"Mr. Hua… that 'Death Scholar'—what level is he, truly? Did he really not form a Golden Core? How can someone without a core cripple the Green Ram Ancestor? That sounds impossible."
Prince Feng sent his question to Hua Tiandu through a mental whisper.
"He has formed a Golden Core," Hua Tiandu replied calmly. "A strong one. He hides the aura well, but he can't fool me. His core likely contains nearly thirty divine abilities—he's no small figure. And he's practiced some secret fusion technique with his artifacts, enhancing his lethality. No wonder he could cripple the Green Ram Ancestor. Still"—Hua Tiandu's tone sharpened—"with just that level of strength, he's nothing to me. A flip of my hand and he's dust."
He had sensed a faint Golden Core aura from Fang Han's body and immediately relaxed, convinced Fang Han was merely another hidden Golden Core powerhouse.
Keep thinking that, Fang Han sneered inwardly. Sooner or later, you'll be drinking the wash water from my boots.
More powerful auras tore through the sky.
"My brothers are here—Second, Third, Fifth, Seventh! And they brought so many experts… all of them Golden Core cultivators?!"
The princes of the Great Xuan Empire seemed to produce Golden Core experts more easily than sects produced elite disciples.
Around each prince stood handpicked masters—some radiating terrifying power. Fang Han spotted several Ninth Realm cultivators with world-manifestation auras… and even a few Tenth Realm monsters capable of bending fate itself. How these princes recruited them was anyone's guess.
"My second brother brought the Black Nether King from the Yellow Springs Demonic Sect," Prince Yi whispered to Fang Han. "He's not as ancient as the Ghost Emperor, but he's still one of their top powerhouses, famous for over a thousand years."
Fang Han glanced over. The man wore a tight obsidian suit, a sword strapped across his back, his expression colder than steel—his presence equal to Swordmad Elder, a true Ninth Realm giant.
"Yan," Fang Han murmured internally, "you recognize him?"
"No. Probably someone who rose in the last three thousand years. Ghost Emperor is old guard; this one must be the new generation."
"Being famous for a thousand years is still hardly new," Fang Han thought.
Then the air trembled.
"Our Royal Elders are here," Prince Yi said.
A massive ship-shaped glow descended, filled with silhouettes and crushing auras. A thunderous voice rang out:
"This ancient teleportation array lies deep underground. We will guard the perimeter to prevent the subterranean demons from destroying it. The exploration of the relic is your task. Treasure is abundant, danger is vast. Proceed with caution. Move out!"
With that shout, tens of thousands of royal descendants took to the air, following the luminous ship.
"That ship… that's a Dao Artifact." Fang Han's eyes narrowed. It was even stronger than the Great Brahma Light Boat.
"That's the Dragon-Whale Ark," Prince Yi said. "Forged from the hide of an ancient dragon-whale, refined for millennia. A mid-grade Dao Artifact. The Elders will remain outside to deter the underground demons."
They flew for several hours. A giant black fissure appeared ahead—like the yawning jaws of an ancient titan.
The Dragon-Whale Ark dived in first. Thousands of royal disciples followed, their swords and spells lighting the abyss.
Fang Han felt, truly felt, the force of numbers. Even an Eternal-Life realm giant would give way to this flood of power.
Soon, they reached a massive teleportation array wrapped in ancient, desolate aura. Piles of crystal stones surrounded it—fuel for the array.
Fang Han's fingers itched at the sight of so much raw wealth.
"Activate!"
The Royal Elders' voices boomed. The crystal mountains ignited, releasing tidal waves of energy. Space rippled violently.
"Enter! You have twelve hours. Return before the array dims."
Light flashed. One after another, the princes and nobles stepped in and vanished. Hua Tiandu and over a dozen powerful princes disappeared as well.
Fang Han and Prince Yi exchanged a glance—then stepped in.
In moments, the last royal youth vanished. Only the Dragon-Whale Ark remained guarding the site.
"I wonder what fortunes our princes will encounter on Panlong Star…" one Elder murmured. "Once home to ancient Dragonkind, later overrun and abandoned after millennia of war."
"There are still dragon-beasts there, and treasures, and demons. A dangerous place… but rich."
"If only we had someone with Dragon blood. Many ruins require it to open fully," another Elder sighed. "I heard a Yuhua Sect true disciple—Long Xuan—is part dragon. If only one of our princes could marry her…"
"Impossible. Rumor is she already follows that fiend Fang Han… his personal forbidden companion. And Fang Han is a walking catastrophe—killed a Taichi Sect Golden Core without blinking."
"Perhaps he'll die fighting Hua Tiandu. Once Hua takes control of Yuhua Sect, Long Xuan can be brought into the royal family."
The Elders fell silent, their gaze sweeping the dark abyss.
Fang Han felt the world twist—then he appeared inside an ancient primeval forest. The trees towered like pillars supporting the heavens. The air was heavy, ancient, oppressive—like some primordial titan lay sleeping beneath the earth, ready to awaken and devour intruders.
"Fang Han," Yan whispered with excitement, "this is a Dragon Lair. An actual lair of the Primordial Heavenly Dragons. The Great Xuan royals really found a place like this!"
He inhaled deeply. "The scent—dragon breath. No mistake. This is a world once chosen by the Heavenly Dragons themselves."
"Meaning… a real Primordial Dragon could still be here?" Fang Han asked.
"Not certain. Maybe. Maybe not. But treasure? Absolutely. Dragons collected cosmic treasures like children collect toys. If we find even one hoard, we're set—worth more than an immortal estate. Artifacts here could be worth billions—tens of billions."
Yan's tone trembled with hunger.
"And if we find a dragon corpse—oh, Fang Han, that would be priceless. Their bones are pure Yang divine bodies. I devour them, and I gain a true form. Power unimaginable. This is the opportunity of a lifetime!"
"Easy," Fang Han said coldly. "With so many eyes around, we can't claim anything openly. And don't forget—Hua Tiandu is here."
Yan grumbled but quieted.
"They're moving," Prince Yi said. The other princes had already split into groups, flying off in different directions to scour the ancient world.