257: Chapter 257 Dragon Remains

The seventh day after the destruction of the local Heavenly Demon Cult branch.

Qianjiao Cliff Water Mansion, meditation chamber.

Gao De sat cross-legged on the Mysterious Turtle jade couch. Three objects floated before him—

The guixu token, entirely bluish-black with flowing dragon patterns.

The ding xu stone, gray-white and hazy, containing spatial power within.

The reincarnation mirror, pitch black like ink, its surface covered in cracks, yet still exuding a trace of an eerie aura.

The Three Keys were gathered.

This was the first time he had placed them together.

"The entrance to the Gui Xu Eye requires the simultaneous activation of the Three Keys to open," he murmured. "Last time, the Cult Master used the reincarnation mirror to embed it in the slot. This time—"

He paused.

"It's my turn."

He did not move immediately.

Because there was one more thing that needed to be done first.

He raised his hand, and a wisp of Purple Gold Glazed Thunder Flame appeared in his palm.

Deep within the lightning flames, a trace of pitch-black light silently swirled—it was the imprint of the Dao of 'Killing'.

Three strands of Dao power: Fusion, Life, Killing.

For these seven days, he had been consolidating.

The battle with the Heavenly Demon Cult Master was the first time he had truly used the power of 'Killing' in actual combat.

The effect was unexpectedly good.

A half-step into the Fifth Realm was beaten down by him, using pure killing power, all the way to the Early Stage of the Fourth Realm.

It wasn't Realm suppression, nor Divine Ability overwhelming, but—every punch carried the will of 'Annihilation'.

That will did not belong to any Cultivation Technique, did not belong to any Divine Ability.

It belonged solely to the 'Dao'.

"Unfortunately, it's not yet four strands," he said softly. "At least at the Fifth Realm would I dare to truly step into the depths of the Gui Xu Eye."

He closed his eyes and continued his contemplation.

---

Another three days passed.

Gao De opened his eyes.

"Time to go."

He stood up and walked out of the meditation chamber.

Outside the door, Ao Xue was already waiting.

She did not ask "where to", only silently followed behind him.

The two passed through the Water Mansion, through the bottom of Dongting Lake, through the fissure leading to the Dragon Palace Secret Passage—

Finally, they stood at the edge of the Gui Xu Eye.

That layer of pale blue light membrane still hung quietly in mid-air.

On the light membrane, three slots were clearly visible.

One shaped like a token.

One shaped like a crystal.

One shaped like a mirror.

Gao De took a deep breath.

He raised his hand.

The guixu token flew out, embedding itself into the token-shaped slot.

Hum—

Blue light erupted!

The ding xu stone flew out, embedding itself into the crystal-shaped slot.

Gray-white light intertwined with the blue light!

The reincarnation mirror flew out, embedding itself into the mirror-shaped slot.

Pitch-black light merged with the blue and white lights!

Boom—!!!

Heaven and earth shook violently!

That layer of light membrane, the instant the Three Keys gathered—shattered once again!

Endless darkness surged forth from the depths of the Gui Xu Eye!

But this time, the darkness did not devour everything.

It simply hung there quietly.

As if waiting.

Waiting for someone to step in.

Gao De looked at Ao Xue.

Ao Xue nodded.

Side by side, the two took a step forward.

Stepping into the Gui Xu Eye.

---

Darkness.

Endless darkness.

But that darkness was not terrifying.

Because it was merely—emptiness.

Gao De felt himself falling, yet also rising, yet also standing still.

Time and space seemed to lose all meaning here.

He did not know how long it had been.

Perhaps an instant, perhaps ten thousand years.

Suddenly, there was solidity beneath his feet.

He looked down.

Beneath his feet was a void of darkness, yet it felt as if he were stepping on solid ground.

He looked up.

Ahead, there was a light.

The light was very faint, yet appeared exceptionally clear in the endless darkness.

"Walk," he said.

