"After that, Ye Ming died." The Dragon King said in a low voice, "Xie Yu destroyed every layer of the seal and infected all the Dragon Kings with the demonic energy it brought up from the abyss."
The Dragon King's flight was a little shaky. Hongjun asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," the Dragon King replied. "The abyss is just up ahead."
They had already flown past the snowy mountain where Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi had first arrived and arrived in front of the huge abyss rift valley. Hongjun couldn't help but look down and almost fell in.
"Be careful —"
The Dragon King warned. Qiu Yongsi grabbed Hongjun.
However, when Hongjun looked down into the rift valley, he suddenly seemed to see a faint flash of light in the deepest part of it. That flash of light was like a firefly in a distant forest in the dark night. It was just a flash.
"What's that?" Hongjun asked.
Qiu Yongsi said, "What did you see?"
The Dragon King wanted to lower his head in confusion, but the two hurriedly shouted together.
"Wahhh — don't lower your head!" Qiu Yongsi was climbing on its dragon horn and could be shaken off at any time.
"We're here," the Dragon King said.
The beam of light was getting closer and clearer. Hongjun looked at the center of a snowy plain. There was a huge teleportation array there. The teleportation array looked very familiar.
Hongjun said, "Eh?"
"That's right." Qiu Yongsi smiled. "I learned about this array on the ninth floor. It's also how the Exorcism Division's barrier came about."
No wonder — Hongjun suddenly remembered the array drawn by Nine-Tailed Fox.
"Xie Yu also used …" Hongjun was surprised. "You were so calm at that time and didn't say anything!"
Qiu Yongsi said, "The teleportation spell that Wu Qiyu used must have been taught to him by Xie Yu. After I discovered this, I told Senior Official. Based on this, Senior Official concluded that Xie Yu might still be in Chang 'an."
"Hold on tight!" The Dragon King shouted. "Let's go to the third floor!"
Then, the Dragon King suddenly accelerated and rushed into the blue pillar of light, shooting toward the top of the sky. Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi each held one of the dragon horns tightly and shouted.
"We have to go," Li Jinglong said to Ye Ming, "We have to settle this as soon as possible and return to the human world."
"More than half a month has passed since you entered the pagoda." Ye Ming said.
Li Jinglong hadn't slept since he got off the ship yesterday and was rather tired. Ashina Chong said, "Let's rest for a while."
"We can walk." Li Jinglong pulled himself together and said, "Let's find Hongjun first."
"I'll send you to the eighth floor." Ye Ming said, "Go down in order. Xie Yu has already opened the passage. After you find Yongsi, he will naturally bring you up."
Li Jinglong and Ashina Chong stood on the runic array at the bottom of the pagoda. Ye Ming's voice came down from the top of the pagoda. He said, "I can still hold on for three more days. I must return within three days."
"What?!" The two of them shouted in unison.
However, after Ye Ming said this, the array flashed and the two of them were teleported down.
Autumn night of the 13th year of Tianbao, Chang 'an.
After several rains, Chang 'an cooled down. The autumn air was refreshing, and the moon was bright in the sky. The whole city was silent.
After Yang Guifei washed up, she looked at the autumn courtyard of Xingqing Palace in loneliness. Since the birthday, the rumors of Yang Guozhong's disappearance had spread like wildfire. She specially visited the Exorcism Department before Li Jinglong left. The answer she got was that her brother was dead and a monster had replaced his body — just like her elder sister, Madam Guo.
However, Li Jinglong promised to keep his mouth shut and cooperate with the Crown Prince to give Yang Guozhong a more suitable home. This home could only be death, but at least it was a dignified death.
There were already two monsters in the Yang Family. She didn't even know if this was fate or coincidence. Although Li Jinglong repeatedly promised that such a thing wouldn't happen to the rest of the Yang Family. However, when she looked at her two elder sisters, Madam Guo and Madam Qin, her eyes were full of surprise and fear.
Over time, she saw Madam Guo's shadow every night as if she was standing at her bedside, which made her restless. In the long run, she was going to be driven crazy. Li Longji never mentioned her brother in front of her. She had to hold back her tears and smile all day long.
What was going on? Why did the Yang Family seem to be cursed? This was her pain and the family's pain. Thinking back, her biological father, Yang Xuanyan, was once the Minister of Shu. Then he was imprisoned. When he was seriously ill, he summoned all his children and told them to support each other through the iron bed. The Yang Family would never come to an end like this.
