Zhang Chen didn’t know the purpose of the Flood Dragon Pearl; he only understood it was a great trouble. He must find a way to deal with it, otherwise, Zhang Shicheng might come for him once his tribulation was over.
"But how can I conceal the aura of the Flood Dragon Pearl?"
Zhang Chen examined the fragments of the Flood Dragon Pearl. Suddenly, Dragon Qi surged within him and burst forth from his wrist, transforming into a True Dragon. It opened its miniature mouth towards the Flood Dragon Pearl, which turned into a mist, continuously pouring into the True Dragon Destiny. In just thirty breaths, the Flood Dragon Pearl was fully absorbed and vanished.
"This..." Zhang Chen’s face changed upon witnessing this. His mind tilted, and he internally observed his own Dragon Qi, noticing something peculiar. The Dragon Qi was playfully wandering his Divine Soul World, exhaling and inhaling a grain-sized Golden Light, resembling a True Dragon playing with a pearl.
Dragon Pearl!
Upon seeing the tiny light orb, an inspiration hit Zhang Chen, followed by new information appearing in his mind:
[Dragon Pearl: Can double water domain mastery]
"Water control reaching one hundred meters?" Zhang Chen’s eyes shone with delight; he seemed closer to becoming a True Dragon.
Additionally, Zhang Chen saw the Golden Finger Interface’s definition regarding the Golden Light, and his eyes brightened even more because it defined as a [Dragon Pearl] and not a Pseudo Dragon’s [Flood Dragon Pearl].
Though the Dragon Pearl was very tiny, Zhang Chen was overjoyed to the extreme. A Dragon Pearl is a Dragon Pearl, whereas a Flood Dragon Pearl is a Flood Dragon Pearl; the gap between them is as vast as gold and iron, completely insurmountable.
With the Dragon Pearl wandering within, Zhang Chen’s heart stirred with a strange feeling; he seemed to establish an unusual connection with the lake beneath his feet.
"This Dragon Pearl is extraordinary. If nurtured in the future, it will surely have great importance." Zhang Chen muttered to himself, watching Xie Xuan’s departing figure. Then, the river beneath him froze into ice, carrying Zhang Chen into the deeper paths of the underground river.
But suddenly, Xie Xuan’s scream sounded: "Zhang Shicheng! Have you gone mad? Chasing me halfway through your tribulation? If you want to die, don’t drag me into it!"
"You destroyed my Flood Dragon Pearl, and I, the ancestor, will fight you! Before reincarnation and possession, I must cut you down!" Zhang Shicheng roared angrily.
Startled, Zhang Chen transformed into an oval-shaped ice block, swallowed by a Great Snake, swimming deeper into the lake.
He had no time to care for Xie Xuan’s fate. As a court person, Xie Xuan must have unknown means to protect himself—Xie Xuan should fend for himself.
His Soul Hook skill had less and less cooldown time, and he didn’t want Zhang Shicheng targeting him. Both Xie Xuan and the Yang God had their speed to escape, but if targeted, he had only one fate.
As Zhang Chen swam underwater, suddenly the earth shook, and gaps grotesquely split open, with lakes water pouring into them, leaving the Great Snake he inhabited drifting helplessly in floods.
At this time, the Crystal Palace collapsed, and the grotto began caving in. Underground lake water spread everywhere, and deep magma streamed forth, turning the entire underground world dim.
The gigantic serpent inadvertently touched the magma and fled speedily, fearing it would be boiled by moving slowly.
Inside the serpent’s belly, Zhang Chen used steam to perceive outside conditions, his face turning somber: "Damn it, this is a huge problem! The underground collapse mustn’t trap me here."
The magma surged, illuminating the underground with blazing flames burning underwater and spreading unstoppably, forcing the serpent to escape through underground fissures.
As two fought, the earth cracked into fissures, with the panicked serpent diving into any space it found.
As for Zhang Chen, unfamiliar with the way, he stopped controlling the serpent’s direction, letting it flee wherever it could in the underground river.
After some time, a dragon’s roar reverberated through the underground: "Wretched boy, you dare meddle with my soul? The ancestor won’t forgive you! I know you are hiding underground; come out now!"
Amidst blazing magma and booming Celestial Thunder, Zhang Shicheng’s anguished cries echoed throughout the grotto.
"Seems Xie Xuan is finished? Did Elder Wu also meet his end? Otherwise, why would Zhang Shicheng have time to seek me?" Zhang Chen pondered.
Even though Zhang Shicheng was shouting underground, he hadn’t pursued, indicating his inability to locate Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen immediately entered a visualization state, plunging his Spiritual World into silence, entirely sealing any Qi Mechanism capable of exposing his identity.
In a haze between comprehension and confusion, Zhang Chen glimpsed the scroll in his mind, perceiving a peculiar essence.
Perhaps previously, Zhang Chen was tense, or perhaps external pressure heightened concentration. Now, viewing the Visualization Image, he found himself in an odd state.