Chapter 62: Breaking Free

“Alright, I agree to your terms!”

A full two hours later, Tang Jinbiao finally nodded and agreed to the Azure Dragon’s proposal. The Azure Dragon, who had been worried about Tang Jinbiao’s refusal and had prepared various arguments, felt a surge of relief.

“However, after I release you, I have one condition!”

Just as the Azure Dragon was inwardly breathing a slight sigh of relief, Tang Jinbiao spoke up again.

Thump!

The Azure Dragon felt a faint sense of foreboding, but still replied, “Fine, speak. As long as it’s not too outrageous, I can agree!”

“Are you a Three-Step Great Power?”

Tang Jinbiao’s expression turned serious as he asked the question.

“Hmm? Is that all?”

The Azure Dragon was momentarily startled, looking somewhat surprised.

“Yes, just that simple!”

Tang Jinbiao nodded in confirmation.

He was deeply puzzled. He had constantly heard Huang Biaozi talking about Three-Step Great Powers, but according to the Azure Dragon’s description of its own glorious past, it had been an existence capable of turning the sky over with a wave of its hand. Such a powerful Cultivator—was it one of the Three-Step Great Powers Huang Biaozi mentioned?

“Ha! Little friend, you sure know how to joke. A Three-Step Great Power? Although I was once honored as the Demon Emperor, I only reached the peak of the Second Step. If I had truly reached the Third Step, I would have long since ascended to the Divine Realm! Besides, if I were a Three-Step Great Power, I certainly wouldn’t be reduced to this… pitiful state!”

The Azure Dragon seemed to find the question incredibly amusing and burst out laughing.

“Oh, I see…”

Upon hearing the Azure Dragon’s words, Tang Jinbiao inexplicably felt a pang of disappointment. It was as if he had missed something, a path that should have been smooth and wide. He simply gave a faint acknowledgment.

Huang Biaozi had constantly pestered him to learn the Way of Deception, even promising he could become a Three-Step Great Power within a century. But Tang Jinbiao had rejected that chance. Perhaps it stemmed from distrust of others. Moreover, Huang Biaozi wanted him to study a Way of Deception, a concept utterly unheard of—how could he accept that? If it had been something else he was asked to learn, he might have believed it. But all Huang Biaozi talked about was the “Way of Deception” this, the “Way of Deception” that. For someone with as kind a nature as Tang Jinbiao himself, it simply didn’t sit right.

This fundamental aversion to the Way of Deception was why he had consistently refused to learn it. He might have his own little schemes, but at most, he only thought about them; he never acted on them. Much like how he swore constantly, mostly cursing Huang Biaozi or berating himself, he rarely truly directed foul language at others!

His repugnance for the Way of Deception stemmed from the prejudice against cheats and swindlers in his original world. It was similar to how most people in his original world looked down on farmers and laborers, considering them unsightly. Yet, they earned their living by their own labor, creating with their own hands. They should have been a group deserving of honor, yet they bore endless discrimination and scorn. It was an incomprehensible world. Perhaps, just as Huang Biaozi had said, it truly was a World of Destruction, a world that had been cast off?

The thought that his own prejudice might have caused him to miss such an opportunity filled Tang Jinbiao with a hint of regret.

“Hmm?”

The Azure Dragon seemed to sense Tang Jinbiao’s disappointment and felt slightly uncomfortable.

“Alright, give me that demonic technique first. I’ll untie your Seal shortly.”

After a moment, Tang Jinbiao spoke.

The Azure Dragon replied, “Fine. Lower your Divine Sense defenses, and I’ll transmit it to you.”

“No! I don’t trust you. Record it on a Jade Slip and pass it to me that way!”

Tang Jinbiao immediately rejected the Azure Dragon’s suggestion outright. He didn’t believe the Azure Dragon was truly a benevolent creature.

“This… Very well!”

