by Dragon King
After passing four large spired pavilions and crossing a white jade bridge, Hao Ren stepped onto a small training field that was paved by dozens of top-tier spirit stones and had a width of three meters.
He looked up at the plaque over the palace building and read: Hongshou Palace.
The square-shaped spirit stones that had a length and a width of three meters looked very smooth. Hao Ren found that nature essence in his body was activated when he stepped onto the stones. He felt refreshed.
Living with dragon cores, the dragon cultivators were able to absorb nature essence faster than the human cultivators and thus didn’t need spirit stones to help them cultivate. However, only the super-rich East Ocean Dragon Clan could afford to pave the ground before the palace where the overlord of East Ocean lived with such huge top-tier spirit stones.
This luxurious use of spirit stones would astonish the cultivators on Fifth Heaven.
The first time when he came to the East Ocean Dragon Palace, Premier Xia had shown him around the dragon palace. However, he didn’t bring Hao Ren to this section.
It was because Zhao Haoran’s palace was a restricted place even when he wasn’t living there.
Four guards in black stood at the gate of the palace, not moving a muscle.
Hao Ren looked at the four guards and sensed a unique aura from them. From his experience with Su Han and the Lu sisters, he could tell that the four ordinary-looking guards were all masters on Qian-level!
They were Zhao Haoran’s bodyguards and his trusted servants!
They didn’t glance at Hao Ren. Instead, they looked at their surroundings as if they had merged with nature.
Zhao Haoran stepped forward and led Hao Ren into his palace which gave Hao Ren a deeper understanding of luxury.
In the grand hall that had an area of thousands of square meters, there stood 18 coiling golden dragon beams, and golden dragon decorations were everywhere.
A golden dragon throne and a golden screen stood in the middle of the grand hall; it was a magnificent sight!
With a wave of Zhao Haoran’s hand, the four guards in black who were standing outside the palace immediately closed the doors.
Bang! The sound of the doors closing echoed through the palace.
Zhao Haoran walked over and sat on the golden throne, looking down at Hao Ren.
With no officials or elders standing by his side, Hao Ren stood in the middle of the grand hall, which was as big as a plaza, and felt enormous pressure as he looked at Zhao Haoran.
“Old… grandpa.” Hao Ren said after a moment of hesitation.
He planned to call Zhao Haoran Old Mr. Zhao, but he changed his mind in the middle and called Zhao Haoran Grandpa instead. After all, Zhao Yanzi called him Grandpa, and Hao Ren was supposed to do the same.
Zhao Haoran’s expression didn’t change.
Hao Ren continued, “I can’t take the position of the Commanding General.”
While he spoke, Hao Ren walked to Zhao Haoran with the token in his hand.
Considering the situation at the time, Hao Ren didn’t refuse Zhao Haoran on the spot, but he had to return the token to Zhao Haoran in private.
“Humph!”
Sitting in the throne, Zhao Haoran gave a cold snort.
A surge of sharp energy shot toward Hao Ren’s forehead and this powerful energy rushed into his spiritual senses instantly, forcing him to back off three steps with a blank mind as if he lost his consciousness for three seconds.
At this critical moment, Hao Ren desperately circulated the nature essence through his Ren Meridians and Du Meridians to regain a clear mind.
Hao Ren sensed a ton of danger.
If Hao Ren were only at Zhen-level, he would have instantly collapsed!
“You have indeed reached Gen-level,” Zhao Haoran said lightly.
Hao Ren was a bit mad that Zhao Haoran used such a violent method to test his realm.
If Hao Ren didn’t reach Gen-level, he might have died!
“Since you’ve reached Gen-level, I can use the bodily-filling technique,” Zhao Haoran continued. Suddenly, he crossed his hands and reached out for Hao Ren.
Standing in the grand hall, Hao Ren suddenly felt a powerful surge of nature essence coming at him from all directions.
Hao Ren wasn’t sure what this old man was up to. However, since he was like Zhao Kuo, he must hold little regard for mortals as well.
Not wanting to be subdued without a fight, Hao Ren released his Gen-level sword energies.
