Chapter 370: Perhaps It Was the Right Choice

“Father!” a crisp voice called out.

Little White Dragon Jianjia suddenly broke free from White Dew’s palm, silver scales flashing through the wind.

With a whoosh, she coiled around Jiang Huai’s shoulder, her small dragon head nuzzling against his neck as she spoke softly:

“I missed you so much.”

His fingertips brushed over her cool, glossy dragon horn, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“I missed you too.”

The crowd stood divided on either side of the mountain gate, forming two neat rows.

On the left, Su Yingman led the Sun Division of the Nine Heavens Palace, her pink dress trailing on the ground, her expression gentle.

On the right, the Dragon Race stood with White Dew at their head.

Her plain white dress made her figure appear slender, and she was actually a head shorter than Su Yingman.

Su Yingman had intended to step forward and approach, but her gaze swept past the person behind Jiang Huai, and her steps halted.

Wu Zhaohua rested peacefully on his back. Her brows and eyes were as calm as before, and a faint smile still lingered at the corners of her lips.

Yet her entire body carried no trace of life. Even the sharp Sword Intent that had once surrounded her had dissipated completely.

Su Yingman’s throat tightened. In the end, she swallowed the concern that had risen to her lips.

As for Wu Zhaohua, she actually respected her.

Jiang Huai’s eyes darkened. “I want to follow the path she came from, and try to mend the wounds on her Dao Foundation.”

“Even if I’m powerless, it’s still better than standing by and doing nothing.”

Wu Zhaohua had reversed her path from the Heavenly Realm at the cost of destroying her Dao Foundation, blocking a fatal situation for him.

For such a grace of burning herself to save him, and for such an abruptly ending conclusion, how could he accept it?

White Dew’s delicate brows furrowed, a trace of worry flickering in her eyes.

“You just left seclusion, and now you’re leaving again?”

Jiang Huai lifted his head to gaze at the sky, his eyes seeming to pierce through the layers of clouds, landing on a certain faltering Black Shadow somewhere.

Back then, the three Heavenly Demons had merged into one, their aura soaring to the heavens.

Now, only “Wu” remained, struggling alone in the depths of the starry sky.

“Yes,” he said softly. “Let’s finish the remaining business cleanly first.”

White Dew pursed her lips. She knew he had made up his mind, so she said no more.

“You only care about taking responsibility for her. Don’t you care about us anymore?”

A crisp laugh rang out. Green light washed over Jiang Huai’s shoulder, and a petite Azure Dragon swam leisurely through the air.

Her scales were as emerald and moist as spring new tea.

Her dragon horns were small and exquisite, and the tip of her tail swayed lightly, bringing with it fragments of Spiritual Light. It was Ao Yao.

She coiled around Jiang Huai’s other shoulder, clinging to him, her dragon head leaning close to his ear as she said angrily:

“Tell me, how long have you made me wait? And what about my Short Sword? You still haven’t returned it to me!”

Hearing the commotion, Jianjia climbed up a bit along Jiang Huai’s hair, found a secure spot to curl up, and tilted her dragon head to watch the excitement.

“There’s a hierarchy of importance and urgency,” Jiang Huai said, raising his hand in a gentle gesture, his voice warm.

“Since everyone is here, come along with me.”

Before his words faded, white light suddenly burst forth. White Dew was the first to transform into her true White Dragon form.

Silver scales whiter than snow, her dragon posture elegant. With a flick of her tail, she swept to the top of Jiang Huai’s head.

Her dragon claws gently pressed down on Jianjia’s small head, and she even bit the tip of her horn.

Jianjia let out a couple of soft whimpers and obediently curled up, not daring to move anymore.

On the other side, yellow light swirled. Cang Jing and Cang Ling shared a unity of minds.

Their figures merged into a single long Yellow Dragon, standing steadily beside Ao Yao.

Their auras fused together, showing no sign of disharmony.

Then Chi Hong, Chi Lian, Chi Huang, and Qin Xuange each transformed into dragons as well.

Chi Hong’s dragon body stretched out, crimson flames swirling around her. She was graceful and noble, and a single sweep of her dragon tail stirred up waves of heat.

Chi Lian’s form was slightly smaller. Her red scale light was soft, and she settled quietly in Jiang Huai’s arm, very well-behaved.

Chi Huang had a fierce temper. Her dragon body was vigorous and powerful. She had intended to squeeze forward, but then she glanced at the little Black Dragon that Qin Xuange had transformed into.

She deliberately paused, then moved to Chi Hong’s side, putting a whole Yellow Dragon between herself and Qin Xuange.

The Black Dragon that Qin Xuange had transformed into had dark, glossy scales and a heroic posture.

She only cast a cold glance at Chi Huang without speaking, her dragon head held high, her pride fully displayed.

