An Understated Dominance

 “Form up! Protect the Princess!” A’Long forced down the piercing pain in his soul and roared hoarsely. Together with the other two guards, he mustered the last of their inner strength, forming a crude triangular defense formation to shield  Margaret ,  Qingzhu , and the dying Old Zhang behind them. But deep down, they all knew—their defense was nothing but paper before those four terrifying puppets. The battle was about to erupt. At the same time, deep within Penglai Island, inside a lavish palace— The banquet of wine and flesh continued, the music of indulgence echoing through the hall. Without a sound,  Ao Kun’s  figure appeared once more on his massive white jade recliner, as though he had never left. “Big brother has returned?” The effeminate man paused his playing of the zither and looked up with a smile. The robed man and the stunning woman beside him also turned their eyes toward Ao Kun. Ao Kun ignored them. He reclined lazily, accepting a cup of fine wi...

After crossing the death zone, the scene ahead suddenly opened wide. At the end of the path lay a vast circular platform, entirely paved with pure white jade. The platform floated above the waters of the Jade Pool, surrounded by mist and clouds. Spiritual energy filled the air like gentle rain. At its center was a spring barely a few feet across—but the liquid flowing from it was no ordinary water. It shimmered with  seven-colored radiance , thick and luminous like liquid light. The purity of its vitality and aura— it was from this spring that all the surrounding life force emanated! Yet the moment they stepped onto the white jade platform, the serenity vanished. The spiritual richness brought no comfort; instead, an even deeper, more terrifying  pressure  descended— far greater than what  Bai Chan  or even the chaotic laws had unleashed before. It was as if a mountain had materialized upon their chests, crushing their hearts and souls. At the platform’s center,...

 “Let’s move. This place isn’t safe to linger.” Dustin  stepped first onto the slick, broken path, his pace steady as ever. Yet  Margaret  could sense that his aura had grown even more restrained than before— as if he were quietly gathering power, preparing for the unknown challenges ahead. The group followed in silence, tension hanging thick in the air. A’Long  and the other two guards gripped their weapons tightly, eyes darting to the sides where the dark red lake water churned restlessly, fearing that another monster might emerge at any moment. Qingzhu  supported  Old Zhang , whose condition was worsening. The erosion of dragon-blood miasma was draining his life force; his eyes were already losing focus. As they ventured deeper, the surroundings began to change in eerie ways. The once-clear boundary between the azure lake and the blood-polluted waters began to blur. The two colors seeped and twisted together like merging paint, creating a grotesque,...

 Go! Follow the stone path forward!” Dustin’s voice was low but firm. He knew they couldn’t keep defending forever. With a sudden motion, he dispersed the Tai Chi shield and leapt forward instead of retreating, his figure turning into a streak of azure light— charging straight into the rain of energy beams! Clang—! At last, his sword was drawn, its cry sharp and clear like a dragon’s roar. With a flick of his wrist, his blade flashed like a waterfall, spreading before him into a dense curtain of azure sword light. Ding ding—Boom! The beams clashed violently with the sword curtain, sending out deafening crashes and blinding flashes. Most of the beams were blocked and shredded apart, but a few pierced through, striking the lake behind Dustin and exploding into towering waves of blood-red water— even shattering part of the jade path beneath their feet! A’Long and the others watched in horror but dared not hesitate. Protecting  Margaret , Qingzhu, and Old Zhang, they dashed desper...

 The dark red lake, which had only been faintly restless before, suddenly began to surge violently— as though some colossal creature beneath the surface had awakened! In the next instant, thick tentacles—each as wide as a water jar and formed from viscous blood and foul miasma—burst forth from the lake. They came whipping and coiling toward the group on the narrow path, bringing with them a stench so strong it made one’s teeth ache, accompanied by the harsh sound of tearing flesh. “Careful!” A’Long shouted, slashing his blade toward a blood-red tentacle that lunged for  Margaret . The blade struck, and a metallic  clang  rang out, sparks flying! The tentacle was incredibly tough, its surface covered in corrosive energy. A’Long’s arm went numb from the impact, and his sword was quickly stained with a layer of dark red filth, its spiritual glow fading. The other two guards also swung their weapons, but their attacks barely made a dent. They were forced into a desperate...

 Dustin approached the blood altar, paying no heed to the dense aura of hatred lingering in the air. He bent down and picked up the bronze waist token, his fingers brushing over the strange, twisted emblem. His gaze was icy. “Not just one group,” he muttered. “Judging from the age of the bloodstains and the styles of these remnants, at least three separate factions have conducted blood sacrifices here over the past few decades.” He examined a relatively intact corpse. Its sternum glimmered with an abnormal dark-gold hue, covered in fine cracks. “This person was no weakling — at least Master-level cultivation. Yet death came not by ordinary means. Their life essence and soul were forcibly drained, leaving even the spiritual energy in their bones stripped away,” Dustin explained. Margaret frowned. “The sacrifices… were they trying to communicate with the Dragon? Or weaken it?” She recalled Xuan Chengzi’s words: the seal had grown weak over the years, leaking its power. Someone delibe...

 “Weak Water…” Margaret gazed at the serene blue lake before her — so calm that even the light itself seemed to be faintly swallowed by it. She could sense the strange, profound laws flowing within, and her brows knitted together in unease. Feathers cannot float, birds cannot cross  — that was no exaggeration. Though she was no weakling, maintaining a protective barrier long enough to traverse such waters would likely exceed her limits. Dustin walked to the water’s edge and crouched down. At his fingertip gathered a wisp of pure, refined Xuanqing true energy, which he slowly extended into the lake. The moment it touched the surface, no ripples appeared. Instead, it felt as though his energy had entered a viscous, gel-like substance, struggling to move forward. A strange, corrosive force began to erode that wisp of energy at an alarming speed. “There’s no mistake,” Dustin murmured calmly. “This water carries the laws of dissolution and descent — a force that devours all. Ordina...