Battle Through the Heavens: Harmony of Flame and Shadow

Of the four great joys in life, encountering an old acquaintance in a foreign land is one of them. Seeing Zhukun safe and sound and living well brought Jiang Yun immense happiness.

"Not as good as you!" Hearing this, Zhukun laughed and shook his head. Looking into Jiang Yun's eyes, he felt a sense of pride. "Even if you're stronger than me, you still have to call me 'father.'"

The True Dragon Emperor, seeing the two reconnect, finally let down the last bit of vigilance in his heart. Smiling, he said, "Elder Zhukun, since Jiang Yun is your son-in-law, he is naturally also part of our dragon tribe. Entertain him well. I will not interrupt your family reunion!"

As he finished speaking, the True Dragon Emperor dispersed entirely, turning into a rain of light.

"Since you've come to find me, have you settled everything?" After the True Dragon Emperor left, Zhukun looked at Jiang Yun seriously.

"I heard you've done quite a lot of big things on the Tianluo Continent and the Chi Yan Continent!"

"Yes, I have established a foundation in the Great Thousand World, ready to bring up Ziyan and the others. We've been in the Great Thousand World for seven years now; they must be anxiously waiting," Jiang Yun nodded, standing with his hands behind his back, looking towards the distance with a sense of yearning.

"Yes, it's time to go back."

Neither Jiang Yun nor Zhukun were procrastinators. Having made up their minds, they immediately bid farewell to the True Dragon Emperor and headed toward the Dou Qi Continent together.

In a small world within the Western Skies.

Jiang Yun and Zhukun arrived at the location where they had first descended, carefully searching for the spatial node. Without the coordinates of the planes, they could only retrace their original path. Fortunately, for those with great strength and mastery of space, it wasn't too challenging.

In the depths of outer space, the spatial gale was like a blade tearing through everything, shredding even space itself. Amidst this dangerous storm, a spiritual light continued to move.

"Finally found it."

In the depths of the space storm, a flickering light revealed itself intermittently, with unfamiliar spatial fluctuations emanating from within. Zhukun and Jiang Yun, protected within the spiritual light, gazed at the familiar spatial node, excitement flashing in their eyes.

"Settle!"

Zhukun's spiritual power surged, gathering countless energies from the heavens and earth to slowly grind away the spatial turbulence, stabilizing the environment. Once the space storm was subdued, Jiang Yun cautiously extended his hand toward the spatial node.

Threads of spiritual light escaped from his palm, absorbed by the spatial node, making it even more stable.

"I'll stabilize the space. Father-in-law, please lead the way!" Jiang Yun maintained the spatial stability while looking at Zhukun.

"I knew it, you just wanted to slack off!" Zhukun waved his hand impatiently, speaking irritably.

"It's just more convenient this way!" Jiang Yun smiled gently.

"Hmph!" Zhukun's face darkened, a purple light flashed, and he transformed into a colossal dragon. Jiang Yun sat slowly atop the dragon's head, maintaining the spatial passage with a smile.

"Let's go!"

"Roar!"

With a dragon's roar, the massive dragon transformed into a streak of light, heading through the end of the spatial channel.

The Great Thousand World was vast and boundless. Outside its periphery, in cosmic spaces where spiritual energy couldn't reach, innumerable lower worlds formed their own domains.

The Dou Qi Continent was one such ancient land. Its existence dated back further than many lower planes and smaller continents within the Great Thousand World.

Traveling through the void, storms and undercurrents were mercilessly shredded by Zhukun's formidable body. Wherever the colossal dragon passed, spatial storms and dark currents vanished.

In the void, time seemed ambiguous.

However, the two could discern that their return to the Dou Qi Continent, compared to their journey to the Great Thousand World, took less than half the time.

Staring at the vast spheroid emitting a hazy glow in front of them, feeling the tenuous connection, Zhukun nearly couldn't contain his excitement, almost roaring out.

But reason held him back. He was no longer just a Dou Di but a true supreme being. With his power, he could sink a continent.

Although the Dou Qi Continent wouldn't suffer as much damage as other continents, it would still be affected.

"In hindsight, the Dou Qi Continent seems somewhat extraordinary," calming down, Zhukun observed the Dou Qi Continent, a look of surprise in his eyes.

By now, he was no longer ignorant of this world. As the Supreme Elder of the True Dragon Clan, he had access to countless lower plane records.

According to clan records, few planes matched the level of the Dou Qi Continent.

"The Dou Qi Continent was once a sacred battlefield in ancient times. Although the plane's origin fell into slumber, isolating it from cosmic energy and lowering its cultivation environment, its profound foundations remain!" Jiang Yun, standing on Zhukun's dragon head with his hands behind his back, said with a smile.

The Dou Qi Continent, during ancient times, had served as a sacred battlefield. If it weren't sturdy enough, the sacred battles would've torn it apart.

Back then, when experts of the Great Thousand World fell to seal the lingering evil on the Dou Qi Continent, the plane's spirit fell asleep, cutting off cosmic energy.

This isolation led to a decline in power among the continent's experts. The number of Dou Dis dwindled due to the one-way flow of origin energy, eventually leading to no Dou Dis appearing for millennia. Even Dou Sheng-level experts and Jindan alchemists grew exceedingly rare.

Fortunately, a few years ago, Jiang Yun broke through to Dou Di, opening the planar passage and reintroducing cosmic energy. The Dou Qi Continent has been gradually restoring its former glory. Spiritual plants now flourished across the land, and the cultivation levels of warriors continued to rise.

He wondered if, after all these years, Ziyan and Medusa had managed to break through to Dou Di.

Lost in thought, Jiang Yun sensed a faintly familiar welcoming sensation from the plane's origin upon his return.

