Chapter 140: A Terrifying Battle, Slaying the Responding Dragon, and Suppressing It

Deep within the Dragon Palace of the East Sea, inside the Crystal Immortal Abode, a pool of blood boiled like molten lava. It constantly emitted an incredibly intimidating aura that shook the very hearts of those nearby, causing the entire grand hall to tremble under the weight of its power.

Just then, a majestic voice resonated from within, enough to make anyone shudder.

"Are we really about to see an East Sea Dragon King walk out?" Gu Sang muttered, swallowing hard.

Fairy Bing, Zhu Qingyu, the Little Celestial Master of Pure Yang, and the others could not help but retreat.

"It is the aura of a dragon, and its bloodline rank is high," said the Golden-Winged Peng. It was the most sensitive to such energy and knew that what lay inside was no ordinary creature, but a true dragon—one whose lineage and strength were far from simple.

The Spirit Monkey gripped its iron staff tightly, its fur bristling as it stared straight ahead.

This place was suspected to be the legendary Crystal Immortal Abode, the residence of the East Sea Dragon King. Under these circumstances, no one could remain calm. There was a genuine fear that a mythological entity might appear.

But Lu Yuan stood his ground, his expression grave. His own perception confirmed that the creature within the blood pool was formidable.

*Hum, hum, hum...*

As time passed, the blood pool churned. A massive shadow emerged from within. It was indeed a dragon, colored in shades of cyan and white, though its body was not large, measuring only a few dozen meters. It possessed a pair of wings and three-clawed feet. Standing before them, it looked down upon the group with a haughty gaze.

With every breath, white vapor poured from its nostrils. Its lustrous scales appeared like divine armor draped over its body, and a powerful pressure, heavy as mountains and vast as rivers, surged outward. The surrounding seawater trembled, pushed back by this immense force.

"Is that the Yinglong from Kunlun Mountain?" Zhu Qingyu asked, having recognized it. She had seen relevant videos and images, confirming its identity. Aside from the difference in size, there was no distinction. This was the very same Yinglong that had emerged from Kunlun.

Lu Yuan realized it too, a flash of surprise in his eyes. No wonder he hadn't encountered it after entering the Dragon Palace; it had gone straight to the Crystal Immortal Abode. But he had relied on a sea chart to navigate so smoothly—how had the dragon managed it? Fractured, folded spaces were not easy to traverse. Even the creatures from beyond the stars, despite knowing of the great treasures within the Dragon Palace, had no clear destination and could only rely on luck; whether they had even found the herb garden was another matter entirely.

But Lu Yuan quickly understood: it was a dragon, after all, and this was the Dragon Palace.

"Humans, did you not hear this sovereign?" Seeing that his words were ignored, the Yinglong spoke again. This time, his voice was accompanied by a radiance emanating from his scales. A burst of energy erupted from his body, causing the crystal hall to shake once more. Simultaneously, he locked his gaze on Lu Yuan, sensing a vast and terrifying power hidden within the man’s physique that even he found startling.

The Little Celestial Master of Pure Yang and the others looked toward Lu Yuan, waiting for him to speak.

Lu Yuan remained solemn, but sensing no murderous intent from the Yinglong, he offered a small smile. "We did not intrude rashly. The earthquakes here have affected the mainland, and we came to investigate."

"Investigate?" The Yinglong’s eyes showed doubt. "This is not a place for you. Since I have discovered you, you had best leave now, before I am forced to take action myself."

He was truly imposing—a dragon in the truest sense. His words were filled with the majesty of a sovereign. In mythology, the Yellow Emperor ascended to heaven riding a dragon—the Yinglong—so it was only natural for it to possess such imperial dignity.

"We will leave, of course. However, by my observation, you have just finished using the dragon blood to undergo your transformation. How about this: I shall trade for it. May I take that pool of dragon blood?" Lu Yuan asked. Although the creature had shown hostility, there was no intent to kill, and it hadn't attacked immediately, suggesting it was a reasonable being.

Lu Yuan did not want to be aggressive; he hoped to defuse the tension because he truly needed that pool of dragon blood. He could refine some of its essence to add to the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace, enhancing its potency. Furthermore, the Golden-Winged Peng required dragon blood to purify its own lineage. Finally, it would be of immense benefit to Zhu Qingyu, Fairy Bing, and the others. He had offered a fair trade; he did not intend for the dragon to suffer a loss.

"Hm? You need the dragon blood pool?" The Yinglong’s aura surged instantly upon hearing this. "Your strength appears decent. I have been sealed for who knows how many years and have not fought in a long time. I shall let you prove if you are qualified to obtain it."

With that, he lunged forward, his body wreathed in brilliant light. A dragon's aura was unleashed, his massive form bearing down with layers of pressure.

