Qin Guangwang was exceptionally bold, signaling Xiao Chen to advance together. Since they had already come this far, there was nothing left to fear. Xiao Chen moved forward with the three skeletons into the stone forest.
It was the Light Holy Dragon. Up close, the colossal creature seemed even more formidable and terrifying. Its enormous body appeared cast from molten silver, wreathed in a layer of sacred radiance that made the entire stone forest blaze with brilliance.
When the Light Holy Dragon had battled the Fallen Angel, it had once manifested in human form, but at that time, brilliant light had scattered through the skies, and Xiao Chen had been unable to make out its human features. Now, gazing upon this mountain of silver flesh, it was difficult to connect it with the figure that had soared across the heavens.
The Light Holy Dragon’s posture was strange: its silver wings were tightly folded against its back, its hind legs knelt, and its foreclaws pressed against the ground. It looked less like a resting beast and more like a devout worshipper in supplication. Its silver head was bowed low, its glittering horns touching the earth.
And it had fallen asleep like this. From its expression, it seemed utterly pious and content!
What was going on?
Suddenly, Xiao Chen noticed a faint shimmer of light flowing through the stone forest just ahead of the dragon’s bowed head. He and the three skeletons circled around the silver beast, coming to a stop among the stone pillars four or five meters in front of its snout.
A sapling no taller than a palm, bearing only two leaves, shimmered with seven-colored radiance. It was rooted among the stones, emitting waves of primal energy.
A miraculous little tree!
Though only palm-high, anyone who saw it would immediately recognize it as a tree, not a flower or weed. The trunk was as thick as a thumb, coiled and twisted like a curling dragon. It gave no impression of youthfulness; instead, it exuded an ancient vigor, the weathered air of a millennial tree!
In the crook of the twisted trunk grew a pitch-black leaf, gleaming with dark luster, as if carved from ink jade, crystalline and brilliant. At the very tip of the trunk was a newly sprouted leaf, milky white in color, as if sculpted from mutton-fat jade, translucent and shimmering with divine light—inexpressibly miraculous.
Two divine leaves of different colors growing on the same tree—truly astonishing. Moreover, other rainbow lights swirled around the sapling, making one wonder if new leaves of entirely different hues would appear as it grew.
The tree was utterly miraculous, like a sapling brimming with infinite vitality while simultaneously radiating the boundless vicissitudes of an ancient sacred relic.
The three skeletons exchanged glances, then looked at Xiao Chen. Finally, they gestured for him to… dig up the tree!
Xiao Chen shook his head repeatedly. Such a divine tree was extraordinary; if its roots were damaged by careless digging, it would be a waste of a heavenly treasure. Moreover, they were on Dragon Island now—where could it be transplanted?
Seeing his reluctance, Lunhuiwang reached out with clumsy, bony hands to dig. Qin Guangwang and Yanluowang moved to join him.
Xiao Chen quickly stopped them. Finally, gritting his teeth, he decided to dig it up. Better he do it than let them ruin it. The Light Holy Dragon itself had knelt in worship before this sapling—it was certainly no ordinary thing. Dig it up first!
With extreme care, Xiao Chen excavated the shimmering sapling, bringing a large clump of soil with it. Then, without looking back, he dashed out of the valley.
The three skeletons fled like thieves, scrambling after him.
---
In the World of Immortality, the vast Southern Sea stretched endlessly, azure waves surging in boundless grandeur.
Dragon Island was like a green pearl deep in the ocean. The entire island was lush and verdant, full of life. Ancient towering trees and millennium-old vines were everywhere, and the roars of savage beasts echoed from all sides. This was an ancient island that had been sealed for endless ages.
Xiao Chen, holding the palm-high divine sapling, shot out of the valley. His body was wreathed in blazing light, his speed pushed to the limit. He left only a fading afterimage among the trees, reaching the Death Swamp in the time it took to draw a breath.
The three skeletons also fled all the way, seeming to sense that something might happen. They ran while glancing back furtively.
In the swamp, ancient trees blocked the sunlight, casting everything into deep gloom. Looking at the skeletons who had caught up, Xiao Chen felt a flicker of doubt. Why were these undead creatures so flustered? Could something be wrong?
No matter how he wondered, he couldn't communicate with them. He tried to ask several times, but Qin Guangwang, Yanluowang, and Lunhuiwang replied only with shakes of their heads and waves of their hands. Once they reached the swamp, their tension faded.
Xiao Chen did not think the three skeletons were simple-minded. Ever since he saw them feigning death to ambush Guluo, he had regarded them as intelligent beings on his own level.
Observing their behavior today, it seemed they had known about the divine tree long ago. But why had they chosen today to take it? Suddenly, Xiao Chen shuddered. Could these three be so treacherous? Was this a scheme to pin the blame on the Light Holy Dragon, which had only fallen onto Dragon Island today, making it the scapegoat? The divine tree seemed to… already have an owner!
In the dark swamp, the palm-high miraculous sapling glowed with seven-colored light, brilliant and resplendent. Its coiled trunk was as ancient as a dragon, its two jade leaves of different colors glittering with divine brilliance.
Now, the most urgent task was to plant this sacred sapling. To let such a heavenly treasure wither and die would be a crime. But where was the right place? Xiao Chen was troubled. The death ground was gloomy and filled with miasma at night—wholly unsuitable.
The three skeletons gathered around. They seemed very interested in the sacred tree. All three bony claws reached out at once, trying to pluck the ink-jade-like leaf. Xiao Chen quickly blocked them. Such a waste—these skeletons were truly exasperating.
Sensing Xiao Chen’s distress over where to plant it, Lunhuiwang tugged at his sleeve and gestured for him to follow deeper into the swamp. They came to a hidden, shadowy spot. The skeletons pointed casually at a large tree, then at the sacred sapling.
Seeing Xiao Chen’s confusion, Qin Guangwang took his hand and guided him to press the sapling against the giant tree’s trunk. At that moment, something astonishing happened. The crystal-clear roots of the sapling extended on their own from the clump of soil in Xiao Chen’s hands, glowing with colorful light, and burrowed into the tree’s trunk!
Now Xiao Chen was certain: the three skeletons had definitely seen this sapling before. Otherwise, how could they be so familiar with its miraculous nature?
Radiant light swirled, and the dark forest was no longer ghostly. The palm-sized sapling illuminated the entire area.
Just then, a dragon’s roar erupted from a few li away. Xiao Chen leaped to the crown of a towering ancient tree and looked into the distance. The sound came from the valley where they had dug up the sapling. The Light Holy Dragon seemed to be in trouble; its roars pierced the clouds.
In the Death Swamp, the three skeletons moved with uncanny coordination. They quickly separated and flopped down beside a pile of bones, lying completely still, indistinguishable from ordinary remains.
Seeing this, Xiao Chen was dumbfounded. He was utterly speechless. The three skeletons were playing dead!
And in that moment, he understood. As he had suspected, the skeletons had known about the sacred sapling all along. This time, they had indeed used the Light Holy Dragon as the scapegoat… three scheming, cunning skeletons.
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