, Dragon-shaped Creature, Comparable to Half a Plant of Immortality [Please Subscribe!]

Chapter 77, Dragon-shaped Creature, Comparable to Half a Plant of Immortality [Please Subscribe!]

"It's alive!"

When Elder Liu's words entered the stone-cutting chamber, the air seemed to freeze.

Elder Yao Jin took a step forward, unleashing the full power of the second level of the Sendai Heaven.

The array patterns in the entire stone-cutting chamber lit up at the same time, and the ancient Dao patterns on the walls seemed to come alive, spreading out dense patterns along the stone walls.

She shielded Su Ye and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi behind her completely.

The face of the Holy Maiden of Yaochi was obscured by her white veil, but a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

"How could something sealed inside stone for countless millennia still be alive?"

Her voice was very soft.

"What level of existence must that be?"

Su Ye's gaze passed over Yao Jin's shoulder and landed on the stone that had only been cut once.

The leaves of the World Tree sapling trembled gently, and all the golden threads of its aura shone brightly.

This surge of fortune is even stronger than when the dragon-patterned black gold was cut out earlier.

He had already made up his mind.

What's sealed inside this stone is no ordinary object.

Elder Liu's hand holding the stone-cutting knife was still trembling, the blade hovering half an inch above the stone surface, unable to move forward or backward.

Cold sweat trickled down her face from her forehead, but she didn't dare wipe it away.

"Holy Son—"

She swallowed hard.

"Should we cut it or not?"

Yao Jin turned around and gave Su Ye a questioning look.

Su Ye remained calm.

"Keep cutting."

Elder Liu gritted his teeth and gripped the stone-cutting knife again with both hands.

Divine power flowed into the blade once more, and a pale blue light began to circulate along its edge.

She took a deep breath, and the blade slowly descended.

Second knife.

The cut was made extremely slowly and steadily.

The stone skin cracked open along the golden veins.

A rich, almost viscous life essence gushed out from the crack, instantly filling the entire stone-cutting chamber like a flood bursting its banks.

A strange, sweet fragrance filled the air; it was the scent emanating from the essence of life condensed into substance.

Elder Liu took only one breath, and he felt all the pores on his body open up, his blood and qi surged, and the bottleneck that had been stagnant for many years showed signs of loosening.

"This fragrance—"

She murmured.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi raised her hand to cover her mouth and nose, her eyes filled with even deeper surprise and doubt.

"The mere release of life essence can loosen a cultivation bottleneck; what exactly is inside?"

The array patterns on the wall operated wildly, tightly sealing the soaring life essence within the stone-cutting chamber.

However, the array pattern's light grew brighter and brighter, clearly indicating that it was under immense pressure.

Yao Jin's expression changed slightly. She formed a hand seal and added another sealing spell to the array pattern.

"Holy Son, if this life essence is leaked out, it will cause a huge tremor."

Before she could finish speaking, a clear, cold voice came from the void.

"Don't worry, it won't be leaked."

A voice, as clear as jade beads falling onto a silver plate, suddenly rang out.

The air in the stone-cutting chamber seemed to freeze, and a figure in pure white stepped out from the void.

The Sage of Jade Balance.

Her pure white palace dress was spotless, and the cinnabar birthmark between her brows was as red as blood.

Her expression was solemn. With a wave of her jade hand, a Saint-level array silently descended, further reinforcing and sealing the entire stone-cutting chamber.

The wall array patterns that were just running wildly suddenly fell silent.

Under the Saint-level seal, not even a trace of energy can seep out.

"Greetings to Patriarch Yuheng."

Yao Jin immediately stopped and bowed.

Su Ye and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi also bowed in greeting.

Sage Yuheng nodded slightly, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing on the stone on the cutting platform.

A rare solemnity flashed in her eyes, which had witnessed thousands of years of vicissitudes.

"continue."

Her tone was flat.

With the patriarch present to oversee things, Elder Liu finally felt a little relieved.

She steadied her hand and brought down the third knife.

The stone skin peeled off layer by layer.

The golden light emanating from the cracks grew brighter and brighter, becoming increasingly dazzling.

The entire stone-cutting chamber was bathed in a golden light, so intense that it was almost blinding.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi raised her hand to cover her eyes.

