Strength That Got People Killed

The merman, ghostlike in appearance, suddenly lunged forward, the spikes all over his body standing on end.

Chu Zeming's heart tightened, and he rapidly retreated.

From above, this cold pool did not seem particularly large, barely over a hundred square meters, but its bottom was remarkably vast.

Across the boundless waters, man and merman launched into a fierce chase.

The merman was extremely fast. Before long, he blocked Chu Zeming's path, his dark blue eyes consumed by violent rage. He swung his sharp, terrifying claws, intending to tear apart this cultivator who coveted the Azure-Blue Pearl.

Seeing this, Chu Zeming's thoughts stirred.

The Luminous Glaze Sword abruptly appeared in his hand from his Purple Mansion. Red light flowed over its blade as it trembled faintly. Then he swung—terrifying Sword Qi burst outward, cleaving a vacuum through the surrounding water.

After all, the waters were the merman's domain. Though the Luminous Glaze Sword was immensely powerful, Chu Zeming could still wield less than thirty percent of his strength.

The endless water surged back together, filling the gap split open by the sword. Everything beneath the water returned to normal.

Although the merman had dodged Chu Zeming's attack, his tail fin was still slashed open by the Luminous Glaze Sword. Greenish merman blood flowed from the wound, gradually thinning and vanishing into the water.

The merman lowered his head and glanced at his tail fin, then let out a frenzied scream.

A peculiar, eerie sound echoed throughout the entire body of water.

Chu Zeming's mind abruptly stalled, and he fell into a dazed state.

The merman withdrew his innate ability. A humanlike expression appeared on his ugly face as he approached the black-robed, dark-haired youth. He stretched out his claws, about to tear him apart, when the youth, whose expression had been blank moments ago, suddenly became perfectly clear-eyed and gave him a strange smile.

"Idiot."

The merman froze in place.

Before he could understand what the word meant, a fierce pounding suddenly rose in his heart.

The merman roared in fury and tried to attack Chu Zeming, but in the blink of an eye, the dark-haired youth had flashed dozens of meters away. Every spike on the merman's body protruded as he stared at Chu Zeming with a terrifying expression, wanting to catch him, tear him apart and swallow him whole, reduce him to minced flesh and ten thousand pieces. Yet after lingering in place for a second, the merman ultimately chose to turn back at top speed—

The terrifyingly powerful merman left.

Chu Zeming put away the Luminous Glaze Sword and swam toward the surface of the cold pool.

Once out of the water, Chu Zeming immediately went ashore.

The previously calm, deep pool, smooth as a mirror, began to ripple. The merman's fury beneath the water sent countless bubbles surging and rolling upward. Then the glowing Azure-Blue Pearl rose from the depths, Xiao Hei's three heads clutching it as his little tail paddled frantically toward the shore.

Chu Zeming scooped Xiao Hei up and swiftly retreated, moving away from the water's edge.

The next second, the hideous, spike-covered merman suddenly appeared where Chu Zeming had been standing. His sharp claws stabbed viciously into the bank. He opened his mouth and shrieked, the gills behind his ears fluttering wildly, yet not a single sound emerged.

Chu Zeming stopped and leaned against a tree, shaking the Azure-Blue Pearl in his hand at the merman. "Want it? Come take it."

The merman glared at Chu Zeming venomously.

He simply could not come ashore. He could not even remain exposed to the air for too long.

Pulling his deeply embedded claws from the bank, the merman rasped out two furious cries at Chu Zeming, then flicked his tail and dove back into the cold pool.

After the merman left.

Chu Zeming stroked Xiao Hei's three little heads on his shoulder and praised, "Good job, Dragon Treasure."

Xiao Hei proudly puffed out his chest.

He put away the Azure-Blue Pearl.

Chu Zeming covered his chest and coughed twice.

That merman's innate skill was simply too powerful. Even a Jindan Stage cultivator would have no ability to resist under its enchantment.

Had Chu Zeming not protected his mind in advance, he would likely have died inside long ago. Even so, his consciousness had still suffered some damage.

"Why are you here?"

A rather unfriendly voice rang out.

Chu Zeming braced himself against the tree, raising his eyes slightly as he looked toward the speaker.

"Oh, Ling Tian." Chu Zeming sounded surprised.

Chu Zeming did not know that he was extremely alluring in his current state.

Water still dripped from his dark hair. His black robes were completely soaked and clung tightly to his body. Though nothing beneath could be seen, they perfectly outlined his model-like figure. On top of that, having just gone through a fierce battle, his flamboyant, gorgeous, arrogant, domineering face carried a trace of weakness. With the lift of his eyes, he looked unexpectedly... delicious.

Ling Tian felt his head grow hot, then abruptly turned around and covered his nose.

Warm blood flowed from it.

Ling Tian was instantly filled with indignation.

How the hell did that bastard end up looking so good?

Chu Zeming glanced at Ling Tian's back, unsure what kind of mischief he was up to again. Leaning against the tree, he thought for a moment before a wicked idea suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Chu Zeming withdrew his gaze and slowly said, "Ling Tian, there's a great treasure in the cold pool. It's just that the merman guarding it is rather terrifying. Your senior brother has given up. Do you want to go down and take a look?"

Ling Tian said nothing, still covering his nose.

