Walking into the earth cavern, Ye Yunfei found himself in a winding, downward-sloping tunnel.
The tunnel was filled with a great quantity of Earth-elemental Laws, which manifested as streams of yellow, ribbon-like energy.
These Earth-elemental Laws generated a tremendous pressure.
However, possessing profound comprehension of Earth-elemental Laws, Ye Yunfei was unafraid and walked through them with ease.
After roughly half an hour of walking, the space suddenly opened up, revealing a massive underground cavern.
The scale of this subterranean chamber was immense, making a person standing within it seem minuscule by comparison.
"An Earth Dragon," Ye Yunfei's gaze sharpened as he looked deep into the cavern.
There, lying prostrate, was an earth-yellow dragon!
The dragon was over a thousand meters long, its head, body, tail, and scales vividly realistic.
Yet, upon closer inspection, one would notice the dragon's form was somewhat ethereal, faintly undulating.
Its eyes were tightly shut, as if asleep.
A terrifying pressure of earth-attribute energy radiated from the dragon's body, surging and roaring within the cavern like tumultuous waves.
Even Ye Yunfei nearly lost his footing!
Even more fearsome were the swirling yellow ribbons—extreme concentrations of Earth-elemental Laws—twining around the dragon's form.
Waves of Law-based pressure caused the entire underground cavern to tremble faintly.
"The most formidable thing in this cavern is actually the pressure of the Earth-elemental Laws," Ye Yunfei murmured to himself. "Even the Houtu Sect's leader likely wouldn't dare come here."
In truth, the Houtu Sect leader and its elders didn't dare to tread upon the Earth Pagoda's eighth or ninth floors, let alone enter this underground cavern.
Those floors were saturated with vast amounts of highly sophisticated Earth-elemental Laws.
Only Ye Yunfei, having been a Heavenly Emperor in his past life and having delved deeply into such Laws, could arrive here unimpeded.
"I understand now," Ye Yunfei realized aloud. "The earth-attribute energy and Laws stored within the Earth Pagoda are released and transmitted upward by this dragon."
This was the first time Ye Yunfei had ever seen an Earth Dragon—a creature of legend—at such close quarters since beginning his studies in Geomancy, and he found it rather novel.
Suddenly, the Yellow Dragon's eyes snapped open, fixing on Ye Yunfei with an uncanny trace of human-like awareness.
Ye Yunfei understood: this Yellow Dragon was condensed from earth-attribute energy and Laws—an amalgamation of energy and Law.
Unexpectedly, it had actually developed intelligence!
Twin beams of yellow light shot from the dragon's eyes as it watched Ye Yunfei warily.
"ROAR!"
Suddenly, the dragon roared, seemingly a warning to this intruder.
The colossal bellow shook the earth beneath intensely.
The entire Earth Pagoda trembled in response.
Disciples cultivating inside the pagoda were startled, their hearts leaping into their throats, and they immediately fled toward the exits.
Back at the Houtu Sect headquarters, numerous high-ranking members felt the violent tremors and soared into the air to investigate.
"The disturbance is coming from the Earth Pagoda!" shouted the Sect Leader.
With a burst of speed, he rushed towards the pagoda.
Other high-ranking members followed suit.
Within moments, a large group of Houtu Sect elders gathered before the Earth Pagoda.
Disciples were scrambling out one after another.
"What happened?!" a senior elder intercepted a few disciples, demanding an explanation.
"We don't know!" one disciple answered nervously. "The pagoda suddenly started shaking, and the energy pressure inside kept increasing!"
"Hmm? The energy pressure is intensifying as well?" The Sect Leader frowned.
"Could the Earth Dragon beneath the pagoda have developed a problem?" a different elder speculated.
"Let's go in and check," the Sect Leader considered briefly. "That Earth Dragon is critically important to our Houtu Sect—it influences the very fate of our sect. We absolutely cannot allow anything to happen to it."
His figure flickered, and he charged into the Earth Pagoda.
The other elders hesitated for a moment before likewise entering.
However, once these Houtu Sect elders descended to the sixth floor, they encountered earth-attribute energy and Laws growing increasingly terrifying.
Even the Sect Leader was shocked.
They attempted to proceed to the seventh floor, but they simply could not.
Several of the relatively weaker elders were directly injured by the oppressive force.
"With our abilities, we cannot go deeper," the Sect Leader shook his head with a sigh. "If we force our way, we risk our lives. Let's leave."
The group exited the pagoda and stood before it, their faces etched with deep worry.
By this time, a crowd of disciples had formed around the Earth Pagoda.
Within the underground cavern at the base:
"Huh? This Earth Dragon is actually bound here!" Ye Yunfei's heart stirred as he observed the roaring dragon.
He noticed numerous ethereal chains, dense and intricate, binding the dragon's form.
These insubstantial chains were composed of many special symbols.
"Could this be... the Dragon Binding Art from Geomancy!" The thought struck Ye Yunfei as he studied the chains.
Geomancy documented a highly advanced secret technique known as the Dragon Binding Art, used to immobilize Earth Dragons.
Only a Geomancer of exceptionally deep cultivation would be capable of employing this art.
Ye Yunfei estimated that no one within the Houtu Sect—not even its leader or elders—had the ability to execute the Dragon Binding Art!
According to Da Di Daozhang, there were originally five Earth Dragons beneath the pagoda. Four had escaped, leaving only one.
"It seems a master from ancient times within the Houtu Sect used the Dragon Binding Art to secure five Earth Dragons here," Ye Yunfei deduced to himself. "Later, four escaped, leaving this final one."
The dragon roared at Ye Yunfei several more times, blasting waves of Earth-elemental Laws toward him.
Immediately, more of the yellow, ribbon-like energies materialized, threatening to drown Ye Yunfei.
"Enough of your struggling," Ye Yunfei stood firm and spoke to the dragon. "I'm not afraid of Earth-elemental Laws."
The dragon watched Ye Yunfei with puzzled eyes, seemingly also wondering why this human felt no fear before its Law-based pressure.
It ceased its roars.
"Save me."
Suddenly, a weak ripple of Soul Power reached Ye Yunfei.
"Oh? This fellow has truly gained intelligence and can communicate with people?" Ye Yunfei was surprised.
"I grow weaker... must replenish energy elsewhere," another fluctuation of Soul Power reached Ye Yunfei from the dragon. "Otherwise... will soon fade away..."