Who is the Prey, Flood Dragon's Soul Snatch

Li Qing was startled by the sound and immediately looked down.

In the blur, there seemed to be a figure, but he could not be certain what it was.

He did not even intend to answer.

A Lovecraftian world—be careful, be careful, be extra careful.

Li Qing stared hard, but he simply refused to speak.

The person below couldn't help but frown. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

His vision was clear within the darkness; the ten-meter radius was perfectly visible to him, and he could see Li Qing clearly.

Seeing the other party just staring with a confused expression, his heart stirred.

Could it be that he can't see me? It seems he is just some fellow who has just started practicing the Blood Refining Art.

Thinking of this, he felt a sudden sense of relief.

That makes it even easier to deal with.

He fumbled around in his bosom and pulled out a round bead.

As the bead was drawn from a black pouch, it immediately emitted a hazy white glow, illuminating the area for several meters around.

"Fellow Daoist, I am severely injured and I need help."

"If you can lend a hand, this Night-Bright Pearl shall be your reward."

With the appearance of the Night-Bright Pearl, Li Qing saw a figure on the illuminated ground, leaning against the very tree he was perched in.

The man looked wretched in the light, with a gaping hole in his chest where white bone could be seen.

Li Qing felt a jolt of alarm. How can he still be alive with such a wound? This guy must be incredibly powerful.

His vigilance spiked once more, and he watched the man with a cautious expression, not uttering a single word.

In the glow, the man had a bearded face and appeared to be no more than thirty years old. His skin was pale, his complexion ghastly, and his deep-set eye sockets made him look like a consumptive ghost.

His lips, in particular—though partially hidden by his thick beard—appeared unnervingly bright red.

The strange bearded man had revealed his form in the light of the Night-Bright Pearl, but Li Qing only grew more wary.

Li Qing suddenly spoke, "You... how do you want me to save you?"

At this moment, Li Qing's face was full of hesitation and a trace of cowardice.

The bearded man below remained calm on the surface, but he was blooming with joy inside.

"Come down. I have medicine in my bosom; help me apply it to my wounds."

"I have a fatal wound on my back as well."

"I cannot reach it to apply the medicine myself."

"You practice the Blood Refining Art, and I practice it too; we are natural allies."

"I know where the subsequent techniques for the Blood Refining Art are located."

"Once my bleeding stops, we can travel together and look out for one another."

"Judging by your appearance, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I have some dry rations in my pack."

The bearded man struggled to untie a bundle on his person.

He opened it with great effort, revealing a few flatbreads and a piece of beef inside.

"Fellow Daoist, please do me a favor and help a brother out."

The bearded man looked at Li Qing with a face full of sincerity, his eyes brimming with a hint of pleading.

But little did he know that the moment he mentioned the Blood Refining Art, Li Qing had already categorized him as an enemy. He would never forget the fate of Mr. Huayue.

Seeing the beef in his pack made his soul nearly flee his body.

He could not forget the mutated Mr. Huayue; he had almost become the man's meal.

This guy is so heavily injured, he might mutate at any moment.

Strike while he's down; take the initiative before he mutates.

Li Qing's gaze lingered on the pack; the beef and flatbreads made him swallow involuntarily, as he looked truly famished.

The bearded man below revealed a trace of inexplicable joy in his eyes.

This fellow must have stumbled upon the technique by accident and knows nothing about the path of cultivation.

Judging by his look, he hasn't undergone alienation yet; he must have started practicing recently and hasn't tasted meat.

He's likely a child from a poor family, heh.

But as long as you practice the Blood Refining Art, you are my best supplement.

Seemingly thinking of something, he swallowed involuntarily, and a sensation of hunger rumbled in his belly.

Li Qing hesitated for a moment, his face flickering with indecision.

The bearded man below felt he needed to stoke the fire a little more, so he hurriedly shouted, "Brother, you'd better hurry. I was wounded by someone, and that person is still hunting me."

"They might catch up at any moment."

"Since you also practice the Blood Refining Art, they will target you as well."

"I must recover as quickly as possible so I can take you away from here."

Upon hearing this, Li Qing's face immediately betrayed a look of panic.

"What? Someone is still chasing you? The person who wounded you?"

"Then what should we do?"

"Come down quickly and help me heal; then I can take you and escape."

The bearded man coaxed him with his words, appearing slightly agitated, his voice turning somewhat hoarse and strange.

His back bulged slightly, as if something were writhing beneath his skin.

He remained completely unaware, but Li Qing's pupils constricted slightly as he caught sight of the change.

The panic on his face deepened, though it was unclear whether it was a performance or genuine.

He hurriedly said, "I... I'm coming down right now."

Li Qing appeared to be nothing more than a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy. Watching him climb down from the tree, the bearded man couldn't help but let his lips curl into a grin.

He really is inexperienced. A little coaxing and a scare, and he's already lost his head.

"Heh heh."

Li Qing was currently climbing down from the other side of the large tree, and the bearded man's eyes were locked firmly on that spot.

His body trembled slightly as he gathered his strength; the moment Li Qing touched the ground, he would pounce.

He would devour him completely to heal his own injuries.

Just as Li Qing reached the halfway point, he suddenly cried out in alarm.

"Oh no, I'm stuck! I can't get down!"

The bearded man was stunned for a moment, then a smile immediately spread across his face.

"Hahaha..."

"I'll help you, don't move!"

The bearded man struggled to his feet, his cracked lips licked by a scarlet tongue, his eyes filled with a bloodthirsty glint.

He circled around from the left side of the tree toward the back.

When he reached the rear, a white light illuminated a figure.

The other party was pressed against the trunk, holding a token in his right hand, watching him.

The token radiated a cyan glow, and the next instant, an illusory Azure Flood Dragon surged out from within.

In a flash, it lunged toward the bearded man.

The bearded man's face turned deathly pale; he knew instantly that he had been tricked.

This was no little lamb; it was clearly a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Blood-red light erupted from his entire body as he threw a punch, a wave of crimson energy crashing toward the phantom of the Azure Flood Dragon.

"Moo!"

The Azure Flood Dragon let out a roar that sounded like a mix between a bull and a dragon. The bearded man, who had been about to throw his punch, suddenly looked dazed, his entire body freezing in place.

The Azure Flood Dragon flashed and slammed into him, dragging an illusory figure out from within his body.

"Ah, what is happening?"

"It hurts... it hurts so much..."