The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

As Zhao Xing began implementing his plan to locate the royal city of Gu Ting Kingdom:

Beyond the Heavenly Dragon Gate, the sects, the Southern Barbarian Court, and the Kingdom of the East all entered in sequence.

Within the Dragon Gate region occupied by the Great Zhou, a grand palace surrounded by Wind of the Xun direction, Heavenly Thunder, and True Fire floated above the military formation.

This was the Jizi Palace, one of the twelve palaces of the Great Zhou's mechanized divine artifact, the Star Axis Palace.

On the white jade steps outside the Jizi Palace, many powerful individuals moved to and fro. Some were personnel from the Military Realm reporting on various factions' movements, while others were logistics officers handling material transfers.

Inside the Jizi Palace, the towering and spacious Tianquan Hall served as a temporary war council chamber, acting as the meeting hall for the high-ranking officials of the Military Realm.

"Have all our people entered?" the projection of Lord Luo asked quietly from within a massive ground mirror.

"Yes, Taiwei. All of our personnel have entered the Dragon Court Ancient Grounds," replied a senior general clad in golden armor, his head adorned with a dragon-crested helmet.

This man was Yang Qingyun, Duke Yang of the Great Zhou, and the supreme commander of one of the three elite royal guards, the Jinwu Guard.

Despite being older and more experienced than Lord Luo, Yang Qingyun still saluted respectfully, acknowledging the latter's position not just as Taiwei but also as the Master of the Martial God Hall and the Dean of the Divine Martial Academy. In times of war, these combined roles made Lord Luo the highest commander of the Military Realm.

"Any unusual activity from the other factions?" Lord Luo inquired.

"There were some prying gazes," Yang Qingyun responded. "The Jinwu Guard has already driven them off, and no battles occurred."

Lord Luo nodded. "Where is the Junior Supervisor Lu Ying?"

Soon after, Lu Ying, a Second-Rank officer and the controller of the Jizi Palace, arrived hurriedly.

"Taiwei." He donned his hat before bowing.

"Lord Lu, is the operation of the Jizi Palace proceeding as expected?" Lord Luo asked.

"All is normal, Taiwei," Lu Ying reported. "The Jizi Palace serves as the formation's core node, with its arrays extending over a three-thousand-mile radius. Based on our current position, we can further expand its range to encompass the entire Dragon Court Ancient Grounds, incorporating areas occupied by the Southern Barbarian Court, the Kingdom of the East, and other sects."

Lu Ying's explanation continued, detailing the various pre-arranged strategies, including deploying the Divine Sea Stabilizing Spikes and unleashing the Jizi Palace Army of 10,000 mechanized soldiers.

As a Junior Supervisor of the Military Mechanist Office, Lu Ying's role was to study how mechanized constructs and heavy equipment could be used effectively in warfare. His thoroughness did not disappoint, and Lord Luo listened intently, occasionally having his staff explain certain technical terms.

After the lengthy report, Lord Luo nodded approvingly. "Good. Your explanation is satisfactory."

He advised further, "The Jizi Palace is the cornerstone of this mission, and you must remain ever vigilant."

"Yes, Taiwei," Lu Ying replied with determination.

The mission to the Dragon Court Ancient Grounds was expected to last up to 20 years. High-grade missions were rarely short, often measured in decades.

After encouraging Lu Ying, Lord Luo switched the scene on the ground mirror, focusing on a secret hall within the Jizi Palace, where Lord Tianyan was present alongside three First-Rank officials, each holding a Creation Disk. Text and images flowed rapidly before them.

Since the rebellion of King Liang, the authority over the Creation Disk had been divided among several individuals rather than concentrated in a single hand. The three officials were also involved in overseeing other regional competitions at the time, though their status was slightly below that of Lord Tianyan.

"Luo," Lord Tianyan greeted as he emerged from a pillar of light atop the high platform, leaving the three officials to continue their calculations within the light.

"How is it?" Lord Luo asked directly.

Lord Tianyan understood what Lord Luo was referring to—particularly regarding Zhao Xing, whose information was now considered highly classified. Due to the broad scope of the Derivation of the Divine Spirit technique's retraining initiative, many in the Military Realm's upper echelons were now aware of Zhao Xing's existence.

"It will take some time," Lord Tianyan replied. "The Dragon Court forms a world of its own, and for the Creation Disk to accurately display Zhao Xing's status, more calculations are needed."

"It has been two hours. At the very least, do we know if he's still alive?" Lord Luo pressed.

"He's alive," Lord Tianyan confirmed.

Satisfied, Lord Luo shifted his focus. "What about the others? Any fatalities?"

"Among the middle-rank officials, three have shown anomalies in their lifelines. There's a 70% chance they're deceased, though a 30% chance they're still alive," Lord Tianyan reported. "Additionally, one Third-Rank official has a 50-50 chance of survival."

Lord Luo nodded, recognizing the inherent risks. The Great Zhou contingent consisted of 5,000 individuals: 3,500 high-rank officials and 1,500 middle-rank officials. While most of the high-rank officials were seasoned entrants, 90% of the middle-rank officials were first-timers. The unfamiliarity and randomness of their entry made casualties inevitable.

