Venerable Supreme of Myriad Dragons

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"More of them?"

Shen Daoxing watched the group of soldiers emerge from the side, a wry smile on his face as he shook his head in resignation.

As the soldiers filed out, the ones at the very front of the passage slowly moved to either side, clearing a path.

Then, a slender young man with wheat-colored skin walked out.

He was clad in battle armor, his eyes burning with rage. He glared at Shen Daoxing as if he wanted to swallow him whole.

"Bastard! Where did you take Huang?"

The young man roared in anger and, with a sharp *SHING*, drew a large, red-bladed saber, pressing it against Shen Daoxing’s neck.

"SHIING! SHIING! SHIING!"

The surrounding soldiers simultaneously drew their long spears, aiming them all at Shen Daoxing.

Just as the tension reached a breaking point and they were about to clash...

"All of you, stand down!"

A clear voice cried out.

Following the sound, the Princess of Tianze slowly walked out from the main hall.

"Sis!"

The young man looked up, stunned to see who it was.

The Princess of Tianze looked at him coldly and said in a stern voice, "He Yong, put your weapon away! If this young master hadn’t intervened just now, I’m afraid I’d be a corpse by now."

Only then did He Yong notice the bodies of Yan City, Sikao Dao, and Yang Ye lying on the ground. He stared blankly for a moment before understanding dawned on him, and he swiftly sheathed his large saber.

The Princess of Tianze swayed gracefully to Shen Daoxing’s side. Placing her hands at her waist, she gave a slight bow. "Young Master, thank you for coming to my rescue. Might I ask your name?"

"It was nothing."

Shen Daoxing suddenly felt a little embarrassed. "I am Yang Xing."

’To be honest, I hadn’t actually intended to save anyone.’

The Prince of Tianze, He Yong, scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. "Heh heh... heh heh... I’m really sorry, Yang. I was just so worried about my sister that I jumped to conclusions and acted rashly. Please forgive me."

As he spoke, He Yong cupped his fists and bowed deeply to Shen Daoxing.

Shen Daoxing quickly reached out to help He Yong up. "You’re too kind, Your Highness."

"Young Master Yang, you’ve come to our nation of Tianze for the Qinyuan Festival, I presume? Is there something you require?"

Princess He Qian of Tianze spoke calmly. "You saved my life, Young Master Yang. My nation of Tianze must treat you with the utmost courtesy. Please, ask for whatever you need."

Since the Princess of Tianze had made such an offer, Shen Daoxing didn’t stand on ceremony. He nodded. "That’s right, Your Highness. I have come specifically for Wind Source Ore."

"Wind Source Ore?"

The Princess of Tianze paused, then said with some hesitation, "Wind Source Ore is a rare mineral. Every time it’s mined, it’s sold out almost immediately. I’m afraid our nation of Tianze has no stock left at the moment."

A wave of disappointment washed over Shen Daoxing.

"However!"

Just then, the Tianze Princess’s tone shifted. "However, the Tianze Qinyuan Festival is just around the corner. When it begins, my father, the King, will open a new Celestial Essence Mine. There will surely be the Wind Source Ore you need then."

’So I’ll have to wait a while?’

Shen Daoxing paused.

The Princess of Tianze suddenly covered her mouth with her hand and giggled charmingly. "Young Master Yang, since you’ve already come all the way to Tianze, why not stay a few more days? We have many treasures here. Besides Wind Source Ore, there are plenty of other fine things. If anything catches your eye, please, take it."

Beside them, He Yong nodded eagerly. "Yes, Young Master Yang! We have lots of treasures in Tianze! Just name anything you like. You saved my sister; no gift would be too much."

"Thank you, Your Highnesses, for your generosity."

Shen Daoxing smiled faintly. ’Little do they know,’ he thought, ’I just made off with an entire mountain of ore.’

"Alright, we should be heading out."

The Princess of Tianze smiled, her face blossoming like a flower. "Since you saved me, Young Master Yang, I must host a proper banquet in your honor. I hope you won’t find it beneath you."

"Of course not."

Shen Daoxing replied respectfully.

Then, the Princess of Tianze walked ahead, leading the way for Shen Daoxing.

As they passed the bodies of Yan City, Sikao Dao, and Yang Ye, the Princess of Tianze suddenly stopped. She turned to the people beside her and said coldly, "Give the order: hang the bodies of these three at the entrance to Celestial Lake Town. Let every person who passes by see the consequences of offending Tianze."

The Princess of Tianze’s tone was icy, her expression like frost. She was like a completely different person from the smiling, cheerful princess of a moment ago.

Seeing this, Shen Daoxing couldn’t help but click his tongue in thought. ’Princes from three empires, hung up for public display just like that. This Princess of Tianze isn’t giving those empires any face at all. Is this the confidence that comes from having a powerful backer?’

"Yes!"

The soldiers at her side nodded, bowed respectfully to the Princess of Tianze, and then carried the bodies of Yan City, Sikao Dao, and Yang Ye away.

Afterward, Shen Daoxing followed the Princess of Tianze outside. After passing through winding corridors and traversing one grand hall after another, the group finally emerged into the open.

The moment he stepped outside, Shen Daoxing heard the continuous CLANG CLANG BANG BANG of hammering.

Shen Daoxing looked from side to side and saw that they were on a small street lined with all sorts of shops.

Most of them, however, were blacksmiths, weapon shops, and other businesses related to ironwork and ore veins.

The CLANGING and BANGING was coming from these shops on either side of the street.

Most of the buildings along the street were built from stacked stone. The earth was a yellowish-brown, the air was often filled with wind-blown sand, and vegetation was sparse.

The nation of Tianze was a small country within the Celestial Lake Swamp. It consisted of a single city built entirely on top of an ore vein. The mines beneath it were a complex maze of countless tunnels, and the true path to the Celestial Essence Ore Vein was a closely guarded secret, known only to the Tianze Royal Family.

Compared to the ornate and refined world outside, Tianze seemed simple and rugged, but its people were full of vigor.

Before he knew it, Shen Daoxing had followed the Princess of Tianze into a wide, open plaza.

Shen Daoxing’s gaze was immediately drawn to a statue in the very center. It depicted a spirited old man. Though his hair and beard were completely white, his face was radiant and he was full of energy, his expression showing no signs of old age.

Shen Daoxing looked to the side and saw quite a few people kneeling before the statue, their expressions filled with reverence.

"This is our ancestor."

The Princess of Tianze pointed to the statue in the center of the plaza. "It is because of our ancestor that the nation of Tianze has survived to this day. The annual Qinyuan Festival is held to honor him."

"Your Tianze ancestor should still be alive, I take it? He hasn’t passed on?"

Shen Daoxing remarked suddenly.

The Princess of Tianze was taken aback for a moment, then covered her mouth and giggled. "That’s right. It’s actually rather funny when you think about it. Our ancestor is clearly still with us, but a festival needs someone to honor. Besides, our ancestor has been in seclusion for over a hundred years and hasn’t emerged."