Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Melodramatic Turn of Events

From scattered fragments to layers upon layers, until weapons were necessary to carve out a path forward.

However, these thorny vines were incomparably hard, forged from metal, some bearing ghastly faces that stared intently at the group.

When Little Bug revealed his discovery, Liu Ruoyan became thoroughly alert, gripping her weapon and slashing at every branch within ten meters, the sounds of clashing echoing until they reached the spot where the Snowfeather Eagles had cried for help.

These two homeless eagles, believing the suction had lessened and thinking they could evade it, ventured deeper into the pit, supposing there were no bones there, daring to explore further. Unexpectedly, their bodies were ensnared like a net, wrapped tightly by the hard vines.

The leaves and tendrils were as sharp as needles, even tougher than spiritual tools. In an instant, the two eagles were trapped, unable to advance or retreat, sewn into the thicket.

The thorns slowly consumed their flesh and blood, leisurely, as if savoring a delicacy.

"Master, please, save us..." came their desperate cries.

Wu Yun ignored them, eyes fixed on the deepest part of the pit, while Long Yi felt intense pounding in his chest, his heart locked in fierce turmoil.

"Master, Wu Yun, didn't you promise to give me prayer beads? Why only one?" Old Bear Three still failed to grasp the meaning of the bead; out of a string of one hundred and eight, receiving just one—how could it be of any use?

"You’re afraid!" Wu Yun teased Long Yi with a radiant smile; Long Yi did not deny it, for attitude decides fate—life or death.

Then Wu Yun turned his gaze to the two eagles whose pleas grew weaker. Their massive forms shrank as blood and power drained, their cultivation falling to mere soul level.

Wu Yun offered a sincere, cloud-bright smile and asked, "Do you wish to be saved?"

The two eagles nodded frantically, especially Feather Jun, whose mouth was free of thorns, vowing servitude. Feather Qiao, seeing this, also bobbed his head with all his might.

Blood flowed and was swiftly drained. Old Bear Three’s expression soured; he had the skills to stitch wounds, but with Feather Jun and Feather Qiao reduced to stringy, lotus-root-like masses, how long would it take to patch them up?

He stroked his chest, the chunk of flesh he traded for a single prayer bead—surely worth at least a hundred! He was about to haggle when Wu Yun dug out two beads from his right hand, feeding one to each eagle.

"Damn!" Old Bear Three erupted, infuriated that his sacrifice was less valued than the desperate pleas of these venomous eagles.

King Dou pressed a hand on Old Bear Three's shoulder, keeping him still, while Little Bug perched atop him, scrutinizing the scene. Only the young eagle hopped about in delight.

After swallowing the beads, the two eagles' wounds healed instantly, prompting Old Bear Three to clutch his own bead as if it were a priceless treasure.

Feather Jun and Feather Qiao recovered swiftly and rejoiced, though still bound by vines. The thorns, thriving as if nourished, grew even stronger, tightly encircling them.

This provocation caused the thorns to lash out at Wu Yun and the others, but King Dou’s subtle aura shielded them. Since breaking through to the Focused Mind stage, King Dou moved with ease, his every gesture shifting space.

He had reached the ultimate threshold and could tear through the void at will, ascending without tribulation.

The two eagles were terrified; their regeneration barely kept pace with the vines’ consumption. Should the prayer bead’s power fade, the dense thorns surrounding them would drain them dry in an instant.

Excitement turned to terror, their screams deafening.

The fierce struggle lasted half a day, until Feather Jun and Feather Qiao shrank into dried husks and the thorns receded. The husks split open, revealing two fluffy white Snowfeather Eagles. Wu Yun grasped them in his palm, inspected them, then handed them to the young eagle, saying, "Release them when we reach a planet."

"So cute!" The young eagle was about to wrap them in its feathers when Liu Ruoyan, tempted, remained silent. Wu Yun sighed, "Having swallowed the beads, now tied to Buddha, calamity awaits in the future. Only by achieving greatness will you understand your past."

