Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

Three days later, the geniuses of Celestial River Academy gathered together.

One thousand students were participating in the assessment for the Four Major Sects.

These were all geniuses, but it was feared that less than half would ultimately be able to join the Four Major Sects.

It was even more difficult to be accepted as an Inner Sect Disciple.

As for becoming Key Disciples, only geniuses like Shangguan Wan'Er and Ling Fei even had a chance.

And even that depended on whether the people from the Sects took a fancy to their talents.

Of course, it wasn't a problem even if they couldn't join these Sects.

As long as they performed well, they could still become Divine Guards.

If one could gain the Celestial Emperor's favor, their future would also be boundless.

Besides these geniuses, there were many others going to watch, like Wu Dapang. Of course, he owed this opportunity entirely to Ling Fei.

"Depart!" In the skies above, Profound Eagles formed ranks. Nearly two thousand people, led by Elder Dean Han, Vice Dean Zhou, and others, flew toward the Imperial Capital.

Ling Fei, riding his Golden Eagle, flew alongside Shangguan Wan'Er's Profound Eagle, following the procession toward the Imperial Capital.

They exchanged a glance, their eyes full of anticipation as they looked toward the sky ahead.

It was as if a shared dream and future lay waiting for them just beyond the horizon.

...

Celestial River County was one hundred and forty thousand li away from the Imperial Capital.

Even a Primordial Pill Realm Cultivator would need to fly for five days to reach the Imperial Capital.

Relying on their Profound Eagles, the academy students took a full twenty-two days to reach the Imperial Capital.

As they flew into the mountain range outside the Imperial Capital, the flock of Profound Eagles finally slowed down.

"The Imperial Capital is just ahead!" Shangguan Wan'Er said to Ling Fei, who was beside her.

"The Imperial Capital is so majestic!" Ling Fei's heart trembled as he gazed at the city ahead, which lay coiled among the mountains like a colossal beast.

At the same time, he extended his Heart Spirit Sensing.

'There really is Dragon Qi in the air.' With just a brief scan, Ling Fei detected the Dragon Qi.

The Dragon Bone in his spine resonated, seemingly desperate to absorb the Dragon Qi.

However, Ling Fei kept it under control. He couldn't let anyone discover his secret.

Only then did the Dragon Bone refrain from absorbing the Dragon Qi on its own.

"This is the most magnificent city in the Empire," Shangguan Wan'Er said. "But it's said that in the vast Divine Wilderness, there are even more spectacular ancient cities."

Out of her longing for the Divine Wilderness, Shangguan Wan'Er had read numerous ancient texts about that land.

"After this, we can step into the Southern Wilderness," Ling Fei said. Entering the Southern Wilderness Sect World would bring them one step closer to the Divine Wilderness.

"Mhm," Shangguan Wan'Er nodded, her face filled with anticipation.

Behind her, Shangguan Yurou was stunned. 'When did my sister start talking so much with this Ling Fei?'

Eight hundred Profound Eagles weaved through the mountains, soon appearing before the city wall, which was a hundred zhang tall.

Upon arriving, the Profound Eagles came to a halt, and all two thousand-plus people dismounted.

At the city gate, a Guard Commander in a Python Robe immediately came forward to greet them.

He was a Primordial Pill Realm expert named Li Yunshan, the Commander in charge of guarding the Imperial City.

"Heh, Elder Han, you've arrived!" This Li Yunshan had sharp eyes and thick brows, giving him an imposing air. A smile touched his lips as he cupped his fist toward Han Beihai.

"Commander Li, have the people from the Four Great Sects arrived?" Han Beihai returned the salute and asked.

"The people from the Four Great Sects probably won't arrive for another two days, but the people from Tianyan Academy are already here," Li Yunshan said with a smile.

"I see." Han Beihai nodded slightly.

"Elder Han, please!" Li Yunshan smiled faintly and made an inviting gesture toward Han Beihai.

Han Beihai didn't stand on ceremony, leading everyone toward the wide city gate ahead.