The two walked towards that light.

They walked for an unknown length of time.

The light grew brighter and brighter.

Finally—

Their vision suddenly opened up.

It was a massive underground space.

The dome was so high the top could not be seen, the walls so wide the edges could not be seen.

And in the center, something was suspended.

It was a skeleton.

A Dragon Clan skeleton, pitch-black all over, of unimaginable size.

The dragon bones stretched a thousand zhang long. Each rib was like a mountain ridge, each vertebra like a peak.

Above the dragon head, the two dragon horns had long since broken, leaving only charred stumps.

The dragon's maw was wide open, as if roaring silently.

The dragon's eye sockets were hollow, yet two clusters of ghostly green flames slowly flickered within.

"This is..." Ao Xue's pupils constricted sharply. "That evil dragon?"

Gao De nodded.

"It's dead," he said. "But its remnant consciousness has not dispersed."

He stared at those two clusters of ghostly green flames.

Those flames were also staring at him.

An ancient, violent, and extremely venomous will surged from deep within the skeleton:

"Junior... you have come..."

Gao De did not retreat.

He simply stood quietly.

"I have come," he said.

"For what purpose?"

"To see what the Dragon Lord left behind."

"Dragon Lord?"

That will fell silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a piercing laugh:

"That Old Loach... even in death he schemes against me... What he left behind? What he left is right beneath my skeleton!"

"If you have the ability, come and take it yourself!"

Before the words faded, the two clusters of ghostly green flames suddenly blazed!

The entire thousand-zhang skeleton trembled violently!

Countless black vapors surged from deep within the skeleton, transforming into a sky-blotting tide of vengeful spirits, shrieking as they pounced towards Gao De and his companion!

Ao Xue let out a fierce roar, her Blood Dragon True Form erupting forth!

Gao De raised his hand.

Purple Gold Glazed Thunder Flame transformed into a thousand-zhang barrier!

The vengeful spirits crashed against the barrier, instantly annihilated!

But the vengeful spirits were endless, madly assaulting!

"My King!" Ao Xue cried urgently. "We cannot hold on like this!"

Gao De did not answer.

He simply stared at the skeleton.

Stared at those two clusters of ghostly green flames.

Suddenly, he moved.

Not backwards, not in defense—

But forward!

One step!

Ten zhang!

A hundred zhang!

He pressed forward against the tide of vengeful spirits, step by step, walking towards that skeleton!

With each step, countless vengeful spirits crashed against him, incinerated by the lightning flames!

With each step, even more vengeful spirits surged forth!

But he did not stop.

He was counting.

Counting his steps.

When he reached nine hundred and ninety-nine steps—

He stood before the skeleton.

The dragon head was right above him, three zhang away.

Those two clusters of ghostly green flames were fixedly staring at him.

A distance of only three zhang.

"Junior..." the will said in a low voice. "You dare approach me?"

Gao De looked up.

Meeting the gaze of those two clusters of ghostly green flames.

"You are dead," he said. "Only remnant consciousness remains."

"What should I fear?"

He raised his hand.

Purple Gold Glazed Thunder Flame gathered in his palm.

Deep within the lightning flames, a trace of pitch-black light suddenly blazed!

"Kill!"

A fist shot out!

Not towards the skeleton.

But towards those two clusters of ghostly green flames!

"How dare you—!!!"

The will raged. The ghostly green flames transformed into a giant claw, grabbing towards Gao De!

Fist and claw collided!

Boom—!!!

The entire underground space trembled violently!

Gao De grunted, retreating ten zhang in succession!

But the ghostly green flames also dimmed by a third!

"Junior..." the will said, shocked and uncertain. "You... you have comprehended the Dao of 'Killing'?!"

Gao De did not answer.

He simply steadied himself and looked up again.

Purple Gold Glazed Thunder Flame erupted around him!

Three strands of Dao power—Fusion, Life, Killing!

Fully unleashed!

