Venerable Supreme of Myriad Dragons

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Arriving at the Imperial City

Mist Forest.

Here, one great mountain followed another in a majestic, imposing range. A white mist shrouded the area year-round, and within it lived all manner of powerful beasts.

The path was also lined with massive boulders, some weighing tens of thousands of pounds.

The Martial Kingdom was vast, and Baiyun City was nestled in a remote corner of it.

To reach the Imperial City, aside from taking the smaller roads or using a Cloud Ship, one had to cross the Mist Forest.

But the Mist Forest was exceedingly dangerous. Countless Martial Artists perished within it every year.

Few Martial Artists were willing to traverse the entire Mist Forest; even experts at the Grotto Heaven realm rarely set foot inside.

Shen Daoxing walked through the Mist Forest, carrying the Great Ming Demon Sparrow on his back. He held a short sword in his right hand and a palm-sized block of wood in his left.

As his short sword continuously shaved and picked at the wood, it gradually transformed into a lifelike little rabbit.

Shen Daoxing exhaled softly, a satisfied smile gracing his lips as he looked at the rabbit in his hand.

This method of tempering his Spiritual Power was none other than woodcarving.

Carving wood required absolute concentration with no room for laxity. Not only that, but it also improved his Sword Dao, truly killing two birds with one stone.

Before entering the outskirts of the Mist Forest, he had been carving wood for the entire journey.

Shen Daoxing sighed softly. "It’s a pity. Now that I’ve entered the Mist Forest, I can no longer focus on carving like this."

The Mist Forest was teeming with powerful beasts and was extremely dangerous. A single moment of carelessness could lead to utter annihilation.

Countless Martial Artists died here every year, making it one of the Martial Kingdom’s forbidden zones.

The Blood Dragon’s voice surfaced in Shen Daoxing’s mind. "In a bit, you can release the prisoners from the first level of the Venerable Domain. They can act as your Guardians."

Shen Daoxing was startled. ’These people can obey my commands?’

He was well aware of the experts and monsters within the Venerable Domain. The masters from some of those races had made him suffer greatly.

The Blood Dragon spoke gravely, "That’s right. But you must remember, you can only command beings up to two minor realms higher than your own. Otherwise, they will tear you to shreds the moment they leave the Venerable Domain."

"I understand."

Shen Daoxing’s eyes lit up, and he immediately entered the first-level prison of the Venerable Domain to make his selection.

In the end, he chose two experts to be his Guardians.

One was an expert from the Shadow Race, the other from the Celestial Spirit Race.

Although the Shadow Race expert’s cultivation was only at the Second Layer of the Profound Platform realm, his innate talent allowed him to hide in the shadows and gave him a keen sense for surrounding danger.

The Celestial Spirit Race expert was at the Third Layer of the Profound Platform realm. However, he was born with the Celestial Spirit Bloodline, giving him strength comparable to a Human Race Martial Artist at the Fifth Layer of the Profound Platform realm.

The Blood Dragon laughed. "You certainly know how to choose. The Shadow Race is the number one assassination race in the Ancient Land, and the Celestial Spirit Race is no simple matter either. They are one of the Ten Battle Races."

Shen Daoxing asked in confusion, "The Ancient Land? What kind of place is that?"

The Blood Dragon said faintly, "You don’t need to know about it yet. You will find out when your strength reaches a certain level."

After that, Shen Daoxing continued his advance into the Mist Forest.

About an hour later, the Shadow Race expert’s steps came to a sudden halt. A chill ran down his spine, and a feeling of dread washed over his heart. He instinctively scanned his surroundings.

"What did you find?" Shen Daoxing asked quickly.

"There’s danger," the Shadow Race expert said in a low voice. "It seems to be right beneath our feet!"

"Let’s go, now!"

Shen Daoxing didn’t hesitate. He put away his woodcarving and dashed into the distance.

