All around the hidden palace was silent and pitch-black, with only the building itself emitting a faint glow.

As Jiang Yuebai stepped in, she immediately took out the storage bag she had acquired from her origin body, retrieved the Divine Concealment Turtle Breath Talisman and activated it, concealing her presence.

Each time she used invisibility, two Jade Talismans were required. Jiang Yuebai long wanted to merge the two but couldn’t find an entry point before. Recently, while researching talisman techniques of the Green Dragon Realm, she gradually developed some ideas.

"If my origin body could come in, I could let the little demons help with the search."

The Divine Split of Jiang Yuebai was limited by Qir An’s body, and the area her Divine Sense could cover was restricted. She could only search layer by layer, room by room, starting from the outskirts of the hidden palace.

The entire hidden palace was divided into three layers. The outer layer seemed to be a dwelling place for the servant disciples in charge of looking after the palace.

Jiang Yuebai quickly passed through without finding anything noteworthy.

The middle layer was mostly a martial arts training area, with facilities for Artifact Refining and Alchemy. Jiang Yuebai collected some low-value materials for Artifact Refining and Alchemy, as well as some Elixirs used to feed the dragons.

The inner layer contained another Great Array, the Key Jade Talisman Jiang Yuebai held once again proved useful, allowing her to enter without trouble.

As expected, this courtyard in the inner layer was where Ning Zhiyuan truly resided.

Passing by an already abandoned corridor and pond, Jiang Yuebai peered through the azure brick and white wall and saw a three-story tower standing in the midst of a maple forest in the distance.

The tower was the only building amidst the maple forest and was also the highest point of this side peak, under the night sky, making Jiang Yuebai feel ’a perilous tower towering a hundred feet, where one could reach out and pluck the stars’.

Beside the tower, the maple tree was tall and majestic. It was spring, and while other maple trees just sprouted green tender leaves, this one was full of deep red leaves, burning like fire, emanating an inexplicable heat visible even from afar.

Thick lock chains were wrapped around the maple tree, adorned with Yellow Talismans that swayed in the wind.

Stepping forward, Jiang Yuebai suddenly noticed a pair of emerald-green vertical pupils appearing within the canopy of the maple tree.

Ahhh!

The lock chain clanked, maple leaves flew, transforming into clusters of flames that abruptly attacked Jiang Yuebai’s face.

Qir An’s body was fragile, so Jiang Yuebai had to dodge with all her might, not daring to confront the flames directly.

The flames hit the wall behind, exploding dramatically, and Jiang Yuebai found herself enveloped in bright red flames. As she raised her head, she saw the ’maple tree’ soar into the sky, adorned with antler-like branches and covered in scales resembling red maple leaves, while the emerald-green vertical pupils scrutinized Jiang Yuebai’s position.

Dragon Prison Nails were embedded all over its body, the chains connected to the ground, and faintly visible was a crimson Array Plate on the ground, as if some force was surging from beneath and rushing into its body.

From outside, Jiang Yuebai realized this was a mutated Tree Dragon.

Ordinary Tree Dragons can transform into any kind of tree according to the environment, being Wood Attribute dragons. But the one before her, wood had fused with fire, its Long Wei already reached the Golden Core Peak, yet it couldn’t break through due to being imprisoned by Dragon Prison Nails.

Judging by the Array Plate beneath it, there’s likely something underground continually injecting Exotic Power into its body, causing the mutation.

No doubt, this dragon belonged to Ning Zhiyuan, whom he had been meticulously nurturing.

Perhaps to avoid exposing his identity, or to continue nurturing the dragon, he didn’t bring it along when he went to the Earth Spiritual Realm.

Jiang Yuebai removed the invisibility and told the Tree Dragon in Dragon Language.

"Ning Zhiyuan is already dead."

The Tree Dragon paused, its eyes wary.

"In fact, you should have sensed something decades ago, the link between you and him broke. I’m not sure if you’ve heard about the West Sea situation; the Winged Dragon has emerged, fighting for the Dragon Clan’s survival."

"If you’re willing, you can follow me in the future. I won’t treat you like they did. If you’re not willing, I can take you to the West Sea, and there you can choose for yourself."

