88: Chapter 88 True Dragon Secret Realm

The wind over Tianshui City stopped.

The broken blade in Nie Xiao's hand was drawn half an inch. Before his blade aura could even manifest, the plaque of Haiyue Inn split into two, crashing onto the bluestone street with debris scattering everywhere.

At the edge of the flying boat's deck, Xuan Kong took a half-step forward. He did not draw any weapon; one hand was behind his back, while the other hung naturally at his side. The Protective Aura of a Creation Realm Peak expert turned into tangible white frost, spreading down along the ship's railing.

Above and below, two auras collided in mid-air.

There was no sound.

Yet, the water in the moat of Tianshui City surged upward into the sky, forming dozens of water columns that hung suspended in mid-air. The tens of thousands of Cultivators in the city dared not even breathe. Spies huddled in dark alleys, staring intently at the movements in the sky.

The Old Beggar sat at the street corner, drank the last drop of cheap wine from his broken bowl, and let out a hiccup.

"I haven't seen a show like this in thousands of years." He wiped his mouth and tucked the bowl into his robe. "The Gu Family of Central Plains and the Ye Family of the Eastern Region. When two unreasonable parties get together, this patch of land in Tianshui City won't survive."

In mid-air.

Ye Yuan walked through the air, his black brocade robe flapping loudly in the strong wind. He pushed his Ancient Desolate Magic Body to the limit, causing intricate dark golden magic patterns to emerge on the surface of his skin. He looked up at the purple-gold flying boat that blotted out the sky.

"Gu Sheng," Ye Yuan said. His voice was not loud, yet it spread across the entire city. "You just finished causing trouble at the Taichu Holy Land in the Central Plains, and now you've run to the Eastern Region to make your presence felt. You've got quite the reach."

On the flying boat.

Gu Sheng leaned back in his grand chair, twirling a white jade folding fan in his hand. Luo Qingxue stood behind him, her hands resting on the strings of the nine nether soul-suppressing zither, the Lunar Origin ready to be unleashed.

Gu Sheng stood up, walked to the railing, and looked down.

"Divine Son Ye is very well-informed," Gu Sheng tapped the railing. "The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion deals in business for everyone in the world. Naturally, I have to come and take a look at the Eastern Region. I heard you just slaughtered an old loach from the Dragon Clan a few days ago. Very impressive. What's the matter? You haven't had enough of the stench from the East Sea, so you've come to Tianshui City to act like a king?"

Ye Yuan sneered.

"What is the Dragon Clan? They were blocking the Ye Family's path, so I slaughtered them, that's all." Ye Yuan pointed at the flying boat. "It's your Gu Family, supporting that Empress of Great Xia in the Central Plains and playing mysterious. You've run to my territory today—do you want to have a go?"

[Ding! Detected intense emotional fluctuations among the Cultivators of the Eastern Region.]

[destiny points + 5000.]

[destiny points + 8000.]

[Host, your talent for self-directed drama is wasted if you aren't performing as the headliner in a theater troupe. You're scolding yourself and still harvesting a wave of leeks; even the Heavenly Dao would have to call you an expert.]

The System panel was spamming frantically in Gu Sheng's mind.

Gu Sheng ignored the System's teasing. He opened his folding fan and fanned himself twice.

"Have a go? You, a Hidden Family that can't see the light of day—are you even worthy of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion taking action personally?" Gu Sheng's tone was dismissive.

On the street below.

Chu Kuangren hid behind a pillar in the ruins of Haiyue Inn, his legs trembling. The Penglai Sword Sect was a hegemon in the Eastern Region, but this Sect Master didn't even have the courage to stand out now. The two above were monsters: one was a ruthless man who rubbed the Central Plains Holy Land into the dirt, and the other was a madman who slaughtered a Dragon Clan Old Ancestor like a dog.

In the dark alley, several Dragon Clan spies with horns on their heads gnashed their teeth. Gu Sheng and Ye Yuan kept calling them "old loach" and saying they "slaughtered them in passing," stripping the face of the East Sea Dragon Clan and trampling it underfoot. Yet, they didn't even have the qualification to refute it.

Ye Yuan's eyes turned cold.

"Nie Xiao," Ye Yuan called out a name.

Nie Xiao had no redundant words. The broken blade left its sheath.

A black blade aura, a hundred zhang long, appeared out of thin air and headed straight for the bottom of the purple-gold flying boat. A strike from a Half-Saint; there were no flashy Moves, only the pure Law of destruction. Wherever the blade aura passed, space cracked into fine black lines.

Xuan Kong let out a cold snort.

He raised his right hand and struck down with his palm. His white Protective Aura turned into a giant handprint, meeting the blade aura head-on.

