Chapter 322: Chapter 186: True Dragon Transformation

Yang Jing sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion. He could see Yinjiao’s talent panel in the Dragon Transformation Pool flicker and change, before a brand-new talent appeared.

[True Dragon Transformation (Legendary)]

He felt a sense of relief, knowing Yinjiao had completed his scale-shedding transformation.

’I’m just a little curious what this True Dragon Transformation entails, and how it differs from Yellow Foot’s Kunpeng Transformation.’

After completing his transformation, Yinjiao did not immediately emerge from the Dragon Transformation Pool. Instead, he continued to absorb the Dragon Qi within the pool to recover from the weakness caused by shedding his scales.

He only came out of the Dragon Transformation Pool when the two-month period granted by the Dragon Transformation Order was over.

He once again took the form of the white dog he was before entering the pool, looking completely ordinary.

Although Yinjiao had already mastered the Inconstant Illusionary Form Technique to the Peak of Perfection, Yang Jing’s keen senses and their years of close companionship still allowed him to perceive a few slight incongruities.

But now, the white dog Yinjiao had transformed into seemed, to Yang Jing’s senses, to be a real, living white dog. He couldn’t detect anything out of the ordinary.

Yinjiao rolled on the ground and shifted into his human form.

In his human form, he looked almost identical to when he first entered the pool, though his aura seemed a bit more vigorous.

"Master."

The moment he saw Yang Jing, he performed a deep bow and did not rise.

While in the Dragon Transformation Pool, he had been unaware of the situation outside. But to have had exclusive use of the pool for two whole months with no other Dragon Beasts entering, he knew it must have been his master’s doing.

"Not bad."

Yang Jing looked Yinjiao up and down, nodding in satisfaction.

Yinjiao’s Body Refinement and Qi Cultivation had both reached the very peak of the Qi Cultivation Stage. All that remained was for him to attempt Foundation Establishment.

However, with his aptitude, achieving Foundation Establishment would certainly trigger a celestial phenomenon, one that even the Concealing Array might not be able to hide. Therefore, Yang Jing did not plan to let him attempt it on the Dong Family’s territory.

After all, the vast Dong Family had once even possessed a Dragon Beast in the Divinity Transformation Realm. If they witnessed such a celestial phenomenon, they would recognize at a glance that a Dragon Beast of extraordinary talent was undergoing Foundation Establishment.

Yang Jing returned all the books he had borrowed from the White Dragon Academy’s collection.

With the Divine Sense of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he could read at an incredible speed, but he found very little useful information in the autobiographies and travelogues.

The most useful piece of information was that the worldly gods who were exterminated back then seemed to have been building a high tower. However, this Tower of Heaven-Reach was destroyed by the Ancestor Masters and their Demon allies when it was less than three hundred zhang tall.

This information was recorded in the autobiography of the third son of the Ancestor Master Dong. He had followed the Ancestor Master Dong into that brutal final battle.

Yang Jing looked back at the White Dragon Academy, where he had stayed for two months, and stepped onto the White Jade Steps he had once ascended.

"It is time to return!"

Although the last month at the White Dragon Academy had been pleasant, it couldn’t compare to the freedom of the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion.

However, his five-year term was already four years in. He only had one more year to spend at the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion.

At the bottom of the White Jade Steps, Dong Qingtao was already waiting by the mountain gate with a carriage. His attitude was immeasurably more respectful than when they had first met.

Yang Jing boarded the carriage, which made its way out of Divine Dragon City.

His visit had been a whirlwind. He had spent the entire two months in the White Dragon Academy and had barely explored the greatest city in the Eastern Domain at all.

"Minister, would you like to tour Divine Dragon City?"

Seeing Yang Jing holding Chi Yu in his arms and gazing with interest at the bustling, prosperous sights of Divine Dragon City, Dong Qingtao asked solicitously.

"No need. I’ll explore it next time I visit. Besides, Brother Xiji should already be waiting for me at the docks,"

Yang Jing said.

Dong Qingtao had wanted to say that Young Master Xiji could be summoned at any time, but seeing that Yang Jing was not inclined, he held his tongue.

The carriage moved swiftly, and they soon arrived at Dock No. 7, where the flying boat was moored.

Dong Xiji was already waiting on the dock, accompanied by a few other scions of noble families.

"Brother Xiji, you shouldn’t have gone to such trouble. You make me feel quite guilty."

Yang Jing strode forward a few steps and said to Dong Xiji.

"The Western Continent is vast. After we part today, who knows when we will meet again,"

Dong Xiji said, a note of reluctance in his voice.

The men drank a few cups of Spirit Wine and exchanged farewells. Then, Yang Jing led his disciples and Zuoqiu Feng aboard the flying boat.

"Master."

Iron Head had been waiting on the flying boat for a long time.

"You did well."

Yang Jing nodded at him.

At the White Dragon Academy, he had soundly defeated the disciples of the Pan City branch. Unable to challenge him openly, the Pan City branch had naturally tried to cause trouble for his flying boat. However, with Iron Head handling things, they hadn’t suffered any losses.

Iron Head scratched his head, a little embarrassed. He hadn’t done much—just kept the soldiers in line and driven off those who came to cause trouble with his spear.

"On our way back to the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion, let’s not travel by sea. We’ll go overland across the Western Continent. It will take an extra seven days, but at least we won’t have to worry about storms,"

Yang Jing said.

Hearing this, the soldiers on the flying boat all cheered.

Although they were all men who frequently went to sea, their last voyage had left a dark shadow on their hearts.

