133: Dragon Island sneaks around, black dragon blocks the way

Inside the spatial vortex, the world spun, and a strong sensation of spatial tearing assaulted them. Xiao Chen and the other two held firm in their minds, with their Dou Qi protecting their bodies, resisting the turbulent currents within the passage. This hidden passage was clearly not stably constructed, but rather a temporary path forcibly opened by relying on the dragon-shaped jade pendant, making it extremely unstable and liable to collapse at any moment.

After several breaths, their vision suddenly brightened, and the three had rushed out of the vortex, landing in a dim, dark forest. The air was filled with a rich scent of decay and a faint Dragon's Might. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sky, and light was sparse. The surroundings were eerily silent, with only the distant, faint rumble of energy collisions and the roar of dragons.

“This should be the ‘Burial Dragon Forest’ on the outskirts of Ancient Dragon Island. It’s said to be where countless fallen dragon ancestors are buried,” Qing Zhi said in a low voice, his expression vigilant as he scanned the surroundings. “The fluctuations from the passage entrance might have already alerted the rebels. We must leave this place as soon as possible and head towards the Dragon God Palace!”

Xiao Chen’s Heavenly Realm Soul Power quietly spread out, his perception instantly covering several thousand zhang. He frowned slightly: “There’s an ambush around here! No less than ten auras, the strongest one… a Peak Three-Star Dou Zun. That must be the Black Dragon Commander! They were indeed waiting here!”

No sooner had he spoken!

“Chi! Chi! Chi!”

From all directions, sounds of tearing through the air suddenly erupted! Dozens of dragon scale arrows, wreathed in dark black dragon flames, shot out like venomous snakes. The arrows were imbued with a chilling death qi, specifically designed to pierce through Dou Qi defenses! At the same time, the ground trembled, and ghostly dragon claws burst forth, grabbing at the trio’s ankles!

“Form up! Starry Protection!” Feng Xian reacted incredibly fast, shouting a command. He and Qing Zhi immediately stood back to back, their Power of Starlight and Dragon Clan Dou Qi merging to form a starry dragon light shield, protecting the three of them!

“Clang! Clang! Clang!”

The dragon scale arrows densely struck the light shield, producing sounds of metal clashing. The light shield vibrated violently but did not break. However, those ghostly dragon claws were exceptionally cunning, able to penetrate parts of the light shield’s defense and strike directly at their bodies!

“Hmph! Petty tricks!” Qing Zhi snorted coldly, his body erupting in azure light. He punched the ground! Where his fist wind passed, dragon roars shook the heavens, and azure dragon shadows roared out, shattering all the ghostly dragon claws!

“Good reaction! Unfortunately, this is as far as you go!” A chilling voice came from deep within the forest. A burly figure, cloaked in black dragon scale armor and built like an iron tower, slowly emerged. It was the Black Dragon Commander! He held a massive axe wreathed in black dragon flames, and the terrifying aura of a Peak Three-Star Dou Zun was unleashed without reservation, causing the surrounding ancient trees to creak. Behind him, more than a dozen Black Dragon Guards, dressed in black tight-fitting attire and with auras all above the Peak Dou Zong Rank, appeared, forming a fan-shaped encirclement around the three.

“Black Dragon! As a Dragon Clan commander, you dare to betray His Majesty the Dragon Emperor and collude with outsiders!” Qing Zhi glared, rebuking him sharply.

“Betrayal?” The Black Dragon Commander sneered. “Elder Rebel Leader is for the future of the Dragon Clan! His Majesty the Dragon Emperor is set in his ways, stagnant, and no longer fit to lead our clan! Hand over the dragon-shaped jade pendant and surrender, and perhaps you can still keep a whole corpse!”

“Obstinate fool!” Feng Xian pointed with his sword, and his Starry Flying Sword hummed, sword qi crisscrossing.

Xiao Chen’s gaze calmly swept over the Black Dragon Commander and his subordinates. His soul perception had already grasped the distribution of their strength. One Peak Three-Star Dou Zun, twelve Peak Dou Zong (two of whom were Half-Step Dou Zun), a formidable lineup, but not unbeatable.

