Chapter 145: The Dragon Vein of Zhongnan

"My time is running out. There are some things I wish to entrust to you, and I hope you can grant me this final request."

The Crimson-Blooded Golden-Eyed Ape’s voice was incredibly weak. Upon hearing this, Lin Qiu nodded and replied, "Senior, please, speak your mind."

"You have likely had contact with people from the Primordial Realm, and you should have some understanding of the Dragon Veins. Because of the changes currently unfolding on Earth, the people of the Primordial Realm intend to consume these veins to bolster their own power."

The ape spoke slowly and deliberately. Though he was of the demon race, he bore the heavy responsibility of guarding the Zhongnan Dragon Vein. The reason he was injured was precisely because he had clashed with those from the Primordial Realm.

Although they were currently bound by certain restrictions that prevented their true forms from appearing in the physical world, Lin Qiu had encountered such matters before and knew they possessed secret arts that could briefly bypass these limits.

The Dragon Veins were undoubtedly vital to the Dragon Nation, as they were linked to the nation's overall strength. Should these veins be consumed, the country would fall into a state of prolonged weakness. Translated into human terms, this meant a sharp decline in the number of cultivators—in essence, the Primordial Realm intended to sacrifice the Dragon Nation to fuel their own rise.

"I intend to pass my entire cultivation to you. I see no traces of fate upon you, which proves you are a unique existence, beyond the three realms and five elements. I hope that after I am gone, you will guard the Zhongnan Dragon Vein well."

The ape’s voice grew rapid, his face turning deathly pale, before he signaled for Lin Qiu to sit before him. Lin Qiu, still struggling to process the information, obeyed and sat down.

Suddenly, a massive surge of power erupted within the cave and poured into Lin Qiu’s body. In that instant, he felt an incredibly violent force rushing into him, battering his meridians and acupoints.

The power of the demon race was among the purest in heaven and earth, yet it was also overflowing with raw, untamed fury, catching Lin Qiu off guard. Had it not been for the ape controlling the flow of energy from behind him, the sheer intensity of the surge would have shattered his meridians.

While the transmission of power unfolded in the cave, the ocean depths were equally restless.

In the Mermaid Ancient City, the lords of the twenty-eight ancient cities had gathered.

"I believe you all understand why I have summoned you here?"

Once all the lords had arrived, Bi Cang did not waste time with pleasantries and went straight to the point. The lords exchanged glances, their expressions grave. It was evident that the attitude and strength Lin Qiu had displayed previously had filled them with a profound sense of crisis. Otherwise, they would not have rushed to the Mermaid Ancient City the moment they received Bi Cang’s summons.

"If we do not unite now, we will only be picked off by Lin Qiu one by one. Surely, none of you wish to see that happen?"

After saying this, Bi Cang continued, "Therefore, I propose that our ancient cities unite. We shall use our cultivation to shift the cities together, positioning them outside the site where the Royal Clan is sealed."

The other lords did not hesitate, immediately acting upon Bi Cang’s proposal. The ocean began to churn with movement once more. Soon, the twenty-eight ancient cities announced their alliance, forming an organization named the Resistance Alliance. Simultaneously, they declared their protection over any aquatic tribes in the ocean to counter the Other Shore King City.

The location where these twenty-eight cities converged was not far from the seal of the Black Tortoise Clan, revealing their ulterior motive: to help the Royal Clan break free from their confinement. They knew full well that the twenty-eight cities alone were no match for Lin Qiu; they needed to release the Royal Clan to truly stand on equal footing with him.

Chancellor Gui, presiding over the Other Shore King City, learned of the alliance and his expression turned grim. He understood that these twenty-eight cities combined represented a significant force, and their intent to release the Royal Clan was entirely unacceptable. He immediately attempted to contact Lin Qiu, but Lin Qiu was still in the cave, lost in the process of inheriting the ape's cultivation, and remained unresponsive.

With no other choice, Chancellor Gui headed toward the twenty-eight cities himself.

As the supreme authority of the Other Shore King City, he had to show his face to intimidate these cities and prevent the aquatic tribes from defecting to their side. Even if the Other Shore King City was powerful, the loss of new aquatic life-force would be a grave blow. However, Chancellor Gui had not anticipated that Bi Cang and the others had foreseen his arrival, having already laid a formation using the twenty-eight cities as a trap.

Meanwhile, in the cave, system notifications rang incessantly in Lin Qiu’s mind. As the vast energy poured into him, his cultivation surged.

Lin Qiu subconsciously compressed the energy, wary of becoming unstable due to such rapid growth, especially since he had only reached the fifth stage recently. As the saying goes, a tall building must be built on a solid foundation; chasing progress at the cost of stability would be a foolish trade. After all, this energy was not gained through the system's absorption, but through direct inheritance.

Once he had fully assimilated the power, his cultivation reached the peak of the fifth stage. Only a realization was missing to bridge the gap to the sixth stage. As long as his insight caught up, he could ascend at any moment.

The Crimson-Blooded Golden-Eyed Ape’s body began to fade into nothingness. Before departing, he spoke one final time: "Remember what you promised me—the matter of the Zhongnan Dragon Vein! The formation not far from here will transport you directly to Mount Zhongnan. The Dragon Vein is in your hands now."