After running for hundreds of yards, he saw that the land ahead was lush and green, with ancient trees reaching for the sky. It was a stark contrast to the dead silence from before. Although the mist still lingered, he could clearly see birds and beasts moving about.

CRACK!

Just then, the sound of splintering rock came from the mountain behind them. The very ground began to move, accompanied by the clang of metal on metal.

As the white mist billowed, a fierce and brutal aura shot toward the heavens.

BANG!

The massive mountain suddenly shattered, and a giant gray claw burst forth from the ground, as if struggling to break free.

It was hard to imagine how large this beast’s body was, for a single claw to cause such a commotion.

"This beast is at least at the Grotto Heaven realm. We have to go, now."

Shen Daoxing quickly gathered himself and fled into the distance.

He had intended to undergo a trial in the Mist Forest, but he wasn’t looking for a death sentence.

「Several days later, by a small stream.」

Shen Daoxing ate some dried meat and drank some spring water before continuing on his way.

Looking at the sun ahead, Shen Daoxing thought to himself, ’I’ve been in the Mist Forest for weeks. I wonder how long it’ll take to get out.’

These past few days had been the most thrilling and dangerous of his entire life.

Every day, he walked on the verge of death. His Sword Dao and practical combat experience were soaring. Just yesterday, he had encountered a Three-Colored Poisonous Python.

That beast was at the Sixth Layer of the Profound Platform realm. It had a tough hide and could spit a viscous liquid from its mouth that could melt even solid rock in an instant.

According to Shen Daoxing’s speculation, this Three-Colored Poisonous Python possessed a trace of an ancient variant bloodline and had the potential to become a Grotto Heaven realm beast in the future.

The python was extremely vindictive. Whenever Shen Daoxing paused even for a moment, it would pick up his scent and give chase.

"Hm!?"

Suddenly, Shen Daoxing was alarmed. ’Damn it, that python is chasing me again.’

Behind him, the lush trees and mountain rocks were sprayed with venom, SIZZLING as they instantly turned into white smoke.

THUD!

A violent blast of Primordial Energy slammed into the ground, seemingly intending to completely envelop Shen Daoxing.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Shen Daoxing immediately bolted into the distance.

With a loud RUMBLE, a python the size of a water tank appeared before him. Its inverted triangular eyes radiated a chilling killing intent. As its body writhed, the trees below were either corroded or snapped in two.

SCREECH!

Just then, a piercing cry echoed from the sky.

A massive bird, hundreds of feet across, descended like a dark cloud, casting the land into shadow.

The python was instantly terrified, letting out a continuous HISS HISS from its maw.

CRACK! CRACK!

The giant bird flapped its wings, and a fierce gale swept forth. It was as if countless wind blades were falling, instantly shredding the boulders and trees on the ground to dust. Then, the python was also sliced into several pieces.

The giant bird then dove down and began its bloody feast!

This was the Mist Forest. Danger was everywhere, as were terrifying beasts. One moment a creature could be majestic and imposing; the next, it could become food for another.

It was a world where the strong devoured the weak, a world without reason or rules.

In this way, Shen Daoxing traveled nearly a thousand miles through the Mist Forest. The journey was fraught with peril, where a single misstep could mean death.

Over the following days, Shen Daoxing endured countless bloody battles. Innumerable beasts fell to his sword, and he, in turn, suffered many injuries.

In just five or six days, his clothes were reduced to tattered rags. The three sets of clothing he had brought were all stained red with blood. Left with no choice, he had to wrap himself in animal hides.

There were also extremely powerful beasts in the Mist Forest, but thanks to the Shadow Race expert, Shen Daoxing managed to avoid them one by one.

Besides the python, he also encountered a great insect wreathed in red flames. The flames on its body were so fierce they could even incinerate Primordial Energy. Shen Daoxing was powerless against it and could only flee, with the great insect pursuing him relentlessly for three days and three nights before finally giving up.