"This light—"

Before she could finish speaking, an even more intense golden light burst forth from deep within the stone.

This time, along with the golden light, there was also a terrifying pressure that made one's mind tremble.

The pressure wasn't fierce; in fact, it could be described as gentle, yet it carried an indescribable aura of holiness.

Elder Liu's stone-cutting knife fell to the ground with a clatter.

She stumbled back three steps, her back slamming against the wall, her eyes wide open.

"dragon----"

Her lips trembled, and she managed to utter only one word.

The stone skin was completely dissolved.

A huge divine source, two feet wide, was revealed on the stone-cutting platform.

The divine source was crystal clear, with dazzling light flowing inside.

The quality of this divine source alone is enough to make the elders of the holy land fight tooth and nail to seize it.

This single piece of divine source is worth over a million catties of source.

Elder Liu had worked at the stone archway for decades, and this was the first time he had ever seen such a massive and complete divine source.

Yao Jin gasped.

Even the usually clear and ethereal eyes of the Holy Maiden of Yaochi were now filled with ripples.

Su Ye's gaze, however, fell upon the interior of the divine source.

Sealed in the very center of the divine source was a living being, its entire body radiating golden light, curled up in a ball.

If fully extended, its body length will exceed one meter.

His head was slightly raised, and two wisps of long, thin golden whiskers hung naturally from the corners of his mouth. Although he did not display any power, he naturally exuded a sacred and peaceful aura.

Dragon.

This is a dragon.

A dragon-shaped creature sealed within the divine source, slumbering for countless millennia.

The stone-cutting chamber was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were fixed on the golden dragon-shaped creature.

Elder Liu was the first to break the silence.

"This is... a real dragon?"

There was a hint of disbelief in her voice.

True dragons are beings that exist only in ancient legends, on par with immortals, and rarely seen throughout the ages.

If a real dragon is indeed sealed inside the stone, the entire Big Dipper and even the entire universe will be shaken.

The Sage Yuheng did not answer. She slowly walked to the Divine Source and bent down to observe it carefully.

The light in those eyes, like the flickering of stars, shifted rapidly, clearly indicating the use of some extremely high-level pupil technique.

After a moment, she straightened up, her expression softening somewhat.

"It's not a real dragon."

She shook her head.

"Is it a dragon loach, or even an ancient dragon loach!"

Eternal Dragon Loach.

Yao Jin and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi exchanged a glance, a hint of shock flashing in each other's eyes.

"May I ask the patriarch—"

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi asked softly, "What is the difference between the Eternal Dragon Loach and the ordinary Dragon Loach?"

The Jade Balance Sage extended his index finger and gently touched the surface of the Divine Source through the void.

Where the fingertips touched, a pale golden halo emanated from the divine source, with the Dao patterns within faintly visible.

"The dragon loach resembles a dragon, but it is actually a different species of loach. It was born in the ancient and primordial land, feeds on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and grows only one inch in a thousand years."

"A common dragon loach that is one foot long is already a treasure for alchemy, and its essence and blood can extend one's life by a hundred years."

"And this dragon loach in front of us is over a meter long. It has been sealed in the divine source for countless millennia, yet it still retains its vitality."

The sacred Yaochi is home to three dragon loaches, each about a foot long, which is one of the treasures of Yaochi.

The largest of them had been nurtured for nearly eight thousand years, and the elders of all generations regarded it as a treasure and never used it lightly.

If this ancient dragon loach were to stretch its body, it would exceed one meter in length.

A length of one foot is already a once-in-a-millennium occurrence.

A loach that is over a meter long is a rare occurrence that happens only once every tens of thousands of years!

Sage Yuheng stared intently at the surface of the dragon loach in the divine source, where an extremely fine layer of Dao patterns flowed.

"The method used to seal this divine source is extremely special."

Her voice turned somber.

"If there are no special methods of sealing away living things within ordinary divine sources, the creatures sealed inside will turn into withered bones within ten thousand years."

"Only by using special sealing techniques can time within the divine source be almost frozen; otherwise, it will eventually slowly pass by."

