Deep within the Dragon Palace, beneath the Winged Dragon Mountain.

Ning Zhiyuan’s eyes were cold as he held a flute in both hands, playing silently. Invisible sound waves spread through the cave like ripples, undeterred by any barriers.

Mu Linfeng’s complexion was still somewhat pale, leaning on a long spear beside him. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Do you really think hiding in the Dragon Nest will keep you safe? Let me show you the prowess of a Dragon Shepherd from the Green Dragon Realm!"

Mu Linfeng lowered his gaze, noticing the faint glow on the Green Dragon Token at Ning Zhiyuan’s waist, his smile deepening.

The status within the Dragon Clan does not depend on cultivation but on bloodline.

Ancestor Dragon is first, Candle Dragon second, Winged Dragon third, Azure Dragon fourth, and Azure Dragon fifth.

Following that are Qiu Dragon, Fire Dragon, Black Dragon, Rain Dragon, and Coiled Dragon.

Nowadays, in the entire Primordial Chaos Heaven, Ancestor Dragon, Candle Dragon, and Winged Dragon have long been extinct, leaving Azure Dragon as the leader of all dragons. Beneath the Azure Dragon, no dragons or flood dragons dare defy.

The Green Dragon Token contains a trace of Green Dragon Essence Blood, which can suppress all dragons and flood dragons below the Azure Dragon bloodline hierarchy, easily breaking dragon might and restrictions, instilling fear in them.

As long as the Green Dragon Token is here, that mere Water Python, not even counted as a true dragon, can be captured with some effort.

After Ning Zhiyuan finished playing his tune, there was no movement within the cave. He frowned, reasoning that he had just injured the Water Python with a trick; now, the melody should have drawn it out for a fierce battle with him.

By then, he could seize the opportunity to tame the Water Python and let it open the restrictions outside the Grotto Heaven to search for that Jiang Yuebai.

The sensation on the jade plate was still present, suggesting that Jiang Yuebai and the Heavenly Stone were unharmed.

"Uncle, what’s wrong?" Mu Linfeng asked in confusion.

Ning Zhiyuan put down the jade flute, coughed twice, and examined the surrounding restrictions, his gaze falling on the mountain sculpted into a Winged Dragon.

"It feels ominous. This world has always been known as the Source Realm. It’s rumored to be the origin place of all clans, hence always jointly guarded by great powers from various realms, with alliances established. I had never valued this matter before, but now, upon descending, I’ve discovered it might indeed be true."

"These are the Winged Dragon restrictions, which even the Green Dragon Token cannot break. I fear that if the Water Python can pass through these restrictions, it might have a way to transform into a Winged Dragon, which would be disastrous for the entire Green Dragon Realm."

Upon hearing this, Mu Linfeng also realized the gravity of the situation, understanding that the Winged Dragon’s bloodline level is just above Azure Dragon.

"What should we do then?"

Ning Zhiyuan surveyed his surroundings. "We must find a way to kill the Water Python before it truly transforms into a Winged Dragon, while the Green Dragon Token can still suppress it. If we succeed, our unauthorized descent into the lower realm would not only be without blame, but be a great merit."

"How can I help you?" Mu Linfeng asked.

Ning Zhiyuan said gravely, "With my current cultivation, breaking the restrictions here might take half a year. Although there’s no one in the Dragon Palace right now, fierce beasts are present. You just need to ensure that no fierce beasts disturb me during this time."

Mu Linfeng nodded. Ning Zhiyuan flipped his hand to produce a dagger extremely similar to Jiang Yuebai’s Dragon Scale Dagger.

*

Inside the Pocket Secret Realm.

As the flute music ceased, the Water Python lay collapsed in a ravaged Spiritual Field, its breathing gradually calming.

Jiang Yuebai took a light breath, shifting the tune to the healing ’Suwen Song’. The melodious notes stirred the vitality in the surrounding mountains and woods, transforming into streams of green flowing into the Water Python’s wounds.

Though the recovery was slow, the bleeding had gradually stopped.

Roar~

The Water Python let out a gentle dragon roar. Jiang Yuebai couldn’t understand it, but she assumed it was thanking her.

She played the tune three times until she was dizzy and swaying.

"I can’t go on; my cultivation power is exhausted today. For the next... three months, don’t expect me to make any progress. I need to nourish myself well; if I can get some Innate Spiritual Water, I could recover immediately."

The flesh on the Water Python’s body began to heal, though its dragon scales remained damaged. It shook its head and soared skyward, heading directly toward the lake.

The clouds parted, revealing a magnificent glazed archway standing high in the sky, radiating ten thousand rays of light.

Roar!!

The Water Python let out a long roar and crashed into the archway’s center.

Boom!

The airwaves dispersed, and the Water Python was fiercely repelled by an invisible barrier beneath the archway.

Unwilling to concede, it turned for another charge, but each attempt met the same repulsion. No matter how hard it tried, it could not pass the archway.

"Is that the Dragon Gate? Could crashing through it transform into a true dragon?"

Though the Water Python had a dragon’s might at this point, its body hadn’t completely shed the flood dragon form. It was only half-dragon, half-flood dragon.

