Chapter 618 - 613: A Unique Dynamic
Xue Yifei, under the open escort of thirteen female cultivators, including Ma Ru, traveled through the Grand Horse Realm, exiting from her isolated living area, and arrived at a seemingly entire new world. There were beasts flying across the sky, be it hawk, falcon, winged-dragons, or other beings of flight.
They formed a delicate and developing ecological system, but were segregated in ways as to prevent an eradication of certain species due to an overabundance of predators. The continued ecological developments were maintained in a perfect, calculated balance.
But these were merely the open fields for wild animals. Their destination was a network of interconnected cities that contained all the beastmen that were taken away, large enough to fill tens of billions. In a way, it was a single city with roads and pathways to lead to other cities.
Just as they were flying towards the area, a titanic shadow loomed over the horizon in the east, opposite of the city.
ROAR!
A ferocious, thunderous roar resounded. The twelve guards conjured their astral wards preemptively, as if expecting an outcome. Ma Ru stood next to Xue Yifei and calmly held out her hand. A thin, nearly invisible film of air formed around Xue Yifei and herself.
The roar was powerful, causing the flying beasts to quiver and land, while those who were dragons to roar in joy. Those on the ground paused their activities and glanced at the sky in reverence and awe. They were soon engulfed by the vast shadow of a being, eclipsing the Solar Star that hung at the top of the Grand Horse Realm.
It stretched for thirty-thousand meters, with wings that extended for over forty-thousand meters! Its azure-scales reflected the light from the Solar Stars, glistening with a mighty beauty.
The roar induced a surge of chaotic wind that rushed towards the flying group, crashing into their wards and the thin film of air. Yet with their preparations, they were untouched. As for the beasts below, many were sent flying for miles helplessly.
Their wails and cries went unanswered as they got forcefully relocated. At least, those who survived the landing.
Woosh! Woosh!
The flaps of those wings were terrifying, creating explosive noise.
Xue Yifei's eyes lit. "Anu!" She looked towards Ma Ru, who helplessly smiled, but nodded. Xue Yifei flew forward, Ma Ru directly behind her, and the escorts stayed behind. Anu's physical presence was stifling, and Realmlords were incapable of resisting it if he unleashed it towards them. They've suffered before, so they were unwilling to do so again.
Seeing Xue Yifei, Anu's gigantic form slowed down, his feet landing on the ground in a crushing thud.
BOOSH!
There were minor earthquakes throughout the area. Its eyes that were a sea of gold with vertical pupils like night, Anu stared at the incoming Xue Yifei with a soft snort. Using its massive claws, its scratched its chin to rid itself of an inch.
Xue Yifei was unafraid of the gargantuan beast that could shatter a continent with a mere swipe of its claw. After arriving here, she met the other dragons, the leader of which was Anu, an Azure-Scaled Horned-Firmament Dragon! She had never seen real dragons before, but she had the Demonic Dragon's Soul inside her own.
This Demonic Dragon wasn't always a Demonic Dragon, but a normal dragon that was a Horned-Firmament Dragon! When it died, its corpse laid alone for a long time until the Soul Impartation of the Heavens enacted its grace, transforming the corpse into a demon.
Revitalized, the dragon retained some of its original self, and had been a part of the Dragon Lineage during their glory times. Its re-acceptance was only because it was the strongest dragon at the time, and it wasn't rejected by the other dragons due to its devastating might. As a beast beyond the Star-level, it rivaled true Ascended.
She had regained its memories, even used it during her early years to help Yuan Longshi, and could even control the Demonic Dragon Soul a little. When she combined the Yin and Yang Soul together, resetting her cultivation, it became her Spirit of Cultivation. While she hadn't told anyone yet, not even Wei Wuyin, her Spirit of Cultivation was the Demonic Dragon itself, which transformed her heart.
This was why she could be considered as pure of a hybrid as Wei Wuyin himself.
Anu immediately sensed that, and was familiar with the Demonic Dragon of the same race. According to Anu, she had his great grandmother within her. The Horned-Firmament Dragon even saw Xue Yifei as a reincarnation of his grandmother's soul.
This was even more shocking when she learned that Anu wasn't a descendant of the dead Horned Firmament Dragon, but the Demonic Dragon that came after. He was partially a demon!
