The True Dragon’s Qi and a Fateful Encounter

“It seems your relationship is far more intimate than I imagined, given that you even know about such a top-secret mission of the Tianyan Sect.”

Upon hearing Chi Qiu effortlessly reveal his identity, Ye Yan was initially startled, but his smile only deepened.

When Chi Qiu saw Ye Yan looking at her, she immediately fell silent. A sense of unease settled in her heart, unsure of Ye Yan’s true purpose in coming here.

“How about it, Junior Brother? Would you be willing to let me examine that True Dragon’s Aura for a moment?”

After a brief glance at Chi Qiu, Ye Yan dismissed her from his attention, turning back to press Su Hanxing for an answer. Su Hanxing’s expression turned bitter. The corners of his mouth twitched subtly as he lowered his head, lost in thought and utterly silent.

Observing Su Hanxing’s withdrawn demeanor, Ye Yan remained unhurried. He had already severed the connection between Su Hanxing and the flying boat, leveraging his own profound cultivation. Thus, the flying boat was now entirely under Ye Yan’s control. It circled continuously above the Imperial City’s inner district, not daring to advance a single step beyond the city limits.

“The True Dragon’s Aura isn’t on him. It’s with me.”

Chi Qiu had finally understood Ye Yan’s objective. Everyone in the world believed the True Dragon’s Aura resided within Su Hanxing, and now, Ye Yan had come directly seeking it. Chi Qiu, unwilling to let Su Hanxing face this alone, decisively revealed that she was the true possessor of the True Dragon’s Aura.

In Chi Qiu’s estimation, since Ye Yan had gone so far as to expose his whereabouts to find Su Hanxing, he must have come fully prepared. If the outcome of this encounter failed to satisfy Ye Yan, she and Su Hanxing would likely find themselves in an exceedingly perilous situation. Chi Qiu valued her life above all else, always believing it to be more important than anything else—including, naturally, the True Dragon’s Aura.

“However, this item has already merged with me; it cannot be separated. Even if you were to kill me, it would merely vanish into thin air.”

“The True Dragon’s Aura is actually on you?”

Upon hearing Chi Qiu’s words, Ye Yan sat up in astonishment. He turned to gaze at Chi Qiu, scrutinizing her from head to toe. This probing stare made Chi Qiu inwardly bristle with self-loathing, yet she could do nothing but endure it.

After observing for a moment, Ye Yan extended his right hand forward. Blood-red starlight slowly coalesced, then shimmered into the illusory image of the Star Palace Diagram. A brief instant later, the Star Palace Diagram dispersed, leaving not a single trace behind.

“It seems you were just performing a divination, weren’t you?”

Seeing that the Star Palace Diagram had left no trace, Ye Yan suddenly understood. He instantly deduced the subject of Su Hanxing’s recent divination.

“Since the True Dragon’s Aura is with you, then summon it for me to observe.”

Ye Yan rose from his seat and slowly approached Chi Qiu. Chi Qiu had no choice but to tilt her head back, looking at Ye Yan’s face. She channeled her soul power, drawing forth the True Dragon’s Aura from the depths of her Sea of Consciousness and slowly gathering it in her hand.

“This is the True Dragon’s Aura you wished to see.”

As Chi Qiu extended her hand, a small, azure-gold Yinglong, about a chi in size, soared and coiled above her palm. Its every movement resonated with the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth, appearing truly extraordinary.

“It truly is the True Dragon’s Aura. It seems you two harbor quite a few secrets!”

Ye Yan gestured with his hand, and an invisible force descended upon Chi Qiu’s grasp, ‘pulling’ the miniature Yinglong towards him.

“Little Chi!”

From a short distance away, Su Hanxing watched Chi Qiu so readily summon the True Dragon’s Aura and offer it to Ye Yan for inspection. His heart swelled with a mix of gratitude and anxiety. Yet, with Ye Yan still present on the flying boat, Su Hanxing found it difficult to speak much, able only to softly call out Chi Qiu’s name.

Chi Qiu heard Su Hanxing’s soft call and saw the unconcealed worry on his face. She subtly made a reassuring gesture with her hand, signaling to Su Hanxing that he needn’t fear for her safety.

“I can’t discern it, I truly can’t discern it…”

Ye Yan paced the flying boat for approximately a quarter of an hour, holding the True Dragon’s Aura. Finally, he let out a long sigh to the heavens, then shook his head helplessly, his tone filled with regret.

Ye Yan turned, casually flicking his wrist. The azure-gold True Dragon’s Aura returned to Chi Qiu’s hand.

“Here, it’s yours,” he then stated.

