Chapter 1895 Things change and people change
At the summit of Dragon Realm Mountain, clouds and mist surge like waves, never dissipating throughout the year.
The ruins of the dilapidated dome stand atop the mountain, with dark green ancient vines climbing among the broken walls.
It may have been a sacred place in the Dragon Realm in the past, because the gate to the Dragon Realm only opens once every ten years, and the last time it opened was more than a year ago.
Now, only desolation remains here.
A fierce wind howled past the cliff edge, stirring up gravel and dust, but it could not move the majestic figure standing beneath the broken sky.
Situ Haokong stood with his hands behind his back, like a black iron mountain carved out of the Nine Netherworld Abyss.
The way he stood there was like the figure of a giant beast, making the surrounding air seem to be pressed down by a heavy force.
He was over nine feet tall, with shoulders nearly ten feet wide. His imposing body occupied almost half of the ruined platform. Every muscle in his body had been honed through countless trials, gnarled and twisted like the roots of an old tree, making his dark-colored tight-fitting clothes bulge out.
Every muscle on his body was sharply defined, rising and falling slightly with his breath, as if magma was slowly flowing beneath his skin, containing a devastating power.
With such an appearance, he should have been a powerful demonic figure who roamed the eight wastelands and no one dared to provoke him.
He certainly deserved it. As the sect leader of Nine Dragon Valley, Situ Haokong held a revered position within the Demon Sect.
His cultivation at the late stage of the Feather Transformation Realm meant that he could make the entire world tremble with a mere stomp of his foot.
Nine Dragon Valley has hundreds of thousands of disciples and its influence spans three states. All of its elders have cultivation levels above Enlightenment. In Huafeng State, apart from the sect leader of the Crimson Flame Fist Sect, no one dares to challenge it.
But who would have thought that this usually arrogant and domineering leader of a super sect would have a slight frown on his face?
His eyes, which usually shone with a fierce light, now held an undisguised unease. He would occasionally look up at the clouds in the sky, his gaze filled with anticipation and anxiety, as if he were waiting for some important figure who would make him bow down.
He had been waiting on the summit of Dragon Realm Mountain for an entire night.
In order to obtain the Dragon Blood Wood and complete his mission, he had no choice but to lower himself and bow down to the person he both hated and feared.
The thought of that person made Situ Haokong feel a dull ache in his chest, a sense of humiliation welling up inside him, but it was suppressed by an even deeper fear.
As dawn broke and the sun broke free from the sea of clouds, its golden rays pierced the morning mist like a sharp sword, scattering across the summit of Dragon Realm Mountain and turning the ruins of the ancient city into a golden-red hue.
Just then, a tiny black shadow rapidly approached from the horizon. At first, it was just a blurry dot, but as the distance shortened, the shadow grew larger and larger. You could vaguely see a slender figure riding a strange beast, cutting through the sky.
Situ Haokong's heart tightened, and he quickly composed himself, suppressing his surging emotions and forcing a kind expression onto his face.
However, his face was already rugged and fierce, and he was also a bit expressionless. At this moment, the smile he forced out was even uglier than crying. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes piled up, making him look particularly stiff.
He straightened his clothes, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and waited respectfully, even unconsciously softening his breathing.
"Master Lin..."
He was about to speak and offer his greeting, but the words caught in his throat, and the smile on his face froze.
The person who flew in was not Lin Jichen, whom he was waiting for, but a woman riding a strange beast named Bai Ze.
The Bai Ze was pure white, with smooth fur like satin, a single horn on its head, and eyes like glass, exuding intelligence. It was clearly a rare beast that had reached the Enlightenment Realm.
The woman on the back of the beast sat gracefully, dressed in a leopard-colored velvet coat. The soft, smooth fabric clung tightly to her shapely figure, outlining a slender yet agile curve.
Her dark black ponytail was tied high, swaying slightly as the beast flew, with a few stray hairs sticking to her smooth forehead, adding to her lively charm.
The woman was exceptionally beautiful, with fair, jade-like skin and exquisitely beautiful features. In particular, her eyes were a rare pale gold color, with slightly upturned corners, exuding a wildness and vitality, like a spirited deer running freely in the mountains and forests, both lively and possessing an unassailable pride.
At this moment, she was looking down and playing with the wine pot at her waist, her expression languid, completely ignoring Situ Haokong below.
Situ Haokong's brows furrowed instantly, and the respect in his eyes vanished, replaced by impatience and disdain.
He looked the woman up and down, sensing that she was only at the mid-stage of the Enlightenment realm, and his contempt for her grew even stronger.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass on the summit of Dragon Realm Mountain?"
His voice was deep and resonant, carrying the unique pressure of a late-stage Ascension cultivator, attempting to make the other party back down.
The woman urged Bai Ze to descend slowly, landing on the other side of the broken sky platform, ten feet away from Situ Haokong.
Her movements were graceful, and Bai Ze lay obediently at her feet, nuzzling his head against her palm.
The woman took out a wine flask from her waist, uncorked it, tilted her head back, and leisurely took a sip. The wine slid down her lip, soaking her woolen shirt, but adding a touch of wild charm to her look.
She wiped her mouth and calmly revealed her affiliation: "Beast Taming Sect."
"Beast Control Sect?"
Situ Haokong scoffed, his disdain deepening.
"You're just a junior from a first-rate sect, how dare you be so insolent in front of me? You dare not even greet me properly?"
In his eyes, although the Beast Taming Sect was somewhat famous, it was insignificant compared to a super demonic sect like the Nine Dragons Valley.
Let alone a young disciple, even if the sect leader of the Beast Taming Sect came, he would have to be respectful to him and would not dare to overstep his bounds in the slightest.
Upon hearing this, the woman raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery flashing in her pale golden eyes, and said nonchalantly, "Why should I bow to you? Who do you think you are?"
Do you know who I am?
A playful smile crept across Situ Haokong's lips, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
He assumed the woman was ignorant and unaware of his identity, so he took the opportunity to scare this arrogant girl.
Normally, if he encountered a female cultivator as beautiful as a flower and with a wild side, he would have already abducted her back to Nine Dragon Valley and used her as a furnace to play with and replenish his essence.
Given his status and position, even if he messed with a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, the sect leader would have no choice but to swallow his anger and would absolutely not dare to come forward to argue.
However, he now needs Lin Jichen's help and dares not cause trouble in Dragon Realm Mountain.
But that didn't stop him from teasing her a little. If the woman knew his identity and was so frightened that she knelt down and begged for mercy, she might even willingly submit and offer herself to him, which would be the best outcome.
But to everyone's surprise, the woman, instead of being afraid at all, laughed and teased him.
"I know Situ Haokong, the sect leader of Nine Dragons Valley. However, I also heard that you were beaten so badly by the Sword Sect in the Taiyin Mountains last month that you ran away with your tail between your legs. Is that true?"
Situ Haokong: "..."
