Chapter 97: Rotten Wood Flood Dragon

Splash—

A large mass of lake water rushed straight down.

Large amounts of dust and soil were washed away, revealing snowy-white fur.

The little fox stood there dazed, its fur drooping all over, looking—uh—ugly.

On the contrary, Yunhe nodded in satisfaction, grabbed one of its hind legs, and lifted it up.

Only then did the little fox react sharply.

It struggled violently in midair.

But with its current strength, how could it break free from Yunhe's restraint?

Then Yunhe lifted it over his head, and the water-soaked fur sparkled with specks of light in the sunlight.

"Will I be eaten? That's not what Tree Grandfather said—will I be eaten?"

Glitter appeared in its eyes, it stopped struggling, as if resigned.

But the imagined scenario of being swallowed whole did not occur.

It just heard Yunhe mutter to himself:

"Ah, it's a female."

Little fox: '!!!'

It didn't understand what Yunhe was saying, but it could feel Yunhe's gaze lingering around its hind leg.

After landing, it froze in place.

The next second.

Ah-woo! Ah-woo! Ah-woo-woo—

It lunged at Yunhe like a madman, its seemingly weak but sharp claws scraping wildly, only producing a 'ding ding ding' sound.

It could not possibly break through Yunhe's scale armor.

Whimper—

After venting for a while, the little fox then lay limp on the ground.

Seeing this, Yunhe rubbed his chin.

"High spiritual intellect—even higher than some second-tier beasts; even if it's not a mutant, it certainly isn't an ordinary cultivated fox."

Regardless of what the little fox thought, he again placed his claw on its head.

"I see. The demon core is damaged, cultivation base greatly reduced; originally it was at least mid-second-tier, right?"

Feeling the unfamiliar demon power circulating in its body, the little fox struggled again.

But this time it soon stopped, because it felt that gentle demon power like a refreshing stream, which had a certain restorative effect on its injuries.

Moreover, the water originally clinging to its fur disappeared bit by bit, and its fur became fluffy again.

It must be said, when the little white fox's fur regained its luster and fluffiness, its overall appearance became somewhat different.

"Can you use demon sense?"

Yunhe conveyed the meaning via demon sense.

Buzz—

Immediately, a demon sense also emanated from the little fox's body, though it seemed damaged as well.

"Are you a black tortoise?"

Based solely on this complete and fluent transmission ability, it's not comparable to that spotted lizard just now.

Yunhe did not answer its question, but instead asked again:

"How did you find this place? I recall there's no white fox clan nearby. Moreover, how do you know I need a wood-element demon beast?"

Facing Yunhe, the little fox seemed to have an instinctive fear.

He stammered: "It was Tree Grandfather who told me."

Tree Grandfather

Yunhe thought briefly, then realized, showing a look of sudden understanding.

"You mean that old Chinese elm, right?"

The little fox nodded.

As it turns out, Yunhe had previously tried to search for demon beasts inheriting the Five Elements Spirit Beast Bloodline, hoping to collect the Five Elements Spirit Beast Bloodline to help the cultivator body quickly condense the Five Elements Spirit Body.

However, even in the demon beast world, demon beasts containing the Five Elements Spirit Beast Bloodline are not that easy to find.

After years of wandering in the demon beast world, Yunhe himself made a rough classification of demon beasts based on bloodline.

The first category: ordinary wild beasts born, who inadvertently cultivated demon power and slowly opened spiritual intellect.

Examples like loach, black fish, and the previous it, all belong to this category.

Such demon beasts have limited potential, cultivation is extremely difficult, and without a major opportunity, it's hard to achieve great progress in cultivation base.

The second category: like the white ape king, red-bellied snake, azure-shadow swallow, and the spotted lizard just now, possessing some distinctiveness but not obviously demon beasts.

The third category consists of those who have inherited, activated, or reverted to the bloodline of powerful demon beasts, for example Yunhe himself.

As for the later categories, they are actually subdivisions based on the third category.

Based on bloodline concentration and the source of the inherited bloodline.

Like that earlier horned serpent, it had reverted to an extremely weak strand of true dragon bloodline, and as the bloodline concentration changes, it manifests as a serpent, flood dragon, dragon, horned dragon, etc.

So, although there are many demon beasts in the demon beast world, finding one that possesses the Five Elements Spirit Beast Bloodline is truly not easy.

Once, when Yunhe was out, he found a strand of wood spirit qi.

