Chapter 306: The Secret of Longyin Mountain

Chen Xuan lightly tapped his toes, leaping to the shore and pursuing them into the mountains.

Liu Chan and the others exchanged glances. They dismissed their subordinates, choosing to follow along themselves. Firstly, they wanted to prove themselves to their new boss. Secondly, this rebellion was a serious matter, and they couldn't rest assured until they saw Zheng Dan dealt with personally. Thirdly, the gang leader was undeniably beautiful, and now that she was afflicted with "Eighteen Degrees of Spring Wind," each of them harbored thoughts of getting a share.

Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't dare to contend with Chen Xuan, but the gang leader was suffering from "Eighteen Degrees of Spring Wind," a condition said to require eighteen acts to resolve. What man could accomplish that alone? Not even Chen Xuan, no matter how powerful! When he's utterly exhausted, wouldn't that be our chance? Liu Chan cast a glance at his companions, realizing they likely shared the same thoughts as him. The thought of the gang leader's usual aloof yet alluring demeanor ignited a fervent desire within him, causing him to quicken his pace.

Meanwhile, Zu An was scrambling around with Zheng Dan, now utterly disoriented and moving purely on instinct. He was careful to leave as few traces as possible, so as not to give their pursuers a trail.

Initially, Zheng Dan managed to keep pace, but it wasn't long before she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. Zu An quickly moved to steady her, discovering she was already profoundly weak, her chest heaving violently as she struggled for breath.

"Oh, I should have thought to jump into the river earlier," Zu An exclaimed, slapping his forehead in regret. "Perhaps the cold water would have counteracted the drug's effects."

Zheng Dan shook her head. "I cannot fall into Chen Xuan's hands. Take me away, quickly."

Realizing she was too weak to move, Zu An scooped her up in his arms and swiftly wove through the forest. It was strange; the last time he had ventured into the suburbs to find bezoars, he had quickly encountered various fierce beasts. This location seemed even further from Mingyue City, yet he hadn't come across a single one. However, this thought was fleeting; their immediate priority was to escape Chen Xuan and his pursuers.

After running for some time, Zu An's eyes suddenly lit up. He pointed to a nearby cave and said, "There's a cave over there. Let's rest inside and figure out how to neutralize the poison in your system."

Zheng Dan's mind was already clouded at this point. She could only hum in affirmation, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck. Her body even began to unconsciously squirm in his embrace. Zu An swallowed hard, acutely aware of the intense temptation. Pressed tightly together, Zheng Dan's thin dress offered little coverage, allowing him to distinctly feel the heat radiating from her body. Zu An's mouth felt parched. He struggled to control himself, thinking that he couldn't possibly take advantage of her state. He resolved to first search for another solution, which would at least ease his conscience.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already entered the cave, which Zu An now noticed was far larger than typical ones. After walking a short distance, the passage suddenly opened into a massive cavern. While the previous passage was already quite tall, this cavern soared to an immeasurable height above it.

Before Zu An could fully comprehend the sight, his entire body froze as he clearly discerned a colossal figure not far away. A colossal, crimson dragon, dozens of meters long, was circling in mid-air, flitting around a shimmering pearl. Periodically, it would swallow and then regurgitate the pearl, as if the object held an irresistible allure.

Zu An's throat went dry. He suddenly recalled that the vast mountains outside Mingyue City were known as Dragon's Lair Mountain, but for years, no one had ever seen a dragon, dismissing the name as purely symbolic. Now, he realized a dragon truly existed. Although he had no idea of this dragon's power, he knew that in any world, in any work of fiction or film, dragons were consistently portrayed as immensely powerful beings. Moreover, he could feel an immense pressure emanating from this creature, one that even surpassed the pressure Zhang Han had exerted on him in the secret realm. No wonder they hadn't encountered any fierce beasts on their journey; with a dragon here, what blind beast would dare approach?

"What's happening? How did you provoke such a terrifying enemy?" a surprised voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

Zu An was overjoyed. "Empress, you've finally awoken!"

Mi Li snorted coldly. "I merely sensed an unprecedented surge of power, which is why I hastily awoke to see what was happening."

"It's a long story," Zu An replied, unsure how to begin explaining.

Mi Li cut him off. "Never mind for now. Let's retreat first. It appears to be at a critical point in its cultivation and hasn't noticed you yet."

Zu An nodded, having already considered the same. He cautiously retreated, terrified of making the slightest sound.

"Mmm," Zheng Dan suddenly moaned in his arms, twisting her body as she slowly opened her eyes. "Zu An, oh, what... what's that huge thing..."

Hearing her voice, Zu An knew disaster was imminent. He bolted outwards, but unfortunately, having recently used several powerful wind-based abilities, his teleportation skill was currently unavailable. At that moment, a massive dragon tail swept towards them. Feeling the immense gust of wind rushing towards him, Zu An cried out, "Watch out!" In that instant, he spun around, using his back to shield Zheng Dan.

*Thud!*

A dull thud resonated. Zu An felt as though he had been struck by a high-speed truck; he soared backward in a crimson arc, spraying blood. He could no longer hold onto Zheng Dan, and she fell directly to the ground.

"Zu An!" Zheng Dan shrieked piteously, watching him fly through the air like a tattered sandbag, his life hanging in the balance. She wanted to rush to his aid, but the drug's effects had left her utterly limp, unable even to stand, let alone rescue him.

"Ignorant humans, how dare you disturb this King's tranquility."

"Oh? A human woman?"

A low, rumbling voice emanated from deep within the cavern. Clearly, dragons, as superior beings, were capable of human speech.

Zheng Dan was struggling to crawl away, desperate to check on Zu An's condition. A massive dragon tail had already coiled around her waist, instantly dragging her back.

"Let... let go of me," Zheng Dan pleaded, desperately reaching out to push away the tightly coiled dragon tail, but she couldn't budge it an inch.

The dragon's tail lifted her into the air. A colossal draconic head drew near, its two crimson eyes radiating boundless intimidation. After scrutinizing her for a moment, the great dragon spoke. "And a beautiful woman at that. This King finds your current scent quite appealing."

Zheng Dan remembered Shang Liuyu's lectures in school on the customs of various races, specifically the mention of dragons' lecherous tendencies. A chilling thought struck her: *This creature wouldn't...* Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly composed herself. The sheer disparity in their sizes made the idea seem impossible. At worst, it would simply mean death. She couldn't help but glance back towards the cave entrance. The thought of Zu An dying for her made her own life seem meaningless.

But the next words that reached her ears caused Zheng Dan's face to drain of color. "There's no need to look. Your lover's cultivation is too low; he's surely dead from my attack. From now on, you shall follow this King. I will show you what true pleasure a woman can experience."