Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

A day had passed since Cheng Xiao absorbed the Rune Stone. From dawn till dusk, it had felt like just a fleeting moment of cultivation.

Night fell, and darkness once again shrouded the land. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was engulfed in shadows, but this time, there was a flicker of firelight within.

"Though the King's power has not fully recovered, he can already unleash such astonishing combat strength. When I served the Dragon King in life, I felt like a disposable subordinate. But after being subdued by the King, I've come to prefer this new feeling. Compared to a subordinate who could be discarded at any time, this King is much more worthy of my loyalty." Nash, who had taken human form, stood beside Cheng Xiao. Having absorbed the soul of the Fire Dragon King, he could easily manipulate flames, which now served as his source of illumination.

"However... these plants around here are quite peculiar. I don't really understand them, but they smell pretty nice. I wonder what effect they would have if eaten."

Looking at the patches of rare medicinal herbs around them, Nash furrowed his brow slightly, a trace of curiosity in his eyes.

"If you want to eat one, go ahead and try." Hearing Nash's words, Cheng Xiao opened his eyes at that moment, having finished absorbing the information from the Rune Stone. The Rune Stone, which he had been holding in his hand, crumbled into dust and disappeared into the air.

"I wouldn't dare." Seeing that Cheng Xiao had awakened, Nash immediately bowed, a look of reverence on his face. He said, "The King's property is not something we, his subordinates, should touch."

At these words, Cheng Xiao stood up, stretching his stiff neck. He stepped forward and gently helped Nash to his feet, speaking calmly, "I am not the same as the Dragon King. Though you have become shadow soldiers, I've never seen you as disposable subordinates. If you want to taste some of these herbs, it's fine to try one. After all, this isn't my garden, and we should respect the true owner here."

"Thank you for the King's generosity!" Nash's eyes gleamed with excitement at Cheng Xiao's words. His ice-blue and fiery-red eyes lit up slightly. Although his entire body was covered in black armor, he still stood out.

The herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well contained immense medicinal power, which was irresistible to soul beasts.

Although Nash was not a soul beast, as a magical beast, the potent medicinal energy emanating from these herbs naturally tempted him. Of course, this urge to taste them also stemmed from his absorption of the Ice Fire Dragon's soul. For other soul beasts, they would likely explode from the conflicting energies around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well before they could even take a bite.

But for Nash, who had absorbed the Ice Fire Dragon's soul, the conflicting energies were no longer a threat, as he had become immune to them.

After receiving Cheng Xiao's permission, Nash couldn't hold back his desire to try the herbs. Using his sharp senses as a magical beast, he began searching through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. His keen sense of smell quickly led him to a rather ordinary-looking blood-red flower. Its shape resembled a peony, and its deep red color was as vivid as fresh blood, giving off a slightly alarming appearance.

"This is the one." Nash licked his lips. From his magical beast perspective, the energy radiating from this large red flower far surpassed that of the other rare medicinal herbs.

"Hmm? That herb is..." Cheng Xiao paused for a moment when he saw the plant Nash had chosen, then smiled wryly. "Nash, do all magical beasts have such sharp noses? You've managed to find the King of Flowers."

"King of Flowers? What's that?" Nash turned his head in confusion, glancing over the large red flower in his hand. He didn't notice anything particularly special about it.

"My Lord, aside from having a lot of energy, this flower doesn't seem to have any other unique properties."

"Well... one unique property might be its ability to mask your magical beast aura," Cheng Xiao mused, stroking his chin.

"Mask my aura?" Nash studied the flower for a moment and then asked, "So, my Lord, if I keep this flower with me, would I be able to stay by your side without having to return to your shadow?"

"Uh..." Cheng Xiao scratched his head and casually replied, "I suppose so. Since you can maintain a human form, if you suppress your aura, you'd be no different from a human."

"Thank you, my Lord!" Upon receiving Cheng Xiao's approval, Nash immediately stored the large red flower. He then dropped to one knee, his face full of respect.

"Let's go. I have other matters to attend to."

"Yes, my Lord." Nash quickly pulled his head from the ground, and in the next moment, his body transformed into an enormous dragon.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiao lightly stepped forward. With a resounding boom, he landed on top of Nash's head. Waving his hand, several shadows shot out from his own shadow, appearing in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Led by the Three-Eyed Demon Ape, the shadow soldiers knelt in reverence, gazing up at the king standing atop the giant dragon.

Cheng Xiao said calmly, "Stay here until I return. If anyone dares to intrude, kill them."

Upon hearing this, the shadow soldiers bowed their heads in acknowledgement.

The next second, the giant dragon Nash flapped his massive wings, which were large enough to block out the moonlight. With a burst of speed, he soared into the sky, heading toward the direction Cheng Xiao had indicated: Heaven Dou City, west of Sunset Forest.

Meanwhile, in the Star Dou Forest, Di Tian's face darkened as the silver dragon scale in his hand lost its glow. He had been about to set off, but now the connection to the Ice Fire Dragon King had vanished. "Di Tian, what happened?" Bi Ji, the Jade Swan, approached and asked.

"The dragon scale given to me by the Lord has lost its power. It seems the Ice Fire Dragon King's aura has been concealed," Di Tian replied, his eyes burning with rage. His teeth ground together audibly, clearly furious that he had failed to complete the Silver Dragon King's mission in time.

"I will find whoever concealed the Ice Fire Dragon King's aura. And when I do, I will tear them apart, piece by piece."

Bi Ji, known for her gentle nature, shook her head slightly as she observed the furious Di Tian. She knew better than to offer words of comfort in his current state. It was best to leave him alone for now.

...

As they neared Heaven Dou City, Cheng Xiao, seated atop the massive dragon Nash, gazed at the towering city walls and the rising sun on the horizon. "Nash, let's stop outside the city. Your size would easily attract attention."

"As you wish, my Lord." When they were about a kilometer away from the city, Nash slowed his flight. Once they landed and Cheng Xiao had safely dismounted, Nash retracted his massive form, returning to his human shape.

Soon, both Cheng Xiao and Nash arrived at the gates of Heaven Dou City. Since Cheng Xiao had arranged to meet Dugu Bo, he did not intend to return to Heaven Dou Royal Academy just yet. Instead, he went directly into the city to check in with Dugu Bo.

Entering Heaven Dou City, Cheng Xiao quickly found the tea house where he had arranged to meet Dugu Bo. After a moment's hesitation, he and Nash stepped inside.

The moment they entered, a figure dressed in green appeared before them—it was none other than Dugu Bo, who had left Sunset Forest earlier.

"You finally made it, kid," Dugu Bo said with a rare smile when he saw Cheng Xiao unharmed.

"I told you I'd be fine. You worry too much," Cheng Xiao responded with a smile.

"Heh, getting cocky now, aren't you?" Dugu Bo chuckled, giving Cheng Xiao a light tap on the head.

Seeing someone strike his king, Nash instinctively prepared to unleash a breath of dragon fire. However, before he could gather his flames, Cheng Xiao's voice rang in his mind.

"Nash, this is a friend of mine. Show him respect."