Chapter 149: Dragon Bloodline Remnant

Zhang Heng has been hiding here and there these past days, nearly caught by Demon Hand a few times; after seeing such methods, he has no intention of engaging, so he simply flees with the wind, dashing toward the densely populated area, diverting the disaster water eastward.

"Damn it! You petty scum of Gentleman Hall, don't come over!"

"Shit, the one named Zhang is really shameless, using that move again!"

"You bastard, the sect elders were right—those from Gentleman Hall are top‑rank villains."

In an instant, everyone around howled in anger, each one fuming. Yet they were helpless; Zhang Heng's strength was already formidable, and that light‑shadow rune formation was even more powerful. It can swallow all kinds of attacks, and without resorting to his trump card, no one could resist it.

At such a moment, it's better to be a bit cautious and gather more Qi, lest when the true hidden treasure finally reveals itself, one has the will but lacks the strength!

In just a few breaths, Demon Hand is already closing in on the Refining Crystal Furnace; perhaps with the next swing, it can seize this Mystic Treasure.

Lu Fan, seeing the scene, gave a faint smile, flipped his hand and struck forward, a surge of force blasting into the ground.

"Bang!"

Several dozen zhang away, in front of the Refining Crystal Furnace, the ground suddenly split open a huge fissure, a yellow glow swirling out, instantly solidifying into a palm‑shaped shadow. With great force, it slammed onto the furnace.

With a crisp "thud", the furnace's emission direction abruptly flipped, shooting toward an empty corner.

"You stinky brat, what do you mean by this?"

The wild beast Demon Hand was baffled; the furnace was clearly heading toward Lu Fan. How could, at this moment, Lu Fan's strike alter its direction, sending it farther away?

Even if this brat doesn't want to let it achieve the furnace's soul‑origin unity, there's no need to act like this!

It thought that way, but its movements weren't a fraction slower; it almost kept right on the furnace, changing direction. In the next breath, the furnace might fall into its grasp.

With soul‑origin unity, plus the dragon‑origin purple Qi absorbed these days, who could match it?

"This… the two of them can really keep their cool!"

Quietly watching Zhang Heng here, he let out a baseless cold snort, as if his teeth ached with hatred.

The instant his words finished, the empty void before the furnace was suddenly swept by a raging wind, and a pitch‑black figure emerged.

"Lu Fan, you think nicely, but I don't want this hot‑potato; take it yourself!"

The figure was the inescapable Ghost‑faced Man Wan Li; almost the moment he appeared, he flicked his sleeve, a gust of force lifted the Refining Crystal Furnace, turned it horizontally, and hurled it out.

Another arc flew, even faster; Demon Hand couldn't turn in time and barely missed the furnace.

It stared in shock, then, possessed by a divine spirit, howled, "Damn it! You three stinky brats, daring to mock me, I will have you dead!"

A thunderous roar rang out; Demon Hand opened its palm‑mouth, a blood‑red long tongue shot out like an arrow, targeting the Ghost‑faced Man's forehead.

"Pfft"—with no resistance, it pierced straight through. Threads of black shadow drifted, then coalesced three zhang away.

"Why are you taking it out on me? If you delay any longer, that thing will end up in Lu Fan's hands! Since he can contain your true body, this crippled form is probably even less of a match for him. When that happens, you won't be able to swagger any more!"

Ghost‑faced Man gave a sly smile, his words clearly inciting, and they proved effective; the wild beast Demon Hand retracted its long tongue and turned straight for the furnace.

However, that brief delay brought the furnace within about ten zhang of Lu Fan—just a single stride away from grasping it.

At this moment Lu Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, standing with his arms crossed, showing no intention of reaching for it, but glancing at the distant Zhang Heng and saying calmly, "Your meddling with my Mystic Treasure is rather subtle; could this be the signature tactic of your Gentleman Hall, the gentlemen being unintentional?"

His words were faint, yet everyone in the crowd heard them clearly. Especially Zhang Heng, whose face changed in astonishment.

He seemed to abandon the furnace, but silently executed two maneuvers. One was the East‑divert disaster‑water scheme, directing Demon Hand's murderous hatred toward Lu Fan. The other was a prior tampering with the Refining Crystal Furnace; anyone who dared to take it would suffer dire misfortune—if not death, at least lose most of their life.

Yet these two schemes had no effect on Lu Fan; otherwise Wan Li wouldn't have been dragged into the fray.

Impressive! Truly impressive!

Just as he was thinking that, Lu Fan's figure moved—a sudden leap, springing from the ground. The furnace was right before his eyes, yet he didn't glance at it; with a light toe tap, he kicked the furnace out.

This time the target was neither Wan Li nor any other person, but it flew straight toward the Dragon Tower.

"If you want to reclaim your primordial Qi, take it yourself!"

Lu Fan landed lightly, gave a faint smile, then turned and followed the furnace, rushing toward the Dragon Tower.

The wild beast was nearly exploding with rage; in its memory, no one had ever dared to mock and insult it so. Old and new grudges, today it must settle the score with Lu Fan!

"Lu Fan, you forced me! Even if it means severe injury today, I will devour you!"

Demon Hand raised its palm to the sky, its blood‑filled maw howling upward, "Wild Seal solidifies, Purple‑Extreme True Dragon transforms!"

Upon the crimson hand, purple Qi surged like mist, steaming out. Amid the swirling vapors, faintly, it twisted into clusters, becoming countless purple scales that covered the crimson hand.

At the same time, the crimson hand's shape changed slightly; the five fingers braced the ground, joints cracking loudly. "Crackle!", its body swelled to double size, turning into a grotesque, bloated monster.

Headless, with five limbs, a mouth on its belly. Its body is covered in scale‑armor, exuding a fierce aura.