Jiang Yuebai keenly observed that each time the Water Python rammed into the Dragon Gate, a faint ray of light would sweep over its body from the gate. The light was too weak, and such a large creature as it might not even feel that ray of light.

After bumping over twenty times, the Water Python gave up and dove headfirst into the lake, falling silent.

Jiang Yuebai looked speechless; such a strong enemy outside, and it was being so perfunctory. If it were her, she wouldn’t stop until she bumped over ten thousand times a day, right?

At this stage, how could it sleep?

Indeed, without competition, there’s no pressure. Is it monopolizing the Dragon Gate so it’s taking its time?

Jiang Yuebai glanced in the direction where the Water Python had gone back. That annoying foe must still be outside lurking to cause trouble. She had to resolve it quickly.

"You can’t rely on dragons, better rely on yourself."

Jiang Yuebai picked up the Demon Core and the book jade scroll on the ground, and she also collected the scattered Dragon Blood into a bottle before returning to the cabin to purify the Demon Core and cultivate.

After absorbing the daily three Demon Cores, Jiang Yuebai glanced at the Immortal Cultivation Panel.

[Cultivation Technique]

Five Elements Returning to Truth Foundation Establishment Chapter (Ninth Layer: 53,000/990,000)

Currently, it still lacks 937,000 skill level to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection. The Water Python’s Demon Cores had early, middle, and late stages, with an average of 5,000 skill level per day for three cores, it still needed 187 days, over half a year.

Jiang Yuebai decided to speed up the progress, striving to consume one more daily. If there was Spiritual Energy she couldn’t digest, she’d practice spells to expel it, aiming to reach Perfection in three to four months.

After completing daily cultivation, Jiang Yuebai lay on the bed and flipped through the pile of books and jade scrolls given by the Water Python, most of which were the same Dragon Clan text that she found in the Dragon Palace before and couldn’t understand.

But after careful searching, she found two old bamboo scrolls, written in ancient Human Clan text, talking about Dragon Clan origins and Winged Dragon legends.

Seeing a section on the status and ranks within the Dragon Clan, Jiang Yuebai sat up, recalled the characteristics of those two annoying thieves’ belongings, and guessed boldly.

"Could they have something related to the Azure Dragon that suppressed and injured the Water Python? Otherwise, how could an early-stage Golden Core wound a near-Divinity Transformation Water Python? That little thief’s spear once turned into an Azure Dragon, and the big thief’s jade flute also has dragon patterns..."

"Winged Dragon... Dragon Transformation Pool..."

Jiang Yuebai’s eyes flickered, picking up the bamboo scroll as she got off the bed heading straight to the lakeside.

"Water Python, come out for a moment."

Jiang Yuebai shouted to the lake, getting no response.

"If you don’t come out, I’ll commit suicide!"

Awoo!!

The Water Python emerged from the lake, growling in displeasure.

Jiang Yuebai said nothing, directly taking out five privately stashed three-thousand-year-old Spiritual Medicines from her bracelet and began absorbing them wildly in front of the Water Python.

Above her head, the Little Ganoderma visibly grew a circle, blossoming with radiant light, shimmering beautifully.

The Water Python’s eyes were nearly popping out, realizing it had been deceived by Jiang Yuebai, it became furious on the spot.

"Roar again and I’ll commit suicide!"

Jiang Yuebai stood with hands on hips, the Water Python opened its mouth, suppressing its anger down its nose.

"I’m not afraid to tell you, I indeed tricked you earlier to save my life. I can ensure I mature within three months, but I have three conditions."

Awoo?

Jiang Yuebai pointed to the Dragon Gate on the lake, "First, you bump the Dragon Gate thirty thousand times a day. If you miss once, I’ll delay maturity by a day, no negotiations."

The dragon was dumbfounded, thirty thousand times? It would have to bump from morning to night, leaving no time to sleep?

"Has that person outside not woken you up yet? Are you waiting for him to slaughter you, flay your skin? As a dragon, you can’t be too lazy, and just because no other dragon is competing with you, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be ambitious."

The dragon snorted, it knew there was a strong enemy outside, wasn’t the plan already made? Bump two dozen times a day then sleep, after all, dragons rely on sleep to cultivate.

"You work hard to open the Dragon Gate, transform into a Winged Dragon, and you won’t fear him anymore. At that time, I’ll also mature, you can consume me to repair your foundational damage, easily pass the Divinity Transformation Heavenly Tribulation. The Upper Realm is vast with other Dragon Clans to rely on, much better than being beaten every two hundred years here, right?"

The dragon nodded, reasonable.

Awoo!!

"Then I’ll take it you agreed. Second, let me use the water from the Dragon Transformation Pool to refine my body, I can help you fight the person outside. This entire lake’s water, I’m just a small figure wouldn’t use much."

The Water Python extended its claw, comparing its size with Jiang Yuebai, even smaller than one of its toes, nodded.

"Third, also to deal with the person outside, teach me the Dragon Clan Restriction."

The Water Python snorted, seemingly laughing.

Jiang Yuebai argued logically, "If you don’t teach me, I’ll commit suicide!"

The Water Python: .....