Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

"Goodbye, Brother!" At the entrance of Ling's Medical Clinic, Xue Xi bid Ling Fei farewell.

"Father, I will not let you down," Ling Fei said to his adoptive father, his face resolute.

"Mm," Elder Ling nodded, his face filled with gratification.

"With that, I shall take my leave," Shangguan Hong said, bidding Elder Ling farewell.

"Safe travels!" Elder Ling waved, a hint of sorrow in his old eyes.

Then, Shangguan Hong strode forward.

There, two Profound Eagles had already landed.

Besides them, Huang Xiaoman, Wu Dapang, and the others were already waiting.

The Profound Eagles were very large. With wingspans of four to five meters, a single one could carry six people.

There were nine people in total.

Two Profound Eagles were more than enough to carry all of them.

However, some of them had brought a few things with them.

Like Ling Fei, who had brought some books and a set of Golden Needles.

"Here, let me hold on to those for you!" Seeing that everyone had brought baggage, Shangguan Yurou offered to help.

A ring was visible on her fair hand. When she channeled her True Qi into it, a ripple immediately spread across the ring's surface.

A suction force emerged.

Then, Ling Fei's books were sucked inside.

'So this is a Storage Ring with its own internal space?' Ling Fei's heart skipped a beat.

These Storage Rings contained their own space and were incredibly magical. Only the most powerful Cultivators could refine them, making them exceedingly rare.

Ling Fei had only learned about them from ancient texts.

'I can't believe Shangguan Yurou has a treasure like this.'

Seeing this, Shangguan Qingmu's eyes also showed a hint of envy.

This kind of Storage Ring was very precious. Even among the disciples of great clans, not everyone had one.

He had yet to obtain one.

Shangguan Yurou had been gifted one by her clan because of her exceptional talent.

"Thank you, Miss Shangguan!" The group handed their things to Shangguan Yurou and thanked her.

"It's no trouble at all," Shangguan Yurou said with an approachable smile.

"Xiaoman, please!" Shangguan Qingmu's gaze shifted, inviting Huang Xiaoman to mount the eagle's back.

However, Huang Xiaoman didn't say a word. Her gaze shifted, and she glanced toward Ling Fei.

From her look, it seemed she didn't want to get too close to Shangguan Qingmu.

'Could it be she likes Ling Fei?' The awkward scene made Shangguan Qingmu's brow furrow tightly.

"Qingmu, come over here!" Shangguan Hong said at that moment.

"Yes!" And so, Shangguan Qingmu walked toward the other Profound Eagle, his face full of embarrassment.

Then, Zhao Fa and the others were all pulled onto the Profound Eagle's back by a wave of Shangguan Hong's hand.

'No, I want to ride the same eagle as the beauties!' Wu Dapang roared internally as his body was swept up, his face a mask of frustration.

And so, by the other Profound Eagle, only Ling Fei, Huang Xiaoman, and Shangguan Yurou remained.

By now, Shangguan Yurou had already seated herself skillfully on the eagle's back.

"Come on, Sister Xiaoman!" Shangguan Yurou extended her fair hand.

Huang Xiaoman moved her long legs and leaped onto the eagle's back.

Only then did Ling Fei follow.

"Young Master Ling, Sister Xiaoman, you need to hold on to the harnesses, or you might fall off!" Shangguan Yurou said with a smile from the front.

"Okay!"

Sitting on the eagle's back, the scent of Huang Xiaoman's body drifted to his nose.

Ling Fei sat behind her, feeling a little awkward.

He grabbed the harness on the Profound Eagle.

SCREECH!

A long cry rang out as the Profound Eagle beat its wings, soared upward, and flew into the distance.

'I hope Fei'Er grows up well.' Watching the Profound Eagle fly into the distance, a solemn look appeared in Elder Ling's old eyes.

'Once he's settled and has found his place, I can finally go take care of those things.'

Only when Ling Fei was well-settled could he do what he had to do with peace of mind.

...

Longtan Town was just a small place.

Generally speaking, academies went to large cities to select geniuses.

After all, if they sent people to every single town, the required manpower would be unimaginable.

That was why Celestial River Academy only had Huang Xiaoman and Qin Ming host the Divine Selection competition this time.

By now, classes at Celestial River Academy had already started seven days ago.

This was also why Shangguan Hong was personally escorting them to the academy on Profound Eagles.

Because if they took the Empire's Fire Cloud Steeds, which could travel three thousand li a day, it would still take three days to reach Celestial River Academy even if they traveled day and night.

Without traveling day and night, it would take a week.

But the Profound Eagles were different.

One could fly eight thousand li in a day. Traveling day and night, they could reach Celestial River Academy in just over a day.

Even if they only flew during the day, they could reach Celestial River Academy in two days at most.

WHOOSH!

The Profound Eagle flew at extreme speed, like a long rainbow streaking across the sky.

Gusts of wind buffeted them, making their faces sting with pain.

It was a good thing Ling Fei and the others had all reached the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering. Their skin and bones were incredibly tough; otherwise, they would never be able to withstand the raging winds.

'Being this high in the sky… it's a completely different feeling!' On the back of the Profound Eagle, gazing down at the mountains and rivers, Ling Fei couldn't help but feel moved.

'How great would it be if I could soar through the heavens like this Profound Eagle.'

'As long as I work hard, that day will come!' Ling Fei secretly set a goal for himself.

According to ancient texts, true masters could not only soar through the nine heavens but also overturn rivers and seas.

There were even Great Emperors who could blot out the sky with a single hand, suppress the eight desolates, and possessed world-shaking Divine Techniques.

SWOOSH!

Suddenly, a fierce wind erupted. In the valley below, a black shadow flickered and shot through the air like a long rainbow.

