Urban Divine Doctor Descends the Mountain Chapter 2698 - 2697: An Unexpected Visitor

A soft breeze wafted through the cave entrance, carrying a faint chill that seemed to foreshadow the brewing chaos.

While Lin Dong carefully examined the ingredients for the antidote, a sudden odd sensation prompted him to snap his head up warily, his sharp eyes sweeping over the gloomy, vacant surroundings like blazing torches.

"Who’s there, lurking in the shadows?" Lin Dong’s voice rang out in the cave, laced with commanding presence.

His gaze cut like an eagle’s, seeking out the tiniest hint of motion. Yet, beyond the whispering wind, everything stayed eerily quiet.

Several minutes of tense stillness dragged on endlessly, right when Lin Dong began to suspect his own paranoia, a casual voice at last shattered the calm:

"I concealed myself so cleverly, yet you still spotted me—truly remarkable."

With those words spoken, a silhouette gradually stepped out from the cave’s shadowy depths.

It turned out to be Little Monarch Red Dragon, the one who had vanished at the second barrier.

The instant Lin Dong laid eyes on Little Monarch Red Dragon, his face shifted briefly, but he soon composed himself, a subtle grin tugging at his lips:

"It’s you after all. How did you track me down?"

His voice mixed astonishment with a touch of wariness.

Little Monarch Red Dragon shrugged lightly, a mischievous grin playing on his features: "By planting a hidden tracker on you, of course."

At that revelation, Lin Dong’s face grew stormy, a spark of fury in his stare: "You marked me? What’s your plan?"

Little Monarch Red Dragon appeared unmoved by Lin Dong’s rage; he shot back, "Lin Dong, you came out alive, so you must have claimed the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique, haven’t you?"

His words held firm conviction, as though he’d pierced all secrets already.

Hearing this, Lin Dong’s gaze wavered, and he replied steadily, "I got it, and?"

His response blended doubt about Little Monarch Red Dragon’s motives with assurance in his own power.

Little Monarch Red Dragon’s eyes tightened abruptly; a icy aura poured from him, dropping the cave’s air by several degrees: "And? You ought to surrender it to me!"

His tone boomed deep and forceful, every syllable forced out with overwhelming menace.

Facing Little Monarch Red Dragon’s hostile posture, Lin Dong stood firm, glaring back with icy resolve, his eyes gleaming defiantly: "Haha, think you can make me yield the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique by yourself?"

His words dripped with contempt and mockery, as if deriding Little Monarch Red Dragon’s arrogance.

The icy smirk on Little Monarch Red Dragon’s lips stood out starkly in the cavern. As his statement ended, a mighty aura erupted from him like a surging flood, instantly blanketing the cave in heavy pressure.

Lin Dong sensed plainly that this aura raged far fiercer than in the Earth Dragon Palace, overflowing with boundless fury and power.

"Lin Dong, I saw your prowess back in the Earth Dragon Palace; you’re right, I can’t beat you solo." Little Monarch Red Dragon’s admission held a trace of honesty, but mostly respect and vigilance for Lin Dong’s abilities.

Then he shifted abruptly, his voice turning sinister, "But do you really believe I’d show up here by myself?"

Lin Dong’s spirits plummeted; he instantly grasped the implication behind Little Monarch Red Dragon’s remark.

True enough, as soon as he finished speaking, another form slunk out from the blackness at his rear.

This form appeared born of the gloom itself, blending seamlessly with the enveloping shadows, as though it were the very incarnation of night, emerging from an infinite void.

When the form fully revealed itself, Lin Dong at last discerned his features clearly.

In that instant, shock gripped Lin Dong’s face, his eyes wide with incredulity and dread.

It was the Shadow Princess, the Sub-Ancestor tier elder supporting Little Monarch Red Dragon, a force surpassing Five Heavens might!

The Shadow Princess’s arrival intensified the cave’s already stifling tension.

He turned his gaze slowly toward Lin Dong, those profound eyes harboring infinite enigmas and dominance, too intense to meet head-on.

His voice rumbled low and commanding, each phrase echoing from some remote emptiness, bearing absolute command: "Now, will you hand over the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique without a fight?"

Lin Dong’s fists balled hard, nails biting into his skin, but he stayed composed and unyielding.

He knew full well that resisting a titan like the Shadow Princess was pointless.

Yet he realized even better that the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique, won through his hard-fought trials, was vital for boosting his power and safeguarding his loved ones. Thus, he’d never relinquish it lightly.

"Shadow Princess, as a Sub-Ancestor powerhouse, aren’t you ashamed to bully a young one like this?" Lin Dong’s voice, soft yet firm, brimmed with bold resistance in every syllable.

He sought to goad the Shadow Princess, aiming for even the slimmest chance.

But the Shadow Princess only offered a mild smile, treating Lin Dong’s barbs like a mere passing gust.

He lifted his hand gradually, dark energy gathering potently at his fingers, poised to engulf Lin Dong entirely at any second.

"Lin Dong, your resistance is pointless. In this realm, power rules all. If you failed to earn the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique’s approval, it belongs to one more worthy." The Shadow Princess’s tone mocked and belittled, as if he’d unraveled Lin Dong’s every scheme.

Beneath the Shadow Princess’s vast might and intimidation, despair and powerlessness flooded Lin Dong’s heart. But right then, a known, reliable voice echoed within his thoughts:

"Lin Dong, don’t surrender. Recall the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique—you’ve grasped it fully. You can’t overcome a Sub-Ancestor, but surely you can flee?"

This well-known voice belonged to the Sovereign Witch, naturally.

Thanks to the Senior Sovereign Witch’s counsel, Lin Dong regained his poise.

Yes, he had indeed commanded the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique. Unable to best the Shadow Princess, but escape? Why not?

Now, a surge of courage filled him, and he spoke evenly, "You’re going to such lengths to steal a junior’s prize—aren’t you worried about the Alliance of Heavenly Realm’s punishment?"

"Should word of this spread, it’d hardly boost your Dark Family’s standing..."

At that, Little Monarch Red Dragon snorted coldly, cutting off Lin Dong’s follow-up.

"Lin Dong, you still don’t grasp how dire this is for you. Here, no one will come to your aid. Yield the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique, and our King may grant you a quick death."

Those words only drew a frosty smile from Lin Dong’s lips; Little Monarch Red Dragon’s warning failed to daunt him, instead hardening his resolve:

"Hmph, if you crave the Earth Dragon Treasure Technique, prove you’re worthy of taking it."

His voice rang with provocation and derision, bracing fully for the clash ahead.