Immortal Refiner

The journey to the Wind Origin Domain to attend the grand auction hosted by the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild required considerable preparation.

First and foremost, sufficient spirit stones were essential. However, even though the Lingyun Sect had grown into a vast enterprise, controlling the cultivation resources of the entire Azure Ridge Domain, Li Qing didn’t intend to take too many of the sect’s spirit stones with him.

Instead, he prepared some spiritual objects he no longer needed, such as the natal magic treasures he had seized from several core formation realm cultivators of the Free and Unfettered Sect.

True Lord Chang Jue’s golden bell had been destroyed, but the Profound Crystal Pagoda and a water-blue giant sword remained. These were both exceptional magic treasures, nurtured for years by core formation realm cultivators.

However, these items were no longer of much use to Li Qing. He decided to trade them for spirit stones or spirit materials he needed. He expected they would fetch a good price at the auction.

In addition, Li Qing had extracted some third-tier Fire Origin Nectar from the Red Jade Beehive, which he also planned to trade.

”With these items to trade, it should be enough. I’ll also take about fifty thousand spirit stones from the sect. If I come across any rare spirit materials, I won’t be too constrained.”

Including the spirit materials Li Qing had previously purchased from True Monarch Tianbao, the Lingyun Sect’s spirit stone reserves had indeed dwindled considerably in such a short time.

After all, the sect still needed to function. Li Qing couldn’t simply take all the spirit stones without considering the consequences; that would cause major problems.

Offering Li Qing 50,000 spirit stones to spend at the grand auction was already a generous arrangement, a privilege only Li Qing, as the sect patriarch, possessed.

With ample preparations made, Li Qing had no intention of lingering. He casually crossed the sea to the east with Fan Tong, heading directly toward the Wind Origin Domain.

In the waters east of the Lingyun Sect, an ancient turtle slowly surfaced, its reverent gaze following Li Qing’s figure until he vanished over the horizon.

Months passed in this manner.

Whether it was due to his cultivation advancing to the nascent soul realm, Li Qing encountered no turbulence whatsoever during his journey. It was as peaceful as could be.

Not only did he fail to encounter other cultivators, but he didn’t even come across a single high-level sea beast. This tranquility grew somewhat monotonous.

Piloting the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat through the void, Li Qing, bored out of his mind, couldn’t help but yawn.

In truth, once one reached the Nascent Soul Realm, they essentially stood at the pinnacle of this world. Barring the appearance of a Divine Transformation Stage Old Monster, there were few beings who could truly threaten their life.

At least for the duration of this sea crossing, there was no chance of encountering such a threat. With this calm mindset, Li Qing approached the landmass of the Wind Origin Domain at a leisurely pace.

Gradually, after witnessing countless sunrises, a mountain peak finally emerged on the horizon!

Having spent so many days at sea, the endless blue ocean had grown monotonous. Finally, something interesting appeared.

The morning sun slowly rose from the eastern horizon, painting the mountain peak with a swath of purple clouds that gradually ascended into the sky.

”Finally reached the Wind Origin Domain. It’s not too far from the demon realm either. I wonder if I’ll run into one or two demon kings?”

As he spoke, a smile played on Li Qing’s lips.

The demon kings of the demon realm had indeed pushed him to the brink of defeat. Had it not been for the hastily refined forbidden artifact, the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings, he wouldn’t have known how to survive that ordeal.

It had been quite some time since he last saw those demon race members in the demon realm.

Now at the nascent soul realm, Li Qing wondered if he might have to spar a few more rounds with those demon kings if they crossed paths again.

Just then, a sudden gale erupted across the sea below, and the clouds in the sky began to swirl chaotically.

The celestial phenomena had inexplicably shifted. The once clear, cloudless sea now looked as though a violent storm was about to break.

Li Qing immediately recognized the anomaly. This change in the weather must be the result of interference.

”Hehehe, I was just saying this journey had become rather dull. Who would have thought I’d run into an old friend so close to the Wind Origin Domain?”

Li Qing narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the depths of the sea below. He could clearly sense a potent demon aura flickering beneath the waves, as though poised to burst forth at any moment.

He didn’t have to wait long. In the next instant, a crimson streak of light shot up from the azure depths.