The Profound Eagles flew over their heads, passing through the gate and into the city.

Shangguan Wan'Er and Ling Fei walked side by side into the city.

'So this is the young man called Ling Fei?' As Ling Fei walked past, Li Yunshan's gaze hardened, and he couldn't resist taking a second look.

A sinister glint flashed in his eyes before disappearing.

He was also a member of the Royal Family, though not from a direct line. However, he and Marquis Yun were blood brothers.

Both Marquis Yun and Prince Long had fallen at the hands of Elder Ling, so he naturally harbored some resentment toward Ling Fei.

However, since even the Celestial Emperor had punished the Empress over the matter, he certainly didn't dare to show his dissatisfaction openly.

...

After Han Beihai led the people from Celestial River Academy into the Imperial Capital, they were quickly guided to their lodgings.

The Imperial Capital was immense, with a population of twenty million, making it the most prosperous city in the Empire.

'The Dragon Qi within the Imperial City is even richer.' Inside the Imperial Capital, Ling Fei could feel the extremely dense Dragon Qi, which made him incredibly excited.

An hour later, Ling Fei and the others arrived at their lodgings.

The place was built against a mountain, a collection of elegant, orderly courtyards.

Ling Fei, Shangguan Wan'Er, and the others were assigned to adjacent residences.

"See you tomorrow, Ling Fei!" Shangguan Yurou called out as she left.

"Alright!" Ling Fei replied, bidding farewell to Shangguan Yurou and the others.

After traveling for nearly a month, everyone was tired and began to rest.

Ling Fei, however, went to his bedroom and began trying to draw in the Dragon Qi that saturated the air.

The Dragon Qi he drew in was very rich. It was absorbed completely by his Dragon Bone, which quickly produced Cold Chi True Qi.

'What I need now is Dragon Gang Qi. I'm not in a hurry for this Cold Chi True Qi. I should let the Dragon Bone absorb more Dragon Qi first.' Ling Fei stopped producing True Qi and began letting his Dragon Bone absorb all the Qi he drew in. Only once the Dragon Bone was fully replenished could it better help him defend against powerful enemies.

FWOOSH!

The Dragon Qi was drawn toward him. An ordinary person would never notice, assuming Ling Fei was simply drawing in Heaven and Earth Essence Qi.

Replenished by this Dragon Qi, the Dragon Bone in Ling Fei's back showed clear improvement. The Dao Patterns on its surface grew even brighter.

This was, after all, pure Dragon Vein Qi. The Dragon Qi it contained was extremely rich, no worse than the Qi left behind by the Cold Chi!

'This time, I'll take this opportunity to let the Dragon Bone replenish itself completely.' A fiery glint lit up Ling Fei's eyes. He looked as though he wouldn't be satisfied until he had drained every last wisp of this Dragon Vein Qi. For him, an opportunity to encounter a Dragon Vein was truly a rare blessing.

...

In a magnificent mansion near the Imperial City, the Ninth Prince sat upon a throne within a secret chamber, clad in a Flood Dragon Robe.

Before him, a masked man was giving a slight cupped-fist salute.

"Daoist Master, the people from the Three Great Academies have all gathered, and the assessment is about to begin. How is that matter of yours progressing?" the Ninth Prince asked, his gaze lifting. His tone held a mix of anticipation and anxiety, revealing his eagerness for news.

This man was none other than one of his advisors, known as the Thousand-Faced Daoist.

"Rest assured, Ninth Prince. I have already handled everything," the Thousand-Faced Daoist said. "When the time comes, you need only follow my instructions. Use the Heaven-Encompassing Array Disc to activate the great formation we've already laid, and you will be able to enter the Forbidden Land. If you can absorb the Dragon Qi within, you will have the chance to forge a True Dragon Body. At that point, even the Great Tang Dragon Vein will be drawn to your command. With the Dragon Vein Qi empowering you, you will one day cultivate into a True Dragon Emperor." His voice was filled with a boundless, bewitching power, making it easy to get lost in the future he described.