Chapter Eighty-Two: Waiting for Them to Dismantle Your Dragon Bones!

This flaw was exploited seven or eight times, and finally, on the last attempt, the peacock could no longer bear the weight. In the sky, it self-destructed, scattering its limbs. Yes, it transformed into countless feathers, disappearing without a trace.

The sixty or seventy who had paid the toll had no time to demand a refund from the controlling demon; the tribulation lightning struck again. Under the lightning, nothing survived. The colored clouds remained, the castle stood as before, but only fragments of countless immortal artifacts were scattered across the mountains and rivers, slowly dissolving. It was clear that, in time, this would give rise to another era of rampant beasts.

Those who were meant to enter had gone inside. At last, the scholar in white could no longer restrain himself and proposed, “How about this: once inside, we split the spoils evenly. The five of us take half, and you take the other half!”

Third Bear hurriedly counted on his fingers, “Snake, Bug, Dragon, Golden Man, Elder, Moon Seven plus me—that’s seven against five. That’s not fair!”

Without a hint of concern, Wuyun nodded, “Very well. Only those willing to suffer losses can accomplish great deeds!”

He continued, “I’ll concede for now, but I must be the first to choose among the items we acquire.”

“Magnanimous, Elder!” The scholar in white echoed Third Bear’s praise, who smiled at the compliment. Before he could laugh aloud, the scholar continued, “The sole remaining Rainbow Peacock has reached the level of Demon King. Those who haven’t entered have already given up. Elder, if you have any abilities, now is the time to show them!”

With such praise, Wuyun’s smile bloomed like spring. Under everyone’s gaze, he spoke a few words of incantation. The Rainbow Peacock, high in the sky, descended from ten thousand meters, its immense form blotting out the clouds. As it landed, it lowered its head, and several suppressed demons reverted to their original forms, towering dozens of meters tall, only to be swallowed up. The peacock belched, exhaling a multicolored vapor that melted the attacking immortal artifacts. Finally, it looked at Wuyun and spoke, “How did you know I am the only living being here, the guardian of this place?”

Wuyun disdainfully ignored the question and said to the scholar, “I called down the peacock. The rest is yours—exchange treasures and contribute. When it’s time to distribute, I won’t suffer any more losses.”

The scholar’s expression changed but quickly recovered. He bowed respectfully to the peacock and asked, “There was once a Rainbow Peacock on the Common Immortal Mountain, cultivated to the Immortal King realm. May I ask, is that you?”

The peacock snorted impatiently, “If not for my greed for the divine treasures here, how could I… Skills inferior, trapped in this place—it’s fate, not the heavens to blame.”

Growing more irritable, the Rainbow Peacock watched as the scholar produced a water-like egg, within which life was stirring. The peacock’s eyes closed, and it released a beam of light—an inheritance—into the egg. Then, it tore open a spatial rift, and the egg quickly hatched into a young peacock, which bowed nine times before departing from the imperial artifact.

“I have broken my vow and will soon perish—go now!”

The Rainbow Peacock offered no explanation, nor did anyone ask. They stood upon its back and ascended into the sky. As they neared the clouds, the peacock glanced sideways at Wuyun, about to speak, but Wuyun gestured with a spell and said, “I understand. This prohibition will temporarily preserve your life. If the imperial artifact refuses, insists on your death, there’s nothing I can do. After all, you lack worth for me to go to great lengths to protect you.”

Wuyun’s words startled everyone, save the scholar in white, who remained unmoved, as if this were only natural.

The Rainbow Peacock did not enter the castle, but instead, relying on deep mastery of immortal arts, opened a passage. “Since it is so, I will send you directly to the core. May you keep your promise!”

In an instant, Wuyun and the others entered a new realm.

This realm was crystalline, runes, symbols, and marks floated around like stars in space, though there was gravity, and runes could be stepped upon.

Third Bear asked about the earlier events, and Dragon One glanced at the scholar in white and snorted. Third Bear immediately understood, about to flare up, but was silenced by Dragon One’s glare.

Some confrontations must be undertaken openly, even if the real intent is hidden.

Walking upon the hollowed ground, everyone trembled. The place where the Rainbow Peacock had cast them was terrifying indeed. The so-called core region was the source of the imperial artifact’s power, and everything here was a manifestation of power’s evolution.

Suddenly, Moon Seven exclaimed in Bear Third’s ear, pointing at diamond-like objects ahead, “Pick one for me! Pick one!”

Third Bear, unembarrassed, said to Dragon One, “Did you hear? The child wants one of those diamonds!”

Dragon One pretended not to hear. Ahead, a bright area appeared, and countless supreme immortal stones grew upon a colossal tree, as if they were its fruit.

Seeing Wuyun did not stop him, Bear Third slowly approached. The trunk, thousands of meters tall, seemed to grow larger as he reached the roots.

Under the tree, they walked for half a day, only arriving beneath it when the sprawling peaks blocked their path. The saying goes that looking at a mountain tires the legs; the same applies to gazing at a tree.

