103: Chapter 103 Deeper into the Ancestral Dragon Abyss: Something's not right about this dragon energy?

Waves surged and rolled across the black ocean.

On the square in front of the Crystal Palace complex, thousands of Black Dragon Guards clad in black armor held long spears, standing in solemn readiness.

A chilling aura of slaughter filled the air.

Just then, a silver stream of light streaked across the sky, landing in the center of the square.

It was Long Aoxue.

At this moment, though her face was still somewhat pale, her innate royal dignity remained undiminished. Behind her, tied with two "Immortal-Binding Ropes," were the dejected Xu Chen and the expressionless Nangong Waner.

"Pri... Princess?!"

The Dragon Race Commander in charge of the guards was shocked. He instinctively moved to salute, but then, remembering the current situation, he abruptly stopped, his gaze becoming complicated.

"What? Upon seeing this Princess, you don't even know how to salute anymore?"

Long Aoxue cold snorted, her gaze like lightning as she scanned the field.

That suppression originating from her bloodline caused all the Black Dragon Guards present to subconciously lower their heads, their hands gripping their weapons trembling slightly.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

A burst of crisp applause suddenly came from the direction of the main hall.

A middle-aged man with a sinister face, wearing a black-gold dragon robe, walked out slowly, surrounded by a group of Supreme Elders. He radiated the terrifying aura of a peak Half-Saint, and in his narrow eyes, undisguised greed and triumph flickered.

It was the usurper, Black Dragon King Ao Hei.

"My dear niece, you've finally come to your senses and are willing to return?"

Ao Hei's gaze roamed unscrupulously over Long Aoxue before finally landing on Xu Chen and Waner behind her, his eyes instantly lighting up.

"Is this the 'sincerity' you've brought?"

"Correct."

Long Aoxue suppressed the disgust in her heart and, following the lines Xu Chen had taught her, spoke expressionlessly.

"I've thought it through. The Dragon Race cannot be without a master for a single day. Rather than letting outsiders laugh at us, I might as well grant your wish."

"These two humans—one is Born with a Sword Spirit, and the other is a peerless genius with a special constitution. I captured them on my path of escape."

"I offer them to you as... a dowry."

"Good! Good! Good!"

Ao Hei laughed towards the sky, the last trace of doubt in his heart vanishing into thin air.

He could sense that the blood energy in those two humans was extremely vigorous; they were practically humanoid divine medicines. If he could refine and devour them, his cultivation would surely reach the next level!

"Since my niece is so thoughtful, then this Uncle will not be polite."

Ao Hei waved his hand, about to have people take Xu Chen and Waner away.

"Wait."

Long Aoxue suddenly spoke, taking a step forward.

"Uncle, since we are to be married, it must naturally be legitimate. Although Father... the ancestral instructions cannot be discarded."

"I must first go to the Ancestral Dragon Abyss to retrieve the 'Dragon Pearl' passed down by successive Dragon Emperors. Only by obtaining the Dragon Pearl can this wedding be considered a true transfer of imperial power."

At this point, she pointed to the two people behind her.

"Moreover, opening the seal of the Ancestral Dragon Abyss requires a large amount of blood energy for sacrifice. These two humans are perfect to be used as blood sacrifices to open the gate."

Hearing this, Ao Hei's brow furrowed slightly.

The Ancestral Dragon Abyss was a Dragon Race forbidden land; only those with the purest imperial bloodline could enter. Although he had usurped the throne, because his bloodline was not pure, he had never been able to step foot into the forbidden land, which was a constant source of frustration for him.

If Long Aoxue could bring out the Dragon Pearl... then he could truly and legitimately rule over all demons!

"Are you certain you are only going to retrieve the Dragon Pearl?"

Ao Hei stared at her suspiciously.

"I am already in the palm of your hand, and trapped by that Myriad Dragon Sky Locking Formation. Could I possibly run away?"

Long Aoxue gave a self-deprecating smile, her eyes showing a convincing sense of "resignation."

Ao Hei thought about it and agreed.

The entire Dragon Palace was locked down by him; Long Aoxue couldn't escape even if she had wings. Furthermore, the Ancestral Dragon Abyss was a dead end; as long as he guarded the entrance, Long Aoxue wouldn't be able to cause any trouble regardless of what tricks she had.

"Fine!"

A sharp light flashed in Ao Hei's eyes.

"Since my niece has such filial piety, then Uncle will accompany you for a trip. However..."

"I will guard the abyss entrance. If you do not come out within half an hour, I will directly activate the formation and level the entire Ancestral Dragon Abyss!"

...

Fifteen minutes later.

In the rear mountain of the Dragon Palace, at the entrance of an abyss shrouded in mist.

As Long Aoxue forced out a drop of essence blood and dripped it onto the stone tablet, the ancient restriction that had troubled Ao Hei for months finally slowly opened a gap.

A vast, ancient, and somewhat hot Dragon Qi instantly surged out from within the abyss.

"Go in."

Ao Hei stood at the entrance, making a gesture of "invitation," his gaze cold.

Long Aoxue took a deep breath and, leading Xu Chen and Waner, stepped into that unknown darkness.

Not until the three figures had completely disappeared did the restriction close once more.

"Phew..."

The moment they entered the passage, Long Aoxue felt as if she were completely exhausted. Her legs went soft, and she almost fell.

"Nice acting."

Xu Chen casually shattered the spiritual energy ropes on his body, supported her arm, and praised her with a smile.

"That look just now—despair mixed with unwillingness, and unwillingness mixed with resignation—it was very layered. I might consider giving you an 'Oscar' later."

"Stop being flippant!"

Long Aoxue glared at him and shook off his hand, but her cheeks turned slightly red because of the contact.