"Has there been any significant fluctuation in the Dragon Court titles held by our faction?" Lord Luo asked next.

The Dragon Court Ancient Grounds allowed participants to claim titles such as Dragon Soldier, Dragon General, City Lord, Lord, Dragon King, or even Grand Dragon King, based on their capabilities and achievements.

Dragon Soldiers and Dragon Generals typically corresponded to the middle and lower Third Ranks of human cultivation. City Lord, Lord, and Dragon King titles matched the upper Third Rank, while Grand Dragon Kings were dragon royalty, often in deep slumber.

After the Great Zhou's last departure from the Dragon Court over a century ago, some titles may have been lost due to territorial changes or occupations by rival dragons.

"We don't know yet," Lord Tianyan replied. "As I mentioned, the Dragon Court operates as an independent realm, making precise calculations challenging."

"What about Bai Yunwu's position?" Lord Luo inquired further. "As one of our faction's four Dragon Kings, his role is crucial."

"Be patient, Luo. I'll inform you as soon as we have results," Lord Tianyan assured him.

"All right." Lord Luo understood the difficulties involved. "Remember, any updates regarding Bai Yunwu must reach me immediately."

Continuing in the Gu Ting Kingdom.

Zhao Xing soared through the air in his Fire Transformation form, observing the vast expanse below.

"The Gu Ting Kingdom spans a large area, mostly barren wilderness," Zhao Xing mused. "It's somewhat different from how I remember it."

The Dragon Court Ancient Grounds, lacking agricultural oversight like the Shennong Office, had undergone significant transformations over time. A single battle between two high-ranking dragons could drain an entire lake or flatten multiple mountains.

Of course, the main reference point Zhao Xing sought was the Dragon City.

Dragon race cities were also protected by formations. Especially for royal cities and large metropolises, they were nearly impossible to destroy.

"Meow~" The mountain cat flying alongside Zhao Xing in his fire form suddenly let out a soft cry.

"I see it," Zhao Xing said, his gaze fixed ahead.

In the distance, dozens of dragons were escorting a prison cart through the lower skies.

The prison cart resembled those in the outside world, built like a caged wagon, but it was a much larger version.

Zhao Xing scanned the scene and noted that there were three prison carts in total.

Two of the carts held dragons, while the last one contained three humans.

"Judging by their appearance and clothing, one of them looks like a Da Zhou official?"

"Eighteen high-level dragon generals and over a hundred dragon soldiers escorting a wounded dragon… Hmm? How did these mixed-blood dragons defeat a true dragon? Oh, it's a juvenile."

Having intelligent beings lead the way was ideal. It could save him a great deal of time.

Without hesitation, Zhao Xing flew toward them.

Inside the prison cart holding the three humans, two men in black robes were glaring with hostility at a corner of the cage.

There, a burly bald man carrying an iron hammer sat silently.

"You idiot! I told you not to fight, but you just had to fight! Look where it's gotten us!" a young man with triangular eyes in a black Taoist robe shouted furiously, his saliva spraying everywhere as he berated the bald man.

"Now look! We've gained nothing, and we've drawn the attention of these dragon generals."

"Outsiders like you deserve to be executed!" another man, Cao Qianyue, snorted coldly.

"Shu Yandan, stop yelling," the older black-robed man sitting cross-legged, his hands cupped over his dantian, said calmly, his eyes closed. "Focus on recovering and think of a way to escape."

"Senior Brother Yu, I'm furious! If it weren't for that dog official chasing us—"

Though Shu Yandan sat cross-legged and meditated, his emotions were agitated as he spoke.

For the time being, all they could do was hurl verbal abuse.

The three were injured and severely depleted of energy. Suppressed by the prison cart's restraints, they were entirely immobilized.

"Creak… crunch…"

After a while of meditation, they suddenly heard a crunching sound from the corner of the cart.

Cao Qianyue was chewing on something that looked like metal fragments.

Both Shu Yandan and Yu Yuan's expressions twitched when they realized what Cao Qianyue was eating.

It wasn't just any random item.

It was the remains of the divine weapons they had damaged during their earlier battle.

Their belongings had been confiscated by the dragon generals carrying their storage boxes. Only the broken fragments of their weapons had been tossed casually into the cart.

"The Gluttony Technique… This man is practicing the Gluttony Technique, and at quite a high level," Yu Yuan said grimly. "Hurry, meditate!"

Shu Yandan didn't dare say another word. Both of them were well aware of how fearsome practitioners of the Gluttony Technique could be.

Anyone who could consume divine weapons to recover was undoubtedly a monster.

Moments later, Cao Qianyue regained his mobility.

He wiped his lips, smoothed his beard, and grabbed his iron hammer. His gaze turned cold as he looked at the other two men.

Both Shu Yandan and Yu Yuan shuddered. Why did his expression look like he was about to devour them?

"Don't do anything rash!" Shu Yandan stammered.

"Sir, we're all in this together. We should cooperate and focus on escaping," Yu Yuan added cautiously.

Cao Qianyue swung his hammer without hesitation.

"Bang!"

Shu Yandan forcefully shifted his head to the side, barely dodging a fatal blow, but his shoulder was instantly crushed.

