That’s simple.

The Snake King, now a miniature snake, flew out from Lin Xuan’s sleeve.

When the Grandmaster’s clone saw the little snake, he laughed. "A mere crawling snake wants to break my seal? How ridiculous."

But in the next moment, his laughter died. The Snake King’s power had exploded forth. The Snake King was a true King, and his power completely surpassed that of a Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster’s clone trembled.

"No, this is the power of a King!"

"How can you be a King?"

BOOM. His clone shattered.

The soul seal was broken.

Soon, the memories sealed within surged out. Lin Xuan saw the scenes from the memories and was instantly dumbfounded.

The vision showed a lake with a lotus flower floating upon it. Inside the lotus lay a little girl, fast asleep. Above her head hovered a blue pearl. This pearl wasn’t large, only about the size of a fist, but it seemed to contain an endless sea within it.

A bald old man reached out and grabbed the pearl. As he channeled his power into it, the sea within the pearl began to churn, forming a Water Dragon Illusion that flew out. The Water Dragon circled once before flying into the little girl’s body.

The little girl’s body trembled violently as countless cracks spread across her skin. She looked as though she was about to collapse. But the lotus beneath her emitted a faint light that instantly repaired the cracks. This cycle repeated several times while the bald old man’s expression grew incredibly grave. Finally, the cracks stopped appearing.

The Water Dragon Illusion fully entered the little girl’s body. The bald old man threw his head back and laughed boisterously. "Hahaha! It’s done!"

"Finally, someone who can withstand the power of the Water Dragon Pearl! As expected of my granddaughter!"

Lin Xuan was incredibly shocked to see this.

What? That blue pearl is the Water Dragon Pearl! And the Water Dragon is a manifestation of its power? No wonder its aura is so formidable. In that case, is the little girl Fang Qingyu? And the old man must be her grandfather, the Grandmaster of the Fang family. To think they actually possessed a Water Dragon Pearl!

Lin Xuan grew excited. He already had clues for the Wood Dragon Pearl, and now he had found the whereabouts of the Water Dragon Pearl as well. It seemed he would soon be able to obtain both Dragon Pearls.

Having figured it out, Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze.

THUD.

Fang Qingyu collapsed to the ground. The next moment, she screamed in agony. The process of her sealed memories merging with her previous ones was excruciating. Soon, Fang Qingyu also remembered what had happened, and her expression became incredibly ugly.

The Water Dragon was her grandfather’s handiwork. This Water Dragon, lurking in her body, was not there to protect her, but to drain her life force. Once the time was right, the Water Dragon would leave her body, taking all her life force with it. At that point, she would be reduced to ashes.

How could this be happening? Her own grandfather was trying to kill her!

Fang Qingyu couldn’t accept it.

THUD. She knelt beside Lin Xuan.

"Young Master, save me!"

Lin Xuan smiled. "Save you? You’re a member of the Fang family, and we’re enemies. Why should I save you?"

Fang Qingyu didn’t want to die. She wanted to live, which meant she had to deal with the Water Dragon Illusion. The illusion was her grandfather’s handiwork, which meant no one in the Fang family could save her. She had to seek help from an outsider.

Lin Xuan is so powerful; he must have a way to save me.

Fang Qingyu quickly said, "This time, I was following my grandfather’s orders to acquire an item that is surely connected to the Dragon Pearls. Young Master, you also cultivate with Dragon Dao Power, so you must also desire the power of the Dragon Pearls. I am willing to fully assist you, Young Master, as long as you spare my life."

Being so young, Fang Qingyu certainly didn’t want to die like this.

Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes, pondering for a moment before asking, "Can you betray your family?"

Fang Qingyu gritted her teeth. "My grandfather and the family betrayed me first."

Lin Xuan then said, "Saving you isn’t out of the question, but what value do you have? Do you know any other information about the Dragon Pearls?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Qingyu was first ecstatic, then immediately nervous. I have to prove my worth, or he won’t save me. He wants information about the Dragon Pearls. Do I know anything else?

Fang Qingyu searched her memories carefully. Suddenly, she looked up. "I do know something."

"Oh? What is it?" Lin Xuan asked.

From reading her memories earlier, he only learned that the Fang family possessed the Water Dragon Pearl, but not its specific location. There were no other clues about the other Dragon Pearls. I wonder if she can provide anything useful.