At that time, her brother held her hand when she was ten years old and promised her father that he would take good care of the family.
At that time, she didn't know whether Yang Guozhong was the monster or human that Li Jinglong mentioned. Even Li Jinglong couldn't answer her question. Her only wish now was to see her brother before they killed the monster. Whether he was a monster or a human, she wanted to know.
Sometimes, she was even unable to restrain herself and almost threw caution to the wind. She questioned Li Longji, made a scene, and even disregarded her own life to make Li Longji give her an answer. However, she remembered that there were more than seventy people in the Yang Family behind her. The older Li Longji was, the more unpredictable his temper was. Once she was imprisoned, all her family members who relied on her would be implicated.
She couldn't even cry properly. She was in despair all day long.
She sat quietly under the moon. Suddenly, the moon appeared in the sky, and everything was silent. When the autumn wind blew, there was a murderous aura between heaven and earth, as if she saw death. If she died, she might not have so many troubles anymore.
Black Qi surged in the courtyard. Yang Yuhuan just looked at everything in front of her numbly. In fact, she had many dreams. Every dream started like this. They gathered in front of her eldest sister's face and whispered to her to take revenge for her.
"Are you back?" Yang Yuhuan whispered.
"I'm back." The black Qi gathered into Yang Guozhong's figure. Yang Yuhuan was suddenly startled.
Yang Guozhong's clothes were tattered. He looked like a lonely ghost looking for home. He walked out of the garden and staggered towards Yang Yuhuan.
Yang Yuhuan was suddenly startled. She staggered forward and said in a sad voice, "Brother — —"
"Imperial Consort?" The palace maid asked.
Yang Guozhong staggered and threw himself into Yang Yuhuan's arms. Yang Yuhuan instantly woke up. She hugged him and knelt on the ground, looking back.
"Don't come out." Yang Yuhuan said calmly, "I had a dream. Let me be alone."
The palace maid acknowledged. Yang Yuhuan knelt on the ground. Yang Guozhong's face was dirty and black. His body was covered in rotten leaves and branches. He laid in Yang Yuhuan's arms. He raised his trembling hand and said in a low voice, "I … … don't have much time left … …"
Yang Yuhuan's breathing was hurried. Yang Guozhong only held her hand tightly and said, "I want … … I want to see … … His Majesty."
Yang Yuhuan turned her head and looked around nervously. She then lowered her head to look at Yang Guozhong. Her tears fell onto Yang Guozhong's face. Yang Guozhong raised his hand and wiped away Yang Yuhuan's tears and said, "I used my last breath to come back to see His Majesty … … just to … … say … …"
Yang Yuhuan said in grief, "No … … no, you have to leave immediately. Leave right now! Leave! "
It was late at night. The palace was in chaos. Inner servants holding torches surrounded the back hall where the Imperial Concubine lived. Li Longji walked over quickly. Li Guinian followed behind him.
Li Longji pointed outside the hall, indicating for Li Guinian to wait.
"Marquis Yadan said … …"
"Zhen has the body of the Emperor. Why should zhen fear a monster?" Li Longji replied.
Li Guinian could only wait outside. Li Longji stepped into the hall and saw Yang Guifei guarding the bed. Yang Guozhong was lying on the bed in tattered robes.
Li Longji watched quietly. Yang Guifei's face was covered in tears. She was crying so hard that she didn't even look human.
"You've come, the Emperor of the mortal world." Yang Guozhong closed his eyes and said tiredly.
Li Longji took a deep breath. Facing this familiar face, he couldn't scold him for a while. Once upon a time, this person's voice and smile seemed to still be in front of him.
"What you've coveted has always been zhen's Tang Dynasty." Li Longji said.
"You can't do without me, can you?" Yang Guozhong said slowly, "To be honest, in the past, I really couldn't bear it … … From now on, in the history books for thousands of years, only I will be scolded. You won't be scolded … … To become the Emperor of the mortal world, how can he be so open and honest? He's only half a saint, half … … That's all. "
Between the ruler and his subjects, they understood each other.
