The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

The nine-colored spirit deer seemed to understand his words, nuzzled his hand again, then took a few steps back and stood quietly to the side.

Jiang Chuan took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate his breathing and cultivate the Pure Yang True Scripture.

As his inner energy circulated, his strength gradually recovered, and the pain in his body lessened considerably.

After regaining some strength, Jiang Chuan stood up and carefully observed his surroundings.

He discovered that the cave seemed to have a path extending outwards, and curiosity drove him to decide to explore it.

He sealed the nine-colored spirit deer back into the bladeless sword, and then carefully proceeded along the crack.

The crevice was so narrow that only one person could pass at a time, so Jiang Chuan had to move sideways.

Along the way, he carefully avoided the sharp rocks, afraid of getting hurt again.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a huge empty space suddenly appeared at the end of the crack, as if a mountain had been hollowed out from the inside.

Jiang Chuan stared in astonishment at the scene before him, his heart filled with shock.

There was no sunlight here; it was dimly lit, with only strange fluorescent stones shimmering on the walls, emitting a faint glow.

A clear stream flows past one side of the cave, and some white fish swim in the water. Upon closer inspection, these fish are actually blind fish.

"Where... exactly is this place?" Jiang Chuan muttered to himself. He searched the area around the open space for an exit, but after looking around, he found nothing.

Jiang Chuan realized that he might be trapped here, and the only way out was to return the way he came, but that would mean he would have to face the Xuan Snake, which might still be alive, again.

Thinking of the terrifying strength of the Xuan Snake, Jiang Chuan felt a chill run down his spine.

Just when he was feeling desperate, Jiang Chuan suddenly discovered that the spiritual energy in this space was unusually rich.

He activated his "Qi Yun Shan He" (a technique that allows one to move mountains and rivers) and used his mental eye to observe this space. When he saw the scene before him clearly, he was so shocked that he couldn't speak.

"This...this is actually the legendary dragon's lair!" Jiang Chuan's voice was filled with surprise and excitement.

He had seen records of dragon lairs in ancient books. Legend has it that dragon lairs contain endless spiritual energy and treasures, and are a sacred place for cultivation that countless cultivators dream of.

Jiang Chuan was both excited and nervous. He knew that his unexpected discovery might bring great opportunities, but it might also hide greater dangers.

What secrets are hidden in the dragon's lair? Jiang Chuan took a deep breath, gripped the bladeless sword in his hand, and slowly walked forward.

He followed the stream and discovered a huge cave at its source, from which a strong spiritual energy emanated.

Jiang Chuan's heart skipped a beat. He guessed that the core area of ​​the dragon's lair might be in this cave.

As he approached the cave, a powerful pressure swept over him, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Jiang Chuan gritted his teeth, struggling against the oppressive force, and walked step by step deeper into the cave.

The cave was filled with thick fog, which greatly obstructed visibility.

Jiang Chuan proceeded cautiously, when suddenly he heard a low roar, as if some giant beast was sleeping.

Jiang Chuan was startled. He stopped and cautiously observed his surroundings.

A gigantic figure could be vaguely seen emerging from the mist, its form winding and swirling, radiating a powerful aura.

"Could this be... the legendary dragon?" Jiang Chuan was filled with shock and fear.

He dared not make any rash moves and could only wait quietly to see what the figure would do.

Just then, inside the Chamber of Commerce in Heyang City, Yu Youwei was sitting in her study, carefully studying a map.

The map marked the military deployments and spheres of influence in various parts of the Southern Region. Her eyes gleamed with shrewdness, as if she were plotting a much larger game.

Meanwhile, at Hulao Pass, Mu Suifeng and Ye Xuan were nervously preparing their plan to assassinate Wang Lang.

They knew that this mission was of utmost importance; failure would plunge Hulao Pass and even the entire Southern Region into crisis.

Jiang Chuan stood in the dragon's lair, stunned by the sight before him.

Eighty-one great dragon veins converge here, each radiating a powerful spiritual energy that makes one's heart tremble; the overwhelming aura almost suffocates him.

The richness of the spiritual energy far exceeded his imagination. Even the highest praise for dragon veins in the Taoist sect paled in comparison to this extraordinary sight.

"This...is this the power of the Dragon's Lair?" Jiang Chuan murmured to himself, his voice filled with shock and awe.

