Gu Zun wasn’t surprised at all that Li Qiye would let him leave. He cupped his fist and smiled: “Thank you, Your Excellency. You’re still the one that knows me best in this world.”

“Okay, no need to utter such nauseating words. Go ahead and use all of your ace cards, I know you still have some secrets hidden up your sleeve.” Li Qiye leisurely said.

“I’ll try my best. Hopefully, my killing move won’t disappoint you. That would be too much of a let down since you think so highly of me.” Gu Zun smiled.

With that, his body flashed and crossed through space.

“We’re done here.” Li Qiye waved his sleeve at the nine kings: “The nine of you can continue your hibernation. Oh, right, I forgot. The old geezer from the mine misses you. You all can decide whether to keep staying here or come back for the punishment.”

He instantly disappeared to chase Gu Zun again.

It wasn’t like the pheasant didn’t know that the nine kings have snuck out of the cave back then. In fact, it was impossible for an existence of this level not to detect them. It purposely let them escape and pretended not to know.

Since their birth, these juniors weren’t allowed to take half a step out of the cave. The nine brothers wanted to see the outside world but the seniors didn’t give them permission. They had even tried to sneak out several times in the past to no avail. Later on, the pheasant became soft and let them snuck out. Otherwise, how could nine little juniors escape from the immortal mine?

***

After running away from the nine Sea Kings, Gu Zun didn’t bother exerting his speed to its limit. He was in no hurry because he knew that Li Qiye wasn’t in a rush to kill him either before he showed his ace cards. 

At this moment, the two of them were playing a cat and mouse game. For now, he was the mouse and Li Qiye was the cat.

Of course, Gu Zun thought that he still had a chance to turn it around if he could grasp the right opportunity. He would become the cat then.

Li Qiye, on the other hand, was indeed taking his time. He had guessed Gu Zun’s ace card so killing him now wouldn’t end this game. He wanted to capture everything in one fell swoop.

Meanwhile, a booming noise came from the distant Little Sea Village. The entire place shook as if a gigantic bull had just turned over. All the villagers were shaken with the ancestors running out to take a look.

“Rawr!” A dragon roar echoed across the Grand Sea. The ancestors in the village could only see a shadow rushing to the sky. It disappeared instantly.

“That is…” The ancestors couldn’t regain their sanity. It looked as if they had just seen the shadow of a true dragon.

Gu Zun still hasn’t made it back to Heaven Suppression before an explosion occurred. Space was shattered immediately. Runes descended from the sky and turned into a formation to lock Gu Zun.

He was aghast to see the runes while Li Qiye only smiled and stepped inside.

“Boom!” The runic formation teleported the two of them into a different area.

In an unknown crevice in the sky with rotating stars, sun and moon, the runic formation took the group into a battle stage.

“Raaa!” The runes were of a draconic nature and were issuing roars as if they wanted to turn into true dragon. The whole place was drowned in the aura of a true dragon as if a real one was there.

Sure enough, Gu Zun looked up and saw a true dragon lying right there. It was completely black with scales seemingly cast from some wondrous and tough metal. Its five claws were extremely sharp with a flashing glint, capable of cutting through everything.

When the dragon opened its eyes, the entire nine worlds seemed to be lit up. The eyes were profound and could see through the true form of everything. Nothing could escape the dragon’s gaze.

Anyone would be frightened by its glare, including the most powerful Godkings. It could bring everything back to nothingness with its withering power.

This was no shadow or illusion. It was a real true dragon with the purest bloodline! Few people in the world have seen one, spotting one would be the topic of a lifetime.

Gu Zun didn’t seem to be surprised at all. He smiled and asked: “Long time no see, brother-in-law. It’s a shame that I won’t be able to see your third generation body anymore.”

The dragon stared at Gu Zun without replying. Li Qiye gently sighed and waved at the dragon. It nodded towards him but didn’t avert its gaze from Gu Zun.

“Brother-in-law, do you need to hate me so much? Your third gen body is dead already. If I remember correctly, you really doted on me during your first generation.” Gu Zun cheerfully smiled.

The dragon still remained quiet with its flashing eyes, instilling a sense of respect into others.

“Do you want to capture me with this body? Is this necessary?” Gu Zun was still as carefree as ever.

“Brother-in-law, you promised sister to take good care of me. However, you never did that. I suffered so much when you threw me into the eye of the sea and took away my fortunes. Then, you sealed me into the depth. Really now, your little brother-in-law had suffered a lot following you for three generations.”

“Raaa!” The dragon roared with a tyrannical aura surging like a storm. Alas, Gu Zun was untouched by it, still with a smile on his face.

“Brother-in-law, no need to be angry. In your eyes, I am a worthless piece of clay that can't be molded. However, our pursuits are different. You only want to fight against the world. As for me, I want to become His Excellency! I’m not as useless as you think.”

“Hmph!” The dragon snorted in response. The world lost its brilliance and its inhabitants shuddered before this sound.

Gu Zun still didn’t care: “Maybe you disagree with my ideologies and think that I am a bastard. Maybe you wanted me to become an emperor or someone like you. Alas, my dream is even more magnificent and grand. I want to become an existence that can engulf the nine worlds. If someone with a mortal body and mortal talents can do so, why can’t I, an eonic genius, do so?”

The dragon’s stare remained cold.

“That glare again, brother-in-law. I know what you are trying to say.” Gu Zun shook his head and said: “You are thinking that I am a frog trying to eat a swan. I don’t understand, why does His Excellency command so much confidence in whatever he does but you mock me for trying as if I don’t know my own limits? Is it because I was born with a penchant for treachery? Or is it because I covet that empty treasury?” 

The dragon answered by pointing its claw straight at Gu Zun.

“Brother-in-law, I won’t return with you.” Gu Zun understood its intent and replied: “You took my fortunes and cultivation back then before sealing me but I don’t blame you for this since I have indeed committed a crime. However, not this time since I haven’t done anything heinous for now. That’s why I won’t let you imprison me again!”

The dragon’s claw spread open. “Boom!” It seemed the entire space erupted because of him. This claw was freed from all the restraints of the world. Its power was simply unstoppable.

“You want to do it by force now?” Gu Zun said without being afraid. He smiled and shook his head: “Brother-in-law, you won’t necessarily be able to capture me alive. I agree that your third body could have done so in a short time but the current you won’t do.”

The dragon snorted again after hearing this.

“You were indeed invincible but your first body only has an incomplete soul, far weaker than your top form. In the past, I wouldn’t have any chance but now, I actually wonder if I go all out, would I accidentally kill you? Will sister blame me for doing so?”

2nd chapter in a little bit.