Chapter 41: The Nine Offspring of the Dragon and the Incomprehensible Names

With the brilliance of the holy staff temporarily retracted, dispelling the power of the “Purifying Rain,” Miss Vilyric stepped forward.

A crystal palace, crafted from glass, emitted a faint glow in the Deep Sea, its radiance distinct from the sun and moon, more akin to the shining of a night pearl, naturally blossoming in the darkness.

Using night pearls and luminous stones as lighting was already quite extravagant, but at least that was within reasonable bounds. To say that one could directly use them as materials to create a magnificent palace underwater—only the legendary “Dragon Palace” could reach such standards.

Having safely arrived at the “Dragon Palace” and glancing at the wide open palace gate, Vilyric intended to step inside.

“Hey! Wait a moment!”

Suddenly, a familiar low voice startled the girl, emerging from the sea nearby. A slender, pure white hand with exceptional strength reached out from a nearby coral, grabbing the hem of the black-haired girl’s robe, halting her steps.

As if she had already anticipated this moment, Vilyric did not struggle nor counter, simply turning slightly to reveal a somewhat mischievous smile.

“Oh, what a coincidence that I run into you here~”

“Could you be any more fake…?”

Behind the rather speechless Bai’er, Ling Feng also leaned out, solemnly shaking her head at Miss Priestess.

“Vilyric, you can’t just go in directly like this; it’s too dangerous.”

“Alright, alright, a pre-battle meeting, right? I understand~”

Concerning unknown matters, Miss Vilyric always maintained sufficient caution and vigilance. Although she had some confidence in her own strength, since the host, Ling Feng, had said this, it wouldn’t hurt to heed her opinion.

At the very least, being able to come here with Bai’er proved their capabilities sufficiently.

The three of them, having arrived behind the coral, hadn’t waited for Bai’er—whose forehead was adorned with a talisman that seemed to grant her the ability to breathe and speak underwater—to speak before Vilyric seized on the key topic.

“So, what’s the deal with this palace and this underground sea? Don’t tell me you know nothing at all; since we’re here, it’s time to unveil the mystery, isn’t it?”

Ling Feng, who also had a talisman on her forehead, nodded slightly.

“Vilyric, have you heard the legend of the Nine Offspring of the Dragon?”

“The Dragon… Nine Offspring, you say?”

The black-haired girl appeared deep in thought.

By common sense, as a newcomer to this foreign land, it was natural for the Priestess not to know these local legends. However, coincidentally, the book “Lingyin Seeking Immortality” gifted to her by Zeng Zhuang contained relevant content.

“Lingyin Seeking Immortality” was a very interesting autobiography, not just documenting information about Lingyin Fairy Island, but encompassing the life journey of someone who departed from their hometown more than four hundred years ago, traveling to various places, seeking Lingyin Fairy Island, and ultimately achieving mastery.

However, since Lingyin Fairy Island was the pivotal point that brought the most significant impact and transformation, it occupied a particularly large portion of the text, hence the title “Lingyin Seeking Immortality.”

Setting aside the fairy island, the content regarding the Nine Offspring of the Dragon was something the author had encountered during a youthful adventure before finding Lingyin.

In this world, the dragons of the Ancient Spirit Realm were entirely different from dragons like Xiao Guang; they seemed to represent not a race, but a singular independent being.

Ancestor Dragon

It was said that the Ancestor Dragon was one of the most powerful existences in this world, capable of moving mountains and filling seas, reversing the cosmos, transcending human imagination, and possessing a holy and towering strength. It seemingly appeared alongside Lingyin Fairy Island long ago, yet mysteriously disappeared a thousand years ago.

The Ancestor Dragon had descendants, totaling nine children, but each was different. They each inherited a part of the dragon’s power, or rather, authority, making each one a powerful being worthy of being called a divine beast.

