Facing the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Black Scaled Flood Dragon!

Black Pool

In the northwest of the Star Dou Great Forest lay a place even Soul Beasts disliked visiting.

One could tell from its name that it was no pleasant place.

The trees grew in twisted, clawing shapes, their dense branches and leaves tangled together, blocking out the daylight completely.

Even in broad daylight, the forest looked like dusk.

A pool lay embedded among the trees, its water pitch-black.

Black as ink, thick as oil.

The surface was terrifyingly still, without even the faintest ripple.

The surroundings were deathly quiet.

There were no birdcalls, no insect chirps, not even the rustle of wind through leaves.

Dead silence.

Lin Qing stood atop the Sky Azure Bull Python's head, looking down at the black water.

He wore a simple black fitted outfit, his figure tall and straight.

"Is this the place?" he asked.

His voice was not loud, yet it sounded exceptionally clear in the silent forest.

"That's right."

The Sky Azure Bull Python's deep voice came from below, making the air hum.

"That Black Scaled Flood Dragon has occupied this place for tens of thousands of years. Its cultivation may already have reached a hundred thousand years, and it possesses immense combat strength. Are you sure you want to hunt it alone?"

Lin Qing smiled.

The moment he received the information from Er Ming, the Titan Giant Ape, he had immediately set out.

Er Ming had encountered the Black Scaled Flood Dragon before and suffered a minor injury. It was still recovering at the Lake of Life.

It could also look after Wu'er, Qing Zhu, and Rou Rou while it was there.

Lin Qing was determined to obtain this Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

"Da Ming."

Lin Qing rolled his wrists.

"When the fight starts, don't interfere at first."

He wanted to claim this Soul Ring himself.

He also did not want to put Da Ming in a difficult position.

After all, they were both rulers of the Star Dou Great Forest. There was bound to be some regard between them.

The Sky Azure Bull Python glanced at him with its enormous eyes.

That look seemed to say: Don't overestimate yourself, kid.

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is evenly matched with me, and its Dragon Bloodline is even purer."

Da Ming slowly said, "Will you really be all right alone?"

Lin Qing quietly watched the Black Pool.

Then, he suddenly grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. "You never know until you try, right? Besides, it's not certain who will win."

The moment his words fell—

Glug!

A bubble rose from the surface of the Black Pool.

Then came a second, and a third...

Glug, glug, glug—

Dense clusters of bubbles surged up from the bottom of the pool, releasing a sharp, fishy stench as they burst.

The smell was like rotting fish mixed with rust, enough to make one dizzy.

Lin Qing's gaze sharpened.

It was here!

Boom—!!!

A pillar of black water shot into the sky!

Black rain came pouring down, every drop as heavy as a thousand pounds, cracking loudly as it struck the ground.

A Black Shadow burst from the water and spiraled into the air.

It was a completely black Flood Dragon.

It was over twenty meters long, its body covered in palm-sized scales, each one gleaming with a metallic chill.

A spiraling Single Horn stood atop its head, while its crimson eyes fixed tightly on the Sky Azure Bull Python and Lin Qing.

"Sky Azure Bull Python!"

The Black Scaled Flood Dragon rose fully out of the Black Pool, its massive body coiling through the air.

It spoke in a voice as hoarse as rusted iron scraping together.

Those crimson Vertical pupils stared fixedly at Da Ming before sweeping over Lin Qing, who stood atop Da Ming's head.

"For tens of thousands of years, I have occupied the Black Pool and never set foot near your Lake of Life."

Anger was suppressed in the Flood Dragon's voice.

"Today, you brought a human into my territory. Are you trying to start a war?"

The tip of its tail lightly slapped the water, splashing black droplets.

Every drop was as heavy as a thousand pounds, landing on the ground with dull thuds.

The Sky Azure Bull Python's massive head rose slightly, its Vertical pupils calm and unmoving.

"Black Scaled Flood Dragon, this matter has nothing to do with me."

Its voice was as low as Muffled Thunder.

"This human came looking for you. That is his business. I merely showed him the way."

"Showed him the way?"

The Black Flood Dragon sneered, its laughter shrill and unpleasant.

"Since when did a ruler of the Star Dou Great Forest become a human's guide? You're a disgrace to Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts!"

Those were harsh words.

But Da Ming did not get angry.

It had lived for tens of thousands of years and had long passed the age of being easily provoked.

"I came for your Soul Ring."

Lin Qing directly interrupted the conversation between the two Soul Beasts.

He leaped down from the Sky Azure Bull Python's head, drifting down like a feather before landing lightly on a massive rock by the pool.

He steadied himself, raised his head, and looked straight at the colossal creature in the sky.

There was no fear.

No hesitation.

He spoke the one sentence Soul Beasts considered most taboo.

"!!!"

The Black Scaled Flood Dragon's pupils suddenly contracted.

Rage erupted from its crimson eyes like lava!

"Arrogant!"

It opened its bloody maw, its fangs white as blades.

The Sound Wave became a tangible Shockwave that swept outward!

The surrounding trees bent over in unison, and their leaves rattled wildly.

Lin Qing's clothes snapped in the wind, his hair flying backward.

Yet his feet did not move in the slightest.

"Just you?"

The Black Flood Dragon's voice was full of mockery.

"A mere human dares covet my Soul Ring and Soul Bone? Do you know how the word 'death' is written?"

Lin Qing did not respond.

He had come for the Soul Ring and Soul Bone, not to trade insults.

Soul Power roared through his body!

"Roar—!"

A clear Dragon's Roar erupted from within him!

The sound possessed incredible penetrating force, sending ripples across the surface of the Black Pool.

Golden Yellow light flowed from every pore, enveloping his entire body.

Golden Dragon Martial Soul, possess!

Dragonification began.

His arms were instantly covered in dense golden Dragon Scale, each one gleaming like metal.

His five fingers transformed into Sharp Claws, their tips as sharp as blades, capable of tearing through the air with a casual swipe.

On either side of his forehead, two Dragon Horns burst through his skin, curving forward with overwhelming majesty.

Behind him, a thick Dragon Tail swept out.

The most shocking sight was beneath his feet.

Blood Red Soul Rings rose one after another.

One, two, three—

Each was red as blood, like burning Flames, radiating energy fluctuations that made one's heart tremble.

Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings!

And there were three of them!

The Black Scaled Flood Dragon was visibly stunned.

Its crimson Vertical pupils stared fixedly at the three blood-colored rings, its pupils narrowing to pinpoints.

At that moment, it felt a pressure from deep within its bloodline emanating from the human before it.

It was the hierarchical suppression between members of the Dragon Clan!

The Golden Dragon stood at the apex of the Dragon Bloodline.

As for the Black Scaled Flood Dragon, though it bore the word "dragon" in its name, it was ultimately only a Flood Dragon, not a True Dragon.

It was like a noble facing a commoner, an innate difference in rank.

What shocked it even more were those three Soul Rings.

Since when had Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings become as common as cabbages?

A human had three Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings hanging on his body?

The sight was so surreal that it nearly thought it had not woken up.

"No wonder..."

The Black Flood Dragon let out a low growl, its voice gaining several traces of gravity.

"No wonder you dared come looking for me. Human, who exactly are you?"

Lin Qing rolled his wrists.

His Dragon Claws clenched and loosened, his Bone Joints cracking sharply.

"We'll talk after the fight."

He grinned.

"If you can win, I'll tell you."

Arrogant!

Utterly arrogant!

The Black Flood Dragon had lived for tens of thousands of years, yet it had never seen such an insolent human.

"Good! Good! Good!"

It said "good" three times in succession, gritting its teeth with every word.

"I want to see what you're really made of!"