He knew that such powerful feng shui and fortune were enough to support the tomb of the royal family of an immortal dynasty in Zhongzhou, and he had just stumbled into such a mysterious place by chance.

At the center of the dragon's lair, in the direction of the Big Dipper, a giant dragon coils up.

Its body radiated a dark yellow light, which was the supreme soul energy left behind by the Dragon King after his death—the Dark Yellow Dragon Energy.

This spiritual energy contains boundless spiritual power, as if it were the purest source of power in the world.

Jiang Chuan's heart suddenly raced; he realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If he could absorb the dragon's spiritual power, he would have a chance to break through his current realm, cross the sea of ​​suffering, and step into the long-awaited other shore.

Without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Chuan circulated the pure Yang true energy within his body, attempting to establish a connection with the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi and introduce it into his body.

However, the moment his power touched the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi, a powerful backlash came, causing him to stagger backward.

"How could this be?" Jiang Chuan was shocked. He hadn't expected the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi to be so powerful. His own strength was like an ant trying to shake a tree, unable to budge it in the slightest.

Just as Jiang Chuan was feeling frustrated, a strange change suddenly occurred in the dragon's lair.

The once quiet, coiled dragon slowly awoke. It let out a deafening roar that echoed through its lair, causing the surrounding rocks to crumble.

Immediately afterwards, the spiritual energy of the eighty-one great dragon veins surged wildly, like a raging tide, rushing into the dragon's body.

Nourished by this powerful spiritual energy, the dragon grew stronger and stronger. It broke free from its original restraints and began to swim in the dragon's lair.

Wherever the dragon went, a powerful spiritual pressure swept across the entire Hidden Spirit Mountain.

Jiang Chuan felt an invisible pressure bearing down on him, making it almost impossible for him to stand. He gritted his teeth, trying to resist the pressure, but his heart was filled with fear.

Suddenly, the giant dragon swooped down towards Jiangchuan.

Jiang Chuan was unable to dodge in time and was struck by the dragon's powerful force, flying away like a kite with a broken string.

Under this impact, the snake eggs and snake essence fruit inside his chess pieces were forcibly squeezed out and fell to the ground.

However, the dragon did not let him go. It charged directly into Jiang Chuan's body, and a tremendous spiritual pressure surged into his body instantly.

Jiang Chuan felt as if his dantian and Niwan consciousness had been hit by a bomb and exploded instantly.

The pure yang energy overflowed uncontrollably from his body, destroying everything around him.

The Xuanhuang dragon energy surged into Jiang Chuan's sea of ​​consciousness, attempting to seize his soul and take over his body. Jiang Chuan was greatly alarmed, knowing that once possessed, he would vanish completely.

With his special physique and indomitable will, thanks to his innate Dao embryo, he engaged in a fierce battle with the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi in his sea of ​​consciousness.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, Jiang Chuan's soul core is a book, which is the seat of his Daoist heart, carrying his cultivation insights and beliefs.

The Xuanhuang dragon energy bared its fangs and claws as it lunged at the book, attempting to devour it.

However, the moment it touched the page, the page suddenly emitted a dazzling light, repelling the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi.

Not to be outdone, the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi launched another attack.

It kept pounding against the pages, trying to break through this defense.

Jiang Chuan, on the other hand, focused all his energy on his will, protecting his Dao heart.

In this fierce confrontation, Jiang Chuan felt as if his soul was being torn apart, and he was in unbearable pain.

But he did not give up, with only one belief in his heart: "I cannot be defeated, I must take control of my own destiny!"

Supported by this powerful belief, Jiang Chuan's will became increasingly firm, and his confrontation with the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi entered a white-hot stage.

As time went on, Jiang Chuan gradually felt overwhelmed.

The power of the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi was too great, and his resistance seemed to be getting weaker and weaker.

Just when he was almost in despair, he suddenly remembered his journey, the people who had helped him, and his dreams and aspirations.

"I can't just fall like this!" Jiang Chuan roared in his heart, and a powerful force erupted from the depths of his soul.

This power merged with his Dao heart, forming an unbreakable defensive line.

With this defensive line blocking the way, the attack of the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi was finally contained.

Its power gradually weakened, and it was eventually suppressed by the pages of the book.

Jiang Chuan fainted from extreme pain, his body slowly collapsing into darkness.

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Chuan slowly woke up.

He found himself standing at the edge of an endless sea of ​​qi, surrounded by a vast expanse of mist with no end in sight.

