That morning
At the entrance to Bocheng Zoo
Beside the stone lion statues, quite a few men and women sat beneath the shade of trees, each waiting for someone.
Yet this time, a figure beside the stone carvings drew many glances.
Unlike her usual outfit at school—a black Nano Integrated Suit underneath a purple ancient-style robe—
Su Nianyi was dressed in a fresh, casual style today.
She wore a light-purple cotton-and-linen dress, its hem falling just below her calves. When the Clear Wind stirred it, it looked like a pale-purple cloud lifted by the breeze.
On her feet were caramel-colored round-toed leather shoes paired with lace-trimmed ankle socks, giving her a very girlish air.
Her waist-length purple hair swayed in the wind, and her quiet, refined demeanor drew the eyes of many passersby.
However, when Li Xijun arrived and she led him into the zoo through a VIP passageway, many people regretfully withdrew their gazes.
"Didn't we say the weekend? Why was it suddenly moved up?"
Walking down the zoo's pebble path and listening to the calls of colorful-feathered chickens nearby, Li Xijun could not help asking.
"That was my original plan, but after seeing you on the news, I felt going with you over the weekend would attract unnecessary attention."
"Besides, you went through a life-or-death crisis last night. Your mental strength should have grown as well. Taking advantage of this active state to practice drawing will have the best results."
"Speaking of that, Sister and I watched the footage from the scene. Other than the Drooping Cloud Hand injury to that Blood God Cult follower's throat, the most important thing was that someone beheaded him with a single sword strike. I don't recall you ever practicing swordsmanship."
Su Nianyi hugged her sketchbook and turned to look at Li Xijun, her purple eyes thoughtful.
"Cough, cough. That's the Kui Wood Flood Dragon up ahead, right?"
Li Xijun chose to change the subject. Seeing the sign ahead, he hurried over to grab a good spot while there were still few people around.
The corners of Su Nianyi's lips curled up slightly as she followed after him with light steps.
Standing before the glass wall of the Kui Wood Flood Dragon exhibit, Li Xijun looked at the creature. It was not much larger than a python from his previous life, though it had a withered-wood-like horn on its head. He felt somewhat disappointed.
This thin-blooded sub-dragon species did have a few draconic traits, but they were not very obvious. It was far inferior to the various dragons shown in online projections. Its only advantage was that it was real. Especially when it saw the two of them arrive and opened its vertical pupils, the faint pressure it gave off finally made Li Xijun feel something.
Su Nianyi opened the sketchbook she had brought and fixed her purple eyes on the Kui Wood Flood Dragon before her.
At that instant, the Kui Wood Flood Dragon within the glass enclosure seemed to have encountered some tremendous danger. It abruptly raised its body, the withered-wood horn atop its head glowing with a faint green light as the thin dragon might within its vertical pupils erupted in full.
Likewise, Li Xijun clearly felt an immense, terrifying mental force containing the fury of thunder sweep outward from Su Nianyi.
The hairs all over his body stood on end uncontrollably. His instincts reacted as if struck by electricity, urging him to leap up and flee.
Fortunately, he was already able to stabilize the state of mind from White Lotus Crossing Extinction, and he suppressed the feeling in an instant.
Only then could he calmly observe Su Nianyi's actions.
Under the influence of her Psychic Power, the brush began moving as if it possessed awareness.
Within just a few breaths, a painting of the Kui Wood Flood Dragon rising in frenzy, its vertical pupils releasing dragon might, appeared before Li Xijun.
Though faint, when he focused on it, he could indeed sense the dignified quality of a "dragon" within it.
What powerful mental strength. The ability to release one's mind externally alone is already a sign of the Sitting in Oblivion Realm. Once a genius with such Psychic Power awakens, even without formal cultivation in the Spirit-Refining System, the Spirit Level they display would still be absurdly high.
Li Xijun could not help praising the true-intent painting of the Kui Wood Flood Dragon in his heart.
Su Nianyi, who could take in the entire zoo at a glance, had been observing Li Xijun ever since she began drawing.
When she saw that he could easily resist the scan of her externally released mental force, she could not help feeling surprised.
She could sense that Li Xijun's mental strength had grown noticeably again after just one night apart.
This matched her understanding of his talent in Psychic Power.
But his state of mind exceeded her expectations.
Li Xijun's mental fluctuation was extremely unusual at that moment.
Had she not already known he was there, she would have thought that the thing beside her during her mental scan was some dead object, like a stone or tree.
"Let me give it a try." The more Li Xijun looked, the more inspired he felt. He took the sketchbook proactively, grasped the brush, and began drawing for the first time.
Naturally, the result was awful.
The Kui Wood Flood Dragon in the sketchbook looked like a noodle. Forget dragon-might traits—he had not even captured its basic shape.
Su Nianyi could only take hold of his hand and teach Li Xijun how to draw bit by bit.
