"Then let's see where your confidence comes from," Zhukun's eyes twinkled with a cold light.
The immense dragon body swung, rapidly charging towards Xu Ran, tearing through space, its huge claws as if to crush Xu Ran to pieces.
"Is that all?"
Seeing Xu Ran, who was about to be captured in his palm, Zhukun was momentarily stunned. Although puzzled, he did not hesitate in the slightest.
His gigantic hand clapped shut, Zhukun exerted his full strength. Under the terrifying oppressive force, even a Dou Saint Five Stars expert like the Lord of the Soul Hall would likely be crushed to death.
The strength of Zhukun, this Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Emperor, was not to be underestimated.
On the Continent, only Tuo She Ancient Emperor could rein him in a bit.
However, in the next moment, a dangerous aura emerged from behind him, his entire body tensed up, and his heart suddenly sank. When he opened his palm, where was Xu Ran?
Xu Ran had actually slipped away right under his eyes, and he had used his most prized ability of space manipulation to boot.
This was quite simply the greatest provocation to him.
"Initially, out of consideration for your relationship with my daughter, I was prepared to spare your life. But now you have angered me." A terrifying dragon's roar resonated as Zhukun launched a furious attack at Xu Ran.
Trapped here for so many years, he vented all his resentment, rage, and unwillingness at this moment, attacking recklessly. After so many years without engaging in combat, suddenly encountering an opponent actually excited him.
"Zi Yan, come over to me, otherwise be careful of being affected by the residual effects of the battle," Zhukun said to Zi Yan. Although he had already fortified her with a protective shield, the aftermath of such a high-level battle was unpredictable.
Having heard the conversation between Xu Ran and Zi Yan just now, he had learned the name Zi Yan, which was chosen by Su Qian. When Zi Yan was born, Zhukun had already been trapped in this place, not to mention the opportunity to name Zi Yan himself.
Zi Yan is a dragon. When Zhukun left, Zi Yan must have still been an egg...
"Hmph. As if I would follow you."
Zi Yan snorted disdainfully.
For the sake of her own safety, she figured she was better off standing behind Xu Ran.
With Xu Ran's strength, there was no way he would let anything happen to her.
As for Zhukun, this father of hers whom she had never met before, although he was also very strong, it also depended on who his opponent was. If it was someone else, perhaps she would stand by her father's side; after all, no matter the grievances, he was still her relative. But when it came to choosing between Xu Ran and Zhukun, she would definitely stand by Xu Ran's side.
Not only was Xu Ran the person she deemed closest to her, but the experiences and emotions she and Xu Ran shared these days couldn't be compared to mere bloodline connections.
"Zi Yan..." Zhukun watched as Zi Yan walked behind Xu Ran, his facial expression extremely complex.
His own daughter actually preferred a braggart over her father?
Though his strength was also formidable, bragging about being a Dou Di and the likes was just embarrassing.
"Hmph, boy, now I want to beat you up even more," Zhukun snorted coldly. However, now he dared not think about killing Xu Ran. He had originally thought that Zi Yan had no feelings for Xu Ran, but now, if he really killed Xu Ran, it would definitely affect his relationship with Zi Yan.
But as ideal as it was, reality was cruel. Zhukun quickly realized that even wanting to give Xu Ran a good thrashing was difficult to achieve.
Although he had attacked with all his might, Xu Ran was able to effortlessly catch his attacks, looking extremely at ease.
Moreover, Xu Ran exuded a faint aura that made him very uncomfortable, an aura that he, as the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Emperor, had never felt from any other Magical Beast.
Because he was the most powerful Magical Beast on the Continent, what other Magical Beast could possibly be stronger than him?
Bloodline suppression.
This was a phenomenon that occurred among Magical Beasts, where superior Magical Beasts suppressed their inferiors; among Magical Beasts, bloodlines were strictly hierarchical, and those with nobler bloodlines naturally exerted pressure over common ones.
He was actually feeling bloodline suppression from another being?
What kind of joke was this? He was the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Emperor, the most powerful Magical Beast in the world, how could this happen to him?
But it was not just pure bloodline suppression; there was also a feeling that made him inexplicably feel like he should submit to Xu Ran. As if standing before him was someone nobler than himself, a sovereign of their Dragon Clan.
This thought was involuntary because his body, his blood, every part of him was sprouting this idea. And once this idea took root, it spread at an extreme speed, nearly crumbling his fighting spirit in an instant.
If it weren't for the bit of rationale he still retained, he probably would have surrendered by now.
Damn it!
Could this Xu Ran be a Magical Beast?
And one that was even more formidable than himself? What could that be?
On the Continent, the only ones that could contend with the Ancient Dragon Tribe were the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan. But even the bloodline of the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes was not on par with that of the Ancient Dragons. Among the three great Magical Beast families in the Magical Beast Realm, their Ancient Dragon Tribe was the undisputed overlord. Even without him, no other Magical Beast could possibly contend with their Ancient Dragon Tribe.
Besides, this was a pure bloodline contest.
Perhaps, Xu Ran possessed the bloodline of some primordial beast. Primordial beasts were not inferior to the Taixu Ancient Dragons, like the Nine-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python...
"Are you also a Magical Beast?" Zhukun's eyes were tightly fixed on Xu Ran, unable to shift away.
Now, he had realized that Xu Ran's strength was above his own, and Xu Ran was probably much more powerful than him by no small margin.
"Of course. And moreover, I am your ancestor."
Xu Ran nodded as a matter of course. As an Ancestral Dragon, he possessed the purest Ancestral Dragon Bloodline in the world, and it could be said that every branch of the Dragon Clan could trace its origin back to Xu Ran's bloodline.
"You, you, you!"
Zhukun had been listening seriously to Xu Ran's words, but when he heard that Xu Ran was his ancestor, he couldn't hold back any longer. Even if Xu Ran was potentially much stronger than him, he was ready to fight Xu Ran.
Zhukun would not tolerate any insult.
"I understand how you feel right now, but I really haven't lied to you. Do you really think that the only dragons in the world are the Taixu Ancient Dragons? What about the origins of the many branches of the Dragon Clan?" Xu Ran's mouth curled up, speaking slowly.
Xu Ran's voice reached Zhukun's ears, and Zhukun was alarmed to find his boiling Dou Qi had unexpectedly become incredibly calm, and his anger had dissipated in an instant.
Looking at Xu Ran, he felt as if he were seeing a king. A king whom he, too, was willing to acknowledge.