Nether Dragon

Rumble!

The two Yin-Yang Flood Dragons were instantly crushed onto the island, sending dust flying everywhere.

The Yin-Yang Flood Dragons still frantically twisted their bodies in resistance.

A smile curved Qing Huan's lips as he approached the two Yin-Yang Flood Dragons.

"Tut, tut, tut!"

Qing Huan struck directly, beginning to extract the innate Yin-Yang Qi from the two Yin-Yang Flood Dragons.

"Roar!"

Hatred filled the Yin-Yang Flood Dragons' eyes as they glared viciously at Qing Huan, constantly trying to twist their bodies. Unfortunately, the Xuanhuang Seal pinned them down so firmly that they could not resist at all.

As the Yin-Yang Qi was drawn from their bodies, the two Yin-Yang Flood Dragons instantly went limp.

"Haha, I've finally completed my first objective on this trip. The remaining four will be rather difficult, but there are always more solutions than difficulties."

After putting away the source of the innate Yin-Yang Qi, Qing Huan looked at the two flood dragons before him and decided to refine them into Spiritual Treasures.

An Innate Spiritual Treasure was out of the question. After all, he had already extracted their source of Yin-Yang Qi. However, refining Acquired Spiritual Treasures would not be a problem. Every part of these flood dragons was a treasure, since they had been born of heaven and earth.

Qing Huan took out a section of Immortal Apricot Tree branch and added a wisp of Golden Thunder source. He directly extracted the flood dragon tendons and bones, then began refining them.

A thousand years later, a bow imbued with the power of wind and thunder appeared in Qing Huan's hand.

He picked up the Wind-Thunder Bow and drew its string toward the other barely living flood dragon. An arrow formed automatically from the power of wind and thunder.

Whoosh!

An arrow carrying the power of wind and thunder shot toward the dying flood dragon, instantly leaving a bloody hole in its body.

Qing Huan's gaze lingered briefly on the longbow wreathed in wind and thunder before he nodded slightly.

"Mm, passable. Though it is merely a Top-grade Acquired Spiritual Treasure, its offensive power is not weak. It will do as a little toy."

His fingertips brushed over the bow's body as he sensed the Law of Wind and Thunder contained within it, but he soon shook his head lightly.

"However, if I wish to refine a Supreme Acquired Spiritual Treasure... these materials are ultimately still lacking.

"After all, the power of a Supreme Acquired Spiritual Treasure should be comparable to that of an Innate Spiritual Treasure."

With a thought, he put away the Wind-Thunder Bow.

His gaze shifted to the other relatively intact Yin-Yang Flood Dragon corpse. Qing Huan delayed no longer. Spreading his five fingers, vast Magic Power surged forth.

In an instant, the flood dragon's tendons and bones rang out, and its scales peeled away. Under his artifact-refining technique, which seemed to circulate with the rhythm of the Dao, they transformed into a Dragon Binding Rope that flickered with dim light and a Dragon Scale Armor that gleamed with a chilling sheen.

Just as he was admiring these two newly refined Magic Treasures, their auras perfectly harmonious, the calm sea below suddenly exploded!

A pitch-black pillar of water thicker than a mountain shot into the sky, carrying an overwhelming, gloomy pressure as it pierced straight through the heavens!

"Heh, interesting."

A faintly amused smile rested on Qing Huan's lips. His Spiritual Sense had already pierced through the layers of water.

"That little Nether Dragon has returned? Faster than I expected. What a pity... he is nothing more than an ant."

"Roar—!"

A dragon's roar shook the sea, tore through the clouds, and split stone! A massive Nether Dragon, entirely pitch-black and covered in grim scales, broke through sea and sky, circling several times above the heavens.

Suppressed fury and unwillingness burned in his dragon eyes. At last, black light flashed, and he transformed into a man in a black robe with sinister features, landing not far in front of Qing Huan.

The black-robed man—Nether Dragon—forced down the turmoil in his heart, drew a deep breath, and bowed deeply to Qing Huan.

"Senior, your divine might has left this junior in awe. This pair of Yin-Yang Flood Dragons was discovered by this junior in his early years, and I secretly guarded them for a long time. Unfortunately, my strength was insufficient."

