As soon as the creature let go, the essence of the Ten Thousand Years Profound Iron immediately flew back in a flash and transformed into a rod. Xiao Kai leaped up without hesitation, pulling Qing Hong along, and shouted, "Let's go!"
The speed of the Ten Thousand Years Profound Iron was probably beyond the limit of the current cultivation world. Bo Xue, the knowledgeable human, had once said that the Yin and Yang unified Ten Thousand Years Profound Iron could move mountains and seas and change the world. In a flash of light, they had already flown out of the Jade Pool's restricted area. The creature had a large bump on its head, the result of a strike from the Agarwood Bead. It was standing by the edge of the pool roaring and yelling, but no one responded, and unable to leave the restricted area, it finally sulkily sank down.
As it sank, the group of Zhenhe-ren arrived. Hairs were all disheveled, the pool was in disarray, and the water was splashing everywhere. They rushed over to revive Xing Yun-zi and the others, but after questioning them for a long time, they could not comprehend the situation. Leiyan-zi's complexion turned pale and trembled as he said, "Could it be… Could it be that a divine beast destroyed the Jade Pool’s restricted area?"
The seven people from Xing Yun-zi and the others also could not help but show concern and shock: "The head of the clan, if the Jade Pool's restricted area is really destroyed and it provokes that powerful figure in the pool, we may really have trouble. You see, the origin of the spiritual energy of our Kunlun clan lies entirely here. If the spiritual energy scatters..."
After a long pause, he finally sighed and said: "Today, our Kunlun has truly suffered a humiliating defeat, our prestige is damaged, and our strength has plummeted. Could it be that the heavens want to destroy our Kunlun? Forget it, forget it. I will fast and purify myself, burn incense, and pray, to see if I can communicate with the mountain-protecting divine beast!”
Actually, Xiao Kai and Qing Hong had not flown far. The two of them flew to the midway of the hidden peak of Kunlun mountain and found a secluded spot in a dense forest. The speed of the Ten Thousand Years Profound Iron was indeed too fast, and Qing Hong's hair was all messed up. After calming down, she patted her chest and said, "Big brother Xiao Kai, I suddenly remembered what that creature was."
"Oh, what is it?" Xiao Kai was also quite interested. "What is its origin? Is it very powerful?"
"It's very powerful, incredibly remarkable," Qing Hong said, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be Ba Xia, a kind of legendary divine beast."
"Ba Xia? This name sounds strange," Xiao Kai, at best, had only a passing knowledge of the cultivation world; this high-level thing was completely new to him. "The name doesn't sound very good, does it?"
However, Qing Hong shook her head. "Xiao Kai, you have to understand, it's the son of a dragon." According to legend, dragons were lecherous, often mating with various animals. However, due to the dragon's noble blood and excellent genes, the offspring from these unions were not considered as hybrids. Instead, each one was considered to be of great significance with extraordinary abilities. The offspring from these unions were recorded by humans.
The dragon had nine offspring, each with a different name and peculiar appearance, namely: Qiu Niu, Yi Pi, Chao Feng, Pu Lao, Suna Ni, Ba Xia, Ci Gan, Fu Xi, and Chi Wen. Ba Xia ranked sixth, a genuine child of the dragon.
According to historical records, Ba Xia looked like a turtle, but its strength was not like that of a turtle. It was an epitome of immense power. In ancient times, it is said that Ba Xia once carried three mountains and five peaks, stir up a commotion; later, it was tamed by Xia Yu, performing many miraculous feats.
With the strength of the Ten Thousand Years Profound Iron and the completion of the unification of Yin and Yang, it should have easily pushed back the divine beast. Its inability to break free from the creature’s grip showed how powerful the creature was.
After listening to Qing Hong's explanation, Xiao Kai finally felt a bit intimidated. After a daze, he was even a little afraid and asked, "If we bullied it, will its father come for revenge?
