art: Mountain Embrace Rush!

  He barreled toward her like a savage beast.

  Wind howled against Zhulong’s hair.

  Her lashes fluttered. She turned her face calmly toward the east—toward the endless sea, toward that drifting island and the white-robed youth in the pavilion far away.

  Lu sat gracefully, placing a chess piece with a soft clack.

  Feeling her silent question, he smiled and gave a slight nod.

  On Tail Ridge.

  Zhulong received permission.

  She faced the incoming Nan Yuefeng.

  Her lashes trembled harder.

  Then—slowly, like lifting the curtain between heaven and earth—her eyelids rose.

  Black light burst from her left eye.

  White light burst from her right.

  The moment Nan Yuefeng unleashed his ultimate attack, mortal peril screamed in his soul.

  A perfected Nascent Soul’s danger sense was unmatched.

  From those opening eyes he felt boundless doom.

  Terror twisted his face.

  “No…”

  “All I wanted was longevity! A breakthrough!”

  His voice cracked, almost pleading.

  Far away on the ridge, the Azure Dragon gave one last dramatic squeeze of blood from a hole and whimpered weakly.

  Nan Yuefeng’s face went ashen.

  Oh no—

  Zhulong’s eyes fully opened.

  In that instant—peerless beauty.

  Black and white swirled. Heaven and earth inverted.

  Sun and moon lost their light. Color vanished from every watcher’s vision.

  BOOM!

  Facing death, Nan Yuefeng detonated his own Nascent Soul.

  Centuries of cultivation erupted in a final, glorious blaze.

  In that moment he even touched the threshold of Infant Transformation for the first time.

  He dared to hope he might survive.

  But under the endless rotation of black and white, he was dragged into a terrifying domain.

  Crack! Crack! Crack!

  His body exploded—blood mist from every pore.

  This girl… was Infant Transformation!

  The thought flashed through his mind.

  He stared dumbly at her distant figure, those black-and-white eyes locked on him.

  What devastatingly beautiful eyes.

  Then she raised a hand.

  A strand of milky-white energy laced with primordial chaos shot from her fingertip.

  Pfft!

  It punched clean through his forehead.

  Darkness swallowed his vision.

  His spiritual sense collapsed. His soul crumbled. Even the fleeting Infant Transformation power shattered.

  Black and white faded.

  Color returned to the world.

  Zhulong closed her eyes once more and hovered silently in the sky.

  Nan Yuefeng’s corpse plummeted, a neat hole in his brow, all life extinguished.

  One look.

  The supreme elder of South Dou Mountain—a perfected Nascent Soul—was dead.

  Dantai Xuan sucked in a trembling breath.

  Even the Azure Dragon’s dark-golden eyes widened in shock.

  Big sis… just got stronger again!