Boom!

A flood dragon, its entire body crimson, erupted from the sea, carrying a vast expanse of water into the sky and hurtling directly toward Li Qing.

”It’s you! The human who barely escaped by riding the Heavenly Wind back then!”

Indeed, this crimson flood dragon was none other than the Crimson Blood Flood Dragon Li Qing had encountered during his first sea voyage.

Back then, Li Qing was only at the mid Core Formation Realm. This flood dragon, however, was a late third-tier existence. It had truly put Li Qing in a desperate situation, and he had only escaped by taking advantage of the Heavenly Wind.

No one could have predicted that he and the Crimson Blood Flood Dragon would meet again here!

”What a gift from heaven! I’ve heard that every part of a flood dragon is treasure—its flesh, scales, and especially these Flood Dragon Horns are all rare and precious treasures,” Li Qing murmured with a light chuckle. He had instantly seen through the Crimson Flood Dragon’s true strength. It was still at the late third-tier, still far from reaching the opportunity to transform.

Such power might have been insurmountable for the Li Qing of the past, but now that he had entered the Nascent Soul Realm, he naturally wouldn’t take the flood dragon too seriously.

”Fate has brought us together again. This time, you’ve come right to my doorstep,” Li Qing said with a faint smile, then extended his hand.

Boom!

As Li Qing made his move, his spiritual pressure surged outward, causing the already turbulent sea below to erupt into monstrous waves!

”Impossible! Nascent Soul Realm?!”

The Crimson Blood Flood Dragon was utterly stunned. It couldn’t believe that in such a short time, the human who had barely escaped its grasp had become a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator!

This was an existence comparable to a Transformation Stage Demon King! How could it possibly believe this?!

The demon race’s lifespan is incredibly long. It had only met Li Qing less than a century ago—a mere blink of an eye in demon time.

Yet in that brief moment, Li Qing had transformed completely, his cultivation and power now far surpassing its own!

Before the Crimson Blood Flood Dragon could even fully process its regret, a colossal flame hand materialized from thin air, completely ensnaring it.

No matter how desperately the late third-tier Crimson Blood Flood Dragon struggled, it couldn’t break free from Li Qing’s fiery grip. The giant hand constantly radiated intense heat, scorching the flood dragon with excruciating pain.

”Damn it! Let me go! If you dare harm me, the Flood Dragon Clan will never forgive you! You’ll have nowhere to hide in the entire world!”

The Crimson Blood Flood Dragon was terrified, fearing Li Qing might crush it to death without hesitation.

”The Flood Dragon Clan, huh? That does present a problem,” Li Qing said casually, a hint of amusement still in his eyes. ”Tell me, if I were to crush you right here, would your clan even learn about it?”

”Heh heh, I’ve heard that flood dragons are treasures from head to toe, especially Crimson Blood Flood Dragons like you, whose potential is limitless. Who knows, you might even transform into a true dragon one day.”

”If we harvest and refine your essence blood, it would be an immense boon!”

At these words, the Crimson Blood Flood Dragon’s fear intensified to its peak. It howled to the heavens:

”Third Uncle, save me!”

As its cry echoed across the sea, the turbulent waves instantly calmed. The towering crests of the waves abruptly subsided, and the entire ocean seemed to transform into a stagnant pool of deathly stillness.

”Esteemed Daoist of the human race, might you spare my nephew?”

The speaker was a middle-aged man clad in a Black Robe. His physique and attire were indistinguishable from a human, but atop his head sprouted a pair of black Flood Dragon Horns!

Clearly, this was a Transformation Stage Demon King. The aura radiating from him confirmed it.

Moreover, he wasn’t just any Demon King. He was a flood dragon who had achieved transformation at the mid-transformation stage. The Flood Dragon Horns on his head weren’t a sign of incomplete transformation; they were a source of pride for the Flood Dragon Clan, something he naturally chose to retain.

In truth, Li Qing had sensed the presence of this Transformation Stage Flood Dragon King long ago. His earlier threats were merely a ploy to force the other party to reveal himself.

”I was merely teaching your nephew some manners of the immortal realm. It’s not polite to offend a senior cultivator whose cultivation level is higher than his own.”