The blade aura and the handprint collided.

The clouds above Tianshui City were split in two. A powerful shockwave scattered in all directions; the light of the Formation on the city walls flickered violently, and several towering watchtowers were snapped in half. The water columns suspended in mid-air lost control and turned into a torrential downpour.

Xuan Kong retreated half a step, his left hand behind his back clenching slightly. A Creation Realm Peak expert taking a hit from a Half-Saint head-on was, ultimately, at a disadvantage.

Nie Xiao stood beside Ye Yuan, the black light on his blade flickering.

Gu Sheng closed his folding fan and tapped it against his palm.

"That's enough," Gu Sheng said.

Xuan Kong withdrew his hand and retreated behind Gu Sheng.

Ye Yuan also raised his hand, and Nie Xiao sheathed the broken blade.

"Divine Son Ye, don't be so hot-headed." Gu Sheng looked at the devastated Tianshui City below. "If we really fight, this city will be gone. The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is here to do business, not to demolish buildings."

"Business?" Ye Yuan sneered. "The Ye Family has nothing to talk about with the Gu Family."

"Don't speak too soon." Gu Sheng tossed out a Storage Pouch.

The Storage Pouch traced a parabola in mid-air, landing steadily in Ye Yuan's hand.

"Look at what's inside before deciding whether to kick out your guests."

Ye Yuan gripped the Storage Pouch and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

There was only one thing inside. A palm-sized golden Dragon scale. The scale was covered in ancient runes, exuding a pressure far exceeding the Soul Transformation Stage.

"The reverse scale of the Dragon Emperor of the Return to Ruins?" Ye Yuan looked up.

When the beggar at the street corner heard the words "Dragon Emperor of the Return to Ruins," the hand holding his broken bowl trembled. The reason the East Sea Dragon Clan could run rampant in the Eastern Region was because of that unknown and terrifying Dragon Emperor deep in the Return to Ruins. That was an old monster left over from the ancient times, rumored to have already touched the threshold of the Emperor Realm.

Gu Sheng chuckled.

"The intelligence of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is unparalleled in the world. This reverse scale was dug out from under the coffin lid of an Ancient Emperor on Heaven Burial Island by my people." Gu Sheng fanned himself. "Those old loaches of the Dragon Clan have been very restless in the Return to Ruins lately. They want to use the blood of your Ye Family to awaken that Dragon Emperor."

Ye Yuan crushed the Storage Pouch, and the Dragon scale turned into golden powder and scattered.

"Awaken the Dragon Emperor? Perfect." Ye Yuan shook his hand. "I was just worried that this bunch of trash in the Eastern Region wasn't enough for me to fight. If the Dragon Emperor wakes up, the Ye Family can just use him to sacrifice to the flag."

"Got backbone." Gu Sheng clapped his hands. "However, if that old loach really wakes up, I'm afraid your Half-Saint Dao Protector won't be able to hold him off. The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion can sell you a Formation. The Nine Dragons Heaven-Locking Formation, twenty percent off."

"No need." Ye Yuan turned and walked toward Haiyue Inn. "You, Gu Sheng, aren't qualified to probe the foundation of the Ye Family. If you want to do business in Tianshui City, suit yourself. Just don't provoke me."

Ye Yuan landed back on the second floor, with Nie Xiao following closely behind.

The waiter of Haiyue Inn was quick and nimble, rushing to bring new tables and chairs, not even daring to fix the hole in the roof.

The purple-gold flying boat landed slowly.

Gu Sheng, with Luo Qingxue and Xuan Kong, walked off the deck. The flying boat turned into a purple light and was stored away into his storage ring.

The manager of the largest trading firm in Tianshui City, Treasure Pavilion, came running over, stumbling and crawling, before kneeling in front of Gu Sheng.

"P-Pavilion Master Gu! Treasure Pavilion is willing to vacate the entire building for the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion to settle in!" The manager was covered in sweat. The Ye Family was staying at Haiyue Inn across the street, and if the Gu Family moved in here, his Treasure Pavilion, caught in the middle, would sooner or later be reduced to ashes. But he dared not refuse; if he refused, he would die right now.

Gu Sheng glanced at the manager.

"No need to vacate. Leave one floor for you to do your business. The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion will stay on the top floor." Gu Sheng stepped inside.

"Also, release some news."

The manager quickly pricked up his ears.

"Three days from now, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion will hold an intelligence trade fair in Tianshui City. The headlining intelligence will be the complete coordinates of the True Dragon Secret Realm in the Return to Ruins, as well as the entrance to the Dragon Emperor's mausoleum." Gu Sheng's voice echoed through the street.