Chapter 107: Dragon Burial Valley

Zhou Qi no longer attempted to enter other formations, fearing he might become trapped within them. The trial of the mind was even more grueling than that of the body; if he were to lose himself in them, not even the immortals could save him.

Walking along the winding path, Zhou Qi carefully avoided the formations and ignored Huang Qianqian’s coaxing, resolutely pressing forward.

Upon stepping inside, Zhou Qi was stunned by the scene before him.

Everywhere lay the remains of dragons—some missing their heads, others with skeletons split in two as if cleaved by a sword, and some scattered bone fragments, seemingly shattered by sheer force.

A chilling, brutal aura swept over him. Though the dragons were dead, their oppressive presence lingered. Zhou Qi braced himself against this weight and surveyed his surroundings.

Ruins stretched as far as the eye could see. From the remnants of architecture, it was clear this had once been a magnificent palace, all gilded and resplendent. But now, it lay in ruins—had it been attacked?

“What happened here? Who dared assault the dragon clan?” Huang Qianqian fluttered her wings anxiously, searching the area.

“Senior, do you know what this place was before?” Zhou Qi asked.

“This was once a Dragon Palace belonging to the clan of that vicious dragon. Now, it has become like this,” Huang Qianqian said with a sigh.

A Dragon Palace? So the name “Dragon Burial Valley” was a later invention. No wonder it truly had become the resting place for dragons.

What had transpired here? Why did the dragon in the Medicine Immortal’s Manor also refer to this place as Dragon Burial Valley? Since it was of the dragon race, it must have known this was the Dragon Palace. Zhou Qi’s mind brimmed with questions as he examined the massive skeletons. The passage of time had been long. Braving the oppressive aura, he reached out to touch a dragon bone, but it crumbled into ash upon contact.

This bore no resemblance to the presence of a dragon pearl. Even if one had existed, the ravages of time had surely reduced it to nothing. Zhou Qi felt a sinking despair—had this journey been in vain? Was Huangfu Xiu doomed to fail?

A sudden roar shattered the silence, echoing from deep within. It was the voice of the dying dragon, clear and thunderous, as if exploding beside his ear.

A survivor truly remained. Zhou Qi’s heart leapt. He didn’t know whether the dragon bore hostility. According to Huang Qianqian, the dragon had but one breath left. It would be better to wait until it died before taking the dragon pearl.

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Zhou Qi carefully lifted the shattered walls and debris, hoping to find a dragon pearl or any remaining treasures of the dragon clan, but found nothing. Only piles of rubble and bones remained, evidently long plundered.

The area was vast. Zhou Qi pressed onward toward the source of the roar. After four or five kilometers, aside from the ruined palace and dragon corpses, nothing remained. A foul stench of decay and mold hung in the air.

Silently, Zhou Qi activated the Dragon-Seeking Talisman, following its guidance.

A surge of oppressive pressure halted him. Ahead appeared a circular altar, surrounded by a blood pool about five square meters in size. At the altar’s center rested a massive egg, intermittently bathed in blood rising from the pool. The egg was inscribed with runes, and the pressure emanated from it.

“Ah, there’s a living dragon egg! Could the roar be coming from it?” Huang Qianqian exclaimed with delight.

“Senior, what exactly is a dragon egg?” Zhou Qi asked curiously. Were dragons oviparous?

“A dragon egg is naturally one laid by a dragon. This egg contains a hatchling, but judging by its appearance, it seems flawed from birth. Whether it will ever hatch is uncertain,” Huang Qianqian replied with a shake of her head.

“This is a treasure! Eating it could greatly advance your cultivation. Why don’t we just cook and eat it? Better than years of hard training,” she suggested.

Zhou Qi was tempted, but then he considered: the place was littered with dragon bones, yet only this egg remained. It couldn’t have appeared out of nowhere. Perhaps its parents were nearby.

“Senior, this isn’t right. Dragons are nearly extinct now. This might be the last dragon egg. Eating it would be against the natural order. Better to keep it safe and only consume it once it’s secure,” Zhou Qi said firmly.

Huang Qianqian was silent...

Zhou Qi stepped toward the egg. This was a legendary dragon egg! Even if he couldn’t eat it, hatching it and becoming the hatchling’s kin would be incredible.

Two steps from the blood pool, Zhou Qi suddenly felt a sharp murderous intent locking onto him. Any movement might mean death.

“Human, halt your filthy steps.” A hoarse, ancient voice sounded.

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Struggling, Zhou Qi turned his head and saw a decrepit giant dragon emerge from the other side of the blood pool. The dragon was ancient; most of its scales had fallen off, leaving a gaunt frame. Its skin hung in wrinkles, like dragon flesh draped over a skeleton. Its fangs were nearly all gone. Its copper-colored eyes fixed on Zhou Qi with lethal focus, as if any movement would trigger a fatal strike.

“Senior... there’s been a misunderstanding. I came to escort the dragon soul,” Zhou Qi said with difficulty, bracing against the killing intent. If he mentioned the dragon pearl now, he would surely become a corpse next instant. Even Huang Qianqian fell silent, clearly shocked by the sudden appearance.

“A misunderstanding? Has your human race not slain enough of my dragon kin? We have retreated to this realm, yet you still hunt us mercilessly, organizing dragon slayers to exterminate us. Our clan lies in ruin, but you dare come here? Today, I will kill you to honor my ancestors,” the old dragon growled, opening its maw as flames kindled inside.

Zhou Qi was alarmed, frozen in place by the dragon’s pressure. “Senior, wait! Hear my explanation. If you must kill me, there’s no hurry. At my current strength, a breath from you would end me. PleaseI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.