Chapter 29: Special Gifts

At the entrance of the Secret Realm, that ancient Obsidian Jade Wall silently slid open once more, and the light-devouring, shadowy vortex reappeared.

A figure stepped out this time, but she carried with her a sense of utter exhaustion and weakness.

Qin Qingyue staggered a step, as if she had used up all her strength just to barely stand upright.

The Black Dragon Armor she wore was dull and lusterless, with even a few fine cracks showing in places.

Her skin, once lustrous as jade, now appeared unhealthily pale, and even her Black Dragon Horn seemed to have lost some of its brilliance.

Jiang Huai, whom she had half-dragged and half-carried out with her dragon tail tightly wrapped around his waist, looked even more “miserable beyond words.”

His robes were tattered and ruined, his breath faint, his gaze vacant—he looked every bit like a man tormented beyond endurance, with little time left to live.

“They’re out!”

“The Calamity Dragon is here!”

“Take her down!”

Almost the instant the two figures appeared, the elite East Sea Dragon Clan, who had already surrounded the Secret Realm Entrance so tightly that not even water could seep through, erupted in earth-shaking roars.

Countless Dragon Breaths filled with killing intent locked onto the pair at the center, who seemed about to collapse at any moment.

It looked as though Qin Qingyue had not obtained the Celestial Immortal Form, and had instead been broken and battered by the Secret Realm—now was the perfect time!

Wu Zhaohua sat upright atop the Immortal Sword, high above, her gaze cold as eternal ice.

She didn’t care what state Qin Qingyue was in, nor was she concerned.

Only seeing Jiang Huai in such a state beside her made a surge of indescribable irritation and anger rise in her heart.

Xiao Yue stood respectfully by her side, frowning slightly at the tragic scene below.

Was this the Black Dragon that forced Honored Master to treat her as a formidable enemy, even joining hands with her foes to deal with her?

She looked… like she could barely hold on?

“Qin Qingyue! Hand over the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, surrender now! For the sake of our shared Dragon bloodline, we’ll let you die whole!”

The former East Sea Dragon Lord, Qin Qinghong, shouted in a voice like a bell, brimming with deep-seated hatred.

Such shame and humiliation—the Eastern Wilderness Dragon Clan was on the verge of becoming a laughingstock! Even the Dragon Palace had been seized; their disgrace in the Eastern Wasteland was unbearable.

The Black Dragons of the Eastern Wasteland had always been the proudest of the Dragon Race.

Proud Black Dragon, Lively Azure Dragon, Charming Crimson Dragon, Cool White Dragon, Dominant Yellow Dragon.

“Surrender?”

Qin Qingyue lifted her head, her scarlet vertical pupils sweeping over the densely packed enemies around her, finally settling on Wu Zhaohua in the sky.

Her lips pulled into a mocking, provocative arc, her voice hoarse yet clear:

“Wu Zhaohua, is this all you’ve got? All you know how to do is hide behind others and cheer, waiting to reap the spoils?”

“If you’ve got the guts, come get him yourself. My man is right here—if you dare, come and take him back yourself!”

She deliberately emphasized the words “my man,” and at the same time, her dragon tail wrapped around Jiang Huai’s waist tightened demonstratively, squeezing him so hard he let out a muffled groan, his face growing even paler.

Jiang Huai wanted to speak, but couldn’t utter a single word—Qin Qingyue had sealed his voice.

He could only lift his face, looking at the familiar yet distant Wu Zhaohua, his gaze somewhat dazed.

In Wu Zhaohua’s eyes, paired with his torn black robe, he looked both pitiful and helpless.

As if telling her he had suffered endless torment and pain.

Wu Zhaohua couldn’t stand that look from Jiang Huai at all—it instantly ignited the suppressed fury in her heart.

“Qin Qingyue, you’re courting death!”

“Give him back to me, and I’ll let you go this once!” She stood up, white robes billowing, her beautiful face frosted over, eyes blazing with anger.

Qin Qinghong jerked her head around at those words, her expression confused, head tilting slightly.

Aren’t we allies? I brought a whole group here to help you set up the formation and block Qin Qingyue—our cooperation’s been smooth.

How could you just say you’ll let her go? Throw away our lives for a man?

If Qin Qingyue escapes and recovers her strength, the Eastern Wilderness Dragon Clan might still survive, but for me, Qin Qinghong, there’ll be no way out.

Are you treating my dragon life like a joke?

“Hmph.” Qin Qingyue sneered in disdain, not taking it to heart.