This method of teaching brought them very close together, making each other's warmth and scent especially distinct. If Li Xijun had not maintained the state of mind from White Lotus Crossing Extinction the entire time, his gaze and brush might have strayed toward the girl's delicate, curvaceous body.
Fortunately, this hand-in-hand instruction from a Psychic Power genius was remarkably effective.
Every one of Li Xijun's drawings showed clear improvement.
From utterly terrible to a passable outline, then to a nearly realistic level, it took only half a day.
As Su Nianyi repeatedly used her Psychic Power to provoke the Kui Wood Flood Dragon, making it rear up and release its dragon might, Li Xijun's understanding deepened. The Azure Dragon in his mind also writhed and swam more intensely, beginning to "come alive."
Until a certain moment, as the sun slanted westward and the Kui Wood Flood Dragon lay listlessly still despite the stimulation of Psychic Power, Li Xijun's drawing hand developed an intuitive synchronization with the fair, slender hand guiding his.
As he completed the most important part—the pair of vertical pupils filled with dragon might—the familiar message finally appeared before Li Xijun's vision.
Your "Azure Dragon Heaven-Reaching Method" realm has increased from Proficient 99% to Mastery 11%.
"Whew, I finally succeeded."
Finally relaxing, Li Xijun habitually leaned backward. This time, however, he felt unmistakable softness and a girl's slightly elevated body temperature.
Li Xijun's body suddenly tensed as he instantly realized something. He decisively continued leaning back, and his body, tired after a long day, seemed to relax because of it.
This move left the purple-haired girl behind him, who had kindly been teaching him, completely stunned.
The next moment—
Powerful Psychic Power erupted, flinging someone through the air and into the incomparably hard glass barrier.
"You pervert!"
The girl, usually calm and composed, turned and fled with burning cheeks. She was in such a rush that she did not even realize she had dropped her sketchbook and brush.
In a corner of the zoo beneath the setting sun,
Only the richly rewarded Li Xijun and the listless Kui Wood Flood Dragon remained, staring wide-eyed at one another.
Yet their joys and sorrows were not shared.
At home
"Whoosh—!"
The breathing technique accompanying the Azure Dragon Heaven-Reaching Method underwent a wondrous change.
With every breath, the sound of his breathing carried a faint hint of a dragon's roar.
As his blood essence circulated through his spine, Li Xijun felt as if it had come alive. He seemed to transform into a flood dragon, winding and roaring atop a towering tree that reached the heavens.
The blood essence throughout his body became increasingly active, circulating more comfortably and swiftly.
It gave Li Xijun the same exhilarating sensation he had felt when he had first taken Blood Essence Potion and begun cultivating.
After completing this session of foundational cultivation for the Azure Dragon Heaven-Reaching Method to his heart's content, he did not immediately take a Greater Blood Essence Pill. Instead, he closed his eyes and carefully sensed the changes.
"At this rate, in the Blood Essence Level 7 stage, every 0.1-level increase will now take 9.5 days, saving around half a day."
Li Xijun thoughtfully looked at the entry in his status panel: Azure Dragon Heaven-Reaching Method, foundational cultivation method: Mastery 11%.
"So if I can cultivate the Azure Dragon Heaven-Reaching Method to Mastery 100%, I can increase by 0.1 at Blood Essence Level 7 every five days?"
"Then how fast will cultivation from Blood Essence Level 8.0 to 9.0 become? Could I increase by 0.1 every eight or nine days?"
The thought left Li Xijun somewhat dumbfounded.
This was no longer like his improvement back when he was at Blood Essence Level 5.3.
Just as martial cultivation began requiring aptitude in the Tendons and Bones Realm, the difficulty of cultivation rose sharply after Blood Essence Level 7.
Even in a world where everyone practiced martial arts, most Federation citizens might never reach Level 8.0 in their entire lives.
Even among the martial arts students at Yan'an No. 7 High School, most could not get into a Martial Arts University. They could only persist in cultivation at ordinary universities for another two or three years before reaching Level 8.0.
Advancing from Blood Essence Level 8.0 to 9.0 was even harder. Increasing by 0.1 in a month was considered genius-level talent. In previous years, even a large portion of the Elite Class had been stuck at this stage.
A genius like Ye Liuyun, already at Blood Essence Level 8.1 and steadily improving, could at most ensure that he reached Blood Essence Level 9.0 just in time for the College Entrance Exam six or seven months later—and that was assuming he encountered no bottlenecks along the way.
It was precisely because of this difficulty that Zhou Shenghao had compromised and joined the Blood God Cult after being implanted with Devouring Blood and realizing he could use it to rapidly break through to Blood Essence Level 9.0.
It was also why Zhou Yibai had allowed the Abyssal Blood Predator to devour people everywhere, drawing blood essence from his subordinate through their symbiotic Blood Leech in order to rapidly raise his Blood Essence Level.
