Chapter 296

One month later.

"Ice Gold Stone", Fourth Level middle-grade ice-attribute ore, not bad not bad.

Leaving the Snow Sword Sect, Yunhe's mood was still not bad.

This ore is a Nascent Soul congratulatory gift from Cold Sword True Lord Jiang Han Ning to him, absolutely counting as rather grandiose.

And Bitter Sword True Lord Tang Yi Er gave him a sword manual.

Last time Yunhe underwent the Nascent Soul lightning tribulation, they witnessed his Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword, knowing this sword was extraordinary.

However.

In their exchange they learned that Yunhe was not a pure sword cultivator; his natal magic treasure Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword was merely a pure spiritual treasure, and aside from the "Five Elements Sword Formation", he had not mastered any sword techniques or sword manuals.

Although using the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword this way actually isn't a big problem.

Because Yunhe mostly still uses the heavenly thunder power on the flying sword, as well as the ability of the "Five Elements Sword Formation".

However, according to Jiang and Tang, if he could master a sword manual, he could better control the flying sword and also maximize the power of the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword.

This made Yunhe humbly seek instruction.

Actually he also understands that if he could master a sword manual, it would definitely enhance his ability to wield the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword's power.

However, he looks down on mediocre sword manuals; one principle mastered, all principles understood. Although he has never been exposed to sword manuals or sword techniques, his control of the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword is absolutely far superior to ordinary sword cultivators.

And profound sword manuals are not so easily obtained.

Thus, Tang Yi Er gave him a sword manual entitled the "Nine Songs Sword Manual".

Without saying how powerful or profound it is, it is also a decent sword manual, sufficient for a cultivator like him who has never touched sword manuals to try cultivating.

Cultivating this sword manual, thereafter using the Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword will no longer be so monotonous.

Seems he thought of something, Yunhe made a hand seal.

"Huh?"

Yunhe furrowed his brows.

"Not back yet?"

Han Yin Jiao hasn't returned to the cold pool yet; this is somewhat abnormal.

He gave Han Yin Jiao a year's time; if it's just because he ran a bit far and couldn't return quickly, being a few days late would be normal, but being a month late is clearly off.

Hovering in midair, he stopped his evasion.

With a solemn expression, he made hand seals again.

He left his own spiritual imprint in Han Yin Jiao's soul.

So if he wishes, as long as Han Yin Jiao is within a certain range, he can sense its position.

Even if the distance is great, he can roughly sense its direction; the specific sensing range relates to his spiritual strength.

As he calmed his mind, he gradually sensed the direction where Han Yin Jiao was.

When he opened his eyes again, the direction was already clear.

"This guy, he actually ran quite far, ending up in the Endless Sea?"

Black lines appeared on his forehead.

Immediately he made a hand seal and fled toward the direction of Yuan State.

He wasn't really worried about Han Yin Jiao's safety, after all it's a Third Stage Late flood dragon, not so easily encountering danger.

Even if he can't beat it, the three generations of the "Cloud Escape Talisman" Yunhe left for its self-defense are enough to escape from some Late Jie Dan Stage or Perfect Jie Dan Stage cultivators, and even if encountering an Early Nascent Soul cultivator, there's a chance to escape.

"Next time we can't let this guy run around on his own again."

At that time he gave Han Yin Jiao free activity time also because he noticed its longing for the outside world, and Yunhe at that time, having just formed his Nascent Soul, needed to consolidate his realm, so he had no time to take it away, thus letting it play for a year, waiting for its return to settle its mind.

But who would have thought this guy would play so much as to lose track of time?

This made him suddenly feel like he'd raised a troublesome child needing discipline.

Yuan State.

Above the eastern beach.

A huge treasure ship skimmed low.

Many cultivators on the ground, as well as some first- and second-tier beasts trying to hunt low-tier beasts by the sea, upon seeing the majestic hull and sensing the terrifying spiritual aura fluctuations faintly emanating from it, all were frightened and fled in all directions.

Whoosh!

A streak of flowing light swiftly came from afar and landed on that deck.

After the magical power dissipated, a young Jie Dan Mid-stage cultivator wearing yellow clothes and with hair tied up walked out, holding several sea fish in hand; they didn't look like ordinary fish, but rather several Second Stage Late demonic beasts!

Moreover, these several Second Stage Late demonic beasts already lifeless showed no wounds on their bodies, obviously killed by this person via secret arts.

