CHAPTER 381: CHAPTER 0378: I HAVE A SENSE OF CRISIS

"Second Brother, look at that kid sneaking glances at us. Do you think he’s the one who harmed our elder brother?"

Fire Daoist noticed Xiang Fei’s gaze and sent a message to Daoist Yun.

As Golden Immortals, even the slightest involuntary glance couldn’t escape their keen eyes.

Daoist Yun squinted his eyes, "The aura of the token is right there. It seems that man is the one who slew our elder brother. For now, let’s not startle them. We’ll wait for the right opportunity."

Fire Daoist asked doubtfully, "But what should we do about the kid nearby?"

"Utterly unremarkable, nothing special about him. It’s likely that guy knows we’re coming for him, so he’s blending into the crowd to throw us off. But he’s really underestimated our ability to judge character." Daoist Yun sneered coldly.

At this moment, Xiang Fei was speaking with Lin Fan about certain matters.

"Brother Lin, you must be cautious. I can sense they’ve been eyeing this area, and they’ve probably figured out that you’re the one who killed Wood Daoist. You mustn’t act alone, or you’ll find yourself in trouble if entangled with those two."

Xiang Fei warned Lin Fan, feeling pity for him. Having ascended from the Lower Realm, Lin Fan hadn’t even secured a foothold yet, and now he was being targeted by the infamous Three Immortals of Jiao Yun Island. How tragic.

But if Xiang Fei knew they were actually targeting him instead, he’d probably cough up a mouthful of blood out of sheer frustration.

After all, Xiang Fei was indeed exceptional and naturally attracted attention.

But groundless accusations? That’s crossing the line.

I’m innocent, damn it.

Lin Fan said calmly, "I know what I’m doing. To them, living peacefully is their greatest fortune. If they seek death, not even heaven will stop them."

"We’re acquaintances, right? Can we please keep things cordial instead of this tension? Don’t you agree?" Xiang Fei sighed inwardly, unable to accept Lin Fan’s demeanor. Sure, he had just ascended, but it was clear he hadn’t encountered the truly formidable figures of this world.

One day, once he sees them, he’ll understand just how dangerous the Immortal Realm really is.

At that moment.

In the distant sky, numerous figures appeared.

"Quite a few notable figures have arrived. It seems we won’t be able to secure the Dragon Essence this time." Xiang Fei gazed at them and immediately recognized many individuals, all renowned, with formidable cultivation.

Suddenly.

The heavens trembled slightly.

The Void split open, and a golden celestial pathway stretched out. Several figures appeared, carrying a palanquin. Seated upon it was an unruly young man.

His expression was indifferent as he casually ate what appeared to be extraordinary Immortal Fruit, its aroma wafting across great distances.

The young man said, "The Dragon Nest is already mine. The Dragon Essence will belong to me. Those irrelevant, scram now! Stop jumping around in front of me."

As he spoke, his tone exuded sheer arrogance, with no regard for those around him.

"Who is this guy? His cultivation isn’t even that impressive, yet he’s ridiculously arrogant. Normally, someone like this would get beaten up immediately," Lin Fan muttered.

In his entire life, he’d never encountered anyone so brazen.

Today, his worldview expanded.

So this is how truly arrogant people speak—overbearing, oblivious to their surroundings, and utterly dismissive of their own limits. Anyone with even a sliver of a temper would’ve attacked him by now.

The first instinct would be to crush such a person.

Xiang Fei warned solemnly, "Brother Lin, don’t act rashly. This man belongs to the Immortal Venerable Family of the Northern Desolation domain. Even though his cultivation isn’t high, no one dares provoke him. It’s best to avoid crossing paths with these types; otherwise, it’ll bring endless pursuit and trouble."

Lin Fan pondered for a moment. Various thoughts surfaced but were quickly dismissed.

A member of the Immortal Venerable Family? That implies powerful backers—a real headache. Facing the relentless pursuit of strong opponents is anything but enjoyable, though on the bright side, it could mean endless heads rolling his way.

That said.

Greater risk means greater reward.

Tough call.

Best to observe quietly for now, there’s no rush.

"Who is he?" Lin Fan asked.

Xiang Fei replied, "Qin Yang, an idiot inflated by his noble status."

With the appearance of someone from an Immortal Venerable Family, even the other mighty figures scattered throughout the scene avoided confronting him. Not a single harsh word was uttered.

Though plenty of them possessed the strength to eliminate Qin Yang.

The consequences, however, were beyond their ability to bear.

Soon enough.

Qin Yang led his entourage toward the Dragon Nest.

"Let’s go. We’ll enter the Dragon Nest too, but first, let’s shake off those two nuisances." Xiang Fei suggested.

His intentions were purely for Lin Fan’s benefit.

No matter how powerful he was, keeping a low profile was essential. The Three Immortals of Jiao Yun Island weren’t to be trifled with. When they pursued vengeance, they were thorough and relentless. Facing one alone might be manageable, but two together? That’s trouble.

"Second Brother, that kid entered the Dragon Nest," Fire Daoist reported.

Daoist Yun remained composed. "No rush. They don’t know how we’ve been tracking them. As long as they don’t discard the token, escape is impossible. Now that someone from the Immortal Venerable Family is here, we don’t need to risk entering the Dragon Nest. We’ll wait for them to come out."

Fire Daoist gave him a thumbs-up. "Second Brother, brilliant plan. Truly excellent."

Daoist Yun stroked his beard and laughed smugly, waving modestly as though feigning humility.

The Dragon Nest was desolate, its bare rocky walls emanating a frightening oppressive aura. As they ventured deeper, an unsettling feeling enveloped them. Yet this had little effect on Lin Fan.