Xue Yifei arrived at Anu's snout, landing there and sitting down. She was like a tiny fly in comparison to a mountain when next to Anu. Anu lowered his head, closing his eyes as they started to spiritually communicate.
"Are you okay?" Anu asked, concerned. Since they were taken, he was capable of restoring the rescued dragons back to a healthy state, but they were still trapped in this World Realm. He had tried to resist initially, but three Mystic Star Phase experts instantly arrived and beat him down until he couldn't move for a month.
They left, telling him not to act recklessly and this situation was temporary. However, his race had been imprisoned and subjected the torture for thousands of years. How could he casually trust these humans?! So he waited, built up his strength to one day break free.
But he met Xue Yifei one day, and he realized she contained the soul of his great grandmother. He also noticed her aura was familiar. When she learned about the silver-eyed cultivator she called her husband, he was stunned. It was the same little boy that he met decades ago! The one who gave him lifeforce!
Her aura was filled with his because she consumed his alchemical products religiously, not refining out his aura as she did as normal. In a way, this was her act of proclaiming herself as fully his. She would never turn away from her choice.
Xue Yifei smiled, rubbing Anu's pretty scales. A single scale was bigger than five of her. "I'm fine. They lack resources, but its acceptable." If anyone in the Aeternal Sky Starfield heard this about the Golden Life Pavilion, they'd spew out massive buckets of blood, likely died on the spot from sheer ignorance!
Shockingly though, they would be the ignorant ones!
Anu sensed Ma Ru nearby, quietly watching. This petite girl was not to be underestimated. She was one of the Mystic Star Phase experts that beat him down before. He had a healthy dose of caution towards her.
"What about you? You're not doing anything reckless, are you?" Xue Yifei asked, her tone caring and concerned. The memories of the Demonic Dragon and the residual emotions were still present within her, and while she could've expelled them, she didn't. Therefore, she felt maternal care for Anu in much the same way as Anu felt a filial affection towards her.
"Reckless? No." Anu was still waiting for a prime moment to sweep up his fellow dragons in his Internal World and burst out of this cage. Even if he had to destroy the World Realm's Core!
"You're not to do anything until Wei Wuyin arrives! You understand me?" Xue Yifei knew of his habits, hurriedly saying with a fierce, unyielding tone.
Anu lowered its head further, snorting softly, but didn't refuse or accept her demand. This Wei Wuyin fellow can't be all that? And so what if he arrives, can he do anything to that Ascended in just a few decades?
Xue Yifei sighed with a wry smile, rubbing Anu a little more softly. "Please, just wait…" She didn't want Anu to act, and they dealt with him to avoid any problems. Her worries were, of course, not needed. The Golden Life Pavilion had innumerable ways to handle Anu without lethal actions.
Anu's eyes opened, and he faintly nodded his gargantuan head. "I will, alright?" His voice had relented. Their dynamic was different from what anyone could expect from a human and a dragon, especially with such a vast power gap.
Xue Yifei beautifully smiled, "Perfect. When he comes back, I'll be sure to ask him to concoct some products for you. He's good at making things for beasts, very good."
Ma Ru couldn't fathom how this unruly dragon became so tame, but she didn't mind. Considering how protective and careful the dragon was with Xue Yifei, she just remained as a silent observer.
The two kept talking about various things, such as the treatment of the dragons. After learning of what they experienced before, Xue Yifei had a distinct hatred towards those who would be so despicable. Similar to Wei Wuyin, she saw herself as much as a dragon as she did as a human.
She would never wish for that on humans or dragons, not even demons or elves. Actually, anyone! It was incredibly cruel and vicious, and their struggle had brought enraged tears to her eyes when she first heard it. She even decided to help Anu get revenge if possible.
The entire dragon lineage of the Desolate Dragnet Stellar Region deserved that.
While their conversation continued, a figure arrived beside Ma Ru. Ma Ru immediately noticed this dark-grey haired figure, and hurriedly bowed: "Ma Ru greets Assistant Manager Sujiang."
Ma Sujiang wore her standard issue black toaist robes with silver embroidery. Her youthful appearance was unchanged, but as she observed Xue Yifei, there was a particular glint in her eyes. But she quickly concealed that, making her presence known:
"Xue Yifei, you have a visitor."
Xue Yifei's eyes opened, looking at Ma Sujiang with a little shock. That shock turned into joy, then hope, and then happiness!