Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

"In this world, no one can stop us from being together. I’ll kill anyone who dares to stand in my way!" Ling Fei said with unshakable resolve, gripping Shangguan Wan’er’s delicate hand.

This was his resolve, a promise meant to give Shangguan Wan’er confidence and set her mind at ease. At this moment, Ling Fei’s own Martial Arts Heart grew even more resolute.

In this life, his goal in cultivation was to protect his family and the woman he loved.

For this goal, he would strive to cultivate and climb to the Martial Arts Peak.

"Yes." Seeing Ling Fei’s determination, Shangguan Wan’er’s gaze slowly firmed as well. She stared at him and said, word by word, "As long as your heart never changes, then no one will ever be able to stop us from being together."

In the past, Shangguan Wan’er’s heart belonged to the sword; it was her way of changing her destiny.

Now, however, her heart had a new goal.

Love.

No one could stop her and Ling Fei from being together.

This became the new goal driving her cultivation, a part of her Martial Arts Heart.

Only with a clear goal could her Martial Arts Heart become even more resolute.

Aboard the Flying Boat, Ling Fei and Shangguan Wan’er had declared their feelings for one another. Their hands were clasped tightly, their hearts closer than they had ever been.

After weathering this storm, they had truly chosen each other, and their relationship was finally solidified.

Nearby, Lian Shuang watched the loving couple, an inexplicable bitterness welling up in her heart.

For some reason, her heart began to flutter. She felt an inexplicable urge to draw closer to the young man beside them.

Her heart began to beat faster, her breathing quickening in tandem.

’What is wrong with me?’ Lian Shuang took a deep breath, feeling utterly flustered. She had never experienced an emotion like this before.

For some reason, as her heart grew troubled, she glanced at Shangguan Wan’er and felt a pang of envy, even a hint of jealousy.

At least this man was willing to go to war with the Beiming Sword Sect for Shangguan Wan’er’s sake.

It was clear that Ling Fei’s feelings for Shangguan Wan’er were incredibly deep.

But who would be willing to risk everything for her, Lian Shuang?

As sorrow welled within her, memories of the past surfaced unbidden, and a mist clouded Lian Shuang’s eyes.

The scenes from her youth made her heart ache with sorrow.

After another deep breath, her gaze shifted. She continued watching Ling Fei and Shangguan Wan’er, as if trying to use them to forget her past.

’So this is what they call love?’ Lian Shuang murmured to herself, watching them hold hands so tightly.

...

「Soon.」

The Flying Boat cut through the Void, soaring over mountain ranges as it flew onward.

A great river appeared before them.

The great river flowed swiftly, but a black miasma swirled above it, staining the water’s surface a dark, inky color.

The sight was enough to make one frown.

The moment Ling Fei entered the area, his brow twitched.

In the great river ahead, countless Ancient Crocodiles lay in wait.

These winged Ancient Crocodiles each exuded a powerful aura.

Furthermore, Great Pengs with jet-black wings circled among the high mountains ahead.

These Demon Beasts blocked the path, forming an obstacle between Ling Fei’s group and the core region of the North Spirit Ruins.

"This is the North Spirit Ancient River," Lian Shuang said, her eyes flashing as she gazed at the landscape ahead. "Once we cross that giant mountain, we’ll see an Ancient Array Platform. If we can trigger the Array Patterns on it, we’ll be able to enter the core region of the North Spirit Ruins and seek our respective legacies."

"However, these Demon Birds are quite strong!" Sensing the area for a moment, Lian Shuang discovered that the auras of the Demon Birds ahead were all extraordinary.

The Ancient Crocodiles massing near the North Spirit Ancient River were already powerful.

And now, the black Great Pengs circling the mountains beyond the river emanated an even more ferocious energy.

Crossing the great river and the North Spirit Ancient Mountain would not be easy.

Most importantly, the three of them were likely the first group of Cultivators to arrive here, meaning they would have to face the full force of all the Demon Birds.

Those who came later would have an easier time, as their predecessors would have already culled many of the Demon Birds.

"Since we’re here, let’s just force our way through," Ling Fei said, his gaze hardening.

He had come this far; there was no reason to turn back now.

"Alright!" Lian Shuang nodded.

Shangguan Wan’er said nothing, merely tightening her grip on Ling Fei’s hand. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a Treasure Sword.

The blade seemed to be forged from Silver Essence, with brilliant light flowing across its surface. When she activated the swirling Inscription Patterns, it felt as if a vast river was hidden within the sword.

It was clearly a Profound Spirit Treasure, a gift from her master, You Ji.

With a movement of Lian Shuang’s hand, blue light flashed, and she too produced a Treasure Sword.

Light Patterns swirled around this sword, its aura restrained, yet the glow it emitted was enough to make one’s heart tremble.

’That’s also a Profound Spirit Treasure!’ Ling Fei’s eyes flashed. Lian Shuang had received a reward from the Sect before, but it wasn’t this sword.

Apparently, she had acquired this Profound Spirit Treasure on her own.

Ling Fei was slightly taken aback.

After all, Profound Spirit Treasures were incredibly precious; obtaining one on your own was exceedingly difficult.

Moreover, this sword was extremely similar to the top-tier Spirit Sword Lian Shuang had used before.

Though surprised, Ling Fei didn’t dwell on it. With a flick of his hand, a Giant Sword appeared.

It was the Beiming Sword Shield.

The sword is the king of weapons, the most versatile tool for facing an enemy.

Ling Fei also preferred using one in combat.

All three held their Profound Spirit Swords, poised and ready to strike.

WHOOSH!