"Bang!"

All five limbs thrust against the ground, launching it instantly; like a flash of wind, it reached Lu Fan's head and pounced down.

"Hmm! Absorbing dragon‑origin purple Qi, this dragon‑transformation also benefits you; dealing with a Kun Serpent that has undergone the same dragon power should be no problem!"

Lu Fan tilted his head slightly, nodding with great satisfaction, then his form paused. Perhaps the turn was too swift; his upper body leaned forward a bit, and he swung both hands down forcefully.

"Boom—boom—boom" the reverberation rose, and the surrounding earth surged in waves, rising up. In an instant it engulfed Lu Fan, then solidified into a sturdy wall; the wild beast couldn't halt, leapt several zhang, striking the wall. The force rippled, turning dozens of zhang of ground into a shattered, jagged pit!

It didn't linger, nor turn; it launched again, lunging at the furnace.

The Refining Crystal Furnace was about to strike the Dragon Tower. At that moment, a flash of purple Qi light emerged, and amid its distortion a Kun Serpent dozens of zhang long materialized.

Its whole body coiled three levels beneath the Dragon Tower, its head pressed against the tower's sword scar; the swirling dragon‑origin purple Qi inside was largely inhaled into its belly.

The massive head swayed, opened its mouth slightly, and swallowed the Refining Crystal Furnace whole.

"Roar—"

The Kun Serpent roared upward, a wave of force exploding outward; in an instant it hammered the void hundreds of zhang around the Dragon Tower. The ground quaked, the force surged.

The wild beast, at the forefront, staggered, swaying involuntarily and nearly crashing to the ground. The others afterward wore pained expressions, clutching their heads. Those with slightly lower cultivation saw blood threads leak from their seven orifices, and under the Kun Serpent's roar their internal organs suffered minor injuries.

"When did this monster arrive? It's only been a few days since we last saw it, yet its mutation is so huge—truly horrifying!"

Over a thousand zhang beyond the Dragon Tower, Yang Sheng and several others emerged, each staring in disbelief at the scene.

A few days earlier, amid the beast tide, the Kun Serpent, though large, was only about ten zhang long and barrel‑wide. Now its size has expanded three to four times, and its aura is immeasurable.

"Fifth‑Tier Beast King! This is definitely a Fifth‑Tier Beast King, and it must be a Dragon Bloodline Remnant, drawing dragon‑origin purple Qi, restoring its bloodline divine power!"

Someone let out a startled cry, and everyone snapped to attention, eyes trembling with fear as they stared at the Kun Serpent coiled on the Dragon Tower, utterly unable to muster resistance.

Even a Fifth‑tier Beast King, no matter how mediocre its innate talent, can suppress the overwhelming majority of people here; add a Dragon‑line body and the nourishment of Dragon‑origin purple Qi, and it becomes even more terrifying.

This giant python, though only recently advanced, is already comparable to a Fifth‑tier pinnacle warrior; only a Cultivation‑Qi‑refining Realm Martial Saint can match it.

Some are anxious and uneasy, yet a few outstanding individuals are thrilled beyond words. Seeing this Beast King giant python, they become delighted.

"Brilliant, brilliant! If we can slay this giant python, the ranking on the Earth Spirit Tablet would instantly surge, perhaps even replace it, suppressing all rivals!"

Zhan Xiao wore a delighted expression, as if he had already considered such matters and no longer cared about the ferocious beast's formidable strength.

"You're dreaming! Even that demon‑shadow monster is beyond an ordinary person's ability to handle, let alone this Dragon‑line, which on the Earth Spirit Tablet even overpowers that demonic hand. As for this giant python, unless we pool our strength, no one can contend with it!"

Nie Xing sneered, almost calling Zhan Xiao's hope a delusion. In truth, he himself longs for, even fantasizes about, killing this giant python, but reason tells him it is virtually impossible.

Wang Wu, Wan Li, and even Nalan Qiusha's eyes flickered with excitement. In the secret realm's cultivation, besides the treasure inheritance left in the Dragon Tower, the formidable demons here and the numerous treasure lands are priceless opportunities.

The Fifth‑tier Beast King before us has not only devoured the greatest amount of Dragon‑origin purple Qi in the entire secret realm, but also possesses a Dragon‑line. Its value is such that even a Sixth‑tier demon beast cannot compare. To claim anyone would not feel greedy desire is simply impossible.

The earth‑Qi barrier quivered, transformed into flowing sand, and slowly dissipated, revealing Lu Fan's figure. Before him stood a monster formed from a wild beast, and prior to that, the terrifying, void‑suppressing giant python.

Whether it's the giant python or the wild beast, both are forces not to be taken lightly. Yet Lu Fan now looks relaxed and at ease, as if he doesn't care that the alchemical crystal furnace was devoured by the giant python.

"You're quite clever, hiding here in secret. Seeing this transformation, it seems you've gained a lot!"

Lu Fan patted his robe's hem, then swaggered over. He even reached the five‑legged monster formed from the wild beast and said cheerfully,

The giant python instantly roared in fury; its massive serpentine body thumped, and although it only hissed, the sound in the ears rang like a chorus of bells and drums, making one shudder.

"Roar—"

The python's head lifted, its massive jaws gaped open, swelling to the size of a house, ready to snap down.

"Why are you so impatient? Even a demon beast, the dragon ape is far more patient than you," Lu Fan shook his head slightly, a hint of disappointment.

The giant python, hearing this, suddenly halted; its bucket‑sized eyes swept and fixed on the dragon ape.

One sees the dragon ape's aura steady, its gaze calm, merely staring at the giant python. It shows neither the surrounding human cultivators' panic nor the excitement of facing a great foe, as if it were a statue!

"Roar—"