Everyone looked up. The supreme immortal stones, like giant meteorites, glittered, each the size of a hill, each exuding an invigorating aura.

Wu Hao of the Loose Immortal Alliance attempted to jump, barely reaching a dozen meters. He took out an immortal artifact, transforming it into a hook, and climbed the endless trunk.

As he climbed, Rong Ya, Jin Bu, and Gao Le followed. Even the scholar in white, not to be outdone, tapped his fingers like a dragonfly skimming the water, leaping thirty meters at a time.

Wuyun remained motionless, and no one dared ask why. They surveyed the surroundings, which were empty, save for occasional wide, flower-like leaves, each clump separated by great distances.

The Bug, carrying the green leaf, floated over and hid among the broad leaves. Soon, the green leaf was gone, having been eaten.

“Dragon-seeking Grass!” Dragon One’s eyes lit up. This immortal herb was highly medicinal, healing the wounds of the dragon clans. Its presence meant there must be dragons nearby, for only dragon saliva could nurture its growth.

Could there be dragons beneath this tree?

Dragon One scanned the area; there were no traces of beasts. The Bug ate and suddenly vomited. Only the green leaf snorted coldly, gnawing faster, while the snake’s tail burrowed underground.

Dragon One was moved. He closed his eyes, sensing something, and clawed at the ground, revealing a patch of white bones. On close inspection, they were dragon king bones—the remains of a dragon who had ascended to Immortal King, buried here for ages, still gleaming and suffused with majesty.

Dragon One’s eyes swept over the bones, which began to glow. He sighed, “A fellow achieved Immortal King, coveted the imperial artifact, suppressed beneath this immortal tree, skinned and stripped of sinew, soul and marrow drained—how tragic!”

Hearing this, the Battle King and others were moved. No wonder the supreme immortal stones above gleamed so brightly—they were nurtured by Immortal King’s remains.

After this, Dragon One made a vow. Instantly, thousands of figures appeared beneath the tree, all either slain by the artifact’s master or suppressed by its spirit, buried here as fertilizer.

As the Bug returned clutching its stomach, the green leaf had already swallowed a massive dragon bone, swelling its body. The bone, unwilling to be digested, was that of an Immortal King—not something a mere great demon could absorb.

Wuyun glared at Dragon One, who reluctantly cast a spell, entering the green leaf’s body. Oddly, the bone shrank and was subdued within.

“I can help you suppress three bones at most. Luckily, this one has long lost its divinity, or even one would burst your belly!” Dragon One admonished. The Bug popped its head out, pleading, “Such a treasure—could you help me suppress one too?”

“No. You’re only at the Great Immortal level; you can’t digest it!” Dragon One refused, then looked back to see Bear Third and Battle King digging up bones. Immortal King bones—truly precious.

Dragon One roared at these desecrators of dragon remains, but Wuyun snorted, “What, do you think they’ll tear your bones apart once they grow stronger?”

“You’re right, Elder. If they’re buried here, they’ll just be absorbed by the tree. Better to let us retrieve them and spread their glory, proving their brilliance and existence!”

Wuyun was pleased by this answer. He looked up and saw a figure fall from above.

It was none other than Wu Hao, the first to climb. He crashed heavily into the pit dug by Battle King, only his hand visible for a long time.

Following Wu Hao’s fall, Rong Ya, Jin Bu, and Gao Le tumbled down, creating deep pits and struggling to rise.

Only the scholar in white endured the longest. When he descended, he landed lightly as a leaf, holding a crystal jade stone the size of a fish tank—a compressed supreme immortal stone.

He had managed to pluck one and return unscathed.

“How is this possible!” Wu Hao was baffled. When the scholar had first joined them, his strength seemed only slightly superior, but now, within the imperial artifact, he had claimed the first treasure.

Just as the scholar was about to refine the immortal stone and nourish his soul river, Wuyun extended his hand. “Hand it over!”

Everyone was stunned. Was he planning to rob him openly?

The scholar was about to protest when Bear Third muttered, “We agreed on an even split, and we get first pick. Are you planning to renege and keep it for yourself?”

Upon hearing this, the scholar suppressed his irritation and calmed himself, handing the immortal stone to Wuyun, who fondled it lovingly and praised, “Truly flawless and pure—a marvelous thing. You, go pick another, then the five of you divide it! In fact, you should pick ten in total, split them evenly, so each of you gets one.”

Gao Le, third prince of the Titan Giant Clan, immediately agreed, “According to our initial agreement, it should be so. Scholar, this treasure was all thanks to you!”

The scholar’s face reddened, holding back his emotions. “It’s not that I possess such skill, but you three tried as well. Each stone harbors a fierce spirit within. I survived great peril to obtain one, and the greatest threat is that when picking them, the leaves transform into mid-grade immortal artifacts and attack. One misstep, and you’ll be injured!”

“I am already at my limit. And since none of you contributed, by the most basic rules, this one should be mine!”