"Whizz—" The hammer returned to Cao Qianyue's hand as he stood, step by step, approaching Shu Yandan.

With a cold smirk, he raised the hammer and brought it down hard on the top of Shu Yandan's head.

"Keep yelling. Go on."

"Weren't you quite lively just now?"

Blow after blow fell.

By the third strike, the spiked hammer was drenched in blood, and Shu Yandan's body was unrecognizable.

After killing Shu Yandan, Cao Qianyue rifled through his belongings and indiscriminately shoved everything into his mouth, chewing it to pieces.

His body glowed faintly as he turned his gaze toward Yu Yuan, a cruel smile forming on his lips.

"Sir, please don't act impulsively—" Yu Yuan attempted to stall for time.

But Cao Qianyue quickly closed the distance.

As he raised his hammer to deliver the finishing blow, a sudden roar interrupted.

"(In Dragon Tongue) Shila shuu hou—!"

The prison cart abruptly stopped, and an alerting dragon chant echoed.

Both Yu Yuan and Cao Qianyue, startled by the sudden halt, were thrown off balance and separated.

They quickly turned to assess the situation around them.

A fiery figure had descended from the sky.

As it approached, the eighteen high-level dragon generals immediately took notice.

They raised their voices in warning, commanding Zhao Xing to keep his distance.

"Roar!"

Zhao Xing unleashed the aura of his fire form, speaking the superior Dragon Tongue.

The oppressive dragon roar silenced all the other dragons present.

"Kneel! (In Dragon Tongue)" Zhao Xing commanded coldly, his gaze piercing through the group of dragon soldiers and generals.

The weaker dragon soldiers immediately fell to the ground, their heads lowered in submission, unable to resist.

Even the eighteen humanoid dragon generals couldn't withstand the pressure. Though they remained standing, they still managed to respond.

"Esteemed Lord of Fire, we are dragon generals under the command of the Lord of Mengyun City. How may we serve you?" they asked respectfully.

High-level dragon generals were equivalent to the fourth rank in human cultivation, the Primordial Soul Realm.

Given their natural combat prowess, dragon generals were generally stronger than human cultivators of the same rank.

These eighteen generals, descendants of the powerful dragon general Jimon who had served the Ancestral Dragon, were impressive.

However, they were noticeably different from the dragons Zhao Xing had encountered in the Ten Thousand Transformations Cave-Heaven.

Their humanoid forms were still covered in many scales, with long tails swaying behind them.

Standing at a height of only four to five meters, they donned oversized armor to protect their fragile humanoid bodies.

Each wielded a spear crafted from sixth-tier divine wood.

"Mengyun City Lord?" Zhao Xing pondered aloud.

The Grand Dragon King of the Gu Ting Kingdom was undoubtedly in slumber, as were most dragon kings of similar rank.

Usually, only one dragon king would oversee a kingdom's operations.

Lord-level dragons, equivalent to the second rank, formed the kingdom's top tier of power.

City Lord-level dragons, equivalent to the third rank, made up the secondary tier.

"I am an old friend of your Mengyun City Lord. Tell me, what's the situation here?" Zhao Xing inquired.

"An old friend?" The dragon general appeared confused but dared not challenge the claim.

After all, not all powerhouses liked ruling cities or overseeing territories.

Among the rogue Dragon Clan members, many powerful beings existed.

Under the suppression of bloodline authority, the Dragon Generals could only comply.

"The wyrmling is one we captured to present as a tribute to Lord Mengyun of the city," the Dragon General explained cautiously.

"The lowly foreign creatures were found along the way. They were also meant to be delivered to Lord Mengyun for his indulgence."

Zhao Xing quickly understood the situation. This was a military operation within the Gu Ting Kingdom under the command of Lord Mengyun.

Infighting among dragons was not uncommon—it was, in fact, an ongoing and severe issue.

Due to the Central Dragon Court being a forbidden zone with strict restrictions on entry and exit, the dragons residing within were isolated.

Since the splendor of ancient times faded and the spiritual energy of the ancient era dissipated, the Ancestral Dragon (Dragon God) had vanished.

Now, in the ancient lands of the Dragon Court, the Dragon God no longer existed.

Even the Dragon Emperor had become a figure of legend.

Without the Dragon God, the emergence of a Dragon Emperor through the traditional methods of divine appointment was impossible.

Without the Dragon Emperor, the authority of the Dragon Kings beneath them also lacked formal appointment methods.

This left war and bloodshed as the primary means to claim dominance—dragons would plunder the bloodlines of their own kind, conquer territories, and increase their fortune through battle, giving rise to new Dragon Kings.

Legends stated that whoever unified the ancestral lands (ancient lands), conquered the ten great kingdoms, and ruled the four seas (territories within the Dragon Court) would become the new Dragon Emperor.

It was said such a feat could lift the seal of the Central Dragon Court, rebuilding its ancient glory.

Therefore, war was the norm within the ancient lands of the Dragon Court. The battles among the Great Dragon Kings persisted for years with no decisive outcomes.

The situation remained stagnant—still the ten great kingdoms, still numerous small nations.

However, Dragon Lords and City Lords frequently advanced in rank.

Even Dragon King-level entities emerged approximately every century.