”If you weren’t here, he might have met an untimely end someday. Now, I must teach him a lesson.”

Li Qing spoke casually, refusing to yield even before a mid-transformation stage Flood Dragon King.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man with black Flood Dragon Horns on his head frowned slightly.

His clan had always been domineering, truly the overlords of the sea, and everyone had to show them respect.

Yet he hadn’t expected this human to be just as arrogant as the Flood Dragon Clan!

”What do you intend to do?” the Black Flood Dragon King demanded in a deep voice, his aura gradually rising, a hint of malevolent energy forming between his brows.

Li Qing sneered. ”I merely intend to administer a light punishment: to extract one of his Dragon Tendons.”

Boom!

The Black Flood Dragon King’s aura erupted instantly, overturning the surrounding sea. Ten-thousand-zhang waves surged from his body, creating a sudden tsunami.

”Human, are you challenging the authority of the Flood Dragon Clan?”

To propose extracting a Dragon Tendon from a member of the Flood Dragon Clan right before his eyes was an extreme insult.

Facing the Black Robe man’s accusation, Li Qing remained completely unfazed. He replied calmly, ”Your nephew provoked me first.”

With a thought, Li Qing’s divine sense stirred, and a nine-story iron tower rapidly spun into existence, directly suppressing the Crimson Blood Flood Dragon, rendering it completely immobile.

He then turned to confront the mid-transformation stage Black Flood Dragon King. Their auras clashed, subtly locked in a stalemate, neither able to gain the upper hand.

”You are the most arrogant human I have ever met! Even Wan Shengtian wouldn’t dare treat my Flood Dragon Clan with such contempt!”

”Today, I shall test your mettle!”

As the Black Robe man’s words fell, he strode forward, directly attacking Li Qing. His figure seemed shrouded in a thin veil of black mist, with inky droplets of water still falling from his movements.

”Hahahaha! I’ve long heard of the Flood Dragon Clan’s peerless fleshly bodies. Now, I’ll see if you live up to the legend!”

Li Qing, hovering in mid-air, laughed heartily, showing no fear. He charged forward to meet the Black Flood Dragon King, eager for a proper battle.

As soon as they engaged, neither side resorted to daoist arts. Instead, they chose to fight with their raw fleshly bodies!

Bang!

In an instant, the two were locked in fierce combat. Li Qing’s movements were broad and sweeping, imbued with Martial Dao True Intent.

The Black Flood Dragon King’s attacks, however, were simple and direct, characterized by their ferocity. Even a simple horizontal strike of his arm caused the air to explode with a thunderous crack.

For a time, fist met fist, palm clashed with palm, and the two were evenly matched.

The Black Flood Dragon King’s expression shifted, his eyes widening in surprise. He hadn’t expected a human’s fleshly body to be so formidable, rivaling his own!

Li Qing, too, was secretly shocked. The Black Flood Dragon King hadn’t even revealed his true body yet, and his physical strength was already terrifying!

Li Qing had originally been a fourth-tier Body Refiner. After cultivating Qi-Blood Embracing the Core in the World of Eternal Night and entering the Unity Realm of Martial Dao, his physical strength had improved further. Yet, he still couldn’t gain a clear advantage.

”This is interesting,” the Black Flood Dragon King said, his fighting spirit rising. ”I didn’t expect to encounter a Body Refiner of this caliber in these times. Truly a rare sight!” His movements grew increasingly fierce.

”Ninefold Weak Water!”

As he spoke, a dark, watery shadow seemed to emanate from the Black Flood Dragon King’s movements, making his strikes feel as heavy as a thousand mountains.

Li Qing’s gaze grew serious. He channeled his vast vital energy, finally infusing his entire body with Martial Dao True Qi to withstand the blow!

Heavy, black water splashed out in all directions. These droplets seemed to possess a corrosive intent; even a brief touch left Li Qing feeling sluggish and heavy, his movements becoming noticeably slower.

This was the Black Flood Dragon King’s unique divine ability. As a member of the flood dragon clan, he naturally excelled in water dao techniques—no surprise there.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Li Qing immediately ignited the Profound Yellow True Flame within him, instantly vaporizing every drop of the black water clinging to his body!

