Chapter 227: Dragon Vein Flora and Fauna
Chapter 227: Dragon Vein Flora and Fauna
The following three days involved endless bickering, talks, and socializing. Chen Xiyi paid little attention. After digging an Underground Shelter beneath their living quarters, he returned to the Graveyard to wait for news. Simultaneously, he instructed all forces under his command to invade and absorb the remaining sixty-six states’ Hidden World Clans.
Only the Dragon Family remained. He decided they could wait. Once the Hidden Realm Cave Heaven matter concluded, then he’d invade.
After all, their future head was named Long Xuanyuan. With that name? Definitely a top-tier, arrogant protagonist-type. Best to show a little respect.
It absolutely wasn’t because Chen Xiyi worried the Jingzhou Hidden Realm Cave Heaven might accidentally explode.
Three days of arguments ended. It was finally time to enter the Hidden Realm Cave Heaven for the official investigation. Chen Xiyi naturally joined the team.
A quick glance showed a crowd of over a thousand. Removing the representatives of various Noble Families and their personal entourages, the security detail alone had over nine hundred people.
Honestly, most distrusted the Dragon Family’s claims. No one had seen what they described firsthand. Hence, they came to verify things personally.
The Dragon Family had shown video evidence, but most remained unconvinced.
Everyone here had relayed the situation back to their own clans. Simple video footage wasn’t sufficient proof. They needed evidence samples, hard data. Failing that, these Noble Family representatives had to witness the Hidden Realm Cave Heaven’s reality themselves. Otherwise, why would the Hidden World Clans provide funds and manpower?
Nobody was foolish. If the Dragon Family willingly shared access, it was only because the project carried immense risk. Risk too great for one family to bear.
“Leading the team this time is that Dragon Family scion, Long Xuanyuan. They’re putting in capital.” Dongfang Wu murmured, nodding towards the young man leading the group. Around twenty, he wore casual clothes and flip-flops. He appeared utterly unconcerned, less like someone embarking on a dangerous mission, more like heading out to pick up girls.
Long Xuanyuan was indeed flirting with a woman from another Noble Family. She was strikingly beautiful yet visibly uncomfortable, radiating dislike for his behavior. But that wasn’t a problem. Once her curiosity sparked, her defeat would be imminent.
Chen Xiyi observed Long Xuanyuan: Peach Blossom Luck at the forefront, divine-tier ability in the center, ending with the Martial Way… wait, no. This guy practiced the Way of Immortality and had attained moderate mastery.
“After this survey, if he survives,” Chen Xiyi muttered to Dongfang Wu, surveying the crowd cautiously, “arrange his induction. Also, notify our people inside to expedite deployment. The Dragon Family can wait, but locate all targets in Jingzhou immediately.”
“Already handled,” Dongfang Wu whispered back. “They entered this morning. Preparations began immediately. Operations launch this afternoon.”
Many pairs conferred quietly like them, each discussing their own affairs.
Chen Xiyi felt pleased. Intelligent, capable subordinates made a difference. Learning of his full-scale invasion policy, those below had deduced a major event loomed and accelerated plans accordingly.
Minutes later, they reached the entrance to the Hidden Realm Cave Heaven. Special forces with live ammunition patrolled heavily. Anti-aircraft guns stood ready.
The entire Immortal’s Peak was hermetically sealed under a heavily armed military cordon. Unauthorized approach meant death.
The cave-heaven gateway, now one hundred meters wide, had clearly been expanded with heavy construction machinery.
Chen Xiyi didn’t know the specific equipment used, but it surely cost a fortune. Maybe later he’d rummage through his Wooden Storage Chests; perhaps he’d find some.
After encountering the Hidden World Clans, Chen Xiyi had collected entire sets of heavy machinery – every excavator and crane model imaginable. Once his Mud Set was complete, he planned to have the Blacksmith perform Enchantment and modifications. He’d drive that digging machine right onto some grand sect’s doorstep.
“It seems the Dragon Family spoke truthfully. This barrier-like structure is genuine.” Following the group, Chen Xiyi saw a strange shimmering veil across the entrance. It resembled water but wasn’t. More like some enchanted Seal.
Led by Long Xuanyuan, people began stepping through the veil.
One step inside. The surroundings instantly transformed into a wilderness. A blue sky dotted with white clouds stretched overhead.
Glancing around, they stood within forested land.
Looking closer, Chen Xiyi saw none of the Dragon Creatures the family described.
Instead, observing the sky – the blue expanse, white clouds, the Sun – Chen Xiyi concluded it had to be artificial. Not real.
Likely an environmental construct made by powerful spells or materials.
Chen Xiyi remained calm. Others frantically recorded notes or filmed videos. Hearing tales was one thing; experiencing it firsthand thrilled them. A New World meant potential vast profits.
Having walked into a mountain peak yet finding themselves beneath sky and clouds confirmed they’d entered a separate realm.
The security detail tensed. These men were Dragon Family operatives. They knew the special forces unit vanished here. These victims weren’t distant figures; they were comrades.