"That won't happen," Qing Hong smiled. "According to legend, the dragon is a very proud creature. It looks down on each of its children. Even if you kill Ba Xia, the dragon won't bother with you."
Xiao Kai asked, "Qing Hong, can you tell me how strong the dragon's power is? Compared to cultivators, or even celestial beings?"
Qing Hong replied, "Cultivators cannot be compared with dragons. Even the nine sons of the dragon are irresistible to cultivators. In the world we live in, there are demons and cultivators. Demons who ascend can go to the demon realm, while cultivators who ascend can go to the celestial realm. However, even the celestial beings of the celestial realm and the demons of the demon realm have never actively provoked the dragon race. For our world, the dragon is simply an invincible presence."
Xiao Kai listened with astonishment and exclaimed, "There's no hope for me, then?"
"There is still hope," Qing Hong said, "I haven't had to wait for the day I ascend to the celestial realm. Thus, there are many things that I do not understand. If you can ascend to the celestial realm, it should be possible for you to see a dragon."
Qing Hong tugged at Xiao Kai's sleeve and said, with a bit of embarrassment, "After all, whether waiting or not waiting, let's go see the Gateway of Annihilation?"
The curiosity of the little girl was still strong, not to mention the fun place inside the Gateway of Annihilation. She asked a question in a roundabout way and finally got back to the point.
Xiao Kai was slightly stunned for a moment, then immediately responded, "Hehe, of course we can."
After the discussion, Xiao Kai took out the Wordless Book and spread it out on the ground, flipping to the third page, revealing the dark gold words "Gateway of Annihilation". Then he took Qing Hong's hand and said, "Let's get ready to go in."
Qing Hong grabbed Xiao Kai's hand, nodding vigorously, "Mm!"
Xiao Kai was about to close his eyes when he heard an exceptionally crisp and enthusiastic voice from behind, "Xiao Kai, why are you here?"
When he turned around, he couldn’t help but exclaim, "How did you come here!"
The smiling little beauty standing behind was surprisingly Ning Qing.
Ning Qing is the little princess of Zhonghang Real Estate. Her usual activities are limited to big cities, and she always has bodyguards accompanying her on trips. Old Master Ning doesn't know how well arranged it is, yet this time, she has unexpectedly come to such a rarely visited place, which is very unusual.
Xiao Kai had only thought about this much, and he hadn't realized that this was the Hidden Peak of Kunlun, which does not belong to the mundane world. Even if one takes a plane or a rocket, it's impossible for ordinary people to reach, yet now, Ning Qing has come here.
Ning Qing was obviously very excited, she rushed over quickly, disregarding any male-female barriers, and hugged Xiao Kai, chattering away, "Xiao Kai, why do you always leave without a word? Last time you were gone for many days before coming back, making me go to your house every day to look for you. This time you're gone again, and I don't know when you'll come back. Yesterday my brother went back and said he lost; I wanted to celebrate for you, but when I went there early in the morning, I found you were gone again. I asked those two sisters, they didn't tell me anything, which made me anxious. Hmph, Xiao Kai, next time you come out to play, you must call me, I don't want to foolishly wait for you at home. Oh, who is this little sister? She's so pretty. Oh, Xiao Kai, are you holding hands, are you guys...?"
Xiao Kai repeatedly interrupted her, "Stop, first tell me, how did you come here? What are you doing here?"
Ning Qing was even more proud, "Hehe, Xiao Kai, do you think that if you don't bring me, I can't come? Just because you are a cultivator, you think you can leave me behind. Let me tell you, I am also a cultivator now, and I am very capable. I will show you later..."
The little girl wanted to continue, but Xiao Kai had to interrupt her again, "Stop making noise, first tell me how you got here, alright?"
"Um, you guess," Ning Qing blinked mischievously.
Xiao Kai didn't want to guess. He faintly felt something was wrong, and his tone became serious, "Tell me quickly."