"Senior Brother Yang's 'Dragon Yin Decision' is even more powerful; these sea fish actually have no external damage whatsoever, their organs completely shattered."

Beside, an Early Jie Dan female cultivator seeing this scene couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.

With the Cultivation Base of a Jie Dan Mid-stage cultivator, slaying a few Second Stage Late sea fish is trivial, but to achieve not damaging their exterior at all while shattering their organs requires some skill.

After all, Second Stage sea fish in the sea are considerably faster than cultivators of the same stage.

"Junior Sister Liu, you overpraise me." That Senior Brother Yang laughed and casually handed several sea fish to the nearby disciples.

These two, their clothes embroidered with a dragon-head shaped insignia, and the flag on this huge treasure ship they ride also bears the same insignia, representing the greatest sect of Yuan State — Nine Dragon Gate!

And they are cultivators of Nine Dragon Gate!

As Jie Dan cultivators, their status in Nine Dragon Gate is already not low; they are elder-level figures, and with their identities and backgrounds, within Yuan State it can be said that even when encountering Late Jie Dan cultivators, they deserve a three-part deference.

However, this time their outing was not led by the two of them, nor was it to carry out a sect mission; rather, someone sought their assistance.

"Junior Brother Yang, any discoveries?"

At this moment, a cultivator with graceful robes, a jade-like warm and moist gentleman appearance, holding a volume of ancient texts, walked over.

Just by his appearance, those who don't know might think he's a scholar preparing for an exam.

But upon seeing this person, Senior Brother Yang and Junior Sister Liu both showed respectful expressions.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Shang."

This person is a heaven‑chosen talent of the Nine Dragon Sect, now over 290 years old, not yet 300, but his cultivation base has reached the peak of Golden Core; he is a genuine Yuan Ying seed!

Moreover, Shang Yunfei, who has been cultivated since childhood as a pillar of the sect, possesses extraordinary talent, lives up to the resources the sect has invested in him, is humble and courteous, and has the ability to make swift, spirit‑inspired decisions; he is well‑liked in the sect and is the internally chosen next sect master of the Nine Dragon Sect!

Shang Yunfei lightly raised his hand, gesturing that they need not stand on ceremony.

Senior Brother Yang finally nodded and said, "Reporting to Senior Brother, I have made a discovery; using the 'Dragon‑Seeking Secret', I indeed found traces of a flood dragon at the 'Antelope Horn'."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Yunfei's eyes lit up instantly.

"It seems the news from those few people a few days ago was not baseless."

"Yes." Junior Sister Liu also looked somewhat surprised, her expression turning pensive as she murmured, "It is said to be a late‑third‑stage flood dragon; I never expected it to appear in the near‑sea area."

Not only her, but actually Shang Yunfei and Senior Brother Yang were also quite surprised.

But no matter what, the appearance of a late‑third‑stage flood dragon is definitely a good thing for the cultivators of the Nine Dragon Sect.

In the cultivation methods and secret arts practiced by the Nine Dragon Sect, obtaining flood‑dragon power would bring considerable benefit.

Especially, this flood dragon is a late‑third‑stage flood dragon, which holds great allure for Shang Yunfei, whose cultivation is at the peak of Golden Core.

Moreover.

Even setting other matters aside, a late‑third‑stage flood dragon is by no means ordinary; in the future it even has a decent chance of breaking through to the fourth level!

As fellow cultivation sects of the Yuan Kingdom, the Nine Dragon Sect eyes the Wan Beast Sect's Haihai Spirit Turtle with envy.

Obtaining such a fourth‑level demonic beast represents a heritage that the sect could maintain for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, which is immensely tempting for any sect.

"Perhaps the recent activity of the sea‑folk has compressed the living space of marine demonic beasts, forcing this flood dragon to flee from the deep sea into the near‑sea," Senior Brother Yang said hesitantly.

"Sea‑folk!"

As a seaside cultivation sect of the Yuan Kingdom, the pressure the Nine Dragon Sect faces due to the emergence of the sea‑folk is not ordinary.

Recently, the sect's supreme elders have all chosen to enter closed‑door cultivation, reportedly to master a superior secret art so as to preserve the Nine Dragon Sect's Dao lineage in the event of a possible "great calamity".

And Shang Yunfei's venture out to seek the flood dragon is also because he hopes to break through to the Yuan Ying realm before the great calamity arrives, so as to protect himself while safeguarding the sect.

