Chapter 370: Chapter 369: Coiling Dragon Cave
Yi Tianyun frowned. Ren Zhirou’s speculation wasn’t without merit; forcibly absorbing Essence Blood and making it one’s own was certainly not impossible. It could purify the Essence Blood in one’s body, and while it might not achieve perfection, it could at least bring one closer.
Besides, since they intended to eliminate Ren Zhirou anyway, taking such a step was only natural.
"So you’re saying, the Celestial Dragon Treasure has been here all along?" Yi Tianyun asked.
"That’s right. The Celestial Dragon Treasure is right here in the Imperial City. But without a pure Celestial Dragon Bloodline, no one can take it, and no one can control it," Ren Zhirou said gravely. "If they killed my brother, they could have extracted his Essence Blood, which would allow the Dragon Chancellor to control the Celestial Dragon Treasure. The fact that he hasn’t succeeded yet could mean he never obtained it. Of course, it’s also possible he absorbed my brother’s Essence Blood, but its concentration was insufficient."
Ren Zhirou refused to believe her brother had died in some perilous land. Such places were only truly dangerous for low-level Cultivators; a powerful one could always escape if they couldn’t win a fight. As the Great Emperor, Ren Long’s cultivation was surely at the Void Spirit Stage. How could an expert of that level die so easily?
Crucially, Ren Zhirou knew that place well. Even she wouldn’t have been in much danger there, to say nothing of her older brother.
"Then have you sent anyone to investigate that place?" Yi Tianyun asked.
"I did, but they couldn’t find a single clue. The only place they didn’t investigate was the deepest part, the Coiling Dragon Cave. Sending anyone with low cultivation in there would be a death sentence." Ren Zhirou shook her head. "I had planned to investigate it myself, but I have too much to handle and would need capable allies to accompany me."
"Coiling Dragon Cave?" Yi Tianyun froze. He thought of the Coiling Dragon Treasure Map in his inventory. ’Could it be for *this* Coiling Dragon Cave?’
He immediately opened the Coiling Dragon Treasure Map in his inventory. A detailed map appeared, showing the entire layout, which looked incredibly difficult to navigate. With this map, however, it would be no problem at all.
He hadn’t had time to explore it before, but now, by a stroke of luck, the opportunity had presented itself. According to the Coiling Dragon Treasure Map, digging at the destination would yield a Treasure. As for what kind of Treasure, it didn’t say.
It only specified that the place was extremely dangerous and required a cultivation level of at least the Spirit Pill Stage to enter. Since he was about to break through to the Void Spirit Stage, this was hardly a challenge for him.
"Yes, Coiling Dragon Cave. Legends say that countless members of the Dragon Race resided there, so there must be numerous dragon skeletons or even Dragon Essence Blood to be found. If someone could unearth them, they could drastically increase their power," Ren Zhirou said gravely. "But those are just legends. To this day, no one has ever found any skeletons, let alone a True Dragon. Then, a few years ago, a pack of powerful Demon Beasts suddenly appeared and occupied the area, frequently raiding and destroying the surrounding cities. My brother took several generals to eliminate those Demon Beasts, but... he never returned."
"That explanation is certainly convenient. If it’s all a charade, then it’s merely a story to deceive the public," Yi Tianyun mused. "So, when do we leave? Staying here doesn’t seem any safer for you than Coiling Dragon Cave."
"I was originally planning to handle a few things here before gathering some experts to go with me. But now that you’re here, we can go together. There’s no need to bring anyone else." Ren Zhirou offered a slight smile. "Let’s depart tomorrow, then. We mustn’t delay... I hope my brother is truly still alive."
"As long as he didn’t fall into the Dragon Chancellor’s hands, there’s a chance he’s still alive."
Yi Tianyun was at a loss for words; it was impossible to say for sure. Ren Long had been missing for several years, not just a few days, so the chances of him still being alive were incredibly slim. Still, that was better than being captured by the Dragon Chancellor. In the Chancellor’s hands, he wouldn’t have lasted a few days, let alone years.