Seeing Xiao Kai's bad expression, Ning Qing dare not delay any longer, "I... I came with my master."
"Your master?" Xiao Kai was surprised, "Since when did you have a master?"
"Hehe, I just became a disciple," Ning Qing said with a smile, "My master is very powerful. He's much stronger than those from Kunlun, Emei, and Shushan. My master said that I only need three years to surpass the disciples of the six major sects."
Xiao Kai felt even more uneasy and asked, "What's your master's name? Which sect does he belong to?"
Ning Qing was about to explain, when she suddenly heard a whistling sound from behind, and amidst the whistling, a mournful voice entered everyone's ears, "Chosen by the heavens, pay with your life!"
This voice was all too familiar, Xiao Kai got a shock, quickly turned around, and saw the ferocious face of the Nine-Tail Celestial Fox getting closer and closer. Its whole body seemed to shoot forward like an arrow in the wind, with its sharp claws shining with a dazzling white light!
In that instant, Xiao Kai hadn't moved, but Ning Qing had already let out a scream, desperately pulling Xiao Kai behind her and using her chest to meet the shining claws head-on!
Amidst the whistling wind, Xiao Kai hadn't had time to do anything in this split second, but he could still "think". In his mind, he rapidly thought: "The Gate of World Destruction, I want to enter."
The entire space suddenly rippled and returned to calmness.
The next moment, the mountain breeze gently blew, the green trees swayed, and not a single figure could be seen. The Unwritten Heavenly Book lay lonely on the ground, as if it had become ownerless.
Xiao Kai, Ning Qing, Qing Hong, and the Celestial Fox, in that instant of contact, were all sucked into the Gate of World Destruction.
When Xiao Kai opened his eyes again, Ning Qing is still there, Qing Hong is still there, but the Celestial Fox is gone. Looking down, Ning Qing was crouching next to a reddish-haired fox, which seemed to have suffered a major blow and looked despondent, with only its nine big tails swaying behind.
Ning Qing's face was pale, and she completely disregarded the fox at her feet. She urgently grabbed Xiao Kai's arm, her voice carrying a hint of crying, "Xiao Kai, are you... are you okay? Are you alright? I... I never thought my master would suddenly turn against you. If I knew it wanted to harm you, I wouldn't let it see you."
"I'm fine," Xiao Kai looked at her and then at the fox, "but it's not going to be fine."
Ning Qing's chest heaved violently; the little girl was obviously quite frightened. However, Xiao Kai couldn't help but notice her ample chest, which made him somewhat agitated. "Xiao Kai, rest assured. I won't let my master harm you. If it wants to hurt you, it has to go through me first!"
Her selfless act of saving Xiao Kai just now could not be more genuine. Xiao Kai knew how fond the little girl was of him, so he was quite moved. He gently pushed her away and then squatted down, quickly reaching out to grab the fox by its neck and lift it up.
"Darn it, you actually want to kill me!" Xiao Kai raged. "Let me teach you a lesson!"
"Xiao Kai, don't!" Ning Qing exclaimed immediately.
"Ning Qing, you don't know the truth," Xiao Kai said fiercely. "Your master is not a good thing. It's not a cultivator, but a thousand-year-old fox spirit. Look, it's this one right here!"
To his surprise, Ning Qing nodded, "Xiao Kai, I know my master is a fox spirit, but can you please let it go?"
The fox seemed close to suffocating, its eyes filled with hatred as it stared at Xiao Kai. It trembled slightly, struggling desperately, but it couldn't break free. Even in its true form, it was far from being able to resist humans.
Xiao Kai had originally wanted to kill it directly, but due to Ning Qing's plea, he softened his heart, "You don't know. If I let it go, it will harm people again. Just yesterday, it threatened to destroy Kunlun and slaughter Shushan."
