There are still two...

Standing before the gate of the Dragon Pond Forbidden Area, his purple eyes blazing, Qi Xiu peered through the gateway, scrutinizing the situation within.

At this moment, dense smoke and debris billowed and churned within this forbidden ground. Apart from the Dragon Pool itself, nearly all furnishings had been obliterated, leaving behind only charred marks and cracks everywhere. There were also numerous contorted corpses, as well as ashes of flesh, bone, and insects.

The five Demonic Path cultivators who had entered were now down.

Poison Granny Song Hehua fell first. Her venomous skills were utterly useless against the Dragon Demon, which possessed only a remnant spirit and lingering will. Moreover, she had the lowest cultivation among the five. Captured by a Dragon Demon, she was savagely beaten. After her Tao Blood was depleted, she was ripped in half and tossed into a corner, her face a mask of agony.

Yong Jue Monk soon followed Song Hehua. He faced the same awkward predicament. The techniques of the Heart Demon Zen Monastery had no effect on the Dragon Demon. Yong Jue Monk had initially planned to use his concealment and escape techniques to slip by unnoticed. But the Dragon Demon saw right through him and plucked him out with one hand. After hundreds of blows, his Tao Blood was exhausted, and he became a puddle of human-shaped sludge on the ground.

Against the Dragon Demon, Song Hehua and Yong Jue Monk were practically helpless, their lives forfeit.

Zhu Yi from the Demon Craftsman Cave had seven transplanted Magic Artifact eyes. These allowed him to multitask, simultaneously wielding seven Magic Artifacts to engage the Dragon Demon in a fierce exchange. In his final moments, with his Tao Blood nearly depleted, he enveloped the Dragon Demon with all his Magic Artifacts and then spectacularly self-detonated them. He forcibly took the Dragon Demon he faced down with him, securing the first kill!

Seeing their numbers dwindle so rapidly, only two remained: the seemingly most ordinary of them, Beastmaker Scholar Liu Chang'an, and Insect Daoist Hong Ning. They now unleashed their full strength.

Liu Chang'an shook his sleeves, and dark shadows leaped out. They swelled in the wind, and in moments, a terrifying demonic aura billowed wildly. From within this soaring demonic aura, towering and monstrous Demons emerged one after another. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of baleful and overwhelmingly powerful Demons filled the Dragon Pond Forbidden Area.

Beastmaking Art! It was once one of the great legacies of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, a major Demonic Sect of the Middle Ancient Era. It could transform any living creature into a Demonic Protector. With a single thought, myriad Demons would obey. Furthermore, one could absorb the cultivation of these Demonic Protectors, making it a truly terrifying power.

Coincidentally, the two remaining Demon Cultivators, Liu Chang'an and Hong Ning, both practiced arts inherited from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect.

Seeing Liu Chang'an summon hundreds of Demonic Protectors, Insect Daoist Hong Ning let out a low sigh and unwrapped the black robe bound tightly around him. The next second, an utterly terrifying sight was revealed. Hong Ning's body was riddled with countless wormholes, from which demonic insects of all kinds crawled in and out, gnawing his flesh and laying their eggs. Where his heart should have been, a pulsating, cyst-like mass covered in fleshy growths periodically extended tiny tentacles. These tentacles would snatch nearby demonic insects, absorbing them to draw upon their vital energy and sustain Hong Ning's life.

Reaching into his chest, he plucked out the insect-heart, overgrown with grape-like excrescences, and began chanting a somber incantation. Instantly, the wormholes covering his body seethed. Demonic insects swarmed out, forming a horrifying, surging tide of vermin!

Unleashing their full strength, Liu Chang'an and Hong Ning boldly confronted the remaining Dragon Demon.

「...」

"Managing to eliminate four Dragon Demons isn't too bad. The last one, it seems, is up to us," Qi Xiu remarked as he and Cheng Junie entered the Dragon Pond Forbidden Area.

The sole remaining Dragon Demon immediately turned to face them. Its blood-red eyes fixed on them, and its silent, murderous intent flared once more.