Yang Guozhong had taken Li Longji's infamy all these years. If he hadn't accumulated wealth for Li Longji, the Tang Dynasty's treasury wouldn't be as prosperous as it was today. Since ancient times, there had always been treacherous officials under the command of a ruler who kept his achievements. The impeachment of the Yang Family in the imperial court was getting louder and louder. Only Yang Guozhong knew that Li Longji was also a mortal. As a mortal, he had the seven emotions, six desires, greed, and obsession of a mortal.
And he, Yang Guozhong, was just Li Longji's shadow.
Li Longji said in a deep voice, "You're the black dragon in the Jing River."
"Yes … … It's me." Yang Guozhong said tiredly, "I'm leaving now. This body … … I'll return it to you. From now on, we'll never see each other again. Although I want to take away your world, I once regarded you as a friend … … Goodbye, Emperor of the Tang Dynasty … … "
As he spoke, Yang Guozhong exuded black gas. Yang Yuhuan exclaimed. Li Longji immediately grabbed her wrist and dragged her back.
"Your tribulation … … is not with me." Yang Guozhong's last words were, "It's with … … An Lushan."
As soon as he finished speaking, his arm slowly dropped from the edge of the couch. Suddenly, a dragon's roar swept past like a storm. It was as if something invisible had dissipated. The black gas exploded, then slowly evaporated and rose into the sky.
Li Guinian no longer cared about the ban. He rushed in and stood in front of the Imperial Concubine. The ring on his hand glowed red. The Divine Fire burned and surrounded the three of them. After the black gas dissipated, Yang Guozhong's face appeared on the couch. The autumn wind blew in and lifted the curtains in the hall.
Li Longji stared at everything in front of him in a daze. The moonlight shone into the hall and fell on Yang Guozhong's face.
Li Guinian walked forward slowly and reached out to check the pulse on Yang Guozhong's neck. After a long time, the pulse jumped slightly.
Deep under the Da Ming Palace.
The Hei Jiao was surrounded by a ball of flame. The black gas around them showed the forms of Wu Qiyu, Fei Ao, and other monsters.
"This is too risky." Wu Qiyu said coldly, "What if they kill that body?"
Xie Yu said in a low voice, "It doesn't matter. Li Jinglong is not in Chang 'an. I've already tricked him into the pagoda. When that body wakes up, it will be a mortal. Li Longji won't be able to kill me."
"But you won't be able to return to that body." Wu Qiyu answered, "The Soul Melting Technique is extremely difficult. If not, Yu Zaoyun wouldn't have been sealed by Kong Xuan."
"Wait." Xie Yu said, "What I need is devil energy."
Wu Qiyu asked, "Wait until when?"
"Wait for An Lushan to make the first move." Xie Yu said, "As long as the Mind's Lamp is not in this world, the final winner will still be me."
A light flashed. The Dragon King carried Qiu Yongsi and Hongjun to the third floor. Hongjun instantly felt a scorching heat.
"This is the True Fire Prison." The Dragon King emitted a cold air and answered, "This is the place where the Fire Dragon King and the Fire Flood Dragon are."
There were volcanoes everywhere. Lava rolled under their feet. Hongjun said, "It's hot and cold. I'll get sick."
"I've done my best." The Dragon King answered, "There is another Dragon King guarding this place. In the past, it was also contaminated by Xie Yu's devil energy. We have to avoid it."
"What's its name?" Hongjun asked.
"I really can't remember." The Dragon King answered.
Hongjun sat in front of its dragon horn and said, "You can't remember your own name, nor can you remember the names of other dragons."
The Dragon King answered, "When the seven great Dragon Kings entered the tower, the agreement they followed was to forget their own names."
Hongjun asked curiously, "Why?"
The Dragon King said, "Giving up our names means giving up our status as Dragon King, giving up everything that belongs to us. We will be the defeated party and make a contract with the ancient immortals."
"But …" Hongjun thought for a moment and vaguely felt something.
Qiu Yongsi said, "For dragons, names have a special meaning. When they were flood dragons, they didn't have names."
"But Xie Yu did." Hongjun said.
"That was the name given to it by Ye Ming." The Dragon King answered.
"I think …" Hong Jun thought of something. He seemed to have seen ancient dragons somewhere, and the dragons were very famous. That was something that was recorded in real records.
"Your name …" Hongjun suddenly remembered and said, "Is your name Xuan …"
Qiu Yongsi: "…"
Hongjun: "I remember now! You're called Xuan Ming! Look at my memory. "
Suddenly, the Dragon King under the two of them paused. Then, it let out a roar that shook the heavens and earth. Its body exploded with ice crystals and a hurricane swept out, carrying a blizzard!