Along this path, he fought countless bloody battles. When faced with a powerful beast he couldn’t defeat, he ran.

He was covered in the blood of beasts, looking like a savage. This place was too treacherous; even eating or sleeping could plunge him into a life-or-death crisis. If not for the two Guardians from the Venerable Domain, Shen Daoxing would have long since met his end at the Yellow Springs.

His most dangerous encounter was when a pack of Silver Moon Wolves surrounded him while he was resting at night.

In the dead of night, countless pairs of eerie green eyes flickered, and a murderous aura filled the air, threatening to tear him apart.

The pack leader bit down on Shen Daoxing’s arm, exposing the bone. Fortunately, the Great Ming Demon Sparrow in his hand was formidable, and he decapitated the alpha wolf with a single strike. However, this did not intimidate the pack of Silver Moon Wolves; instead, it only made them more ferocious.

In the end, Shen Daoxing had to use every trick in the book to escape. He found a small cave to hide in and tend to his wounds.

Unexpectedly, there was an unconscious old man inside the cave.

The old man wore coarse cloth robes and looked utterly ordinary. It was a mystery why he would be deep inside the Mist Forest.

The Blood Dragon said in a low voice, "This man has been afflicted with Poro Poison. It’s a rare and potent toxin. He’ll need a third-grade or higher Antitoxic Pill to be cured."

Shen Daoxing shook his head.

’There probably isn’t a single third-grade or higher Antitoxic Pill in the entire Martial Kingdom.’

The Blood Dragon said, "The blood of the Celestial Spirit Race can also cure him. Whether you save this man or not is up to you now."

Shen Daoxing sighed. "To meet is to be bound by fate."

’It’s only a bit of the Celestial Spirit Race expert’s blood, after all,’ he reasoned.

Shen Daoxing then drew some blood from the Celestial Spirit Race expert and used it to revive the old man.

The old man slowly opened his eyes. "Young friend, was it you who saved me?"

Shen Daoxing smiled slightly. "That’s right. Your injuries are severe. You should drink some more water."

The old man drank the water, ate some food, and then fell asleep again.

The next day, when the old man awoke, Shen Daoxing was already gone.

The old man looked inward at his own body and exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "This person is truly extraordinary! I have been afflicted by this poison for decades and consumed countless Celestial and Earthly Treasures without finding a cure, yet he healed me overnight."

’I must find him!’ the old man vowed to himself.

「...」

’I’m almost at the Imperial City!’

Another half a month passed, and Shen Daoxing finally reached the edge of the Mist Forest.

From here, the Imperial City was only a dozen or so miles away.

By now, he truly looked like a savage. He was covered from head to toe in the foul blood of beasts, which had dried into scabs. Even his jet-black hair was matted together in sticky clumps.

And his cultivation had advanced from the First Layer of the Profound Platform realm to the Second Layer.

On the outskirts of the Mist Forest, the figures of Martial Artists finally began to appear. Seeing Shen Daoxing’s emergence, they all broke into discussion.

"He looks like a savage!"

"How could a savage smell like a beast?"

"Could he be some kind of ape-like beast!?"

...

No one would believe that Shen Daoxing had come from the other side of the Mist Forest.

Shen Daoxing ignored the strange looks from the crowd and turned to look back at the Mist Forest.

Ancient trees towered into the sky, and verdant mountains were all shrouded in a blanket of white mist.

The next moment, dark clouds gathered, blanketing the sky.

In an instant, a heavy rain began to fall.

SPLASH! SPLASH!

Shen Daoxing stood there in the rain, looking back at the blood-soaked path he had traveled.

"Rain is the soul of life..."

Shen Daoxing extended his hand, feeling the raindrops strike his palm.

In that instant, it was as if he had an epiphany.

A thread of Sword Intent flowed from his fingertip.

Torrential Rain Sword Intent!

Following his comprehension of Gale Sword Intent, he had now achieved an epiphany of Torrential Rain Sword Intent.

...