Duhong and Constantine

The Nether Dragon, in its true draconic form, spread immense wings, a perfect mirror of Constantine, who had likewise assumed the guise of a colossal dragon. Were Deboning present, he would surely be dumbfounded, wondering if Constantine had regained his faculties, only to pledge allegiance to the Fiendkind.

Duhong ascended on outstretched wings, addressing Brockman. "Councilor Brockman," he began, "having just emerged from the depths, I am unacquainted with these labyrinthine paths. I would trouble you and Homan to escort me out!"

"Who asks a dignified Councilor to serve as an escort?" Brockman fumed inwardly, "It seems their own kind still look down upon us Outsiders!"

Suppressing his indignation, Brockman replied icily, "According to confessions from several Green Gourd Beasts captured by Lord Philip last year, there are three egresses from this area. Our forces are presently engaged in the Auerbach Grand Canyon, preparing for the ultimate phase of our plan, rendering that route impassable. Therefore, I must ask you, Lord Duhong, to depart via the nearest Blade of Heaven Peak."

With a dismissive glance at Duhong's ostentatiously spread wings, Brockman sneered, "Noble Lord Duhong, do exercise caution. The tunnel leading from Blade of Heaven Peak is a mere two meters wide; one wouldn't want to damage those magnificent dragon wings."

"Brockman!" Duhong thundered, his voice laced with fury.

Bonis chuckled. "Duhong, how can you possibly expect a Councilor to perform the duties of a mere servant? Very well, proceed to Blade of Heaven Peak on your own. Councilor Brockman, I trust you will still furnish us with a map of this vicinity."

With a resentful huff, Brockman flung a map at Duhong, then spun to oversee The Undead. Duhong, in turn, cast a frigid gaze upon Brockman's retreating form before taking to the air himself.

Watching the pair depart, Bonis sighed, shaking his head. "Alas, so many among my kin remain unenlightened. Lord Philip, Councilor Brockman, though you may be Red-Bloods, you have rendered immeasurable service to our Violet-Bloods' grand design for regaining our rightful place under the sun! Without your invaluable contributions, who knows how much longer it would take for us Violet-Bloods to seize The Prerogative of living in the light?"

He then bowed deeply to Philip. "Over the years, many among my people have shown you disrespect. I implore you, Grand Speaker, not to take offense. Should you ascend to one of the three Grand Speaker positions within the Supreme Conclave, and any Violet-Blood still dares to show you such insolence, execute them immediately! Do not, under any circumstances, spare them for my sake!"

Philip returned the bow, a slight smile gracing his lips. "Marshal, you are far too humble! Without your invaluable support, how could my experiments possibly have achieved such monumental progress? Nay, it is I who should be profusely grateful to you, Marshal!"

The two exchanged polite formalities for a brief period.

Philip, with a touch of curiosity, inquired, "Marshal, what purpose does Duhong's journey to the Three Continents serve?"

Bonis did not equivocate. "It is for three crucial objectives. Firstly, to locate my old comrade-in-arms, Fiend King Kuban! Secondly, to perpetuate the impersonation of Constantine, thereby sowing discord and unrest among the Red-Bloods. As for the third matter, do you perchance recall The Egg I bestowed upon you so many years ago?"

Philip's countenance shifted dramatically, and the cyclopean eye embedded in his right shoulder abruptly snapped open. "Of course I remember! I was on the verge of hatching it, but a catastrophic fire at the Battle God Isle Laboratory obliterated everything! Could it be that The Egg's...?"

Bonis nodded gravely. "To my utter astonishment, The Egg's mother did not perish. Furthermore, she has recovered from grievous injuries and now seeks an opportune moment to reclaim her offspring! As you are aware, that formidable mother possesses extraordinary power, and our 'Prerogative' initiative has reached its most pivotal juncture. We cannot tolerate any unforeseen complications in the rear. Thus, I recently forged a pact with her: should I succeed in recovering her child, she will lend her full might to our grand endeavor of reclaiming our place among the living!"

Philip's deathly pale complexion flickered with an unsettling spectrum of green and crimson.