Zhu Siyao stood beside Su Yingman. Watching Jiang Huai surrounded by large and small dragons of various colors, all crowded and jostling, she couldn’t help but pout.

“What’s this? We can’t transform into dragons. We can’t keep up with you!”

Seeing this, Jiang Huai raised his palm slightly. A gentle surge of Lingli lifted Su Yingman, Zhu Siyao, and the others.

Then, black and white energy swirled in his eyes. He tapped his foot lightly, and Yin-Yang Qi exploded outward from his body.

His entire form turned into a streak of black-and-white light, carrying the shadow of dragons and the group, shooting straight toward the heavens.

The fierce wind hit them face-on, clouds tore like fabric, and only the sound of wind whistled past their ears. The layers of clouds on both sides receded rapidly.

Jianjia had never seen such momentum. She couldn’t help letting out a cry, but White Dew pressed her down firmly with a claw, leaving only two round eyes peeking out.

The streak of light broke through the boundary and entered the starry sky in an instant.

The surroundings suddenly fell silent. Stars were like crushed diamonds embedded in an inky canopy, cold and dark. A faint Aura of Annihilation permeated the void.

Jiang Huai carried everyone upward. Stars flowed and receded around them. The deeper they went, the thicker the gray aura of annihilation became.

Before long, a blurry Black Shadow stood quietly in the void ahead.

That Black Shadow had a humanoid outline, pitch-black like ink. Thick Demonic Qi surged around it, as if congealing and not congealing, like a patch of thick ink stain embedded in the void.

It was the only remaining Heavenly Demon, “Wu.”

Hearing the commotion, it slowly rose.

“Yin-Yang Body, you have finally reached this step.”

As it spoke, its legs uncontrollably began to tremble slightly.

That was the instinctive fear of the Essence of Annihilation toward Yin-Yang life force.

Especially with Jiang Huai as he was now, possessing immortal-level Yin-Yang Power that was pure and boundless.

The Aura of Annihilation pressed in, sending a shiver through the women, as if in reaction.

The Dragon Race all tensed their bodies, their scales standing on end. A low Dragon’s Roar was suppressed in their throats, poised to strike.

Su Yingman also withdrew her smile, secretly circulating her Qi within her sleeves.

Her gaze was as sharp as a sword, fixed tightly on that Black Shadow.

“Do you have any last words?” Jiang Huai’s voice was calm and flat. He slowly raised his right hand.

In his palm, black and white Qi swirled and converged.

At first, it was only the size of a fingertip, but in an instant, it transformed into a slowly rotating Taiji Light Sphere.

Boundless Lingli radiated from his body. The surrounding stars seemed to tremble with it, and the void rippled in layers, as if the entire sea of stars revolved around him.

It was silent all around, yet it also felt very lively.

“Last words?” Heavenly Demon Wu shook its head. There was a hint of self-mockery in its voice.

“We were born with annihilation as our instinct. When we die, we return to nothingness. To whom should I say last words?”

It lowered its head to look at its own trembling legs and let out a low laugh.

“Ridiculous, isn’t it? Every time I see you, these legs can’t help but tremble.”

“Especially now, you are truly terrifying.”

Jiang Huai nodded, his tone plain. “You lost.”

“Lost?” Heavenly Demon Wu laughed softly, a hint of pity in its laughter. “Yin-Yang Body, believe it or not, one day you living beings will destroy this world yourselves.”

“Without my Mother Tree cycling endlessly, no new living beings will be born from now on. This world will only step by step wither into desolation, with no more Cycle.”

It spread its arms, the cloak-like Demonic Qi stretching out behind it like unfolding a pair of dark wings.

“Perhaps at that time, heaven and earth will truly return to silence. That would be a good thing after all.”

“Come on, send me to annihilation. I failed my mission anyway. It should have been this way long ago.”

Its tone suddenly shifted.

“Oh, and if you go to the Immortal Realm one day, seek a place that the Human Race calls the Forbidden Land.”

“That Sword Immortal on your back might have returned by treading that path. Go take a look.”

Jiang Huai gazed at it silently, then said softly after a moment, “I’ll remember that. What you said may hold reason, but today’s matter ends here.”

“I believe that living beings won’t necessarily push the world to the brink.”

“You said Birth and Destruction are the natural laws of heaven and earth. Then what is my existence as the Yin-Yang Body?”

As his words fell, the light sphere in his palm suddenly exploded in size.

A black-and-white Light Pillar shot out from his hand, as thick as a mountain, vast and overwhelming.

It carried an endless, ever-cycling Yin-Yang Dao Rhyme, crushing straight toward Heavenly Demon Wu.

Wherever the Light Pillar passed, the void twisted and wrinkled. Demonic Qi dissolved and scattered. Even the faint light of the surrounding stars was dimmed by the pressure.

