134 - Douluo: Martial Spirit Blue Silver Grass

In Han Yan's absence, the time to kill Si Qi was now or never. Even if it meant giving up the chance to seek treasures in the Intricate Spirit Realm, Jiu Ying didn't care. She couldn't allow the tragedies of her previous life to repeat. The vast deep sea stretched out for thousands of miles, utterly desolate, devoid of any signs of life. She turned slightly to glance at the young girl by her side, her lips pressed into a firm line. "Quick, go in." The sunlight reflected, causing the golden tower to appear even more translucent and ethereal. Fu Ling didn't want to part from her senior sister but understood what was in her mind. The vengeance of the sect's massacre in their past life and the hatred for being bewitched in this one; these grievances demanded retribution. She bit her lip and nodded obediently. The token was tossed into the air, eventually landing on the first level of the tower. Jiu Ying was a bit surprised. Based on the six stages of cultivation, Fu Ling's cultivation was only at the Great Breakthrough; yet she was placed on the lowest level of the realm. As she took a few steps forward to offer comfort, a sweet, gentle voice resonated in her ear— "Senior sister, I've entered." "I will protect myself." "Don't worry about me, just focus on killing Si Qi. I know you can do it." Jiu Ying paused at the words, quickly regaining her composure. Fu Ling was generous by nature; treasures or cultivation prowess meant little to her. While others might feel regret if only allowed entry into the first level of the Intricate Spirit Realm, she was indifferent. Such a mindset was indeed remarkable. Jiu Ying remained silent, thinking that being on the lowest level had its advantages; it was considerably less dangerous, steering her clear from the dubious members of the Si family. Watching Fu Ling's figure disappear beneath the golden tower, she finally breathed a small sigh of relief and turned in the direction Si Qi had departed to pursue him. The sky and earth lay vast and silent. A golden dragon streaked across the sky, reaching Si Qi and Ruan Xiu in merely a moment. The air was thick with intense dragon's breath; a breeze carried this vibrant energy to tickle their noses. Si Qi reacted first. He looked up to see a dragon claw descending from the sky, aiming straight for his heart. Such speed made evasion impossible. In an instant, he was blasted several miles away. It happened so suddenly, leaving them no time to prepare. Ruan Xiu, struck by terror, stood frozen. Naturally timid and sheltered, the sight of the dragon spirit scared her so much she fainted on the spot. Jiu Ying wanted a quick, decisive battle. The dragon's tail rose, stirring up a fierce wind, and before Si Qi could get up, he was swatted away again. In this lifetime without the support of celestial cultivators, he was overwhelmingly weak. Around them, a gale howled. The golden dragon moved with the wind, its claw rising swiftly, yet just as its palm was about to strike, the figure on the ground morphed into a dragon — A golden dragon, but nonetheless emaciated and small. Unlike the brilliant and righteous aura of the dragon spirit, this little dragon seemed to have fallen into demonic ways, each of its golden scales entwined with black demonic energy. Jiu Ying's eyes widened at the sight of Si Qi transforming into a dragon, her mind reverberating with a cacophony of crumbling rocks. Memories of past and present tumbled through her mind, every event shackling her heart like chains, squeezing painfully with every breath. Only now did she realize Si Qi was never human! No wonder he insisted on freeing Ping Tian, no wonder he sought revenge on the Jiang family and the Qingzhu Sect— He was the son of Ping Tian, the last descendant on earth! A union between human and dragon, forcibly producing offspring doomed never to live long. Since birth, Si Qi had been frail; without Han Yan's various treasured remedies sustaining him, he wouldn't have survived. Racked by painful memories, another truth struck Jiu Ying— In her past life, she was human, and Si Qi was a dragon. The reason Si Qi could strip away all her cultivation must have been because, unbeknownst to her, he had secretly formed a contract between them. More so, this contract was not granted by her, the celestial cultivator. Rage surged through her chest, her body trembling, movements faltering for a moment. Momentarily distracted, the dragon claw missed, allowing the little dragon to dart into the sky and escape a fatal blow. But as a demonic dragon's offspring, he could not be allowed to live. Si Qi wanted to run, but it was a futile dream. Even in dragon form, he was no match for Jiu Ying. Darkness spread across the sky as the sound of faint thunder began to rumble. A strong wind abrasively passed over Ruan Xiu's face, causing her to open her eyes in a