Rise of Humanity
chapter-217

Chapter 217 – Kun Peng

“Master, is it really fine for you to beat them up like this?”

Qing He followed behind her master while her heart tumbled unsettling. She mumbled lowly, “After all, they are the scions of the dragon race, the dragon blood in their body is of nobility, what if they complained their elders….”

“I’m here as a guest, one of utmost importance; I’m not here as a sandbag or a medium for them to vent their emotions!”

Zhong Yue clasped his hands behind his back and said placidly, “You don’t have to worry too much. The Ao Clan will never allow me to come into harm’s way. Even if they were to complain to their elders, whether it be the Yu Clan, Jiao Clan or any other clan, they still can’t do anything to me! After all, I’m the key for the dragon race’s campaign to conquer land!”

Qing He hesitated for a second, she gritted her teeth and asked, “Master, why did you betray the monster race….”

Her heart was thumping heavily in fear, but nevertheless, she took the risk and asked boldly. The worst scenario would be death and even so, she was hoping to bring him back towards the righteous path.

Zhong Yue cast his gaze over, a blurred expression that looked like a smile climbed onto his face as he replied with a question instead, “Qing He, you are older than me, so why don’t you tell me, where do I stand now and what should I do?”

Qing He was stunned, she thought of Zhong Yue’s position right now, and immediately, she understood the reasoning behind his actions — being a monster lord in the East Barren while at the same time talking to the dragon race. She could see with her own eyes, hear with her own ears, everything that happened proved that her dragon master was badly treated in his own race, to the point to he had to leave for the East Barren for a better future.

However, even when he had arrived at the East Barren, despite the name and reputation he had gained for himself, even coupled with the fact that he had become Shi Buyi’s disciple, his situation wasn’t any better. His teacher, Shi Buyi, doubted and suspected him, attempting to kill him more than once!

If it wasn’t so, how could Zhong Yue be hunted for so many times? Wasn’t it all because Shi Buyi had given his tacit approval?

In the East Barren, the land of monsters, Zhong Yue would die at anytime. While the dragon race would be his only support; hence, even if he held a notable position in the monster race, he could only accept the request to be a spy to gain the support of the dragon race.

Qing He placed her hand on her chest, right where her heart was, she asked herself sincerely, and came to a realization — she would have done the same if she was placed in his shoes.

Compassion and sympathy rose in her heart as she once again looked at her master — she could feel the pain and struggle that burdened him, the sadness of being scorned and condemned by both of his races – the monsters and dragons. And that the hardship was something he had to endure everyday as he continued to live.

“Master, you … your heart, it must be very bitter, mustn’t it?”

Qing He was after all, more of a delicate lady than a callous and decisive heroine. She grew sentimental when she thought of the incidents and misfortunes that had befallen Zhong Yue and she sighed and said, “This ruthlessness and indifferent brutality of yours … it was a product of the reality you lived in. All the other Qi Practitioners had only seen your fame and reputation that shone brightly, but no one understood the sadness and sorrow that was hidden in the shadow of that light. Your fierce and vicious persona is only a facade you put up to conceal the pain in your heart…”

Zhong Yue nodded solemnly, his eyebrows undulated, Her heart is quite pure, but it’s destined that I’ll have to disappoint her … for I do not belong to the dragon race nor the monster race; I’m a human, a human spy that is double-crossing both races.

The sea race seneschal chose their best guest accommodation for Zhong Yue. Zhong Yue would stay in the inner room, while Qing He would stay in the outer room so that she could arrange his daily activities. Faced with such an arrangement, Qing He did not raise up any objections either.

Xin Huo was excited, he said, “Brat Yue, this little girl is having thoughts of love, as long as you call her over, she would rush into your arms instantly.”

Zhong Yue smiled in reply, “Xin Huo, you are talking nonsense again. Qing He is an elegant and refined young girl. Her intelligence and cleverness destined that she would be resentful towards me as I forcibly snatched her as my maid servant. Not a single second went by where she did not long to escape from me. So, how would a girl like her have thoughts of love towards me?”

Xin Huo continued to make his case, “Don’t trust me? Why don’t you give it a try and see whether or not she comes over?”

“Alright, I’ll make you see the truth and prove you wrong.”

Zhong Yue took a breath to calm his heart and he cast his gaze over to Qing He. The young lady was elegant, petite and was also furtively stealing glances at him. She was just like a pure lotus in the clear pool.