“Senior, why did you wish to examine this True Dragon’s Aura?”

After receiving the True Dragon’s Aura and returning it to her Sea of Consciousness, Chi Qiu, observing Ye Yan’s wistful expression, boldly posed her question. Ye Yan had explained his reasons to Su Hanxing earlier when he first requested the True Dragon’s Aura, but Chi Qiu had been asleep at the time and thus remained unaware.

“The Tianyan Sect has been hunting me for a long time. The True Dragon’s Aura can obscure heavenly secrets, preventing the Tianyan Art from divining my whereabouts. That’s why I wanted to observe it—to see if I could glean any insights into its secret-shielding abilities, which might help me evade their pursuit.”

“The True Dragon’s Aura can obscure heavenly secrets, making it impossible for the Tianyan Art to divine its possessor?”

Chi Qiu’s heart jolted. She had been utterly oblivious to this fact until now.

The Tianyan Sect is hunting Ye Yan? Wasn’t it Ye Yan who had been actively seeking out disciples of the Tianyan Sect and the Heart God Sect to eliminate them?

Upon hearing Ye Yan’s words, Su Hanxing’s heart seized. His mind was now awash with a shock as overwhelming as crashing waves against a shore.

“The Tianyan Sect has been pursuing Senior Brother for a long time?”

At this thought, Su Hanxing could no longer suppress the doubts in his heart. He rose from the wooden chair, covering the distance to Chi Qiu’s side in a few swift strides, and spoke.

“If I weren’t being hunted by the Tianyan Sect, why would I have come to the Imperial City seeking refuge?” Ye Yan’s face held a smile, yet his tone was chillingly cold.

“But…” Su Hanxing stiffened at the words. His sect’s mission had only informed him that Ye Yan had arrived in the Imperial City, not why he had come.

“Did your master not instruct you to lure me out of the Imperial City, so I could be ambushed and killed?” Ye Yan fixed his gaze on Su Hanxing, his eyes narrowing slightly.

A terrifying surge of killing intent instantly enveloped Su Hanxing.

How did he know that the sect elders intended to ambush and kill him?

Struck by the immense killing intent, Su Hanxing’s legs weakened, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, his mental fortitude surpassed that of ordinary individuals. After the initial discomfort, Su Hanxing immediately circulated his true qi throughout his body, barely managing to dispel the overwhelming pressure.

“If not for Senior Brother rebelling against the sect, why would the Tianyan Sect bother pursuing you?” Su Hanxing, enduring the immense pressure, replied with a respectful bow, neither servile nor arrogant.

“I rebelled against the sect… Hmph! The Tianyan Sect and the Heart God Sect conspired to murder my beloved dao companion, and they dare accuse me of rebelling against the sect?”

Upon hearing Su Hanxing’s words, Ye Yan’s expression turned utterly grim. Blood-red starlight flickered all over Ye Yan’s body. His crimson daoist robe billowed without a breeze, and gusts of chilling, ominous wind emanated from within him, rushing directly towards Su Hanxing.

“Hanxing—”

Witnessing this scene, Chi Qiu’s face instantly blanched with alarm. She flashed forward, intending to intervene and block him. Seeing Chi Qiu advance, Ye Yan casually flicked his sleeve. A colossal force of Heaven and Earth instantly condensed around Chi Qiu, pinning her to the spot, utterly unable to move.

“Don’t mind me…” The chilling wind assailed him, and Su Hanxing immediately felt as though countless blades were piercing his body, causing excruciating pain. Yet, the sheer shock in his heart managed to suppress the physical agony.

“That old fool Su He, thinking he could escape my notice by using the Starfall Step. He truly is regressing the older he gets…” Ye Yan made a sweeping gesture with his hand, and blood-red starlight shimmered.

Swiftly, several lines of small characters materialized before Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing.

[It is indeed Ye Yan. Continue your covert investigation, and report to me once he leaves the Imperial City. I and several elders will then move to capture and kill him.]

“You certainly found yourself a good dao companion. Just now, to save you, she handed over the True Dragon’s Aura without a moment’s hesitation…”

Ye Yan beckoned, and the force of Heaven and Earth that had bound Chi Qiu instantly fluctuated. Propelled by this immense power, Chi Qiu was compelled to move closer to Ye Yan, step by reluctant step. She only stopped when she was approximately three paces in front of him.

Ye Yan extended his hand, forming a void-grip. A blood-red longsword, conjured from starlight, materialized out of thin air. He swept the sword horizontally, its edge stopping just at Chi Qiu’s throat.

“Junior Brother, do you wish to experience the taste of losing a beloved, just like your Senior Brother?”