"I'm particularly interested in the foreigners. Hand them over to me," Zhao Xing said, his tone commanding but calm. "As a reward, I will escort you back to Mengyun Dragon City."

Zhao Xing's voice carried ripples of power, leaving the eighteen Dragon Generals unable to resist. Upon realizing that Zhao Xing had no interest in the dragon wyrmling and only wanted the outsiders, they promptly complied.

"Yes, the eighteen Dragon Generals will obey your command."

Two Dragon Generals immediately approached the prison carriage. Their long spears pierced the enchanted wood bars of the cage.

"Buzz—"

Dragon inscriptions on the sacred wood lit up, two of the bars retracting inward.

Zhao Xing transformed into his human form and appeared within the prison carriage.

The eighteen Dragon Generals didn't react—dragons identified each other primarily through their aura, bloodline, Dragon Language, and tokens of authority. Appearance was, ironically, the least relevant factor.

The Ancestral Dragon's abilities allowed for infinite transformations, making shapeshifting a basic skill.

Without this capability, mixed-blood dragons would not exist, as even reproduction across various forms would be impossible.

Inside the prison carriage, Yu Yuan had initially glimpsed hope of survival. He noticed the fiery aura and the Mountain Cat, alongside other creatures like the Spirit Illusion Goat.

Such a combination hinted at assistance from outside forces, likely humans.

However, when Zhao Xing reverted to his human form, donning the Kirin Marquis attire of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Yu Yuan's hope instantly dimmed.

"Lord Marquis, please spare my life! I am willing to pledge my allegiance and serve you!" Yu Yuan, having regained his mobility, immediately dropped to his knees with a loud thud.

Zhao Xing's gaze swept over him. Spotting the black Daoist robe, he understood Yu Yuan's background. "You're from the Yuan Yin Sect?"

"Yes, I am a true disciple of the Yuan Yin Sect," Yu Yuan answered respectfully.

The Yuan Yin Sect was a top-tier sect.

One of its offshoots had evolved into the Yuan Yin Academy, one of the seventy-two Dao Academies of the Great Zhou.

Zhang Yi, a priest who had once interned with Zhao Xing in Yun City, hailed from this sect.

Even the Yuan Yin Codex Zhao Xing had acquired in the Grand Dream Academy was a treasure crafted by this sect during ancient times.

Zhao Xing did not respond to Yu Yuan but turned his attention to Cao Qianyue. "Are you an official of the Great Zhou? What is your name?"

Seeing Zhao Xing's marquis attire, Cao Qianyue immediately replied in a firm voice, "My name is Cao Qianyue. I serve under the Western Army's Dragon Whale Corps as a Preparatory General under General Zeng Haiming."

Zhao Xing nodded. The title of Preparatory General was a significant military role, found only in elite troops. It was a designation under positions like captains, administrative envoys, or pacification envoys, primarily responsible for handling specialized assignments.

This position required either exceptional combat ability or unique skills—not something an average person could handle.

"Pfft—" Without hesitation, Zhao Xing eliminated Yu Yuan with a swift motion. Turning to Cao Qianyue, he spoke lightly, "Cao Qianyue, follow me."

"Yes," Cao Qianyue obeyed, stepping out of the prison carriage alongside Zhao Xing.

Although Cao Qianyue was only at the pinnacle of the Fourth Rank, his apparent unique talents had piqued Zhao Xing's interest.

Zhao Xing revealed his identity, stating, "I am Zhao Xing, Marquis of Shenwei, concurrently serving as Grand Ritual Doctor, Professor of the Five Classics at Shangluo Academy, and Canonical Studies Doctor at both Xuantian Academy and Kunyuan Academy."

Cao Qianyue's eyes lit up. "You're Marquis Shenwei Zhao Xing?"

"You've heard of me?"

"Of course! Your reputation precedes you," Cao Qianyue replied. "I've even read your annotations on the Two Canons and your treatise on mechanical principles."

Zhao Xing could tell from their brief interaction that Cao Qianyue was likely a mechanist by profession.

The mechanist profession was vast, encompassing numerous branches: blacksmiths, puppet masters, formation specialists, mechanical warriors, shipwrights, and armament wielders.

Divided into martial and scholarly classifications, mechanists were categorized as either martial artisans or scholarly artisans, or referred to as military and civilian engineers.

Cao Qianyue was a well-rounded mechanist.

Zhao Xing smiled faintly and said, "I see you've practiced the Gluttony Technique and cultivated high-level craftsmanship, even replacing your leg and hand bones with artifact-level constructs. Talents like you are hard to come by, even in the Western Army's Dragon Whale Corps."

Mechanists were already a rare profession. Replacing parts of their body with divine weapons could unleash incredible combat potential. However, mechanists rarely practiced the Gluttony Technique, as its compatibility with their artifact bones and limbs was often problematic and difficult to harmonize.

Craftsmanship, on the other hand, was a skill cultivated by forge masters and comparable to the Shennong's Pure Essence Soil or Seasonal Qi Command. No wonder he could hammer a rogue cultivator to death inside the prison wagon.

"Thank you for your praise, Marquis," Cao Qianyue said sheepishly, rubbing his bald head. "I mainly practiced the Gluttony Technique because I love eating. I wasn't planning to modify my body at first—I wanted to keep my stomach intact for food!"

