Among the Dragon Clan, there were two well-known Dragon Monarchs. The first was the Lord of Converging Waters, known to commoners and lesser cultivators as the Dragon King of the Northern Sea. He had an extremely long lifespan and was referred to within the Dragon Clan as Dragon Monarch Beijia.
The other was Dragon Monarch Xiyang, who split from an immortal into three forms. Among Golden Core Realm cultivators, he was considered a junior and often appeared in the world which made him more widely known.
Seeing her expression, Huiyao quickly added, "Back in the day, the Dragon King was granted stewardship over the Northern Sea and was gifted the character 'Jia' by an immortal."
Li Qinghong nodded as she listened, though a strange look appeared on her face. She asked, "A grotto heaven? That’s impossible... With the power of those two Dragon Monarchs, how could seawater be allowed to leak into Thundercloud Temple?"
As the two were conversing, thunder suddenly exploded through the heavens and earth. The sea howled as dark clouds rolled, and waves of violet light began to appear in the eastern sky.
Layers of thunderclouds emerged, and a translucent, pale-golden circular outline hovered in the sky. Inside it, pavilions and towers gradually appeared, scattered among the violet thunderclouds.
"A grotto heaven!"
Countless bolts of thunder light emerged from the east. Li Qinghong felt her Immortal Foundation surging within, her internal thunder pool churning as a wave of intense foreboding washed over her. The shaft of her Duruo Spear shimmered with iridescent light, trembling with excitement.
Thundercloud Temple... Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling.
Li Qinghong understood that her destined opportunity lay here. But for now, she could only watch helplessly. Then, riding a streak of lightning within the black winds, she soared into the dark, heavy thunderclouds.
Intense thunder had already begun to spread in the area. Huiyao followed behind, trembling with fear. All around them, within the dark clouds, many cultivators could be seen looking up in stunned silence.
She gazed into the distant east, silently watching, passing through streaks of thunder, a trace of regret in her heart, It's a pity... I can't even touch this thing, and it's already fallen into the hands of the Dragon Monarch.
The Thundercloud Temple’s grotto heaven lay hidden behind the surging storm and thunder, and beyond the pale-golden barrier was a palace complex of thunder suspended in the air.
Countless black clouds gathered, covering the entire Eastern Sea. From time to time, a scale the size of a small mountain would emerge from the clouds, reflecting violet thunderlight so intense that Li Qinghong’s face turned deathly pale. She nearly lost her breath and fell from the sky.
She retreated some distance and saw that the black clouds above the Qunyi Sea resembled an enormous dragon's head, slowly swallowing a violet pearl.
It was now the moment when the grotto heaven and the mortal world overlapped. The scenery inside could be seen with the naked eye. Li Qinghong, having cultivated a perception technique, could clearly make out numerous ancient tomes swirling in the storm and falling like rain onto the palace rooftops.
She looked upward at the structure, the grotto heaven was composed of five thunder platforms. At the highest point stood a grand hall with finely carved eaves, rooftops of gilded copper, and floors paved with violet jade. Atop the ridge of the hall stood a lone, azure figure.
"Yuan Tuan..." Li Qinghong could barely make out her robes fluttering in the wind. She stood there, motionless like a statue atop the great hall, facing alone the dragon’s head whose teeth were as vast as mountains.
Boom!
Thunder roared as the woman and the violet grotto heaven sank into the clouds, like a shelled egg swallowed whole. They vanished from sight, and the Dragon Monarch didn’t even seem to chew before closing its mouth. The brilliant violet-golden light faded between its teeth.
In the final instant, Li Qinghong thought she saw that the woman's azure robes had turned red, vanishing like drifting sand within the depths of the celestial palace.
The black clouds in the sky vanished in an instant, retreating to the horizon as if fleeing, as though they had never appeared. Li Qinghong descended on a streak of lightning, feeling a deep sense of loss. Huiyao followed beside her and asked blankly, "Fairy, why did it suddenly start thundering...?"