"But the sealed Dao patterns on this divine source—"

A ray of holy light shone from the fingertip of the Jade Balance Sage and gently swept across the surface of the divine source.

Under the illumination of the holy light, those subtle Dao patterns emerged one by one, densely interwoven into an extremely complex sealing array.

Everyone present could clearly see that the way the array was constructed was strikingly similar to the method used by the Yaochi Holy Land to seal away the life-extinct essence of its beings.

Yao Jin was slightly taken aback.

"This technique—is a sacred ground-level technique for preserving secrets."

"To be precise."

The Sage Yuheng withdrew his fingertips, a hint of emotion in his voice.

"It is even more ancient than the sealing techniques currently mastered by the major holy sites of the Big Dipper."

"This is a technique from ancient times, and it must have come from the hand of some ancient sage."

"That sage discovered this dragon loach, but could not bear to kill it to take its blood, so he used this method to seal it into the divine source to preserve its vitality."

She looked down at the curled-up golden creature within the divine source.

"It's a pity that the sage didn't live to see the day when the dragon loach was retrieved."

"This stone has been lost to time, passing through countless years, and finally settled in the Yaochi Stone Archway."

Su Ye stood beside the Jade Balance Saint, the light falling on the curled-up golden creature within the divine source.

The World Tree within the Sea of ​​Bitterness trembled slightly.

He already had a decision in his mind.

This dragon loach is probably worth much more than the dragon-patterned black gold he cut out before.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with disbelief.

"The patriarch just said that this creature is called the Eternal Dragon Loach —"

"Is the difference between it and a regular dragon loach like the difference between divine essence and ordinary Originium?"

"It's even worse."

The Jade Balance Sage spoke in a calm tone, but his words sent a shiver down the spines of everyone present.

"If this dragon loach were inanimate, refining all the remaining essence and blood within its body could extend a person's lifespan by up to a thousand years."

"For a powerful individual whose lifespan is nearing its end, every additional thousand years means a greater chance of breaking through."

"Its value is immeasurable; it's worth at least half a life."

"But as an ancient dragon loach that has been preserved in its active state, the life essence contained in its blood has not diminished in the slightest over time."

"If we can make good use of it—"

"It can help cultivators extend their lifespan by five thousand years."

A sage's lifespan is only six thousand years; an extra five thousand years is almost equivalent to living an extra lifetime.

Even ancient monsters from sacred sites would fight tooth and nail to snatch such a life-extending treasure.

"A live, ancient dragon loach is worth as much as half a plant of immortal medicine!"

Upon hearing this, Yao Jin's breath suddenly tightened.

The Jade Pool Saintess's clear eyes also widened.

It can extend one's lifespan by five thousand years—equivalent to half a plant of immortality!

What does that mean?

The elixir of immortality is a supreme treasure that even emperors would fight for.

Taking an elixir of immortality allows one to live a second life, making it the most direct way for emperor-level beings to maintain their peak combat power.

Throughout the entire Big Dipper, there are only a handful of known immortal herbs, each attracting the attention of countless forces.

This ancient dragon loach is worth as much as half of an immortal herb.

Elder Liu murmured these words repeatedly, his eyes becoming somewhat unfocused.

"Half a plant—the elixir of immortality—"

The Sage Yuheng continued speaking.

"Extending lifespan is secondary; the most precious aspect of the Eternal Dragon Loach's blood is its ability to heal injuries to the Great Dao!"

The wounds of the Great Way.

The Dao injuries sustained during the Heavenly Tribulation, the backlash from failed enlightenment, and the Law-related wounds left by powerful enemies—

The wounds inflicted on the Great Dao are the most feared wounds by cultivators, even more terrifying than severe physical injuries or damage to the primordial spirit.

Once this substance comes into contact with the skin, ordinary pills are completely ineffective, and even saint-level spiritual medicines can only barely suppress it.

If the wounds to the Great Dao are not healed, one's cultivation will be unable to progress, and one may even fall from one's realm, ultimately leading to the collapse of one's Dao foundation.

Throughout history, countless brilliant minds have been halted at a certain level due to injuries to their cultivation, never making any further progress in their lives.

How many prodigies, who were destined to attain enlightenment, suffered Dao injuries during their tribulations, thus severing their path to becoming emperors and fading into obscurity?

