After flying for a little over two hours, the Phoenix Temple Master stopped once more and turned to Evan Chu, saying, "Sect Master Evan, do you see that circular stone pillar on the cliff ahead? That's the entrance to Divine Dragon Valley. I'll leave you here. Divine Dragon Valley is packed with top experts, so be careful in there."
Evan Chu was a bit confused as to why the Phoenix Temple Master wouldn't go any farther, so he asked, "Temple Master, I’ll never forget your help. If the Vermilion Bird Clan ever needs me, I’ll do everything I can. Why not wait until I’ve entered Divine Dragon Valley before you leave?"
"Sect Master Evan, you may not know this, but the Divine Dragon Clan has strict rules: no one may come within a hundred meters of the Divine Dragon Valley Gate without their permission. If a patrolling dragon catches you, it’s instant death. I’m not afraid of them, but I don’t want unnecessary trouble. Opening the entrance is up to you. The sunlight still needs some time to reach the stone pillar, so just wait there. I’ll be waiting for you back at the Vermilion Bird Temple to drink together—be careful inside!" said the Phoenix Temple Master.
With that, his figure flashed and he turned to leave. Evan Chu wanted to say something, but saw he was already far away, so he immediately walked up to the stone pillar.
Evan Chu glanced at the stone pillar and saw a giant dragon carved into it. Maybe because of how old it was, some parts were already blurred. "Divine Dragon Valley, Dragon Shrine—no matter who stands in my way, I’ll make them pay," Evan Chu muttered.
Soon, sunlight shone on the stone pillar. Evan Chu saw it suddenly flash with a white beam, which shot toward the nearby mountain wall. Instantly, a hexagram pattern appeared before him, glowing faintly as if it could vanish at any moment.
The hexagram was so faint it seemed ready to disappear at any time. Evan Chu quickly stepped forward, circulated his Chaos Dragon Force, and pressed his palm against it, pouring energy in. The hexagram slowly brightened and began to rotate.
Evan Chu kept injecting Chaos Dragon Force, and the hexagram grew brighter and spun faster. After a few breaths, he found he couldn’t inject any more—like the formation had reached its limit.
The hexagram stopped spinning. Just then, a massive stone gate appeared nearby, five meters wide and tens of meters tall. Above it, the words 'Divine Dragon Valley' were carved in bold, vigorous calligraphy—clearly the work of a master.
Soon the stone gate slowly rose, revealing the entrance to Divine Dragon Valley. Evan Chu flashed inside, and found himself in a whole new world: birds singing, flowers blooming, scenery like paradise. Most important of all, the air held a special energy—like the Immortal Essence inside his Chronos Band, but much weaker.
After Evan Chu walked a few steps, the massive stone gate slowly lowered behind him. "This really is a paradise, no wonder the Dragon Clan doesn’t want to leave. If I were them, I wouldn’t want to leave either. Training here, how could anyone not become strong?"
"Divine Dragon Valley really is an excellent place for cultivation. The Stellar Power here is thick, and there’s even Immortal Essence—though weak, it’s still a huge help for improving strength. There must be some truly powerful dragons here, so you need to be careful," Luna said.
"I feel the same way. Divine Dragon Valley looks huge—I have no idea where the Dragon Shrine is. Finding it’s going to be a hassle," Evan Chu said.
"You’ve made it this far, so you can definitely reach it. You need to have confidence in yourself. Stay calm and don’t let your emotions take over, or you’ll cause a lot of unnecessary trouble," Luna advised.
"Trouble? I don’t care about trouble. If I’m going to restore your body and rescue my mother, I’ll definitely clash with the Dragon Shrine’s people. I’ll handle it when the time comes—don’t worry about it," Evan Chu replied.
Luna knew he wouldn’t listen, so she simply stopped talking. Evan Chu immediately took to the air and began chaining short-range teleports, searching for any clues about the Dragon Shrine.
On his third teleport, Evan Chu suddenly saw a massive fire-red dragon in the sky, its body easily four or five hundred meters long. The sight startled him.
The Fire Dragon spotted him too and immediately flew over. Evan Chu had been worrying about how to find someone to ask about the Dragon Shrine, so the Fire Dragon’s arrival was perfect.
"Kid, who are you to trespass in my Divine Dragon Valley? Don’t you know intruders are killed without mercy? Surrender now and Grandpa Fire Dragon King will give you a quick death!" the Fire Dragon roared.
"Little Fire Dragon, you must be one of the Dragon Clan’s valley guards, right? You’re not qualified to know who I am. Hurry up and take me to the Dragon Shrine—I want to see your Temple Master," Evan Chu demanded.
"You want to see our Temple Master? You think you’re qualified to meet the Dragon Clan’s Temple Master? Do you even know where you are? Even I’m not allowed into the Dragon Shrine, let alone a mere human like you. Looks like I need to teach you a lesson or you’ll think I’m joking," the Fire Dragon said to Evan Chu.
"Little Fire Dragon, you really don’t learn, do you? Have you forgotten who let you out in the first place? Already turning your back on me, huh?" Evan Chu laughed. The Fire Dragon was one of the Ice-Fire Twin Dragons he’d freed by breaking Lord Frostbane’s barrier.
The Fire Dragon transformed into human form and glared at Evan Chu, instantly furious. "So it’s you! You tricked us into returning to the Dragon Shrine and nearly got us killed. The Ice Dragon is still recovering, and because of your advice, I got beaten with the dragon cudgel three hundred times—Ice Dragon got five hundred! I only just recovered last year, and now you walk right into my claws. I’ll swallow you alive to vent my rage!"
"Fire Dragon, don’t lose your temper. I’m the Golden Dragon Young Lord—you should show proper respect when you see me. Or are you planning to defy the Dragon Clan’s rules?" Evan Chu smiled.
"Kid, you think I’ll fall for your tricks again? Last time you got away by pure luck. This time you won’t escape me—prepare to die!" The Fire Dragon erupted in fury, slashing his palm at Evan Chu. A massive wave of flame surged toward him.
Evan Chu didn’t take the Fire Dragon’s strength seriously; he planned to get information about the Dragon Shrine from him. He struck back with his own palm, summoning a wave of flame. The two flames collided with a thunderous boom, sparks flying as both attacks canceled each other out.
Evan Chu deliberately matched the Fire Dragon’s strength—just enough to neutralize his attack without hurting him or applying too much pressure. But when the Fire Dragon saw Evan Chu use the exact same flame palm, he immediately demanded, "How do you know my Flame Palm technique?"