"Where is this?" Jiang Chuan was filled with doubt.

Just then, a desolate voice rang in his ears: "Where do you intend to go? How will you cross the sea?"

Jiang Chuan was slightly taken aback, then answered firmly, "I cross the Heavenly Dao with my sword, not the sea. There is no difference between this shore and the other shore; the key lies in the understanding within one's heart."

As he answered, a magnificent rainbow bridge slowly rose from the seabed, soaring into the clouds above the Three Passes, and finally resting above the Xuan Court.

Jiang Chuan's heart stirred. He felt a powerful force surging within his body—the power to break through to a higher realm.

He succeeded! He broke through the three barriers and reached the other shore.

He became one of the fastest cultivators in the Nine Provinces Jianghu, second only to those freaks who were born at the ninth level of the Bitter Sea.

Jiang Chuan slowly opened his eyes, his eyes gleaming with confidence.

He discovered that the pure Yang energy within his body had become incredibly abundant, like a bottomless lake. The Book of One Page in his sea of ​​consciousness had also successfully suppressed the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi, becoming a powerful ally.

"Is this the power of the Other Shore Realm?" Jiang Chuan murmured to himself, clenching his fists and feeling the surging power within his body.

Outside the dragon's lair, Hidden Spirit Mountain remained shrouded in powerful spiritual pressure. The nine-colored spirit deer paced anxiously at the cave entrance, sensing the danger to its master, but unable to enter the dragon's lair.

Jiang Chuan slowly opened his eyes, a confident light shining within them. He had successfully broken through the three barriers and reached the Other Shore Realm.

The pure yang energy within his body had become incredibly abundant, like a bottomless lake.

The page in his mind also successfully suppressed the Xuanhuang Dragon Qi, becoming a powerful ally.

"Is this the power of the Other Shore Realm?" Jiang Chuan murmured to himself, clenching his fists and feeling the surging power within his body.

Jiang Chuan stood up, preparing to leave the mysterious dragon's lair. At that moment, he noticed a small green snake beside him. The snake's scales shimmered with a faint green light, and its eyes were bright and lively.

Jiang Chuan looked at the small green snake that had suddenly appeared, his heart filled with doubt.

Just then, the little green snake suddenly spoke up, saying, "Master, you're the one who hatched me, so I'll follow you from now on."

Jiang Chuan looked at the little green snake in surprise, never expecting it to be able to talk.

The little green snake seemed to sense Jiang Chuan's confusion and explained, "I was originally a snake egg, which finally hatched under the nourishment of the spiritual energy in the dragon's lair. And you are my master."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chuan felt a strange sensation welling up inside him.

He looked at the little green snake, and the doubts in his heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of responsibility. He gently stroked the little green snake's head and said, "In that case, I will give you a name, Qinglin."

Qinglin wriggled its body happily, seemingly enjoying the name.

From then on, Qinglin stayed by Jiang Chuan's side. Jiang Chuan gradually accepted the existence of this little snake and regarded her as his "precious daughter".

The nine-colored deer showed great interest in Qinglin after seeing her and often played with her.

Jiang Chuan looked at the two little ones and felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

In order to leave the dragon's lair, Jiangchuan attempted to return to the hot spring valley via the underwater currents.

However, the current was unusually swift, and attempts to go upstream repeatedly failed. Jiang Chuan frowned, silently pondering a solution.

Suddenly, he had a brilliant idea. He used the chess pieces to store air and decided to drift with the undercurrent in search of a possible exit.

Jiang Chuan took a deep breath and stepped into the dark current. The force of the current was stronger than he had imagined, and his body was quickly swept away by the water.

During the drift, Jiang Chuan held the chess piece tightly, relying on the air inside the piece to maintain his breathing.

The long underwater drift made him increasingly anxious, but he never gave up.

Just as Jiang Chuan was feeling desperate, he suddenly saw a spot of light appear on the water's surface. He was overjoyed, realizing that he was about to reach the exit.

He quickly circulated his inner energy and rushed towards the direction of the light spot.

Finally, he broke the surface of the water and gasped for fresh air.

After Jiang Chuan surfaced, he found himself in a strange, icy world.

Surrounded by mountains and covered in snow, this place was a stark contrast to the hot spring valley where he had previously lived.

He realized he might have strayed far from Mount Cangling, and the threat of heavy snow blocking the mountain meant he had to find a way out as soon as possible. (End of Chapter)