"I need to gather things related to dragonkind as soon as possible. I have to raise the Azure Dragon Heaven-Reaching Method to Mastery 100%."
Realizing that his cultivation speed for Blood Essence Level could still be increased, Li Xijun made his usual preparations and entered the bathroom to travel across worlds.
Da Sheng World
Wangjiang Restaurant
Inside a window-side private room overlooking the Jinmen River,
To gather dragonkind materials, Li Xijun naturally needed to ask someone knowledgeable and well-connected for help.
Meng Qifeng, the Direct Disciple of Life-Slaying Martial Hall who had previously invited him out, was an extremely suitable candidate.
He possessed Viscera Refinement Completion strength. He usually handled the recruitment of disciples and various miscellaneous affairs at Life-Slaying Martial Hall, oversaw the teaching of Outer Disciples, and was also a native of Jinmen. He fully met Li Xijun's requirements in this regard.
One wanted to make connections, while the other had something to ask for, so they naturally had a pleasant conversation.
"Senior Brother Meng, I have a friend who recently wishes to seek out some dragonkind materials or living creatures for observation. Money is no issue, but I wonder whether this is possible?"
Seeing that the timing was right, Li Xijun raised his cup to Senior Brother Meng and asked.
Meng Qifeng was slightly stunned upon hearing this, then frowned. Afterward, he looked at Li Xijun's suit and seemed to realize something. With a bitter smile, he said,
"Junior Brother, I would like to help, but I'm afraid you don't know that in Dasheng, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures related to dragonkind, as well as flood dragons themselves, are all tribute items exclusively supplied to the Da Sheng Imperial Family."
"If you had said that before the Western Continent appeared, it would have been a crime punishable by execution."
Li Xijun was somewhat speechless upon hearing this and could not help asking further,
"As Senior Brother knows, I grew up in the West from childhood and do not understand many matters within the country. I hope Senior Brother can enlighten me."
"You flatter me, Junior Brother. What is there to explain? Everyone in the world knows that the Da Sheng Imperial Family possesses the Heaven-bestowed dragonkin bloodline. What they need most for cultivation are dragon blood and dragon bones from flood dragons, followed by Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures such as Dragon Blood Grass and spirit flood-dragon mushrooms."
"These things are under extremely strict control and are forbidden from circulating among the people. Though Junior Brother is wealthy, I fear this will be difficult."
Li Xijun was stunned by this. He recalled hearing that the Ninth Princess of the imperial family was some kind of Heavenly Dragon Person and had been born with a useless body, so he quickly asked Meng Qifeng to explain.
After a while,
Having absorbed Meng Qifeng's explanation about the Da Sheng Imperial Family and the Heaven-bestowed dragonkin bloodline, Li Xijun understood what was going on.
Just as the Western Continent had certain extraordinary races,
Dasheng on the Eastern Continent also had the extraordinary race known as Heavenly Dragon People.
It was said that whenever the world descended into chaos, heaven bestowed its blessing, causing a person with the physique and supernatural arts of a divine dragon to appear among humanity, sweeping away the troubled age and unifying the world.
Thus, every generation's emperor was generally called the Son of the True Dragon.
And when a dynasty neared its end, before chaos engulfed the world, the children born to the emperor would inherit his true dragon bloodline.
Either they possessed the physique of a divine dragon, needing only to continuously consume dragonkind Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures or flood-dragon blood to steadily strengthen their power and physique. In the end, they could rival a Martial Saint, with even ordinary magical treasures unable to break through their dragon-scale defenses.
Or they possessed the supernatural arts of a divine dragon. By similarly consuming dragonkind resources, their souls would gradually become incomparably powerful, rivaling Spirit-Refining Cultivators of the Astral Projection Realm. Without painstakingly cultivating Contemplation Methods or supernatural arts, they could command wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.
The Ninth Princess, whom he had heard at the restaurant would return to Jinmen with Grand Secretary Li Boyan,
Was said to possess neither physique nor supernatural arts. She also could not control her dragon scales, claws, or horns, which remained exposed at all times.
She looked like a dragon person in daily life yet possessed no abilities whatsoever. Thus, she had always been called useless, and even the entire imperial family despised her and refused to acknowledge her as an imperial princess.
Therefore,
The imperial family's Heavenly Dragon People in this world truly were Heavenly Dragon People in the literal sense.
Treasures related to dragonkind in Dasheng were strictly controlled by the imperial family, and even now, they rarely made their way into circulation.
"Junior Brother likely has no chance in Dasheng. If you wish to gather dragonkind materials for observation, why not try the Scales Commerce Guild under the Scales and Justice Goddess Church in the West?"
"The West also has dragons with two great wings, like lizards. They may be ugly, but they possess powerful Physical Bodies and dragon-breath supernatural arts."
Before you continue