"So what do we do? Are we still going in?" Eggy was ready to retreat once more.
"Since we're already here, let's take a look. If I don't give it my all, I won't be at peace," Chu Feng said, and began to venture deeper.
The opponent's aura was incomparably powerful, but fortunately, it hadn't released any oppressive force.
Otherwise, entering this place would have made even a single step impossible for Chu Feng.
Though Chu Feng had concealed himself extremely well, he still proceeded with utmost caution.
Facing an existence this powerful, he had lost confidence in even his own concealment techniques.
Fortunately, after advancing some distance, Chu Feng heard the sound of snoring.
That gave him a glimmer of hope — it seemed the other party had fallen asleep.
As he pressed deeper, the snoring grew louder and louder, eventually causing the entire Dragon Cavern to tremble.
After venturing further still, Chu Feng finally laid eyes on the true dragon's remnant consciousness.
Its size was not particularly great — only about a hundred meters long.
Though it was undeniably in the form of a dragon, it had no physical body. It was a translucent soul, emanating a faint glow as it coiled within the cavern.
At the center of its coiled body lay a golden, resplendent pearl.
That pearl radiated a rich dragon aura, yet seemed to contain some kind of special power as well.
Even though the true dragon's remnant consciousness was asleep, it still periodically sniffed at the pearl.
Before long, Chu Feng noticed a pattern.
The remnant consciousness would emit light, but that light would gradually dim.
However, each time it sniffed the pearl, the fading glow would be restored.
"Though this Dragon Cavern does contain energy that is beneficial to it…"
"That pearl is the true foundation sustaining its remnant consciousness."
"If I can steal that pearl, I might be able to lure it out of the cavern," Chu Feng said.
"So how do you plan to do it?"
"Approaching it directly like that would be way too dangerous, wouldn't it?" Eggy said.
"A teleportation formation."
"I'll set up the teleportation formation inside the Dragon Cavern, and I can't leave the cavern before activating it."
"Only this way can I absorb the cavern's own aura, which would give me the best chance of evading its perception."
Chu Feng set to work immediately. He first withdrew from the area where the true dragon's remnant consciousness was resting and retreated to what he judged to be a relatively safe zone.
To avoid disturbing the remnant consciousness, Chu Feng constructed the teleportation formation within his own body.
On top of that, the need to absorb the cavern's aura made the process complex and time-consuming.
Fortunately, Chu Feng successfully completed the formation. All that remained was to overlay the teleportation formation onto that pearl.
Then he would simply leave the cavern and activate the formation — and the pearl would be his.
Returning to the area where the true dragon's remnant consciousness rested, Chu Feng began carefully layering the teleportation formation over the pearl.
Even Chu Feng broke out in a cold sweat, so tense he could barely stand it.
After all, the being guarding that pearl was far too powerful. If he were discovered, aside from calling upon the divine deer's power, there would be absolutely no hope of escape.
Fortunately, the outcome was favorable.
The teleportation formation successfully enveloped the pearl.
Chu Feng immediately turned around and shot toward the cavern's exit at full speed.
As long as he made it out of the Dragon Cavern in one piece, everything would be done.
This stretch was equally nerve-wracking, but the exit was already within sight.
"We did it!" Eggy cried out in delight.
But suddenly, the smile froze on Eggy's face.
The true dragon's remnant consciousness — which had been coiled deep within the cavern — now stood at the very entrance.
It was no longer in a state of slumber. It glared at Chu Feng with vicious intent, and at the corners of its mouth lingered an evil, mocking smirk.
"Senior!"
Chu Feng urgently called out to the divine deer.
But when the divine deer responded, both Chu Feng and Eggy felt their hearts sink to the depths.
"This is bad, Chu Feng — this divine one's power cannot be deployed!"
At the same time, outside the Dragon Cavern, Shangguan Huangquan and Sikong Changsheng were peering in through the entrance and had caught sight of the true dragon's remnant consciousness.
"After all these years, this true dragon's remnant consciousness still loves to toy with people just the same," Shangguan Huangquan said with a sigh and a smile.
Sikong Changsheng said nothing. Though he tried desperately to conceal it, his conscience still weighed on him.
He had known this would happen.
This was precisely why no one had ever succeeded in luring the true dragon's remnant consciousness out of the cavern.
The remnant consciousness would toy with every person who set foot inside — and then kill them.