"Hahaha, a love for eating is a good thing," Zhao Xing laughed. "But if you really want to fill your belly, you'd better follow the Shennong path."

"Yes, yes," Cao Qianyue grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

Since the conversation had reached this point, Zhao Xing decided to be direct. "Cao Qianyue, would you like to join me?"

"Marquis, if you would have me, I'd be honored," Cao Qianyue replied, but then hesitated. "However, I serve General Zeng…"

"Don't worry," Zhao Xing said, waving his hand dismissively. "When we're out of here, I'll speak with him personally. For now, at least in the Ancient Land of the Dragon Court, follow me."

With that reassurance, Cao Qianyue knelt on one knee. "Very well. I am willing to serve you, Marquis."

"Get up," Zhao Xing said, pleased. "How many layers of the Gluttony Technique have you mastered?"

"Thirteen."

"What? You've reached the pinnacle already?" Zhao Xing glanced at Cao Qianyue's stomach in surprise. He had expected Cao Qianyue to have progressed far, but not to this extent.

The Gluttony Technique had eighteen layers in total, but reaching the twelfth layer was already considered a top-tier achievement. In the spiritual energy era, the technique could manifest its full power, allowing practitioners to "devour the heavens and earth." Achieving higher layers in the current era of elemental energy was exceedingly difficult.

"You've reached thirteen layers at Fourth Rank Perfection? That's rare, even among martial artists of your rank," Zhao Xing remarked. "Your talent is truly exceptional."

So far, among mid-ranked martial artists Zhao Xing had encountered, only Xia Jing had reached twelve layers of the Gluttony Technique. Xia Jing had achieved it in the first year of the Great Governance Era, but Zhao Xing wasn't sure how far he had progressed since then.

Unexpectedly, Cao Qianyue added, "Actually, I have a good friend who also reached thirteen layers of the Gluttony Technique."

"Oh? Where is this friend?" Zhao Xing asked with interest. Talents like this would be invaluable for future studies in Shangluo Academy's derivative research projects.

"Her name is Li Muwan. She's a Sword Dancer in our corps, but I haven't been able to find her yet," Cao Qianyue said, his voice tinged with worry. "I don't know how she's doing now."

Hearing this, Zhao Xing immediately reassured him. "Don't worry. Once we reach the city and gain access to the permissions, finding her will be easy."

In the Ancient Land of the Dragon Court, everyone's goal was to reach the Central Dragon Court and obtain treasures. It wouldn't take long for this batch of entrants to acquire certain permissions, allowing them to use the city's resources for communication and coordination.

"According to the map, the journey from Mengyun Dragon City to Guting Dragon King City takes three months, based on the flying speed of the dragon generals," Zhao Xing mused. "But if I use my Kunpeng Transformation, I can shorten it to nine days."

"If I gain city lord permissions, I can make the trip in just three days," he thought further. In the Ancient Land of the Dragon Court, acquiring permissions was the first priority. Without them, even traveling was a struggle, let alone accessing treasures or spiritual energy hotspots. Many areas were completely off-limits without proper permissions.

After traveling for two hours under the escort of the dragon generals, a grand city loomed on the horizon.

The city walls stretched for over two hundred miles, shrouded by dark clouds with lightning flickering across the sky. Countless dragon hybrids flew above, though most were of mixed bloodlines. Gigantic prison wagons crisscrossed the air, evidence of Mengyun City Lord's recent victorious campaign against neighboring territories.

In addition, massive dragon turtles bearing entire mountains on their backs moved in and out of the city, preparing for future battles.

When dragons waged war, their methods were direct and overwhelming: flooding rivers if they could control water, or summoning clouds and lightning to annihilate enemy fortresses. The dragon turtles, carrying fiery mountain peaks, symbolized this raw power.

As Zhao Xing approached the city, he spotted a brilliant dragon ship glowing with treasure light passing by.

"Roar~!"

All the dragons turned their heads toward the east, watching a returning dragon convoy. A team of dragon generals escorted the convoy, guarding numerous dragon ships loaded with sparkling dragon crystals piled as high as mountains.

The dragon crystals were so heavy that hundreds of hybrid dragons with chains around their necks struggled to drag the ships, their wings flapping laboriously.

"Dragon crystals!" Zhao Xing and Cao Qianyue exclaimed simultaneously, their eyes lighting up. However, their motivations differed.

Cao Qianyue salivated at the thought of consuming the dragon crystals, while Zhao Xing considered their utility in expanding the Pure Essence Soil. In the current elemental energy era, few treasures could accelerate the growth of high-level plants, and even fewer could be brought into Pure Essence Space.

Dragon crystals, rare and precious, were one such treasure. Outside the Dragon Court Ancient Land, they were virtually nonexistent in the Xuanhuang Realm. Here, however, they were abundant.

"These crystals could greatly enhance the Pure Essence Soil, especially in supporting rapid plant growth," Zhao Xing thought. "Outside, dragon crystals are sold by the piece. Here, they're transported by the shipload. High-grade dragon crystals even contain spiritual energy."

With a burning gaze, Zhao Xing turned to Cao Qianyue. "Mengyun City Lord has won a great victory. Now is the time when his coffers are overflowing."