“Senior Qing Zhi, Brother Feng, leave the Black Dragon Commander to me. You two finish off the lesser enemies quickly; we don’t have much time.” Xiao Chen took a step forward, blocking in front of the two. The aura of a Three-Star Dou Zun erupted, and although not as vast as the Black Dragon Commander’s, it was more condensed and restrained, carrying a sharp will to cut through everything!

“Hmm? Three-Star Dou Zun? Kid, are you that Xiao Chen who is wanted by the Soul Hall?” A hint of surprise flashed in the Black Dragon Commander’s eyes, which then turned into disdain. “A mere early Three-Star, yet you dare to be presumptuous in front of this commander? You’re seeking death!”

He raised his massive axe, and black dragon flames shot into the sky, forming a ferocious black dragon axe-blade that tore through the air and cleaved down upon Xiao Chen! This axe strike contained the domineering power of the Dragon Clan and the sinister death qi of the Soul Hall, making its might astonishing!

Facing this fierce blow, Xiao Chen’s eyes were cold; he didn’t retreat but instead advanced! He didn’t use a weapon, but instead cupped his hands together, and a solidified dark-gold starry battle-axe phantom instantly condensed! Upon the battle-axe, stars rotated, and axe intent soared to the heavens!

“Nine Axes of Heaven Opening — Fifth Form, Void Breaking!”

The battle-axe cleaved out without any earth-shattering momentum, only a subtle, space-distorting dark-gold thread that silently met the black dragon axe-blade!

“Chi—!”

A bizarre scene unfolded! The seemingly violent and unmatched black dragon axe-blade, upon contact with the dark-gold thread, seemed to have met its nemesis. It was instantly split into two from the middle, its energy structure collapsing in an instant, turning into scattered black flames that dissipated! The dark-gold thread’s momentum remained unchecked, pointing directly at the Black Dragon Commander’s glabella!

“What?!” The Black Dragon Commander’s pupils contracted, his face filled with horror! His full-power strike was actually broken so easily by the opponent?! What kind of strange attack was that?!

In a hurry, he blocked with his massive axe, and the black light of his dragon scale armor flared around him!

“Clang—!”

The dark-gold thread struck the massive axe, emitting an ear-piercing shriek! The Black Dragon Commander only felt an indescribably sharp will penetrate through the axe, making his arms numb and his blood surge. He retreated three steps before stabilizing himself! Upon the axe blade, a tiny chip had appeared!

“How is that possible?! Your power…” The Black Dragon Commander was both shocked and enraged, his gaze at Xiao Chen filled with disbelief. The opponent was clearly only an early Three-Star Dou Zun, so why was his attack so bizarre and sharp?!

“You talk too much.” Xiao Chen didn’t let up his advantage. His figure shot out like lightning, his Illusory Spirit Steps combined with spatial distortion, instantly appearing on the Black Dragon Commander’s flank. He unleashed his Star Immortal Fist with brutal force! Within the fist wind, Power of Starlight and Heaven Opening Axe Intent merged, carrying the dual characteristics of suppression and collapse!

“Black Dragon Shield!” The Black Dragon Commander roared, and a massive black dragon scale shield condensed before him!

“Boom!”

Fist and shield collided, erupting in a muffled roar! The dragon scale shield vibrated violently, and cracks spread! Xiao Chen’s fist momentum remained unchanged; a second punch, then a third, were unleashed consecutively! Each punch landed with solid impact, and the power accumulated!

“Crack!”

The dragon scale shield finally couldn’t bear it, shattering with a crash! The Black Dragon Commander groaned, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, and he retreated violently again!

“Commander!” The surrounding Black Dragon Guards were greatly alarmed at the sight and wanted to rush forward to rescue him.

“Your opponents are us!” Feng Xian and Qing Zhi had long been ready to strike and immediately acted! Feng Xian unleashed his Starry Sword Array, sword qi raining down, enveloping several Black Dragon Guards! Qing Zhi, on the other hand, transformed into an azure dragon shadow, his dragon claws tearing through space, instantly severely injuring two Half-Step Dou Zun level Black Dragon Guards!

