Misty Rain of the Old Times

The devastated island trembled violently, creating a crater a hundred or two hundred feet in diameter, bottomless and resembling a terrifying abyss, mercilessly swallowing the overflowing lake water and collapsing rocks.

The sudden turn of events, coupled with the chilling roar that echoed in their minds, terrified people. Thousands of them fled in panic and despair, falling into the deep pit and disappearing without a trace.

Xuan Yang and his companions, who had been rushing headlong towards the man in black robes, stopped in their tracks, staring in horror at the terrifying abyss, unable to comprehend what had happened.

They knew that Grandmaster-level experts were powerful, but this destructive power was simply too terrifying. They didn't even realize how the black-robed man made his move; it was as if he had pierced through the earth!

If we used such methods against them, wouldn't it be easy to wipe them all out?

Xuan Yang often interacted with that grandmaster senior from their Tai Xuan Sect and knew the power of that level. Just a moment ago, he felt that everyone combined could fight back, but now that this had happened, he was a little apprehensive.

Even within the same level, there are differences in strength. However, the fact that this Grandmaster-level expert from the Black Diagram Society displayed such abilities has left them feeling powerless. The key point is that, judging from his previous tone, he was just a relatively insignificant figure within the Black Diagram Society!

Everyone knows that the Black Diagram Society is very mysterious and they don't know much about it. Only now do Xuan Yang and the others realize that what they know about the Black Diagram Society is just the tip of the iceberg. What a terrifying force it is!

They were convinced that the collapse of the island was the work of the man in black robes, and with the deep crater between them, where the lake water had been swallowed, they looked at the man in black robes opposite them, their hearts sinking into despair.

With him watching, we can't leave. If we make a move, the remaining ten thousand or so people probably wouldn't be a match for us. What should we do?
Clutching the ancient longsword in his hand, Xuan Yang prayed that his grandmaster would sense the spiritual fluctuations emanating from the sword and arrive quickly. Otherwise, everyone would die here, and although the Tai Xuan Sect would not be wiped out, it would certainly be a crippling blow.

One thing is certain: after today, the martial arts world in the south of Jing Kingdom, regardless of whether it is righteous or evil, will be in a state of decline. Too many people have died, and it is unknown how long it will take to recover.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye as Xuan Yang and his group were about to launch their attack. While they were lost in thought and their hearts were pounding with fear, the terrifying roar in their minds had not yet stopped when they saw a dark red, chilling aura erupting from the terrifying pit, surging and soaring straight into the sky, like the smoke and dust spewing from a volcanic eruption, but far more terrifying.

A dark red, chilling aura surged forth, and a bone-chilling cold permeated the air. It wasn't a physical cold, but a chill that emanated from the very soul. Those with low cultivation levels were accidentally caught in it, and amidst their terrified and desperate screams, their entire bodies visibly withered away, as if their life essence had been devoured, turning them into rotten wood. In an instant, their clothes, accessories, and even their bodies turned to ashes.

It was terrifying; those who were still alive felt their hearts pound with fear, and despair spread throughout the land.

People quickly moved away from the pit to avoid being tainted by the dark red, chilly aura. Some screamed and tried to use their lightness skills to escape the island, but without exception, they were all killed by the black-robed man, and their bodies fell into the lake and were swept into the pit by the waves.

A dark red, chilling aura surged forth, shooting straight into the sky and darkening the bright midday sun. It also blocked Xuan Yang and the others' view of the man in black robes.

On one side of the island's edge, Chen Xuan and his group stood on the roof of a small building. Even as the island itself trembled violently and collapsed, the building remained unharmed. Under Chen Xuan's protection, the little princess and the others inside the room didn't even feel the tremor.

Seeing the dark red, chilling aura gushing forth from the deep pit and shooting straight into the sky, Chen Xuan's gaze turned serious. He raised his hand, plucked a wisp of it, and examined it briefly, saying, "This thing can devour the essence of living beings to strengthen itself. To use a perhaps imperfect analogy, it's like the internal energy or true essence of a martial artist."

The old man's expression hardened slightly. He withdrew his gaze and, seeing Chen Xuan's actions, kicked him and said irritably, "You brat, watch your step! Do you think you can just touch something you don't know?"

This is how the father-in-law and son-in-law get along; it's the old man's unique way of showing care for Chen Xuan.

Scratching the spot where the old man had kicked him, Chen Xuan said speechlessly, "Can't you speak properly? I'm your son-in-law, for goodness' sake. Why do you always resort to violence? Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan loosely clenched his fist, easily extinguishing the wisp of dark red, chilling aura in his hand. It was true that it could devour the essence of living beings to strengthen itself, but it depended on who it was dealing with. That little bit posed no threat to Chen Xuan whatsoever.

In the short span of their two sentences, a colossal creature, accompanied by a dark red, chilling aura, burst forth from the crater that was constantly swallowing the lake water and soared into the sky. Under the cover of that dark red, chilling aura, almost no one present except Chen Xuan could see its details clearly.

Looking up slightly at the colossal creature soaring into the sky, Chen Xuan narrowed his eyes.

