Chapter 824: Dragon General Pursuit
At the East Sea Dragon Palace, above the azure waves, a figure draped in a dragon robe stood calmly upon the East Sea. The rippling water below flowed with the wind, stirring up layers of ripples (lianyi).
Around him stood many people, all clad in dragon robes of different colors, majestic and imposing, their presence so grand it seemed to still the waters of the East Sea itself.
Even more shocking was the position of the three Azure Wood Dragon Kings, who, alongside the Purple Gold Dragon King, were among the four great Dragon Kings of the East Sea Dragon Palace. They stood at the outermost edge of this group. The three Dragon Kings, masters of three palaces, held the lowest status among these people. The others were Dragon Venerables, and at the center stood the master of the East Sea Dragon Palace—the Dragon Lord.
The Jade Emperor's treasure had been obtained. Upon receiving the news, even the Dragon Lord had appeared. At his level of cultivation, what he craved most was the Imperial realm—to one day break through his shackles and become a continental Emperor, able to laugh proudly across the Qian Domain. The Jade Emperor's treasure was an Imperial artifact, which would inevitably carry a trace of Imperial Qi, allowing him to experience the power of an Emperor and perhaps aid his advancement.
Though he was the Dragon Lord, he had never had the chance to meet an Emperor. In the eyes of an Emperor, all beings below the Imperial realm were mere ants.
Of course, the Demon Emperor of the past was an exception before he became an Emperor. When he was still a Demon Venerable, he had slain an Emperor, shocking the entire Nine Heavens.
"Azure Wood, have the four Dragon Generals been dispatched?" The Dragon Lord's oppressive gaze fell upon the Azure Wood Dragon King, causing the latter's body to stiffen. He bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "Reporting to the Dragon Lord, the four Dragon Generals have been sent to find Lin Feng and will capture him alive."
"Mm." The Dragon Lord nodded slightly, then added, "Remember, do not spread news of the Dragon Emperor's treasure. Silence everyone who knows of it. And as for you, do not personally pursue Lin Feng, or it will surely arouse suspicion."
"I understand." The Azure Wood Dragon King and the others responded respectfully. They fully grasped the Dragon Lord's meaning. The more critical the moment, the more they needed to remain calm. They had to keep Lin Feng's secret. The treasure of an Emperor was something only the East Sea Dragon Palace should compete for. They absolutely could not let other major powers of the Qian Domain learn of it, or it would surely lead to a bloodbath, making it even harder to capture Lin Feng alive. He might even be taken by others.
Therefore, the East Sea Dragon Palace planned to keep a low profile. They would publicly claim that Lin Feng was arrogant and had killed their East Sea Dragon Palace experts, hence the pursuit. This way, they would avoid drawing the attention of other major powers, and Lin Feng would not escape their grasp.
As for whether they could capture Lin Feng, they had no doubts. The four Dragon Generals were the strongest subordinates of the four Dragon Kings, and they had even brought the Dragon Kings' mounts with them. A mere peak Mysterious Martial Realm cultivator, even with a powerful demon beast by his side, could not possibly escape the clutches of the four Dragon Generals.
...
The fleeing Lin Feng dared not act ostentatiously. He knew that the East Sea Dragon Palace had already set up countless eyes and ears throughout the East Sea Empire. Thus, he did not even fly through the air. He kept moving on the ground, using his Wind Will to flicker continuously, heading beyond the borders of the East Sea Empire. He moved with extreme speed, not daring to pause for even a moment. Within the East Sea Dragon Palace's sphere of influence, it was far too dangerous.
After half a day like this, Lin Feng finally left the East Sea Empire and entered a vast expanse of forest on its outskirts. Still, he did not dare to stop and continued moving forward.
"Roar..." From afar, the cry of a demon beast rang out, carrying a chilling aura. Lin Feng, who was moving through the forest, suddenly halted, his expression turning grim.
Moving quickly, Lin Feng hid himself in a dense thicket, burying his entire body within it. He restrained his aura, even holding his breath. Only his dark eyes gleamed with an eerie light as the world around him turned into a dark, grayish realm, projected into his mind.
