Dragon Blood

No, it's not that the world has slowed down, but rather that our senses have been heightened.

Li Qi felt that the world around him had become clearer. The flow of Qi within his body was clearly discernible, and the sounds, scenery, various fluctuations, and information around him were easier to distinguish.

It is this feeling that creates the illusion that time is slowing down.

He took a step back, and the feeling vanished abruptly. He suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, dizziness, and his surroundings became noisy again, as if a slow stream of water had suddenly turned into a waterfall.

However, Li Qi took a deep breath and immediately returned to normal, then looked at the old man.

He was just an ordinary old man, with a cultivation level of rank 8. He should be practicing martial arts... wait, martial arts.

As mentioned before, there is no strict ranking system in martial arts. After reaching the eighth rank, it becomes very difficult to distinguish them because the Martial Dao Inner Qi is a chaotic and mixed mass, making it impossible to discern any corresponding characteristics. One can only make a simple classification based on the strength and quantity of the Martial Dao Inner Qi, as well as the degree of condensation of the Martial Way Divine Intent, but even that is not accurate.

Accurate classification methods still rely on actual combat.

If you can defeat a fifth-rank martial artist, then you are a fifth-rank martial artist. It's very simple and easy to understand.

But the old man didn't react. Instead, he picked up the fishing rod and pulled a line from his fingertips.

Li Qi had sharp eyes and True Knowledge Dao Charm, so he immediately realized that the thread was not a physical object, but rather the old man's Martial Dao Inner Qi.

He condensed his Martial Dao Inner Qi into a thread, tied it to a fishing rod, and then threw it into the sea.

There were no hooks or bait.

Seeing this, Li Qi followed suit, drawing out thousands of strands of divine energy, weaving them into a line, placing it on the fishing platform, and then controlling the thin line to pass through the fishing rod and drop it into the sea.

His senses were greatly amplified once again, to the point that he could easily sense the state of the water's bottom. The divine energy line extended out from his body, so it was like an antenna. He didn't need a fishing float, or even a still water surface, to still be able to sense whether there were fish biting the hook on the seabed.

"This feeling is truly amazing. But, old man, what kind of fish can you catch like this?" Li Qi asked the old man after adjusting to the heightened sensation.

"You've already adapted? You've got some skills, kid. This fishing platform was personally built for me by the people of the Reason Way, who said it can enhance the senses. Most people would vomit all over the place just from seeing it. The sound of their own blood flowing and their intestines wriggling would make 70% of them never want to touch this thing again in their lives. But you've adapted to it? The Way of Evolution?" the old man asked curiously.

Only the Way of Evolution could have such terrifying adaptability.

He had fought the True Dragon before, and only threw three punches, each one more powerful than the last, with the final punch being delivered with full force.

The first punch caused Zhenlong's head to bleed profusely, his tendons to break, and his bones to fracture.

With the second punch, Zhenlong groaned slightly, his skin tearing open.

With the third punch, Zhenlong was unharmed and began to counterattack.

Then he admitted defeat.

I've never seen such a cheating tactic. Once you've seen the same trick once, you immediately 'adapt' to it. I really don't know if there's a limit to this kind of adaptation.

However... it is precisely because of this power that I am attracted to come to the East Sea again. The young man in front of me is cultivating the Way of Evolution.

But Li Qi shook his head. "No, it's just... I've been surrounded by this feeling for many years for some reasons, and now I'm used to it."

I've definitely gotten used to it; it's just that my senses have become more acute. Compared to the constant stream of information bombarding my brain by True Knowledge Dao Charm, it's incredibly easy.

It has to be said that habit is a powerful force, and Li Qi is now quite adept at handling this messy information.

However, looking at that thread, it's really impressive.

The Martial Dao Inner Qi is extremely violent. Compared to ordinary energy, it's like the difference between a machine and magma. It's not easy to control the Martial Dao Inner Qi and tame it into such threads.

I've met a master!

Well, thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. After all, this is Reason Way's Fifth Rank Treasure Ship. There must be many hidden talents and powerful individuals on this ship. Everyone here is here to follow Reason Way to the deep ocean for scientific research.

Thinking about it this way, the safety factor is absolutely off the charts. Even a true dragon would have a hard time dealing with this kind of ship unless a master of the fourth rank or higher personally intervenes. But such masters know that the people on the ship are definitely not to be trifled with.

At this moment, the old man, holding the string, spoke.