It was a somewhat shriveled dragon corpse, about five or six hundred feet long. Its scales alone were the size of houses, as if cast from steel. Its whole body was cold and black, baring its fangs and claws without any life. It was deathly silent, cold and gloomy, making people's hearts tremble. It had none of the sacred majesty of the legendary dragon creatures. Not only did it not inspire people to worship it, but it also made people feel cold and afraid and wanted to stay away.

"Roar~!"

A deafening roar resounded in all directions, as if it would collapse the heavens and earth. Unlike the previous two roars, this one did not resonate in people's minds. Instead, it was a real howl, and the terrifying roar caused the sky to visibly distort and ripple.

The roar was violent and sinister, making people feel suffocated and chilled, as if it were full of bloodthirsty resentment.

It swam wildly in the high sky, baring its fangs and claws, as if its long-lost freedom had been released. It greedily swam its body, and the black, cold scales made a chilling sound as they rubbed together.

Looking up at the sky, Chen Xuan sighed inwardly. As expected of a legendary dragon creature, even though it had been dead for many years and only a cold corpse remained, it could still soar freely through the sky, unbound by conventional gravity.

Yes, that dragon body had long since died, without a trace of life. As for why it could 'come back to life,' that's a question for the Black Diagram Society. Perhaps it was controlled by some secret technique, or perhaps it was directly turned into a puppet, like a soulless machine.

But this does not diminish its power and terror; in some ways, it is even more terrifying than it was in life!
At this moment, not only Chen Xuan and his group were looking at the sky, but everyone in Yinlong County subconsciously looked in this direction, and even countless people from further away looked in this direction.

"There really is a dragon corpse. Although it's not very clear because it's shrouded in dark red, cold mist, the occasional blurry figure is enough to show how enormous it is. Compared to that, the dragon that Mr. Rong and his group killed together decades ago was clearly a small mudfish. I saw it with my own eyes back then, and it was less than a hundred feet long. Even though I was the emperor back then, I only got less than a third of it. The rest was divided up by various powerful families," the old man murmured, looking at the sky, seemingly still harboring some resentment.

So you weren't even sure before, sir? Chen Xuan was taken aback, then said, "Even though I've been to the underground cave world, I've never seen such a massive being. How much food would it take to feed it? Speaking of which, the dragon that caused Mr. Yushan to lose his leg decades ago, was it Rong Lao, Jiang Yuan, and Wei Wuyai who joined forces to kill it?"

"Well, if the three of them hadn't joined forces, they wouldn't have been a match for any of them individually, let alone killed. The Tai Xuan Sect's Wu Xiang Temple also wanted to get involved, but it ended before they could. Don't bring that up, brat. I did have some suspicions beforehand and made some preparations, but now it seems a bit risky. That true dragon—no, it should be called the demonic dragon or corpse dragon now—are you confident? If not, we can avoid the limelight for now, it's not shameful," the old man said solemnly.

With his mind racing, Chen Xuan didn't boast. He pondered for a moment and said, "There shouldn't be a big problem. This dragon corpse was probably still in its infancy when it was alive, and hadn't truly grown up. At most, it was still in the Grandmaster realm in terms of combat strength. If it were an adult, it would normally be at the Tribulation Transcending realm level. Even if it were alive, I wouldn't be afraid, let alone that it was dead. Even if it had Tribulation Transcending realm combat strength, I'm confident in my ability to protect myself. Besides, even if I can't deal with it, I can still deal with that person from the Black Map Society. As long as I take care of him, I should be able to deal with this dragon corpse. He must have a way to suppress or control this dragon corpse." "That's for the best. Anyway, personal safety is the most important thing. If we really can't deal with it, I'll just call for reinforcements. The sky won't fall down. If the Black Map Society wants to use this to cause widespread suffering, they'll have to see if I agree to it," the old man nodded and regained his composure.

His words left Chen Xuan stunned, and he couldn't help but turn around and ask, "Father, you have this connection? Judging from your tone, you know someone who is completely confident in suppressing this dragon corpse?"

Such composure requires immense cultivation.
The old man pursed his lips, giving an expression that said, "I'm very low-key, why would I need to tell you this?" He continued, "I do know an old codger with the cultivation of the Tribulation Transcending Realm. He owed me a favor decades ago. But as you would say, that old codger is cowardly and treacherous. I don't know where he's hiding now, or even if he's dead. If necessary, I have a way to contact him, but unfortunately, he only agreed to help me once, and only for me. I couldn't even get him to help with my funeral arrangements. It's highly likely I won't need this favor, so I haven't mentioned it to you before, and no one has asked."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan grinned. Old Deng really knew such a powerful person. Speaking of which, how could someone in the Tribulation Transcending Realm dare to act arrogantly under the threat of the Three Tribulations of Heaven, Earth, and Man? He had to hide. Moreover, he probably hadn't even passed the Human Tribulation yet, otherwise his consciousness would be too obscured to make any contact.

A thought struck him, and Chen Xuan asked in surprise, "Father, the person you know isn't surnamed Liu, is he?"