As the Flying Boat neared the North Spirit Ancient River, the Ancient Crocodiles below flapped their wings and lunged toward it.

As the Flying Boat shot through the Void, Ling Fei, Lian Shuang, and Shangguan Wan’er unleashed their attacks.

SWOOSH!

In an instant, a web of sword light slashed forward.

All three attacked with Profound Spirit Treasures, their combined might so overwhelming that even a Quasi-Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator couldn’t have withstood a single one of their attacks.

CRACK! CRACK!

Wherever the sword light passed, Ancient Crocodiles were cleaved in two, their bodies plunging into the river below.

Yet more Ancient Crocodiles continuously flew up from below—hundreds of them—while countless more lurked in the great river, a truly terrifying number.

But Ling Fei, Shangguan Wan’er, and Lian Shuang were immensely powerful. Wherever their Long Swords struck, an Ancient Crocodile was guaranteed to fall.

Lian Shuang manifested her Five Elements Sword Lotus, preventing the Ancient Crocodiles from even getting close. Their numbers began to dwindle rapidly.

Even Ancient Crocodiles at the Quasi-Nascent Soul Realm could not withstand the onslaught from Ling Fei and Lian Shuang.

Despite their formidable defenses, they were easily shattered by the attacks unleashed from the Profound Spirit Treasures.

After all, Ling Fei’s combat strength was already comparable to that of Nascent Soul Realm Powerhouses. Now that he wielded a Profound Spirit Treasure, his power was on a completely different level.

Lian Shuang’s true strength was also clearly greater than what she had displayed during her battle with Ling Fei.

As for Shangguan Wan’er, she had already gained some enlightenment from her battle with Lian Shuang.

When Lian Shuang had been instructing Ling Fei afterward, Shangguan Wan’er had also benefited immensely just by listening. She had long since touched the threshold of the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm. Now, having committed to being with Ling Fei, her heart was free of all apprehension. Her Martial Arts Heart grew stronger, and her Realm advanced imperceptibly. All she needed was a single catalyst to break through to the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm.

The attack of these Ancient Crocodiles was the perfect opportunity to test what she had learned.

One by one, the Ancient Crocodiles were slain. Ling Fei’s Flying Boat pressed onward, drawing ever closer to the mountains ahead.

But just as they had slain a great number of the Ancient Crocodiles, massive waves churned in the North Spirit Ancient River below. Two Ancient Crocodiles, each a hundred feet long, emerged from the depths.

When these two appeared, the expressions on the faces of Ling Fei, Shangguan Wan’er, and Lian Shuang grew grim. An aura that only Nascent Soul Realm Powerhouses possessed radiated from the two massive beasts. As they emerged, all the other Ancient Crocodiles gathered at their sides, forming a battle formation.

Clearly, these were two Crocodile Kings, and they had appeared to intercept and kill them.

"Humans. Since you’ve come, you can leave your lives behind!" The two Ancient Crocodiles flapped their metallic wings and flew toward them. The leader’s enormous, bell-like eyes flashed with a vicious light as it stared at Ling Fei on the Flying Boat. It actually spoke in human tongue, its voice filled with a bone-chilling intent.

’This Ancient Crocodile can actually speak,’ Ling Fei thought, his brow furrowing as the voice, accompanied by a powerful aura, reached him.

"Once a Demon Beast reaches the Nascent Soul Realm, its Spiritual Wisdom awakens, and it can indeed learn to speak. Even stronger Demon Beasts can take human form," Lian Shuang explained. "This Ancient Crocodile has clearly reached the Nascent Soul Realm. There’s no doubt about it." A grave look appeared in her eyes.

There is a massive gap between being *at* the Nascent Soul Realm and merely being *comparable* to it.

Perhaps both Ling Fei and Lian Shuang’s combat strength had reached the Nascent Soul Realm Level.

However, because their own Realms were insufficient, they couldn’t sustain that level of power for long.

A Great Demon of the Nascent Soul Realm was different.

They were true Nascent Soul Realm beings. The Essence Qi and Soul Power within their bodies were more than enough to sustain them in continuous battle.

’I can’t believe there’s a Nascent Soul Realm Great Demon here,’ Ling Fei thought with surprise.

The information provided by the Lingyun Sect made no mention of such a powerful Great Demon.

They had clearly run into major trouble this time.

"These Great Demons must have been accumulating power for a long time and only broke through recently," Lian Shuang said.

"However, judging by their auras, they should only be Nascent Soul Realm Great Demons at the Divine Wheel First Realm."

Although this Ancient Beast was strong, its aura was clearly not on par with the Elders from the various Sects.

"A Great Demon at the Divine Wheel First Realm isn’t unbeatable." Despite his surprise, Ling Fei showed no fear.

He had already reached the threshold of the Quasi-Nascent Soul Realm, and his combat strength was comparable to the Nascent Soul Realm. This was the perfect chance to test the gap between himself and a true Nascent Soul Realm Great Demon.

"Wan’er, be careful," Ling Fei said to Shangguan Wan’er.

"Don’t worry. I’m on the verge of breaking through to the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm, and this is the perfect opportunity." Shangguan Wan’er’s fighting spirit soared. Although she had only touched the threshold of the Half-step Nascent Soul Realm, with her Profound Spirit Sword, she had enough power to completely crush any Demon Beast at the Quasi-Nascent Soul Realm.

Facing a life-or-death crisis was the best way to temper oneself and break through one’s shackles.

"Then let’s get ready to fight," Lian Shuang said.

The three exchanged a look, ready for battle.

At that moment, the two Nascent Soul Realm Ancient Crocodiles had already taken to the air, charging toward the three of them with killing intent.