Three Talents Heaven Earth Array Formation!
The 320 sword energies formed three shields and guarded his vital body parts.
“Interesting!” Zhao Haoran’s force suddenly increased!
Like sea water that was going at him from all directions, Hao Ren was instantly engulfed by powerful nature essence; he couldn’t even block it a little with his sword energies.
Having fought with Qin Shaoyang, Hao Ren knew the fierce power of a Kun-level master. Now, he understood the vast difference between Qian-level and Kun-level!
His sword array formation that could release the power of Dui-level couldn’t hold up for even one second before the power of Qian-level.
Swoosh… His feet left the ground, and he was sucked into mid-air by the powerful nature essence!
Two iron-like hands caught his shoulders.
Hao Ren felt that all of his acupoints were blocked, and he couldn’t even shout.
All his nature essence poured out as if a dam was opened!
Immediately, a surge of more powerful nature essence poured into his body through the Jianjin Acupoint in his shoulder.
This pure and powerful nature essence rushed into Hao Ren’s narrow meridians, causing his acupoints to redden and swell!
The nature essence was filling Hao Ren’s body by force! It completely disregarded Hao Ren’s resistance.
With the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll, Hao Ren had cultivated all five elemental essences. However, Zhao Haoran poured a vast amount of water-elemental essence into Hao Ren’s body!
If Hao Ren had not reached Gen-level and temper his body, his body would have exploded due to this cramming method!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The aggressive nature essence instantly opened three openings in Hao Ren’s dragon core!
“With your steady foundation and mild temperament, you will be a great cultivator with bright prospects! However, you are courageous but not domineering, which means that you can’t be a successful king or lord!” Zhao Haoran said while he transferred his nature essence into Hao Ren’s body.
In Hao Ren’s body, the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll was desperately turning the water-elemental essence into other four elements.
“Zhao Guang is ambitious but lacks fierceness and decisiveness; Zhao Kuo is courageous and fierce but lacks a strategic mind; Zhao Kuan is an unrivaled strategist, but his body type prevents him from cultivating, and he can only ensure riches for his descendants,” Zhao Haoran said in a measured tone as he continued to pour nature essence into Hao Ren’s body.
“Will my East Ocean fall like this? Zi is impulsive and thus is not fit for cultivating and holding power; Zhao Kuo pursues the ultimate peak of cultivation without any wishes to take the throne; Zhao Kuan and his line of descendants are immersed in mortal luxuries, and their dragon mark has begun to dim. I’m old now, so who can steer this ship named East Ocean?!”
Suddenly, the nature essence surged out of Zhao Haoran’ palms at a faster speed.
“The situation of East Ocean is precarious, and I don’t want someone else to take the token as the Commanding General. Although your cultivation strength is weak, your foundation is firm, and you are loyal to East Ocean with a pure heart. I’d rather hand the position of the Commanding General to a less powerful man than to potential evil and ambitious schemers. Before Zhao Kuo returns, you can lead the 1,000,000 soldiers of East Ocean for me!” Zhao Haoran shouted with shiny eyes.
Hao Ren felt like
he was under torture, but he understood Zhao Haoran’s words. Although he had no experience in leading troops, his position was closest to Zhao Guang and Zhao Kuo. Thus, he was the safest candidate for the position.
“My life is coming to an end, and I planned to pass my cultivation strength to Zhao Kuo so that my 1,000 years of cultivation wouldn’t go to waste. However, he is gone and didn’t even come back at the life-and-death moment of the East Ocean Dragon Clan. With Zhao Guang’s talent and ability, it will be a waste to pass my strength to him. Also, Zi’s isn’t unstable, and her realm is too low,” Zhao Haoran continued.
Hao Ren, whose body was swelling up, was astonished by Zhao Haoran’s words. He now realized that Zhao Haoran was not testing him but rather transferring all of the 1,000 years of cultivation strength to him!
Zhao Haoran started the war between East Ocean and West Ocean to force Zhao Kuo to show himself, but the plan failed. This meant that Zhao Kuo must have gone to a far-away land.