The Azure Dragon paused momentarily. It had harbored a sly thought, intending to seize the chance to seize control of Tang Jinbiao. However, realizing Tang Jinbiao was alert to the possibility, it had no choice but to abandon the idea.

Clang!

Shortly after, with a soft clink, a jade slip fell at Tang Jinbiao’s feet.

“Good!”

Too lazy to examine it, Tang Jinbiao picked up the jade slip and stowed it into his storage pouch. He then walked towards the square table.

Upon reaching the front of the square table, Tang Jinbiao hesitated for a moment. Satisfied nothing was overlooked, he reached out once more for the two tiny swords resting atop it.

Just like before, Tang Jinbiao encountered no resistance, easily lifting the two tiny swords.

Clang!

Two soft metallic sounds rang out almost simultaneously as both tiny swords hit the floor.

Clatter!

The chains coiled on the floor rapidly slithered back towards the mass of black substance.

“Hahaha, hahaha! I’m free! I am finally free! Tang Ni, the Tang Family, everyone on the Divine Wind Continent shall die! Hahaha, hahaha!”

As the chains swiftly retracted into its dark form, the black substance emitted a booming, triumphant laugh.

“Not good!”

The very instant he dropped the swords, Tang Jinbiao realized his grave mistake. The Azure Dragon hadn’t sworn an oath involving heart demons or the like; it was merely a spoken promise. Panicking silently, he immediately tried to bend down, grab the two tiny swords, and place them back. But he was too late.

Boom!

“Hahaha, foolish human!”

Just as Tang Jinbiao started to bend over, an immensely powerful whirlwind seized his body and slammed him violently into the stone wall.

Thwack!

His eyes filled with hatred and resentment, Tang Jinbiao unwillingly spat out a mouthful of blood.

Gurgle… Gurgle…

The moment all the chains retracted into the black substance, a massive transformation occurred.

The dark mass gurgled noisily, then roiled and churned like boiling water. In the blink of an eye, it coalesced into a large black sphere, approximately ten feet in diameter, which slowly rose into the air.

Thump… Thump… Thump…

Floating aloft, the black sphere began a rhythmic beating, expanding and contracting like a colossal heart. Inside its shadowy depths, the faint outline of a small snake could be seen swimming joyfully.

Huuuum… Huuum… Huuum…

Simultaneously, waves of the Dragon’s Roar emanated from within the massive sphere.

“Ah!”

Struck by the immense wave of the roar, Tang Jinbiao let out a sharp cry of pain and was instantly knocked unconscious.

…

At the same moment, within a strange, colorful expanse of space, the Great Elder stood with beads of sweat densely covering his forehead, his expression tense with anxiety.

“Dammit! To think illusions powerful enough to rival these exist here!”

The Great Elder scanned the surroundings but found no path forward.

Buzz buzz buzz!

Suddenly, just as the Great Elder was circling in frustration, a Dragon’s Roar immediately sounded out.

Crack crack crack!

That Dragon’s Roar pierced through like light shattering the darkness. In an instant, the dazzling, kaleidoscopic colors around them fractured slowly, like glass, forming a pitch-black tunnel.

“What? Damn it! That wretch actually came out!”

Upon seeing the dark tunnel before him, the Great Elder revealed no joy, instead his expression darkened. Yet, he did not hesitate. Transforming into an escape light, he shot like an arrow deeper into the tunnel.

Bang bang bang!

Before long, deafening roars and bursts of brilliant light erupted once more from within the depths of the pitch-black tunnel…

…

On the shore of the Azure Dragon Pool, Tang Bi and the others had long since fallen unconscious, lying on the ground heavy as dead pigs. The Elders, their expressions grim, stared fixedly at the center of the pool as if they could see something extraordinary unfolding there. As for Tang Zhantian and Wang Wanyu, they stood silently on the shore, their own expressions complex as they watched the surface of the water.