"So that's how it is. Well then, let's talk about fishing, young man. You don't necessarily have to wait for the fish to bite the hook. Just watch." As the old man spoke, he moved his finger.

The fishing line in his hand suddenly became full of power. Although it was just a line, the end suddenly turned into a steel needle and then stabbed downwards!

They call it fishing, but it's practically blasting fish!

The threads formed from Martial Dao Inner Qi rushed towards the deep sea in an instant, growing longer and longer, and rapidly extending for thousands of miles!

As the distance increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the end of the thread, much like a meteor hammer.

If it's just a meteor hammer that's a foot or two long, anyone who can pick it up can wield it.

However, if you want to swing a meteor hammer that is seventy or eighty meters long, the difficulty increases exponentially. If you want to swing it skillfully, the required technique and strength must reach a level far beyond imagination.

Now, that silk thread is not just seventy or eighty meters long, it's over a thousand miles long! It's heading straight for the deep waters of the East China Sea.

Li Qi immediately activated his full senses and extended the divine energy line in his hand.

With the enhanced perception from the fishing platform, he began to follow the divine line downwards, trying to discern what the old man was doing and how he was fishing.

However, as the silk thread stretched further, Li Qi only managed to penetrate two hundred miles into the sea before he was already extremely exhausted.

All he felt was... a delay.

That's right, it's like a delay. Every time he wants to move the thread, he needs to move it a little, but it takes a full six or seven seconds for that movement to reach the tip of the thread.

If he makes other movements during this time, these movements will interfere with each other, causing the silk thread to become completely uncontrollable.

Li Qi tried several times and found that at this distance, not only could the movements not be done in real time, but even the perception could not be done in real time. He had no choice but to give up and pull up fifty miles.

Only after being submerged in water for 150 miles did he begin to feel a sense of control over the silk threads. It was just like an ordinary person holding a sword. He couldn't say he could wield it perfectly, but at least he could use it for slashing and thrusting.

If they were in the air, Li Qi felt he could extend the silk threads for about four or five hundred miles and still maintain normal operation, because there would be less interference in the air and it would be easier to control them.

However, underwater, there are many undercurrents, and even the waves of the water itself, along with the interference from the surrounding treasure ship, making these things increasingly difficult.

"Impressive! With your current cultivation level, I thought you could only play around in the shallow waters of fifty miles. You seem to be particularly good at this kind of precise control, including perception, body, and all sorts of chaotic energy." The old man exclaimed in admiration as he saw Li Qi quickly adapt to the deep waters of one hundred and fifty miles.

"I always encounter situations where I need to deal with a lot of chaotic energy, so my control has improved a little," Li Qi replied with a smile.

This is true. Whether it's a grand sacrifice, a heavenly offering, or dealing with the chaotic energy and Dao within the body, all require these precise processing abilities. It's quite difficult to deal with hundreds of millions of strands of energy at a time.

This training enabled Li Qi to control thousands of strands of energy, manipulating them as if bending his own fingers in water 150 miles deep.

As he spoke, the old man's expression changed drastically. "They've taken the bait!"

Li Qi immediately focused his attention on the other person.

Although he couldn't perceive the water flow a thousand miles below, nor did he know what was happening down there, he could observe the actions and results of the old man beside him.

Suddenly, a surge of powerful Martial Dao Inner Qi erupted from his hand, making the silk thread extremely tough. Then, he began to pull on it, and the silk thread seemed to bear an immense weight, stretched taut and trembling incessantly.

Then, I saw him pull suddenly!

Saliva-filled waterfalls cascade into the dragon's nest, a foul wind sweeps through the dragon's chamber.

Like a whirlwind rising, huge waves roll in!

The water rippled and the wind rose, and three or four miles away, the waves were higher than the boat!

The giant waves formed in an instant, surging and threatening to overturn the sky. They were high and raging, and when they erupted, the waves were several miles high, with the force of mountains collapsing and thunder roaring, as if a dragon was moving a pool!

However, this was, after all, a Fifth Rank Treasure Ship. The Wind-Calming Pearl embedded in the ship shimmered slightly. No matter how loud the wind and thunder roared outside, the ship remained as stable as a mirror, without the slightest tremor.

The commotion drew the attention of many people on the ship.

Li Qi carefully observed the old man's movements. It seemed to be a martial art, and... it contained something beyond martial arts, but Li Qi couldn't see what it was.

True Knowledge Dao Charm saw this thing, which presented a distorted form he had never seen before. He saw it, but he couldn't see it clearly, nor did he recognize it.

