Chapter 158 A mutually assured destruction situation... So, her senior sister was indeed her lucky star. ...

A shimmering silver dragon swam in the water, its tail invisible to the naked eye. The vastness of the Ancient Sea is beyond human comprehension; it stretches to the sky. Even before the sky held any life, the most primal life had already quietly emerged from the depths of the sea.

Yet, in this vast ocean, the dragon is its sole master. There are many records about the dragon race from the world she lived in to this world, which are nothing more than gods who can summon wind and rain or bring down destruction with a single breath, conquering wherever they go and slumbering in gold and jewels.

Yet it was precisely this kind of race that eventually disappeared into the long river of history, with even a trace of its bloodline becoming rare. It's likely that in the ancient times, neither the Jiaolong nor the Jiuyin were anything more than insignificant beings compared to their ancestors.

Everything reflected in the water mirror became increasingly shrouded in mystery. Shen Lixia glanced at her storage pouch, thinking that she might not even be able to take these treasures out of the house. Perhaps she should hand them over willingly and beg the true dragon for forgiveness. But these treasures were perfect for her friends; they were incredible opportunities from the ancient past. And the true dragon's palace would most likely be crushed to ashes in the war...

Moreover, the divine fire was constantly burning, restless and agitated throughout her limbs and bones.

In her previous life, she was the Vermilion Bird, so naturally she was unwilling to kneel before any dragon other than the Lord of the Moon, even if she wasn't yet the true Lord of the Light...

But Shen Lixia knew that one day she would return to this place and end the karma from her past life.

While she was pondering, the dragon seemed unusually patient. Seeing that the boy before her did not answer, it exhaled a breath of icy dragon breath and said with a smile, "Hmm? Why aren't you saying anything... Are you scared out of your wits? If you knew this would happen, why did you take my secret treasure?" She tilted her head slightly and moved a little closer to Chen Lixia.

Even such a small movement caused the sound of the seawater churning. Then, the flashing silver light and the chaotic schools of fish all fled in panic, only to be pulverized by the aftershocks of the dinosaur's tail swing.

The dragon's golden eyes gleamed faintly, its diamond-shaped pupils remaining sharp and cold, unaffected by her gentle tone. Her snout alone was as wide as two people's; a direct confrontation was simply unwinnable...

Shen Lixia then bowed respectfully to her, placed her hand on her heart, and said sincerely, "This is my first time in this sea area. I did not know that the secret treasure belonged to the dragon clan. I thought it was the territory of some mermaid. I hope you will forgive me. I will return everything I took. Please forgive my ignorance and recklessness."

She was simply not good at speaking in formal, literary terms, so she just tried her best to remain polite and respectful. Whether true or false, its consciousness must at least have part of it originating from the real dragon race of ancient times, possessing the inherent arrogance of a divine beast. And the arrogant are often very sensitive to the emotions in other people's words; even the slightest disrespect could lead to their death.

After speaking, cold sweat trickled down her forehead. Shen Lixia slightly raised her eyes, carefully observing the other person's reaction. Those golden eyes were simply too dazzling; she could almost see her tiny reflection in them, as if she were being scorched by the blazing sun's flames and about to be swallowed up by the golden light.

Silver Dragon's gentle voice softly reached her ears: "But how can I guarantee you're not lying? Tell me your name and let your tribe vouch for you."

tribe?

Heaven knows what tribes existed in ancient times; this is a history without written records, which can only be traced through artifacts dug up from all sorts of obscure places!

Moreover—if she really belongs to a tribe, does the dragon's words mean that all members of the tribe will be harmed because of her?

Shen Lixia panicked instantly, coughed lightly to maintain her composure, and forced a natural demeanor, whispering, "You probably haven't heard of me—I come from a very small tribe, which has long since dispersed..."

"Just tell me your name," the silver dragon said calmly. "Human, my patience is limited."

After thinking for a long time, Shen Lixia thought that at least one branch had been passed down, and she could also provide evidence... Just like Si Changxi had strange eyes, didn't the people of the Liusha Ancient Kingdom also have broad bird wings?