The perimeter of the Azure Dragon Pool was now encased in a faint barrier. Clearly, the Elders realized the situation might be grave—it couldn’t be allowed to escalate, for if word got out, enormous trouble could follow.

“Tian-ge,” Wang Wanyu murmured, clutching a Tiny Sword made of aged bronze, “do you think Ni’er might be bullied in the Immortal Realm?”

“Hah,” Tang Zhantian forced a bitter smile. “Wanyu, don’t speak nonsense. How could Ni’er possibly be bullied? He’s always been the one doing the bullying!”

Buzz buzz buzz!

Suddenly, deep, resonant Dragon’s Roars pierced through the water’s surface, reverberating across the shore.

“What?!”

“Unbelievable!”

“It’s coming out!”

“Damn it!”

The Dragon’s Roars sent a jolt through every Elder, as well as Tang Zhantian and Wang Wanyu—panic flashed across their faces.

BOOM!

Following the roar, a massive explosion detonated dead center in the lake. Water erupted violently, skyrocketing a dozen zhang into the air to form a colossal column.

Splash splash!

Soon after, the towering column of water cascaded back down. Hovering high in the air where it had stood was a phantom image—a colossal, black sphere. Yet, clearly visible within the obsidian-like sphere, a tiny serpent darted and coiled at lightning speed.

“Hahaha! Hahaha! Free! I am finally free! ALL OF YOU! YOU ALL MUST DIE!”

Mad laughter echoed from within the black sphere. The serpent seemed to spot the Second Elder and the others gathered on the shore.

“What?!”

“Nirvana!”

“Rebirth!”

When the elders saw that big ball, each was struck with terror on their faces. Although it was merely an illusion, everyone displayed shock and paleness.

“Quick, quick! The demon creature is coming out, send the message!”

One elder who reacted more swiftly spoke immediately.

“Yes, yes! Third Elder, quick, quickly notify the Divine Wind Academy!”

The Second Elder also snapped to attention.

“Good! Sixth Elder, you rush back and organize the clansmen to leave immediately! No delays!”

The Third Elder regained his senses instantly and addressed them.

After the Third Elder finished, he patted his storage pouch with one hand. A golden talisman paper instantly appeared in his palm. He whispered a few words to the talisman paper, infused spiritual energy forcibly, and the talisman blazed with a dazzling light.

“Go!”

The Third Elder waved his hand casually. The golden talisman transformed into a golden light streaking into the distance. After a few flickers, it dissolved into the void and vanished.

“Third Elder, Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder, prepare for battle!”

Watching the message talisman pass out, the Second Elder sighed slightly in relief, then stiffened with a stern expression.

“Yes!”

“Alright!”

The elders all wore grave expressions, assuming combat-ready stances.

“You couple! Why are you standing there frozen? Why not take the youngsters and leave? Are you planning to stay and die here?”

The Second Elder wheeled around, roaring at Tang Zhantian and Wang Wanyu.

“Yes, we obey the Second Elder’s command!”

Tang Zhantian didn’t hesitate; he swept Wang Wanyu into an embrace, waved his sleeves, and together with Tang Bi and others, transformed into an escape light to vanish into the distance.

“Whew! May this not be the death toll for our Tang Family!”

Seeing Tang Zhantian and his wife gone, the Second Elder exhaled softly, then shifted his gaze back to the phantom in the sky.

…

“Calling all members of the Tang Family! Within a quarter hour, you must depart the Tang Family and journey far away. No lingering is allowed, and do not escape toward Azure Dragon Pool! Violators will be executed!”

Moments later, the Sixth Elder returned to the Tang Family. Standing high in the sky, he broadcasted loudly.

Instantly, chaos erupted inside and outside the Tang Family. Though baffled, no one dared to disobey the order. Each began packing possessions swiftly to prepare for departure.

After just over a dozen breaths, scattered escape lights could be seen streaking away toward the direction opposite Azure Dragon Pool…