Chapter 81: The Frosted Jade Pillar That Binds the Dragon

Thanks to Zizi’s coaxing, Sleepybug mustered all his energy and managed to find an extremely well-hidden entrance. The opening was a little over a meter wide, its surface covered with the marks of sharp claws.

“Hmm, this looks like a burrow dug by a Soul-Hunting Beast,” Zizi observed after a quick look, making a rather reliable deduction.

“Zizi, your eyes are truly sharp. This really was dug by a Soul-Hunting Beast—there’s even some of its fur left at the entrance,” Qin Chuan added with casual praise.

“Hmph, don’t butter me up. Are you trying to get something from me?” Zizi shot back, suspicion in her voice, her wariness almost exaggerated.

“Oh, come on, what could I possibly be after? It’s just a compliment. Why are you so jumpy?” Qin Chuan replied, a bit exasperated.

Zizi blinked her large violet eyes mischievously. “Aren’t you the bandit leader? Isn’t it only right that I stay on my guard?”

Suddenly, Qin Chuan let out a sinister chuckle. “That’s right, I’m not just a bandit—I’m the infamous Flower-Thief, master of stealing jade and fragrance.”

At this, Zizi felt a shiver down her spine, as if an unseen pair of eyes was fixed on her. “Hey, Qin Chuan, I was only joking. Could you not talk like that? You’re giving me goosebumps.”

“Haha, you started it. I’m just playing along,” Qin Chuan said, dropping back to his usual tone. Only then did Zizi breathe a sigh of relief.

“To be honest, you really are scary when you act like that.”

“Oh, really? Am I that frightening? I consider myself a gentleman, refined and courteous,” Qin Chuan declared with mock seriousness, actually pulling off the air of a gentleman for a moment.

Zizi couldn’t help but laugh. “Pfft, you just love showing off, don’t you?”

Meanwhile, Sleepybug crouched at the entrance, completely bewildered by their banter—he couldn’t make head or tail of what Qin Chuan and Zizi were talking about.

“Boss, should we go in now?”

“Ah, right! Enough fooling around, we almost forgot what we came for.”

“Alright, time to get to work!”

Now even Zizi was visibly excited; she found this bandit business thrilling.

About five or six minutes later, the three thieves emerged from the winding tunnel to find a distant glow ahead. As they moved toward the light, a chill began to permeate the air. Upon arrival, they discovered a cavern housing a mountain of icy jade ore.

What truly astonished them was the sight of a jade pillar about fifty meters away, standing proud atop the mineral mound. The pillar was four meters high and thirty centimeters thick, its lower half gleaming white, while its upper half was entwined by a five-clawed jade dragon.

Sleepybug gazed in wonder. “Boss, that pillar looks really exquisite. Is it some kind of treasure?”

Qin Chuan couldn’t quite make out what it was, but Zizi spoke up: “That looks like a Dragon-Binding Pillar from the Immortal Realm.”

“What’s a Dragon-Binding Pillar?”

“Simply put, it’s a pillar used to bind criminal dragons,” Zizi explained, her knowledge broader thanks to her origins in a higher plane.

Qin Chuan was taken aback. “Damn, that sounds impressive! Let’s go have a closer look.”

The three advanced, but after only twenty meters, a crisp system notification chimed.

“Ding! You have discovered a Level 27, Tier-3 Superior Dragon-Binding Icy Jade Pillar. Rarity: Rare. Grade: Seventh-Tier Elite.”

“Stop!” Qin Chuan barked, immediately alert as he fixed his gaze on the pillar ahead.

Zizi and Sleepybug halted at once, looking to Qin Chuan in confusion.

“Heh! I didn’t expect your little black sword to be so cautious,” came a buzzing voice from ahead. “I thought those pesky Soul-Hunting Beasts had returned, but it turns out to be just one person, a sword, and a bug.”

Suddenly, the dragon’s eyes atop the pillar glowed green.

“Careful, this is a Level 27 Dragon-Binding Icy Jade Pillar. It’s dangerous,” Zizi warned.