Although signs of great turmoil have already appeared, sometimes great turmoil can also bring great opportunity.

Just like this time, they have never in their lives seen a late‑third‑stage flood dragon, yet it has appeared in the near‑sea area.

This, to Shang Yunfei, is when his opportunity has arrived.

"No matter what, this flood dragon must be obtained by Shang; I hope junior brothers and sisters will lend me their aid!" Shang Yunfei said solemnly.

"Of course." Senior Brother Yang replied without hesitation.

Otherwise he would not be aboard this treasure ship.

Shang Yunfei put away the ancient book in his hand, brushed his hand over his storage pouch, and took out a magical treasure resembling an eight‑trigram disk.

"Dragon‑Seeking Disk?"

Upon seeing this treasure, Senior Brother Yang's eyes lit up.

"I didn't expect Senior Brother Shang to actually bring out the Dragon‑Seeking Disk; it seems this operation will succeed."

Shang Yunfei smiled and said, "Then please, Junior Brother Yang, inject the trace of flood‑dragon qi you obtained earlier with the Dragon‑Seeking Secret into the Dragon‑Seeking Disk."

"Good!"

As the words fell, Senior Brother Yang formed hand seals, and a surge of mighty mana burst forth from his body; he then carefully released an extremely faint breath of energy into the Dragon‑Seeking Disk.

Crack‑crack‑crack—

With the infusion of qi, the disk in Shang Yunfei's hand immediately began to spin, and an extremely faint phantom of a flood dragon appeared upon it, pointing the way.

Having arrived before the treasure ship, Shang Yunfei took over its control.

At the same time.

In a sea area roughly a thousand li from land, a snow‑white, glistening flood dragon was swiftly swimming through a sea trench.

Before it, a brilliantly colored seven‑hued fish was darting away at high speed; from the aura it emitted, this is a early‑third‑stage fish‑type demonic beast.

Yet this fish seems somewhat extraordinary; despite only having early‑third‑stage cultivation, it actually enables the late‑third‑stage flood dragon behind it to be unable to catch up in a short time.

However, this behavior seems to have annoyed the flood dragon; its eyes flashed with anger and its mouth opened wide.

"Ao——!!"

Rolling dragon chants howled away.

At the same time, it was accompanied by rolling waves of chilling cold, and the seawater instantly froze into ice.

And that early‑third‑stage seven‑scaled fish was also sealed within a crystal of ice.

'"Oh no, it won't have frozen to death, will it?"'

The Cold Chant Flood Dragon's heart suddenly jolted; with a hint of panic it rushed swiftly toward the seven‑scaled fish.

Upon arriving before the seven‑scaled fish and seeing the ice surface etched with cracks, the Cold Chant Flood Dragon let out a long sigh of relief.

The reason it chased this seven‑scaled fish for so long without catching up is not only because the fish is extraordinary, but also because it feared that a careless move might kill the fish, which would be a huge loss.

This fish is a gift it intends to present to its master in filial respect, a congratulatory present for its master's successful Nascent Soul formation!

Because it discovered that the area where this fish is active and gathers has spiritual qi even richer than elsewhere.

Although the Cold Chant Flood Dragon does not know exactly what kind of fish this is, based solely on this point it feels the fish is suitable as a congratulatory gift for its master's successful Nascent Soul formation, and it is presentable!

Moreover, the fish's appearance is extraordinarily gorgeous, extremely rare even in the endless sea.

The Cold Chant Flood Dragon may not know other things, but it knows its master occasionally enjoys sitting by the cold pool to fish; however, speaking frankly, it finds the spiritual fish in that pool too lazy to eat.

It feels those spiritual fish are hardly worthy of its master's Yuan Ying cultivator status, so it plans to catch some fish for its master to place in the cold pool, at least so that when fished up they will be more pleasing to the eye, right?

Therefore, it has been wandering this sea area for a long time; it previously caught one, and this time it caught a second.

'"At last I have caught a pair; I believe the master will surely like it!"'

The Cold Chant Flood Dragon held the fish in its mouth.

After stunning it with dragon's might, they couldn't help feeling pleased.

It headed for the temporary residence here, where another was also being kept.

Having a pair is a good omen.

"Just that, going back will be a bit late; the master shouldn't blame me, right?"

————

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(End of chapter)