Chapter 369 — On the Brink of Catastrophe

Around and about the dragon nest, molten golden liquid flowed ceaselessly down into the magma, making Shen Mu secretly lament the waste. As the dark-gold essence ran down, more of the jade rock was exposed, and lit by the glow of the magma it gradually took on a crystal-like five-colored radiance—yet far more gentle and lustrous than any crystal.

"The one who took away the True Dragon Sovereign left the dragon nest behind, surely so that the nest might continue to draw in dragon qi.

When the nest's store of dragon qi was sufficient, he would come to take away the nest and use it to nourish the True Dragon Sovereign—thus preserving both nest and Sovereign! " Lord Dragon-Keeper laughed coldly again and again, and gazing down at the dragon nest that was gradually revealing its true form, he said proudly: "But it is useless!

He never expected that I would come here and take away the nest a step before him! He took the True Dragon Sovereign and refined it into a dragon-jue; but I hold the dragon nest, and with the nest I can overcome the jue.

If I obtain the nest, I can sense the dragon-jue's whereabouts, find the dragon-jue, and make the dragon vein of the True Dragon Sovereign whole again!

" Shen Mu touched his chest. The jade pendant at his breast suddenly grew scalding hot, burning him most uncomfortably.

He had two jade pendants at his chest: one was hereditary, the jade pendant of Carefree Village; the other was the Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor, which the Lame Elder had forced upon him. This Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor was growing hot, burning him somewhat uncomfortably. "Wait a moment!

" Shen Mu blinked and clutched at his chest. The Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor the Lame Elder had given him—it seemed to be a dragon-jue-shaped jade ring! His heart abruptly thumped hard twice. The Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor was a jade ring, carved with many obscure and incomprehensible symbols, characters, and designs, flickering and shifting without cease. The Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor was said to be a treasure granted by the gods to the Ling family, a symbol of imperial power and rank; for stealing this thing, the Lame Elder had had a leg struck off by the single stroke of the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping.

Yet after the Jade Tablets came into his hands, the Lame Elder had studied it for decades without divining its secret, and so had ceased to care about it.

The Jade Tablets were of no use to him, and so the Lame Elder had forced them upon Shen Mu. When Shen Mu returned to the village he meant to give them back, but the Lame Elder would not take them; he had got his leg back, and had lost all interest in the Jade Tablets.

So the Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor had hung ever since at Shen Mu's neck, tied together with his own jade pendant.

"It cannot be such a coincidence, surely?

" Beads of cold sweat stood out on Shen Mu's forehead.

There were indeed symbols, characters, and designs on the Jade Tablets somewhat like those scattered all over the dragon nest, also ceaselessly flickering and shifting, wholly beyond comprehension. "But this Jade Tablets of mine is no dragon-jue—it merely resembles one, and has no gap.

Perhaps the writing on the Jade Tablets only happens to resemble the symbols and designs of the dragon nest; it is mere coincidence. " Shen Mu steadied his mind and meant to watch how Lord Dragon-Keeper would take away the dragon nest, but the Jade Tablets at his chest grew hotter and hotter, until he could scarcely bear it.

Suddenly Shen Mu felt something at his chest move, and the youth's heart again thumped hard twice beyond his control; he reached out and touched it.

The Jade Tablets of the Heavenly Emperor had split open—it had become a dragon-jue! Not only split open: he also felt the jue become slippery and smooth, as though it had turned into something alive, a little dragon!

"Thump!

Thump!

Thump! " Shen Mu heard the violent beating of his own heart, a heartbeat he could not press down; beads of sweat the size of beans broke out upon his forehead, his legs went weak, and he nearly could not breathe. "Little creature, what ails you?

" Lord Dragon-Keeper glanced at him, sensed his alarm, and asked. Shen Mu steadied himself and said: "It suddenly came to me that I have not yet fed the dragons today, and I feared my Lord's punishment, and so my heart is uneasy.

. .

" Lord Dragon-Keeper laughed. "So that is it.

But it is too hot here, all magma, with nowhere to set foot.

If you mean to refine pills and feed the dragons, best go up above.

You need not fear me so much—I am quite easy to talk to.

" Shen Mu assented, though his legs were still weak, and said: "Then this disciple will go up to refine the pills. " Lord Dragon-Keeper shook his body, and at once many flood-dragons, great and small, came flying from his robes; he also gave Shen Mu his own Taotie pouch, saying: "Let your little maidservant go with you to help, and school her well—do not let her be so unruly.

" Shen Mu hastily urged the Dragon-Kylin upward, and a host of flood-dragons followed at the Dragon-Kylin's tail, waiting to be fed.

Long Jiaonan followed as well. When they reached the gateway at the top of the cavern, Shen Mu said: "Maidservant, you stay here.

I will go over there to refine the pills. " Long Jiaonan sneered.

"My Lord told me to follow you, lest you slip away.

" "I slip away, I slip away? Hahaha, what a joke! " Shen Mu's face went ashen.

And below in the cavern, Lord Dragon-Keeper began his rites, urging on the refinement of the vast dragon nest, attempting to take it away.

"Strange—it seems the True Dragon Sovereign is very near this place, and the nest has sensed it.

.

.

" Lord Dragon-Keeper said in surprise: "It seems it is not far off.

Strange.

.

. First take the nest; then I shall know where the True Dragon Sovereign is! "