He had been nearby just now. Sensing an immense fluctuation of spiritual energy here, he had come over to investigate.

He had not expected the commotion to have been caused by Chu Zeming.

Chu Zeming did not seem to have any intention of exchanging pleasantries with him.

After saying that there was a merman and treasure inside the cold pool, he left by himself.

Ling Tian wiped away his nosebleed, turned, and walked to the bank. He stared at the cold pool with a frown.

That dog of a senior brother said there was treasure inside.

One cannot catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's den!

Ling Tian gritted his teeth and decisively jumped in.

Though he was injured, Chu Zeming was in an excellent mood after setting Ling Tian up and seizing an opportunity. He took Xiao Hei and continued deeper inside.

Yue Lian had gone off alone somewhere.

However, Yue Lian had a jade talisman and the Little Azure Dragon at his side, so Chu Zeming was not worried that something might happen to him and leave Chu Zeming unable to explain himself to Ling Yunzi after returning.

After all, he was the protagonist. He would not die.

In fact, Chu Zeming secretly hoped Yue Lian would suffer a little more in here.

Who told him that stealing opportunities was so difficult, while Yue Lian had extraordinary luck and could obtain them with effortless ease?

Night fell quickly within the secret realm.

When the last trace of sunlight sank below the horizon, darkness engulfed the entire land in an instant. Chu Zeming had yet to leave this vast, endless forest sea.

So he casually found a place with a water source and lit a campfire.

The night cold pierced to the bone. He had also suffered some internal injuries, and spiritual energy alone was far from enough to ward off the chill, so he could only build a fire for warmth.

"Splash—"

A tremendous sound of water rang out. Within the gurgling river, a flash of silver-white streaked past Chu Zeming's eyes. The massive spray nearly extinguished his campfire.

Chu Zeming froze.

What had that been just now?

At the same time, Xiao Hei, curled beside the fire, warily lifted his three heads. As though he had discovered something, the color of his scarlet eyes gradually darkened, and he continuously flicked out his tongues with hissing sounds.

After encountering the merman at the bottom of the cold pool, Chu Zeming knew that the waters were not safe. He glanced at the river, which had returned to calm as it gurgled onward, and hesitated over whether to leave.

Before he could think for long, the river churned again. The disturbance was enormous—there was clearly something in the water that he could not handle.

Chu Zeming made his decision without hesitation and immediately prepared to leave.

He extinguished the campfire, scooped up Xiao Hei, who was on the ground with his tongues flicking as he stared intently at the river, and was just about to go.

Suddenly, Xiao Hei, who had always been obedient and quiet, violently broke free from Chu Zeming's grasp and shot into the river like a bolt of lightning.

Damn it!

Chu Zeming's heart thudded wildly, and he felt like his entire being had gone terribly wrong.

After all, this was a spirit beast he had worked so hard to snatch back. Though Xiao Hei was not a dragon, he was versatile and fully equipped for every purpose. Chu Zeming was quite satisfied with him. So after taking a deep breath where he stood, Chu Zeming plunged into the river as well.

Unlike the still waters of the cold pool, the flowing river churned constantly. Countless bubbles rose from the riverbed, blurring Chu Zeming's vision.

Following the faint connection between himself and Xiao Hei, Chu Zeming swam upstream against the current and soon entered a cave.

The cave was enormous.

Countless green vines wrapped around its interior. At its peak was a small opening, through which silver-white moonlight poured down—

Chu Zeming surfaced, about to scold Xiao Hei, but the moment he raised his eyes, he was stunned by the sight before him.

At the center of the cave stood a towering stone pillar that radiated an ancient, weathered aura. Coiled silently around the pillar was an aged silver dragon. Moonlight spilled down from above, falling upon the silver dragon and reflecting brilliant silver radiance.

The dragon seemed to be dead.

His eyes were shut, and there was not a trace of life in him, yet his body still emitted terrifying dragon pressure. Beneath the stone pillar coiled a little silver dragon roughly five or six meters long. Xiao Hei stood before him, his three heads hissing at him.

Chu Zeming was startled.

This... was the thing in the water just now?

A dragon?

Dragons were rarely seen. In the entire book, only Yue Lian had one.

Chu Zeming remembered that when he had read the book, the author had never described any dragons existing in the Sea of Extreme Domains. Yet there was actually a second one here?

All of a sudden, Chu Zeming was deeply grateful for the butterfly effect he had caused.

Although stealing opportunities had become more difficult, it had drawn out a second dragon. No matter how he looked at it, he had profited.

"Xiao Hei, come back!" Chu Zeming scolded in a low voice.

Yet Xiao Hei did not move at all. His scarlet eyes stared straight at the little silver dragon as he took an attacking stance, his three snake heads continuously making "hiss, hiss, hiss" sounds.

Chu Zeming sensed that Xiao Hei seemed to want to eat this dragon—

The little silver dragon slowly lowered his head, and terrifying dragon breath blasted toward Xiao Hei.

Chu Zeming went completely numb.

You were a snake not even a month old, yet you dared provoke a dragon. Were you courting death?

Drawing the Luminous Glaze Sword, Chu Zeming was about to rescue Xiao Hei when a giant black shadow slowly rose behind Xiao Hei. The shadow grew longer and larger, and Chu Zeming froze on the spot—

The wildly dancing black shadow had... nine heads.