Chapter 409: Suo Huan: Willing to Die in Service for Senior!

“Boom!”

The gang clouds scattered, and the towering dragon body had already been refined by more than half, leaving only a dragon head as massive as a mountain plummeting from the sky, crashing heavily onto the surface of the sea.

Half of the flesh and blood on this dragon head had already been burned into ashes by the Fiendish Fire, and even the exposed bones bore a charred black hue. For a body that should have been indestructible through countless tribulations to be reduced to such a state, it was clear that the divine essence within had long been drained dry. Only then had its divinity dissipated, no longer possessing the transcendence befitting a True Dragon.

Above the dragon head—

A handsome young man stood with hands clasped behind his back, his Daoist robes fluttering in the wind. Behind him, the divine radiance formed a circular halo like a bright moon high above, making him appear even more majestic and unfathomable.

‘The Heavenly Jiao is dead.’

For a moment, countless Foundation Establishment True Persons who witnessed this scene held their breath. Even those at the peak of Foundation Establishment furrowed their brows.

‘What an insidious divine ability.’

‘At the final instant, the Heavenly Jiao’s fate clearly fluctuated. This person is even proficient in the Dao of Causality. In the end, he severed the Heavenly Jiao’s vitality using the Art of Karma.’

‘Could it be he truly is a True Person of my Saint Sect?’

In the north of the river, amidst the endless sea of clouds, Hong Ju frowned deeply, recalling the process of the Heavenly Jiao’s death. Doubt gradually surfaced in his heart.

At the same time, below, Suo Huan had yet to recover from the shock.

The Heavenly Jiao was dead. A True Dragon’s descendant, the Dragon Lord’s second son, the undisputed number one cultivator below the overseas True Lords, had just inexplicably perished here!

Indeed, as an overseas demon cultivator, the Heavenly Jiao’s strength was not quite equal to the inland peak Foundation Establishment cultivators, but the gap was small. Not to mention his identity—he was a figure upon whom the True Dragon clan placed great hopes, one they intended to support for ascension. Normally, who would dare provoke him?

Yet now, he was dead!

And one must remember—the Dragon Lord was not dead, only temporarily hidden away from the world. If he returned and learned the cause of all this, would he not go mad?

Just the thought made Suo Huan’s head spin and his vision blur.

‘No, I must flee at once!’

This place was not fit for him to linger! Though both he and the figure above were outsiders, there was no connection between them. He must not allow others to mistake it otherwise!

With that thought, Suo Huan immediately prepared to slip away quietly.

He had assumed that since the man above was a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, aloof and far beyond, if he left discreetly, he would not draw the other’s attention.

Who would have thought—

“Why must Daoist Friend be in such a hurry to leave?”

With just that call, the light Suo Huan had just summoned to flee froze instantly in place. In the next moment, he turned around, forcing a humble and eager smile:

“Junior Suo Huan greets Senior!”

Lü Yang quickly reached out to support Suo Huan, then smiled and patted his shoulder.

“Daoist Friend, there is no need for courtesy. You and I are kindred spirits at first sight!”

Hearing this, Suo Huan could only lament in his heart: ‘It’s over!’

In full view of all, and with the other also being an outsider like him, this was truly like yellow mud falling onto one’s trousers—whether or not it was dung, it would be taken as dung.

Thinking this, Suo Huan could only bow with a bitter expression:

“I wonder what instructions Senior might have?”

Lü Yang grinned:

“I see the qi on your body is utterly different from that monster just now, and rather similar to mine. Could it be that you too come from beyond the heavens?”

Suo Huan chuckled awkwardly:

“Senior’s eyes are sharp indeed.”

“Good, good.”

Lü Yang squinted as he sized up Suo Huan for a moment, then smiled:

“This world is not very welcoming to outsiders like us. Daoist Friend must take care.”

“Many thanks for Senior’s concern.”

