Chapter 496: Luring the Dragon Out of Its Lair

Chapter 496: Luring the Dragon Out of Its Lair

Ji Xinghuo was just about to utilize his spiritual source energy when a sudden thought stopped him. He paused, his gaze sweeping across the sky above the auction venue.

Although the Azure Dragon Queen was not physically present, he knew she was surely keeping a close eye on the auction.

Moreover, with so many Star Shepherd Saints in attendance, including top-notch Seventh-rank, Fourth-step Saints, it would be best to avoid any impulsive actions.

He turned off the interface of the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupil and looked towards the terrace opposite the auction venue, his eyes locking with those of Xu Kun Tianlin. They held each other's gaze for half a breath before looking away, as if nothing had transpired.

Ji Xinghuo furrowed his brows slightly.

"I will have to deal with you sooner or later," he thought.

He glanced at the VIP area, noticing that most of the Star Shepherd Saints had not participated in the bidding yet. They were likely biding their time, waiting for the Eclipse Species to appear.

Among them was Xia Wei, a Star Shepherd Saint of the Xu Kun family. She was present today, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere.

Over the past few days, Ji Xinghuo had secretly observed her through the Macrocosmic Eye, and he could tell that Xia Wei's desire to retrieve the Azure Ring was not as strong as Xu Kun Tianlin's. She seemed more inclined to buy it back from Yu Huo Xiao at the original price after the news of its appearance had spread.

As for Xu Kun Tianlin's personal grudge, Xia Wei showed little interest.

In Xu Kun Tianlin's words, Xia Wei was an "outsider," not even a true dragonkin, and lacked a sense of family honor.

Of course, he would only dare to say such things behind her back.

The auction continued.

However, Ji Xinghuo's interest had waned. The Eclipse Species had nothing to do with him, and most of the items up for auction didn't appeal to him.

On the third day, the final day of the auction, the atmosphere was more fervent than ever as most of the items had already been sold by noon. Everyone knew that the highly anticipated Eclipse Species was drawing near.

With the Star Shepherd Saints focused on the upcoming "Multiple Personalities," it was the perfect time for Ji Xinghuo to make his exit.

"I'm leaving now," he said softly.

A slight change came over Cang Ya's face, but she had been prepared for this moment.

She turned to him, her eyes, brimming with tenderness, fixed on his face. "Don't forget me," she said softly.

"How could I?" Ji Xinghuo instinctively reached out to comfort her.

But he suddenly remembered that Tan Cobalt and the others were in the auction venue, and many eyes were on Cang Ya. If they displayed any intimate behavior now, it would be difficult to explain once Yu Huo Liangyuan's identity was exposed in the future.

They had already said what needed to be said during their deep conversations over the past few days.

Cang Ya had also revealed her plans. After her injuries healed completely, she intended to focus on breaking through to the Sixth-rank and utilizing the Cloud Sea Dragon's "Water Dragon Reincarnation" to accelerate the growth and evolution of her other two dragons.

The true dragonkin had no concept of marriage.

Cang Ya was a genius solely devoted to the pursuit of evolutionary perfection, and she understood her position as a latecomer. She didn't expect more.

Thus, Ji Xinghuo made no promises to her.

They both understood each other implicitly, cherishing the fleeting moments of happiness they shared.

"I'll be back," Ji Xinghuo whispered as he got up to leave.

Cang Ya didn't turn to look at him, but she knew from his footsteps that he had descended the terrace and entered the inner passageway of the auction venue.

Flying was prohibited above the auction venue unless one was a Star Shepherd Saint or a more powerful exotic.

Everyone else had to use the designated passageways.

Ji Xinghuo's departure went largely unnoticed as people were constantly coming and going during the auction, and many servants were attending to the VIP guests. His shadow clone remained seated on Terrace 35012, observing the entire venue, his gaze briefly meeting that of Xu Kun Tianlin on the opposite side.

"If you don't follow me and let me leave Donghuang Island, all will be forgiven," Ji Xinghuo thought to himself.

"But if you refuse to let go..."

As he walked through the passageway, Ji Xinghuo's thoughts trailed off.