At that moment, even from a distance, both Zizi and Sleepybug felt a bone-deep chill as the dragon’s eyes lit up—they knew this was no easy foe.

The Dragon-Binding Icy Jade Pillar indeed had an extraordinary origin. It was once a true Dragon-Binding Pillar from the Immortal Realm. Many years ago, a criminal dragon, desperate to escape, shattered the pillar, and a fragment stained with dragon blood fell into the Spirit Realm. By chance, it landed in this icy jade mine, where it was nourished for ten thousand years until it developed a spiritual core. After another millennium of restoration, it evolved into the present Dragon-Binding Icy Jade Pillar.

Tainted with dragon blood, the pillar now exuded a trace of draconic energy, a rare and auspicious trait.

Its stats were formidable: sharpness over 700, resilience over 800, speed at 450. Clearly a powerhouse built for both offense and defense.

Its abilities were all dragon-related, ranking among the finest in the Spirit Realm:

Dragon-Binding Jade Chains (Active): Phase One, Level 3—releases three jade chains, each thirty meters long, lasting thirty seconds. Phase Two, Level 2—each level adds ten seconds to the duration.

Jade Dragon’s Chill (Passive): Each level reduces the speed of targets within forty meters by 5%, while increasing the pillar’s own speed by 2%. Currently at Level 9.

Dragon-Binding Earthquake (Active): Each level stuns targets within five meters for 0.2 seconds. Currently at Level 8.

Berserker Dragon Pillar (Active): For three seconds, all attacks are guaranteed critical hits with 150% increased damage. Phase One, Level 3—attack range fifteen meters. Phase Two, Level 2—attack range ten meters.

The pillar’s skills were comprehensive: ranged attacks, control, critical strikes, and, most terrifyingly, a passive that reduced the speed of any target within forty meters by 45%—as if it were cheating.

With targets slowed, it could easily ensnare them with its Dragon-Binding Jade Chains, pulling them close. Then came the devastating combo of Dragon-Binding Earthquake and Berserker Dragon Pillar—if it landed successfully, even a fourth-tier spirit creature would likely be obliterated instantly.

Although Qin Chuan knew nothing of these abilities, his instincts told him this foe would be a tough challenge.

“I’ll go engage it first. You two fall back and be ready to support me at any moment,” Qin Chuan said, uncharacteristically requesting backup, a testament to how seriously he took the danger.

Zizi, genuinely concerned, quickly replied, “Alright, but you must be careful!”

“Boss, don’t worry. I’ll be ready to help at a moment’s notice,” Sleepybug added.

Seeing the concern in their eyes, Qin Chuan nodded softly. “Understood.”

With a resonant hum, Qin Chuan’s blade emitted a faint orange glow. The dark dragon patterns along its length shone with unusual brilliance.

The sword’s hum carried a hint of a dragon’s roar, perhaps because the weapon itself contained a trace of draconic energy, resonating in that moment with the Dragon-Binding Icy Jade Pillar.

Of course, this was not a harmonious resonance, but the clash of two dragons.

“Amazing! That’s an orange-grade spirit weapon!” At the sight of the orange light, both Zizi and the pillar involuntarily drew in a breath of cold air. Zizi was mostly shocked and surprised, while the pillar’s astonishment was tinged with wild delight.

“Haha, excellent! I didn’t expect to encounter an orange-grade spirit weapon, and at only Level 22, no less. This is a gift dropped right into my lap!”

“No matter what, your spirit core will be mine!” The Dragon-Binding Icy Jade Pillar made no attempt to hide its desire, its entire body vibrating with excitement.

Qin Chuan stepped calmly into the battle zone, his voice light and unconcerned. “Many have wanted my spirit core, but in the end, they all died. You will be no exception.”

“Haha, arrogant and clueless. The moment you set foot in the battle circle, your fate was sealed,” the pillar replied, glowing green eyes flickering with savage intent.

“Ding! You are under skill suppression: speed reduced by 45%.”