"Step back," Lu Yuan said, realizing a fight was inevitable. He didn't say another word and simply took a step forward.

*Boom!*

Before they even clashed, their energies collided. On one side was the rolling dragon aura, soul-shaking; on the other, a surging vital force that suppressed all else. These were two distinct, powerful forces, and they collided head-on.

*Thump!*

The underwater world trembled, and the Crystal Palace groaned. Fortunately, the materials of the hall were extraordinary, and it remained unscathed despite the immense power.

"This Yinglong is at the Sovereign-King stage. It possesses a complete dragon body, a high-level lineage, and exceptional talent. It is far beyond the Underworld Ox clan we faced before," the Golden-Winged Peng observed. As a fellow mythological creature, it understood much. In other words, if its own Peng lineage was only two-tenths awakened, this dragon was at least three or four. While it might not seem like a large gap, at this level, the difference was like heaven and earth. That was the power of bloodlines—the further one progressed, the more apparent it became.

"It should be fine. King Lu is unparalleled in combat at his level," Fairy Bing said, full of confidence.

"The situation is different now," the Spirit Monkey interjected. "This dragon did not evolve in the new era; it reached the fifth stage long ago in the ancient past. It is truly strong."

The members of the Heavenly Court present hoped for Lu Yuan’s continued invincibility, but the Golden-Winged Peng and the Spirit Monkey, with their high strength and inherited memories, could see the danger. Zhu Qingyu and Fairy Bing’s expressions grew serious upon hearing this.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan and the Yinglong had already begun their battle. Golden vital energy erupted, casting a dazzling, brilliant light that illuminated the depths of the sea. They fought their way out of the Crystal Palace, as the space inside was too cramped for such a display.

*Roar!*

The Yinglong bellowed, its body expanding until it reached a thousand meters in length. Every scale shimmered with cyan and white light. Its dragon claws, sharp as heavenly blades, smashed down, causing the seabed to collapse as they struck toward Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan did not flinch. At his current level, fighting underwater did not hinder his combat prowess in the slightest. Golden vital energy surged, causing the seawater to churn as he met the dragon's claw with a single, unhesitating punch.

*Rumble!*

The water and the earth shook in unison, as if a great explosion had occurred. The onlookers, like the Spirit Monkey, were forced to retreat further under the sheer intensity of the power.

Lu Yuan and the Yinglong continued their clash, neither choosing to fight to the death. From the start, the Yinglong had been curious about the human's strength and wanted to test him. But after exchange after exchange, the dragon grew shocked. Lu Yuan was too strong. Each punch parted a thousand meters of seawater, his golden fists striking like iron against the dragon's body, leaving the creature numb. If not for his own powerful lineage and extraordinary physique, the dragon might have had his body shattered and bled out already.

"Hahaha! You are quite something, human!" The Yinglong grew more excited, his entire body radiating brilliant light. The cyan and white form began to crackle with arcs of electricity. Opening his mouth, he unleashed a bolt of lightning thicker than a water vat. The seabed shook again, as if a terrible disaster were unfolding.

Lu Yuan did not retreat. His internal organs hummed, and his golden vital energy expanded fully. Facing the incoming lightning, he struck out.

*Boom!*

The lightning was forcibly shattered. Lu Yuan strode forward, his eyes shining like a true god. He approached the Yinglong and rained down punch after punch like a storm. The seabed sank, and the surrounding structures groaned; if this were on land, the battle would have reshaped the local geography.

Facing a dragon from legend, Lu Yuan remained relentless. He attacked continuously until the Yinglong, who had initially been able to hold his own, began to fall behind. The dragon’s scales flickered as if reaching their limit.

Watching from the Crystal Palace, the Spirit Monkey and the Golden-Winged Peng were stunned. They knew the dragon was strong, and with their own bloodline talents, they weren't afraid of him, but this Yinglong was of a very high level—likely among the elite of the Sovereign-King stage across all star domains. Yet, after so little time, he was already being suppressed, and they could tell Lu Yuan wasn't even using his full strength. He hadn't used his Golden Body manifestation, his Great Sun Furnace, or any of his supreme divine abilities—only his raw physical prowess.

They exchanged glances, their worldviews shifted once again. If Lu Yuan were at the next stage of evolution, could he take on a Saint-Domain warrior of the sixth stage while still in the Sovereign-King realm?

*Boom!*

As they pondered, Lu Yuan increased his pressure, delivering a heavy kick. The Yinglong’s massive body tumbled backward, crashing into a giant hall before finally coming to a stop.

His brilliance had dimmed, and most humiliatingly, several of his scales had cracked, leaking droplets of dragon blood.

The Yinglong had been defeated.