361: Chapter 361 A Single Thought Determines the Dragon's Fate

The vibration lasted only for a moment before vanishing.

Ye Qingyao's hand did not leave the hilt of her sword; her gaze swept alertly across the surrounding mountain paths and woods.

Su Changge opened his eyes.

"No need to be nervous."

His voice was as steady and unperturbed as the mountain spring.

"It's just the residual fluctuations of the Formation dissipating."

Ye Qingyao's hand relaxed slightly, but she didn't let go of the hilt completely.

"This Disciple was overthinking."

[You weren't overthinking. You were right to be concerned. I'm concerned too. But I can't let you see that I am.]

Hurried footsteps echoed from the mountain path.

It wasn't Zhao Tian.

It was Xiao Huang.

Xiao Huang stumbled up the mountain path, covered in blood. With every step, shattered golden scales fell from his body. Behind him followed the Purple Mansion Saint Master and a few Elders at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage who could still stand.

"Dao Lord!"

Xiao Huang's voice carried from a distance.

Su Changge did not move.

He remained sitting on the rock by the spring, eyes closed.

Ye Qingyao stood beside Su Changge, facing the newcomers.

Xiao Huang stopped ten zhang away from Su Changge.

He didn't dare approach any further.

This distance was what he considered a safe and polite distance.

One step closer would be an offense.

"Dao Lord," Xiao Huang bowed with cupped hands.

"The Four Dragons of Red Ember have been temporarily suppressed in the center of the venue, guarded by twelve Tribulation Transcendence Stage Elders of the Blazing Dragon Sacred Hall."

"But..."

Xiao Huang hesitated for a moment.

Su Changge's eyelids lifted a sliver.

"Speak."

That single word caused a layer of cold sweat to break out on Xiao Huang's back.

"Although the Four Dragons of Red Ember were deterred by the Dao Lord's great Divine Ability and dare not resist for now, they are, after all, at the Middle to Late Stage of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. Less than half of my Blazing Dragon Sacred Hall's Elders are still capable of fighting, and every one of them is injured. If too much time passes and they come to their senses, realizing..."

Xiao Huang swallowed the rest of the sentence.

Realizing what? Realizing the Dao Lord had already left? Realizing the suppression of that giant golden palm was gone?

He didn't dare voice that possibility.

Su Changge understood what Xiao Huang left unsaid.

[He's worried that those four dragons will turn hostile once I leave.]

[To be honest, I'm worried too.]

[My special effects can't stay active forever. Those four dragons will eventually realize they aren't actually hurt and start to get suspicious.]

[I need to completely lock down the situation before they start doubting.]

Su Changge's gaze fell upon Xiao Huang.

"Are you asking this seat how to deal with them?"

Xiao Huang kept his head lowered, not daring to look Su Changge in the eye.

"This old man would not dare. I only wish to ask for the Dao Lord's instructions."

Su Changge's finger tapped lightly on the rock.

"Qingyao."

"This Disciple is here."

"You go."

Ye Qingyao nodded slightly.

"This Disciple understands."

The corner of Su Changge's mouth curved in an imperceptible arc.

[What do you understand? I haven't even told you what to do yet and you already understand?]

But he didn't press further, because every time Ye Qingyao said she understood, the understanding she hallucinated was usually a hundred times more reasonable than what Su Changge himself had in mind.

Ye Qingyao turned and walked toward the mountain path.

Xiao Huang and the Purple Mansion Saint Master hurriedly made way for her.

Ye Qingyao paused as she passed Xiao Huang.

"Hall Master Xiao, I need to borrow your people."

"Please speak, Sect Master Ye."

"Have your Tribulation Transcendence Stage Elders imprison those four dragons separately, with at least three Elders guarding each dragon. Then, bring Red Ember to me alone."

Xiao Huang nodded.

"Also, prepare four sets of Dragon Soul Chains. I recall the Blazing Dragon Sacred Hall possesses such things."

Xiao Huang's eyes lit up.

"We do! The Dragon Soul Chains are supreme treasures passed down by our ancestors for suppressing rebellious dragons, kept in the Sacred Hall's treasury."

"Good. Go get them."

After saying that, Ye Qingyao strode down the mountain path.

Xiao Huang watched her back, then looked back at Su Changge sitting by the spring.

Su Changge had already closed his eyes again.

An indescribable feeling welled up in Xiao Huang's heart.

The Dao Lord didn't even bother to personally oversee the disposal of four demonic dragons, casually handing the matter to his Disciple.

This kind of effortless poise was something Xiao Huang had only seen once in his life.

It was that Senior of the Chixiao Dao Domain whom he had admired from afar in his youth.

But even that Senior would at least offer a few words of guidance.

This Dao Lord didn't even bother with guidance, simply saying two words: 'You go.'

He left all the methods and boundaries for his Disciple to decide.

This level of trust and confidence could only be held by someone truly standing at the absolute peak.

Xiao Huang took a deep breath and followed Ye Qingyao down the mountain with several Elders.

The Purple Mansion Saint Master did not leave.

She remained where she was.

Su Changge sensed her presence but did not open his eyes.

Standing ten zhang away, the Purple Mansion Saint Master remained silent for a long time before speaking.

"Dao Lord, this old woman has a matter she wishes to ask about."

Su Changge gave a hum of acknowledgement.

The Purple Mansion Saint Master's voice was very low, carrying a cautious sense of testing.

"When the Dao Lord suppressed the four dragons with a single palm just now, the Dao Rhyme contained within that palm was beyond this old woman's cultivation to see through, but I could sense a trace of its aura."

Su Changge's heart skipped a beat.

"That aura was extremely ancient. More ancient than the Primeval Era. More ancient than the Remote Antiquity Era."

The Purple Mansion Saint Master's voice was trembling.

"If this old woman's senses are not mistaken, that was... Primordial Qi."

Su Changge said nothing.

The Purple Mansion Saint Master knelt down.

"Just what kind of mighty being is the Dao Lord? Could you be an Ancient Immortal left over from the Primeval Era? Or perhaps an Archean Spirit that existed before the Grandmist was even divided?"

Su Changge rolled his eyes internally.

[Archean Spirit? Can you be a bit more normal? I'm just a high school student.]

But his face showed no expression whatsoever.

He simply opened his eyes and glanced at the Purple Mansion Saint Master.

That glance was very calm.

So calm that the Purple Mansion Saint Master felt her question had been too offensive.

"This old woman has misspoken."

The Purple Mansion Saint Master lowered her head even further.

"The Dao Lord's identity is not for me to speculate upon."

Su Changge withdrew his gaze.

"Your injuries are not light. Go and tend to them first."

The Purple Mansion Saint Master was stunned for a moment.

The Dao Lord was concerned about her injuries?

"Thank you for your concern, Dao Lord." The Purple Mansion Saint Master's eyes suddenly reddened.

She struggled to her feet, gave Su Changge a deep bow, and turned to leave.

Su Changge sat alone by the spring.

He watched the Purple Mansion Saint Master's departing figure and let out a long breath.

[That was close.]

[She almost started digging into the Origin of that aura.]

[If she had investigated carefully and found it was just a hollow simulation of Dao Rhyme, I would have been exposed.]

[Fortunately, she scared herself off.]

The spring water flowed quietly beside him.

Su Changge sat alone for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

Then, footsteps were heard on the mountain path once more.

Ye Qingyao had returned.

There were two more sword-mark creases on her clothes, but no blood, so they clearly weren't from her own injuries.

"Revered Master."

Ye Qingyao walked up to Su Changge and bowed slightly.