To be precise, The Egg was lost from his custody. Should that formidable mother unleash chaos upon the Violet-Bloods from behind their lines, the onus of responsibility would fall squarely upon Philip.

Yet, the true whereabouts of The Egg remained an enigma to Philip; he pondered it ceaselessly, but found no answer. The catastrophic conflagration at the Battle God Isle Alchemy Laboratory had, after all, annihilated every shred of evidence... If suspicion were to be cast, Beibei, Francis's companion, seemed the most likely candidate. However, Brockman himself, accompanied by a Tyran Beast, had conducted a personal inspection. Beibei was merely an unassuming young girl. Could she truly be the progeny of such a potent divine beast?

Not even the formidable mother herself possessed the overwhelming power required to elude the detection of a Tyran Beast!

Alas, Philip remained oblivious. While a mere Beibei might not evade Homan's keen senses, what if Alex were to be factored into the equation?

For that diminutive creature was, in truth, the amalgamated essence of two super-divine beasts...

Bonis declared, "As per the terms of our accord, the formidable mother entrusted me with a single drop of her potent blood. Duhong now carries this very essence as The Clues, tasked with locating The Egg!"

With these words, both men cast their gazes upward, observing the incessant flow of corpses being transported overhead and the Undead soldiers ceaselessly rising from the earth below, a faint smile playing on their lips. Duhong, meanwhile, forged ahead swiftly through the myriad obscurities of the Labyrinth of Life. The intricate tunnels seemed to yield to his very intent; each time he arrived at an apparent dead end, an opening would fortuitously materialize, allowing him opportune passage.

Tracing Duhong's aerial trajectory, through subterranean passages and past the lairs of numerous ferocious beasts, not far distant, Du Chen gripped the Green Gourd Beast by its "neck," ferociously pressing it for intelligence regarding Philip's movements.

"So, Philip's scheme has been in motion for well over a year now, and within that span, at least four to five hundred thousand Undead soldiers have plunged into the profound depths of the Tunnel of Life, never to resurface!"

The Green Gourd Beast bobbed its head vigorously. "Indeed, indeed! Each time a contingent of troops is mustered, they are dispatched to a subterranean base nestled beneath Auerbach Canyon for intensive training. Once adequately drilled and capable of collective maneuvers, they are then sent to the deepest reaches of the Labyrinth of Life, their ultimate destination unknown."

Du Chen pressed for further confirmation. "The expansive clearing within the labyrinth, currently occupied by Philip's faction, lies several hundred meters beneath the vast plains stretching from the Amulang Mountains to the Auerbach Grand Canyon. It covers an immense area, essentially serving as a colossal military stronghold, is that correct?"

The Green Gourd Beast affirmed with another nod.

Du Chen released his grip and surveyed the assembled company.

Old Foye's brow furrowed. "Philip's ambition is truly immense! A formidable Undead Army, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, requiring no logistical support, and only growing stronger with each passing day. Such a force, if wielded with strategic acumen, could well subjugate a powerful continental nation!" In his youth, he hailed from the beastmen Golden Sarandor tribe, a noble among nobles, and thus possessed an understanding of military, political, and economic affairs far surpassing that of ordinary mortals.

Deboning observed, "To thwart their designs would indeed be an act of profound benevolence!"

Xue Ji remained silent, engrossed in deep contemplation. A puzzled frown creased her brow. "Why do our benefactors fret over Philip? My Master always taught that the Three Continents are a crucible of constant change; every single day, powers ascend and empires crumble. This is the immutable law of mortals; there is no imperative to meddle or to be troubled by such transient affairs..."

Du Chen stroked his nose, deep in deliberation for a considerable time. To speak frankly, with such a monumental act of benevolence presenting itself, it would be disingenuous to claim he felt no inclination! Yet, even in pursuing virtuous deeds, one must accurately gauge their own power! If his adversaries were comprised solely of The Undead, he cared not if they numbered a million-strong army; Du Chen could reduce them to dust with a mere flick of his finger—and this was no idle boast!

But what if, among the adversaries' elite, there existed beings who were not of The Undead?