Fang Qingyu quickly said, "My grandfather often went to Panshi Ridge. I used to think he went there to pick Spirit Medicine. Now it seems he went there to find the Earth Spirit Pearl."

Panshi Ridge!

Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes. He had seen Panshi Ridge in her memories before. It seemed she was telling the truth.

Seeing Lin Xuan hesitate, Fang Qingyu added, "Young Master, if you go by yourself, you will definitely alert the Fang family. Our family has many Grandmasters at Panshi Ridge, and it might even alert my grandfather directly. But if I go with you, it’s a different story. I’m a member of the Fang family, so they won’t suspect me if I go there."

Lin Xuan nodded. "It seems you do have some value. I won’t kill you."

"Really? Thank you, Young Master!" Fang Qingyu was ecstatic. Then she asked, "But what about the Water Dragon?"

"I can temporarily seal the Water Dragon for now," Lin Xuan said. "After you help me obtain the Spirit Pearl, I can remove it completely."

Fang Qingyu let out a huge sigh of relief.

Next, Lin Xuan acted, sealing the Water Dragon. Afterward, he placed a spiritual imprint inside Fang Qingyu. "Don’t even think about betraying me," he warned. "With a single thought, I can make you vanish into thin air."

After doing all this, Lin Xuan said, "Let’s go. Take me to Panshi Ridge."

Lin Xuan still had another clue to a Spirit Pearl—the one for the Wood Spirit Pearl he’d gotten from the Stone Box. However, he decided to go to Panshi Ridge first to obtain the Earth Spirit Pearl, and then search for the Wood Spirit Pearl afterward. Panshi Ridge was in the southern part of Dragon Island, a journey that would likely take several days.

「Meanwhile, at the Fang family estate.」

Fang Cangsong frowned. Why hasn’t my granddaughter returned yet? Catching three little ants shouldn’t take this long. Could something have happened?

Thinking of this, Fang Cangsong called over some other clan members.

"Qingyu is too slow. I can’t wait any longer," he said. "You go as well. You must bring Lin Xuan and those other two back. And bring Qingyu back with you."

Fang Qingyu’s body contains a Water Dragon. That is the power of the Water Spirit Pearl; it absolutely cannot be lost.

"Rest assured, Ancestor. We will complete the mission."

The Grandmasters of the Fang family acted swiftly.

「Elsewhere, in the void.」

Fang Qingyu led the way, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. To think that in such a short time, I’ve gone from the ’fairy’ of the Fang family to a prisoner. Fate truly is a fickle thing. Thinking back now on things that had happened in the family, certain doubts are finally clearing up. Fang Cangsong has over a dozen granddaughters, but he always paid special attention to me. Previously, I thought it was because of my unparalleled talent, but now it’s clear that wasn’t the case at all. He valued me because I could house the Water Dragon. My grandfather was only using me. If Lin Xuan hadn’t captured me and read my memories, I might have been kept in the dark for my entire life. In a few years, my life force would have been devoured by the Water Dragon, leaving me as nothing but a pile of bones.

Fang Qingyu sighed. It seems I can no longer stay on Dragon Island. Having betrayed the family, the Fang clan will certainly not let me go. Once Lin Xuan completely removes the Water Dragon, I plan to leave Dragon Island and see the world outside. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Stop," Lin Xuan said suddenly, interrupting her thoughts.

Fang Qingyu stopped, puzzled. "What’s the matter?"

"I sense people heading this way," Lin Xuan said with a frown. "They should be from your Fang family."

"What? People from the Fang family?" Fang Qingyu’s face fell. She hurriedly explained, "I didn’t call them! This has nothing to do with me, Young Master, you have to believe me!"

Fang Qingyu nearly dropped to her knees. Her life was in Lin Xuan’s hands; if he became displeased, he could obliterate her in an instant.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The sound of rushing air tore through the sky as figures descended from above. They were the experts from the Fang family.

"Qingyu! So you’re here. We’ve been looking for you for a long time."

"Huh? Isn’t that Lin Xuan? He’s here too? This is great!"

"Qingyu, capture him, quickly!" one of the Fang members urged. "Grab this boy so we can head back to the family."