A powerful aura swept toward Ling Fei and the others.

Gang Qi howled, and they felt as if the very air was being torn apart.

"Not good! A Great Demon of the Celestial Spirit Realm is attacking." Shangguan Yurou's expression changed, and she quickly maneuvered the Profound Eagle to change its flight path.

"What a huge python!" Ling Fei's gaze shifted, and he saw a giant python opening its cavernous mouth, about to swallow the Profound Eagle whole.

SCREECH!

The Profound Eagle shrieked and tried to fly away at top speed.

But the python was faster. The Gang Qi howling from its body stirred up winds and currents that affected the Profound Eagle's flight, and its great mouth lunged forward to swallow them.

"This…" Ling Fei frowned, feeling a dangerous aura envelop him.

His body was hit by a massive force, about to be thrown off by the air current.

"Ling Fei!" Huang Xiaoman cried out in alarm, quickly reaching out to grab him.

In a panic, Ling Fei quickly wrapped one arm tightly around Huang Xiaoman's slender waist and grabbed the harness with his other hand.

"Vile creature, you dare!" Just then, a deep voice rang out.

Another Profound Eagle was seen flying over.

SWISH!

A flash of sword light from the eagle's back cut through the Void, and a splash of blood sprayed out.

HISS!

Then, a hissing cry rang out, and the giant python's aura diminished sharply.

The next moment, a python's head fell from the Void.

The giant python's body followed, plummeting down.

With that, the Void returned to calm.

"It's Father!" Only then did Shangguan Yurou breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness Lord Shangguan is here," Ling Fei also sighed in relief.

That last scene was too dangerous.

If he had been a split second later, they would have been swallowed by the python.

Shangguan Hong rode the Profound Eagle in a dive, pulling the giant python into his Storage Ring.

Then, his Profound Eagle soared back up.

"Lord Shangguan is so strong," Wu Dapang and the others said with respect in their eyes, from the back of the Profound Eagle.

The giant python's attack just now was too sudden.

The terrifying gale of Gang Qi seemed capable of annihilating everything; even they had felt a chill in their hearts.

But Shangguan Hong had acted and slain the python in an instant.

"This is a Great Demon, its power is astounding. You must all be careful when traveling in the future. The mountains and rivers of the Empire are full of such Demon Beasts!"

Shangguan Hong warned the group.

"Yes!" The group nodded.

Thinking back on it now, they still felt a lingering fear.

Ling Fei also nodded to himself.

Back in Longtan Town, he had never encountered such a Great Demon.

The scene just now had given him a preliminary understanding of the dangers of this Martial Arts World.

The Profound Eagle continued to fly.

Unconsciously, Ling Fei maintained his tight hold on Huang Xiaoman's slender waist.

The two of them were now pressed incredibly close together.

The contact sent waves crashing through Huang Xiaoman's heart.

'Why is this little brat holding on so tightly?' Huang Xiaoman's ears flushed red as she muttered to herself. 'He's not doing this on purpose to get close to me, is he?'

However, even though she thought this, she showed no sign of wanting Ling Fei to let go.

Her mind was a complete blank at this moment, her thoughts running wild, and she had already forgotten about it.

"Huh, why are your ears so red? Are you sick?" Ling Fei's gaze shifted, noticing the blush on Huang Xiaoman's ears, and he immediately asked.

"You're the one who's sick!" Hearing this, Huang Xiaoman, whose mind had just been filled with fantasies, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head. She felt an inexplicable anger.

She turned and shot Ling Fei a glare.

'This clueless oaf.' After glaring at Ling Fei, Huang Xiaoman turned back around.

Then, she looked down at the hand wrapped tightly around her waist and felt an inexplicable frustration.

'Sick? How can this guy be so completely unromantic?'

Huang Xiaoman was so angry she clenched her teeth.

However, being held so tightly around the waist by this guy, she also felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

'In all these years, this is the first time this guy has been so intimate with me, isn't it?'

Every time she remembered the time Ling Fei had given her acupuncture, he had acted as if nothing happened, continuing to live his life just as cluelessly as ever.

And, when they argued, he would tease her by calling her Princess Taiping.

Thinking of this, Huang Xiaoman clenched her teeth even tighter.

'But I'm not flat anymore.' Her eyes twinkled, and a triumphant smile touched the corners of her lips.

With her current figure, if she were to walk out, she would definitely attract the admiration of countless young men.

At Celestial River Academy, there was no shortage of people pursuing her!

Shangguan Qingmu was one of them.

But Huang Xiaoman wasn't interested in any of them.

'I wonder if this guy will make all those shameless girls swoon when he gets to the academy?' Huang Xiaoman's brow furrowed slightly.

Although Ling Fei still had a hint of boyishness about him...

...he was handsome and charming.

Most importantly, Ling Fei also had astonishing talent.

A person like him was destined to make countless female students' hearts flutter.

'Ugh, that damn guy.' The more she thought, the more frustrated Huang Xiaoman became. 'Red ears mean I'm sick?'

'Did I say something wrong?' Behind her, Ling Fei blinked, feeling completely baffled.

'Wasn't I just being kind? I was afraid she'd get knocked off by the air current.'

'And I get looked down on and cursed at for it?'

'Women are such incomprehensible creatures.' Ling Fei shook his head and didn't think about it anymore.

'I wonder what Celestial River Academy is like? Is it true that the Essence Qi there is dense enough to help me improve my Cultivation?'

Ling Fei's face was full of anticipation.

For the current Ling Fei, having sufficient Essence Qi had become the most important thing for his Cultivation right now.

If he didn't have enough Essence Qi, breaking through to the Innate Realm would be too difficult.