Du Chen seized the Green Gourd Beast's neck once more. "Speak! Were the individuals who shattered the very walls of the Labyrinth of Life truly The Undead?" Even Deboning, formidable as he was, possessed no such destructive prowess against the labyrinthine structure!

The Green Gourd Beast stammered, "I-I did not witness it firsthand, but I overheard the Bone Worms within say that The Undead only materialized *after* those individuals breached the walls. The initial group, hee-gaga, were decidedly *not* Undead!"

Du Chen's heart plummeted. This implied the presence of adversaries whose power surpassed even Deboning's, and not merely one, but several, all immune to his own suppressive abilities! He sighed. This act of benevolence was clearly beyond his present capacity. Philip's designs were unmistakably intricate, and his desecration of heroic spirits constituted a blatant provocation to both the beastmen and the Holy Church. He resolved to somehow convey this intelligence to the Beast Emperor and the Pontiff, allowing them to contend with the matter.

After all, providing a timely warning is a benevolent act in itself!

With this thought solidified, Du Chen nodded and instructed, "Listen, both of you. Escort us out via Blade of Heaven Peak. Should you dare to attempt any treachery en route, then we shall see whose..."

"Help us! Hee-gaga, flee!"

Even as he spoke, the forty or fifty Green Gourd Beasts that had previously fled now swarmed back, their diminutive heads consumed by utter panic, their bulbous bodies writhing in frantic haste, as if pursued by a malevolent fiend!

One Green Gourd Beast, leading the charge, burst into the clearing. Upon seeing Du Chen still present, it immediately wailed with a mournful countenance, "Great Sir, pray do not slay us! We are but fleeing for our lives... grant us passage!"

Another shrieked, "Flee, flee! A monstrous, colossal fiend approaches to slaughter us!"

Though the tunnels presented a multitude of openings, these Green Gourd Beasts dared not scatter at random. Instead, they thronged and pressed toward a select few apertures—for they knew that only those specific openings offered sanctuary; all others... were treacherous dead ends!

Du Chen started, his mind racing. *Could a monstrous entity from the profound depths of the Cloudreach Tunnel be upon us?*

The two captive Green Gourd Beasts also shrieked, "Flee, formidable Sir, flee! And crucially, do not wander aimlessly! You—you must follow us! Rest assured, with our lives in your grasp, we would not dare attempt any deception!"

Deboning scoffed dismissively, "To flee in such unseemly panic before even laying eyes upon one's adversary—what manner of cowardice is this?!"

At that precise moment, a tall, gaunt figure was indeed cutting a path through the commotion—it was Duhong!

Having just been embroiled in a petty quarrel with Brockman, his heart seethed with exceptional indignation. Upon reaching this point, he observed, indeed, that the passage stood barely two meters high. He genuinely had no recourse but to revert to human form to navigate cautiously and preserve his wings. Thus, he had traversed the entire distance on foot, simultaneously slaying Green Gourd Beasts to vent his frustration and expertly seizing the opportune moments presented by the labyrinth's shifting apertures!

Duhong's velocity was prodigious. Du Chen and his companions had barely settled upon the Green Gourd Beasts' backs, poised to follow them into temporary refuge, when Duhong burst into the clearing!

The moment Du Chen beheld Duhong, he recoiled in profound shock. "Constantine!?" he gasped inwardly. *Damn it, has the Rebellious Dragon finally reawakened?*

Deboning, too, caught sight of Constantine, as did Old Foye. A knowing smile touched both their lips. If it were merely Constantine, what cause was there for flight? Surely, two Titled Battle Gods, acting in concert, could subdue a Rebellious Dragon?

Duhong glanced ahead, noting three unfamiliar figures who seemed hesitant to depart. He, too, paused for a moment, a thought flashing through his mind: *Blade of Heaven Peak lies in close proximity to the Orbach Base. Since these individuals have penetrated the labyrinth, there's no telling what vital intelligence they might have gleaned...*

"Hmph! Annihilation is the only recourse!"

Du Chen, his mind fixed on this deadly conclusion, uttered not a single word. He moved with lethal intent, his strike a perfect mimicry of Constantine's signature technique—the Metallic Sonic Wave!