However, before he could finish his thought, his shadow clone witnessed Xu Kun Tianlin also getting up eagerly as soon as he left.

Under the watchful eye of the shadow clone, Xu Kun Tianlin entered another passageway.

In the VIP area, Xia Wei noticed Xu Kun Tianlin's movements. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the thick walls of the terrace, falling upon Ji Xinghuo, who was walking through the passageway. A thoughtful look crossed her face, but after a few seconds, she withdrew her gaze and made no move.

Ji Xinghuo's shadow clone observed all of this, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The Star Shepherd Saints were truly formidable!

While it was possible for an exotic to challenge and even defeat an opponent of a higher rank below the Seventh-rank, it was nothing short of a pipe dream for a Heavenly King to defeat a Star Shepherd Saint.

The gap between the Sixth-rank and Seventh-rank was greater than the sum of the previous six ranks combined! The difference in stellar power alone was staggering.

There were also qualitative differences, akin to an insurmountable chasm.

Even the most powerful Heavenly King would be like an ant trying to shake a tree in the face of any Star Shepherd Saint. The proud geniuses of the Ascending Star Sequence, including the four on the Infinite Sequence, had no chance of defeating a Star Shepherd Saint.

For a Heavenly King to be able to protect themselves against a Star Shepherd Saint would already be an astonishing feat.

Ji Xinghuo himself wasn't confident.

Despite possessing two Eclipse Abilities and over a dozen Starfall Species that had been raised to high levels, he couldn't guarantee his escape if confronted by a Star Shepherd Saint.

Perhaps he could ensure his own safety if he reached the peak of the Sixth-rank and advanced more abilities to the Eclipse level.

Furthermore, a full-powered burst might even create a miracle! But he was only at the first step of the Sixth-rank, far from the peak.

To leave Donghuang Island, most Exotics would have to take to the seas or fly themselves to the nearest teleportation array in another Dragon Domain.

With his electromagnetic senses, Ji Xinghuo immediately detected a blurry figure trailing him from behind, trying to stay hidden but failing to elude the Macrocosmic Eye.

It was Xu Kun Tianlin.

There were also two others with him.

One male and one female, both had exited the auction and his shadow clone noticed that they left with Xu Kun Tianlin, but due to the large crowd, he only now realized they were part of Xu Kun Tianlin's group.

"He even found helpers," Ji Xinghuo thought with some surprise.

Given Xu Kun Tianlin's pride, Ji Xinghuo had expected him to either rely on Xia Wei or handle the matter alone.

As he flew at high speed, Ji Xinghuo scanned the sky dozens of kilometers behind him and immediately identified the two individuals as True Dragonkin.

The burly man, with a build like a wall, was an old acquaintance—Jing Qin, with whom Ji Xinghuo had a past grudge. Jing Qin made no attempt to conceal his trail, riding on a Storm Dragon with a massive Whale Dragon floating alongside.

The woman, however, was a new face.

She had no dragon with her but wore a tight, thin battle dress that accentuated her curvaceous and alluring figure. Her appearance was extremely beautiful, with a valiant and crisp aura, and her silver-white hair flowed gracefully behind her, shimmering like light, creating a dazzling sight.

This beautiful woman flew at an incredible speed, her body enveloped in a layer of strange light that oscillated at an imperceptible frequency, propelling her forward like a beam of light.

Her electromagnetic field and energy fluctuations were exceptionally potent.

Sixth-rank pinnacle!

Ji Xinghuo sensed a threat from her, feeling that she posed an even greater danger than Xu Kun Tianlin, indicating that her strength was also superior.

Among the Sixth-rank powerhouses in the Bibo Dragon Domain, only one person could match such formidable strength and stunning appearance.

"Lei Mingke," Ji Xinghuo recalled one of the names Cang Ya had mentioned.

Lei Mingke hailed from a small family in the 'Qingyi Territory', a subsidiary of the Bibo Dragon Domain, and possessed the bloodline of the Lei Ming Dragon. From a young age, she had displayed extraordinary talent and obtained a Lei Ming Dragon, but unfortunately, this dragon had perished in battle after she rose to prominence.

Despite this setback, Lei Mingke did not sink into despair or seek a new dragon. Instead, she abandoned the path of a Dragon Master and shifted her focus to professional advancement.