He possessed an Immortal-grade Innate Divine Ability to anchor him against these pressures, rendering any intimidation futile.

"Brother Lin, stay vigilant. Although there are no dragons here anymore, this place is dangerous. It’s said that dragons could be extremely cunning; they feared intruders in their lairs, so they left traps with calculated malice. Designed to ensnare and harm," Xiang Fei cautioned.

Lin Fan said, "Honestly, the Dragon Nest doesn’t seem all that interesting. Why don’t we head outside instead and take on the Three Immortals of Jiao Yun Island? That sounds far more exciting than wandering aimlessly here."

To him, the Dragon Nest was utterly uninspiring.

Ever since encountering those two outside, he already had some ideas.

But Xiang Fei clearly didn’t share the same inclinations, leaving Lin Fan somewhat disappointed.

At that moment, Xiang Fei turned serious and said, "Brother Lin, do me a favor. The reason I came to the Dragon Nest was to find some Dragon Saliva; I happen to need it recently."

Lin Fan could only respond with one option.

Fine, he’d help.

They began surveying their surroundings. The passageways were enormous, leading to hidden chambers. There were countless openings burrowed into the mountain, resembling dense, labyrinthine tunnels.

Xiang Fei, idly passing the time, began muttering, "Long ago, the Dragon Nest housed numerous True Dragons, rulers of heaven and earth. But something happened, and overnight, every dragon vanished, leaving behind an empty lair."

"Since then, every few centuries, people have come to the Dragon Nest searching for treasures."

"There was even an ancient strongman from the Immortal World Heavenly Court who, as a youth, ventured into the Dragon Nest, obtained the True Dragon Pond, and rose to become a supreme overlord. If I could have such luck, wouldn’t that be fantastic?"

Xiang Fei’s attitude resembled that of a treasure hunter, filled with anticipation for the unknown.

"Don’t waste your time. Daydreaming does no one any favors," Lin Fan said.

Someone as blessed with luck as Lin Fan had yet to come across such rare treasures, let alone others.

Suddenly, the sound of a dragon’s roar echoed through the air.

"Did you hear anything unusual?" Lin Fan asked. If his ears weren’t deceiving him, that sounded suspiciously like a dragon’s roar.

Xiang Fei nodded. "It sounded like a dragon’s roar, but that’s impossible. There aren’t any dragons here anymore. Surely, it’s just an auditory illusion caused by the wind."

Lin Fan shook his head, feeling a growing unease—an inexplicable sensation of impending danger.

"No, something’s wrong. My nerves are unsettled. I sense something big is about to happen. We should leave immediately."

As he said this.

He started retreating, choosing not to press forward. He trusted his instincts implicitly.

Xiang Fei was startled. "Your reaction’s a little extreme, don’t you think? There doesn’t seem to be anything amiss."

Standing far back, Lin Fan continued shaking his head. "I’m not going any further. My sense of crisis is sharp—when I feel anxious, it means danger is near. There’s nothing here worth finding, and I refuse to take unnecessary risks. Are you coming out with me, or are you going in alone? Because if you insist on going in, I won’t accompany you. Perhaps this sense of danger targets me directly."

Xiang Fei was visibly shaken by Lin Fan’s words. He stood rooted in thought, hesitant. Initially, the notion of danger hadn’t crossed his mind; after all, they were only at the outer perimeter of the Dragon Nest, far from its depths.

But Lin Fan’s jittery behavior struck him as overly cautious.

If it were anyone else, Xiang Fei might’ve scoffed, calling them a braggart with the courage of a mouse.

Yet, Lin Fan gave off an inexplicably intriguing vibe—unlike anyone Xiang Fei had ever met.

What Xiang Fei didn’t realize was how Lin Fan’s unease stemmed from remembering past experiences: groups of adventurers heading into danger, only for one among them to say, "I sense danger, let’s leave." Yet someone inevitably retorted, "What’s there to fear? Let’s take a look; it won’t hurt." The result? A complete massacre. If anyone survived, it was usually just one, and they were either mentally broken or physically crippled.

The moment he heard the dragon’s roar, Lin Fan felt the growing peril—his intuition throwing his mind into chaos.

So Lin Fan decisively cut off all plans of moving forward.

"Sigh, since your heart is gripped with fear, I won’t abandon you. I’ll head out with you." Xiang Fei justified his change of plan seamlessly.

Truthfully, Lin Fan’s demeanor had unnerved Xiang Fei to the core.

The thought of Dragon Saliva faded completely. It all depended on who spoke; if an ordinary person had said the same, Xiang Fei might’ve dismissed them entirely, even if it meant walking straight into danger.

Deep within the Dragon Nest.

Qin Yang led his servile entourage onward, his presence so intimidating that no one dared step forward or challenge him.

Suddenly.

His gaze froze, locking onto an extraordinary sight: a wondrous tree stood majestically before him. Although no taller than a man, its branches glittered with a kaleidoscope of colors, while dragon energy coiled around its form.

"This...This is a True Dragon Tree."

Qin Yang’s breathing quickened abruptly. He recalled ancient records stating the True Dragon Tree was a treasure beyond compare—a rarity among rarities; for one to appear even once in thousands of millennia was extraordinary.

"Go! Retrieve that True Dragon Tree at once." Qin Yang commanded, his eyes alight with fervent desire. Such an item was a supreme treasure, the kind that would make even Immortal Venerables halt in their tracks.

But there was another legend associated with it.

The True Dragon Tree could potentially manifest True Dragons—and not ordinary ones at that.