124 The Frost Dragon Emerges

Flower Island.

Pang Yue’s expression shifted slightly. He stood up and said, "There is a disturbance with the cold-water dragons beneath the sea. I must go and investigate!"

Pei Luanjing floated into the air as well, her tone serious. "I shall accompany you."

Upon leaving the island, the two plunged directly into the ocean. The depths, originally pitch black and impenetrable, were now brilliantly illuminated. Two pillars of icy blue light, ten yards in diameter, surged from the seabed toward the surface. Within these pillars floated two cold-water dragon eggs, each as massive as a small cottage.

Since arriving at Flower Island three years ago and establishing the incubation formation, Pang Yue had not returned to inspect them closely. He had estimated it would take at least a decade for the eggs to hatch. He had not expected such a sudden transformation.

As they neared the pillars, they could feel an faint, heavy pressure radiating outward, accompanied by the intermittent sound of draconic roars. Compared to three years ago, the eggs had swelled a hundredfold. At this moment, they were covered in a dense web of cracks, while surging waves of vital energy and raw life force buffeted the shells from within.

"They are merely hatching; why is the disturbance so great? Could it be that Number Sixteen deceived me, and these are not cold-water dragon eggs?"

Just as he pondered this, a crisp crack echoed! One of the eggs shattered instantly. A streak of graceful silver light burst forth, attempting to soar away along the pillar of light. Pang Yue’s eyes narrowed; the silver light was unmistakably a dragon—elegant in form, with five claws and shimmering silver scales. It possessed the antlers of a deer, the mouth of an ox, whiskers like a catfish, the mane of a lion, eagle talons, fish scales, and a serpent’s tail. Its aura was clearly at the Foundation Establishment level.

Pei Luanjing sent a telepathic message: "Senior Brother, I will pursue it. You watch over the other egg." She transformed into a streak of sword light and gave chase.

"Be careful," Pang Yue replied with a nod. As the dragon fled, it had cast a haughty glance at them, seemingly already possessing awakened intelligence.

Pei Luanjing merged with her sword, slicing through the heavy seawater with speed that rivaled the dragon. Moments later, the pair burst through the surface. The dragon stretched its ten-yard-long body, bathing in the spiritual radiance of the light pillar, twisting and coiling as it let out a series of joyous roars.

Pei Luanjing, clad in black satin robes with her snow-white feet bare, called out sharply, "Do not be mischievous. Such arrogance will only draw unwanted attention and bring us trouble!"

The dragon ignored her, spiraling through the air as if waiting for something. Annoyed and amused, Pei Luanjing raised her hand, unleashing a streak of sword light to circle the creature. "Allow me to teach you a lesson on behalf of my Senior Brother!"

Seeing the blade approach, the dragon opened its mouth and exhaled a breath of frost, freezing the sword light in mid-air.

"Oh?" Pei Luanjing arched a brow, surprised. Although she had not been serious, being blocked by a newly hatched beast was unexpected. She pressed her thumb and middle finger together and flicked them, channeling her spiritual power. The sword light let out a clear, resonant hum, shifted abruptly, shattered the ice, and transformed into a yard-long arc that bound the dragon.

Just as she captured the creature and prepared to return to Flower Island, a savage, thunderous laugh rang out, numbing her ears. "You little girl, release this King’s cold-water dragon at once!"

Pei Luanjing turned to see a burly man with two horns on his head, riding atop a demonic wind as he tore through the sky toward her. An overwhelming aura pressed down upon her, making her feel as if Mount Tai were crushing her. A Golden Core demon!

The demon stood a thousand yards away, yet he reached out, and Pei Luanjing was instantly locked in place by a terrifying, invisible force. She could not move a muscle.

The burly man approached, leering as he looked her up and down. He grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Who would have thought that besides a cold-water dragon, I would encounter such a exquisite beauty... My cave dwelling happens to be lacking a bed-warmer. Splendid, truly splendid!"

His gaze fell upon her long, shapely legs, and his satisfaction grew. He could not resist reaching out to rip the clothes off the captivating woman before him.

***

Beneath the sea, the second egg cracked open. A streak of silver light shot out. Pang Yue had been prepared; a mirror flashed before him, and he shone the Xuan-Fixing Mirror at the light, pinning it in place. Over the past three years, he had refined the mirror into a top-tier magical tool, greatly enhancing its power.

Within the mirror’s light was a silver cold-water dragon, ten yards in length. Its form was elegant, and faint, mysterious patterns shimmered upon its silver scales. Its head was youthful and adorable, exuding a sense of cuteness. A pair of large, dragon-like eyes looked at Pang Yue with a pitiful, human-like plea.

Pang Yue guessed that the two dragons were a pair, male and female. This one was surely the female. He flicked a ray of spiritual light into the dragon’s consciousness, forming a seal to restrain its soul, before retracting the mirror and granting it freedom.

Suddenly, he frowned and looked upward. His gaze, deep and piercing, cut through a hundred yards of water to witness the scene on the surface. "You are courting death!"

He waved his sleeve, and the dragon was enveloped in light, shrinking a hundredfold before flying into his sleeve. Behind Pang Yue, a flash of light revealed a tall figure identical to him. This figure was shrouded in a hazy glow; though its face resembled his, its aura was utterly strange, and it lacked any sign of life.

It was a sword puppet. Its entire body was woven from countless hair-thin strands of sword light, shifting like an illusion, appearing more like a humanoid manifestation of concentrated energy. The puppet moved, transforming into a blinding flash of light, and vanished instantly.

***

Above the sea, the Ox Demon King was followed by thirty Foundation Establishment demon cultivators, their combined demonic aura surging into the sky. He reached out to tear away Pei Luanjing’s silk dress for his own amusement.

Suddenly, a brilliant sword light shot up from the sea, grazing the Ox Demon King’s arm in the blink of an eye. The demon was quick to react and pulled back, but his hand was severed cleanly at the wrist by the blade.

"Golden Core?" He felt a jolt in his heart and focused his gaze on the light.

The sword light struck again, effortlessly shattering the demonic power binding Pei Luanjing. It then wrapped around her and the dragon, flashing back to Flower Island.

Boom!

The island erupted with brilliant spiritual light as a grand formation was activated. A curtain of light draped over the island, flashing with lightning and obscuring everything within. It was the Taiyi Golden Lightning Formation. Pang Yue had purchased this in the Wandering Heaven market a year ago; once active, even a Golden Core cultivator would find it impossible to survive within. After all, it was a formation that had originated from the hands of a Primordial Spirit master—how could it be ordinary?

In mere heartbeats, the sword light had rescued Pei Luanjing and the dragon with such speed that even the Ox Demon King could not intercept it. He stared at his bloody wrist, rage flashing across his face. With a low grunt, fresh flesh sprouted from the stump, and a new hand grew in an instant.

"What manner of bird-man hides in the shadows? Come out and—"

Before he could finish his shout, a brilliant streak of sword light rose from the island and struck directly at him!