Li Qinghong glanced at him quietly, a dazed expression on her face, and shook her head, saying, "The clouds were too thick, the thunder came in waves. I couldn't see clearly."
Both of them rode the wind downward. Huiyao muttered on about this and that, while Li Qinghong focused on calming her emotions.
"Such a surge of thunder... maybe the Dragon Monarch was simply dragging a grotto heaven as he passed through." Huiyao murmured with a tone of longing, "Seems like those from the neighboring waters didn’t have it right. After all, a grotto heaven should rest atop a mountain, not under the sea. There must be another reason."
Li Qinghong no longer hoped to learn anything useful from him. She politely sent him away, then quietly returned to her cave dwelling and sat alone in the upper chamber.
She sat for a while, but the image of the Dragon Monarch swallowing the pearl kept replaying in her mind. Li Qinghong understood, Yuan Tuan was most likely no longer alive.
Trapped in a grotto heaven for over ten years, watching helplessly as her would-be rescuer fell... and then slowly waiting to be consumed by the Dragon Monarch... Senior Yuan, thought Li Qinghong.
Li Qinghong had met Yuan Tuan before, back when she came to take Li Xizhi back to the sect. She seemed gentle and gracious. Later, Li Qinghong learned that Yuan Tuan had secretly intervened during the devil plague to protect Li Xuanxuan, which had made her grateful in her heart.
Azure Crest Manifestation is capable of blessing others, yet unable to secure good fortune for herself... only to fall into the tiger’s jaws in vain.
Whether Yuan Tuan's jade pendant in the Yuan Family still holds effect, I don’t know. But Azure Pond Sect’s soul lamp must already have gone out. As for Xizhi... there’s no need to tell him. He wouldn’t be able to see it anyway, it would only stir unnecessary trouble.
Just as Li Qinghong managed to settle her heart, she suddenly heard a crisp knocking sound.
Knock, knock, knock.
In an instant, Li Qinghong's heart felt as if it had been shattered like frost struck by a hammer, cold and shaken, filling her entire chest. All thoughts fled her mind, leaving behind only pure terror.
Knock, knock, knock...
The sound echoed through the cave dwelling, it was chilling and crisp. Li Qinghong’s expression changed slightly as she quickly gripped her spear and thought, Who’s there?
Zongquan Island was currently under the management of Li Chenghui, with Zong Yan assisting. If either of them needed her, they would activate the formation to summon her or send a voice transmission.
No matter what, it would never come to simply knocking on the door...
Creak...
Before she could respond and just as she picked up her spear, the defensive formation of the cave might as well have been decoration. The stone door at the entrance slowly creaked open, and a pair of cloth shoes stepped steadily inside.
The figure placed one foot inside, then pushed the door further open while stepping forward. As the door swung wide, a smiling face came into view, revealing eight gleaming white teeth.
The newcomer wore azure robes, appeared young, with flowing sleeves and long hair cascading down. His smile gradually faded as he squinted slightly at her, standing with hands clasped behind his back. He was seemingly curious.
His pupils were pale cyan, and he exuded a heavy and oppressive presence just by standing there. Countless rippling green shadows floated around him which overlapped and gleamed with an icy brilliance.
His robe was wide-sleeved and flowing, wholly azure in color, but at the waist hung a golden tassel. Li Qinghong recognized it, it was the uniform of the Azure Pond Sect.
Azure Pond disciples, guest cultivators, Daoists, peak masters, sect masters, and Purple Mansion Realm cultivators all wore similar robes but the details differed. Thanks to Li Xizhi and Yuan Tuan, Li Qinghong could recognize a peak master’s garb at a glance. But this robe, this one was even more ornate.
Her attention lingered on the robe for only a moment, then was immediately drawn to the man’s face.
Li Qinghong stared at him in a daze. She actually recognized this face. Not only did she recognize it, it was perhaps the last face she ever wished to see. Horror surged through her heart in waves as she thought, Chi Buzi!