But upon tracing it to the source, he discovered it was actually an old Chinese elm tree.

Its disposition was gentle, and it did not provoke the approaching Yunhe, so Yunhe also did not attack it.

Of course, it's also because that wisp of wood spiritual qi contained within the other party cannot meet the minimum standard for wood-attribute demon beasts set by the Grand Longevity Five Elements True Scripture.

Moreover, this old boxwood tree has lived for at least a thousand years; its cultivation base and demonic power are not weak, having reached the late stage of the Second Stage.

Originally, Yunhe had wanted to use it to find other demon beasts possessing wood-attribute spirit beast bloodlines.

But the other party said it is a plant-type demon beast, unable to freely leave its habitat, so it doesn't know much.

But unexpectedly, this little fox actually found its way here relying on the guidance of the old boxwood tree.

Hmm.

Yunhe nodded slightly, deep in thought, playing with the dark blue scale in his hand, lightly rubbing it to feel its texture.

After a while, he spoke again.

"Who is the owner of this scale?"

Upon mentioning the scale, the little fox's originally simple and obedient demeanor instantly turned fierce, it arched its back, its body trembling slightly, whether from fear or excitement it couldn't tell.

Only after Yunhe patted its head again did it gradually recover.

"It's a rotting wood flood dragon!"

"Rotting wood flood dragon?"

Yunhe was slightly startled.

Any demon beast capable of transforming into a flood dragon certainly wouldn't be weak.

But correspondingly, the concentration of its wood-attribute spirit beast bloodline contained within would definitely meet the requirements of the Grand Longevity Five Elements True Scripture.

"What about its strength?"

The little fox pursed its lips, not knowing how to answer for a moment, because it had no reference or standard to compare against.

Yunhe also realized this, so he continued:

"Compared to that old boxwood tree."

Asked this way, the little fox did know.

"It should be stronger than Old Tree Grandpa."

The old boxwood is a late-stage Second Stage demon beast, and its thousand years of growth have made its accumulation far stronger than that of ordinary late-stage Second Stage demon beasts.

If it's stronger than the old boxwood, then isn't it a third-stage demon beast?

Third-stage demon beast!

But it exists at a level comparable to a Golden Core cultivator!

Moreover, because demon beasts have powerful bodies, even a cultivator's magical treasure would struggle to inflict a fatal wound.

Furthermore, as a wood jiao, it must have awakened an innate divine ability, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

Furthermore, if some demon beasts have sufficiently strong ancestral bloodline return, they can obtain demon beast cultivation techniques from bloodline inheritance, which would cause a qualitative leap in their strength.

Even a Golden Core cultivator might not be able to handle a third-stage rotting wood flood dragon.

Seeing something in Yunhe's solemn expression, the little fox hastily said:

"No, no, it hasn't reached the third stage! That rotting wood flood dragon hasn't reached the third stage!"

"Huh?"

The little fox's certainty made Yunhe quite surprised.

Of course, the most surprising thing is that this little fox actually knows the classification of demon beast strength levels?

"Have you awakened your bloodline memory?" Yunhe suddenly asked.

"No, no."

The little fox's expression was somewhat conflicted, but seeing Yunhe's piercing gaze, it eventually said:

"Our clan has an ancient stone tablet that records some, some information."

"A stone tablet?"

Yunhe narrowed his eyes.

"Demon clan inheritance?"

This naturally sparked his great interest.

Having spent decades in the demon beast world, he has encountered hundreds of demon beasts, yet he has never seen a legitimate demon beast inheritance before.

"How do you know it hasn't reached the third stage?"

The little fox hemmed and hawed for a while before Yunhe roughly understood the circumstances.

This little fox and its clan are truly not ordinary demon beasts.

The modest fox clan actually belongs to the spirit fox lineage.

They have awakened a trace of ancient spirit fox bloodline.

Spirit foxes excel at charm and illusion, but are not skilled in direct combat.

Although the bloodline concentration is not high, it also grants them innate spiritual awareness that awakens early, allowing them to cultivate earlier.

Moreover, for other demon beasts, if they can eat them, they can gain considerable benefits, including but not limited to further awakening spiritual awareness, refining mental power—that is, demon sense—and so on.

The process for demon beasts to break through third stage and second stage is similar, also not much different from cultivators, merely differing in focus, but ultimately all involve breaking through the three gates of essence, energy, and spirit.

"So, is that rotting wood flood dragon slaughtering the fox clan to break through the third-stage great barrier?"