"Step aside," he said.

The will fell silent.

Then—

It laughed.

"Good," it said. "A fine junior indeed."

"That Old Loach certainly knows how to pick people."

The ghostly green flames slowly contracted.

The sky-blotting tide of vengeful spirits also dissipated.

Beneath the skeleton, something was revealed.

It was a Jade Slip.

Entirely emerald green, emitting a faint blue light.

Gao De walked forward and picked up the Jade Slip.

His Divine Sense probed inside.

In an instant, countless pieces of information flooded his mind—

It was the final words left by the Dragon Lord of Dongting before his death:

"Latercomer:"

"If you can walk here, it means you have experienced countless life-and-death trials and comprehended at least three strands of Dao power."

"Good."

"This evil dragon is a great enemy of my Dongting Dragon Clan. Back then, it took the combined strength of the entire clan to suppress it here."

"But it died without perishing; its remnant consciousness endures."

"I left this Jade Slip not for a Legacy, not for a treasure."

"Only to tell you one thing—"

"The skeleton of this evil dragon is itself a supreme treasure."

"The Dao of Slaughter and the Dao of Resentment it cultivated in life are both imprinted within its bones."

"If you can refine its skeleton, it can aid your comprehension of the Dao."

"But remember—"

"Whoever refines the skeleton must bear its resentment."

"If your Dao Heart is not firm, you will inevitably be devoured by the resentment, becoming a second evil dragon."

"Be cautious."

"Be cautious."

"Dragon Lord of Dongting, final words."

The information ended abruptly here.

Gao De held the Jade Slip, silent for a long time.

Refine the skeleton.

Bear its resentment.

Those with an unsteady Dao Heart will inevitably be devoured.

"My King?" Ao Xue walked to his side. "What is it?"

Gao De did not answer.

He simply looked up, gazing at that thousand-zhang skeleton.

Gazing at those two clusters of ghostly green flames.

The flames were also gazing at him.

"Junior," the will said in a low voice. "You heard the words of that Old Loach."

"Refine my skeleton, and it can aid your comprehension of the Dao."

"But the price—"

"is my resentment."

"Do you dare?"

Gao De remained silent.

Ao Xue grabbed his arm: "My King, don't listen to it! This evil dragon is cunning and full of tricks. It must be trying to Possess you!"

"Possession?" the will sneered. "I am but remnant consciousness. With what could I Possess?"

"I merely wish to see—"

"whether the junior that Old Loach has been selecting for ten thousand years truly has the courage to bear my resentment."

It stared at Gao De.

"Junior, what say you?"

Gao De confronted it.

A long time passed.

He smiled.

"Resentment?" he said.

"I have seen it."

"Back in the Prison Hall, how much weaker was the black fire on the Dragon Lord's remains compared to your resentment?"

The will was taken aback.

"I endured it."

"Before his death, the Dragon Lord crumbled into dust right before my eyes."

"That black fire, I swallowed."

"That resentment, I bore."

He looked up, meeting the gaze of the ghostly green flames.

"What can your resentment do to me?"

The will fell silent.

Then, it laughed.

The laughter was hoarse and low, yet carried a trace of genuine appreciation.

"Good," it said. "A fine junior indeed."

"Then come."

"Let me see—"

"if you can walk out alive."

As the words fell, the thousand-zhang skeleton crumbled with a boom!

Countless pitch-black specks of light surged towards Gao De like a tide!

Ao Xue was greatly alarmed, wanting to block them—

But the specks of light did not harm her at all.

Their target was only one—

Gao De.

"My King—!!!"

Ao Xue let out a fierce roar, her Blood Dragon True Form lunging forward!

But those specks of light were too fast!

Too fast for her to react in time!

Countless pitch-black specks of light poured into Gao De's body!

Gao De grunted, the Purple Gold Glazed Thunder Flame around him suddenly erupting!

Within the lightning flames, purple-gold and pitch-black madly intertwined!