She took a deep breath, and suddenly a soft "pop" sounded behind her, and a pair of bright red wings emerged. At the same time, her long, beautiful tail feathers, like fireworks, rose and fell in the seawater.

“Lingguang Tribe,” she said nervously. “Perhaps it has already changed its name by now… You should know that we follow Lord Lingguang.” She wondered which battle this was, and whether Hua Ying was still alive.

Fine, let's take a gamble. Besides, since she has the title of Lord Lingguang, even if the Dragon Clan wants to cause trouble, Hua Ying will definitely protect those who fight alongside her. And if it happens to be after her fall, the True Dragons have already weakened with Lord Taiyin's departure, and rashly slaughtering humans would incur condemnation from other races.

Regardless, this was the best choice she could make. Shen Lixia spread her wings, meeting the silver dragon's gaze without fear, her fists clenched tightly. A flicker of surprise flashed in those golden eyes, then, like rising mist, they became calm and hazy, leaving one unable to discern their deeper meaning.

“Ling, Guang…”

The woman sighed softly, as if lost in thought. Her tone, though still gentle, carried a hint of coldness, and seemed filled with regret.

"Ling Guangjun has only been involved in the war for a few days, yet you claim she has already organized a tribe... Little bird, any faith is acceptable, but the Supreme God cannot be the totem of any tribe without permission. They belong to all living beings under heaven, born into the world, and eternally residing among the stars after death. Whether you are lying or this tribe truly exists, it is a desecration of the Celestial Realm..."

God loves the world, but only the world; no one can have personal feelings. Therefore, God is always high on His altar and has never fallen.

The icy dragon breath brewed in her mouth, and a dazzling blue light gathered, causing the seawater to swirl and tremble.

"But your feathers are beautiful, I won't eat you... You're just a poor little bird who doesn't know any better. Be my sculpture, and I'll put you in the best spot in the palace and plant a small tree for you."

She seemed convinced that the child in front of her was a habitual liar and thought she had given her the utmost tenderness.

Planting trees...

Shen Lixia thought she probably didn't need another one; her elder sister's hibiscus tree was enough. She only ever wanted this one hibiscus tree. Although it belonged to Hua Ying, the gentleness of the Taiyin Lord truly flowed into her heart like a spring breeze.

Even if all of this is just a dream, just a past life, and has never been related to her, let her have a dream... Perhaps when they meet again, her elder sister will still smile gently at her, treat her as a sister, and be her most important family member. How could such a powerful Taiyin Jun die, and why has no next incarnation of the constellation appeared? She must have secretly hidden herself away.

Perhaps she's still waiting for Hua Ying... waiting for her to go and find her.

She needs to find her older sister.

The boy raised his hand, and the flowing fire appeared between his fingers.

She said calmly, "If you don't believe me, then let's die together."

The divine fire raged at the silver dragon's words—the Vermilion Bird, soaring through the nine heavens, was regarded as merely the base for an ornamental object. As the words fell, the bright flames drove away the seawater and entangled Shen Lixia's body.

Silver Dragon finally realized, belatedly, that the madness that had suddenly ignited alongside the fire was reflected in her eyes. Fire has always been considered evil and unpredictable; it can easily spread like wildfire, harming both others and the user. Only Ling Guangjun could control the flames, making them dispel evil without harming others, turning them into flames of rebirth, bringing blessings to all living beings.

The boy before her was like the flame burning on her body; she had not yet gained the ability to control him, yet he consumed her with it.

She exhaled dragon breath, and in the pure blue light, the boy's figure was enveloped, with icicles spreading across her fingertips.

Then, a white mist suddenly filled the seawater, obscuring all vision, even the sharp-eyed dragons could not see what was ahead. She cautiously looked around—

Suddenly, a scorching heat rushed towards her, and flames crashed towards her like meteors, their target being her mouth, which was still open after she had just exhaled her dragon breath.

A hint of surprise flashed in the silver dragon's bright golden eyes.