Jiang Yuebai, utilizing the Divine Split, emitted a trace of Essence Blood belonging to the Winged Dragon.

This faint aura was undetectable to cultivators but could not be ignored by the Dragon Clan, an aura absolutely impossible to counterfeit, capable of winning a dragon’s trust.

The Tree Dragon’s Long Wei receded slightly, seeming hesitant, Jiang Yuebai boldly approached with the Dragon Scale Dagger.

"I can help you sever these lock chains and remove the Dragon Prison Nails, but this is within Fulong Sect. Escaping the range of their Mountain Protection Array won’t be easy. You can try trusting me; I mean you no harm."

Jiang Yuebai raised the Dragon Scale Dagger, and the Tree Dragon tensed up completely.

Slice!

With a crisp sound, one of the chains on the Tree Dragon broke.

It was as if a ray of light pierced the darkness, the Tree Dragon’s pupils trembled and it froze completely.

"See, I really want to free you."

Jiang Yuebai soothed softly, the Tree Dragon’s gaze seemed to penetrate her current form, peering into the depths of her soul and glimpsing the spirited smile within.

The Tree Dragon always knew, if Ning Zhiyuan was truly dead, what awaited it was merely another person who would lock it in chains, and it was just surviving here, awaiting the next hell.

Yet it hadn’t expected to encounter someone today who would save it and let it escape into freedom.

Jiang Yuebai swiftly severed all the lock chains on the Tree Dragon.

With one maneuver freeing it, the Tree Dragon was thrilled, raising its head to roar.

Jiang Yuebai hurriedly stopped it, "Don’t shout, don’t shout, keep quiet. I snuck in, if we alarm the people outside, we won’t be able to escape."

The Tree Dragon hastily contained its voice, emitting a burp that extinguished all the fresh red flames on its body.

"Pulling out the Dragon Prison Nails will be very painful, and my current body’s strength isn’t enough. Can you shrink down so we can deal with this after we safely depart?"

Mm~

The Tree Dragon nodded its massive dragon head, its body flashed with azure glow, rapidly shrinking until it was the thickness of an arm.

"Once I gather the items inside, we’ll leave right away. Keep your aura tightly concealed, don’t expose us."

Ack~

Hearing this, the Tree Dragon immediately led the way for Jiang Yuebai. Once Jiang Yuebai used the Key Jade Talisman to unlock the Barrier at the tower, the Tree Dragon charged through the jade doors, guiding Jiang Yuebai inside.

It had no fondness or sense of belonging to Fulong Sect.

Moreover, Jiang Yuebai noticed the Tree Dragon’s gaze was a bit anxious, seemingly wanting to guide her to find something inside.

The interior of the tower was arranged like a typical grand hall; a lobby on the first floor with two side rooms for reception, containing nothing of value.

Jiang Yuebai wanted to ascend, but the Tree Dragon circled around the central jade couch with intricate carvings in the lobby, signaling her to come over.

Jiang Yuebai approached, and the Tree Dragon used its head to slowly push the heavy jade couch aside, revealing stairs leading downward.

"You’ve betrayed so thoroughly."

Jiang Yuebai chuckled, letting the Tree Dragon lead, following it down.

In a dark octagonal underground space, Jiang Yuebai caught the thick scent of blood, the Tree Dragon suddenly emitted a sorrowful cry, drawing her gaze upward.

In the corner not far away, an Azure Dragon was suspended mid-air, covered in wounds, each meticulously placed, with talismans affixed beside them preventing healing, ensuring Dragon Blood incessantly dripped below.

Below it was a circular Array Plate, resembling intertwined runes, filled with Dragon Blood.

Jiang Yuebai raised her head; above was also a corresponding Array Plate, chains from the Azure Dragon pierced through above, positioned identically with the chains on the Tree Dragon.

This meant Ning Zhiyuan used the blood of this Azure Dragon, through a special Array, to slowly transform the Tree Dragon into its current form, wood fused with fire.

Jiang Yuebai had no idea what relationship existed between the Tree Dragon and this Azure Dragon, the Tree Dragon lingered around the Azure Dragon’s head, incessantly crying and repeatedly striking the Azure Dragon’s brow, attempting to wake it.

But sadly, the Azure Dragon was already dead.