But before Xu Xiuzhu could respond…
"This is the Huanglong Seal."
A crisp, clear voice rang out, reaching the ears of everyone present.
From thin air appeared a fleeting, graceful figure.
"Greetings, Sacred Lord!"
The Great Masters all turned to the newcomer and bowed in unison.
The scene left the young novices, who had not yet entered the sect, completely stunned and at a loss.
These Great Masters were beings whose presence alone demanded reverence from most of the people here, and even from the powerful clans behind them.
And if compared to these Great Masters, how much more awe-inspiring and formidable was the Taihuang Sacred Lord?
Fortunately, Luo Huangjun paid them no mind and waved her hand, signaling that no further formalities were necessary.
"This artifact was the Dao-forging weapon of the first Sacred Lord in ancient times. It was later lost, and we never imagined it had been sealed within the Spirit-Measuring Stone brought back by Patriarch Leixiao."
Her voice was cold and distant, explaining the matter.
"The Huanglong Seal! Truly the Huanglong Seal! It is a pity that we never abandoned the search to recover it. Little did we know that long ago, it had already returned to our Taihuang Sacred Land!"
"Indeed, it is our incompetence—something so close, yet not a single person recognized it!"
Someone sighed, and their gaze toward Chu Ge softened even more.
'This child… truly a blessed star of our Taihuang Sacred Land, a benefactor!'
Many people had this thought in their hearts.
If Chu Ge suddenly decided not to enter Taihuang Sacred Land, they would not allow it—they would even use force to bring him back if necessary.
"The Huanglong Seal! This is truly the Huanglong Seal! Senior, did you hear? This is the Huanglong Seal you spoke of before! The very Huanglong Seal that can elevate my Dragon King Body into the soaring Dragon Sacred Body!!!"
Ye Chen screamed in his heart, his eyes bloodshot with rage!
He wished he could immediately pounce and snatch the Huanglong Seal from Chu Ge!
"I never imagined this artifact had been sealed within that Spirit-Measuring Stone all along. What a pity… this item should have had a connection with you as well. If only we had known… alas, time and fate…"
The voice in his mind fell silent for a long moment before sighing softly.
"If we had known? What then, senior?"
Ye Chen pressed, convinced that the artifact should have been his!
"If we had known the Huanglong Seal was in that Spirit-Measuring Stone beforehand, I could have temporarily lent you a hand, allowing you to briefly possess Dragon-Origin power."
"In that case, there might have been a chance for the true spirit of the Huanglong Seal to awaken, breaking the seal on the Spirit-Measuring Stone!"
Hearing this, Ye Chen's heart roared with fury.
'Damn it! The Huanglong Seal should have been mine! Chu Ge, you stole my chance! This is an unending grudge—I will kill you!!!'
His face twisted in anger, his mind consumed by hatred and murderous intent.
He completely ignored the words about "if we had known beforehand" and "might have," seeing only that Chu Ge had taken the opportunity that should have belonged to him.
"Senior, you said that the Huanglong Seal is most compatible with a body containing Dragon-Origin essence. How is it that Chu Ge's Myriad Laws Sacred Body could also awaken the Seal, helping its true spirit revive and break the seal?!"
Ye Chen asked again.
But deep in his heart, he had already chalked this opportunity lost to Chu Ge as a debt owed to the presence in his mind.
'The Huanglong Seal was right in front of us before, and you didn't even notice it! What kind of useless senior are you? No wonder only a fragment of your soul remains!'
Ye Chen's heart howled with fury, his thoughts twisting into a dark obsession, teetering on the edge of madness.