"Yes, indeed," Cao Qianyue replied, nodding enthusiastically. "Marquis, should we steal some?"

"Steal?" Zhao Xing chuckled. "How much could we possibly steal?"

Cao Qianyue was puzzled. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Simple—eliminate Mengyun City Lord and take his place," Zhao Xing said calmly.

Cao Qianyue nodded instinctively, though he doubted his own ability to achieve such a feat.

"Mengyun Dragon City is large enough to have a Grand Arena sanctioned by the Dragon Court," Zhao Xing explained. "If I challenge Mengyun to a duel in the Grand Arena and win, I can claim his position as city lord."

Zhao Xing had encountered the Grand Arena and Dragon Guardians during his time in Canghai Cave-Heaven. If he could conquer enough dragon cities, he could even become a new regional lord.

The challenge, however, was gaining access to the Grand Arena within the city. Normally, a city lord like Mengyun would immediately rally his forces to ambush any unknown powerhouse trespassing on his territory, never allowing them to reach the arena.

Zhao Xing grabbed Cao Qianyue and swiftly left the dragon general's convoy. His speed was astonishing, vanishing from their sight in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Xing activated A Step to Infinity, swiftly bringing Cao Qianyue, along with a cat, a goat, and a dog, into the heart of the city.

Without hesitation, Zhao Xing began a rapid search for the location of the Grand Arena.

"Hmm? It's not here? Impossible. I clearly remember that Mengyun City must have a Grand Arena," Zhao Xing muttered.

Cao Qianyue scratched his head and asked, "Could it have been destroyed, Lord Zhao?"

"Impossible," Zhao Xing replied with certainty, shaking his head. "Even if the city itself were destroyed, the Tianze Grand Arena, established by the ancient Dragon Court, would remain untouched."

"It's linked to the very rules of heaven and earth. To destroy it, one would need the power of a Great Dragon King. And what Dragon King in their right mind would destroy a venue designed to select and nurture talent?"

Zhao Xing hovered invisibly in the air, scanning his surroundings. By rights, the arena, which was dedicated to Dragon Clan combat, should have been easy to locate. Yet, after searching for a while, he still couldn't find it.

"Ah, I understand now," Zhao Xing's gaze landed on a specific area below. "The current Mengyun City Lord really knows how to play tricks."

Cao Qianyue followed his gaze but remained puzzled. "Lord Zhao, I don't understand. Isn't that just some rubble and debris down there?"

Zhao Xing smirked. "The Mengyun City Lord, 'Pu,' used a Water-Thunder Sealing Curse to seal off the Grand Arena. He then piled up a mountain of junk around it, disguising the place as an abandoned scrapyard."

Cao Qianyue nodded, half-understanding. "So that's how it is."

"It's truly a sign of decline—even the mighty Dragon Clan resorts to such petty tricks now." Zhao Xing descended, shifting into human form as he landed in the cluttered area below.

"Whoosh—" He summoned a gust of wind, scattering the debris. The hidden Dragon Stone Floor underneath the rubble slowly revealed itself. The surface, covered in layers of dust, faintly displayed the emblem of a Thunder Dragon's Head.

As Zhao Xing and his companions landed, steady rain began to fall from the heavens, and muddy water started to seep from the ground.

"A Seventh-Tier Water-Thunder Sealing Curse, reinforced with the blood of an upper-tier Dragon Clan member," Zhao Xing observed, his tone analytical. "The seal uses their blood as its foundation—ordinary dragons wouldn't be able to break it."

After carefully studying the seal's structure, Zhao Xing nodded in understanding. "Got it. This curse is tricky, but not for me."

"Lord Zhao, can you undo it?" Cao Qianyue asked, his tone hopeful.

Zhao Xing chuckled. "Of course. The Grand Arena was originally a pathway for the lower-tier Dragon Clan to rise in rank. The strong climbed higher, while the weak fell away—natural selection at its finest."

"But after the Dragon Court vanished, the Dragon Clan aristocrats did everything they could to seal off the arena."

Pausing, Zhao Xing smiled faintly. "Fortunately, I know the techniques for breaking these seals. This one? I can unravel it with ease."

Charging directly into the City Lord's residence to issue a challenge would only result in being swarmed by countless dragons. On top of that, he'd face the city's Dragon Treasures, which could turn the battle into a chaotic free-for-all. Even if he won, the turmoil might lead to some dragons taking the opportunity to steal treasures and flee, rendering the entire effort futile.

However, activating the Grand Arena left Mengyun City Lord with no choice but to respond. Once the arena was opened, a barrier would envelop the city, and every dragon within would have to await the emergence of a new city lord.

This was a rule set by the Ancient Dragon Court, a pathway for dragons to ascend properly, with the full recognition of the Dragon Court's authority and the natural order of heaven and earth.

While some dragons had the strength to defy this rule, only those of Dragon King rank could do so. To go against the rule would mark one as a Rebellious Dragon, a grievous offense with dire consequences.

"Transform!" Zhao Xing commanded. He activated Fire Transformation, breathing out dragon fire that melted the surrounding debris. Simultaneously, a massive whirlwind arose, sweeping the remaining rubble into the air and scattering it far away.