Just like the divine beast Pixiu of the Qiguo, while there may not be absolute evidence, there is a theory that suggests it might also be one of the Nine Offspring of the Dragon.

Nonetheless, similar to the Ancestor Dragon itself, the Nine Offspring rarely appeared in the vision of the people of the Ancient Spirit Realm. Most content regarding them was merely legend or unsubstantiated speculation, with many versions, making them difficult to reference.

What was recorded in “Lingyin Seeking Immortality” concerned the eldest son of the nine, Qiniu, who was relatively well-known.

Qiniu loves music and represents a divine beast of art and beauty, known for its gentle nature and dislike of violence.

At the time of writing, the author accidentally stumbled upon a deep mountain valley, where for some unknown reason, immortal sounds echoed. Curiously, he approached and saw records on a stone tablet at the valley’s entrance regarding this place and Qiniu, but he seemed to be blocked by some force and could not delve deeper.

Ultimately, he had to leave in regret.

According to the description on the stone tablet, this place was called the Valley of Immortal Sound. However, when the author prepared adequately to revisit, the Valley of Immortal Sound had mysteriously transformed into a flat landscape.

By the time he wrote “Lingyin Seeking Immortality,” he still hadn’t figured out what the Valley of Immortal Sound was all about.

Thus, the mystery and power of the Nine Offspring of the Dragon were evident.

“So, this underground sea and crystal palace, was it also created by one of the Nine Offspring of the Dragon?”

Ling Feng shook her head but hesitated for a moment before nodding and solemnly said,

“Well… you could say that. Of the Nine Offspring, it’s the most violent, warlike, and dangerous one, Ya Zi.”

“Vilyric still remembers, right? I mentioned before that beneath this tidal valley, there is a monster-sealing mark, which actually seals this ferocious beast trapped under the sea.”

Lifting her head thoughtfully, the black-haired girl caught sight of a faint shadow in the heights.

“Is the monster-sealing mark the isolated island?”

“Close, but not quite.”

“…”

Though the explanation was somewhat vague, connecting it to that stone coffin and Yuan Zhi, who was performing certain rites under the protection of the Qilin, Vilyric could vaguely guess the general situation.

“Is this Ya Zi very powerful? How powerful is it?”

“Hard to say, but at least when the first West Saint and Qilin worked together back then, they chose to seal it here rather than slay it. I think that says a lot.”

“I see…”

Not continuing the conversation that had reached its conclusion, the girl, donning a plain dress yet still exuding an air of nobility, fell silent for a moment, a hint of sound rising from her lips, sending ripples through the water.

“Vilyric, can I… trust you?”

Miss Priestess spread her hands.

“Who knows? Even if I say yes or no, you’ve probably already got the answer in your heart, haven’t you?”

“Heh… true.”

With a wry smile, Ling Feng offered a jade token.

“A protective jade, the finest of all talismans passed down in this world. There are fewer than ten in the entire Ancient Spirit Realm. Wearing this item allows one to withstand the evil qi of Ya Zi. It’s not a personal item, so please remember to return it to me once the matter is resolved.”

“Can’t you just give it to me?”

Jokingly, the girl accepted the white jade token from Miss Ling Feng’s hand. Though she was underwater, a faint warmth immediately radiated from the jade, creating an invisible shield that naturally isolated the sinister influences from the surrounding sea.

Hmm, it indeed seems to be a good item.

She lowered her head to inspect the jade token a few times and, instinctively triggering “Information Detection,” suddenly paused discreetly.

An utterly unexpected piece of information appeared before her eyes.

“The anti-evil jade, forged by Princess Ling Hen from a millennium-old Yang Yuan ancient jade, comes with the protection of the Yang Yuan when worn to ward off all evils. There were initially ten pieces, three of which were destroyed due to some events, and the remaining ones are safeguarded by the West Saint and Princess Ling.”

This brief line of text stirred up a storm in Miss Priestess’s heart.

“What? Princess Ling… is Hen?!”

   

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