Translated by TheFireTrucker

Book 2: The Golden Lock of the Eight Gates

Chapter 10: Qiu Dragon

"There are only two Sky-Mending Pellets left." Old Wei said as he flourished his hand, retrieving two white jade bottles from his storage bracelet.

Hao San wore a sad expression upon seeing these two remaining intricately engraved jade bottles.

Carefully taking one, he inspected it carefully and Hao San said, "It's enough, there are two left, let's prepare the final summoning then."

Opening the small bottles, Hao San held the bottle to his mouth and slowly tipped a drop of white viscous liquid out. When it dripped out, it seemed like the entire body of liquid was pulled out of the bottle by that one drop, leaving the container together. As soon as all of it left the bottle, the liquid balled up and congealed forming a spherical pellet, which landed in Hao San's mouth.

Closing his mouth, he swallowed and casually tossed the empty bottle away.

Hao San's expression suddenly turned into a painful one, with two eyes bulging, as if his eyeb.a.l.l.s were about to pop out of his sockets, then, white mist began to emanate from his entire body, gradually enveloping Hao San within.

To the side, Old Wei also looked mournful.

One burnt stick of incense later, the white mist dissipated revealing Hao San.

After suffering through however long a stick of incense burns, Hao San's face still held that pained expression often seen on stroke sufferers. Moments later, his expression calmed and in that moment it seemed like his life force rejuvenated, with renewed light in his eyes and his crown of white hair turned pitch black.

"Prince Hao San." greeted Old Wei.

"Old Wei, stand aside." said Hao San.

"Yes, sire." Old Wei immediately moved behind Hao San.

Then, Hao San inhaled a deep breath and muttered some incantation. Along with the incantations, his left hand seemed to have turned an inky black colour, which then slowly began to emanate a black smoke.

Moments later, Hao San's eyes shot open, and he thrust his blackened left palm down towards the ground and shouted.

"Big Red, show yourself."

As his palm connected with the ground, the black hand spewed black smoke, and suddenly nine dragons made of the smoke moved and surrounded Hao San entirely. There was fifteen metres between Hao San and the circle of black smoke dragons.

The nine smoke dragons burst and suddenly, they were imprinted onto the ground as though black ink was used to draw them. No, not black ink, they were more like black holes, circling Hao San in a fifteen metre radius, as though it led to somewhere else in the distance.

Then, the nine dragons suddenly produced a large number of black runic characters, and in the blink of an eye, the ground turned from a painting into a sacrificial altar.

"Bang~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

The black altar suddenly erupted and expelled ma.s.sive amounts of black smoke. The top half of the hemisphere was utterly enveloped.

Old Wei watched from outside, feeling very anxious.

"Whoooooosh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

The entire area's black smoke suddenly dissipated as if it just disappeared into thin air.

The altar on the ground also disappeared, and Hao San emerged, only now, Hao San's hair was once again white with only little odd black hairs littered around the place, the number of black hairs was even less now as compared to the last time he swallowed a Sky-Mending Pellet.

Hao San wavered on his feet, as if he'd fall over at any moment.

Old Wei rushed to him, holding him up, face full of concern.

Hao San's body seemed terribly weak, however, a look of glee and contentment crept into his face, because in front of Hao San was an enormous beast.

One gigantic snake, a thoroughly red snake of about thirty metres long. Its open maw could swallow two people whole. Holding its head aloft, it shook its tail whilst constantly flicking its tongue out towards Hao San.

This was what Hong San just summoned. A giant crimson snake.

After a while, the snake lowered its head and rubbed against Hao San's forearm.

Seeing the snake express a friendly gesture, Hao San smiled, and propping himself up in Old Wei's arms, he patted the snake's head.

"Big Red, haha, I guess I won't live long for this world. This might just be our last time meeting." said Hao San with a face full of heartbreak.

The snake watched Hao San as if it understood Hao San's words. It nudged him as though not wanting Hao San to die.

"It's useless, this time is different from last time. I'm definitely going to die. You have accompanied me throughout my life, for several decades, you've always been with me. In all of Dragon Palace, you are the only one I trust, because you are my best friend." Said Hao San, gently stroking the snake's head.

"Hissss Hissss"

The snake kept flicking its tongue. It was like it could feel the emotions.

Watching Big Red, Hao San sighed and said, "Your power, at most can compare to the human's Gold Core Stage, there are a lot of strong people outside who wants to kill me, you won't be able to save me. This time, I'm summoning you because I want you to do me a favour and take something to Dragon Palace, and then you can look after the last of the Hao family's bloodline like you looked after me."

"Hissss Hissss"

The snake shook its head whilst still flicking its tongue.

Carefully, Hao San retrieved a small box made of peach tree wood, on which is engraved with a lot of intricate patterns, like a renowned art piece.

