The Strongest Dandy in the City Chapter 2234 - 2223: The Black Fiend!

In the blink of an eye, five days flew by.

From dawn, the whole Nine Nether Ice Lion clan buzzed with activity; the annual ceremony of the Nine Nether Ice Lion fell on this day.

Every year, the Nine Nether Ice Lion clan holds this ceremony right on schedule.

To the Nine Nether Ice Lion clan, nothing tops the ceremony day as the year's biggest event.

Over these five days, while bonding with Bai Xiaorou, plenty of Lion King Lineage youngsters tried to build ties with Ye Chenfeng.

Ye Chenfeng had planned to depart two days sooner, and Zhao Wenyu along with the rest didn't block Bai Xiaorou from going with him. Still, they just asked him to hold off until after the ceremony to take her away, forcing Ye Chenfeng to linger a bit more.

The ceremony took place on a vast white plaza to the north in this small world, set up just for the yearly rite.

Ye Chenfeng, Bai Xiaorou, and the others were already there, every stone brick on the plaza radiating an ancient presence that showed its great age.

Bai Xiaorou clung to Ye Chenfeng’s arm as Zhao Chengming and Zhao Huaqing flanked him. After five days of familiarity, and seeing Ye Chenfeng's honest nature, the pair had sworn brotherhood with him, their bond growing swiftly.

The sturdy Zhao Chengming chuckled, "Chenfeng, what do you think of this plaza? Sense that ancient air? Our Nine Nether Ice Lion clan boasts deep roots; it'll shock you!"

Zhao Huaqing chimed in too, "Chenfeng, Chengming isn't boasting. Our Nine Nether Ice Lion hit its height in the Initial Stage of the Ancient Era, and this plaza dates back to then."

Quickly, Zhao Chengming pressed on, "Chenfeng, do you know who built this plaza for us?"

Noticing Zhao Chengming's secretive tease, Ye Chenfeng shrugged. "How would I know the builder? I'm only here to watch the ceremony today."

Ye Chenfeng clapped Zhao Chengming’s shoulder; after five days side by side, he knew Zhao Chengming's eager nature meant he couldn't hold back secrets.

Catching Ye Chenfeng’s bored expression, Zhao Chengming burst out, "Chenfeng, come on! You're surely interested, so pay close attention to my words."

"The first Lion King of the Dragon Clan built this plaza in the Ancient Era Initial Stage. At that time, the Dragon Clan led every clan, ruling this world alone, and our Nine Nether Ice Lion clan shared old bonds with them; they aided us immensely before."

"Thanks to the Dragon Clan, our Nine Nether Ice Lion clan thrived in that age. Sadly, for reasons unknown, the Dragon Clan fell, dragging down their tight allies like us."

Letting out a sigh, Zhao Chengming went on, "Chenfeng, you've probably heard of the Dragon Clan? Our Nine Nether Ice Lion holds many ancient records of their tale. Without their decline, they'd dominate this world still."

"Chenfeng, I respect you a lot, but my top idol is the Dragon Clan's Lion King. Too bad we'll never meet him now. Does any Dragon Clan bloodline linger?"

Ye Chenfeng halted inside upon Zhao Chengming’s tale. No surprise his Dragon Clan mark stirred on this plaza; so the Dragon Clan made it and linked closely with the Nine Nether Ice Lion clan?

While Ye Chenfeng mulled over it.

Nearly all Nine Nether Ice Lion clan members assembled, Zhao Jinpeng, Zhao Shenghong, and Zhao Wenyu up front, eyeing the plaza crowd. They spotted only regular branch folks Zhao Chenggao, Zhao Hongliang, Zhao Qishu, and Zhao Feiyu missing.

The trio frowned a touch; ceremony time was here, but Zhao Chenggao and crew acted petty over old grudges. For the Nine Nether Ice Lion, the yearly ceremony was huge, and that group acted out of line. Reprimand seemed due.

Still, the rite must go on time, so Zhao Jinpeng declared gravely, "All present; this year’s ceremony starts now."

His words dropped.

Zhao Jinpeng, Zhao Shenghong, and Zhao Wenyu lifted their arms together, unleashing energy flows from their bodies.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!" rang out.

From the earth rose a pentagram altar, red light shining from it.

With the altar rising.

Deep in the small world’s western edge.

Eeriness cloaked the area.

At a tall mountain’s base stood Zhao Chenggao, Zhao Hongliang, Zhao Qishu, and Zhao Feiyu.

Dense runes blanketed the mountain, meant for locking and quelling.

A cave mouth lay at the mountain foot, sealed by a huge stone gate carved with a pentagram matching the altar’s.

Mountain runes and stone door’s pentagram lit up together as Zhao Chenggao grinned, "Their ceremony kicks off, time for our move."

For nearly a century, Zhao Chenggao and Zhao Hongliang researched, unearthing a hidden truth.

In truth, this ceremony stemmed from the Ancient Era Initial Stage, when the Dragon Clan taught it to the Nine Nether Ice Lion clan. Back then, no one named it a ceremony; over time, the Nine Nether Ice Lion clan did.

In the Ancient Era Initial Stage.

The Dragon Clan’s inaugural Lion King fought a beast ten days and nights to beat it, but failed to erase it fully, merely sealing it in bitter cold.

Nine Nether Ice Lion’s ancestral grounds fit perfectly, so the Lion King pinned the beast called Black Demon right here.

Black Demon got sealed ten thousand years at first, till his strength waned for full destruction by the Lion King. All was arranged for that moment, but the Dragon Clan weakened early, unable to finish Black Demon.

The yearly “ceremony” truly bolsters Black Demon’s seal and suppression.

From a hundred years watching, Zhao Chenggao and Zhao Hongliang learned the ceremony’s start holds a brief weakest phase before the seal toughens.

The stone door holds no inner gaps, so Black Demon stays trapped even then; outside though, Zhao Chenggao and Zhao Hongliang spotted tiny fissures in that frail span, plotting years with full prep.

Though pinned inside, Black Demon’s mind sometimes leaks, letting him pact early with Zhao Chenggao and Zhao Hongliang.

When seal and suppression hit peak frailty.

Zhao Chenggao and Zhao Hongliang’s auras exploded, pulling out gear, following their scheme step by step; cracking the door via those fissures in weakness proved tough.

Quickly, Zhao Chenggao and Zhao Hongliang drained their spiritual energy, faces ashen and white, gasps ragged; then the massive stone door shook, creaking open inch by inch, agonizingly slow.

... (To be continued. Love this story? Vote on Qidian (qidian.com), back me with rec tickets, monthly votes. Your cheers fuel me most. Phone readers, head to m.qidian.com.)