Ancient Dragon Elephant! Dragon Elephant Fruit!

Taishu Jing's actions left the Dragon Python somewhat dazed. It immediately came to its senses, then furiously darted into the dense fog, intent on killing the intruding enemy.

Roar!

The Dragon Tiger Beast jumped about in place several times, letting out joyous roars. It had long known about this place, but that Dragon Python was stronger than it by a fair margin. It had claimed this valley and used the treasures within to transform itself, nearly turning into a flood dragon.

The reason it had brought Taishu Jing here was because it had seen the possibility of defeating the Dragon Python in him. Taishu Jing felt far more terrifying to it than that Dragon Python.

As for the others, they were merely brought along incidentally.

Boom! Boom!

Dull tremors rang out from within the valley, like enormous heavy objects continually slamming into the ground. Obscured by the dense fog, Zhong Yu and the others could only hear the sounds and had no idea what was happening inside.

Hiss! Hiss!

A shrill cry suddenly rang out. It was the Dragon Python's distinctive call, but pain, terror, and savagery were mixed within it. It sounded as though it were suffering a fierce assault, making their scalps tingle.

Roar!

The Dragon Tiger Beast cried out happily. As a ferocious beast itself, it naturally understood the emotions in the Dragon Python's cries. Just as it had expected, the Dragon Python was no match for Taishu Jing.

"Young Lady, just where does this Young Master Jing come from?" Uncle Shan asked as he stared at the dense fog.

"I do not know either. According to what he said before, he is from the Cloud Dream Mountain Range, but I have never heard of such an outstanding young man in the city," Zhong Yu said thoughtfully, her lovely brows furrowing.

"Could he be from the Cloud Dream Water Mansion?" Uncle Hu guessed.

"Doesn't seem like it." Zhong Yu shook her head and gazed blankly at the fog.

The Dragon Python's cries went from incessant at first to sporadic, growing quieter and quieter until they finally vanished completely.

As the Dragon Python's final cries faded, all movement within the valley ceased as well, and silence descended.

With no more sounds coming from within, Zhong Yu and the others stared intently at the valley entrance, not knowing whether the next person to emerge would be that young man.

Roar!

The Dragon Tiger Beast gave a jubilant cry. It sensed a familiar aura—it was Taishu Jing.

Footsteps sounded. A figure gradually became distinct within the dense fog, and Taishu Jing emerged from it. A little red stained his body, but otherwise he looked much the same as when he had entered.

"The opponent you found for me was no good. It only took two more punches before it croaked."

Walking over to the Dragon Tiger Beast, Taishu Jing patted its head and said with a smile.

Roar!

The Dragon Tiger Beast happily circled Taishu Jing, continually nudging against him. It appeared very close to him.

"Haha, you're quite the clever fellow," Taishu Jing said with a laugh.

Seeing the Dragon Tiger Beast act so intimately with Taishu Jing, Zhong Li and the others found it unbelievable. Ferocious beasts raised in the Cloud Dream Mountain Range had never been close to humans. Only ferocious beasts tamed from a young age behaved this way, or those subdued by strength and made into mounts. Yet such beasts only felt fear, not affection.

"Young Master Jing, what secrets lie within?" Zhong Yu asked.

Taishu Jing turned back and smiled at her. "There really is something good inside. You'll understand once you see it for yourselves."

Then, Taishu Jing led them into the valley.

Dense fog filled every corner. Though it had not reached the point where one could not see one's own hand before one's face, they could only make out objects within twenty feet of themselves. Walking through it made them uneasy.

After they had walked some distance, a Dragon Python seven or eight zhang long appeared on the ground ahead. It lay motionless and silent, blood still seeping from beneath its scales. Several small fist marks were left on its body, one of them atop its head. That was the fatal blow.

"It's already dead."

Zhong Li stepped forward to inspect the Dragon Python, then shook his head at Zhong Yu and the others.

"This Dragon Python's Heart Blood is good stuff. Young Master Jing, aren't you going to take its blood?" Uncle Hu asked.

"If you want it, take it. But there's something even better ahead."

Taishu Jing saw through his thoughts and walked straight past the Dragon Python, heading deeper into the valley.

The Dragon Tiger Beast glanced at the Dragon Python, then obediently followed behind Taishu Jing. The bloodline within its body told it that something even more precious awaited ahead.

"Uncle Hu." Zhong Yu gave him a helpless look, then followed Taishu Jing.

Having his petty thoughts seen through at a glance, Uncle Hu smiled awkwardly. "Was it that obvious?"

"We all saw it. Let's go."

Zhong Li and Zhong Shan smiled, and the three of them hurried after Taishu Jing and the others.

The closer they came to the center of the valley, the thinner the fog became. By the time Taishu Jing and the others reached its very center, not a trace of mist remained.

Everything at the heart of the valley was revealed before them.

What entered their eyes was a massive Golden Skeleton, over a dozen zhang tall, radiating a dense, ancient wilderness aura. A heavy pressure rushed toward them head-on.

From this enormous Golden Skeleton, they could tell that the giant beast had been no ordinary ferocious beast in life. Perhaps a Beast King had died of old age here, leaving behind these golden bones that were difficult to decay.

Beneath the Golden Skeleton grew three small trees from within it. They were only three feet tall, their leaves tiny and shimmering with spiritual light. Each tree bore nine golden fruits, crystal-clear and covered in dense dragon-scale patterns, twenty-seven in total.