Zhao Haoran knew that he must take the opportunity to completely defeat the West Ocean Dragon Clan while it was in its decline! He knew this was his only chance, and he couldn’t miss it!
“I’ve cultivated for 1,000 years, but due to my many killings and intense murderous spirit, I couldn’t break through to the Heavenly Dragon Realm. However, after ruling the East Ocean for 1,000 years, I have no regrets in life. This is what I deserve.”
Zhao Haoran’s hands shook slightly.
Feeling the pressure lightened, Hao Ren gained his balance and turned to Zhao Haoran.
Compared with his energetic look when he just returned from abroad, Zhao Haoran now looked very old.
While he was transferring the nature essence into Hao Ren’s body, Zhao Haoran sensed weak but miraculous nature essence hovering around Hao Ren’s dragon core, suppressing all the powerful nature essence which were beyond Hao Ren’s capabilities.
This was a dharma note left in Hao Ren’s body by a grandmaster whose power far surpassed Qian-level, and this dharma note sealed up the 1,000 years of cultivation strength that Zhao Haoran gave Hao Ren.
Zhao Haoran knew Hao Ren got this dharma note from somewhere else, but he didn’t point it out.
If Zhao Kuo got this cultivation strength, it probably would help him break through to the Heavenly Dragon Realm. Now that it was stored in Hao Ren’s body, it was hard to say whether it would be useful or not in the future.
“Zeng Xin will believe that I’m still alive with powerful cultivation strength so that he will be cautious. You must keep what happened here a secret.” Zhao Haoran took out a black longsword from an ancient storage ring, and he stared at Hao Ren as he said, “You must personally hand this sword to Zhao Kuo when he comes back.”
With both hands, Hao Ren took the icy, black longsword which was made from mystic iron.
Roar… Suddenly, Zhao Haoran turned into a black dragon sweeping across the grand hall. After flying around for two rotations, this dragon shattered and turned into sparkling light dots. Then, these light dots formed a dragon soul who was only half a meter long.
Boom!
The fierce black dragon soul rushed into the black longsword, turning the blades extremely sharp - Black Dragon Spike!
The intense murder spirit which had been accumulating for 1,000 years instantly spread to the surface of the Black Dragon Spike!This means long-living.
382 1,000 Years of Cultivation Strength!
The four guards in black who were outside of the palace suddenly pushed the door open and rushed in.
When they saw the black longsword in Hao Ren’s hands, their faces turned to sadness before kneeling on the ground.
“Dragon king!” they cried.
“Dragon king… dragon king… dragon king…” Their voices echoed in the spacious palace.
Zhao Haoran’s dragon presence still lingered around the pillars in the palace. However, he had transferred all his cultivation strength to Hao Ren, and his essence dragon soul had merged into the black longsword in Hao Ren’s hands.
From the top of the palace rose a surge of black energy which shot into the air.
The surrounding seawater boiled while the black energy rushed out of the ocean and shot up into the clouds in the high sky which were 1,000 meters high.
Boom… The black energy gradually vanished.
A great fierce hero died.
This strange phenomenon attracted the notice of the nearby soldiers, and they came over to investigate.
The four guards suddenly turned into four black light beams and flew out of the palace.
“The dragon king is cultivating! Anyone trespassing will be killed!” Standing in all four directions of the palace, the four guards yelled at the same time.
Hundreds of soldiers who had been rushing over immediately stopped their steps.
Hongshou Palace gradually quieted down while the soldiers hurried back.
“Tell Zhao Guang that the old dragon king is leaving, and he should do what is appropriate from now on!” The four guards shouted together as they stood on the four corners of the roof.
Then, without any hesitation, they chased after the black energy which was gradually disappearing in the high sky and turned into beams of black lights.
“Azure Dragon Guard, Black Tortoise Guard, White Tiger Guard, and Vermilion Bird Guard will stay with the old dragon king all our lives!”
Together with the remaining presence of Zhao Haoran, they flew toward the west.
Didn’t matter what happened, they would stay in Zhao Haoran’s mansion in the U.S. to create the illusion that he was still alive!