"Roar..." Another roar came, followed by the sound of snapping branches. Not far ahead, a patch of bushes was torn apart. A fierce demon beast resembling a flood dragon descended slowly from the air, exhaling cold mist. On the back of this demon flood dragon sat a figure draped in a dragon robe, unmistakably someone from the East Sea Dragon Palace.
"Persistent as a ghost." Lin Feng cursed under his breath, his eyes filled with an icy chill. It seemed that this ferocious demon flood dragon, or perhaps the expert on its back, could track him by his aura.
In Lin Feng's perception, the figure in the dragon robe, holding a dragon spear, slowly approached his hiding spot. Lin Feng's body tensed up, ready to do whatever it took.
He dared not use the Jade Emperor Palace unless he was certain he could kill the pursuer without being seen. Otherwise, it would bring an even greater disaster. If he was truly cornered, he would have no choice but to fall back into the demonic path.
"Swish..." A sound came from afar, causing the expert to suddenly turn around. His body shot in that direction with incredible speed. Not even the slightest rustle of grass could escape his notice.
The demon beast glanced deeper into the thicket, then followed the expert. Lin Feng silently retreated, then flickered away frantically. That was close. It seemed the pursuer could sense his aura but not precisely, only able to determine a general direction. That was why a slight disturbance had drawn him away.
Lin Feng quickly burst out of the forest and onto a main road. Ahead lay a small town, and on the road leading to it was a wedding procession, seemingly a carriage escorting a bride.
"Hm?" Just then, Lin Feng's gaze shot toward the distant sky. There, a black dot was rapidly approaching—another demon flood dragon and a figure in a dragon robe. Lin Feng's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Fragrance!" Lin Feng glanced at the sedan chair, then took a step forward. His body turned into a whirlwind as he released his Wind Will, creating a strange gust that made the sedan bearers shield their eyes. The sedan's curtain fluttered in the wind, and then the strange wind disappeared. The crowd paused for a moment, then continued on their way.
"What a strange wind." Many muttered, unaware of what had happened. Inside the sedan, besides the delicate bride, there was now another figure—Lin Feng.
Covering the bride's mouth, Lin Feng transmitted his voice: "Don't make a sound. I'll borrow this place for a moment."
The delicate girl nodded slightly. Lin Feng released his hand and looked at her, a bit puzzled.
The girl had lively eyes, carrying a hint of innocence. Though it was her wedding day, there was no smile in her eyes. Instead, there were traces of tears, whether from reluctance to leave her family or from being forced into the marriage.
The girl studied Lin Feng but said nothing. A faint, pleasant fragrance emanated from her, making one feel comfortable. It was this fragrance that had drawn Lin Feng in, hoping it would mask his own scent and prevent him from being detected.
"Everyone, stop." A cold shout came from outside, making Lin Feng's heart tighten. He immediately held his breath.
The girl glanced at Lin Feng, her eyes flickering as if she understood something.
A commotion arose outside. The Dragon General in the dragon robe fixed his gaze on the sedan and slowly approached. Feeling his chilling murderous aura, no one dared to stop him.
The Dragon General walked up to the sedan and abruptly lifted the curtain, looking inside. He saw a young girl in thick, festive wedding robes staring at him with curiosity, a mix of innocence and nervousness in her gaze.
Lowering the curtain, the Dragon General turned away coldly, mounted his demon flood dragon, and soared into the sky. In moments, he disappeared into the distant horizon.
"You can come out now." After the Dragon General left, the girl's face flushed slightly. From behind her thick red wedding robe, a figure emerged—Lin Feng.
"Thank you." Lin Feng felt a bit embarrassed, but in his desperation, he had no other choice. If the Dragon General had discovered him, he would have faced almost certain death. He had no option but to resort to this.
Lin Feng stood up, ready to leave, but the girl called out to him.
"You've offended the East Sea Dragon Palace, and you still dare to go out?"
Lin Feng turned back to look at the girl. "You know about the East Sea Dragon Palace?"
"Of course. The East Sea Dragon Palace is the overlord of the East Sea Empire, revered as gods by the surrounding powers, incredibly strong." The girl seemed to be praising the East Sea Dragon Palace, but her tone carried a strange, subtle feeling.
PS: There's another chapter coming. I definitely won't fall asleep this time!