Volume One, Chapter 146: No One Gets Through.

Jiang Chen stood in the air, gazing into the distance, where a small black dot was moving rapidly across the ground.

It was moving with incredible speed, not so much running as gliding—it was, in effect, performing low-altitude flight. This black dragon must have been severely wounded, desperately pushing itself to reach the safety of a lair after surviving its tribulation. Yet, in its current state, it clearly had no other defenses left.

In truth, when demons undergo tribulation, those with close friends might seek protection, but most demonic beasts avoid this. No one can be certain if a "friend" might turn on them to kill and loot, as a creature that has just survived its tribulation is essentially a walking treasure trove.

Jiang Chen and Li Changsheng descended, concealing their presence. A golden light materialized, and the rushing black dragon collided directly with the Golden Light Incantation.

"Who goes there?!" The dragon’s body was half-transformed into that of a human; only the dragon head remained, yet it was so frail that even a teenager could have subdued it.

As Jiang Chen and Li Changsheng revealed themselves, the dragon sighed, collapsed to the ground, and lay there as if abandoning all hope. "Come on, then. Kill me or carve me up—do as you please."

Jiang Chen and Li Changsheng exchanged a glance. Li Changsheng said, "Well, why don't you try running a bit more? You might just make it out."

The dragon: "?"
Jiang Chen: "?"
This guy really knew how to be infuriating.

The dragon glared at him. "What do you want? I'm already like this—must you still humiliate me?"

Li Changsheng looked innocent. "I'm not, why would you say that?"

The dragon was already spitting blood, and upon hearing this, it could no longer suppress the flow, which surged forth uncontrollably.

Li Changsheng scratched his head. "Hey, buddy, I told you to run, why are you vomiting blood?"

Jiang Chen pulled him aside. "You sound a bit too arrogant when you say things like that."

Li Changsheng looked puzzled. "Do I? I'm just talking normally, aren't I?"

The dragon was bewildered. "If you're going to strike, just get it over with! If not, leave! Someone else will be here soon!"

Jiang Chen helped the dragon up. "Cough, no offense intended. We’re just here to take you away, I promise."

The dragon looked left and right, suspicious that he was being played. "Why would you save me? I’m critically wounded—wouldn't it serve your interests better to kill me?"

Li Changsheng said indignantly, "Buddy, look at the situation! Why are you thinking about useless things? Isn't it good that we came to save you? Do you really want to be caught by others and have your tendons pulled and bones removed?"

The dragon was left speechless. "I just don't understand why you would save me."

Hearing movement in the distance, Jiang Chen said, "Enough talk. Let's move. As for why—let's just call it wildlife conservation."

The two and a half figures vanished quickly. Moments later, a group arrived at the spot they had just vacated, examining the marks on the ground.

"Someone is helping this black dragon?!" said Wang Yaohan.

"What? You mean this dragon has accomplices? How incredible!" Zhao Mingquan was also surprised by the dragon's resourcefulness.

...

As they left, Jiang Chen remembered that Chen Xingchen was still waiting for him at the building.

"You two go ahead. I’ll place a talisman on you, and I’ll go fetch someone and meet you there," Jiang Chen said, sticking a talisman onto the dragon. He then shot upward and arrived at the building where Chen Xingchen was waiting.

Chen Xingchen had been observing the ground. Seeing Jiang Chen arrive, she asked excitedly, "Are you immortals?"

"No, we haven't reached the level of immortals yet—though who's to say about the future?" Jiang Chen told her without reservation. If he was to be her guide, he might as well tell her everything he knew, perhaps making her path smoother. Of course, this also carried the risk of making him the root cause of future events.

"So, where are we going now?" Chen Xingchen was excited and nervous, yet Jiang Chen saw not a trace of fear in her eyes; she seemed to relish the feeling. Could this really be the true genius and future founder of the 509 Institute? With this mindset, she would succeed at anything.

Jiang Chen said, "Go back to school. I have things to do, and following me will be dangerous." He tried to lead her away, but she stood firm.

"No, I want to stay," Chen Xingchen said, her eyes clear.

"Then stay here; it’s safe enough," Jiang Chen said. Chen Xingchen quickly replied, "No, I mean I want to go with you. I’m not afraid of danger."

Jiang Chen shook his head. "No, I have to be responsible for your safety."

Chen Xingchen pointed at herself. "I, Chen Xingchen, am choosing to follow you voluntarily. I can sign a statement saying you aren't responsible if anything happens. Is that enough?"

Seeing Jiang Chen still hesitating, she put her hands on her hips. "You’re so powerful, you shouldn't be afraid of failing to protect me. Is it that you can't deal with too many people and are afraid I'll hold you back?"

