The fierce wind assaulted his face, nearly sending Qi Xiu tumbling, but he hastily stabilized himself.

So this Riding Dragon Grand Array is literally about riding a dragon!

His robes billowed violently, whipped by the oncoming gale. The wind was fast and fierce, its speed far exceeding even his Thunder Escape Skill, making it impossible for Qi Xiu to even open his eyes. He could only barely make out streaks of light constantly receding beside him.

This ancient, colossal dragon was carrying him, plunging at high speed into the even deeper subterranean depths!

His ears were filled with the roaring wind, robbing him of sight and sound. Qi Xiu could only count silently, calculating how long he had been descending.

Two thousand four hundred ninety-five...

Two thousand four hundred ninety-six...

Two thousand four hundred ninety-seven...

After a full forty minutes, feeling almost desiccated by the wind, Qi Xiu's vision suddenly cleared. An indescribable, desolate, and oppressive aura washed over him, making him feel as though he had plunged into the ocean depths, suffocating and struggling for breath.

"Is this... the lowest level of the Dragon Prison?"

"No. It should be said, this is the true Dragon Prison."

The ancient dragon shadow beneath him suddenly spoke, causing Qi Xiu's expression to shift and his heart to tremble.

This ancient dragon actually possesses consciousness?

"Fear not. I have long been dead. This is merely a lingering fragment of my consciousness," the old dragon said slowly, seemingly having heard Qi Xiu's inner turmoil, as it gently set him down.

Facing such a powerful being, capable of maintaining self-awareness and conversing despite being a mere fragment of thought, Qi Xiu respectfully cupped his hands. "Junior Qi Xiu pays his respects to Senior."

"Ho ho, you are quite polite, young man." The old dragon regarded him with a kindly, almost human-like smile, as if looking at its own descendant. "I can see that you share a profound connection with my True Dragon Clan. Deep within your soul, it seems there is a legacy from my people. You could be considered half a clansman of mine."

"Me?" Qi Xiu was taken aback by the old dragon's words.

Apart from absorbing three Dragon Origins at the Nu River Palace, he had not encountered anything else related to the True Dragon Clan.

But the power from the Dragon Origins transformed into the Innate Mixed Yuan Holy Body, so why would the old dragon mention the depths of the soul?

"Yes. Otherwise, why would the Dragon Binding Rope acknowledge you as its master?"

"Uh, Senior may not know, but by a fortunate coincidence, I once absorbed three Dragon Origins..."

"It has nothing to do with Dragon Origins. Our clan's legacy values soul over flesh. Never mind three; even if you consumed a hundred or a thousand Dragon Origins, it would not connect you to my clan in the slightest. An heir of the dragons is not forged from a few mere Dragon Origins."

Heir of the dragons? That one sentence from the old dragon made Qi Xiu's mind reel as if struck by thunder. Could it be… my past life's identity, claiming to be an heir of the dragons, was actually true?!

Feeling his worldview severely shaken, Qi Xiu scratched his brow, taking a long moment to recover from the impact of this revelation.

"Then, Senior, what wondrous abilities does this 'heir of the dragons' possess?" Qi Xiu asked, getting to the crucial point after his initial shock.

The True Dragon Clan! Qi Xiu's mind raced. Once the Lord of the Ten Thousand Realms, the true sovereign that reigned at the pinnacle for infinite ages! The indisputable main character of Heaven and Earth! Had this clan not suddenly vanished, the role of main character of Heaven and Earth would never have fallen to the Human Race.

Since he had unwittingly become an heir of the dragons, Qi Xiu naturally wanted to clarify things. If he could just grasp a few True Dragon Methods, that would be an incredible stroke of luck.

"Wondrous abilities… Hmm…" The old dragon pondered for a moment, then nodded seriously. "You may declare to the outside world that you are a clansman of my True Dragon Clan."

"Is that all?"

"That's all."

Blinking blankly, Qi Xiu was somewhat dumbfounded. "So this 'heir of a dragon' status doesn't really grant much..."

"Doesn't really grant much, you say?" the old dragon asked, looking at Qi Xiu with a knowing smile, its words hinting at something more. "Think about what's on your back."