At the sight of these three small trees, Taishu Jing understood why so much spiritual qi and essence had gathered in this valley.

"Dragon Elephant Fruit! Those are Dragon Elephant Fruits!"

Zhong Yu could not help crying out. She then covered her mouth, her face filled with shock. Though this was her first time seeing the real thing, she still recognized them.

Dragon Elephant Fruits appeared to be covered in dragon scales. When Dragon Elephant Precious Blood dripped down and was absorbed by spiritual grass, it caused the grass to transform into a Spirit Tree, which then bore these precious fruits.

An ordinary Dragon Elephant's Precious Blood could only nurture Dragon Elephant Fruits that were crimson all over. Golden Dragon Elephant Fruits could only be nurtured by Ancient Dragon Elephants that had inherited a pure True Dragon Bloodline.

Since these fruits were Dragon Elephant Fruits and were golden in color, that meant the owner of this Golden Skeleton had been a Dragon Elephant—and an extraordinary Ancient Dragon Elephant at that.

Moreover, this Ancient Dragon Elephant had fallen here, and all the essence of its flesh and blood had been absorbed by these three Dragon Elephant Spirit Trees. That was why they had borne so many Dragon Elephant Fruits.

"Young Lady, with Dragon Elephant Fruits, you will soon be able to break through to sixty thousand jin of strength. Perhaps even eighty thousand jin will not be a problem."

Zhong Li and the other two spoke in trembling voices, unable to contain their excitement.

Dragon Elephant Fruits were supreme Foundation Establishment treasures for tempering one's blood and bones. In the Blood Bone Realm, they could allow one to temper the blood and bones throughout one's body more thoroughly, gain greater strength, and break through the limits of the body.

Never mind ordinary Dragon Elephant Fruits—the effects of these golden Dragon Elephant Fruits were even more miraculous. They were enough to let Blood Bone Realm cultivators approach the limits of the Blood Bone Realm, perhaps even challenge those limits.

However, challenging the limits of the Blood Bone Realm was not something a single golden Dragon Elephant Fruit could determine. It also depended on one's own talent.

Still, with golden Dragon Elephant Fruits, Zhong Yu would certainly be able to easily break through to sixty thousand jin of strength, perhaps even go further.

Faced with the golden Dragon Elephant Fruits, Zhong Li and the others did not give rise to greed. Instead, they considered Zhong Yu first. That alone made Taishu Jing regard them more highly.

"Young Master Jing, how should these Dragon Elephant Fruits be handled?" Zhong Yu was the first to ask for Taishu Jing's opinion. Though such Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures tempted her deeply, she understood that without Taishu Jing dealing with the Dragon Python, they would not even have been able to enter the valley.

"You all know how precious these things are. Even if I took them all, it would only be proper. But for its sake, you may take two fruits. The rest belong to me and it. How you divide yours is none of my concern."

After thinking for a moment, Taishu Jing stated his decision. His tone was not one of negotiation, but of finality.

They had only been able to come here because the Dragon Tiger Beast had led the way. Seeing that Zhong Yu understood the bigger picture, he would give two fruits to her group. The Dragon Tiger Beast likely meant the same; otherwise, it would not have signaled to him.

As for the remaining Dragon Elephant Fruits, apart from the Dragon Tiger Beast's share, Taishu Jing naturally intended to take them away. He and his older brother only needed two. The rest could be used to refine medicinal liquid for the children of the clan to establish their foundations.

"Thank you, Young Master Jing."

Zhong Yu had not expected Taishu Jing to directly give them two Dragon Elephant Fruits, and she immediately thanked him.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Young Master Jing. However, the three of us do not need them. The Young Lady needs them more than we do."

Zhong Li and the other two were also moved by Taishu Jing's decision. They had thought themselves extremely fortunate if Taishu Jing were willing to give Zhong Yu a single Dragon Elephant Fruit. They had never expected him to decide this way, and they could not help feeling ashamed of their earlier behavior.

"As you wish." Taishu Jing did not care.

Roar!

The Dragon Tiger Beast stared at the golden Dragon Elephant Fruits on the small trees, its eyes filled with longing. Yet it did not rush forward, as though the Golden Skeleton exerted a kind of pressure upon it.

"Could there be some sort of mechanism?"

Seeing that the Dragon Tiger Beast longed for the Dragon Elephant Fruits yet dared not approach, Zhong Yu and the others examined the golden Ancient Dragon Elephant Skeleton. The three Dragon Elephant Spirit Trees all stood beneath the skeleton. Unless one entered the skeleton, it would be impossible to pick the Dragon Elephant Fruits.

"I'll try it," Zhong Li said gravely.

As he spoke, he approached the Golden Skeleton step by step. After taking several steps, nothing happened.

Seeing this, Zhong Yu and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next moment, after Zhong Li took another three steps and came within three zhang of the golden Ancient Dragon Elephant Skeleton, a heavy pressure descended upon him and crushed him flat against the ground.

Readers who feel this stretch of the story is poison and cannot continue may simply drop the book. You will probably find the later plot more or less the same anyway, so there is no need to waste your time. Repeating the same replies over and over is meaningless too. Thank you to readers who offer more tactful criticism before dropping the book, but for those who want to curse heaven and earth, that is unnecessary. Reading is meant to be relaxing, like eating. If it does not taste good, who would keep eating? No one is forcing you. It only takes a flick of your finger.