These monsters were all skeletons and vengeful spirits. Some were grotesque creatures, and had the head of a horse or cow, but the body of a human. Some had the body of a baby, but the head of an owl. They looked like nightmares come to life, rather than conjurations of a spirit design. They ripped at his flesh!
He was completely undone by fear! This scene had many of the younger dragons screaming. They felt that the burning world inside was scary, but this black vortex of monsters below was even more terrifying!
Scary met scarier!
Who could hold out longer!
Many saw that it was now a battle of wills.
Wu Yu stood on top of the Jambu Sky Pillar, stomping the Shackled-God Rogue Dragon against the Door to 10,000 Levels of Hell.
But the Shackled-God Rogue Dragon's Mystique, Shackled Void, was eating away at him with black flames. Although he had the Saintly Dragon Golden Robe, but Wu Yu estimated that the Saintly Dragon Golden Robe inherited from the Yan Huang emperor would soon be wrecked in his hands!
Of course, he was not at all worried. Because he knew that the Shackled-God Rogue Dragon was going through misery many times worse than him!
He was as close to it as possible, and many creatures were biting and gnawing at his body and primordial spirit. He was in a wretched state, and would die below before long, and then dragged into the 10,000 Levels of Hell.
It was all too clear who should surrender first.
Wu Yu did not aggravate him further with words. As the mystical dragons fought amongst themselves, he clasped his hands behind his back and uttered nothing at all. He knew how stubborn the Shackled-God Rogue Dragon was. If he taunted him, he would definitely refuse to surrender, and die below.
He did not want to kill any mystical dragon. If he did, it would make it more difficult for him to be with Luo Pin.
Perhaps the entire mystical dragon tribe would oppose it.
Therefore, he waited quietly. This was the patience he had.
Everyone outside could see clearly that it was Shackled-God Rogue Dragon at the short end of the stick. He might die in battle. He was clearly suffering more below, while Wu Yu had the Saintly Dragon Golden Robe, and seemed unharmed for now.
"Alright! It's over! We surrender on behalf of the Shackled-God Rogue Dragon!"
The seven Esteemed Elders read the situation, and spoke up preemptively.
Speaking all together was also a show of their power.
Wu Yu had been waiting for this moment. He immediately stowed the Jambu Sky Pillar, and then leaped out of the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Minor Formation, appearing by Luo Pin's side. As he shrugged out of the Saintly Dragon Golden Robe and returned to human form, he was completely unharmed.
As the Jambu Sky Pillar was stowed, the Door to 10,000 Levels of Hell shut as well. Shackled-God Rogue Dragon was bleeding from a flurry of wounds. Some of them were disgustingly bad, courtesy of the monsters. He seemed out of it as well, taking ragged breaths. He too dispelled the Shackled Void Mystique. He tried to restore the battlefield to what it was, but some of the space that had already been burned would take some time to recover. Therefore, Luo Pin did not remove the spirit design, but instead sent the Shackled-God Rogue Dragon out of it.
In the future, this place would become forbidden ground in the Dragon Palace of the Four Seas. The spirit design would only be removed after the space healed. Otherwise, it would be dangerous if the little dragons went near the burned space.
Luckily, the space did not take up much space in Dragon Palace of the Four Seas.
But its existence would be a reminder of that fateful day in the Dragon Light Festival, where the Dragon Monarch was beaten by Emperor Yu of the humans.
The Shackled-God Rogue Dragon appeared from within. He looked at Wu Yu, and then again at Luo Pin, with a stony face. There was a hint of torment in his expression, but he said nothing, turning to leave. And he did not head for his residence, but instead outwards. He too was someone who could activate the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation, and it looked like he was leaving Dragon Palace of the Four Seas.
"What are you doing?" Luo Pin asked from behind.
"Going out to deal with my feelings. Don't worry. I'll be back in 10 days."
Luo Pin did not stop him. She said to Wu Yu: "When I was young, he took great care of him. Don't hate him too much. Once he sorts out his thinking, he'll be back."
Shackled-God Rogue Dragon left quickly.
The seven Esteemed Elders looked at each other.
"Emperor Yu is powerful indeed. Respect."
"However, Emperor Yu should leave after the Dragon Light Festival. Our Dragon Lord must face the Great Trial of the Immortal Dao, and you will affect her if you stay."
These words were powerful pressure on Wu Yu. They turned to leave.
They had wanted to teach Wu Yu a lesson, but it had failed.
So the stone they had tried to cast had landed on their own foot. They had thrown Luo Pin into the arms of Wu Yu.
After they left, the little dragons were still a little shell-shocked, looking at Wu Yu and Luo Pin.
Dragon Light Festival had not yet ended, but the good cheer had faded away. The battle had not made things lively. Instead, a frosty atmosphere had descended. Everyone had a newfound respect for both sides, and especially Wu Yu. They had finally seen what he was capable of.
"It's getting late. Rest early, don't be too late playing." Luo Pin admonished them, then took Wu Yu by the hand elsewhere.
Going to Dragon Lord Palace again? Together?"
"It's the direction of Dragon Lord Palace! They're holding hands! So sweet!"