His aura fluctuated violently!

Sometimes strong, sometimes weak!

Sometimes steady, sometimes chaotic!

Ao Xue stared fixedly at him, her blood-red eyes filled with anxiety and fear.

"My King..."

Gao De did not respond.

He simply stood there with his eyes closed.

The lightning flames around him burned wildly.

Time passed bit by bit.

The time it takes an incense stick to burn.

Half an hour.

One hour.

Just as Ao Xue was almost on the verge of collapse—

Gao De opened his eyes.

In that instant, deep within his pupils, two glimmers of light flashed and vanished.

One purple-gold.

One pitch-black.

The two colors intertwined, finally merging into one, becoming an unprecedented—

Chaos color.

He looked down at his hand.

In his palm, a wisp of lightning flame appeared.

That lightning flame was no longer Purple Gold Glazed.

Nor was it pitch-black like ink.

But rather a kind of—

Chaos.

As if it were the color of the first thunderbolt at the dawn of heaven and earth.

"The fourth strand," he said softly.

Ao Xue was stunned: "What?"

Gao De looked up at her.

"The Dao of Slaughter," he said. "I have comprehended it."

"The fourth strand—Slaughter."

He raised his hand.

A wisp of chaotic lightning flew out from his palm.

Wherever that lightning passed, the Void Realm silently vanished.

Even the endless darkness was split open by a crack.

Ao Xue gasped sharply.

Gao De withdrew the lightning.

He turned and looked at the pile of skeletal fragments that had turned to bone.

"Thank you," he said.

The two clusters of ghostly green flames had completely dimmed.

Only the last trace of remnant consciousness remained, weakly responding:

"Junior... you are stronger... than that Old Loach..."

"I... submit..."

As the words fell.

That last trace of remnant consciousness also dissipated into nothingness.

Deep within the Gui Xu Eye, it fell into complete silence.

Gao De was silent for a moment.

Then, he turned and walked towards Ao Xue.

"Let's go."

Ao Xue stared at him blankly.

"My King, you..."

"I'm fine," Gao De said. "Just gained a bit more."

He paused.

"Time to return."

"At Hidden Dragon Cliff, someone is waiting."

---

Two hours later.

Qianjiao Cliff Water Mansion.

Gao De pushed open the door to the meditation chamber.

Outside the door, Mysterious Turtle, Dragon Peach, Turtle Three Thousand, Green Edge, Iron Pincer... everyone was there.

Seeing Gao De, they all bowed in unison.

"Cliff Master!"

Gao De nodded.

He walked to the main seat and sat down.

Everyone took their seats.

Mysterious Turtle couldn't help but ask: "Cliff Master, the trip to the Gui Xu Eye... did you gain anything?"

Gao De was silent for a moment.

Then, he raised his hand.

In his palm, a wisp of chaotic lightning appeared.

The lightning floated quietly, yet it caused the temperature of the entire Meeting Hall to drop sharply.

Everyone's pupils constricted sharply!

The aura emitted by that lightning was different from any thunder technique they had seen before.

Not scorching.

Not violent.

But—nothingness.

As if its sole reason for existence was to make everything else cease to exist.

"This is..." Mysterious Turtle said, voice trembling.

"The fourth strand of Dao power," Gao De said. "The Dao of Slaughter."

The entire hall fell silent.

After a long while, Turtle Three Thousand asked tremulously: "Master... how far are you now from the Fifth Realm?"

Gao De thought for a moment.

"With three strands of Dao power, a fifty percent chance of breaking through to the Fifth Realm."

"With four strands, seventy percent."

He paused.

"But I don't want to rely on mere chances."

"I want one hundred percent."

He withdrew the lightning.

"Next, I will go into seclusion."

"To comprehend the fifth strand."

Everyone looked at each other.

Ao Xue asked: "What is the fifth strand?"

Gao De was silent.

Then, he uttered two words:

"Reincarnation."