A passing traveler through the heavens

Ji Lin, accompanied by his celestial hound, pursued the dragon relentlessly until they arrived outside a mysterious cave.

An eerie atmosphere permeated the cave, and the entrance was shrouded in a faint, ethereal light, like a layer of illusory gauze that rippled slightly.

Just as Ji Lin was about to step in, he felt an invisible barrier blocking his way.

Although the barrier was invisible, it possessed a powerful repulsive force, like a thick wall of air that kept him out.

Ji Lin frowned slightly, a sense of doubt rising in his heart. He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and punched it several times. He felt that the barrier was exceptionally hard, as if his fist was hitting a thick steel plate.

The moment the fist made contact with the barrier, the shock made the arm go numb, and a recoil force spread upwards along the arm, even causing the shoulder to tremble slightly.

Ji Lin took a few steps back, and his aura suddenly changed. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and circulated his cultivation technique. Instantly, the five elements of energy in the world seemed to be summoned and converged on his fist.

When the energy reached its peak, Ji Lin suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them, and with a loud shout, unleashed a punch.

With a crisp cracking sound, the barrier shattered, creating ripples of energy that spread outwards in concentric circles, like waves on the surface of water.

Ji Lin, holding the celestial dog's hand, carefully entered the cave.

Upon entering, a damp and rotten smell assaults the senses, as if a thousand moldy cotton fibers are crawling into the nostrils, making one want to vomit.

The ground beneath our feet was uneven, covered with sharp pebbles and sticky moss, and we could easily slip and fall if we weren't careful.

The surrounding walls were rough and cold, with water droplets falling from time to time, making a crisp sound in the silence, each sound like a heavy hammer blow to the heart.

Ji Lin crouched low, his steps light and cautious, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily, not missing a single corner.

Suddenly, the Celestial Dog began barking wildly, its fur standing on end, its whole body tense, as if facing a formidable enemy.

At the same time, a sharp whooshing sound came from the darkness. Ji Lin reacted quickly, dodging to the side, and the attack grazed the hem of his clothes.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Celestial Hound broke free from Ji Lin's grasp and pounced on the enemy like a black lightning bolt, biting the other person in one bite. Ji Lin followed closely behind, kicking the person away with a flying kick.

A flame ignited in Ji Lin's hand, instantly illuminating the entire cave.

In the flickering firelight, besides them, only one man lay on the ground in the cave, clutching his chest, looking disheveled.

The man wore a magnificent crown and exquisite clothing.

Ji Lin's face was ashen, his eyes coldly fixed on the man on the ground. Just as he was about to make a move, he heard the man plead for mercy in a tearful voice: "Great hero, spare my life! Great hero, spare my life!"

Ji Lin snorted coldly, remaining vigilant. The flame in his hand flickered, reflecting his cold and stern face.

"Who are you? Why are you blocking my way? Where is the dragon that just broke into the cave?" Ji Lin's voice was deep and carried an undeniable authority.

The man shakily got up from the ground, clasped his hands together, and bowed repeatedly, his voice trembling: "Great hero, please calm down. I am that dragon, named Three-Headed Divine Dragon."

Ji Lin stared intently at the man in front of him who called himself the Three-Headed Divine Flood Dragon. The moment he heard the name, his pupils contracted slightly, and his heart felt as if a stone had been thrown in, causing ripples to spread.

At the same time, the story of the prequel to Lotus Lantern quickly came to mind. The story of Lotus Lantern began with the three-headed dragon stealing the Dragon Pearl from the Heavenly Court. As a result, Yao Ji chased the three-headed dragon down to the mortal world, thus beginning the story of Lotus Lantern.

A chilling smile slowly appeared on Ji Lin's face. "The Three-Headed Divine Dragon," he said, his voice deep yet carrying an undeniable sense of oppression.

"I heard you took a dragon pearl from the Heavenly Court. Hand it over, and I'll spare your life." Ji Lin's words carried a tone of negotiation, but his icy gaze declared that this was an order that could not be disobeyed.

The three-headed dragon was filled with terror. It nodded hastily, its voice trembling, "Yes, yes, great hero, spare my life, I'll hand it over right away."

After saying that, he slowly sat down cross-legged and put his hands together in front of his chest.

A faint golden light emanated from his body, and as the light flickered, his figure slightly twisted, as if undergoing some kind of mysterious transformation.

As the light grew brighter, he slowly opened his mouth, and a round bead slowly emerged from it.

Ji Lin stared at the round bead and felt a powerful and boundless energy rushing towards him. The energy fluctuations were like surging waves, one after another, which made people feel awe.

The dragon ball was surrounded by a five-colored halo, and as the halo flowed, it seemed to contain endless mysteries of the world.

Seeing this, Ji Lin slowly walked forward, each step steady and powerful, his eyes fixed on the Dragon Pearl. Just as his hand was about to touch the Dragon Pearl, the originally docile three-headed dragon suddenly attacked.

His hands instantly transformed into sharp dragon claws, their nails sharp as knives, gleaming with a cold light, and with lightning speed, they pierced straight towards Ji Lin's heart.

This change happened so suddenly that an ordinary person probably wouldn't have had time to react.

However, the moment the three-headed dragon's claws touched Ji Lin, a muffled "bang" was heard, and an invisible barrier instantly appeared.

The barrier, emitting a faint golden hue and releasing powerful energy fluctuations, firmly blocked the three-headed divine dragon's attack.

The three-headed dragon's claws were shaken back by this force, and he himself staggered back several steps because he had used too much force, his face full of shock and resentment.

As the three-headed divine dragon's sneak attack failed, it staggered back, its face filled with shock and resentment. At that moment, the surrounding air seemed to be stirred by a mysterious force and began to vibrate violently.

As if summoned by some powerful force, countless golden particles surged from all directions and converged, spinning wildly around Ji Lin.

As the particles continued to converge, the gold gradually outlined the shape of an armor.

The outline grew clearer, its lines sharp and powerful, each pattern seemingly containing the ultimate truths of the universe. In the blink of an eye, a magnificent set of imperial armor was fully donned by Ji Lin.

The armor radiated a dazzling golden light, like the sun high in the sky, illuminating the entire cave as bright as day. Even the dark corners on the cave walls were now illuminated in every detail.

"Looks like you're not being honest?" An eerie red light emanated from the Emperor Armor's mask, a light that seemed to come from another mysterious dimension, carrying boundless intimidation.

Along with these cold words, an Aurora Sword instantly appeared in Ji Lin's hand.

The sword was surrounded by wisps of aurora, which constantly changed shape, sometimes like a nimble snake, sometimes like blooming fireworks, breathtakingly beautiful, yet hiding deadly danger.

Ji Lin held the Aurora Sword, his eyes as cold as frost. The aura emanating from his imperial armor grew stronger and stronger, making the three-headed divine dragon almost unable to breathe.

The three-headed divine dragon was filled with terror, wanting to escape, but its legs seemed nailed to the ground, unable to move...

(Thank you so much, Ailichanbai, for your support!)