Chapter Two: The Dragon-Severing Stone

Zhuo Hua paid no mind to Song Xiang. With his right hand raised high, he channeled his "Devouring Galaxy" technique; his entire body was wreathed in frost. The Qinghe Sword, lying in the distance, seemed to respond to a summons, emitting a faint, mournful wail.

Suddenly, the Qinghe Sword leaped from the ground into mid-air and began to rotate slowly. It accelerated rapidly until the blade was almost a blur. As it spun at high speed, the frigid black ice that had encased it shattered and fell away.

Zhuo Hua flicked his right hand, and the powerful pulling force of the Devouring Galaxy drew the divine artifact swiftly toward him. The Qinghe Sword was back in his grasp. Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhuo Hua raised the sword and swung it down toward Song Xiang with the force of a thunderbolt.

Song Xiang dared not be slow. He hurriedly withdrew his palms and raised them above his head, unleashing two streams of icy energy toward the oncoming blade. Zhuo Hua had anticipated this move, so he shifted the angle of his sword, slashing diagonally at Song Xiang’s shoulder.

The Old Python Lord’s palms struck empty air. Realizing it was too late to retract his hands to block the blade, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and rely on his protective inner energy to withstand the strike.

With a loud clang, Song Xiang’s protective aura was shattered into nothingness by the Qinghe Sword. Although the sword’s energy gashed his shoulder, the remnants of his protective qi had deflected enough of the force to prevent the blade from slicing deep into his body.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Song Xiang withdrew his palms. His right hand lashed out with a burst of energy to deflect the Qinghe Sword, while his left hand struck a blast of icy energy directly toward Zhuo Hua’s heart. Zhuo Hua, having missed his strike, had to dodge sideways to avoid the incoming frost. Seeing his chance, Song Xiang rolled backward and broke away from the combat.

Dou Muxie, seeing the wound on Song Xiang’s shoulder, rushed over in a panic. "Python Lord, are you badly hurt? Is it serious?"

Song Xiang, his hair as white as snow, glanced at his bleeding shoulder. He flexed it slightly and, realizing no bones or tendons were damaged, shook his head. "Just a flesh wound. It is nothing."

"We must flee! He possesses the Qinghe Sword and has mastered some wicked technique that can absorb the very icy energy you have spent your life cultivating. The tide has turned against us." Seeing Song Xiang remain silent, Dou Muxie knew he was reluctant to give up, so he continued to urge him: "As long as the green hills remain, there is no need to worry about firewood. Let us find the Fairy; it will not be too late to return once we have her support. Rest assured, Python Lord, my Sun Clan disciples will ensure your safe escape from the Cloudtop Heavenly Palace."

Song Xiang patted Dou Muxie’s shoulder and praised him. "Ri Xuluo, I know well your loyalty to the Fairy. When I see her, I shall certainly request a reward for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, a look of fierce cruelty crossed Song Xiang’s face. He channeled all his energy and kicked the unsuspecting Dou Muxie directly toward Zhuo Hua, who was charging at them with sword in hand.

Dou Muxie, who had just been passionately declaring his loyalty, never imagined that the very person he sought to protect would betray him. He heard the distinct whistling sound of the Qinghe Sword behind him and sighed inwardly, "My life ends here." He closed his eyes, waiting for death.

Zhuo Hua, having dodged Song Xiang’s sneak attack, had been rushing toward the fallen man with his sword raised. He had not expected the ruthless Song Xiang to be capable of betraying his own companion. Seeing the Qinghe Sword about to impale Dou Muxie through the back, he panicked, channeling his energy into his left hand to strike three rapid palm blasts at Dou Muxie while desperately pulling back the sword with his right.

With three dull thuds, Dou Muxie collapsed to the ground, blood spewing from his mouth. Having been struck by Song Xiang’s sneak attack, his protective aura had already been shattered, and following it with Zhuo Hua’s three palm strikes left his internal energy in complete chaos; his organs felt as though they were being churned by a tempest. He reached his arms toward the sky as if trying to grasp something, but after a few empty clutches, he lost all strength and slumped over, lifeless.

Song Xiang, meanwhile, sent several Cloud Palace guards flying and fled the scene.

The onlookers, who had been watching from a distance, were caught off guard by the sudden turn of events until someone in the crowd shouted, "The old bastard is running away!" Only then did they snap out of their stupor and scramble to give chase.

Zhuo Hua shouted aloud, "He cannot escape. Follow me!" Before the words had left his lips, he had transformed into a streak of white light, heading straight toward the Hall of Seven Sages and Seven Worthies.

Qin Ying and Lin Bo exchanged a look and followed as streaks of light, with the other stars in pursuit. Only Lan Sheng, Su Xin, and Zhuo Yun, whose cultivation had not yet reached the divine stage, were left behind.

Lan Sheng turned to Su Xin and said, "Take care of my sister Zhuo," before turning to fly off.

Tian Jialan, who had chased after them, shouted to Lan Sheng, "Lan Sheng, take care of Lin Bo! His child is waiting for his return!"