Nether Dragon's tone was strained, carrying a trace of pleading.

"Now... Senior has already taken what you required. Might you return the remaining flood dragon remains to me?"

Though Nether Dragon had a fierce temperament, he was by no means a brainless brute.

The existence before him possessed an aura as vast as an abyss. He was clearly a Grand Unity Golden Immortal!

The Dragon Clan was no longer the overlord that had once dominated the Primordial Wilderness and looked down upon all living beings.

After their disastrous defeat in the Dragon-Han Primordial Calamity, countless Dragon Clan elites had fallen. Ancestor Dragon had been suppressed at the Sea Eye, and the remaining members could only retreat to the endless Four Seas, licking their wounds and barely surviving.

He had personally experienced those years of struggle, when heaven and earth overturned and blood stained the Primordial Wilderness. The Dragon Clan had long since lost the capital to look down upon all others.

Provoking a clearly stronger Grand Unity Golden Immortal? How was that any different from seeking death?

Qing Huan's gaze rested on Nether Dragon for a moment, carrying a trace of scrutiny.

"Among the Dragon Clan, there are not many like you who understand how to assess the situation and restrain themselves."

Qing Huan's tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Very well. Since you have asked, I shall give you these remaining remnants."

With a casual wave of his sleeve, the two flood dragon corpses—now badly damaged after the Wind-Thunder Bow, Dragon Binding Rope, and Dragon Scale Armor had consumed their essence—floated lightly before Nether Dragon.

Looking at the shattered flood dragon corpses before him, immense regret and pain surged in Nether Dragon's heart!

A perfectly fine Innate Spiritual Treasure from these Yin-Yang Flood Dragons had simply vanished like this, and now... circumstances were stronger than he was!

Nether Dragon clenched his teeth and forcibly suppressed his surging emotions. He bowed deeply to Qing Huan once more.

"Senior is generous. Nether Dragon shall remember this in his heart! If Senior ever has need of me in the future, so long as it is within my power, command me as you wish. Nether Dragon will never refuse!"

"Mm."

Qing Huan nodded slightly.

"Once this promise has been made, it becomes Karma. Remember your words today, and do not bring ruin upon yourself."

Before his words had even faded, his figure had already blurred away. Along with it, every trace of his presence on the entire island vanished without a trace, as though he had never appeared.

"Alas..."

On the lonely island, Nether Dragon slowly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

As he stared in the direction Qing Huan had vanished, his eyes were filled with complexity. Regret, unwillingness, and fury eventually turned into a stifled, lengthy sigh.

"Damn it!"

A low roar remained suppressed in his throat.

"If my Dragon Clan had not failed in our struggle for the Luck of the Primordial Wilderness, suffered such grievous losses, and retreated into the Four Seas, how could we tolerate a mere..."

Nether Dragon ultimately did not dare utter the words "Grand Unity Golden Immortal." He merely recalled the glory of the past.

The Dragon Clan had once possessed more than ten Primordial Golden Immortal experts. Lord Ancestor Dragon had commanded the race of ten thousand scales and stood at the peak of the Primordial Golden Immortals, his might pressing down upon the Primordial Wilderness!

What a resplendent era that had been! Now... it had all passed away, nothing more than dust and phantoms scattered within the River of Time.

Shaking his head in self-mockery, Nether Dragon put away the damaged flood dragon materials. Filled with desolation, he transformed into a streak of black light and fled into the depths of the vast Eastern Sea.

Qing Huan rode upon Purple Cloud, traveling slowly through the boundless skies of the eastern Primordial Wilderness.

A Huiyuan Era had passed since the matter with Nether Dragon. He had traveled through nearly every great mountain, ancient marsh, and secluded valley in the east, spreading his Spiritual Sense like a net to sweep the surroundings.

Yet the result left him quite helpless—he had not found a single one of the famed Innate Spiritual Treasures spoken of in legend!

The only things he had obtained by chance were several Acquired Spiritual Roots of passable quality.

He clearly knew that Mount Wuyi possessed the Treasure Dropping Coin... yet he had found nothing at all...