She chose to become an "Electric Light User".

Ordinarily, Electric Light Users were those who advanced from the professions of "Crystal Light Attendants" and "Electric Field Stringers", mastering both electricity and light. However, Lei Mingke relied on her Lei Ming Dragon's electrical abilities and simultaneously cultivated these two profession templates, successfully transitioning into an Electric Light User with even greater strength than before.

This had happened many years ago, and now, Lei Mingke had been at the Sixth-rank pinnacle for a long time, on the verge of advancing to a Star Shepherd Saint.

In the Ascending Star Sequence, she and Xu Kun Tianlin were both in the Hidden Dragon Sequence.

Barring any accidents, she had a 99% chance of becoming a Star Shepherd Saint.

Among the second echelon, Lei Mingke's strength far surpassed Xu Kun Tianlin's. As a seasoned Heavenly King pinnacle, her reputation was formidable.

A grave expression appeared in Ji Xinghuo's eyes.

With the Macrocosmic Eye, he peered through the void, where a massive creature was swiftly traversing through the air alongside Xu Kun Tianlin—it was his Xu Kun Dragon.

In terms of flight speed alone, neither Xu Kun Tianlin nor Jing Qin could keep up; only Lei Mingke was capable of doing so.

This was probably why Xu Kun Tianlin had invited her along.

Rumbling...

Ji Xinghuo accelerated once more, putting more distance between himself and Donghuang Island. He did not want to engage in a battle near the Infinite Realm Master and the group of Star Shepherd Saints, as it might lead to unnecessary complications.

Xu Kun Tianlin and his companions shared the same thought.

However, only Lei Mingke could match his speed.

Ji Xinghuo paid her no heed and continued flying until he was over a hundred kilometers away from Donghuang Island. Then, he opened the Myriad Manifestations Star Pupil interface.

[Spiritual Source Energy: 1,178,156]



This was the spiritual source energy he had accumulated after advancing Electromagnetic Polarization and continued hunting in the Abyss. He had been saving it for the opportunity to immediately upgrade his abilities upon obtaining new ones.

Without hesitation, he began investing it into Magnetic Pole Potential Slash.

In the blink of an eye, Magnetic Pole Potential Slash reached (Level 2 1/5011).

Ji Xinghuo felt the ability's power increase, and he didn't stop there. He continued pouring in spiritual source energy, reaching (Level 3 1/15101), and then further to (Level 4 1/155231), allowing him to harness a broader and stronger range of borrowed magnetic potential energy!

Glancing back at Lei Mingke, who was effortlessly keeping up with him while maintaining a distance of over twenty kilometers, Ji Xinghuo's eyes flickered.

"Continue," he murmured.

He invested another 150,000+ spiritual source energy, pushing Magnetic Pole Potential Slash to (Level 5 1/501001).

And he didn't stop there.

Spiritual source energy was continuously poured into the ability, and progress was swiftly made.

Ji Xinghuo transformed into a bolt of lightning, speeding across the sea. When he was over a thousand kilometers away from Donghuang Island, he stirred his spirit.

[Ability: Magnetic Pole Potential Slash (Level 6 1/1,511,101)]



He had less than 500,000 spiritual source energy remaining, not enough for another upgrade.

"If I can raise it to Level 7, I should be able to advance it to an Eclipse Ability, causing a qualitative change."

"But this is enough for now."

Ji Xinghuo sensed the changes within himself. Electromagnetic Polarization amplified the power of all electromagnetic abilities, including Magnetic Pole Potential Slash. His electromagnetic stellar power surged wildly, adjusting his magnetic field to synchronize with the starry domain's magnetic field.

At this moment, the invisible and intangible starry domain's magnetic field became clearer and more tangible in Ji Xinghuo's perception.

His own magnetic field, in comparison, was minuscule and could be ignored.

When the frequencies of the two magnetic fields synchronized, for an instant, Ji Xinghuo felt as though he had established a connection with the starry domain's magnetic field. He borrowed a minuscule amount of potential energy from the infinite starry domain's magnetic field, akin to a single drop in an endless ocean.

But to him, it was like a towering mountain!