Lan Sheng nodded and reassured her, "Sister-in-law, rest assured! I will look after Palace Master Lin." With that, he flew toward the Hall of Seven Sages and Seven Worthies.

Song Xiang, clutching his wounded shoulder, stumbled to the stone entrance of the Hall. He saw a squad of guards standing at the gate. The guards noticed him, and the commander stepped forward to salute. "Are you leaving, Python Lord?"

Song Xiang nodded and asked, "Was this place not unguarded before? Why is there a squad here today?"

The commander smiled and replied, "The Cloud Heaven Stele was accidentally opened earlier, so we were ordered by Palace Master Kui Mulang to reinforce the security here."

Song Xiang asked no further questions and stepped forward to enter. Just then, a yellow "Carefree Lantern" soared into the sky and exploded, leaving a trail of yellow mist that lingered in the air.

The guards immediately went on high alert. The commander blocked Song Xiang’s path, smiling apologetically. "Python Lord, we have just received orders from the White Tiger Palace that all entrances and exits are closed. No one is permitted to pass. My apologies, please return."

Song Xiang looked at the yellow mist in the sky, then turned a ferocious gaze upon the commander. "Move aside!"

"I truly cannot. This is the highest-level Carefree Lantern order; we dare not disobey military commands!" The commander’s smile remained, but his hand rested on his sword.

Song Xiang said nothing more; he shoved the commander aside and tried to push through.

"Stop him!" the commander shouted from the ground to his men. The sound of weapons being drawn rang out. Song Xiang looked at the ten-man squad and smiled with disdain.

A streak of white light descended in the sunset at the stone gate. As soon as Zhuo Hua landed, he saw the soldiers lying on the ground, all dead from cold poison. He had no time to mourn the innocent victims and rushed to the stone gate.

Alas, the gate was already sealed. Zhuo Hua pushed, but it did not budge. He tried channeling his energy to push it, but the gate remained unmoved. Just then, another streak of white light landed behind him—it was Kui Mulang, rushing to the gate.

"Ah! Still a step too late," he said, frustrated.

"Yu Heishi, was this squad sent by you?" Zhuo Hua asked.

"Reporting to the Origin Lord, it was," Kui Mulang replied, bowing his head.

Zhuo Hua nodded. "A pity! We arrived too late."

Kui Mulang looked at the massive stone gate. "This Dragon-Breaking Stone has been locked from the inside. It cannot be opened by external force."

As they spoke, Qin Ying and Lin Bo arrived. They looked at Kui Mulang with suspicion, instinctively stepping in front of Zhuo Hua.

Zhuo Hua smiled and pushed them aside. "Yu Heishi is one of our own."

Lin Bo shouted in confusion, "But Origin Lord, he was the one who personally ordered our imprisonment! How can he be one of us?"

"After you were imprisoned, did my men ever mistreat you?" Yu Heishi asked, narrowing his eyes.

Qin Ying thought for a moment. "That is true. The meals were normal, and the guards were quite kind to us. But, but when Su Xin’s leg was broken, why did your men not intervene?"

"That is because—" Yu Heishi started to explain, but Zhuo Hua interrupted him. "We shall discuss this later. The urgent matter is to open the gate and capture Song Xiang."

The three palace masters agreed. All four of them channeled their full energy to push the Dragon-Breaking Stone, but the gate remained unmoved.

"A bunch of fools. Pushing like that for a hundred years would be futile. The Dragon-Breaking Stone would not be worthy of its name if it could be pushed aside by you." The voice of Yu Qingshu rang out from behind them.

The group ceased their efforts and looked back to see a beautiful woman of great elegance, dressed in a plain Taoist robe, walking toward them in the sunset. The golden-red glow illuminated her face, highlighting the grace she had carried throughout her life.

Zhuo Hua stepped forward and bowed. "Ancestor—no, Aunt. I wish to ask how to open this stone."

"Aunt?" The others were stunned.

Zhuo Hua explained with a hint of embarrassment, "This is the Valkyrie of the Xuanhuang Clan, the previous Origin Lord."

"Ah! You are the ancestor Yu..." Yu Heishi knelt immediately, bowing his head and calling out "Ancestor."

Qin Ying pointed inside the gate and whispered to Zhuo Hua, "That is the Valkyrie?" Zhuo Hua nodded. Qin Ying and Lin Bo knelt as well. "Greetings, Ancestor."

"I told you to call me Aunt, not Ancestor," Yu Qingshu said, sounding displeased.

"As you command, Aunt!" "As you command, Ancestor!" The group shouted in confusion.

Yu Qingshu rolled her eyes and waved her hand. "Call me whatever you want!"

Zhuo Hua smiled, signaled for everyone to stand, and asked, "Aunt, how do we enter now?"

Yu Qingshu produced a jade key from her pouch. She felt around the edges of the stone gate, found a small, inconspicuous hole in the lower right corner, inserted the key, turned it, and pulled it out.

With a click, the Dragon-Breaking Stone shifted slightly. Yu Qingshu channeled her energy and gave it a push, and the gate swung open. She walked forward a few steps, and noticing no one following, she turned back and called out, "Are you coming or just standing there?"