Yang Jing smiled, watching the soldiers cheer exuberantly. He was just about to give the order to activate the flying boat and return to the Northern Domain when, in the next instant, his bright expression suddenly darkened.

His eyes were fixed on the distance.

"Master!"

Iron Head also sensed that something was wrong.

Yang Jing placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded.

Noticing the strange mood between master and disciple, Zuoqiu Feng also swept the area with her Divine Sense, and her demeanor instantly changed.

"Fellow Daoist Xiji!" Yang Jing suddenly shouted. "Please wait a moment before you leave!"

Dong Xiji, who had been about to leave, heard Yang Jing’s words and simply flew up onto the deck of the flying boat.

"Fellow Daoist Yang, what’s happened?"

Yang Jing shook his head.

"Two flying boats will be here shortly. I’d like to ask Fellow Daoist Xiji to help me identify whose they are."

Dong Xiji gave Yang Jing a strange look but nodded anyway. It was a small matter. ’But Yang Jing is clearly not from the Dong Family,’ he thought. ’How does he know that flying boats are approaching?’

A moment later, two flying boats indeed appeared on the horizon. Stretched between them on heavy iron chains hung a colossal creature.

At first, it was hard to make out, but as the flying boats drew closer, a wave of gasps erupted from the onlookers. Suspended between the two flying boats was an enormous Profound Whale.

The Profound Whale’s body was covered in vicious claw marks. Fresh blood, not yet coagulated, gushed from its wounds, falling to the ground like a dense, bloody rain.

The cultivators on the dock all came out to stare at the whale. For a time, the already bustling Dock No. 7 became even more clamorous.

Dong Xiji wasn’t too shocked to see a Profound Whale. After all, with the many Dragon Beasts raised by the Dong Family, it wasn’t unusual for them to hunt a Profound Whale in the sea. They had hunted many Demons even more powerful than Profound Whales.

"Those are the flying boats of the Pan City Dong Family. It’s strange for them to mobilize such a force just to hunt a single Profound Whale."

"The Pan City Dong Family, you say."

Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed.

"Activate the flying boat! Go up and intercept them!"

The moment the soldiers on the flying boat saw the massive Profound Whale, they guessed what might have happened. With maximum efficiency, they activated the flying boat, causing it to ascend rapidly and block the path of the two Dong Family vessels.

Dong Xiji felt the flying boat shudder beneath his feet. The Ruyi Nine Tripod Array was using its stored Spiritual Qi to charge the boat’s Attack Array.

"Fellow Daoist Yang!"

The flying boat’s sudden move startled the two Dong Family vessels dragging the Profound Whale’s corpse, and they nearly collided.

"Who are you! How dare you fly so recklessly and block our path!"

An angry roar came from the Dong Family flying boat. If the intercepting vessel hadn’t been a standard-issue flying boat of the Six Great Sects, they would have activated their own arrays and attacked directly.

"I am a Minister from the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion. I suspect a Celestial Demon is hiding on your flying boat. Stop at once and allow us to conduct a search!"

Yang Jing said in a cold voice.

His voice was icy, laced with a killing intent that startled the cultivators on the Dong Family flying boat.

A silence fell over the flying boat. A moment later, Dong Xixian of the Dong Family appeared on deck.

He reeked of perfume and powder. Upon seeing Yang Jing, he yawned.

"And who might this be? I didn’t expect it to be Yang Jing, the man who just defeated several of my Dong Family’s finest talents. Minister Yang, what a show of authority! An official from the Northern Domain meddling in the affairs of my Dong Kingdom. Wasn’t occupying the Dragon Transformation Pool for two months enough for you? Do you now have to flex your authority on us as well?"

Yang Jing had long since seen the two flying boats and the Profound Whale corpse they were towing with his Grotto Dark Dharma Eye. He had naturally prepared an excuse before intercepting them.

"The Six Sects have a law: as a Demon Patrol Envoy, upon discovering traces of a Celestial Demon, one has the duty to investigate, regardless of whether it is within one’s own jurisdiction. Or is it that in Fellow Daoist Dong’s eyes, the Dong Kingdom is not subject to the laws of our Six Sects?"

Yang Jing kept his eyes lowered, not mentioning the massive Profound Whale corpse at all, as if he were blind and hadn’t seen it.

He knew there was no point in mentioning the Profound Whale. Once it had left him and swum into the open sea, there was nothing wrong with Dong Xixian killing it.

Dong Xixian was caught off guard. This wasn’t what he had expected. How could Yang Jing be so calm? Wasn’t this Profound Whale the mother of his disciple? He had specifically ordered his disciple in Bai Lu Academy to secretly report Yang Jing’s movements precisely so that Yang Jing would see the whale’s corpse with his own eyes.

Dong Xiji stood to one side. Though he didn’t know what was going on, he was certain that Dong Xixian must have grievously offended Yang Jing. Yang Jing was usually reserved; he had never seen him radiate such palpable killing intent.

"Hmph. I have no problem letting you come aboard to search. But if you find nothing, I’ll be reporting you to the Eastern Army Governor’s Mansion,"

Dong Xixian said with a sneer.

Yang Jing turned back.

"Ji Feng, Yinjiao, you two take Chi Yu back to the cabin. Iron Head, Junior Martial Uncle Zuoqiu, you will accompany me aboard to conduct the search."

Upon seeing the corpse of the West Sea Great Saint, Chi Yu’s Black Death Seven Tribulations Scripture had begun to stir, emanating a dense Evil Qi.