"Father-in-law, the power of the Supreme is too strong. We need to restrain ourselves; otherwise, the plane's spirit may not allow us to enter," Jiang Yun suggested to Zhukun with a laugh after soothing the plane's spirit.

"Understood," Zhukun nodded. He was cautious about his homeland because it was the ancestral ground of the Taixu Ancient Dragon clan.

Once they restrained their auras, the plane's spirit no longer felt threatened and happily welcomed them back to the Dou Qi Continent.

On a Floating Dragon Island.

Without a sound, Jiang Yun and Zhukun looked down at the Dragon Island below, excitement flashing in their eyes.

"It seems Zhumi and the others haven't been slacking. The Dragon Island's current strength surpasses its peak by threefold!" Though Zhukun maintained a calm facade, his trembling body betrayed his inner excitement.

"While Father-in-law worked hard in the Great Thousand World for the future of the ancient dragon clan, Senior Zhumi and others didn't sit idle," Jiang Yun laughed, pretending not to notice Zhukun's pride.

"Indeed." Zhukun nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Jiang Yun who remained calm and asked, "Now that we're home, don't hold back. Don't you miss Ziyan?"

"Of course I do!" At this, Jiang Yun's eyes softened. Looking in Dragon Island's direction, an unprecedented gentle smile emerged. "But it's not enough."

"Jiang Yun!!!"

From the void came an excited and familiar shout. In a flash, a purple light pierced through the void, colliding forcefully with Jiang Yun.

"Boom!"

With immense force, Jiang Yun was knocked a thousand feet away, turning into a streak of light in the void.

Seeing this, Zhukun felt a bit envious. Ziyan had never treated him like that. Shaking his head, he refrained from being a third wheel in their reunion.

In the distance, Ziyan looked at Jiang Yun excitedly, rubbing her head against his chest as if trying to leave her scent on him. Her delicate arms clinging tightly to his waist, unwilling to let go.

Jiang Yun, feeling emotional, gently wrapped his arms around her waist, looking warmly at the girl in his arms. He was certain neither he nor Zhukun had released any aura, yet Ziyan had accurately sensed his return.

Their tacit understanding needed no words!

"Jiang Yun, I missed you so much!" After a long while, Ziyan looked up at Jiang Yun, murmuring.

"I missed you too!" Burying his head in her neck, inhaling her familiar fragrance, Jiang Yun's voice was softer than ever.

After a long time, Jiang Yun looked up to see the distant Xiao Yixian dressed in black, smiling at him. After seven years, she had become even gentler, exuding a calm and soothing aura that was addictive.

"I'm back!" Holding Ziyan, Jiang Yun extended an arm towards Xiao Yixian.

Understanding his gesture, she gracefully fell into his embrace, her ethereal voice ringing, "Welcome home!"

After some time of reunion, Jiang Yun and Zhukun formally returned to Dragon Island.

From their conversation, Jiang Yun learned that Medusa and Qing Lin were in secluded cultivation in the Nine Nether Yellow Spring, where the environment better suited their training.

Jiang Yun also learned about the women's current cultivation levels.

Ziyan and Medusa both had reached the pinnacle of Nine Star Dou Sheng and possessed Imperial-level souls.

Qing Lin, in the mid-stage of Nine Star Dou Sheng, also had an Imperial-level soul.

Surprisingly, the most powerful was Xiao Yixian, who had reached the half-emperor state, touching the barrier to becoming a Dou Di. Had Jiang Yun returned any later, she might have already broken through to Dou Di.

This strength was both unexpected and reasonable, as Xiao Yixian had gained the recognition of the Bodhi Ancient Tree, making her path to becoming a Dou Di smooth.

In the following days, Jiang Yun went to the Nine Nether Yellow Spring to bring back Medusa and Qing Lin. After reuniting with everyone, there was a period of intimacy, where even Jiang Yun, despite his near-perfect martial prowess, was almost overwhelmed by the four.

Twelve weeks later!

On Dragon Island, four vast auras erupted, gathering boundless energy from the heavens and earth into four colossal tornadoes.

The energy boiled in the heavens and earth.

The terrifying auras spread across the central region and even the entire continent, causing numerous strong warriors to emerge from their cultivation places.

Sensing the aura for a moment, many sighed with emotion, "Ah, worthy of being a legacy that produced two Dou Dis. Now four more have emerged. When will it be our turn?"

"Those on Dragon Island have broken through to Dou Di."

"They were always the most promising ones. Now their breakthrough makes sense, but why am I so envious?"

".

"Let's go celebrate the birth of a new emperor. Maybe we'll have some insights!"

"Let's go, let's go!"

From all corners of the continent, strong warriors began arriving in succession, eager to witness the birth of new emperors.

Meanwhile, on Dragon Island, numerous experts from the ancient dragon clan and the beast clan gathered around Jiang Yun and Zhukun, watching the four tornadoes.

The four energy storms were naturally caused by Ziyan, Medusa, Xiao Yixian, and Qing Lin. With their innate talent, at the Nine Star Dou Sheng level, Jiang Yun naturally spared no expense in resources to aid their breakthrough to Dou Di.

As time went on, the four grew closer to the Dou Di level, just a step away. At this time, new visions appeared in the sky.

A vast amethyst dragon, a colossal nine-colored swallow python, a nine-headed giant serpent, and a towering emerald ancient tree appeared in the four corners of the world.

Their emergence brought earth-shaking roars, exuding ancient and wild auras.

These three were ancient fierce beasts possessing some of the oldest bloodlines on the Dou Qi Continent, while the Bodhi Ancient Tree's potential was self-evident.

Roars shook the heavens, energy waves surged in all directions, and their auras began surpassing the half-emperor limit, approaching a transcendent level.

Once they condensed the origin of the emperor, they would reach another realm—Dou Di!