"No, Xiao Kai, you misunderstand," Ning Qing shook her head. "I know the truth better than you. My master and I just came down from Kunlun. We only tied up some people from Kunlun and painted a few turtles on their faces, without killing anyone. As for Shushan..." She suddenly smiled, "Xiao Kai, my master going to Shushan isn't to kill people, it's to repay a kindness."
"Uh..." Xiao Kai was stunned. "Repay a kindness?"
"Of course," Ning Qing explained confidently, "My master was once wronged by the people from Kunlun, so it wanted to teach them a lesson. But the head of Shushan had great kindness towards my master, so even after tens of thousands of years, my master still had to repay that kindness."
Xiao Kai looked dubious, glancing at the fox in Ning Qing's arms. He couldn't tell what was true and what was false. Ning Qing's eyes were clear and clean, and it didn't seem like she was lying. Even the fox, which was close to suffocation and death, had a faint trace of sadness in its yellow-green eyes, giving it a somewhat desolate feeling.
"Could it be... there really is something hidden about it?" Xiao Kai unconsciously released his grip, and the Nine-Tail Celestial Fox let out a mournful sound, falling to the ground and gasping for breath. Ning Qing crouched down to pick up her master and moved away from Xiao Kai, seemingly afraid that he would hurt the fox again.
After the fox recovered, Ning Qing carefully looked around and asked in surprise, "Xiao Kai, where is this place?"
"This place is called the Gate of World Destruction," Xiao Kai chuckled.
As soon as the words "Gate of World Destruction" came out, Ning Qing felt the fox in her arms tremble, as if it had heard something extremely frightening. The little girl was both astonished and curious, "What is the Gate of World Destruction?"
Xiao Kai roughly explained to Ning Qing, and she suddenly became excited. It was clear that Ning Qing, who was much more lively than the somewhat reserved Qing Hong, was eager. With a tug at her waist, a bright long sword was pulled out, giving Xiao Kai a start. "Since when did you start using a sword?"
"Hmph, you pesky big brother Kai, I've told you that I'm a master now," Ning Qing said, dissatisfied. "I'll show you how capable I am later."
Xiao Kai couldn't help but glance at the fox in her arms. He was truly curious about how the Nine-Tail Celestial Fox had taken Ning Qing as its disciple and what it had taught her.
Ning Qing obviously noticed his gaze and backed away a step, saying, "Pesky big brother, don't bully my master."
Xiao Kai forced a bitter smile, "Do I have such shameless behavior? You can rest assured, I won't kill it. If I do want to kill it, I'll do it outside."
"Even outside, you're not allowed to kill it!" Ning Qing pouted. "Otherwise, I won't pay attention to you."
Rolling his eyes, Xiao Kai could only nod, "Alright, alright, I won't kill it." But he thought to himself, "Hehe, it's so hard to get it in, do you think I'll let it out?"
Ning Qing sighed again and whispered, "Xiao Kai, it's not that I'm being unreasonable. My master is also a pitiful person..."
The little girl seemed to want to talk about something related to the old fox, but Xiao Kai had no interest. He quickly laughed and said, "Let's go, let's go ahead and see."
The Heavenly Monster was originally a powerful old monster, but unfortunately, it had been brought to this desolate place by Xiao Kai. On one hand, its true essence had disappeared, and then it found that even its spells were ineffective. Its elixirs had long been sealed by Xiao Kai's magic spells. It was now not only lacking the strength to fight, but unable to transform into a human form. Unable to resist, it could only exist in its true form as a fox, and as it saw Xiao Kai shouting and commanding without any room to fight back, it felt extremely distressed and close to the point of spitting blood.
The most dreadful thing is that the thunder yesterday took away nine of its lives, leaving its true form incredibly weak. Besides lying in the arms of its disciple, it really couldn't do anything else.
"Hard to find heaven's will, the demon atmosphere is strong, desiring to eliminate the weak, the gate of world-annihilation opens. Could it be that this gate of world-annihilation is truly the nemesis in my destined life?" The old fox closed his eyes and couldn't help but sigh in resignation.