263: Chapter 263 Thunder Dragon Inheritance

Chapter 47: Long Journey

The ruins of Xianyang Palace.

Gao De sat cross-legged in the center of the main hall, golden light flowing around his body.

After that sword strike, 'Heaven-Opening', he had been meditating for ten days.

Within these ten days, he had fully digested all the insights gained from the battle in the Demon Suppression Prison.

Karma, Reincarnation, Time and Space—the three strands of the power of the Great Dao, tempered by the taia sword, were more solidified than before.

But he also understood one thing.

That sword could slay the Outer Realm Demonic Entities of the Demon Suppression Prison that had existed for ten thousand years because those Outer Realm Demonic Entities were already weak—sealed for ten thousand years, trapped in a desperate place, with only one in ten surviving.

If it were the Peak Outer Realm Demonic Entities that invaded the Immortal Qin Dynasty back then, his sword strike would at most kill thirty percent.

And that Lord of Demonic Entities...

He looked up, gazing at the sky outside the hall.

That rift still spanned across the Nine Heavens.

The Ancestral Dragon's Seal was still there, but it was already very weak.

So weak that Gao De could clearly sense the scene beyond the rift—

In the endless Void Realm, that colossal, indescribable figure still floated silently.

It was sleeping.

But only sleeping.

If it were to awaken...

"I am no match for it," Gao De said softly.

Ao Xue stood beside him, startled by his words.

"My King?"

Gao De stood up and walked to the entrance of the hall.

He gazed at the rift.

"The Ancestral Dragon back then was at the fifth-stage Peak," he said. "He was only one step away from the sixth stage. He gathered the Luck of the entire Immortal Qin Dynasty, had nine fifth-stage True Dragons assisting him, and was accompanied by an army of millions—"

"Yet he still lost."

"And now, I am merely at the fifth-stage Middle Stage."

"Even with the taia sword, even having comprehended Karma and Reincarnation—"

"It's still far from enough."

Ao Xue fell silent.

She understood Gao De's meaning.

The Lord of Outer Realm Demonic Entities was not someone they could face in their current state.

Rashly entering the rift would only be suicide.

"Then... should we go back?" she asked.

Gao De shook his head.

"No, we won't go back," he said. "But we're not in a hurry to go in either."

He turned and looked into the distance.

"What the Ancestral Dragon left for me was not just a Legacy, but also a saying."

Ao Xue asked, "What saying?"

Gao De slowly said:

"The world is vast, with countless Opportunities."

"If your strength is insufficient, then go elsewhere and explore first."

"When you are strong enough, then return."

He paused.

"I only truly understand this saying now."

Ao Xue looked thoughtful.

"So... we are going to travel the world?"

Gao De nodded.

"Travel the world," he said, "seeking Opportunities."

"To see how many secrets this world still holds."

"To see if those ancient ruins, primeval Forbidden Grounds, legendary Secret Realms—"

"Contain anything that can make me stronger."

He raised his hand, and the taia sword appeared in his palm.

"When I am strong enough—"

He looked at the rift.

"Then I will return."

"To settle the score with that Lord of Demonic Entities for what happened ten thousand years ago."

Ao Xue looked at his profile.

On that face, there was no resentment, no impatience.

Only a calm, resolute—

Patience.

She suddenly smiled.

"Good," she said. "Wherever you go, I will go."

Gao De turned to look at her, and also smiled.

"Then let's go."

---

An hour later.

Outside Xianyang City.

Gao De and Ao Xue stood in the Void Realm, looking back at the silent imperial capital.

Xianyang City still stood silently, and the three large characters on its city gate were still vigorous.

It was just that there were no living people left in the city.

"Ancestral Dragon," Gao De said softly, "the person you've been waiting for isn't yet strong enough to avenge you."

"But it won't be long."

"Wait for my return."

He turned around.

Side by side with Ao Xue, they transformed into two streaks of light and disappeared into the sky.

Behind them, Xianyang City stood in silence.

The rift in the sky still floated quietly.