"I remember now —!" The Dragon King roared.
Hongjun: "…"
Qiu Yongsi: "…"
Then, the Dragon King rose into the air and let out a second roar of ecstasy. Its injuries hadn't healed, but something seemed to have changed. Qiu Yongsi said, "Calm down! Xuan Ming! Calm down! "
After Xuan Ming rose into the air, it suddenly plunged into the magma. Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi couldn't help but shout. Seeing that the rolling magma sea was about to reach them, Xuan Ming suddenly spat out a mouthful of cold air. The ground within a radius of ten feet instantly solidified and became solid ground.
"Aiya!" Hongjun fell down. Then, Xuan Ming transformed into a human. Its indigo robe fluttered, and its silver hair danced in the wind. From its feet to its head, it transformed into a cold and handsome young man.
Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi were instantly dumbfounded.
"I didn't expect that," Xuan Ming said in a low voice, "I can still remember my old name when I'm about to die. Thank you."
Qiu Yongsi: "What did you do —!"
Hongjun: "How would I know!"
Hongjun remembered that Li Jinglong had a book that recorded the names of the dragons in the Mountain and Sea Era. These names had been lost in history, but that book wasn't a rare thing.
The wound on Xuan Ming's chest still appeared, and black blood seeped out. Just as he was about to speak again, a roar came from the magma sea, and a huge flaming dragon rushed out.
"It's the Dragon King of this level!" Qiu Yongsi said.
Xuan Ming immediately raised his hand, and a blizzard swept over. However, the fire dragon didn't speak. It stirred up the magma in the sky and turned into a flaming meteor that shot into the magma sea.
"Eyes!" Qiu Yongsi shouted.
The fire dragon's eyes were like Xuan Ming's heart, and they turned into demons. They seemed to be in great pain, stirring up the magma sea and turning it upside down. Xuan Ming shouted, "I'll send you up!"
Then, Xuan Ming rushed up and turned into a Dragon King. Qiu Yongsi and Hongjun jumped onto the dragon's head. Xuan Ming shot toward the fire dragon that was spilling magma. The fire dragon's whole body was burning, and orange flames shot out from its scales. Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi rode the dragon and approached the fire dragon. Qiu Yongsi shouted, "No! It's too hot. We're going to be burned! "
"I can't catch it!" Xuan Ming shouted, "It's flying too fast!"
The fire dragon rolled in the magma sea. Even though Xuan Ming was covered in cold air, he couldn't rush into the magma to catch it. Qiu Yongsi shouted, "Lure it out of the magma, just once!"
Xuan Ming gathered his qi and spouted a blizzard into the magma sea. The fire dragon rushed out and turned around to spit fire at Xuan Ming. Then, Qiu Yongsi waved his brush and shouted, "Go!"
Everything turned into ink, and the falling meteors piled up in one place. The fire dragon was like a shadow. It couldn't dodge left and right, and could only retreat. In an instant, Xuan Ming rushed forward and stuck to the fire dragon's shadow. Qiu Yongsi shouted again, "Open!"
Xuan Ming did a somersault in the air and bit the Fire Dragon's neck. He slammed the Fire Dragon into a volcano full of black rocks. Qiu Yongsi shouted, "Hong Jun-!"
Hongjun spun his Mo Saber and was thrown out. He turned in the air and swung his Mo Saber. With a swoosh, he chopped the demon out of the fire dragon's eyes!
The two demons roared in the air. After being taken back by Qiu Yongsi, the fire dragon roared in pain. It was bitten by Xuan Ming and crashed into the mountain, falling on the black rocks.
Xuan Ming turned into a human and was in great pain. He pressed his chest with one hand and staggered, almost kneeling down.
Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi were thrown out. They hurried back to Xuan Ming. Xuan Ming waved his hand, indicating that it was okay. He asked them to check the fire dragon. A lot of black blood flowed out of the fire Dragon King's eyes. When the blood splashed on the rocks, it evaporated in an instant.
The temperature in the volcano was scorching hot. Hongjun and Qiu Yongsi's hair curled up because of the heat. When they came closer, they looked at the motionless fire Dragon King.
"What's its name?"
"I think it's called … Ying Huo?" Hongjun said confusedly.