Wu Zhaohua’s gaze turned utterly frigid. She raised her jade hand, fingers pointed like a sword, aiming downward:

“Attack! Qin Qingyue—dead or alive, it doesn’t matter! Jiang Huai must be protected at all costs.”

“Kill!”

“Avenge our kin!”

She dropped her guard, focusing only on Jiang Huai, determined not to let him suffer any harm—her attention shifted completely away from Qin Qingyue.

It was time to bring him home.

The East Sea Dragon Clan elites could hold back no longer. At Qin Qinghong’s command, they surged forward like a black tide, their savage Dragon Breaths and razor-sharp claws sweeping in from all directions, charging at Qin Qingyue and Jiang Huai at the center.

Even before the attacks landed, the terrifying spiritual power already warped the very air.

At the instant before all those attacks struck—

Qin Qingyue’s once-dazed and pained eyes suddenly flared with a cold, sharp light.

Her dull Black Dragon Armor erupted with a blinding radiance, every fine crack instantly mending, becoming even deeper and more imposing.

An indescribable pressure exploded outward from her as the center.

Boom!

Heaven and earth lost their color.

The dozens of Black Dragons at the very front didn’t even have time to scream before they were violently blasted away, as if struck by a giant hammer, blood spraying everywhere.

The wild joy and arrogance on Qin Qinghong’s face froze in an instant, replaced by boundless terror.

That pressure—was that Celestial Immortal Form? She succeeded?

“Impossible! Impossible!” Qin Qinghong cried out in despair.

If Qin Qingyue achieved Celestial Immortal Form, what would become of the Eastern Wilderness Dragon Clan? Would there ever be hope for them again?

Wu Zhaohua’s pupils shrank to pinpoints in the sky, and the Immortal Sword beneath her let out a sword cry, forced back several zhang by the sudden, terrifying pressure.

As expected, this dragon was cunning—always scheming!

She’d been fooled again!

“Wu Zhaohua! Here’s a gift for you!”

“Jiang Huai’s tea!”

As the world changed color and everyone was stunned by this reversal, Qin Qingyue’s mocking voice rang out.

In a flash, she struck—within the white porcelain cup, the last dregs of that cloudy, oddly-scented “tea” were infused with a trace of pure spiritual power.

It turned into a water arrow, swift as lightning yet bizarrely twisted, carrying a strange aura of “defilement,” and shot straight at Wu Zhaohua’s shocked and stunningly beautiful face.

Sss!

A barely audible yet crystal-clear sound.

The water arrow landed squarely on her flawless, jade-like face, splashing all over.

Cold, sticky, and carrying a faint sweetness mixed with the scent of plants, the cloudy liquid slid down her high nose, past her slightly parted, alluring red lips—opened in shock—down her beautifully contoured chin, finally dripping onto the collar of her pristine white Sect Master’s immortal robe.

So filthy, so… defiling.

Time seemed to truly freeze.

Xiao Yue covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide as saucers, her mind blank.

Wu Zhaohua was frozen atop the Immortal Sword.

She could clearly feel the cold, slick sensation, and smell that distinctive mix of tea and something else.

This Calamity Dragon, Qin Qingyue, had no men at her side but Jiang Huai.

So where this came from was obvious—Qin Qingyue had defiled her man, done unspeakable things.

“Qin! Qing! Yue!!”

A shriek filled with boundless killing intent, almost tearing space itself, burst from between Wu Zhaohua’s clenched teeth.

Just as she was about to go berserk and unleash a devastating attack, Qin Qingyue had already been preparing.

A blaze of black light, brighter than before, erupted from her, spiritual power flooding into the Long Spear in her hand without reservation.

“Go!”

With a crisp command, Qin Qingyue’s dragon tail wrapped even tighter around the still-bewildered Jiang Huai—who still hadn’t figured out what that “tea” was—transforming into a streak of black light that tore through the web of power woven by the East Sea Dragon Clan and Wu Zhaohua, shooting straight for the distant horizon.

“Sect Master Wu, how’s the tea? No need to thank me!”

“This is from Jiang Huai, you know.”

“Ah!!!”

Wu Zhaohua finally erupted completely, unable to maintain her dignified, frosty composure—her terrifying spiritual power surged out of control, flattening the already-ruined ground below by several more feet.

She glared at the direction in which Qin Qingyue had vanished, her eyes burning with unprecedented murderous intent.

“I will kill you!!!”