Long Yun spoke as he walked, while the thorns, sated by their feast, softened and retreated, unveiling the true passage at the pit’s bottom.

At the center, a spatial fissure appeared, with something wedged inside—a dragon-shaped pair of scissors. The intricate patterns covered the handle, and along the blade, rows of dragon teeth were engraved.

Countless formations adorned the long blade, marking it clearly as an immortal artifact from a middle-tier space, stuck here as a heavy treasure.

Suddenly, the handle opened its mouth, dragon eyes and snout emerging. Just as its silhouette appeared, Old Bear Three exclaimed, "Goodness, it looks just like Lord Long Yi! Do all dragons in the immortal realm look alike?"

Long Yi responded, and the dragon-head handle awakened, transforming into a living dragon. Upon seeing Long Yi, it mocked him wildly, declaring, "Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes; a true dragon’s son is always a true dragon!"

Wu Yun suppressed a laugh; the young eagle shouted, "Old Dragon, didn’t you send your own son to hunt someone down? He’s chased them all the way here. As a father, you must be too caught up in your passions to properly guide your offspring."

Long Yi’s face flushed with embarrassment. Before he could reply, the scissors-dragon laughed loudly, "I'm his son? Ha! He’s my son, actually!"

The group was baffled, looking to Long Yi for clarification. Wu Yun sighed, "What a melodramatic tale! Long Yi is hunted by his descendants, but this old loach is indeed his father’s generation."

Hearing Wu Yun's explanation, everyone was dumbfounded—absolutely melodramatic!

Even the young eagle laughed brightly, saying it served him right.

"Father, it was my fault then—I was selfish and greedy. I forged you into the Rainbow Demon Scissors, yet you incited my grandson to rebel, plunging our clan into peril!"

Before Long Yi could finish, the scissors-dragon sneered, "If you knew what would happen, why do it? Now, blood debts must be paid. These Rainbow Demon Scissors have claimed many dragons—only you remain. Didn’t you always say being a spirit weapon meant eternal life? Now I am colorless, tasteless, a mere spirit—existence is meaningless. Only with you beside me can my wish be fulfilled!"

Long Yi and his father quarreled, and from the spectacle, it was revealed that the scissors-dragon was called Six-Talents Ancestral Dragon. With his lifespan dwindling and unable to break through to Demon Emperor, Long Yi had tricked him, forging him into an immortal artifact to guard the clan.

Later, Long Yi’s offspring secretly refined it, and upon discovery, Six-Talents Ancestral Dragon acted with righteous fury—hunting Long Yi, casting out the clan’s treasure, the Rainbow Demon Scissors, vowing not to rest until death.

"Feels like this is a family affair," King Dou remarked, and Old Bear Three nodded quickly. Little Bug hid behind, trembling, about to summon the wolf’s fang to leave, when Wu Yun spoke.

"Family matters are yours—I won’t interfere. But fate has brought us together, and the Buddha’s curse I placed now takes effect. Your elder can wield only the power of a Dao artifact. Go, return to your father’s embrace!"

Long Yun delivered a flying kick, knocking Long Yi off the wolf’s fang. Long Yi soared into the air, transforming into his true form.

"Wretch, even if I was tricked, I will catch you for company!"

...

Six-Talents Ancestral Dragon waited a long while; Long Yi flew for half a day, finally landing as fatigue set in. The two dragons faced each other, battle spirit blazing. At Wu Yun’s urging, Long Yi taunted his father, "Weren’t you always waiting for me? When you chased me, you swore that if I survived, you’d flay me alive. What, lost your nerve? Come out!"

"Unfilial child, I am bound by the Buddha’s curse—my power greatly diminished. If I force myself out, this heavy artifact will fall to a Dao artifact and lose its spirit. Wishful thinking! I’ll stay right here, unless you dare..."