Though it remained unclear what the dragon clan was plotting this time—or perhaps what kind of trouble they intended to stir—one thing was certain:
If their actions succeeded, it would be entirely beneficial to the Phoenix God. If they failed, it wouldn't affect the Phoenix God in the slightest.
With that in mind, the Phoenix God couldn't help but look forward to the drama that was about to unfold.
Meanwhile, within the Dragon Valley:
After reaching the pinnacle of the Golden Core stage, Lu Yunzhou felt an overwhelming sense of transcendence wash over him. His strength had increased threefold compared to before.
Lu Yunzhou understood clearly that his natal artifact, the Azure Sky Sword, needed another upgrade, evolution, or enhancement in quality. Otherwise, its usefulness in battle would diminish significantly, becoming nearly negligible.
After all, how could a powerful combatant fight without a reliable weapon?
Coming to his senses, Lu Yunzhou decided his next goal: enhancing his martial soul, the Azure Sky Sword, which also served as his natal artifact.
However, before he could begin this process, there was a promise he needed to fulfill for Qian Renxue.
As he contemplated this, Lu Yunzhou extended two fingers, releasing a radiant beam of golden light. This light shot into the earth, embedding itself deeply, before he stepped into a dark, space-distorting tunnel brimming with spatial energy.
He was heading back to the Douluo Continent.
The golden light that Lu Yunzhou unleashed carried a concentrated power of the Dragon God and a trace of the Mountain Dragon King Tai An's origin essence.
Its purpose was simple: to ensure that the Dragon Clan's burial ground would remain on the Douluo Continent and persist even after Tai An's departure and the Dragon God's Heart's loss.
Lu Yunzhou never forgot those who aided him—be it objects, people, or entities. Unlike Tang San, he wasn't someone who overlooked debts of gratitude.
To borrow a popular saying: "There's always Yao Lao in the Endless Flame Domain, but where's a kindhearted Xiao Gang in the God Realm?"
Upon reaching the pinnacle of the Golden Core stage, the powerful energy waves emitted by Lu Yunzhou caused slight disturbances in both the Douluo Continent and the God Realm.
Additionally, they destabilized the already-fragile spatial tunnel he traveled through. As a result, instead of arriving at Giant Sword Mountain, Lu Yunzhou found himself in the Sword Kingdom of Western Li.
Coincidentally, Gu Yuena had been waiting for him there.
At that moment, Gu Yuena's once-immaculate white robes were stained with dust and dirt. Even her silken silver hair showed signs of disarray, bearing scattered specks of grime.
From her appearance, it was evident that she had suffered a fall—one embarrassing enough to resemble a full-body tumble.
Seeing Gu Yuena in such a state, juxtaposed with her noble demeanor and lofty status, Lu Yunzhou couldn't help but chuckle at the stark contrast.
Upon noticing the amusement in his expression, Gu Yuena's gaze sharpened as she scowled in frustration. With an air of indignation, she snapped, "Laugh, laugh, laugh! What's so funny? Do you think I look like this for no reason? Isn't it because of you? No wonder that woman called you a bastard. Even at a time like this, you're still laughing!"
Lu Yunzhou quickly waved his hand in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I won't laugh anymore."
With that, he cast a spell to cleanse the dust and dirt from Gu Yuena.
Inspecting her now-pristine reflection, a satisfied smile graced her stunning face as she remarked, "That's more like it."
In the past, Lu Yunzhou often helped Qian Renxue clean up as well, though in her case, he was purging life itself rather than dirt.
Just as Gu Yuena's voice trailed off, she suddenly sensed several cold, murderous auras emanating from nearby.
"Who dares lurk in my presence like an insect? Show yourself!"
Without hesitation, Gu Yuena unleashed a powerful shout that resonated with her icy authority.
A powerful aura suddenly burst forth from her body.
The moment this aura emerged, the soft dust scattered across the surroundings was swept away, revealing several figures who had been concealed within.
These individuals were all clad in black, each wielding long swords of various designs.
As they emerged from the loose yellow soil, they were immediately forced to prostrate themselves under Gu Yuena's oppressive aura. They couldn't even muster the strength to speak, as if carrying the weight of a mountain.
"Who are you? Where are you from? What's your purpose here?"
Lu Yunzhou, observing the situation, spoke up calmly, posing three questions in succession.
Hearing this, Gu Yuena retracted her oppressive aura and silently resumed her imposing demeanor.
Faced with Lu Yunzhou's inquiries and having witnessed Gu Yuena's overwhelming strength, the black-clad figures dared not hesitate. One of them hurriedly responded,
"Honored Senior, we are from the Sword Kingdom of the Western Li Nation. We sensed powerful energy fluctuations in this area and came to investigate. We did not expect to encounter the two of you here. Please forgive our offense, Seniors."
[TL/N: If my memory serves me right, Western Li Nation was previously translated as Xili Nation.]
Upon receiving this explanation, Lu Yunzhou nodded thoughtfully and muttered to himself,
"Wester Li Nation? Sword Kingdom?"
Then, as if recalling something, he asked another question,
"Do you know the Sword Douluo Chen Xin? What is his relationship to your Wester Li Nation?"
The black-clad individual quickly replied,
"Honored Senior, the Chen family is one of the top families in Wester Li Nation and serves as a guardian clan for the nation. Sword Douluo Chen Xin is recognized as the foremost swordmaster of our Western Li Nation."
Hearing this, Lu Yunzhou silently mused to himself,
"That brat Chen Xin's swordsmanship is as flimsy as patching a wall with mud, and yet he's hailed as the top swordsman of Western Li Nation? Seems like their swordsmanship isn't much to write home about either."
With this thought, Lu Yunzhou spoke decisively,
"Very well, then. You may leave."
With Lu Yunzhou's permission, the group didn't dare linger. Bowing respectfully, they quickly departed. However, one among them couldn't resist stealing a glance back at Lu Yunzhou before leaving.
Once the group had left, Gu Yuena shifted her gaze to Lu Yunzhou and asked tentatively,
"Where do we go next?"
Then, as if recalling their earlier arrangement, she added,
"Also, when will you help me become the Dragon God and acquire the Golden Dragon King's essence?"
To this, Lu Yunzhou chuckled and extended one finger, answering confidently,
"Within one year."
Hearing his reply, a trace of uncontainable joy appeared in Gu Yuena's beautiful eyes. She reminded him,
"A gentleman's word is as good as his bond, so don't forget what you've promised me today."
Lu Yunzhou couldn't help but tease her,
"I'm no gentleman, just a petty scoundrel."
As his words fell, Gu Yuena immediately shot back,
"The petty scoundrels have arrived!"
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