"What will they do?" Blood Thorn asked.
"Shush! Stop thinking dirty!" Little Peach said, reddening.
"Forget it. Let's go play. Adults are complicated. Screw them, we'll have our own fun!"
"Alright! Hehe!"
"But that human Emperor Yu is really powerful. Truly the son of an immortal. Luckily the other humans are not as strong. We immortal beasts have the most precious bloodline!"
"Now that you mention it, I want to go out and see. Dragon Palace of the Four Seas is too small. If only we were allowed out to see."
"But Grandfather says that our tribe is too small. If we meet danger and die, it's a great loss. Our mission is to foster more future generations? What kind of purpose is that! Lame!"
They argued until daybreak.
Back at Dragon Lord Palace, Wu Yu leaned against her in the moonlight.
"Before, at the divine continent, I felt that you might have gotten a special legacy, and would improve greatly. To think that one day you would be roughly my match. And how fast this day has come. I might not even be your match now." Luo Pin said distractedly, looking up to the sky.
Wu Yu smiled. "It's no matter. Now, we will improve together."
"Are you leaving?" Luo Pin lay against his chest, looking at him.
Wu Yu gritted his teeth. "I have to."
"Is it the pressure from them that you might disturb me?"
"Not completely. I have to leave eventually. Although I wish to stay longer, but now is not the time for us to idle our days away. This time, I came to see you. To be able to be together with you like this, I'm already content. Next, we...... should fight for our own dreams." Wu Yu patted her on the shoulder with a gentle smile.
"Why must you speak so formally? You and I both know it, but I still don't want to see you go." There was a hungry love in Luo Pin's eyes.
Wu Yu pursed his lips and held her. They spoke no more. Both understood.
"Forget it. I had better not cling too tightly to you. Otherwise, you won't treasure me. Leave quickly, then you'll think of me more." Luo Pin suddenly said a little petulantly.
"Where did you learn those tricks?" Wu Yu couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't think about it. You rascal. If I gave you a few colors, you would start a dyeing farm. Go on then."
"I want to stay a while more."
"No way."
Wu Yu stared at her.
"I've thought it through. The next time we meet is in the sky palaces. At that time, even if 10,000 immortals object, I will marry no one but you." Her tone was serious.
"Alright then, until the sky palace."
Wu Yu stood up.
Luo Pin had thought to have him stay another day. Wu Yu had decided to leave at daybreak. And now she had changed her mind, and send Wu Yu away immediately.
This way, she would be a little more decisive. After all, it was always the hesitating people that would have more lingering feelings.
But all of this was useless. Her longing would not lessen because of any thing she did.
Of course, Wu Yu was willing to reduce her sorrow. Therefore, he showed his unwillingness, but still left at her request, step after step until he neared the Nine Dragons of Heaven and Earth: Against Immortals Formation. He turned back 10 times. Each time, he saw her face, smiling but unblinking.
"Go on." Luo Pin waved him away.
The reluctance of parting was like a chestful of vinegar. A sour feeling. Even a man would feel bad when he left for such a far away place.
They had only been together for such a brief time.
The final time he turned back, he committed her image into his mind. Under the moonlight, she stood on the high dais, her skirts and silver hair floating in the breeze, like a goddess of the night.
"A part of my soul leaves, only to be reunited in my dreams. Besides the moon in the sky, no one knows."
Wu Yu turned back as he heard her words.
[TN: This is a poem by a Tang dynasty poet called Wei Zhuang.]
The final smile was seared into his heart. The spirit design beside Wu Yu was already open. He gritted his teeth and willed his breathing to steadiness. And then he plunged into the spirit design, heading outwards. When he turned back again, the vortex in the spirit design was already shrinking. He could only see her face through it, but it grew smaller and smaller, until it finally vanished, and Wu Yu could see her no more.
He was rooted in place outside of the Dragon Palace of the Four Seas for a long, long time.
"Young man, get a move on! Otherwise the babe's going to be gone! You'll be worthless trash who can't protect your own life! Forever! Who wants to be with a guy like that?!"
Ming Long did what she did best - ruin the mood.
"Damn you."
Cursing her made him feel much better. He would remember Dragon Palace of the Four Seas.
"I hope that we meet the next time in the sky palaces."
Wu Yu took a deep breath, and then left.
The mortal realm and the immortal dao realm. Two separate worlds, but the sorrow of parting was the same.
I listen to cicadas singing dolefully in the cold night. The sudden rain has just come to a halt.
She toasts my farewell at the gates. My longing holds me fast, but the magnolia boat bids me go.
We hold hands, our eyes hold tears. No words are spoken, but on our emotions we choke.
A thousand li of misty waters lie before me. The evening clouds hang leaden over the Chu kingdom.
Those in love fear the shearing sorrow of parting, especially in the desolate autumn.
Where will I wake after my drunkenness tonight? A willowy riverbank. In a breeze under the waning moon.
I go this time for years, where good days and beautiful views have no place.
A thousand passions accumulate, but who should I speak them to?
[TN: A poem by Song dynasty poet, Liu Yong.]