This human... no, I don't know what this little bird is called, actually wanted to rush into her mouth and perish together with her.

Although he didn't know what the fiercely burning, terrifying flames on her body were, the silver dragon could sense that although the fire looked sharp and arrogant, and was definitely extraordinary, it was actually very... weak.

Like a newborn cub, even struggling to breathe due to congenital deficiencies, its life already nearing its end from birth. This feeling appeared in the flickering flames on the boy's body, and indeed in her entire being, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible, fragility.

How could you hurt such a small, fragile, and pitiful child?

Silver Dragon even felt a pang of pity. But she followed the Moon Goddess and knew the names of the Hundred Tribes in the battle. If this strange-looking little bird hadn't lied to her... she could actually forgive the offense. However, it not only lied but also blasphemed the Four Symbols. Both publicly and privately, it was unforgivable.

If she were on the battlefield, perhaps I would risk my life to protect her, using my sturdy scales to shield her from enemy attacks.

However, dragons abhor lies the most.

The Lord of the Moon, in particular, has never tolerated deception and betrayal.

In the instant she hesitated, Shen Lixia had already figured out many things.

This dragon is not a true dragon from ancient times, nor is this place the ancient sea. It is not an overlap of time and space, but an illusion constructed by a special consciousness within the water mirror.

Perhaps the being that created it was too familiar with the ancient times, and even had seen this real dragon and many things that followed, which is why it was able to recreate such a realistic ocean.

The fact that those treasures didn't disappear after being stored in the storage bag means they were real objects. Therefore—

In any case, this secret treasure and palace no longer belong to the true dragon before them, but are now within the water mirror. Illusion and reality intertwine, truth and falsehood are blurred, like reflections in water and flowers in a mirror—who can discern the truth?

Therefore, the true dragon before them was merely a remnant woven from the remnants of its consciousness. Although the power in its breath was terrifying, it was only roughly at the Nascent Soul stage. In the ancient times, spiritual energy was abundant, and all things were naturally endowed with the advantage of cultivation. Even without cultivation, just eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing, wild beasts would gradually develop intelligence instead of remaining ignorant for life.

If this were a true dragon, it could crush her into ashes in the blink of an eye. But since it only possesses the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator, it means its strength is limited to the Nascent Soul realm.

Shen Lixia had already reached the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm...

She believed that a fight was possible.

The silver dragon saw through her intentions, tightly shut its mouth, and looked at the foolish creature with a mixture of amusement and pity. Shen Lixia felt a chill run down her spine under her gaze, but after regaining her composure, she suddenly smiled:

"It's a bit of a pity, but I originally wanted to give my senior sister a piece of dragon bone."

Unfortunately, the dragon before them was nothing but a phantom.

After saying that, she ignored the silver dragon's reaction, gathered her spiritual power at the tip of the sword, and remained unusually calm. She let the divine fire burn her body at will, and swiftly and decisively slashed at the solid dragon's teeth!

The blood, a dazzling golden color, permeated the water.

This is divine blood.

Shen Lixia closed her eyes, steeled her resolve, and squeezed into the slit. The heavy stench of blood choked her, but she didn't stop, thinking: So even the blood of gods is bloody and salty. Perhaps gods and humans are no different, just beings with some power, all daughters of nature.

The same is true of cultivators; they are born from the dust but stand in the sky... But everyone has a mother, and everyone will eventually return to the dust, back to their mother's embrace.

The divine fire hissed and burned. Shen Lixia curled up in the dragon's mouth and swam towards its throat and tongue.

The silver dragon finally showed a hint of panic, and spoke into its ventriloquism: "I will not kill you, come out. Although the fire on your body is terrifying, it is neither divine fire nor the evil fire of the Moonbird. Dragons are born with strong bodies, and they will not be harmed even if heavenly fire descends."

She admired the creature's courage, yet wondered why she herself was so vulnerable, having her fangs so easily cleaved open. But Shen Lixia knew that she had used all her spiritual power, aided by divine fire, to barely create a small opening.

