After several failed attempts, Evan Chu was starting to lose his composure. If he couldn't communicate with the little golden dragon and fuse with its soul, he would be stuck in his current form forever—which was inconvenient for both daily life and action.
Luna—the Sword Spirit—had warned him that this method would take quite a while; most of the time would be spent trying to communicate with the golden dragon soul, and rushing it was pointless.
Evan Chu gradually adjusted his mindset. Each time his divine sense was about to touch the invisible barrier around the little golden dragon, he stopped and simply observed the subtle changes in his mind, acting as if he didn’t even know the dragon soul existed.
Most of the time, he would just quietly stay for a while before leaving. This made the little golden dragon soul curious. Right now, its intelligence was like a child’s—easily intrigued by new things. Several times, it wanted to greet Evan’s divine sense, but in the end, its timidity made it give up.
Evan was well aware of everything the little golden dragon did, but he wasn’t in a hurry to interact. He wanted the dragon to take the initiative—only then could their souls truly fuse smoothly.
Serena Dream simply stood there, waiting in silence. Watching Evan remain motionless made her increasingly anxious. By her count, he’d been like this for two days already, and she had no idea what was happening outside.
Outside Frostbane Sect, discussions were buzzing. Many disciples couldn’t understand Evan Chu’s transformation into a Divine Dragon. Some argued that Evan shouldn’t be Frostbane Sect Master, insisting that the position must remain with the human race and that a dragon should never take over.
Others believed that even if Evan was a dragon, it didn’t matter—his contributions to Frostbane Sect were enormous. Since Elder Joan He and the Grand Elder hadn’t objected, no one else dared to either. There was even a rumor that Evan looked exactly like Frostbane Sect’s ancestral founder, as if carved from the same mold.
Naturally, all this gossip reached Joan He and Selena Yale. Already worried about Evan’s condition, they grew furious when they heard these rumors and immediately ordered punishment for all the troublemakers spreading discord.
After the punishment, Frostbane Sect gradually regained its calm. Selena Yale, Serena Dream, and Lynne Nie often sat together, reminiscing about Evan’s past. Though laughter sometimes broke out, deep down they were all worried sick about his current state.
After returning to Freewind Palace, Palace Lord Yurong Hua immediately stepped into a vast, secluded chamber. Within, an ancient woman sat with hair white as snow, her eyes shut in deep meditation. Only when Yurong Hua entered did the old woman slowly open her eyes, her gaze as profound as the sea.
"Disciple Yurong Hua pays her respects to Master!" Palace Lord Yurong Hua bowed deeply, her voice filled with reverence and awe.
"Why have you come? Has the Azure Tide Ruins undergone some earth-shaking change that leaves you feeling powerless? With your current strength, few matters should trouble you—unless that old monster’s disciples have appeared in the Azure Tide Ruins?" The ancient woman’s gaze was sharp, as if she could pierce through all secrets.
Palace Lord Yurong Hua was momentarily at a loss. She had intended to report the shocking news about Evan Chu, but now, hearing her master’s words, she sensed the shadow of even greater powers. Suppressing her anxiety over Evan, she asked respectfully, “Master, may I ask who this ‘old monster’ is? The Azure Tide Ruins are indeed in turmoil, and sometimes I truly feel powerless.”
"The Azure Tide Ruins have always been a place of unrivaled talent. Back then, I was nothing but a weak disciple—surviving until now is already a miracle. Yet there is one thing I cannot let go. Though I cannot kill him, I have longed to slaughter his disciples. But thousands of years have passed, and there has been no sign of them." The old woman’s voice trembled with ancient bitterness and regret.
Palace Lord Yurong Hua felt a jolt in her heart. She had never heard her master mention such a wish before—clearly, the person in question was no ordinary figure. A sense of awe and wariness welled up inside her.
“Master, may I ask who this person is? If I ever encounter him, I will surely help you vent this grievance. Please, tell me everything.” Palace Lord Yurong Hua pledged, her tone solemn and full of respect.
"He was one of the three supreme experts of the Azure Tide Ruins in those days. Lord Frostbane held the number one spot, and he was second. He had a disciple named Ji Rufeng—his talent was monstrous, and he inherited the true legacy, breaking through to the Seventh Layer of the Saint Martial Realm. By a twist of fate, we met and fell in love with each other." The old woman’s eyes grew distant, lost in the memories of a bygone era.
But later, his heart changed—he fell for a woman from a hidden sect, and from then on, he cut off all contact with me. I sought him three times, and each time he turned me away. After that, I swore to slaughter all his disciples, to make him regret his choice. Yet, somehow, after I left, his entire sect vanished from the Azure Tide Ruins as if it had never existed.
"I have a premonition that the disciples of his sect will soon reappear in the Azure Tide Ruins. Their return will surely bring a storm of blood and chaos. You must find them—and bring them before me." The old woman’s command was urgent, her eyes burning with ancient hatred.
Palace Lord Yurong Hua pondered for a moment, then asked, "Master, are you referring to the Blood Emperor’s disciples? According to ancient records, Lord Frostbane was the world’s number one, the Blood Emperor second, and his Bloodfiend Sword was the top divine weapon. Ever since the battle at the Battlefield of the Gods, the Blood Emperor vanished. As for his sect, I have never heard any mention of it."
"But there is a Bloodfiend Hall, which is now one of the Nine Great Sects of the Azure Tide Ruins. Master, surely you’re not searching for disciples of Bloodfiend Hall?"
"Bloodfiend Hall? Though its name shares two characters with the Bloodfiend Sword, it is entirely unrelated. The Blood Emperor’s sect was a hidden sect called Bloodvale Sect. Inside that valley, everything—stones, earth, grass, trees, even the river—was blood-red, indescribably eerie and strange."
Bloodvale Sect was protected by a formidable barrier. From the outside, nothing seemed amiss. Even if someone wandered into the valley, unless they crossed the barrier itself, all they would see were ordinary landscapes—no blood-red buildings, no crimson trees, nothing out of the ordinary.
But once inside the barrier, it was a world apart. I was fortunate enough to enter once, and the sight of Bloodvale Sect’s realm stunned me. Unless you witnessed it with your own eyes, you would never believe such a bizarre place could exist in this world." The old woman’s voice was filled with awe and lingering fear.
Palace Lord Yurong Hua felt her nerves growing numb. Evan Chu’s transformation had already shaken her to the core, and now the secrets of Bloodvale Sect seemed to presage an even greater storm. Perhaps, in the near future, the Azure Tide Ruins would truly be engulfed in blood and chaos.
"Master, I understand. But do we know if the people of Bloodvale Sect are righteous or evil? If they’re orthodox, it’ll be hard to investigate; if they walk the demonic path, that will make things much easier. Please, guide me." Palace Lord Yurong Hua said solemnly, her expression earnest and respectful.