Spiritual objects capable of healing the wounds of the Great Dao are extremely rare in the world.

"It can extend lifespan by five thousand years and also heal injuries to the Great Dao!"

Yao Jin's voice was tinged with excitement.

"Then this ancient dragon loach is truly worth half a plant of immortality elixir!"

Sage Yuheng turned around and his gaze fell on Su Ye.

In those eyes that held the illusion of starlight and ephemeral beauty, a shimmering light seemed to be scrutinizing something, or perhaps weighing something.

After a long pause, she suddenly spoke.

"Holy Son".

Her voice was soft, yet it sent a slight chill through Su Ye's heart.

"Disciple is here."

"What do you think should be done with this?"

Su Ye remained silent for a moment.

He certainly understood the purpose of the Jade Balance Sage's question.

He cut out this ancient dragon loach, so it should rightfully belong to him.

However, this item is too valuable, so valuable that it could drive any major power crazy.

If the outside world were to find out that the Holy Son of Yaochi possessed an Eternal Dragon Loach, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"This disciple will obey the ancestral master's arrangements in everything."

He spoke calmly.

A hint of approval flashed in the eyes of the Jade Balance Sage.

"very good."

She gently raised her jade hand, and a beam of holy light surged from her palm, transforming into layers of intricate Dao patterns that tightly enveloped the entire divine source.

That was a Saint-level sealing technique, performed by a Saint himself. The number of people in the entire Big Dipper who could break this seal could be counted on one hand.

"The ancient dragon loach that was cut out today was personally sealed and secured by my magic. It was then taken back to the Jade Pool and entrusted to the Queen Mother of the West for safekeeping."

""

Su Ye nodded.

"Disciple understands."

The Sage Yuheng looked at him for a moment, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"The road to becoming emperor is fraught with peril and unpredictability."

"You are walking the Emperor's Path, where life and death are commonplace."

"Heavenly tribulation, formidable foe, supreme ruler of the forbidden zone—each challenge could cost you your life."

Her fingers traced patterns on the surface of the divine source, leaving behind golden lines.

"At that time, this ancient dragon loach will be your trump card for survival."

"When you encounter a life-or-death calamity on your path to becoming an emperor, or when you suffer a Dao injury that is difficult to heal on its own, that will be the day it comes in handy."

.

She paused, then turned her gaze to Su Ye.

"Does the Holy Son understand what I mean?"

Su Ye listened quietly, her expression remaining largely unchanged.

Yet, a strange and inexplicable emotion welled up inside me.

Of course he understands.

This is not just a gift, but a weighty expectation.

By placing such a treasure, enough to drive even saints mad, on Yaochi, she was essentially betting the future of the entire holy land on his path to becoming emperor.

Yaochi's investment in him far exceeded the scope of nurturing a holy son.

They are nurturing a future emperor.

"Disciple understands."

Su Ye bowed respectfully.

"Su Ye will certainly live up to the trust placed in him by the Holy Land."

The Sage Yuheng nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his dignified and beautiful face.

The smile was faint and fleeting, yet it sent a shiver down Yao Jin's spine.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi stood beside Su Ye, her clear, cold eyes sparkling with a strange light beneath her white veil.

The look in her eyes as she gazed at Su Ye held a complex and indescribable meaning.

How long has this person been in Yaochi?

Yaochi broke its rule of not accepting male disciples, which had lasted for tens of thousands of years, for him.

The Jade Pool's Imperial Weapon, the Immortal Tears Green Gold Pagoda, personally recognized him.

Now even the extraordinary and rare Eternal Dragon Loach has become his possession.

This luck is truly astonishing.

The Jade Balance Sage put the sealed divine source into his sleeve and turned to look at everyone present.

Her tone suddenly became serious.

"No one present is allowed to divulge a single word about what happened today."

Elder Liu, Yao Jin, and the Holy Maiden of Yaochi also responded solemnly.

"I will obey the instructions of the patriarch."

The Sage Yuheng looked around to make sure nothing was missed before nodding in satisfaction.

She raised her hand and made a sweeping motion in the air, and a dark rift silently appeared.

She stepped into it, and the crack slowly closed behind her, leaving not a trace.

