Lu Yinglong hesitated, his eyes fixed on the White Jade Treasure Tower. He didn’t dare charge in. This was an S-Rank Divine Artifact, capable of imprisoning a Nascent Soul grand cultivator or even an expert of the Soul Transformation stage. The tower was legendary, once used by the Houtu Undying Sect to suppress a Great Immortal for a hundred years after they had dared to cause chaos within the sect.

  The tower possessed 33 main levels, modeled after the 33 Heavens, and was divided into three sectors: the Upper, Middle, and Lower Districts (11 levels each). These were designed to hold prisoners of the Soul Transformation, Nascent Soul, and Gold Core stages, respectively.

  Lu Yinglong felt a surge of unease. Why would the Houtu Undying Sect deploy a Divine-grade sect-protecting treasure to intervene in this matter? He immediately established a telepathic link with the Dragon King.

  Roused from a deep slumber, the Dragon King was visibly irritated. However, upon hearing the report, suspicion flickered in his mind: Had the Immortals caught wind of his plan?

  The Dragon King growled, "Hmph, that dragoness (Long Si’niang) will be fine. Even if the Immortals have discovered something, it matters not. They won’t dare kill a member of the Dragon Race; they fear breaking the Immortal-Dragon Treaty far more than we do. Last time we lost because we were unprepared. This time is different. The Dragon Clan is ready, and I have my vast army of Dragon Slaves."

  "Understood," Lu Yinglong replied. "What are my orders?"

  "Send word to her brother—the River God of Ph??ng Giang. Have him stand as a guarantor if necessary. Then, execute the most vital part of the plan: go to Phong Tran. I want to exert my influence over the entire Dark Shadow Army."

  On Phong Tran’s side, the moment he learned that Lien Tran and Long Si’niang were hunting Noe, he took action. Through his investigation, he discovered that Long Si’niang was the daughter of the late River God and the younger sister of the current one. However, following the slaying of the Father Dragon, the local Dragon Clan had effectively severed all ties with humanity, leaving Phong Tran with no way to contact them.

  Fortunately, through several connections in the cultivation world, he was introduced to Long Tam—Long Si’niang’s older brother. Upon hearing his sister was in peril, Long Tam followed the Dark Shadow Army’s guidance to the site. Seeing that his sister had already entered the White Jade Treasure Tower, he recklessly charged in after her.

  At that moment, Lu Yinglong transformed into an elderly man with a sage-like aura, calling himself "Old Immortal Lu." In this guise, he had interacted with Phong Tran many times, offering precise advice that had earned him Phong Tran’s deep trust. It was he who had helped the Dark Shadow Army harmonize the influence of dragon blood to achieve maximum potential.

  Seeing Old Immortal Lu appear voluntarily, Phong Tran was overjoyed. He was currently plagued by the headache of Long Si’niang using dragon blood to control Lien Tran.

  Old Immortal Lu listened, stroking his beard. "Hmm, this is a difficult matter. Dragon Blood Sorcery is an ancient art; it is not easily broken."

  "Don't worry about the cost," Phong Tran urged. "Just name your price, and we will meet it."

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  Old Immortal Lu chuckled. "You truly are a man of business; you understand immediately. Impressive! I never help anyone for free. Dragon Blood Sorcery is based on rank and status within the Dragon Clan. The higher the status of the dragon whose blood is used, the stronger the manipulation."

  "How is the hierarchy divided then?" Phong Tran asked. "And where does Long Si’niang stand?"

  "The highest is the Dragon Emperor (Dragon King)," Old Immortal Lu explained. "Second are the Dragon Kings and the Yinglong. Third are the Minor Dragon Kings (Gods of mountains, rivers, lakes, and the Jiaolong). Wild dragons who cannot speak do not count. Based on your description, Long Si’niang likely belongs to the descendants of a Minor Dragon King."

  Phong Tran realized the truth. The dragon flesh the Dark Shadow Army had consumed came from "wild" dragons, whereas Lien Tran had consumed the blood of a Minor Dragon King, which explained his superior strength.

  Suddenly, Phong Tran revealed, "I possess a single drop of the Dragon Emperor’s blood. How do I refine it?"

  Lu Yinglong’s eyes flashed. Finally, the fish had taken the bait. He feigned hesitation. "That... is difficult! It is an extremely rare, expensive, and toxic item. One slip-up and you’re dead. Come here, let me examine it."

  As Phong Tran extended his hand, Lu Yinglong—in a blur of speed—pricked his finger, took a drop of blood, and tasted it. The movement was so fast it bypassed Phong Tran’s protective energy shield entirely. Phong Tran was stunned; he realized this was a master he could not afford to offend.

  "The Jiaolong arm you've grafted carries more of the Red Dragon's lineage," Old Immortal Lu remarked. "However, the Dragon Emperor is a pure-blood Azure Dragon. These two types are incompatible."

  Phong Tran sighed. "Is there no other way?"

  "Do you want to trade?" Old Immortal Lu suggested. "One drop of Dragon Emperor blood for two drops of the Red Dragon King’s blood." Seeing Phong Tran hesitate, he added, "Fine, for old time's sake, I'll give you three drops of Red Dragon King blood along with the refinement technique. I won’t negotiate further!"

  Phong Tran smiled and shook Old Immortal Lu’s hand, accepting the deal. "I trust you."

  Secretly, Lu Yinglong contacted the Dragon King to swap the blood. Afterward, he helped Phong Tran concoct three Dragon Blood Pills, allowing Phong Tran to successfully break through to the Gold Core Stage.

  The Celestial Maiden's Secret

  Tho Dai Nuong, the Sect Leader of the Houtu Undying Sect, was stunned after hearing Melodia’s report regarding the presence of a Yinglong. She immediately turned to the Celestial Maiden.

  "Hey, what is really going on? You haven't told me the whole truth, have you? I suspected it from the start—you don't borrow my Divine-grade artifact for a 'minor' matter."

  The Celestial Maiden gave a mysterious smile. "Hehe, of course there is something important. It’s not just one Yinglong; this involves the Dragon King himself."

  Tho Dai Nuong’s face paled. "What? The Dragon King? Don’t joke with me! During the last great war, I nearly died at his hands several times."

  The Celestial Maiden’s smile vanished, replaced by gravity. "I am not joking. It is the truth. I still don't fully understand the Dragon King’s ultimate goal. His magic is too powerful; it can warp space and time, preventing my celestial arts from seeing the future. However, I can observe the actions of Lu Yinglong."

  Tho Dai Nuong pondered. "This is no small matter. Should we contact the other Great Sects?"

  "I'm not sure yet. For now, we should only observe. If there is a major move, only then will we convene the Council of Great Sects," the Celestial Maiden replied.

  "Show me the situation directly!" Tho Dai Nuong demanded impatiently.

  The Celestial Maiden produced a mysterious crystal ball. She projected her memories into the sphere, recreating the images and conversations she had gathered. Tho Dai Nuong watched the crystal ball like a film, rewinding and scrutinizing every word.

  When she finished, she frowned. "What is Lu Yinglong planning? Why is he secretly helping Long Si’niang and Phong Tran break through to the Gold Core stage while hiding his identity as 'Old Immortal Lu'? Is he afraid of being implicated, or is he brewing a deeper conspiracy?"

  The Celestial Maiden only shook her head. "I do not know. The chess pieces have only just begun to move."