Jiang Chen sighed. He knew this was a provocation, but he fell for it. There was no ulterior motive—he just cared about his pride. For a future ancestor to look down on him like this was a slap in the face. Besides, given the current power levels of this world, he didn't believe there were many who could rival him. Bringing her along wouldn't be impossible.

"Fine. I’ll disguise your appearance so no one will suspect anything." With a wave of his hand, he applied a glamour to her face. Chen Xingchen felt nothing, but she noticed her reflection had become hazy and difficult to discern. She felt she had taken another step into this mysterious world, though she still wondered what Jiang Chen was planning.

With these questions, Chen Xingchen climbed onto Jiang Chen’s back, and they flew off to a patch of wilderness with a single house. Inside, dragon blood was splattered everywhere, shimmering with golden light.

"You... are these the side effects of the tribulation? So much blood," Jiang Chen said as he stepped inside.

The dragon was still half-human with a dragon head. Even in this adapted form, the head was the size of two stone stools. Seeing it, even though she was prepared, Chen Xingchen gasped and her legs went weak; had Jiang Chen not supported her, she would have collapsed. This strange, bizarre world was finally revealing itself to her: sword flight, talismans, dragon tribulations—all of it was shattering her worldview.

"It’s not safe here. We must move, or they will catch up," the dragon said, clutching his chest. A burnt smell emanated from his body—the lingering scent of lightning. Had he not been so resilient, he would have been charred to a crisp.

"We can't move you in this state. Can you handle it?" Jiang Chen asked.

The dragon was stumped. He was in agony; even the slightest movement felt like his body would shatter. Forcing a move might kill him on the spot.

"So what now? Are we just waiting here to die?" The dragon shook his head. Chen Xingchen reached out and twitched a dragon whisker. The dragon’s face darkened—though it was already black.

"Little girl, don't touch that. Aren't you afraid I'll eat you?" He tried to sound threatening, but Chen Xingchen just smiled. "Stop lying. You can barely move; how could you eat me?"

Jiang Chen smiled. "Don't be afraid. I know the situation clearly. Rest assured, no one can take you from me. In this world, as long as I don't agree, no one can."

The dragon was moved to tears. If he were a human, he might have considered pledging his life to them. "But what about the righteous sects outside? They covet my organs." He couldn't imagine how they could survive this.

Chen Xingchen patted the dragon’s head. "Don't worry. They’re very powerful. If they say they have a way, then they do. Just stay here."

*This little girl is no ordinary person,* the dragon thought. *She isn't even afraid?*

"It seems I must go meet these seniors," Jiang Chen sighed, grabbing a chair and stepping outside.

The winter of the fifties was no different from 2024, but in Magic City, the temperature was low but not biting. It was a perfect night for... a confrontation. Jiang Chen felt a flicker of excitement. It was the dream of many juniors to spar with their predecessors. He had disguised his face; his master had once told him of the conflicts between their sect and many righteous elders. Now, he could use those old grievances as a pretext to give them a good thrashing.

Of course, they were still elders, so he wouldn't be too ruthless; he didn't want to alter history too much.

They moved quickly. In the short time Jiang Chen had been gone, they had tracked him down—there must have been someone among them with tracking talents. As they closed in, one of them noticed someone sitting ahead.

In the biting wind, the figure sat calmly on a wooden stool, watching them without a hint of fear. There were over twenty of them, yet he sat alone, guarding the courtyard.

"Strange. Who is this boy? I don't recognize him. Whose disciple is he?" asked Dong Changgeng. As a descendant of the Maoshan sect and the architect of this hunt, he was furious that the dragon had dared to undergo tribulation in secret, violating their established rules. He intended to wipe the dragon out while it was weak to prevent future trouble.

"We haven't seen him either. His clothes are odd; they don't look like anything from around here," said Kong Luolin.

"It doesn't matter. Bypass him. Our priority is the black dragon, not this boy. He’s so young, he can't have much power," Dong Changgeng analyzed.

Jiang Chen looked at Dong Changgeng, and a sudden realization struck him. He remembered seeing this man at Longhu Mountain—it was Dong Changgeng, the Maoshan Master who would sacrifice himself in the 1974 Kunlun Mountain defense battle. In that battle, he had held a mountain pass alone against demons, breaking through to the realm of an Earth Immortal to seal the breach, only to perish in the process. He was a man worthy of immense respect.

But today, the timing was unfortunate.

He respected his predecessors, but he would not surrender the dragon. The dragon was not recorded in history, which meant Jiang Chen could save it.

Dong Changgeng said, "Go and arrest the dragon. I will stay and have a word with this young brother."

Jiang Chen stood up. "I apologize, Master Dong, but none of you are passing through today."