Myriad Dragon Divine Sovereign

”This Demon Beast is powerful... very powerful.”

The Ice Python’s body squirmed back slightly. If it hadn’t been steeped day and night in the power of the Azure Dragon’s Dragon Pearl, it would probably be frozen with fear by now.

The Celestial Star Beast’s power far surpassed the Poisonous Python’s cultivation, to say nothing of the Ice Python’s. It was so overwhelmingly powerful it was suffocating.

Wen Qingye smiled nonchalantly. ”Don’t worry. You have the Azure Dragon Pearl, so this Celestial Star Beast won’t attack you unprovoked. Now, slowly get closer to it. At the base of its tentacles is a little bit of powder. It’s a rare treasure, and I need it to forge a sword. It has benefits beyond words.”

”For real?” Upon hearing Wen Qingye, the Ice Python stared at him in astonishment, its serpentine eyes wide.

Wen Qingye slowly explained, ”The Celestial Star Beast is terrified of the Dragon Race. Conversely, the Dragon Race is quite fond of them and loves to eat them alive. You’re holding the Azure Dragon’s Dragon Pearl, so what could it possibly do to you? If it really wanted to make a move, it would have done so already. With its power, which surpasses the Life and Death Realm, we would’ve been a meal in its belly long ago.”

The powder produced by the Celestial Star Beast’s tentacles was no simple thing. This powder was an excellent supplementary material for forging weapons.

Inside his Sumeru Mustard Seed were two Low-Level Spirit Grade ores he’d acquired in Ten Thousand Miles Sky: one named Celestial Heavy Stone and the other Nine Dragons Stone. The Celestial Heavy Stone was incredibly heavy, perfect for use as a frame, while the Nine Dragons Stone was exceptionally hard, making it an ideal core.

If the Celestial Star Powder was sprinkled onto the molten Sword Body, it would allow the sword to gather Primordial Qi more rapidly. Moreover, it would make the Primordial Qi purer, preventing any of it from being consumed as it gathered and flowed through the Celestial Heavy Stone.

”Alright.”

Hearing Wen Qingye’s words, the Ice Python nodded and then slowly slithered toward the tentacle.

The Celestial Star Beast seemed to sense the faint Dragon’s Might emanating from Wen Qingye and the Ice Python. Its body stiffened, and it began to retract its tentacles, albeit with extreme caution and slowness.

Seeing the Celestial Star Beast’s reaction, the Ice Python instantly grew bolder and flew over with a swagger.

THUD!

A thick tentacle landed in front of the Ice Python and Wen Qingye. This tentacle was a full twenty feet thick. The sight of it alone was terrifying; the size of the main body it belonged to was hard to even imagine.

At the very base of the tentacle, a patch of tiny lights flickered, shimmering and bright.

The Ice Python asked curiously, ”How are we going to get this Celestial Star Powder?”

”Watch me.” Wen Qingye smiled faintly. With a series of quick steps, he walked directly onto the surface of the purple water.

THWACK!

With a single hand-chop, Wen Qingye struck the Celestial Star Beast’s tentacle. The Celestial Star Powder immediately cascaded down, landing right in his other waiting palm.

”There we go.” Wen Qingye glanced at the Celestial Star Powder in his palm, speaking with satisfaction.

The Ice Python looked from the Celestial Star Powder in Wen Qingye’s hand to the nearby Celestial Star Beast and said, amused, ”Is that enough? If not, we can just get some more.”

Wen Qingye couldn’t help but chuckle at the Ice Python’s words. ”It wouldn’t be good to take too much. We don’t want this Celestial Star Beast to fly into a rage. This Celestial Star Powder is its treasure, after all.”

”Fine. In that case, let’s leave quickly. I can feel that this Celestial Star Beast’s cultivation is truly terrifying,” the Ice Python said, the realization dawning on it.

”Hahaha!”