The Grand Arena slowly emerged from the debris.

"(Dragon Language) I, with my will as the key, my thoughts as the lever, my blood as the offering, and heaven and earth as my witnesses, beseech the unlocking of this seal!"

As Zhao Xing's fire-lit figure dripped blood and recited the incantation, a reaction stirred within Mengyun City's City Lord's Palace—a massive oval structure resembling an overturned bowl pressed against the ground.

Within the palace, City Lord Pu, who had been greedily consuming Dragon Crystals, suddenly snapped his head up. His dragon-like eyes burned with fury.

"Who dares activate the Grand Arena?" Pu roared.

His claws crushed the crystal in his grip, and the spines along his back stood upright as a wave of energy surged from his form. His scales shimmered with a menacing purple light.

"Such audacity!"

With a deafening roar, Pu's body shot into the sky, leaving the palace behind.

Above, the dark clouds churned violently, and a massive vortex formed in the center of the storm. Torrential rain began to pour as Pu summoned his dragon guards, directing them toward the arena's location.

"(Dragon Language) Power of the heavens and earth, converge upon this place. Spirit of the Wind Dragon, scatter the seal; Flame of the Fire Dragon, incinerate the chains!" Zhao Xing continued chanting.

Cao Qianyue, watching the scene unfold, scratched his head and muttered, "Wind counters Thunder, Fire counters Water—so even the dragons' unlocking spells still follow the rules of the Five Elements, huh?"

"If only Xiao Li were here. He'd love to see this," Cao Qianyue added, wistfully thinking of his companion.

The Wind-Fire Dragon Blood Unlocking Curse, also a Seventh-Tier technique, proved no match for Zhao Xing's skill. With the Fire Transformation, he effortlessly broke the sealing spell.

With a fiery roar, the ground around them glowed, and dragon-shaped flames shot into the air. Ethereal shadows of dragons spiraled toward the heavens before vanishing into the void.

Zhao Xing then switched to another chant in Dragon Language: "Great Dragon God, your descendant prays with utmost sincerity. Please bear witness to the rise of the Dragon Lineage! I hereby challenge Mengyun City Lord Pu to a Grand Arena duel!"

The simple and primal nature of Dragon incantations, when translated, sounded like the chants of ancient tribal rituals. Yet, their effectiveness was undeniable.

As Pu arrived at the arena, he sensed the shift in the atmosphere and scowled.

An invisible force of immense power swept through the heavens and earth, driving away the dragon guards following him. The energy guided Pu directly into the arena.

At this moment, Pu faced two choices: retreat and forfeit his position as city lord, leaving Mengyun City and its dragons under Zhao Xing's authority, or enter the arena and accept the challenge. If he won, he would retain his rule.

"Roar!" Pu let out a furious cry as the dragons of Mengyun City paused their activities and turned their eyes toward the arena.

Inside, Zhao Xing's figure stood calmly. Cao Qianyue and all other bystanders had been forcibly expelled—the Grand Arena allowed only the two combatants to remain.

At the opposite edge of the arena, the massive figure of Pu materialized.

"(Dragon Language) You ignorant, vile low-blood!" Pu snarled as he stepped forward, his draconic form radiating menace. "You dare challenge my authority? I'll make you pay in blood!"

Watching the dragon-headed, humanoid form of Pu enter the arena, Zhao Xing smirked. "Such familiar words... such a familiar tone..."

The moment Pu stepped into the Grand Arena, the duel officially began. As a descendant of Jimeng, Pu wielded the power of wind and rain. Instantly, he manipulated the forces of nature to summon a dense storm overhead.

Zhao Xing, however, only chuckled. He had chosen Mengyun City for a reason—its city lord specialized in controlling weather. Compared to a Shennong, how could such a skill even begin to compete?

"Such a crude trick, daring to flaunt it before me?" Zhao Xing sneered. Without even assuming a transformed state, he prepared to face Pu directly in human form.

"Cloud Gate!"

With a radiant flash of golden light, under the very nose of the Third-Rank Dragon, Pu, Zhao Xing's cloud technique directly shattered his innate secret art.

All the dark clouds were instantly sucked into the Cloud Gate, turning it into a brilliant, golden vortex.

"Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish~"

Within the Cloud Gate, countless raindrops shot outward like a torrential rainstorm, rushing straight toward Pu.

Zhao Xing's mastery of the Cloud Gate Technique had reached an extraordinary level, immensely enhancing the strength of his rain-based attacks.

The water elemental intent within his Supreme Myriad Dao Physique, the Divine Water of the Three Lights, amplified the effects of his advanced rain technique, Heaven's Eclipse, which had already reached the Fourth Transformation.

As a result, each raindrop carried the full force of a peak early Third-Rank attack.

"Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap~"

The descendant of Ji Meng, Pu, felt as though the rain was piercing through his very body. He attempted to counterattack but realized, to his horror, that Zhao Xing had somehow appeared behind him.

"No... this isn't right. Why are you everywhere?" Pu was utterly panicked.

He tried to raise his claws, only to find his movements unnaturally slow. A faint streak of lightning danced across his body, restricting him.

It was the Thunder Primordial Lock!