Hearing this, Suo Huan glanced at Lü Yang, recalling his once high-spirited past. He sighed inwardly and said in a low voice:

“The True Dragon Senior you slew… his background is unimaginably great. He has an elder—a True Lord of this realm. Senior knows of True Lords? They are cultivators who preside over Fruit Positions.”

“Oh? Is that truly so?”

Lü Yang deliberately put on a look of curiosity:

“Fruit Position… could it be akin to a Supreme? I had not expected such great beings to exist in this realm.”

“So Senior had best not linger here.”

Suo Huan shook his head, briefly explaining the True Lord’s seclusion and the circumstances behind it, before saying:

“If you leave now, Senior still has a sliver of life.”

“I see.”

Lü Yang’s expression grew solemn at those words, but in the next moment, he grew confident again.

“Even so, if you and I join hands, even if the whole world were our enemy, it may not be impossible to fight!”

Suo Huan blinked blankly. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Wait… he and I aren’t close, are we? What does your ‘fight the world’ have to do with me?

But in the next second, realization struck him—damn it, this guy wants to drag me down with him? Outsiders preying on outsiders?

‘Beast!’

At this thought, Suo Huan’s expression shifted, and he subconsciously tried to distance himself from Lü Yang. But before he could, Lü Yang seized his hand:

“Daoist Friend, judging by your current state, it seems you are not faring too well in this wretched place either. Now, with so many people having seen us speak together, I may be able to slip away. But tell me, Daoist Friend—when the Dragon Lord returns, and cannot find me, will he not vent his fury on you instead?”

“This—”

At those words, Suo Huan froze, forced to confront reality. Indeed, he did not need to be dragged down—he was already in the water!

‘What he says is true.’

‘It was because of me that the Heavenly Jiao left the Dragon Palace. When the Dragon Lord learns of this, he will surely place blame on me. From the moment the Heavenly Jiao died, my fate was sealed!’

At that thought, Suo Huan’s face grew darker.

He turned to Lü Yang, his voice low:

“Senior, what exactly do you intend? Or is there perhaps a True Lord backing you as well?”

“That, I do not have.” Lü Yang shook his head.

Suo Huan ground his teeth:

“Without a True Lord’s backing, once the Dragon Lord returns, how will Senior resist him?”

“Simple. By becoming a True Lord myself!”

Lü Yang smiled faintly:

“Suo Huan Daoist Friend, since we are kindred spirits, if you aid me, perhaps in the future you too may seize the chance to defy the heavens and prove the Dao.”

‘Painting grand promises…’

Suo Huan knew well that Lü Yang was just dangling illusions before him. Yet helplessly—Lü Yang was the only one doing so.

What choice did he have?

Suo Huan was not a pedantic man. He had hesitated all this while, afraid at every turn, but now that it had come to this, he instead regained his old decisiveness.

In the next instant, Suo Huan spoke firmly:

“To report to Senior, I know of a secret passage that leads directly into the Dragon Palace. Now that the Heavenly Jiao has died unexpectedly, the Dragon Palace must be in turmoil. Many demon cultivators will surely covet its treasury. If we take advantage of the chaos to sneak inside, we can certainly plunder it greatly!”

Since death awaited regardless, better to gamble everything!

If they robbed the Dragon Palace, at least he could gain some benefits. Better than walking away with nothing. If things were doomed anyway, why not make it even more absolute?

Lü Yang burst out laughing:

“As I thought, I did not misjudge Daoist Friend!”

Then he brought forth the Myriad Spirits Banner:

“Come, Daoist Friend. As long as you enter my 【Investiture of the Gods List】, you shall be one of us. I guarantee you will immediately gain the cultivation of peak Foundation Establishment!”

Suo Huan hesitated, staring at the Myriad Spirits Banner.

“Senior, why does your 【Investiture of the Gods List】 look rather off in color?”

It was still exuding black smoke.

Lü Yang did not reply. Instead, he directly summoned Ancestor Tingyou, and right before Suo Huan’s eyes, he used the Divine Path of Incense Flames to raise him to peak Foundation Establishment.

Suo Huan: “…”

“Willing to die in service for Senior!”