This Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon is pretty good-looking. Why don't we-hehehehe~
"That figure looks delicious. I just don't know where its liver is. I'd better not accidentally smash it later."
At that thought, Su Qing couldn't help swallowing.
Su Qing was concealing his aura atop a mountain beside the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, but he had yet to make his move.
Nine Nether had just turned into a black shadow and left Su Qing's dantian, burrowing underground straight toward the Earth Core Flame Dragon Lizard.
Before Su Qing had waited long, the Jade Talisman in his hand emitted a peculiar spiritual energy fluctuation, signaling that Mu Chen and the others were in position.
Su Qing put away the Jade Talisman and drew the Kunwu Sword, looking at the nearby Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, which had grown wary after sensing the talisman's spiritual energy fluctuation.
Seemingly sensing the cold edge emanating from Su Qing, the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon roared, its enormous slit-pupiled eyes scanning its surroundings in a frenzy.
A fierce battle was poised to erupt.
Mu Chen and the others were blocking the entrance to Ice Valley, watching the battle within from afar.
Sword energy crisscrossed the valley, streak after streak cutting through the freezing currents spewed by the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon and striking its snow-white scales, sending blood spraying.
Su Qing kept dodging the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's freezing currents and snapping lunges, moving so nimbly that not a single attack landed.
This only drove the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon into an even greater frenzy. Its blood-drenched body thrashed through the valley, staining the snowy landscape of clear lakes and white waves red as though splashing it with ink.
The spirit beast's furious roars mingled with the clear ringing of the sword, sending spiritual energy fluctuations shaking beyond the valley and rolling on for hundreds of miles.
Meanwhile, in one low-lying stretch of Ice Valley, violent tremors rose from underground, and cracks spread across the ground.
The snow and ice covering it rapidly melted, turning into rolling clouds of mist that curled upward, constantly shifting shape in the biting winds high above.
Outside Ice Valley, black dots kept appearing along the distant horizon: people drawn by the spiritual energy fluctuations here and the unusual clouds overhead.
Su Qing also noticed the crowds approaching along the horizon and sighed inwardly. He hadn't expected so many.
Mu Chen and the others probably can't hold off this many people for long. I'll have to end this quickly.
At that thought, Su Qing's sword pressure rose once more, and his swordplay grew increasingly ruthless. He stopped dodging attacks that would do little harm, trading wound for wound and picking up the pace.
Seeing this hateful human leave its body drenched in blood while none of its own attacks had landed, the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon had been deeply frustrated.
Yet, for some reason, several of its attacks had just struck the damned human. It couldn't help secretly rejoicing, believing Su Qing was nearing exhaustion and had been hit because his stamina was failing.
The pain throughout its body and the frustration Su Qing caused had also clouded the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's mind, giving rise to some unrealistic fantasies.
Faced with Su Qing's suddenly intensified assault, the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon thought this was merely his final, desperate counterattack. Soon, it would be able to tear this loathsome human into ten thousand pieces.
One could only say that these lower-cultivation spirit beasts truly had little sense. Perhaps they normally had some, but once anger surged through their heads, scarcely any remained.
Su Qing had no interest in finding out what a piece of meat on the chopping block was thinking. He merely noticed that, for some reason, this spirit beast seemed rather happy.
They say animals that die happy taste better. Should I pay a small price to kill it in one strike while it's this happy?
As long as it dies before it can react, it should still be happy after death, right?
As Su Qing pondered, his hands never stopped sending sword energy slashing toward the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon.
The Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon also began sensing something amiss. Why do this human's cuts keep hurting more and more? Shouldn't he be exhausted?
While Su Qing hesitated, the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon seemed to catch on and realize something. After spewing a freezing current at him, it turned and fled.
Su Qing was momentarily dumbfounded.
Weren't you happy just now? Why are you suddenly running?
Had the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon heard Su Qing's thoughts, it would surely have burst into curses.
No shit! Your cuts keep hurting more! Do you think I'm too stupid to notice?
If I don't run now, when should I? Should I wait to be chopped into chunks of meat?
Su Qing looked at the fleeing Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, then turned to glance at the crowd gradually approaching from afar and sighed regretfully.
Fine, then.
Su Qing spat out a mouthful of blood essence onto the Kunwu Sword. The droplets spread naturally across the blade, staining its edge with a line of blood.
He gathered all his sword energy into the blade, then took a step through the air, gripped his sword, and slashed horizontally!
A slender crimson line swept from Su Qing's blade, swiftly catching up to the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon and passing across its neck.
After passing through the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, Su Qing's sword light continued unabated, cutting straight into the snowy mountain ahead.
The Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's movements abruptly froze. Its enormous head slid from its neck, while momentum carried its massive body crashing into the snowy mountain before it.
The severed surface of its neck was as smooth as a mirror. Had a chef been present, they would surely have exclaimed, "What a swift blade!"
With a thunderous crash, the summit of the snowy mountain struck by the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon slowly slid down along a slanted plane, falling and raising a wave of snow.
Su Qing immediately darted over and swept his sleeve, collecting the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon's corpse and its spirit beast essence.
After finishing off the Ice Profound Spirit Flood Dragon, Su Qing wasted no time. He turned and sped toward Nine Nether, intending to see whether she needed his help.
Around Nine Nether, the years-old ice and snow atop several nearby mountains had vanished, turning into ethereal clouds of mist overhead.
If not for the bare peaks below and the trembling, fractured ground, this place would have looked like an immortal's abode.
At its center, the ground had already become red-hot magma, bubbling and churning.
Black flames occasionally erupted from the fissures, instantly melting the surrounding rocks into magma that flowed into the cracks.
As Su Qing arrived, the underground tremors reached their fiercest point. Clearly, the Earth Core Flame Dragon Lizard had begun its desperate final struggle.
Before long, the violent shaking ceased, and a black shadow darted into Su Qing's body with a spirit beast essence held in her mouth.
"Um, I accidentally burned that lizard's whole body just now. It's turned to ash."
Nine Nether spoke apologetically to Su Qing.
"It's fine. That thing didn't look tasty anyway."
Su Qing waved a hand dismissively.
Glancing at the figures drawing ever closer, Su Qing took out the Jade Talisman and sent Mu Chen and the others a message.
Su Qing-The spirit beasts are dealt with. Retreat immediately!
Su Qing-Act on your own from here. We'll meet at the Northern Cang Hall when the time comes.
With that said, Su Qing looked at the figures rushing toward him, revealed an excited smile, and turned to leave.