Chapter 531: The Ingrained Curse

"Senior, do you have any methods of handling this superior draconic vein?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

The black lotus replied, "This superior draconic vein has the might of a Golden Immortal, but not the body of one. Dealing with it is possible, though somewhat dangerous. Ao Zhou's cooperation will be necessary."

"Ao Zhou? Can he suppress the superior draconic vein?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"Naturally not, but his blood can."

"Ao Zhou's blood? Within the Eastern Sea Draconic Palace, Ao Zhou's blood was completely replaced with that of his ancestral dragon. Does that blood have the ability of suppressing superior draconic veins?!"

"Ancestral dragon's blood? No wonder he seems extraordinary. That must be why. Ancestral dragon's blood contains the essence of draconic might, but he doesn't know how to use it yet. He should be able to suppress the superior draconic vein for some time."

"Only for a period of time?"

"Of course. Do you think a superior draconic vein would be dealt with so easily? Both of us will have to strike simultaneously as well."

"Oh?"

"However, there will be a certain amount of risk we take by doing so. If we're careless, we might end up in danger."

"What do you need me to do?" Xiao Nanfeng asked directly.

"Absorb the curse with your physical body. I'll magnify it," the black lotus replied."

"With my physical body?" Xiao Nanfeng exclaimed.

"That's right. The curse is powerful, but you cultivate the Jade Emperor's Frame. The path of the Jade Emperor is one brimming with justice and righteousness. It is immune to all manner of techniques, of tribulations. The innate divinity of your Immortal bones can cleanse all curses."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "I'll listen to you, Senior. Please guide me when it comes to the details."

"Very well."

The black lotus and Xiao Nanfeng discussed plans for some time.

Xiao Nanfeng, having fleshed out his strategy, gathered his subordinates and discussed the plan.

"What? I'm supposed to suppress it? I don't want to die!" Ao Zhou cried out.

"If we don't do so, I'm confident I'll still be able to escape, but you're surely done for," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

Ao Zhou: ...

"Will you do it, or will you not?"

"Damn it, I will! It won't be able to eat me. I'm going to stay alive and conquer the four seas!" Ao Zhou cursed.

"Very good. Everyone has a role to play. Let's prepare to get started, then!"

Just then, the golden dragon thundered, "Are you all ready?"

The golden dragon's authority dispelled the fog surrounding the cultivators.

"We are," Xiao Nanfeng replied.

"Then destroy the black chain surrounding my body!" the golden dragon boomed, eyes flashing. At the same time, it murmured to itself, "And after that, I'll swallow you all whole."

Xiao Nanfeng stepped forward. The chain gave off a black aura that he knew would surround him the moment he touched it. Even so, he didn't hesitate. He held his palm up like a blade and struck at the black chain.

The black chain resonated. Black smoke gushed out and surrounded Xiao Nanfeng. A small, thin chain manifested from the smoke and looped around him, while the giant chain that tethered the golden dragon seemed to grow dim.

The golden dragon's eyes lit up. It thought to itself, "Good! The curse is about to attach to him. I'm going to be freed!"

Just then, the black lotus emerged from Xiao Nanfeng's mindscape, shining with black light. It attacked the black smoke all around; the next moment, the black smoke suddenly expanded to ten times its usual size, then a hundred, then a thousand.

"No, what are you doing?! You're stimulating the curse!" the golden dragon cried out.

The black smoke billowed to thousands of times its original volume, manifesting more and more chains that bound Xiao Nanfeng as well as the golden dragon.

There had only been a single giant black chain around the golden dragon's body, but it had multiplied to ten, then a hundred, then a thousand chains.

The dense forest of chains bound the golden dragon.

"Are you crazy? Why did you do that? The power of the curse has only grown stronger, and you'll suffer its backlash as well! Do you intend to perish alongside me? No!" the golden dragon howled.

Just then, death chants could be heard all around them. The golden dragon's struggles turned sluggish, but it didn't realize what danger the chanting heralded.

Simultaneously, on the Immortal's Destruction, You Jiu shouted, "Imbue me with spiritual qi, quickly!"

Croak, Warble, the gathered dragons, and the spectral guards all channeled their strength into You Jiu, who activated the Immortal's Destruction at full strength. Thick Immortal-binding chains bound the golden dragon tightly and even forced it to contort.

The golden dragon, overwhelmed by the sudden intensity of the cursed chain, was caught off-guard by the Immortal's Destruction. It shouted in anger, "You fools! How dare you attempt to attack me? I'll eat you all!"

"Ao Zhou, make a move!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

"I'm coming!" Ao Zhou replied, morphing into a black dragon as he charged into the golden dragon's mindscape.