daze. In the air above, two golden dragons battled fiercely, one fleeing and one pursuing. Even in her muddled state, she realized something— Her brother Si Qi, was not human. It was common knowledge that the demonic dragon Ping Tian was the most exalted gold dragon among dragon spirits. And Si Qi was also a gold dragon. Some truths were glaringly obvious. The gap in power was immense, leaving Si Qi powerless to retaliate. Si Qi found nowhere to run or hide, ultimately enduring a full-force strike from the dragon spirit with his dragon body. Depleted of spiritual energy, even his dragon form couldn't hold. The gold dragon plummeted from the sky, crashing to the ground, reverting to human form. Blood spewed from his mouth, and his organs felt as though they were tearing; the searing pain radiating from his chest left Si Qi trembling uncontrollably, gasping for air. He was born frail, surviving one near-death experience after another by draining others of their spiritual energy to snatch a life from the brink. How many had died at his hands, beyond Jiang Xun? Reckless, murderously reckless, he and his kin had long fallen into demonic paths. How could such a demonic dragon withstand the purest of righteousness embodied by a dragon spirit? High above, the majestic cries of dragons echoed powerfully, resonating across the heavens. Fear etched across Si Qi's face; he fought against the pain to get up. Yet despite his speed, he was no match for the purple lightning in the sky. As the dragon's roar faded, several bolts of purple lightning struck down, each one hitting him with unerring precision. Jiu Ying watched coldly, her eyes devoid of emotion— The pain Si Qi suffered today was but a fraction of what she endured in her past life! Nine purple bolts of lightning, enough to kill anyone in the earthly realm. Where the lightning left its mark, faint purple flames flickered at the edge of the sky. With all the powerful beings among humans, demons, and monsters having entered the Intricate Spirit Realm, save for Ruan Xiu, none would know what had transpired here. In the crater left by the lightning, the youth lay motionless. Jiu Ying hovered in the air for a moment, intending to confirm if Si Qi was truly dead, when suddenly the golden tower that had vanished re-emerged a hundred miles away from the sea. The orb at the top of the tower, under sunlight's caress, emitted a bright white glow, crossing the miles to engulf the gold dragon entirely. Before Jiu Ying could discern what was happening, a mighty force pulled at her body. The enclosing white light tightened like an unyielding net, ensnaring her completely. Panic-stricken, she cast her eyes upward, seeing everything around her growing vast while she herself diminished. Purple flames still burned in the crater, painting the sunlight with a hint of violet. The uncanny light became solid, an invincible cage from which she found no escape. Dizziness swirled in her mind, her consciousness fading, and as sleep washed over her, she closed her eyes unknowingly. In the next instant, all vanished into nothing. On the ground, Ruan Xiu covered her mouth, long stunned speechless. Recalling the nine heavenly bolts, she felt her eyes sting with tears. As she was about to glance over, an injured, blood-soaked youth struggled out of the lightning pit— It was Si Qi, miraculously alive! Ruan Xiu paused, quickly rushing over. Knowing each other for years, their bond was undoubtedly deep; despite learning about Si Qi's true identity, she had never considered revealing this secret. Kneeling before him, she reached out carefully, intending to help him up when a pair of sinister, malevolent eyes met hers. With just one look, she stumbled back, forgetting to retract her hand. "What did you see?" His voice was cold, devoid of emotion, completely unlike the Si Qi brother she knew. Ruan Xiu's eyes widened, unable to comprehend what she had witnessed or heard. Although naive, she wasn't foolish. She realized that Si Qi harbored murderous intent towards her. Childhood bonds meant nothing against the weight of self-interest. Trembling with fear yet afraid to flee, she maintained a facade of calm, as she typically did when frightened or bullied, shedding silent tears while shaking her head, "Xiu-Xiu only saw a golden dragon, nothing else." "You scared me, Brother Si Qi." So meek and aggrieved, she seemed utterly ignorant of any wrongdoing. Seeing this, Si Qi's expression softened, the murderous glint in his eyes fading as he resumed the guise of a courteous gentleman. He beckoned to the girl in front of him, his voice tender, a stark contrast to his earlier ruthless demeanor. "Xiu-Xiu—" The call overflowed with affection, impossible to resist falling under its spell. Hearing this, Ruan Xiu's tears flowed even more. Had she not witnessed Si Qi's expression when he first regained consciousness, she might have been