"Not surnamed Liu, surnamed Bai, and an old woman at that. What, you know a Transcending Tribulation Realm expert surnamed Liu?" The old man shook his head in surprise.

Nodding and then shaking his head, Chen Xuan said, "I did know someone with the surname Liu, but he's been dead for over ten years. I learned my martial arts from him. It just goes to show how karma works and fate is unpredictable. Let's not talk about it."

"I was just wondering how the Gao family could raise such a brat like you. It turns out there's an opportunity like this," the old man said with a smile, not dwelling on it too much.

Blinking, Chen Xuan put his hands on his hips and said, "Is it possible that I'm just naturally talented, and that I can improve even if I only practice farming skills?"

"I believe you. Okay, that's enough. The key is coming up," the old man nodded without hesitation. Having lived to his age, he understood that he himself was the key, and everything else was just icing on the cake.

The fact that he didn't take the opportunity to belittle himself made Chen Xuan feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Whether the cold dragon corpse soaring in the sky had been fully released or was being secretly manipulated by members of the Black Map Society, after it roared once more, the dark red, chilling aura that had spread for dozens of miles began to converge on it like rivers flowing into the sea, as if that aura was originally part of it, and indeed it was.

The dragon corpse, rapidly gathering chilling energy, did not become plump and full, but instead became even more sinister and terrifying.

As it shot into the sky, the dark red aura ceased to erupt from the pit. Soon, amidst the rumbling of the earth, turbid water surged forth, rushing dozens of meters above the ground before slowly receding and filling the pit. The continuous flow of groundwater refilled the lake, and the high water level flowed downstream. As a result, it is highly likely that the water level in the lower reaches of the Qingping River will rise again. However, it is uncertain whether the sudden rise in water level after a long drought will lead to a flood.

Now is not the time to consider these things; the imperial court will handle them.

When the dark red aura of the beverage was almost completely absorbed by the dragon corpse and the sky returned to clarity, everyone on the island stared in disbelief at the horizon, especially at the enormous, oppressive dragon corpse, which sent chills down their spines.

"What it is?"

"A dragon! That's a legendary dragon! There really is a dragon in Hidden Dragon County!"

"But this doesn't look normal at all, okay? What kind of dragon is this sinister and evil?"

With difficulty, Xuan Yang turned his gaze to the black-robed figure on the gradually calming lake surface. Even as the sect leader of the Tai Xuan Sect, who had seen countless storms, his voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Did you release this? What exactly do you want to do!"

“Bullneck, have you gone mad from chanting scriptures? I’ve already told you that this is the return of the guardian of my Black Diagram Society. It has been sleeping here for a thousand years, and now I’m just using the lives of some people to awaken it. However, it’s in a bad mood since it just woke up, and it’s very hungry. Next, it needs your lives and blood to nourish it,” the black-robed man said with high spirits.

As he spoke, he looked up at the sky without making any movement. His body floated up lightly. At the same time, the dragon corpse that had been swimming in the sky also descended after absorbing all the dark red and cold aura. When the black-robed man reached a height of tens of meters, the dragon corpse flew down and caught him with its ferocious dragon head.

The enormous dragon corpse, baring its fangs and claws, hovered dozens of meters in the air, its lifeless dark golden eyes staring at the crowd, sending chills down their spines.

In such a situation, how could people not realize that the terrifying, withered black dragon was clearly being controlled by the other party?

Terrified, Xuan Yang forced himself to remain calm and looked up, saying, "You think you can feed it with our lives and blood? Don't even think about it! Do you really think there's no one in the world who can deal with you?"

"You want to stall for time until your Tai Xuan Sect's grandmaster arrives? That's exactly what I'm doing too. The Black Dragon Protector needs his flesh and blood, but it seems he won't be coming... Hmm?" The man in black robes looked down and shook his head, clearly disappointed.

As he spoke, he let out a soft "hmm," his gaze sweeping around, sensing that something was amiss, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"We're right under his nose, and he didn't even notice us?" The old man on the rooftop couldn't help but look at Chen Xuan beside him, slightly surprised.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said, "The cultivation technique I practice is somewhat special; when used, it reduces my presence. That guy's attention wasn't on us before, but now that he's focused, it shouldn't be long before he notices us."

That's more like it. The old man looked at the other person again, his face displeased, and said, "This person has blasphemed against a true dragon, and even stepped on its body. You brat, find a chance to teach him a lesson he won't forget."

Having served as emperor for decades, to do this in front of an elderly person, even if the other person was unaware, was, at the very least, a trampling on the elderly person's dignity, and at worst, a clear display of arrogance and a sense of superiority. Therefore, it was certain that the elderly person would be displeased.

“He didn’t intend to let anyone leave alive, including me, so naturally it couldn’t be resolved peacefully,” Chen Xuan nodded.

Now, Luo Yan, who was already feeling timid, was nowhere near as arrogant as before. He roared, "Do you think I'm easily scared? Everyone, split up and charge! Let's see how many he can protect!"

...(End of chapter)