With a thought, Zhong Yue raised his hand and beckoned with his finger; immediately, Qing He’s face blushed red, while she subtly bit on her lower lip before standing up and nervously strolling forward with her hands pinched at her blouse. The ambiance took an ambiguous turn almost immediately as the young girl slowly moved forward. Zhong Yue could clearly see the affection in her eyes and could smell the lotus fragrance wafting from her body. He was stunned and his heart palpitated like a frisky monkey, and his mind racing like a cantering horse, She came over, she is really coming….

“Master, you’ve summoned me, what can I do for you….” Qing He whispered tenderly.

KRONG——

All of a sudden, the whole dragon race saint city quaked violently; the buildings trembled and the windows cracked. Zhong Yue awoke from his stunned stupor and quickly stood up and looked out through the window.

Outside, the dragon city was quaking violently, while the enormous air bubble that surrounded the city cracked like a mirror!

It was never an air bubble but a protective barrier formed by countless totem patterns, an enormously huge soul weapon unlike any other, forged by an uncountable number of dragon race expert cultivators — the Dragon Barrier!

But right now, there was a huge claw of over a few thousand feet clasped over the Dragon Barrier. The tips of the claw strained the protective barrier’s elasticity to its breaking point, deforming it as the sharp claw reached for the center of the saint city!

The huge claw was gold-green in color, pressing on the transparent Dragon Barrier, it slashed past the roofs of the palaces in the Earth Courtyard and went straight for the saint palace of the dragon race – the Dragon Palace, that sat at the center of the dragon city!

Zhong Yue and Qing He was shocked, the affectionate ambiance was now gone but Qing He’s heart was still thumping. She quickly regained her composure and cast her gaze over at Zhong Yue who had already flown out and was standing on the rooftop.

Qing He quickly followed, the two of them stood side by side on the rooftop and stared at the huge claw; it was sharp and covered with scales that shimmered with the emerald sheen of totem patterns. Although it was unable to break through the Dragon Barrier, it greatly stressed the limits of the Dragon Barrier’s elasticity as it pressed down onto the most dignified Dragon Palace!

The other smaller palaces in the Dragon Palace started to rumble as a surge of incredible aura vibrated the sky and shouts could be heard. The draconic aura from the dragon magnate was so immense that it caused the air to freeze!

“The Kun Peng race!”

In the Dragon Palace, an enormous dragon slowly rose into the sky with it’s whiskers waltzing around — it was an old dragon, and from its mouth, a sword slashed out fiercely towards the sharp claw!

However, the sharp claw was indifferent about it as it had no intention of avoiding nor defending at all. Instead, it clenched onto one of the palaces in the Dragon Palace and plucked it out. The palace that was uprooted was made of copper with dragon totem patterns all over it. From the dense seals and numerous array formations it had, it was clearly a place of significance to the dragon race!

Chi——

The sword ray slashed on the sharp claw, blood sprinkled in the air but the sharp claw remained intact; its scales quivered as the totem patterns on it flew out and clashed with the sword ray!

“It’s a scheme to lure the tiger out from its domain in the mountains!”

Zhong Yue was shocked, he mumbled, “The goal of the cooperation between the Sea King Sha Qishan and the Kun Peng race experts was to lure the strongest dragon expert out from the Dragon Palace so that the Kun Peng expert can ambush the Ao Clan dragon race!”

“Quickly! Worship the ancestor and arouse his spirit!”

The Kun Peng race expert that ambushed the dragon race was incredibly strong. His arcane energy was thick and abundant, way stronger than the dragon magnate in the Dragon Palace. Seeing that he could not strike down the sharp claw, the dragon magnate shouted out loud, “He wants to snatch the divine weapon sealed by the dragon race, we must not allow him to do so! Right inside that palace was sealed the saint weapon of the Kun Peng Race – the Divine Wing Saber! Things will take a turn for the worst if he manages to reclaim it! All dragons, heed my words, pay worship to the ancestor’s spirit and awaken him immediately!”

The Dragon City was instantly plunged into a state of chaos, more than half of the Ao Clan’s expert were on a mission after Sha Qishan and the Kun Peng Race. Who would foresee that the Kun Peng Race magnate would ambush the Dragon City and stir up such a commotion. However, as the dragon magnate gave his orders, the dragons in the city calmed down and proceeded to worship the center of the Dragon City.

