Rapidnovel Chapter 445: Ao Yujiao
Chapter 445: Ao Yujiao
Donghai Longzi and Honglin traveled to the deepest depths of the sea in the True Dragon Realm. The seafloor glowed with an otherworldly hue from the radiance emitted by the seafloor. The light grew in intensity the closer one was to the True Dragon Realm’s largest city that stretched for kilometers on end.
Although it was a city, it was entirely different from human cities. Most of the buildings didn’t have roofs, and most of the denizens were not in humanoid forms. Most had serpentine bodies, and all had scales. Some resemble shrimp monsters, turtles, and all kinds of scaled beasts. The only common feature they all had was that they all possessed draconic features of some sort.
At the very center of the city was a colossal reef that exuded a rainbow radiance. Situated atop the rainbow reef was a crystal palace. The palace itself did not emit light, but it reflected the light exuded by the rainbow, causing it to appear as if it was coated in a layer of prisms that emitted myriad rays of light. Not only did it appear grand, but it also exuded a divine aura.
Thanks to Honglin, Donghai Longzi learned that it was suspected to be a divine artifact. Although no one had seen it exert any power since its first appearance, most of the Dragon Clan believed the crystal palace was the same Crystal Palace as the one in the East Sea before the Primordial World shattered.
Donghai Longzi and Honglin entered through the entrance. Even demons in the Demon Emperor Realm could not fly directly to the Crystal Palace, much less demon kings like Donghai Longzi and Honglin. Although it wouldn’t result in them getting attacked, it would severely displease all members of the Dragon Clan. The underwater city, and especially the Crystal Palace, was a sacred ground for the Dragon Clan.
The two demon kings did not wander the streets and walked toward the center. There, they saw a first-step demon king guarding one of the four entrances to the Crystal Palace. Demon lords guarded the city entrance and demon kings guarded the palace entrance.
The demon king guard allowed the two to pass after verifying their identities.
Not long after entering, Donghai Longzi saw a giant serpentine creature with crimson scales and horns seemingly formed of condensed blood. He nodded. “Emperor Redraco.”
“Grandfather,” Honglin said as she flew forward. Like her grandfather, she also possessed a long serpentine body, but only a fraction of his size, and her scales were much more vibrant. More scarlet than crimson.
“Not bad,” Demon Emperor Redraco said after inspecting Honglin. “You already stabilized your cultivation base shortly after entering the First-Step Demon King Realm.”
“I’ll be able to enter the second step soon enough.”
“From entering the Demon King Realm to the first step and from the first step to the second step is the fastest, but you shouldn’t underestimate the process. If you fail your fusion of the elemental qis, your body will be injured for decades if not hundreds of years,” Emperor Redraco said.
“I understand, Grandfather. Don’t you know me by now? How could I make such a low-level mistake?” Honglin said.
“Just think of it as an old dragon’s concern.” Emperor Redraco then turned toward Donghai Longzi. His eyes lit up. “Not bad, not bad. It seems that the True Dragon Realm will have another dragon king in the near future.”
The official names of the cultivation levels for the immortal equivalent demons were the Demon Lord Realm, Demon King Realm, Demon Emperor Realm, and Demon Sovereign Realm, but dragons had a slightly different title for their members. Dragons in the Demon Lord Realm were known as true dragons; in the Demon King Realm, they were known as dragon lords; in the Demon Emperor Realm, they were known as dragon kings, and in the Demon Sovereign Realm, they were known as dragon emperors. Only in the Divine Realm would dragons be titled dragon sovereigns, and only peak divinities could call themselves dragon gods. This was a manifestation of the Dragon Clan’s innate arrogance.
“It’s only a little bit of progress. The Demon Emperor Realm is still far away,” Donghai Longzi said.
Demon Emperor Redraco didn’t let them think for too long. “Don’t worry, we aren’t going to sacrifice you guys. It’s also to help you two. Because you two are so young, you haven’t experienced war, and this distraction will allow you to experience it. And one of the Four Divine Beasts will also take part.”
“Grandfather, it’s not going to be you?” Honglin asked.
Demon Emperor Redraco shook his head. “No. Emperor Blacktiger is still recovering, and I have other matters to attend. Xuanwu has already entered the Demon Emperor Realm. Between Xuanwu and Bluefeather, the former has a higher defense and strength, but he is too slow. Not to mention too important.”
He had to sigh at the sheer speed that this generation’s Black Tortoise cultivated. But recalling his unique situation, this was normal. “Bluefeather is weaker, but her life-saving means are numerous, so she will take charge of this operation. Make sure to listen to her.”
“If the situation is too dangerous, you can escape and hide yourself ahead of schedule. Once it calms down, we’ll find you and take you back. Of course, this is just the worst-case scenario. Ideally, you should make your way to the pre-appointed location after hiding and lose the human tails,” Demon Emperor Redraco finished.
“Understood,” Donghai Longzi and Honglin said.
“Dragon King, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Will San Jiuling be also part of the group?” Donghai Longzi asked.
“That human?” Demon Emperor Redraco snorted, his whiskers coiling from his simmering anger. “I don’t know how he does it, but that damn human managed to seduce one of our dragon lords. She’s head over heels with infatuation for him. That disgrace even chose to willingly stay in a human form!”
Donghai Longzi rubbed his nose. He also liked to stay in human form.
As if recalling that fact, Demon Emperor Redraco said, “Of course you’re different. It’s understandable that you chose a human form in order to blend in and hide. It can’t be helped that you formed a habit, but remember, only your true form can display your strongest power.”
“Thank you, Dragon King,” Donghai Longzi said, with a stiff smile.
Demon Emperor Redraco’s summoning was only to brief the two. The time before the operation officially began was still a few decades away. When that time came, Donghai Longzi and Honglin appeared in the Vast Void of the Divine Beast Pseudo System. There they landed in Demon Empress Bluefeather’s realm artifact. Inside, they saw many demons, including Tulong, the dragon that lost to Donghai Longzi at the banquet to welcome him.
All in all, there was only a single demon emperor, eleven demon kings, and sixty demon lords. But it was one demon king that caught Donghai Longzi’s eye in particular.
Said demon king was a jade-scaled dragon with horns seemingly carved out of white jade and a body that nearly rivaled Demon Emperor Redraco. He was Ao Yujiao, the Nine-Clawed Jade-Horned Dragon. The moment Donghai Longzi looked at him, Ao Yujiao’s gaze connected with his.