The scene instantly became chaotic! Xiao Chen fought the Black Dragon Commander alone, completely dominating! Feng Xian and Qing Zhi, working together, dealt with the remaining Black Dragon Guards with ease!

“Bastard! You forced my hand!” The Black Dragon Commander, being suppressed by Xiao Chen, was filled with shame and rage. He fiercely bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood onto his massive axe! “With my dragon blood, I summon the dragon soul! Nether Dragon Soul Slash!”

Upon the massive axe, black flames surged, and a blurry phantom of a Nether Dragon Soul, emanating ancient Dragon's Might, appeared and merged into the axe-blade! The power of this axe strike instantly surged to the Four-Star Dou Zun level! Where the axe-blade passed, space twisted, and the forest was plowed into a bottomless gully!

“A forbidden technique burning essence blood? A dying struggle!” Xiao Chen’s eyes sharpened, not daring to be careless. His Heavenly Realm Soul Power fully erupted, and the star origin imprint on his glabella flashed with light, a pure Power of Starlight injecting into the battle-axe phantom!

“star origin, empower! Nine Axes of Heaven Opening — Pseudo-Sixth Form, Heaven Opening!”

He had a flash of inspiration, forcibly unleashing the nascent form of the “Heaven Opening” artistic conception he had just comprehended! Although it was not the complete Sixth Form, the will it contained, that of “breaking chaos and establishing new order,” far surpassed the Fifth Form, “Void Breaking”!

One axe cleaved out, no longer a subtle thread, but a dark-gold axe-light that spanned heaven and earth! Within the axe-light, visions of stars being born and worlds being created seemed to appear! A majestic righteous path, crushing all evil!

“Roar!”

The Nether Dragon Soul axe-blade and the Heaven Opening Axe-light fiercely collided! There was no loud bang, only a silent annihilation that seemed to come from the soul level! The Nether Dragon Soul phantom let out a desperate wail, instantly disintegrating! The Black Dragon axe-blade melted away like ice meeting the sun! The Heaven Opening Axe-light’s momentum slightly diminished, but it still carried an irresistible will, fiercely cleaving onto the Black Dragon Commander’s dragon scale armor!

“No—!!!”

The Black Dragon Commander let out a despairing roar. His armor shattered like paper, his body was split open from the middle, blood and internal organs splattering! His soul was also instantly destroyed by the annihilating will contained within the axe intent!

Instant kill! A Peak Three-Star Dou Zun in a state of burning essence blood was instantly killed by Xiao Chen’s single axe strike!

The entire scene fell silent! The remaining Black Dragon Guards, seeing their commander’s tragic death, were scared out of their wits, their fighting spirit completely gone, and they fled in disarray.

Feng Xian and Qing Zhi also stopped their hands, looking at Xiao Chen, who stood proudly in the field with a profound aura, their eyes filled with shock. They knew Xiao Chen was strong, but they hadn’t expected him to be this strong! A Dragon Clan commander at the Peak Three-Star Dou Zun rank was actually directly slain by him!

Xiao Chen slowly withdrew his stance, his face slightly pale. Forcibly unleashing the nascent form of the “Heaven Opening” artistic conception consumed a tremendous amount of soul and Dou Qi, especially with the use of Power of Starlight. But his eyes were even brighter; this battle had given him new insights into the control of his own power.

“Clear the battlefield, and let’s leave quickly!” Xiao Chen said in a deep voice, swiftly collecting the Black Dragon Commander’s storage ring and Soul Jade (Soul Hall identity token), and then burning the body with a single flame.

Feng Xian and Qing Zhi suppressed the shock in their hearts, quickly disposing of the other Black Dragon Guards’ bodies and erasing any traces of the battle.

“Go! Towards the Dragon God Palace!” Qing Zhi identified the direction. The three no longer delayed, transforming into three streaks of light, and sped towards the core area of Ancient Dragon Island.

After this battle, the news of Xiao Chen and the other two’s infiltration had probably spread. The path ahead would undoubtedly be even more perilous. But Xiao Chen’s gaze was incredibly firm: the Dragon God Palace, the dragon phoenix origin fruit, the Soul Hall’s conspiracy… all the answers lay ahead!