CHAPTER 548: CHAPTER 540: I HOPE I CAN HOLD ON

Will they discover the disappearance of the Sky Demon Sect?

I don’t think so.

To those factions, they’d actually be glad for a sect to vanish—that’s one less rival in their way.

Reducing competition is always the real goal.

"With this many people, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold out,"

The Vital Dragon, transformed into the shape of a small snake, was brimming with unease. Facing so many factions alone, he was terrified he’d get beaten into the ground.

Lin Fan gently stroked the Vital Dragon and said, "Don’t be scared. Just confront them for now. With me here, nothing bad will happen to you."

The Vital Dragon deeply doubted these words.

Suddenly.

The Vital Dragon’s eyes rolled as he thought of an idea, and he suggested, "Why not have these two become my Protectors? If they help me, I think there won’t be any problem at all."

Qin Yang roared angrily, "You must be dreaming! If we become your Protectors, we’ll probably get our brains blown out before anything else!"

Xiang Fei voiced his agreement.

Given the current situation, their strength was indeed decent, but facing so many powerful opponents was asking too much.

Staying low-key seemed like the better choice.

The Vital Dragon looked at the two with utter despair. Do you even see me as one of your own, or have you always just been using me?

Lin Fan caressed the Vital Dragon, speaking softly,

"Don’t worry. With me here, nothing will happen to you, absolutely."

The Vital Dragon didn’t know what to say.

I’m genuinely terrified.

Though you say it so earnestly, behind that serious facade lies an ominous vibe.

"Go now. I see they’re making their way over. Remember what I told you. Tease them in the beginning, then find a way to clash head-on. I believe you can do it," Lin Fan said.

The Vital Dragon almost wanted to yell back, "Don’t believe in me! I don’t even believe in myself, alright?"

The Sky Demon Sect was utterly wiped out.

Groups like the Purple Immortal Pavilion and other factions had gathered together. Their harvest along the way wasn’t bad, but due to Lin Fan’s deliberate actions, their gains had been severely diminished.

If you’d fought all the way from the beginning, I could’ve helped you make a decent profit.

But I didn’t expect you all to be this sneaky.

Splitting forces—it’s clever, really. Since that’s your move, I can only say, too bad; you’re all out of luck.

A majestic yellow mountain appeared before their eyes.

Imposing and extraordinary, its yellow exterior seemed to radiate an astonishing aura.

"Is this the place where the Vital Dragon resides?"

Someone inquired.

It was obvious that the Vital Dragon held great allure for them; after all, it was an invaluable treasure. But with so many people here, how would they share that single Vital Dragon?

"Hmm! Why haven’t the Sky Demon Sect shown up?"

Another person exclaimed in surprise, noticing a blind spot. But such a detail hardly mattered. Nobody cared about that; all they wanted to know was whether the Vital Dragon was truly here.

"If the Sky Demon Sect isn’t around, that’s even better. Saves us from splitting with another group."

"Let’s sort this out first—if we actually catch the Vital Dragon, how do we divide it?"

When someone raised this critical concern, everyone fell silent. Indeed, it was a valid point. What’s the plan for splitting it?

The Vital Dragon is a whole entity.

If split apart, it wouldn’t be worth anything. But monopolizing it? That’d be immensely difficult—not just a little bit hard, but impossibly hard.

Such a headache.

At this moment.

Most people shared the same thought: grab the Vital Dragon, then don’t waste time. Just flee as soon as possible. Once outside the Secret Realm, the world is vast—who could stop them?

"Let’s make a move. Capture the Vital Dragon first."

The news about the Vital Dragon had come from the Purple Immortal Pavilion and the Sky Demon Sect. It shouldn’t be incorrect. They’d discovered this area of the Secret Realm to be quite mysterious—though not a large domain, it harbored many treasures, making further exploration worthwhile.

Hiding in the mountains, the Vital Dragon was somewhat panicked.

The outsiders included many fierce players, and while the Immortal Monarchs looked intimidating, he wasn’t afraid of them. The problem was their numbers—there were just too many.

How could he fend off such a crowd?

Terrified.

Truly frightened.

Suddenly.

An extremely strong suction force spread through the air. The Immortal Monarchs had begun their attack, prioritizing pulling the Vital Dragon out.

The Vital Dragon hesitated.

Should I go out?

I can’t just waltz out—it’ll lead to a beating for sure. Better to let them keep sucking for a while longer; when they’re exhausted, I’ll emerge to have a proper battle.

Lin Fan and the others were orchestrating everything behind the scenes.

"Brother Lin, do you think the Vital Dragon can endure this wave?" Qin Yang asked.

Lin Fan replied, "It won’t last long, but we can hope. With so many Immortal Monarchs attacking together, the Vital Dragon can hold out for a bit. But that brief moment is enough—then I’ll make my move to snatch the Vital Dragon from their hands."

He felt that keeping the Vital Dragon around had indeed been a smart decision.

If he had to place the Holy Weapon—dropped from the Dao Soldiers—last, he wouldn’t have been able to bear it. You never know what could happen. If they’d obtained it and he failed to recover the Holy Weapon, wouldn’t he be crying rivers?

So the Vital Dragon was a great alternative.

Even if someone did snatch it away, he wouldn’t feel a shred of pain.

"That’s enough; let’s not push it further. How long does he plan to hold out?" Lin Fan frowned. He realized the Vital Dragon wasn’t much of an actor—those Immortal Monarchs had been pulling for so long, and it was high time for him to step onto the stage.

What’s with the hesitation?

Truly baffling.

Lin Fan transmitted his voice to the Vital Dragon, "Quit stalling. Hurry up and get out there!"

Upon hearing Lin Fan’s voice, the Vital Dragon appeared resigned. Not a shred of humanity there—so many Immortal Monarchs! How could he possibly hold his ground? Yet he had no choice.

To be blunt, he was still their pawn.

If he didn’t showcase value, there was a good chance he’d be killed.

The Vital Dragon steeled himself. Immortal Monarchs or not, so what?

When it’s time to stand and fight, there’s no avoiding it.

Feigning slumber deep within the mountain, the Vital Dragon suddenly roared—a thunderous bellow reverberated across the heavens and earth, transforming into sound waves that spread far and wide.

"The Vital Dragon—it’s real!"

"I didn’t expect it to actually show up."

The Immortal Monarchs outside had been channeling mana to lure out the Vital Dragon, but it had shown no response for the longest time. Some started doubting its existence, wondering why it hadn’t emerged.

Only now, with the dragon’s roar echoing through the air.

It dawned on them that their doubts were misplaced.

The Vital Dragon was real.

Immediately.

The Vital Dragon soared through the void, its massive body coiling in the skies—a single blast of Dragon Breath forming an immensely terrifying aura.

"Who dares disturb my cultivation?"

Style points had to be maintained.

Though he’d been trembling in hiding, now that he was out in the open, showing fear wasn’t an option. Boldness was imperative.

The Vital Dragon had already imagined their expressions.

Surely they’d be utterly stunned.

But suddenly.

The Vital Dragon sensed something wrong—a colossal palm descended from the void, skipping pleasantries entirely and going straight for the attack.

This was outright barbaric.

"Audacious!"

With no other choice, the Vital Dragon braced himself and retaliated.

His tail swept across, shattering the giant palm instantly.

Impressive indeed.

In those brief moments of combat, he gauged the strength of the attacker—it was undoubtedly formidable.

He could only hope to last a while longer.