An unmatched magnetic force potential was brewing within Ji Xinghuo's body.

The potential of the magnetic field was pushed higher and higher, layer upon layer, like a surging tide, yet it was extremely compressed and under control.

"Chi!"

A sharp energy burst from the tip of Ji Xinghuo's finger.

A faint, invisible light flashed and disappeared.

This was just a minor leak, but it tore through the air like a sharp blade, creating a vacuum. Fortunately, the sound of the supersonic boom masked it, preventing Lei Mingke from detecting anything amiss.

Upon reaching Level 6, one could unleash Magnetic Pole Potential Slash even without a weapon.

However, the natural form of Magnetic Pole Potential Slash was flat and blade-like. Therefore, when attached to a sharp blade, it could exert its maximum destructive power.

Ji Xinghuo sensed the Thunder Slash Battleship Sword within his Dimensional Stomach and turned to glance at the three pursuers.

"Perfect, I'll use your blood to inaugurate my new sword."

While in flight, he activated Starry Domain Shift.

Invisible ripples appeared in the surrounding void, and Lei Mingke immediately accelerated, but instead of moving forward, she turned back towards Yu Huo Xiao, who was riding the Void Kun Celestial Qilin. Jing Qin's Whale Dragon also moved closer to the massive Void Kun Dragon.

A more powerful and extensive ripple spread from the Void Kun Dragon, enveloping everyone and their dragons.

Several seconds later.

Ji Xinghuo's Starry Domain Shift was still in progress, causing Yu Huo Xiao's expression to change slightly.

He finally realized that Ji Xinghuo's Starry Domain Shift level was higher than his, as well as that of the Void Kun Dragon. Ji Xinghuo could shift across a greater distance, and if he wanted to leave, they simply couldn't catch up.

But it was too late to stop him now.

White light flickered.

Ji Xinghuo, who was flying at high speed, leaped into the void and vanished in an instant.

Immediately after, the Void Kun Dragon, who was dozens of kilometers away, also completed its shift, following the trail left in the void. However, halfway through the pursuit, the Void Kun Dragon brought everyone out of the void and onto the sea, with no sign of Ji Xinghuo in the vicinity.

"Shift again to catch up!" Yu Huo Xiao shouted.

The Void Kun Dragon immediately activated Starry Domain Shift once more, continuing along the trail in the void. After several seconds, they emerged but still failed to locate their target.

"I'm afraid we've lost him," Lei Mingke said, her eyes alert and a hint of displeasure in her heart. Yu Huo Xiao hadn't mentioned that their target had a higher Starry Domain Shift level, resulting in a futile chase. Moreover, it indicated that their target was extremely powerful and would be challenging to deal with.

Jing Qin also looked disappointed.

"Not necessarily!"

Yu Huo Xiao refused to give up.

He urged his dragon to shift for the third time and then a fourth, almost exhausting the total shift distance for this cycle.

After four shifts totaling over 2,200 dragon lengths (1,600 kilometers), they emerged from the void to find themselves above an endless expanse of land. Yu Huo Xiao scanned the area and recognized their location. "We've arrived at Pangling Island."

Pangling Island was a large island east of Donghuang Island.

With an area of over 200 million square kilometers, it was the fourth-largest island in the Bibo Dragon Domain and could be considered a continent.

They were currently at the edge of Pangling Island.

Lei Mingke's eyes flickered with lightning as she scanned the sky and land within a 100-kilometer radius, then hummed, "He's not nearby. He must have fled."

Yu Huo Xiao was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed.

Rumbling...

A colossal beast emerged from the void. This massive creature was incredibly sturdy, its body covered in tricolored scales of azure, gold, and silver. Its thick neck was adorned with a circle of lush, flowing dark golden mane, and its terrifying claws ripped through the void. Despite its enormous size, it moved with lightning speed and agility, charging towards the three of them.

At the same time, gravity in the surrounding 10-kilometer radius increased a hundredfold, causing the figures of the three people and their dragons to sink.

The Void Kun Dragon, with its massive size, fell towards the ground, unable to withstand the sudden increase in gravity.

"Seeking death!"

Lei Mingke roared, her voice sharp as lightning crackled!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end