Waiting.

---

Three days later.

Central Continent, on the shores of the East Sea.

Two streaks of light descended from the sky, transforming into a man and a woman.

The man wore a purple-patterned black robe, his dark hair tied with a jade hairpin, his aura restrained, like a Mortal.

The woman wore a blood-red outfit, her long hair fiery red, and faint Dragon shadows flickered in the depths of her eyes.

It was Gao De and Ao Xue.

"Is this the East Sea?" Ao Xue gazed at the boundless ocean before her, a hint of shock flashing in her blood-red eyes.

She was from the Qianjiang Dragon Palace and had seen great rivers and Lakes, but had never seen the sea.

This sea was different from Lake, and different from Marsh.

It was vaster, deeper, and more dangerous.

Gao De nodded.

"The East Sea," he said. "According to the return void secret records, deep within the East Sea, there are Secret Realms left behind by ancient Dragon Clan."

"There are immortal islands that sank during the Immortal Qin Dynasty era."

"There are countless Opportunities that countless Cultivators dream of."

He paused.

"And also countless dangers."

Ao Xue licked her lips.

"Danger makes it interesting," she said.

Gao De glanced at her and smiled.

"Then let's go."

The two transformed into light and soared towards the depths of the East Sea.

---

East Sea, unnamed desolate island.

Gao De and Ao Xue had settled here, a month later.

In this month, they had crossed tens of thousands of miles of sea, explored three Secret Realms, killed seventeen sea Yao that blocked their way, and obtained many Heaven And Earth Treasures.

But the true Opportunity had not yet been found.

"My King," Ao Xue squatted by the island's edge, watching the tide ebb and flow, "where do you think those ancient Secret Realms are hidden?"

Gao De sat cross-legged on a reef, his eyes closed in contemplation.

After a long time, he opened his eyes.

"It's not about where they're hidden," he said. "It's that the time is not yet ripe."

He raised his hand, and the taia sword appeared.

The sword body trembled slightly, pointing in a certain direction.

"Over there," he said, "there's something."

Ao Xue stood up.

"Let's go."

The two once again soared towards the sea.

---

Another three months passed.

In the deepest part of the East Sea, before a massive whirlpool.

The whirlpool was a hundred miles in diameter, bottomless, with seawater swirling into it, emitting a deafening roar.

At the edge of the whirlpool, countless shattered reefs, shipwrecks, and—skeletons—floated.

There were Human Race, Yao Race, and some of unknown species.

"This is..." Ao Xue's pupils contracted slightly.

"Guixu," Gao De said. "The East Sea version of Guixu."

He stared into the depths of the whirlpool.

The taia sword's tremor grew increasingly violent.

"There's something down there," he said.

Ao Xue asked, "Go down?"

Gao De pondered for a moment.

"Down."

The two took a deep breath and leaped into the whirlpool.

---

Below the whirlpool was another world.

It was a massive underwater ruin, spanning a thousand miles, with broken walls and crumbling structures everywhere.

In the center of the ruins was a pyramid-shaped building, entirely black, a thousand zhang tall.

At the top of the building, a fist-sized crystal stone floated.

The crystal stone was entirely purple, with faint lightning flowing within it.

"That is..." Gao De's pupils suddenly contracted.

The taia sword trembled violently!

That crystal stone had a strong resonance with him!

"The Origin of the Thunder Dao," an ancient voice emerged from the pyramid.

"The Origin of the Great Dao left behind after a fifth-stage Late Stage Thunder Dragon fell."

"Junior, do you want it?"

Gao De gripped the taia sword.

"Who are you?"

The voice was silent for a moment, then laughed.

"This Venerable One?"

"This Venerable One is the obsession of this Thunder Dragon."

"After waiting for one hundred thousand years, I have finally waited for a Thunder Cultivator who can reach this place."

"Come."

"Let this Venerable One see if you are worthy of inheriting this Venerable One's Legacy."

As the words fell, the pyramid trembled violently!

