Soul Emperor Awakening

After saying goodbye to Luo Xiao and the others, Lin Xuan headed alone toward the volcano. Before setting off, he carefully scanned his surroundings to see if anyone was following him.

His status was rather sensitive now. It wasn’t a matter of him looking for trouble, but of trouble finding him. If anyone was following, he wouldn’t mind taking them out—they would just be lambs offering themselves up for slaughter.

Of course, if they sent a Spirit Pill Stage expert, he’d have to eat his words. He stood a fighting chance against an Essence Pill Stage expert, but if a Late Stage Essence Pill Stage expert showed up, he’d be completely outmatched.

Fortunately, no one was following him. With his formidable Spiritual Power, he could easily detect anyone tailing him. After confirming he was alone, he quickly departed, summoning his Phoenix and flying toward the volcano.

Based on his memories, the volcano was in a rather remote location. The Golden Dragon King would never have hidden it near the Bone Dragon Ruins, as the two were in completely different directions.

Traveling overland at a frantic pace would take more than a week. The distance was immense, and the numerous winding mountain paths would be maddening to navigate.

That was why he chose to fly on his summoned Phoenix. At its speed, the journey would only take two or three days. At the same time, he was also testing the endurance of the Five-Colored Spirit Wood. He had used it for so long without any signs of it shattering, and he wanted to see just how far he could push it.

After two days of continuous flight, the Phoenix he was riding weakened slightly. Its Elemental Power was clearly running low, but it didn’t shatter and stubbornly flew on.

’It seems I can use it indefinitely as long as I restore its Elemental Power. The fact that this Five-Colored Spirit Wood can absorb Elemental Power on its own really makes it special.’ Lin Xuan opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.

This further confirmed his suspicion. He had guessed all along that the material was the key; only something that could replenish its own Elemental Power would have such lasting endurance.

The principle was the same for Cultivators: without Elemental Power, they couldn’t execute even the most powerful Martial Techniques and would be left with no strength.

’That volcano up ahead must be the one,’ Lin Xuan thought, comparing the sight before him to his memories. The volcano had changed dramatically; where there had once been no trees, the mountain was now covered in a dense forest.

Clearly, the active volcano had either gone extinct or was merely dormant.

He then guided the Phoenix down into the crater. The moment they reached the entrance, a wave of scorching heat washed over him, carrying the thick stench of sulfur.

The fumes were no issue for him. Though toxic enough to knock out an ordinary person, they were harmless to a Cultivator. He wasn’t afraid of the poisonous gas, but he couldn’t possibly withstand the magma below. The extreme temperature would melt him in an instant—even Soul Possession would be useless.

’The temperature in this volcano is pretty good. It’s quite suitable for incubating a Dragon Egg, and the flames here would be very beneficial for it,’ Lin Xuan mused as he surveyed the volcano. The Golden Dragon King had chosen a location perfectly suited for the egg’s incubation.

A good environment has a huge impact on the incubation process.

He slowly guided the Phoenix downward along the crater’s edge, scanning his surroundings. So much time had passed that the volcano’s interior had changed drastically, leaving no recognizable landmarks.

The only thing he knew for certain was the depth. When he descended to the same altitude the Golden Dragon King had, he glanced around and immediately spotted a small cave without even having to search hard.

’Has someone been here before?’ Lin Xuan frowned, leaping off the Phoenix and into the small cave. It was just large enough for one person to enter.

The moment he stepped inside, he was hit by a blast of intense heat as thermal waves rose from the ground. They were extremely close to the magma, so the temperature was staggering—an ordinary person wouldn’t have been able to stand it. But with Phoenix Essence Blood in his body, this level of heat was a trivial matter for Lin Xuan.

He had only gone a few meters deeper when he saw fragments of an eggshell scattered on the ground. He picked one up and examined it, frowning. "It really did hatch..."

The Golden Dragon King had hidden the Dragon Egg a very long time ago, so it was perfectly normal for it to have hatched by now. It seemed it hadn’t been dug up by anyone, but that the hatchling had crawled out on its own!

’Looks like I’m too late...’ Lin Xuan sighed in disappointment, but there was nothing to be done.

He had considered this possibility before coming: if the egg had already hatched, this trip would be for nothing. But if he hadn’t come and the Dragon Egg was still unhatched, he would have squandered a golden opportunity.

Unfortunately, it was the former. Judging by the state of the eggshells, it had hatched a long, long time ago.

’Oh well. Some things just can’t be forced.’

Lin Xuan turned, mounted his Phoenix, and flew upward. He was preparing to head toward Qingcheng Mansion, resigned to the fact that this had been a wasted trip.

Just as he emerged from the crater and was about to head toward Qingcheng Mansion, cries for help reached his ears, drawing his attention. He looked down and saw a small village at the foot of the volcano, where a dense crowd was gathered. Most were elderly people kneeling on the ground, their frail bodies trembling uncontrollably.

"L-Lord Mo, I beg you, please let her go! She’s the only granddaughter I have left... Besides, didn’t we already pay our tribute this month? Why are you still taking people!" an old man wailed, clinging to a burly man’s thigh as he knelt and begged, tears streaming down his wrinkled face.

"Get lost!" Mo Long kicked the old man away and sneered, "Tribute? You have the gall to call that paltry amount a tribute?"

"Grandpa! You bastards, let me go! Grandpa..." a pretty young woman cried out in anguish. She tried to rush over and help her grandfather up but was held fast by another burly man. All she could do was cry, tears of heartbreak streaming down her face.

Mo Long licked his lips, a lecherous glint in his eyes as he stared at the girl. "Well, well. I didn’t expect this little thing to blossom so nicely after a few years. Being taken to serve our boss is the fortune of a lifetime for you! As long as you come back with us quietly, this village won’t have to pay tribute for five years. If you’re not willing... heh heh, then I don’t mind killing a few people."

The girl’s face went pale at Mo Long’s words. Biting her lip, she looked over at the cowering villagers. They were mostly elderly, with only a handful of able-bodied men left, none of whom dared to step forward.

They were all ordinary people. How could they possibly stand up to bandits who had Cultivation?

Watching from a distance, Lin Xuan took in the entire scene. A murderous light glinted in his eyes as he tightened his grip on the White Pupil Rod. "I didn’t expect to run into such scum out here," he said, his voice ice-cold. "Today, I’ll deliver heaven’s justice!"

He had often heard of outlying villages being plundered by bandits, who would come every month to collect tribute in the form of grain or Primordial Stones. If the amount was insufficient, they would abduct the women or drag the able-bodied men away to do forced labor. This left the villages with only the old, weak, and young, who were unable to work. If wild beasts were to attack, they would be even harder-pressed to defend themselves.

He leaped off the Phoenix, recalling it mid-air; he didn’t want anyone to see it. Then, gripping his White Pupil Rod, he charged forward at top speed, his eyes blazing with Killing Intent and fury!

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