His information flow vision was even more blurred. He did see some abstract information, but he couldn't understand what it was. In his information flow vision, this thing appeared as a kind of blurry purple halo.

Before Li Qi could get a closer look, the thing other than the martial arts technique suddenly disappeared. At the same time, the line tightened, pulling the 'big fish' below out of the water.

What a spectacular scene!

A gigantic old turtle, spanning five or six miles in circumference and weighing probably hundreds of thousands of tons, was biting a thin, luminous thread in its mouth. It was then forcibly pulled out of the water by this thread, its expression one of utter terror, yet it was unable to break free of its mouth.

The old man got excited, tied the silk thread securely, wrapped it around his hand a few times to prevent it from slipping out, and, holding the thread, half-stepped into the long river and started pulling it upstream.

The old turtle cried out in pain, tears welling in its eyes, "Senior, senior! Cultivation has been so difficult for me, so incredibly difficult! Upper Heaven has a heart that cherishes life, please don't kill me, please don't kill me!"

Upon closer inspection, Li Qi realized it was a sixth-rank old turtle! Its shell had been adorned with profound runes, forming its own array, making it indestructible and powerful enough to move mountains.

Moreover, they were moving mountains from all over the world.

But this strong, hard-shelled turtle, once it took the bait, was actually pulled out by the old man using brute force!

What incredible strength!

As he spoke, the surrounding waves surged and churned like Flood Dragon emerging from the abyss, creating whirlpools. Within a radius of hundreds of miles, except for the treasure ship beneath their feet, everything else seemed to be boiling, constantly bubbling up – a manifestation of the ocean's water vapor being shaken.

The old turtle was forcibly pulled over, and upon seeing the treasure ship, it dared not struggle any longer. Its body shrank smaller and smaller until it became a turtle only one meter long.

The storm subsided, and the old turtle was dragged onto the deck, pleading incessantly, "Grandpa, Grandpas, please spare this little demon! Demon Cultivator over four thousand years to reach this point! I still have over two thousand descendants in my clan, all of whom rely on me to survive in this area. If I die, they'll all be driven out by our old enemies, and then they'll have no way to live..."

Li Qi remained silent. When fishing, it's normal for the creatures you catch to have intelligence; it's part of the natural cycle, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

As long as the overall balance isn't disrupted, having one or two of these isn't a problem.

He was just a little curious about how the old man planned to handle the situation.

The robust old man smiled and said, "I know your cultivation is not easy, but I came to fish, and if I catch something, I can't let it go. So, give me a drop of your Essence Blood as a memento."

Essence Blood is blood containing divine will and the Dao Path within the body. Although it is important, for this kind of old turtle, even if you squeeze its whole body dry, it would weigh at least ten pounds. If you only need a drop, it can only be said to be a souvenir.

The old turtle repeatedly expressed its gratitude, kowtowing frantically, then bit its tongue and spat out a drop of its Essence Blood.

It's clear he's very sincere; this drop of Essence Blood is of extremely high quality, at least four or five concentrated drops.

Seeing this, the old man smiled, grabbed the turtle, and threw it into the water.

At the same time, he took a box out of his Mustard Seed Bag and opened it.

Li Qi was still watching the excitement from the side when he was blinded by a burst of dazzling light!

Inside that box were countless drops of Essence Blood!

There are so many! At first glance, Li Qi estimated there were hundreds of thousands of drops! And that's not all, because the box is layered!

The lowest rank is seventh grade!

The box has three layers!

The old man sealed the Essence Blood with Secret Method to preserve it, then put it into a box and looked at Li Qi with pride. "How about it, isn't it spectacular? I've been fishing for a thousand years, and this is all the result."

Li Qi nodded and said, "They are all... the blood of Demon Dragon. That old turtle just now was also heading towards becoming Dragon Transformation. Old man, do you have a problem with the true dragon clan? No wonder you came to the East Sea."

"Oh, very clever~ That's right, they're all from the blood of Demon Dragon. I come to the East Sea regularly to fish, only for Demon Dragon, and this time will be no different." The old man laughed, "Alright, I'll catch one first this time, you'd better hurry! Don't go back empty-handed!"

After speaking, he dropped the fishing line again.

However, this time, Li Qi could clearly see what had been blurry on his body earlier.

Dragon Blood!

Li Qi was shocked! This old man was definitely using dragon blood to temper his body!

He has a grudge against the true dragon!