Countless bolts of lightning surged from the crystal stone, transforming into a thousand-zhang Thunder Dragon, diving towards Gao De!

The aura of that Thunder Dragon—

Fifth-stage Late Stage!

Ao Xue's face changed dramatically!

But Gao De took a step forward, and the taia sword was unsheathed!

The golden sword light and the purple Thunder Dragon collided with a resounding crash!

Boom—!!!

The entire underwater ruin trembled violently!

Countless broken stones rolled down, and countless Restrictions shattered!

Lightning and sword light intertwined, illuminating the thousand-zhang deep sea!

Ao Xue stared intently at the battlefield, her blood-red eyes filled with worry.

She could feel it—

Although that Thunder Dragon was merely formed from an obsession, it was infinitely stronger than those Outer Realm Demonic Entities in the Demon Suppression Prison!

This was the true power of a fifth-stage Late Stage!

Could Gao De withstand it?

Boom—!!!

Another loud bang!

Lightning exploded!

Sword light dissipated!

Gao De flew backward, crashing into a pile of ruins!

"My King—!!!" Ao Xue shrieked, her Blood Dragon True Form about to pounce!

"Don't move!"

Gao De's voice came from the ruins.

He slowly stood up.

Around his body, golden light and purple lightning were intertwining.

His aura was changing.

Fifth-stage Middle Stage—Peak—

Fifth-stage Late Stage—threshold!

"So that's how it is," he said softly.

He looked up at the Thunder Dragon.

"What you want me to inherit is not your power."

"But your—Dao."

The Thunder Dragon's obsession looked at him silently.

"Have you comprehended it?" it asked.

Gao De nodded.

"Then come again," the Thunder Dragon said. "This time, use your Dao to receive this Venerable One's lightning."

It pounced again!

Gao De met it with his sword!

No retreat.

No fear.

Only—

The heart of seeking the Dao.

---

Three days later.

The underwater ruins returned to silence.

The thousand-zhang Thunder Dragon had transformed into specks of lightning, dissipating into the Void Realm.

The purple crystal stone floated quietly in Gao De's palm.

Within the crystal stone, lightning flowed.

That was the Origin of the Great Dao from the Thunder Dragon's one hundred thousand years of cultivation.

Gao De sat cross-legged on the ground, refining it with his eyes closed.

Ao Xue stood guard beside him, unmoving.

Another seven days passed.

Gao De opened his eyes.

At that instant, a purple lightning flash flickered and disappeared in the depths of his pupils.

Fifth-stage Late Stage.

Stable.

He stood up.

He clenched his fist.

In his palm, purple lightning and golden sword light intertwined, transforming into a brand new color—

Purple-Gold Chaos.

"Thunder Dao," he said softly. "The fifth strand of the power of the Great Dao."

"No."

He shook his head.

"It is a complete Dao."

Ao Xue stared at him blankly.

"My King, you..."

Gao De turned and looked at her.

In those eyes, there was no longer the previous probing and caution.

Only a kind of—

Calm.

A calmness that comes from finally finding direction after countless experiences.

"Let's go," he said.

Ao Xue asked, "Where to?"

Gao De thought for a moment.

"There are still many places we haven't been to," he said. "There are still many Opportunities we haven't found."

"And there are still many—Daos I haven't comprehended."

He paused.

"When I have traveled all over this world."

"When I have thoroughly comprehended all the Daos I wish to comprehend."

"When I am—strong enough."

He looked up, gazing above the sea.

As if piercing through ten thousand zhang of seawater, he saw the distant Xianyang City.

He saw that rift.

He saw the sleeping Lord of Demonic Entities beyond the rift.

"At that time—"

He said softly.

"I will go back."

"To settle scores with it."

Ao Xue looked at him.

Looking at that calm yet resolute face.

She suddenly smiled.

"Good," she said.

"I will accompany you."

The two walked side by side, soaring towards the sea surface.

Behind them, the pyramid slowly sank into the seawater.

One hundred thousand years of waiting, finally—

The one who was meant to be waited for had arrived.