deceived once again. What she thought was a fated lover had almost become her demise. No one knew how terrified she was now. So frightened, she couldn't even step forward. "Xiu-Xiu, help me up—" Another gentle call, yet this time the young man's voice was noticeably weaker. Ruan Xiu blinked, unable to cast aside her previous feelings for him as Si Qi had done so easily. She bowed her head, a tear escaping from her eye. Struck by nine lightning bolts, Si Qi remained alive only because of a protective treasure. His earlier harsh inquiry was just a last burst of energy before the end. Sobbing, Ruan Xiu helped him away, and they hadn't gone far when he coughed up a large mouthful of blood and collapsed into unconsciousness, his breath now barely existent. Though he had cheated death, he was still as good as dead. *** In the first layer of Ling Mountain's abode, Fu Ling wandered aimlessly in the dark. She took out a candle for light, but the moment it was lit, it was swallowed by the darkness, as if a creature lurking there could devour any glimmer. Without Jiu Ying by her side, she felt a tinge of fear. Even though it was just one layer of the tower, it was vast beyond reason, seeming endless no matter how far she walked. Unbeknownst to her, the rumored heavenly path that could traverse time and space lay right beneath her feet. As one climbed the tower, the greater treasures would be found higher up. Yet the truly precious treasures of heaven and earth were actually hidden on the lowest level. As she tread in the dark, each step forward translated to a year of time passing. From the universe's birth to the chaotic days, to the rise of deities and celestial beings ascending—the span of millennia in just a moment. From darkness to light required only a crossing of ten thousand steps. The path ahead still had no visible end, but a faint glimmer shone through at last. Seeing the light, Fu Ling's spirits lifted, and she pursued it posthaste, heedless of anything else. This realm was the very ancient period many cultivators sought. Spanning her vision were various spiritual beasts and mythical creatures. Looking up, she gazed into an endless azure sky, fire phoenixes soaring and stirring warm gusts with their wings. Not far away was a clear spring, where a qilin lounged lazily, drinking. As it basked in comfort, a petite Vermilion Bird swooped down from the sky and playfully pecked at the qilin's back, leading the two beasts into a playful scuffle by the water. This enchanting scene was unlike anything Fu Ling had ever seen; even in dreams, she wouldn't dare imagine witnessing living mythical beings of ancient times. Her heart raced inexplicably. Quietly she stepped forward, edging toward the spring, only to find it identical to the icy lake of Xuanming Sect. The surrounding spiritual beasts and divine creatures seemed unaware of her presence, continuing with their activities. Recalling Jiu Ying's instructions, she took out the mystical spirit stone, placing it by the spring. Her fingertips released spiritual energy; a spark flared into life, lighting up the spirit candle. The rich fragrance of the candle quickly drew the animals' attention. The two divine beasts stalled their tussle, turning their gaze toward her. The air fell abruptly silent. Fu Ling's face flushed with red as she lifted her head to glance outside. She saw several beasts approaching her. Among them was the fierce Vermilion Bird in particular. In an instant, she found herself frozen in place. As the Vermilion Bird fluttered close, the scarlet qilin joined in as well. Undoubtedly, these two were the leaders among the spiritual beasts. Fu Ling pressed her lips together, feeling a bit anxious. Just as the Vermilion Bird and qilin were nearing, a crimson egg rolled out from the spring. Without giving her a chance to refuse, it nudged out the spirit candle, extinguishing its flame. Extinguishing the candle signified a willingness to contract. Fu Ling's smile froze— Her Vermilion Bird! Her qilin! All ruined by an egg that appeared out of nowhere! ※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ No need to say who’s in the egg, right? The senior sister has been reborn as a true dragon divine beast. Begin the egg-raising saga! Thanks to the angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solution between 2020-12-11 16:22:09 and 2020-12-12 12:29:03~ Thank you to the angels who threw shallow water bombs: Cannon fodder 1; Thank you to the angels who cast landmines: Sweet Teacher’s Flower, Seal Lord 1 each; Thanks to the angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Early to bed and rise can keep healthy 36 bottles; Little Dried Fish 30 bottles; Xiao Yu 20 bottles; Zhi Lan and Masterpiece 10 bottles; Yu Yan, quickly come out, miss you, and Feng Ling 5 bottles; Virus Infiltration 1 bottle; Thank you so much for your support, I will keep working hard!