The entire Black Shadow of Heavenly Demon Wu was engulfed by the Light Pillar. Not even a wisp of remnant smoke was left.

In an instant, it scattered into nothingness, leaving not even a trace of Aura of Annihilation, as if it had never existed.

The starry sky returned to silence. Only the aftershocks gently swayed the stars.

White Dragon White Dew swayed her tail and let out a long breath.

“The chief villain is eliminated. The remaining scattered demons won’t amount to anything. I’ll send tribesmen to clean them up one by one shortly.”

Jiang Huai withdrew his hand and looked down at his own palm, muttering softly to himself:

“I still feel like something is missing.”

“What’s missing? You’re already this powerful!”

Ao Yao shook her emerald green dragon tail and squeezed forward. She gently bit his cheek, a mix of childlike charm and affection.

Seeing this, White Dew flicked her tail, gently covering Jianjia’s eyes, blocking the little one’s view.

This seemed to start a trend. The remaining dragons wouldn’t show weakness.

The Yellow Dragon swung its head and left a mark on his other cheek. Chi Huang squeezed in and bit his earlobe, her teeth grinding lightly.

Chi Lian hesitated, embarrassed to bite, so she just gently rubbed against his jaw.

Even White Dew, who was always aloof, lowered her head and touched the top of his head, her dragon horn brushing through his hair.

Su Yingman watched with a curled lip, hugging her arms as she muttered quietly:

“The Dragon Race is like that. They get in heat at the drop of a hat. No sense of propriety at all.”

Chi Lian felt quite embarrassed upon hearing this, not knowing which way to turn.

Qin Xuange and White Dew, mindful of their status, pretended not to hear.

But the Yellow Dragon clan was always straightforward. Cang Ling controlled the dragon head and shot back immediately:

“A person from the Huanhuan Sect has the nerve to say that?”

“We may practice lust, but our hearts are pure!” Su Yingman lifted her chin, a hint of disdain in her tone. “There are nuances to it that you wouldn’t understand.”

“A Dragon Race beast like you wouldn’t get it, and I can understand that.”

“Hmph.” Cang Ling let out a cold snort and turned her dragon head away.

Jiang Huai shook his head helplessly.

The Nine Heavens Palace and the Dragon Race had always had their own temperaments.

When they gathered together, they inevitably bickered. Chi Lian was caught in the middle, uncomfortable on both sides.

“Alright,” he spoke up to break the deadlock, his voice gentle. “I’m going to follow the old path and send Zhaohua back.”

“If you’re willing, come with me.”

Upon hearing this, White Dew frowned and shook her head, her tone firm.

“No. The Five Provinces have just been stabilized. There are a hundred things to be done. The Dragon Race has many affairs to attend to. I cannot leave.”

“Moreover, both the Nine Heavens Palace and the Wenxuan Sect need someone to hold down the fort. If we all leave, wouldn’t the realm fall into chaos?”

Jiang Huai smiled slightly at this and didn’t argue.

He flicked his finger lightly. Two streams of Spiritual Light flew out from his fingertips, one black and one white.

They circled in the air several times, and a Dragon’s Roar sounded. They transformed into two long dragons.

The White Dragon was pure white, its dragon posture elegant, its body radiating warm and gentle spiritual energy that carried a warm life force.

The Black Dragon’s scales were deep and dark, its Dragon Might vast, carrying a heavy, killing aura. The Two Energies of Yin and Yang flowed unceasingly around the two dragons, perfectly natural.

The two dragons roared in unison, their voices shaking the sea of stars.

Then they swooped down and hovered above the sky of the Five Provinces.

One on the left, one on the right, overlooking all living beings. Their aura was so strong that it far surpassed the combined power of all Dragon Race cultivators present.

The two dragons patrolled the sky. Their Dragon Shadow covered the sun.

On the land of the Five Provinces, countless cultivators looked up, all awed by that vast immortal might. They knelt and prostrated, calling out Immortal Venerable.

White Dew stared blankly at those two dragon shadows, her cherry lips slightly parted, her eyes full of shock.

Only at this moment did she truly realize that between herself and Jiang Huai, there was already a gap like clouds and mud.

The two spiritual dragons he had conjured were a realm she could never hope to reach even in a lifetime.

Chi Hong sighed, half-jokingly and half-seriously, “With your cultivation now, can you flick me to death with one finger?”

“Don’t say things like that,” Jiang Huai said helplessly.

“Ah.” Chi Hong shook her tail. “Now that you’re this powerful, it’s only natural we listen to your orders.”

“With these two dragons guarding the place, the Nine Heavens Palace, the Dragon Race, and the Wenxuan Sect will certainly be safe.”

Jiang Huai’s gaze swept over the group, and he said warmly, “This trip won’t be long. Don’t worry.”