Just as excitement peaked, a massive shadow blanketed the sunlight.
Everyone looked up. An immense bird blocked the Sun.
It swelled rapidly in the sky before diving down with terrifying speed.
Screams erupted. In that instant, as the colossal bird swept overhead, one-tenth of the group vanished without a trace.
Among the missing were Noble Family members and mostly security personnel.
“What happened?!”
“How can Dragon Creatures be so huge?!”
“Old Third is gone!”
“QUICK—!”
Panic seized the team instantly. The colossal bird’s speed defied reaction. Only Chen Xiyi and Dongfang Wu managed it – Chen Xiyi through sheer power, Dongfang Wu thanks to mastering the Heaven Demon Divine Skill, a Secret Gu Martial Art that earned him the title of Immortal-level Gu Martial Artist. Forget the others, likely even Long Xuanyuan was too slow.
“Intriguing.” Chen Xiyi mentally replayed the bird’s form. “A bird with a dragon’s head, feathers interwoven with scales.” It could be called a Dragon Bird. Dragon traits dominated its appearance. Honestly, context permitting, he’d have caught it.
“MOOOOOO!!!”
Before the crowd could recover, a deep, thunderous cow bellow shook the air, accompanied by violent, earth-trembling footsteps. A heavyweight monstrosity was coming.
Following the sound: distant dust clouds billowed, rushing towards them.
Panic surged again.
“Retreat!” Long Xuanyuan bellowed. He understood the danger. “Everyone! Orderly retreat! NOW!”
Proof was delivered. A price paid. His task? Done. Surviving came next.
The mass scrambled backward. From the dust emerged an enormous blue-green bull, three stories tall. Eyes gleamed like a dragon’s. Scales reflected light in uneven patches across its body.
BOOMMMM!!!!!
It slammed into the panicking crowd. Carnage unfolded instantly.
The security team’s rifles proved useless. Bullets sparked harmlessly off its hide.
Rocket launchers had slightly more effect, staggering the beast momentarily, but achieved little else.
The exit was close. Amidst the rampaging bull, the group scrambled away, fleeing the Hidden Realm Cave Heaven.
Chen Xiyi stayed. He was already here, wasn’t he? Leaving now was pointless.
First, build an Underground Shelter here. Ideal teleportation point. Come and go freely.
As the others fled, the huge bull fixed its furious, bloodshot eyes on Chen Xiyi. It charged him with brutal force.
CLANG!!!
Its massive weight collided with Chen Xiyi—without budging him an inch.
“Decent Strength Path. Too weak though.”
Hitting him didn’t force a loss of 1 Health Point either. Between massive reductions, resistance, and strong defenses, the bull did exactly zero damage to Chen Xiyi.
Chen Xiyi raised a fist.
BLAMMMMM!!!
Black Wraith Mist erupted as his fist hammered the bull’s forehead. Instantly, the creature lost 78% of its Health Points.
[Dragon Vein Blue Bull. Health Points: 22%. Status: Severely Injured]
[Ability 1: Dragon Vein Manifestation]
[Ability 2: Demonization]
[Experiences]
(…)
“Not a true demon. Merely a creature bearing Dragon Vein power, subsequently demonized.”
Chen Xiyi examined the collapsed bull. He grabbed its leg, dragging it deeper into the grotto-heaven.
This “bull,” or truly Dragon Bull, wasn’t the pure Dragon Creature he envisioned. Just hybrid blood. A Blue Bull infused with dragon lineage.
If the Dragon Vein creatures here shared origins with those Peach Blossom Luck Bloodline Bearers… he’d misjudged the bloodline’s source badly.
Under that scenario, the bloodline’s progenitor resembled that murder god from nearby Baldur’s Gate: utterly indiscriminate about its partners.
Miles deeper, Chen Xiyi dealt with more hostile Dragon Vein creatures: a fox with a dragon’s tail, a horse bearing long dragon whiskers, and others.
He also encountered Dragon Vein plants – bizarre plant-animal hybrids. Anything he found, he harvested.
Finding a suitable spot, he began an Underground Shelter.
“These Demonized Dragon Vein Flora and Fauna hold immense, innate hostility towards humans.” Chen Xiyi mused while digging.
“Furthermore, they include animals and plants. This seems unnatural, derived not from standard reproduction, more like… bloodline contamination.”
Dragons were animals. Mating with bulls or birds had precedents. But plants? Totally different phyla! Absurd!
If they were plant spirits transformed into demons, comprehension would come easier. But these were ordinary plants, non-sentient. Reproduction seemed impossible.
“Perhaps my knowledge is limited,” he conceded. “The worlds are vast. Many wonders exist.”
“I just prefer preserving some semblance of normal worldview. Pray this resulted from bloodline corruption, not legitimate reproduction. Otherwise…”
“Admittedly… I’m slightly tempted to acquire that bloodline ability myself. Used wisely… it’d be a terrifying weapon.”
The ability might be ridiculous, but its lethality was undeniable. A true genetic-level weapon.