All of a sudden, in the Dragon Palace where the sharp claw wreaked havoc in, a surge of saintly aura pierced through the vault of heaven. Innumerable dragon scales emerged out of thin air and formed into the body of a colossal dragon.

A dragon god that was slumbering had made its appearance in the sky. He heard the worship and prayers of his dragon descendants and slowly, he opened his eyes that shone bright like two suns, burning hot like a blazing fire!

“Kun Peng of the Wood Celestial Star….”

The eyes of the dragon god’s spirit glanced at the sharp claw that was receding back at a great speed; he slowly spoke with his voice jittering the air, “How audacious!”

Reaching out his dragon claw, he continued speaking while the dragons in the city were shuddering in the reverberations of his voice, “Brat, your race had suffered a terrible defeat, a fiasco that banished you off from the Ancestral Star. I’ve even sealed away your ancestor’s saint weapon, the Divine Wing Saber. Even after all of this, have you all of the Kun Peng not been enlightened yet!?”

The dragon claw chased up to the sharp claw, also reaching for the copper palace. However, right at this time, the seals on the palace started to rift and a surge of incredible power came from within. It was breaking the seals from the inside!

Bang——

Suddenly, the palace exploded; at that point in time, Zhong Yue was watching the battle. He was directly blinded by the dazzling rays that blasted from the palace! One after another, huge feathers flew out from the crumbled palace, carrying surges of a godly aura with them while they clashed together and formed into a pair of saber-shaped wings!

The saber wings were thousands of miles long, nearly half of the Dragon City’s width; the wings closed in and extended out abruptly, slashing through the Dragon Barrier and severing the dragon claw.

Zhong Yue could only vaguely make out the outline of the Divine Wing Saber in the midst of the godly rays. Right after which, a burning sensation swept across his eyes as blood started trickling out of them.

Zhong Yue was shocked, he quickly realized that he had been wounded as the rays from the Kun Peng Race’s saint weapon had inflicted damage to his eyes. Quickly, he closed his eyes and opened his divine third eye, only then was he able to watch the battle without suffering any adverse effects from the radiance from the Divine Wing Saber.

While beside him, blood cascaded down from the eyes of Qing He like water pipes that had broken. She quickly closed her eyes and didn’t dare look at it anymore.

The severed dragon claw was healed as the dragon ancestor spirit recollected his arm. Suddenly, the dragon ancestor spirit’s face changed drastically, he let out a fierce groan and morphed into a dragon-headed, human-bodied celestial being. Raising his head and gazing into the sky, he bellowed in anger, “Foolish brat! Young imp of the Kun Peng Race, are you thinking of running away? Do you think you can escape from me? My weapon, the Coiling Dragon Sword, where are you?!”

The earth beneath Dragon City started quaking violently; suddenly, a dragon-shaped Sword Qi pierced through the firmament from the middle of the Dragon City, morphing into dragon that was not any inferior to the Divine Wing Saber!

The dragon-headed celestial being reached out his hand and clenched onto the dragon-shaped Sword Qi; with a flicker of his body, he lunged out from the Dragon Barrier and slashed his sword onto the Divine Wing Saber!

Even the strongest ray of sunlight could never penetrate through the absolute darkness in the depths of the vast sea. And this was where the two divine weapons clashed together. With the aid of the divine third eye, Zhong Yue could vaguely see the Divine Wing Saber flitting around a thousand mile long black fish, clashing with the dragon-shaped Sword Qi.

All of a sudden, the big black fish snapped out like a notched arrow finally let loose. It pierced through the surface of the vast sea; and right at the moment where it was about to reach the surface of the water, it morphed into a golden-winged huge Peng, ready to flutter the wings and escape through the skies.

Chi——

The sword ray penetrated through the Divine Wing Saber’s defense and dismembered the golden-winged huge Peng into halves. The remains fell back into the sea and the crimson red blood diffused throughout the surrounding water. Unexpectedly, the Divine Wing Saber pierced into one of the halved remains and that part of the body morphed into a black fish, swimming away into the deep sea.

The dragon-headed celestial being hunted for it for a million miles, but he was after all, a spirit that held no mortal body. He was bound to the center of his place of worship, unable to stray too far away from it. He was thus left with no choice but to stop and return to the Dragon City.