With the hypnosis of the death chants, the golden dragon's mind blanked. The suppression of the black and golden chains diminished its ability to think. Their combined effects meant that the golden dragon didn't even notice when Ao Zhou charged into its mindscape.

Then, Ao Zhou released a burst of draconic aura as he channeled energy into his blood, intending to suppress the golden dragon and control it mentally.

The golden dragon suddenly felt that something was amiss, that a draconic aura superior to even its own was attempting to take over its body. It was starting to find its limbs hard to control.

"Impossible. Whose draconic aura could eclipse mine in strength? Who's trying to possess me? Get out of my body, now!" the golden dragon shouted.

However, it could feel its consciousness slowly being eroded away. Its control over its limbs grew weaker and weaker.

"No. No! I won't accept this!" the golden dragon howled in fear.

As it struggled violently, the entire Thousand-Spirit Island began to shake. Huge waves formed across the sea.

Far away, high above the clouds, Ao Shuai had turned back and was now observing the island.

"Xiao Nanfeng really did know that a superior draconic vein was present!" Ao Shuai exclaimed.

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"They're trying to subdue the superior draconic vein now. Ah, that Ao Zhou's in its mindscape now!" one of his subordinates added.

"The superior draconic vein is mine. It's key to my advancement into a Golden Immortal. Those bastards—I'll have them return my superior draconic vein to me!" Ao Shuai cursed.

"What do we do now, Master?" one of his subordinates asked.

"Steal it! It's mine. All of you, snatch it back for me!" Ao Shuai commanded.

"Understood!" his subordinates replied.

Suddenly, a huge rumble came from Thousand-Spirit Island as it exploded. The golden dragon broke free of the black and gold chains and soared into the air.

"The superior draconic vein ran off! Chase after it!" Ao Shuai commanded.

"Understood!" His subordinates immediately gave chase.

The golden dragon continued to struggle furiously high above the Thousand-Spirit Island.

It knew that it would be completely possessed if it allowed the situation to proceed as planned—and that wasn't an outcome it could accept.

"How dare you bugs scheme against me—all of you should die! You wanted to stimulate the curse, didn't you? I'll help you. All of you must perish!" the golden dragon howled.

It released a tremendous burst of energy straight at the pit from which the black chain extended. The black smoke magnified in intensity tenfold.

"The smoke's going to head to the other cultivators, none of whom are protected," the black lotus warned.

"Senior, channel the curse into our body, quickly!" Xiao Nanfeng shouted.

The black lotus began to revolve. Tremendous suction attracted the black smoke toward Xiao Nanfeng, surrounding his body in countless chains.

By then, the curse had completely been freed from the golden dragon's body and had transferred to Xiao Nanfeng's instead.

The golden dragon shook as the black chains vanished from its body. Then, with a snap, the Immortal-binding chains were flung off as well. It soared into the air.

It did want to seek revenge, but with Ao Zhou's possession over its body, it was finding it more and more difficult to maneuver. Ao Zhou controlled the greater part of its body, and he possessed an absolute advantage.

"Scram!" the golden dragon howled.

Ao Zhou understood what was going on now. His smile widened in ravenous greed. "I'm rich, haha! This superior draconic vein is wholly mine. I'll have it all to myself!"

He quickly steered the golden dragon away from the island, intending to monopolize it for himself. The golden dragon, worried about the cursed chain and the ominous chanting, cooperated.

The two minds steered the huge body away from the scene, not realizing that Ao Shuai and his subordinates were chasing after them.

As all the Immortal-binding chains exploded, those cultivators responsible for manipulating the Immortal's Destruction suffered tremendous backlash. They lay strewn across the ground, vomiting out blood.

"Your Majesty!" You Jiu cried out.

"Xiao Nanfeng!" Croak and Warble shouted.

Xiao Nanfeng, surrounded by countless black chains, was dragged into the huge pit.

The cultivators ran up to the pit, only to see that it was filled with black smoke. They couldn't see what lay within.

"His Majesty's in there now. What do we do?" a spectral guard fretted.

"Your avatar is in Yongding. Quick, go ask His Majesty's avatar what to do," You Jiu commanded one of his subordinates.

"Understood!" Very quickly, the subordinate replied, "His Majesty said not to worry. Leave with the Immortal's Destruction immediately!"

You Jiu was taken aback, but nodded firmly. He immediately began to pack up the Immortal's Destruction. "Let's go!"

"Understood!" everyone chorused.

They dove into the sea and vanished underwater.

Meanwhile, Ao Shuai's subordinates quickly descended onto the island, wanting to figure out what had happened.