The sage departed.

The stone-cutting room returned to calm.

The array patterns on the wall were still slowly rotating, but no longer flashing as wildly as before.

That rich life essence had been completely locked inside the divine source by the Saint-level seal, and no longer emanated outwards.

"My family, the Liu family, has spent our entire lives cutting stone—"

Elder Liu spoke softly, his voice carrying a hint of etherealness.

"After today, I'm afraid I'll never dare to touch a stone-cutting knife again."

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi gently covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Elder Liu's cut revealed a priceless treasure, enough to be recorded in the annals of Yaochi Stone Archway."

"Leave your name?"

Elder Liu smiled wryly and said, "Holy Maiden, you jest."

Yao Jin walked to Su Ye's side, chuckled, and said, "With the Dragon Pattern Black Gold and the Eternal Dragon Loach, the Holy Son's trip to the Holy City is probably more than the Yaochi Stone Workshop's annual income."

Su Ye's lips curled up slightly.

"It was just something I did."

Yao Jin rubbed her forehead and sighed for the third time.

"Holy Son, could you please tone down your words a little next time you say something like that?"

"Just telling the truth."

5

'

Yao Jin decided not to respond to that.

"Holy Son, let's leave it at that for today. Let's return to our residence in Yaochi."

Su Ye nodded, his gaze sweeping around the stone-cutting chamber.

Deep within the Sea of ​​Bitterness, the leaves of the World Tree sapling have returned to calm, only now gleaming with a gentle luster.

The leaves of the World Tree trembled slightly, as if in response to him.

The three of them walked out of the stone-cutting chamber.

In the backyard of Yaochi Stone Archway, the remaining stones are still quietly placed on the stone platform.

Su Ye glanced at it as he passed by, but did not sense any fluctuations in its aura, so he walked straight past.

Elder Liu saw them off from behind, his steps still a little unsteady.

"Your Highness, those stones—"

"I'm not cutting it anymore; there's nothing good inside those few broken stones."

Su Ye waved his hand without turning his head.

Elder Liu looked at the remaining stones, then at Su Ye's departing figure.

She suddenly felt that this Holy Prince was full of mystery.

All the selected stones are excellent value for money.

Dragon-patterned black gold, divine source, divine jade from the Nine Heavens Azure Sky — plus that last ancient dragon loach.

The three of them left Yaochi Stone Archway through the back door.

As dusk approached, the streets of the holy city remained bustling with people.

The streetlights lit up one by one, illuminating the entire city as if it were daytime.

The cultivators coming and going were still discussing the news that the Holy Son of Yaochi had cut out the dragon-patterned black gold.

No one knew that just moments ago, an even more astonishing treasure than the dragon-patterned black gold had quietly appeared in the world.

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi walked beside Su Ye and suddenly spoke.

"Your Majesty has had a very fruitful day, won't you treat us to a good meal?"

Su Ye glanced at her sideways and asked, "What would the Holy Maiden like to eat?"

"There is a restaurant called Ling Shan Ge in the Holy City that uses thousand-year-old medicinal herbs in its dishes, and the taste is excellent."

The Holy Maiden of Yaochi had a smile in her eyes.

"The price is also extremely high."

Yao Jin added quietly from the side.

"Don't worry, Holy Son, the divine source extracted today is worth over a million catties of source energy, more than enough."

Su Ye smiled, a rare occurrence for him.

"Let's go then."

The three walked side by side, their figures gradually blending into the lights of the holy city.

In the depths of the void, high above them, the Sage Yuheng sat cross-legged, with divine energy silently suspended before her.

She looked down at the curled-up golden dragon-loach in the divine source, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

After a long while, she sighed softly, flicked her sleeves, and her figure disappeared into the endless void.

Night fell over the holy city.

The lights were like an inverted Milky Way, dazzling and magnificent.

Deep beneath the city walls, in the stone-cutting chamber of Yaochi Stone Archway.

Elder Liu was sitting alone in a chair, staring blankly at the empty stone-cutting platform.

She reached out and touched the stone cutting platform, where the lingering fragrance of the ancient dragon loach still remained.

She suddenly smiled.

"My life has been worth it."