At the same time, he also learned from the little fox's mouth:

Out of the entire fox clan, only it managed to escape; the rest mostly perished in the flood dragon's jaws.

It originally intended to seek refuge under the old boxwood, but the old boxwood told it to go to Huanhu Dao to find a large turtle.

That large turtle is nicknamed "All Grudges Erased" and its strength and abilities are not insignificant.

It is precisely because of this that the little fox, after wandering around, finally found its way to Yunhe's place.

After hearing that, Yunhe's eye twitched slightly.

The old yellow poplar tree looks honest enough—you're good at shifting blame, right?

Yunhe took a breath, didn't speak further, but fell into contemplation.

If the Rotten Wood Jiao hasn't broken through to third stage and is still at second‑stage level, it's not completely hopeless, but fighting it would surely be tough.

The shift from second to third stage is a qualitative change; early and late second stage differ greatly, but they can still be considered roughly the same level.

Moreover, whether it's the stone tablet mentioned by the little fox or the essence blood of a wood‑attribute spirit beast, both are indeed what he needs.

"However, there's no need to rush; even if the Rotten Wood Jiao truly intends to assault the third stage, it would still need at least two or three years."

Two or three years—he thinks breaking through to mid‑second stage is a bit unrealistic.

But once his cultivator body has fully digested the gains from the last trip to the Zou family, his strength should still be able to improve further.

"Wood‑attribute demon beasts fear metal weapons, and fire attributes can also restrain them to some extent."

"Furthermore,"

Yunhe's gaze fell upon the little fox before him.

Just a glance, and the little guy almost jumped right up.

He quietly stepped back two paces from Yunhe, eyes warily.

Seeing this, Yunhe couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't be nervous; if you want me to help you get revenge, you'll have to offer some compensation, right?"

"Compensation?" the little fox blinked.

After a moment's thought, it ventured: "No, without me you can't understand the inscription on the stele."

"Hmm, that counts as one, but it's not enough," Yunhe said calmly, resting his chin on his hand.

Not enough.

The little guy's mind raced, but after a long think he couldn't come up with anything he could offer.

Suddenly.

Its eyes lit up as it thought of something.

"On our clan's stele is recorded a secret art; I can increase your chance of breaking through to the third stage!"

"Oh?"

"Increase the success rate of breaking through to the third stage?"

"What big talk."

"You're not going to eat me, are you?" Yunhe asked with a hint of teasing.

The little fox's expression stiffened, and it hurriedly said:

"Of course not! You're a black tortoise; you should know that eating is the worst way to absorb."

"Then why not use this method to help the Rotten Wood Jiao? Perhaps then it wouldn't slaughter your clan."

"Because my cultivation base isn't enough yet," the little fox lowered its head.

"That's also an explanation. But how can I trust that you'll have this ability later? And how can I make sure that after I help you get revenge, you won't run away?"

Yunhe didn't think he could definitely keep watch over it if it managed to escape from the Rotten Wood Jiao's grasp.

Upon hearing that, the little fox hesitated a moment, then suddenly lifted its head.

"Whoo—"

With a soft moan, its body instantly turned illusory and hazy.

Immediately afterward, its snowy white fluffy tail unfurled, revealing three tails!

"No wonder only it could escape—has its bloodline purification already reached the level of a three‑tailed spirit fox?"

"I—I can open my demon sense," the little fox said.

It quickly added: "But you must promise that after I use the secret art to help you break through to the third stage, you will take back your demon sense."

"Still so simple."

The little fox looks smart, but perhaps it hasn't faced much wickedness, or maybe demon beasts are just naturally simple, making it seem a bit cute and naïve.

In the cultivator world, even at the point of death, few would be willing to open their divine sense.

Once someone tampers with your divine sense, it's practically surrendering your initiative—your life and death hinge on another's single thought.

But since the other party has shown such sincere intent, Yunhe naturally won't refuse.

He imprints his demon sense deep within the little fox's demon sense.

The little fox's gaze toward Yunhe instantly grew much more affectionate, and a connection sprang up between the two demon beasts out of thin air.

Finally.

Yunhe suddenly laughed and asked:

"How can you be sure I'll definitely be able to help you get revenge? After all, even the old yellow poplar isn't a match for that Rotten Wood Jiao."

Upon hearing that, the little fox's eyes darted about, its mouth slightly opened, and its expression went blank.

"Huh?"

(End of chapter)