Although Long Xiaoxuan's desire to fight was quite strong, he understood his mission. Right now, his role was that of bait, not to engage these fellows in combat.
Of these opponents, aside from that half-god ancestor, Long Xiaoxuan was confident he could hold his own against any of the other seven. But if they all swarmed him at once, he would have no choice but to flee for his life.
So Long Xiaoxuan knew full well that there was no point in picking a fight right now.
The speed of the True Dragon race was not the absolute fastest among all the races in the heavens — but that was only when compared to the very quickest species. Against humans, the True Dragon's speed still held a considerable advantage.
Long Xiaoxuan pushed his speed to the absolute limit. Apart from the Golden Bell Ancestor, who could still keep pace above him, the other seven were visibly struggling to keep up.
When the Golden Bell Ancestor noticed Long Xiaoxuan's reaction, a flicker of surprise passed through his mind. This True Dragon had clearly discovered their presence.
"It's spotted us — chase!"
The Golden Bell Ancestor was somewhat vexed. Their positions hadn't even been fully established yet, and the dragon had already detected them. This undoubtedly made the pursuit far more difficult.
Fortunately, the Golden Bell Ancestor was exceptionally fast in his own right, and could just barely suppress the True Dragon in that regard.
With the Golden Bell Ancestor charging ahead at the forefront, the other seven scrambled to follow. Their entire plan had now been thrown into complete disarray.
If they failed to keep up in the end, it would be as though they'd contributed nothing — and the Golden Bell Ancestor would have every right to void their agreement. They had to stay close, even if all they managed was to throw a few punches and kicks, at the very least they could prove they'd lent a hand.
In that moment, these fellows grew deeply anxious, terrified of missing out on the promised rewards.
Before this, Long Xiaoxuan had coordinated a meticulous plan with Jiang Chen and the others. He glanced back and confirmed that only the Golden Bell Ancestor was pursuing him at the front, while the remaining seven had already been left far behind.
Long Xiaoxuan knew the moment had arrived.
His body suddenly dove downward, plunging straight toward the ground.
The Golden Bell Ancestor let out an odd laugh, raising one arm from a distance. Instantly, a massive golden bell materialized behind him. The bell was magnificent in its imposing aura, hurtling at tremendous speed toward Long Xiaoxuan's retreating form, seeking to engulf him.
The bell's might was terrifying — as it descended, it seemed capable of setting the very void ablaze.
Long Xiaoxuan sensed the immense power of the golden bell and inwardly felt a jolt of alarm. This Golden Bell Ancestor truly was no ordinary opponent.
The bell's pressure alone made his True Dragon bloodline churn within his body. Had the distance been any shorter, the bell might very well have sealed him inside outright.
The golden bell was the Golden Bell Ancestor's proudest treasure — a thing that could devour the void and draw in heaven and earth itself. Its power was truly horrifying.
Sensing the bell's fearsome might, Long Xiaoxuan didn't dare linger. His form shimmered once more, transforming into a mote within the void, vanishing into thin air.
This art of concealment was unique to the Dragon race.
However, the golden bell's power was formidable indeed. Even after Long Xiaoxuan reduced himself to a speck and vanished, the bell could still sense him, relentlessly pursuing, locked onto him like a hunting hound refusing to let go.
The Golden Bell Ancestor grinned savagely, silently praising the dragon. "As expected of the Dragon bloodline — this art of concealment is truly remarkable. But my golden bell can track a True Dragon even when he hides as a mote in the void. Watch as this ancestor crushes him with overwhelming force."
The Golden Bell Ancestor naturally wanted to strike quickly. If he could finish off this True Dragon before the others caught up, they would have no grounds to claim they'd helped. In that case, all those earlier promises would be rendered meaningless.