"My back... the Dragon Binding Rope, huh? Ah, I understand now! A clansman of the True Dragon Clan... This might appear to be merely an honorary title! But in reality, it symbolizes recognition, a status. An... identity! That's why the Dragon Binding Rope recognized me as its master! It was precisely because of this identity that I wasn't turned to dust by that Magical Treasure back in the side hall. Since the Dragon Binding Rope acknowledged me, it naturally means other treasures left behind by the True Dragon Clan would also acknowledge me. The old dragon's knowing smile confirms it! In the future, True Dragon Ruins that others cannot enter, I, Qi Someone, can! True Dragon treasures that others cannot use, I, Qi Someone, can!"

His eyes sparkled with excitement, and Qi Xiu felt an irrepressible surge of heat course through his chest. He wished he could find a True Dragon Ruin right then and there to explore to his heart's content.

"Don't get too excited. Your grand fantasies should wait until you can actually get out of this Dragon Prison," the old dragon said, its voice like a gentle breeze waking Qi Xiu. It then shifted its body, coiling up and comfortably resting its head on a rock.

"This place is not like the one above. To put it simply, those imprisoned in the labyrinth above are minor offenders who made small mistakes. They are confined there for imprisonment and reflection. But here, all those imprisoned have been sentenced to death by the Dragon Palace. They are heinous dragons, destined for the Dragon Execution Platform on an appointed day! Compared to them, those in the labyrinth above are mere babes. Now, tell me, what have you come here to find?"

Turning to serious matters, the smile vanished from Qi Xiu's face, his expression becoming solemn. He held nothing back, explaining how Elder Shui had entrusted him with finding the Dragon-Slaying Banner.

"The Dragon-Slaying Banner? It seems this little turtle no longer wishes to live," the old dragon mused with a nod of understanding after listening to Qi Xiu.

"No longer wishes to live? Senior means..." Qi Xiu frowned slightly, not quite comprehending.

"Exactly what it sounds like. This little turtle must have grown weary of life and wishes to embrace death. But as a Water Monarch personally appointed by the Dragon Palace, no one can kill him without a decree from the Dragon Palace—not even himself. The Dragon-Slaying Banner is the Dragon Palace's edict for executing wicked dragons. With it, he can relinquish his position as Water Monarch and find his release."

Weary of life? A trace of incomprehension flashed across Qi Xiu's face. In the vast Cultivation Realm, whether human, Demon, Demonic Evil Cultivator, or any other myriad being, the ultimate aspiration of cultivation was longevity. Why did everyone strive so desperately to become a Primordial Spirit lord? Because only by becoming a Primordial Spirit lord could one attain true immortality. Yet this old turtle, who already possessed such longevity, sought to abandon this gift that commoners could only dream of. What could he possibly be doing this for?

The old dragon glanced at Qi Xiu and stated slowly, "Longevity also has its burdens, something you wouldn't understand. If you want to find the Dragon-Slaying Banner, you must delve deep into this Dragon Prison.

"However, the ones imprisoned here are all Karmic Dragons. Thousand Hands must have slain them before his own death. Yet even in death, these Karmic Dragons do not rest in peace; their resentment is potent enough to make the heavens lose their color and the sun and moon lose their light.

"Think carefully about whether you want to go in. Those Karmic Dragons won't show you any mercy just because you're a kinsman. They despise all living beings in the world—especially us. Getting in is easy; getting out will be the challenge."

Thousand Hands was one of the five prison guards of the Dragon Prison, and also their leader. Qi Xiu had learned this from the residual memories within the Dragon Binding Rope. The dragon-like prison guard who had died in the side hall was named Divine Blade. Years ago, when three prison guards deserted their posts, Divine Blade was left in charge of the evil dragons in the labyrinth. Thousand Hands, however, had descended alone into this lowest level of the Dragon Prison to suppress the multitude of Karmic Dragons.

Considering that Divine Blade, before nearing the end of his lifespan, killed all the evil dragons in the labyrinth, it was highly probable that Thousand Hands did the same for those in this lowest level of the Dragon Prison.

The one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it... Perhaps the solution lies therein…

As Qi Xiu gently caressed the Golden Cry Jade Beads on his wrist, a flicker in his eyes, he began to slowly formulate a plan: how to retrieve the Dragon-Slaying Banner from right under the noses of those Sin Dragon Remnants.

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