A legendary sixth-transformation technique in the thunder system, this secret art had been unleashed by dozens of Zhao Xing's manifestations, locking Pu in an instant.

"There's no need to even invoke a Seasonal Qi Command," Zhao Xing murmured with a smirk.

"Boom!"

Pu's body let out an explosive sound before collapsing onto the dragonstone floor of the Grand Arena. Bound by the Thunder Primordial Lock, his life and death were now entirely at Zhao Xing's mercy.

And with the sheer number of locks restraining him, Zhao Xing had essentially vanquished Pu in mere moments.

"Buzz~"

From Pu's fallen body emerged a golden dragon-shaped projection, which soared toward Zhao Xing.

"Hmm?"

Zhao Xing once again heard the ancient chant from the Ancestral Dragon's Hymn, a sound reminiscent of the moment he had unlocked the essence of time and space.

Instinctively activating Fire Transformation, Zhao Xing felt his true flame body strengthen further. His control over the fire form reached a new level of perfection.

"Breaking through the barrier of perception, one ascends into the mysterious."

"The ancient rules of the Dragon Court have amplified my Hou Transformation Technique, deepened my comprehension of Dragon Language Edicts, and fortified my connection to the essence of this realm," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"This is one of the perks of becoming the Lord of Mengyun Dragon City—claiming the authority and blessings from the Dragon Court itself."

"Roar!"

Soaring into the sky, Zhao Xing looked down as all the dragon soldiers and dragon generals below bowed their heads in submission, expressing their allegiance to the new city lord.

Taking advantage of the moment, Zhao Xing issued his first Dragon Language Edicts as Lord of Mengyun Dragon City:

"All treasures, bring them to the City Lord's Palace immediately."

"Retrieve every single item en route to Flame Dragon Territory."

"Unseal the sixteen Dragon Springs and extract their essence—"

"All stored Dragonblood Wood, Dragonblood Fruit, and Dragonheart Grass—"

"All dragon generals of Mengyun Dragon City are to search the surrounding areas immediately for any items matching these descriptions—"

Standing beside the mountain cat Long Aotian, the blue hound Xiaotian, and the spirit illusion goat Huantian, Cao Qianyue appeared to be in a daze.

He could understand the meaning of the Dragon Language edicts, but he couldn't help marveling at Zhao Xing's fluency in them. How could his master know everything—whether it was the city's power structure or hidden treasures—as if he had been here countless times before?

But this was Zhao Xing's first visit, and he was only forty-four years old!

"Dunlie, stop standing there like a fool," Zhao Xing called, addressing Cao Qianyue by his courtesy name. "Go see if there are any usable mechanisms or formation tools. Take inventory."

"Non-royal dragons lack the intelligence for meticulous work. They're fine for manual labor, but we'll need to handle the finer tasks ourselves."

"Keep an eye on them and don't let them mess anything up."

"Yes, my lord!" Cao Qianyue responded enthusiastically. Treasure inventory was one of his favorite tasks.

Watching him dash off eagerly, Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile.

Many items that dragons took for granted could be invaluable to outsiders. Treasures hidden like pearls in the dust were common occurrences in places like this.

As a mechanist and Military Shennong, Cao Qianyue's expertise in divine weapons and materials was unparalleled, making him the perfect candidate for the job.

"Long Aotian, Xiaotian, Huantian, feast on this Ji Meng descendant," Zhao Xing ordered. "Dragon meat is immensely nourishing."

"Meow!" The mountain cat's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Woof!" The blue lion hound wagged its tail vigorously.

Even the spirit illusion goat grinned mischievously before pouncing on the fallen dragon.

"~"

Activating A Step to Infinity, Zhao Xing released his clones and began scouring the city for treasures.

Meanwhile, his true form entered the oval-shaped palace at the heart of the City Lord's residence.

"Wow~"

The moment Zhao Xing stepped inside, his eyes were nearly blinded by the dazzling brilliance.

"Haha~"

In the vast palace, a steaming hot spring bubbled in one corner, surrounded by piles of dragon crystals. Scattered around the room were countless tools and artifacts of various kinds.

"Lining your bed with dragon crystals—how extravagant," Zhao Xing remarked as he inhaled deeply, savoring the rich energy. "These must all be top-tier seventh-rank dragon crystals, with even a few eighth-rank ones mixed in."

"Such treasures are priceless."

"Collect them all!"

Expanding his Pure Essence Projection, Zhao Xing swiftly absorbed every single dragon crystal, leaving the area around the hot spring barren and uneven.

"Clang!"

Next, Zhao Xing began examining the shimmering tools and artifacts scattered around.

Focusing on items that radiated spiritual energy, Zhao Xing quickly tallied up the total.

"Over seven thousand pieces!"

One by one, he meticulously evaluated each item using Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique.

Not every artifact's value could be discerned at first glance. Relying on the tried-and-true method of essence analysis was the only way to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Yet, after scanning over half the inventory, Zhao Xing muttered in frustration, "Analyzing all this for nothing? Not a single useful item?"

Undeterred, he continued his inspection. As he approached the last batch of artifacts, a faint golden-yellow light suddenly shone from within a small bronze cauldron.

"Hmm? Finally, a real find!" Zhao Xing's face lit up with joy.