In this way, the forces that were coveting the fortunes of East Ocean would stay in their territories. Otherwise, they would copy the West Ocean Dragon Clan, trying to attack East Ocean and seize their properties that had been accumulating for thousands of years.
Standing in the center of the palace, Hao Ren hesitated for a few seconds before injecting a trace of nature essence into the Black Dragon Spike.
Swoosh! The tip of the Black Dragon Spike released a black shockwave which shot out of the wide-open gates before hiding a palace into the distance.
Bang!
A corner of that palace was cut off.
Containing Zhao Haoran’s 1,000-year dragon soul, this weapon was very fierce!
Meanwhile, a chilling murderous spirit crept along the handle of the sword to Hao Ren’s heart!
With Black Dragon Spike in his hand, Hao Ren took several steps back before falling into the golden throne.
Containing the powerful murderous spirit that had been accumulating for 1,000 years, the Black Dragon Spike had a violent impact on the user, and not everyone could handle such a backlash!
Hao Ren had just injected a trace of nature essence into it as a test and caused such great damage. If more nature essence were injected into it, the murderous spirit would cause more damage to the cultivator who used it.
Hao Ren finally understood why Zhao Haoran wanted him to give this weapon to Zhao Kuo.
It was because only a pinnacle master like Zhao Kuo could control such a fierce weapon.
When Zhao Kuo took this weapon, he would find out the truth about the death of Zhao Haoran, and the secret would be out.
To ensure the temporary safety of East Ocean, Zhao Haoran gave up on resting in peace in the dragon tomb.
A heroic feeling rose in Hao Ren’s heart.
He once thought that Zhao Haoran was fierce and overbearing, but now he thought of him an iron man of heroic achievements!
Hao Ren carefully put away the Black Dragon Spike before standing up from the throne and walking out of the palace.
It was very quiet, and the entire East Ocean Dragon Palace was illuminated by a red light.
Hao Ren passed the training field paved with spirit stone and passed the white jade bridge, arriving at the grand hall where Zhao Guang was staying.
Sitting behind a desk, Zhao Guang was looking at something under the candlelight while El
der Lu, Elder Sun, and Premier Xia were quietly standing on both sides of him.
“What happened?” Zhao Guang looked up at Hao Ren and asked.
“The old dragon king… Grandpa went back,” after some hesitation, Hao Ren reported.
“Yeah, they’ve reported it to me.” Zhao Guang nodded and put the thing in his hand on one side of the table before asking Hao Ren, “I think my father has a deeper meaning in handing the position of the Commanding General to you, right?”
“Grandpa asked me to cultivate more and take care of Zi,” Hao Ren said.
“Ok.” Zhao Guang nodded again. “After the war with West Ocean, he does want to go back.”
Hao Ren remained silent. Obviously, Zhao Guang would never imagine that Zhao Haoran had disappeared into nature.
In the eyes of Zhao Guang, Zhao Haoran was as fierce, bad-tempered, and controlling as before.
“Is Su Han still in the dragon palace?” Hao Ren asked.
“She’s still resting in the dragon palace.” Zhao Guang turned to look at Premier Xia. “Premier, please take Ren to her place.”
Premier Xia walked forward. “Fuma, this way please.”
“Uncle, please don’t stay up too late,” Hao Ren said to Zhao Guang.
With a smile, Zhao Guang gave him a small wave before lowering his head to continue working.
With his hunched back, Premier Xia led Hao Ren to Elder Xingyue’s palace.
“Gongzi Hao, congratulations on your promotion to the Commanding General!” Premier Xia turned his head and congratulated him.
“Hehe.” Hao Ren laughed bitterly, not sure how to answer him.
Commanding General of West Peace sounded magnificent, but he had been forced into this position by Zhao Haoran.
“I understand the old dragon king’s intention, but you must be careful, Gongzi Hao,” Premier Xia continued.
“Be careful?” Hao Ren looked at him in confusion.
“Since the old dragon king personally appointed you to be the Commanding General, no one from the dragon palace dares to object. However, the outside…” Premier Xia paused for a few seconds before continuing, “Now that you are the Commanding General of the East Ocean Dragon Clan, the leader of one million soldiers…”