"Yes... I just hope he didn’t fall into the Dragon Chancellor’s hands..." Worry filled Ren Zhirou’s eyes.
After finalizing their plans, they decided to wait for Ren Zhirou to recover slightly, then depart for Coiling Dragon Cave the next day. Meanwhile, General Wang’s corpse was hung from the city gates for all to see, causing a tremendous uproar.
To think that a distinguished general was a traitor who had tried to assassinate the princess! This immediately sparked public outrage, with many pointing the finger of blame at the Dragon Chancellor, as General Wang was known to be one of his men.
The news spread quickly, but those sent to control the narrative moved even faster. An official announcement was made immediately, presenting a mountain of evidence that "proved" General Wang was a spy from the Netherworld Empire and had no connection to the Dragon Chancellor. The whole affair, they claimed, was an attempt to frame him.
After seeing the evidence, many Cultivators in the Imperial City came to the "realization" that General Wang was an agent of the Netherworld Empire. ’No wonder he tried to assassassinate the princess and frame the Dragon Chancellor,’ they thought. All at once, the citizens of the Imperial City were filled with fury, believing the Netherworld Empire was the true mastermind.
Immediately, all suspicion shifted to the Netherworld Empire, and almost no one considered the possibility that the Dragon Chancellor had ordered the assassination. The Dragon Chancellor was the princess’s uncle; even if he wanted the Great Emperor’s throne, surely he wouldn’t need to resort to assassination.
Meanwhile, in a secret chamber, the atmosphere was frighteningly still.
A handsome, middle-aged man sat on a dragon throne, sipping hot tea. He squinted at the figures trembling on the floor before him, his voice calm yet heavy. "You lot are really something else. We were on the verge of a major incident. If all suspicion had fallen on me and I’d lost the support of the people, how would I be expected to take control of the Celestial Dragon Empire?"
This was the Dragon Chancellor—a man whose power was so vast he could blot out the sky with a single hand.
"M-My Lord, it was an accident! We never expected some ’brother’ to appear out of nowhere! He was incredibly strong and finished off General Wang..." The kneeling official trembled, not daring to look at the man before him.
"’Brother?’ How amusing. Ren Long died in Coiling Dragon Cave long ago; there’s no way he’s still alive. It seems that girl found some expert from gods-know-where to get her out of that mess," the Dragon Chancellor said coolly. "I went to the trouble of creating the pretense of leaving to fight the Netherworld Empire just so you could handle this cleanly. I never thought you’d fail to manage even this one simple task. A bunch of useless trash!"
As he spoke the last words, he swung his hand. A wave of Spiritual Power shot across the room, slapping the three kneeling men and sending them flying. Their faces instantly swelled into a painful, red mess.
The Dragon Chancellor’s absence from the Imperial City was a calculated move to make capturing Ren Zhirou easier. With her sudden disappearance, he could immediately pin the blame on the Netherworld Empire, ensuring he was seen as completely uninvolved.
"W-We’re sorry, My Lord... B-But they’re planning to go to Coiling Dragon Cave! This is a golden opportunity!" one of the officials hastily added.
"Hm? They’re going to Coiling Dragon Cave?" The Dragon Chancellor paused for a moment before bursting into laughter, a cold glint in his eyes. "I thought she would hide in the Imperial City forever. I never expected her to choose to walk to her death. In that case, she can’t blame me for being merciless... Dispatch the Six Generals of Sealed Dragon. Just like we did back then, trap them until they die! However, do not disappoint me this time. I want them captured *alive*, not dead. Do you understand?!"
"Understood, My Lord!" they nodded emphatically. "Once she leaves the Imperial City, the princess will have no advantages whatsoever!"
"Correct. The moment she leaves the Imperial City, she loses every advantage..." the Dragon Chancellor sneered. "It seems that after a few years away, she’s returned an utter fool..."
Comments