”Heavenly spirit fire?!” The Black Flood Dragon King instantly recognized the origin of the flames engulfing Li Qing. Though he couldn’t identify the specific type, it was undoubtedly heavenly spirit fire!

Deeply aware of the power of heavenly spirit fire, he retreated without hesitation.

”Heh, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Flood Dragon friend, taste my Crimson Flame Heaven-Burning Fist!”

Li Qing grinned, charging forward with a torrent of Profound Yellow True Flame.

Though called the Crimson Flame Heaven-Burning Fist, it wasn’t a true divine ability but rather a clever application of the spirit fire he controlled.

Profound Yellow True Flame coiled around Li Qing’s fist, and when it reached its peak, he unleashed his Martial Dao True Qi simultaneously.

This was a flame fist infused with Martial Dao True Qi, moving at lightning speed. In an instant, it slammed into the retreating Black Flood Dragon King.

The spirit fire exploded outward, and even a single spark that scattered vaporized tons of seawater into white steam.

The Black Flood Dragon King, having taken the full impact of the punch, naturally felt the brunt of the force. His Black Robe instantly burst into flames, revealing the pitch-black scales beneath.

The saying that every part of a flood dragon is a treasure wasn’t an exaggeration. The defensive power of these scales alone was astonishing, making them an excellent material for refining treasures.

Even the scorching Profound Yellow True Flame could only leave slight scorch marks on the cold, gleaming scales, unable to inflict any further damage.

”Impressive, human. You truly have earned your arrogance!”

As he spoke, an even more terrifying aura erupted from the Black Flood Dragon King’s entire being.

He knew that if he didn’t reveal his true body today, he might not be able to defeat this human!

As the Black Flood Dragon King’s words faded, his human form transformed. The tattered Black Robe instantly shattered into fragments.

In its place, a colossal black flood dragon materialized, its body nearly filling half the sky.

Coiling its massive form, the Black Flood Dragon King fixed Li Qing with icy, vertical pupils. It slowly opened its maw, its dragon whiskers fluttering in the wind.

At that moment, the sky plunged into complete darkness, and droplets of pitch-black rain began to fall from the heavens.

”Black Dragon Nether Rainfall!”

This was its innate divine ability. Once unleashed, it could change the very colors of heaven and earth, causing the wind and clouds to shift and swirl.

”Hahaha! You may have a flood dragon’s body, but I too possess a Fire Dharma Body!”

With that, Li Qing formed a hand seal. Three streams of heavenly spirit fire surged from within him, and his true essence surged forth with frenzied intensity.

Three-colored flames swirled around him, and in the blink of an eye, a towering flame giant materialized from thin air, its head reaching into the heavens.

Fire Extreme Dharma Body!

The instant the flame giant appeared, its scorching heat instantly vaporized ten thousand acres of seawater into white steam, which then dried up in mere moments.

As for the pitch-black raindrops falling from the darkened sky, they vanished before even touching the flame giant’s body.

This wasn’t over. Li Qing clenched his fist, and a massive hammer materialized, perfectly sized for the flame giant.

The Primordial Chaos Peerless Hammer!

Heavenly spirit fire surged forth, engulfing the entire hammer.

Now that he had reached the nascent soul realm, the full power of Li Qing’s abilities finally began to manifest.

”Behold the hammer!”

With a heroic shout, Li Qing lifted the hammer with one hand. The spirit fire swirling around it left a fiery trail as it pierced the sky.

The pitch-black sky, once shrouded in eternal darkness, was split open by the hammer’s swing, revealing the clear, bright sunlight it had once concealed.

”Roar!”

A flicker of shock flashed in the Black Flood Dragon King’s cold, vertical pupils. It roared in fury, gathering a massive ball of black light in its mouth.

How could it dare to underestimate Li Qing’s strike?

”Dragon King Curse!”

The Dragon King Curse again! The Crimson Blood Flood Dragon had used this move before, and Li Qing had experienced it firsthand.

But the Crimson Blood Flood Dragon’s version paled in comparison to the Black Flood Dragon King’s. After all, this was a true Flood Dragon King in transformation!

Yet Li Qing remained undeterred, slamming the flame giant’s massive hammer forward with all his might.

The moment the two forces collided, the entire world fell silent.

(End of the Chapter)

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