Chapter Forty-Seven: The Prison of Heaven and Earth

“Kid, at the rate you’re going, we might never reach the Dragon Palace—not even if a thousand years pass. I say you’d be better off waiting until we arrive at our destination before practicing any further,” Old Turtle interrupted Yi An’s arduous training after a while, promptly enveloping him once more in the protective shield and dragging him forward.

By now, Ao Xiu Xiu had already moved ahead, leaving Yi An and Old Turtle far behind. As a member of the Dragon Clan, Ao Xiu Xiu was born to rule the waters, and moreover, she had inherited her father’s esteemed legacy. So even though Old Turtle surpassed her in cultivation, Ao Xiu Xiu’s speed in the water matched his, and without Yi An slowing him down, Old Turtle could barely keep pace.

“Kid, you’re just unlucky to have run into this little ancestor. But fortunately, when she learned you already had a wife, her interest in you waned considerably,” Old Turtle remarked, visibly relieved.

“It’s clear that Miss Ao has a decent disposition—she’s just a bit willful, which is understandable,” Yi An agreed.

Ao Xiu Xiu’s temperament, to put it kindly, was willful; to be blunt, she suffered from a princess syndrome. With such lavish adoration since childhood, it was inevitable she’d be spoiled. The fact that she didn’t wield her power to bully others or commit evil was already a rarity.

“You’re quite right. The princess has been pampered by the Dragon King since she was little. Whenever she finds something she likes, she’ll do whatever it takes to obtain it. But that’s just a child’s nature. You need only entertain her for a few days; once her interest fades, she won’t pester you any longer,” Old Turtle sighed, clearly speaking from years of personal experience.

“Let’s hope so,” Yi An replied helplessly.

He couldn’t shake the feeling he was a lamb led to the tiger’s den. He could only hope it was a false impression.

“Don’t overthink it. Even if you’re willing, our aquatic clans would never agree. The princess is precious, the golden branch and jade leaves, a peerless treasure. Not just in the East Sea, but throughout the Four Seas, how many young talents don’t admire her? And then there’s the hurdle of the Dragon King—you’d never pass that test. If he found out you were consorting with the princess…” Old Turtle didn’t finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.

“I suspect they don’t admire the princess so much as they covet the title of Prince Consort of the East Sea,” Yi An remarked.

Old Turtle smiled, offering no rebuttal.

“Senior, may I ask you something?” Yi An suddenly asked, struck by a thought.

“Go ahead.”

“What happened to the Celestial Court? Why did it vanish so suddenly?” Yi An inquired. This Old Turtle had lived countless years, his breadth of experience far surpassing that of Xuan Yangzi, whose knowledge was but that of a mountain hermit.

Old Turtle’s expression changed, and after a moment’s silence, he replied, “Why do you ask? Isn’t the current state of the world satisfactory?”

“Nothing in particular, just curiosity. The Celestial Court was said to be magnificent beyond measure—what kind of power could cause it to disappear so completely, erasing even its traces so thoroughly it seems never to have existed?” Yi An’s eyes flashed. Old Turtle’s reaction had betrayed him; clearly, he knew something. Otherwise, why not answer openly, instead of feigning silence?

“When the Celestial Court governed the mortal world, this realm was like a prison. The divine spirits were jailers, all living things prisoners. But without the Celestial Court, all creatures are free. Humans need no longer worship those lofty gods, nor suffer their oppression. Isn’t that better?” Old Turtle answered, sidestepping the question as he spoke.

Yi An fell silent. He had to admit Old Turtle’s words held some truth. The Celestial Court had been like a mountain pressing down on the mortal realm, causing untold suffering. Yet everything had its balance—the Celestial Court maintained order, an undeniable fact. If no one governed the world, darkness would flourish unchecked, and chaos would reign.

“Where the Celestial Court went, I do not know, nor am I qualified to know. In the face of the world’s shifting tides, not even a True Immortal, let alone a Da Luo, could defy it,” Old Turtle said honestly, truly uninformed. Yet recalling the past, and the deeds of the Celestial Court, stirred a bitterness within him.

In ancient times, his Xuanwu Clan stood equal with Dragons, Phoenixes, and White Tigers—the undisputed overlords of the world.

But the four clans never got along, warring year after year.

Eventually, Emperor Jun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi emerged, founding the Ancient Demon Court—the precursor to the Celestial Court. Under the machinations of certain powerful figures, the four clans were forced to withdraw from the stage of history.

The White Tiger and Phoenix clans were nearly exterminated, with only a handful of their strongest surviving. The Xuanwu Clan could only seek shelter, submitting to the Dragon Clan. Without the Dragons’ protection, the fate of the Phoenix and White Tiger clans would have been their own.

Of the four clans, only the Dragons survived intact, spared from annihilation, but even they lost seventy percent of their heritage, forced to retreat within the Four Seas.

The Dragons wished only for peace and recovery, but trouble never ceased to find them. Their name was simply too illustrious. In ancient times, the four clans were as renowned as the present Demon Court. How could Emperor Jun, master of the world, rest easy?

Thus, the Dragons soon suffered oppression from the Ancient Demon Court. After a brutal conflict, their power diminished by another twenty percent. Now, less than a tenth of their former strength remained, and they had become a laughingstock in the world.

As for the Xuanwu Clan, after losing several elders in the war against the Demon Court, they never recovered. Now, the highest battle strength in the clan was Old Turtle himself, a True Immortal.

It was only with the establishment of the Celestial Court that the true ambitions of its founders were revealed—far more ruthless than the Demon Court. Haotian first subdued the Dragon Clan. The Dragons, weakened as they were, could not afford to refuse, for such defiance would mean utter destruction. They could not take such a gamble.

Over the long years that followed, the Dragons’ strength was continually eroded. Whenever chaos threatened the mortal world, the Celestial Court ordered the Dragons to act first, and distributed them throughout the world, thoroughly breaking their unity. Fragmented and scattered, they posed no threat to the Celestial Court.

The Dragon Clan thought, after all this, the Celestial Court would finally let them be. After all, they had become the butt of jokes in the outside world, with no hope of resurgence.