"Unfortunately." The boy stood inside the dragon's body, which was filled with starlight and flowing golden blood, watching countless spiritual energies converge and flash, forming a brilliant little world. He couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

She whispered, "All I possess is divine fire; and I am the future Lord Lingguang." Not Hua Ying, but herself, a fragmented soul that escaped from the clutches of Heaven.

Perhaps... he is also the last incarnation of a star.

The tragedy must not be repeated.

She vaguely sensed that the shattering of the Azure Dragon constellation was not so simple, and might be related to her elder sister's own will. Therefore, if the constellation could be shattered, she would also shatter the Vermilion Bird's crimson star after fulfilling her own karma.

The icy chill of the dragon's breath mingled with the scorching heat of the divine fire, yet neither could soothe the pain; instead, it placed Shen Lixia in a state of extreme contrast, as if being torn apart by these two opposing forces. She felt the cold slowly creeping into her shoulders, fingers, and waist, finally penetrating her meridians and licking at her heart…

Silver Dragon also heard the sound of icicles and whispered, "If you delay any longer, you'll really turn into an ice statue."

But the stubborn little bird only murmured—

"The ancient past is gone, the age of the gods has long since ended. You... can now rest in peace."

The burning sensation ultimately prevailed.

The divine fire shone brightly, spreading like wildfire from the silver dragon's body, even illuminating the surrounding seawater and steaming out thick fog, almost causing the place to briefly dry up!

Shen Lixia bit her lower lip and groaned in pain.

No matter how many times... she could hardly bear this kind of pain, let alone now, when she was almost self-destructing...

Before the silver dragon could even roll around in the water, it was surrounded by wisps of fire emerging from the gaps in its scales, and its figure disappeared into the raging flames that devoured the sky.

Shen Lixia felt a lightness all over her body. When she looked up again, the silver dragon had disappeared. As if a mountain had collapsed, seawater surged in like clouds. The wire suddenly dissipated, and the fish, recovering from their panic, slowly returned to the spot.

It's as if the dragon never existed.

As expected, it was just an illusion...

She was exhausted and unable to control her body. She couldn't retract her wings and could only feel the excruciating pain. The ice shards had melted, but the divine fire, which had just dispelled the cold, was still burning fiercely in her heart and meridians.

It really is the jackpot... Just like when she first came here, she encountered life-or-death situations—why is she always so unlucky?

But everything changed after she met her senior, so her senior was indeed her lucky star...

...Let's rest for a while.

The boy closed his eyes wearily, his consciousness gradually fading. Finally, as if unable to hold on any longer, like a bird with an arrow piercing its chest, even the surging water could not support it, and it sank heavily into the deeper sea.

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Author's note: After this part is finished, the story will move on to the Si sisters' story in the Demon Realm.

If the storyline is too plot-driven, you might find it a bit boring. I'll try my best to make it more engaging...!

The silver dragon here isn't a particularly evil character; she simply can't tolerate anyone blaspheming her faith, just like the others in the ancient times. The Four Symbols are supreme deities in everyone's hearts, and thus Hua Ying is also someone revered on a divine altar.

In this life, Si Liuhua never imagined that Xia was Zhuque; as for her master, she already knew that this was something very, very far in the future, something she couldn't possibly witness during her time accompanying them. That's why she believed in Xia and understood that Xia's journey would definitely extend beyond Taihui. Rather than focusing on the uncertain future, she preferred to concentrate on the present—now, being their teacher was enough.

So you can imagine how much pressure they were under... after all, the responsibility was immense. But as mentioned before, Hua Ying was born a goddess; even with her memories, she was actually just a newborn baby bird, yet she was told, "From now on, you will be in charge of everyone in the world and responsible for them."

This is a complete disaster.

However, during her time with Luo Yang, she was finally able to let go of everything and grow up and experience life as an ordinary teenager.

Incidentally, the Moon Goddess hated being deceived, yet she ultimately lost because she was deceived herself. Somewhat fate had ordained her…