Wen Qingye floated onto the Ice Python’s back and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Before they knew it, Wen Qingye and the Ice Python had left the Purple Nether Swamp and arrived in a barren wilderness. This place, too, was rife with hidden dangers and murderous intent. A fatal threat could erupt from anywhere at any moment.

This wilderness felt utterly primordial, as if no person had ever set foot here. Everything was in its original, untouched state. The rivers were so clear they were breathtaking, and the sheer, boundless expanse of the land was awe-inspiring. Surprisingly, there were even some ordinary animals from time to time.

The Ice Python concealed its aura, while Wen Qingye continuously took in the feel of his surroundings: natural, vibrant, and filled with spirit.

In this freeing environment, he cultivated constantly, seeking to perceive the Slaying Immortal Sword Dao and the Lifeless Sword Dao within the nature around him. Each time he immersed his Heart Spirit in this practice, his comprehension seemed to advance by leaps and bounds.

Furthermore, due to the prolonged period of suppression in the Purple Nether Swamp and the massive amounts of Primordial Qi constantly circulating within him, on his fifth day in the wilderness, Wen Qingye’s cultivation bottleneck began to loosen. He was showing faint signs of an impending breakthrough.

The path of cultivation is winding and long, but it is neither lonely nor desolate.

On this path, every insight, every moment of enlightenment, brought immense joy and invigorated the spirit. This was true even for someone like Wen Qingye.

After ten days in the wilderness, Wen Qingye emerged and reached a lush, secluded forest where signs of human presence gradually appeared.

BOOM!

A turbulent river erupted, sending a spray of water hundreds of feet into the air. Wen Qingye stood in the very center of the downpour, holding his One Thought Sword, yet not a single drop touched him.

It was dusk. The evening glow painted the sky, and the last rays of the setting sun cast a dappled light upon Wen Qingye’s face. It gave him a softer look, making the already-amiable Wen Qingye appear even more easygoing.

Wen Qingye opened his eyes. ’The Vibration Law of my Slaying Immortal Sword Dao has reached the Third Layer of the Human Dao, and the three laws of my Lifeless Sword Dao are all at the First Layer of the Human Dao. But it’s already incredibly difficult to fuse laws from the same source Sword Dao, let alone fusing laws from two completely different Sword Daos.’

The Ice Python, which had been resting on the ground, slowly rose, its eyes fixed on Wen Qingye as it slithered closer.

Wen Qingye smiled. ”Alright, let’s keep moving. Once we’re past this secluded forest, it won’t be long before we reach Jinchuan Country.”

The Ice Python raised its head, flicked its red tongue, and said, ”I’m hungry. Last night I swallowed three yaks, but they were just ordinary beasts. There wasn’t much Primordial Qi to digest.”

”Then let’s go find a Demon Beast.” With a single leap, Wen Qingye shot dozens of feet into the air and landed squarely on the Ice Python’s back. The python’s body twisted, and in an instant, only its afterimage remained. All that was left was the water, still splashing and rippling, a testament to the fact that they had just been there.

Man and python, on the move once more.

They hadn’t traveled for long when the Ice Python’s body began to twist violently, its eyes glowing with an azure light.

”There’s a Demon Beast ahead, at the First Level of the Destruction Realm.” The Ice Python’s senses were incredibly sharp; in this respect, even Wen Qingye was sometimes outmatched. After all, its high cultivation accounted for its perception.

Wen Qingye drifted down and landed on the ground. Every rustle of the wind and grass entered his ears, missing nothing.

”What a strange Demon Beast,” Wen Qingye said slowly. ”It’s so fast that it’s nearly silent when it lands. All I can hear is the faintest whisper of wind.”

The Ice Python said no more, its massive serpentine eyes fixed on the spot ahead where the Demon Beast seemed to be.

Wen Qingye and the Ice Python advanced, moving with extreme slowness. By now, the Ice Python’s body had shrunk drastically, coiling itself around Wen Qingye’s finger.