"I only trust you, because, only you possess a friends.h.i.+p with me because you are the only one who doesn't have a contract or a conflict of interest with me. Big Red, this is the last favour I'll ever ask of you, this wooden box, take it to that descendant of the Hao family bloodline." said Hao San with a solemn and tragic tone.

The red snake looked at Hao San, and its eyes actually began to slowly form tears, it opened its maw and swallowed the box whole, and then proceeded to continue rubbing its head against Hao San.

Looking at the snake, Hao San smiled a mournful smile and said, " Earlier, I've already summoned fifty of your comrades, in the back of the field, you should go greet them first and then follow my instructions and flee."

"Hissss Hissss"

The snake encircled Hao San and hugged him, then flicking its tongue, the snake licked Hao San's face and then gradually let go. Then, it slithered behind the temple, to the field, where fifty other snakes were. They were all just like Big Red except for their colour.

In the area in front of the temple, only Hao San and Old Wei were left.

Old Wei quickly held Hao San.

"Prince Hao San." called Old Wei worriedly.

"Old Wei, give me that last Sky-Mending Pellet." Hao San said.

Seeing Hao San, Old Wei's expression pained as he pulled out the last bottle.

Just as before, one Sky-Mending Pellet later and Hao San transitioned to a state of full power, even his hair turned back to black.

Standing, Hao San looked at Old Wei and said, "Old Wei, stand far back."

Old Wei looked at Hao San, with tears in his eyes, and retreated to a far enough distance.

Just like before, Hao San began his summoning and started his incantations. Upon completion he said, "With my life, I summon The Dragon."

Hao San gave a cry and slammed his palm into the ground and like last time, tendrils of black imprinted into the ground, however this time the altar was larger than last time by five times, with a diameter of a hundred and fifty metres. This mysterious altar was like it was transported here via some spirit from a far away land.

The black hemisphere of smoke once again appeared and enveloped the entire field. Then the smoke dissipated and revealed Hao San from inside.

Hao San's hair at that moment was entirely white, not a single strand of black was left. The man was aged considerably, and there was a strong craze behind his eyes.

"Prince Hao San." rushed Old Wei as he held the weak Hao San up, and immediately fed him a medicinal pellet, even though it wasn't as effective as a Sky-Mending Pellet, it still did its job and made Hao San better, and able to stand. Even though his hair was still white, however his mind seemed a lot more stable.

In front of the two people is a giant snake, no, it should be called a dragon. However, this dragon only has one horn, like a giant sword pointing to the sky, and its entire body is covered by countless scales.

Qiu Dragon!

The Qiu Dragon was around a hundred and fifty metres long, forming a circle with its body, it could fill the entire field. It shook its head as it watched Hao San.

"Hao San?" said the Qiu Dragon, unfathomably speaking the human tongue.

"Never would've guessed that this time it'd be you. I thought it would be a Jiao Dragon." remarked Hao San with a smile.

"You used your entire remaining years for the summoning. You're eighty years old, in Xiantian. You have a hundred and twenty more years, though through the contract, we can only obtain a tenth of it, which is twelve years. However, twelve years is more than nothing, why wouldn't I come? Although, you've used up all of your years, so you'll pa.s.s once the sun sets." said Qui Long.

"Sunset? That's enough, you just need to take me out of here, before the sun sets. Call it taking me sightseeing." said Hao San.

"Alright. Honestly, you Hao family have even fallen into this state, you're uncanny. Oh that's right, your woman, in the Dragon Palace, she finally gave birth, although, once the child was born, she died." said Qiu Dragon.

"Born? Really? Born? Boy or girl?" Asked Hao San immediately.

"Unfortunately, it was a girl, it'll be difficult to continue your Hao family legacy." said Qiu Dragon.

"Girl? How could it be a girl? Wait, a girl is good too, yes a girl is good too." said Hao San suddenly bursting into maniacal laughter.

"That woman of yours, what's her story? Once she gave birth, it's like an immense wave of evil flooded into the infant, your woman was all but spent, and your daughter, all the plants around her withered." asked Qiu Dragon with a suspicious tone.

"That's right, that's right! Haha, a Body of Infinite Evils!" Hao San exclaimed excitedly.

"What? The woman is the Vengeful Woman of Nine Lifetimes? And you got her pregnant?" asked Qiu Dragon, watching Hao San with incredulity.

"The Vengeful Woman of Nine Lifetimes. She died with extreme resentment in each of her nine lives. She was extremely evil and dark. If the offspring was a boy, then that would have been fine, he could have carried on the Hao family's work, but since it's a girl, all the evil from her nine lives will be pa.s.sed down into the girl's body, resulting in a Body of Infinite Evils, hahaha. She's also the Hao family's tenth generation, our last generation, looks like she just made it, now she can go stir trouble hahaha." laughed Hao San maniacally and with excitement.

In the mountain valley outside of the white foggy mountain, two silhouettes walked towards that mountain from the valley.

"Relax, da s.h.i.+xiong should be right up ahead." Zhong Shan said to Tianling-er who was right next to him.