"Don't think it's safe just because we're in here. That old fox Ao Hei is definitely guarding the outside. We only have half an hour."

"Half an hour is enough."

Xu Chen straightened his clothes and cast his gaze forward.

This was a passage paved with massive dragon bones, with countless glowing fluorites embedded in the rock walls on both sides. The deeper they went, the higher the temperature in the air became, and that ancient Dragon Qi grew increasingly dense.

"Waner, how are you feeling?"

Xu Chen turned to look at Nangong Waner.

"A bit stifling."

Nangong Waner furrowed her delicate brows. The ancient sword in her hand emitted a faint hum, seemingly resisting the aura here.

"The pressure here is very strong; it has a suppressive effect on a sword cultivator's spiritual energy circulation."

"That's normal."

Long Aoxue led the way in front, explaining:

"This is the burial ground of successive Dragon Emperors, filled with the most primitive Ancestral Dragon Qi. Except for those with Dragon Race bloodlines, other races will be rejected here."

"The ancestral dragon divine grass we are looking for is right beside the Dragon Transformation Pool in the deepest part."

The three of them quickened their pace.

However.

As they continued deeper, Xu Chen noticed that Long Aoxue up ahead seemed a bit off.

Her footsteps began to grow unsteady, and her breathing gradually became hurried. Her originally upright back was now actually trembling slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Xu Chen took two quick steps and arrived at her side.

This look, however, made him pause slightly.

Long Aoxue's originally jade-white skin was now actually flushed with a strange layer of pink. The pair of silver dragon horns on her forehead were glowing even more intensely, with faint blood vessels even appearing.

Those silver eyes were now covered by a layer of misty haze, her gaze unfocused as if she were desperately enduring some great pain... or rather, a craving.

"Hot..."

Long Aoxue tugged at her collar, her voice incredibly raspy and carrying a hint of sweet, nasal tone.

"The Dragon Qi here... why is it so burning..."

"Burning?"

Xu Chen's brow furrowed.

He possessed the Hongmeng Creation Body and was immune to all phenomena, so he naturally felt no abnormality. Although Waner felt stifled, it was merely the pressure.

Only Long Aoxue, this pure-blooded True Dragon, was having an outrageously large reaction.

"Something's wrong."

Xu Chen grabbed her wrist, wanting to check her pulse.

She was burning to the touch!

It was like holding a red-hot iron.

[Ding! Special environmental reaction detected!]

In his mind, the system's cold electronic voice suddenly rang out.

[Current Environment: Ancestral Dragon Abyss (Ancestral Dragon Qi Concentration: MAX).]

[Target Status Analysis: Long Aoxue (Atavistic True Dragon Bloodline).]

[Diagnostic Result: 'Atavistic Agitation' triggered by bloodline resonance. Because the Ancestral Dragon Qi here is too pure and overbearing, it has greatly stimulated the target's primitive instincts.]

[Common Explanation: Dragon nature is inherently lustful. Stimulated by high concentrations of Ancestral Dragon Qi, the primitive desires in her body have been magnified a thousand times. She is currently at the threshold of her 'estrus period.']

[Warning: If Yin-Yang Harmony is not performed in time, the target will risk death by body explosion, or completely devolving into a beast that knows only mating.]

"Holy crap..."

After hearing the system's explanation, Xu Chen couldn't help but curse.

What kind of situation was this?

He came to steal a herb, and ended up triggering this kind of hidden plot?

"Husband, what's wrong with her?"

Nangong Waner also noticed something was wrong. She walked forward and looked at the red-faced, misty-eyed Long Aoxue, asking with some concern.

"She seems... poisoned?"

"It's not poison."

Xu Chen shook his head with a strange expression.

"She's been over-nourished."

Just then.

"Roar..."

A low and suppressed dragon roar came from deep within Long Aoxue's throat.

She finally could no longer hold on; her legs went soft, and she fell directly toward Xu Chen.

Xu Chen instinctively reached out to catch her.

This single touch was like lighting a powder keg.

Coming into contact with that dense masculine aura on Xu Chen's body, Long Aoxue, who was already on the verge of collapse, instantly lost her last shred of reason.

"Give it to me..."

Her hands tightly gripped Xu Chen's lapels, her burning body coiling up like a beautiful snake. Those originally haughty eyes now held only the most primitive craving, staring fixedly at Xu Chen's lips.

"Help me... please..."

At this moment, any dignity as a Princess, any hatred for the human race—all were swept away by that surging instinct.

She only knew that the man before her was her only antidote.

"Husband!"

Nangong Waner's eyes widened. Watching this scene, the sword in her hand almost fell to the ground.

This was too... too sudden, right?

"Ahem, Waner, the situation is urgent. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."

Looking at this peerless dragon girl in his arms who had already begun to grope him and was even trying to undo his belt, Xu Chen sighed helplessly, though a flash of "accepting a difficult task" appeared in his eyes.

"This is for our child's pregnancy-stabilizing medicine."

"I'll accept this sacrifice."

"Go to that stone platform ahead!"

Xu Chen picked up the burning Long Aoxue and strode toward that large, flat dragon bone deep within.

"Waner, you guard the cave entrance! Don't let that old black dragon's divine sense probe in!"

"This..."

Nangong Waner stood in place, watching the backs of the two as they disappeared into the mist, and listening to those vague, heart-pounding sounds. She stomped her foot, her face turning so red it looked as if it might bleed.

"What kind of situation is this!"

"Clearly I was here first..."

Though she complained, she still obediently held her sword and guarded the corner of the passage, ears perked up while also staying alert for any movement from outside.

Only her gaze drifted inward from time to time, filled with curiosity and a tiny bit of... envy.