"Two against one, it shouldn't be a problem," Cheng Junie said. Drawing his Magic Sword, a torrent of Southern Bright Separation Fire instantly surged skyward. Sword Intent radiated from Cheng Junie's eyes as a Sword Array gradually took shape beneath his feet.

Just as Qi Xiu's hands lit up with crackling lightning, ready to join Cheng Junie in taking down this Dragon Demon, they saw the red glow in its eyes slowly fade, replaced by a calm, azure light.

"Greetings... honored... Human Race... Great Benefactor..." the Dragon Demon's voice rumbled, startling both Qi Xiu and Cheng Junie.

"You? A Great Benefactor?" Startled, Cheng Junie turned to Qi Xiu, his face a mask of confusion. Could such a ruthless and cunning man be a Great Benefactor?

Qi Xiu, however, was shocked that this Dragon Demon could perceive the Human Race merit upon him. And it seemed this Human Race merit was precisely why it had spared him from an attack.

The Dragon Demon approached Qi Xiu. The azure light in its eyes pulsed, and its deep, resonant voice rumbled, "Are you... here for... the Dragon Origin?"

Qi Xiu looked intently at the Dragon Demon before him and, after a brief silence, nodded.

"Heh, you're very honest. According to the rules, the Dragon Origin cannot be given to anyone outside the True Dragon Clan. But I... I can't hold on much longer. I can no longer guard this place. I'd rather give it to you than let someone else take it."

Taking heavy steps, the Dragon Demon walked to the Dragon Pool, which was filled with countless white bones. "The Dragon Origin is the foundation that sustains this entire palace. Once it is taken, this palace will gradually collapse."

Gazing at its surroundings, the Dragon Demon's eyes filled with reminiscence, but this was soon replaced by a steely resolve. "We remnants of a bygone era have lingered far too long. It is time for us to fade away with history into the river of time. Young Great Benefactor, consider these Dragon Origins my gift to you. However, I would like to ask you to agree to one request."

Standing straight, Qi Xiu said solemnly, "Please speak."

"Should you encounter any of my Dragon Clan's descendants in trouble in the future, I hope you will lend them a hand and save them. Can you do this?" the Dragon Demon asked.

"Your noble clan possesses immense power. Even a juvenile of your race would likely be far stronger than I," Qi Xiu replied, puzzled by the Dragon Demon's request. True Dragons are mythological creatures. In the orthodox history of the Human Race, no one has ever seen a living True Dragon. However, all ancient books and records unanimously describe the True Dragon Clan's unparalleled strength, reigning supreme over Heaven and Earth. Even a newborn whelp is far beyond what an ordinary cultivator could match. How could it fall to a mere Human Race cultivator like him to offer aid?

"Do not concern yourself with the details. You need only agree to my request," the Dragon Demon said, looking at Qi Xiu with a serious gaze.

"This..." With a slight frown, Qi Xiu pondered for a moment then slowly nodded. "Alright, I agree."

Since True Dragons had vanished during the Middle Ancient Era and none had been seen since, the Dragon Demon's request seemed almost trivial. He was naturally happy to agree, to obtain the Dragon Origin without a fight. After all, the Dragon Demon's power was terrifying, especially this one, which seemed to be the leader among the Dragon Demons it had been with. The armor it wore was clearly more ornate and distinguished. If they truly had to fight, he and Cheng Junie might not gain much of an advantage.

"Good! Then it is settled." The Dragon Demon slowly nodded and moved aside, revealing the Dragon Pool behind it. "The Dragon Origin is within this Dragon Pool. Whether you can find it or not, however, is up to your own ability," it said, a hint of slyness in its tone. Even after Qi Xiu agreed to its request, the Dragon Demon made him search for the Dragon Origin in the vast Dragon Pool himself. Clearly, a part of it still didn't want the Dragon Origin to be taken.

"Is that so?" Glancing at the Dragon Demon, Qi Xiu stepped forward to the edge of the Dragon Pool. Gazing at the pool filled with jade-like white bones, his eyes shone with an intense purple light.

Observing Qi Skill!

Activating his unique black-and-white interwoven vision, Qi Xiu slowly scanned the Dragon Pool, which was filled with countless skeletal remains.

Suddenly, an extremely dazzling point of light, as pure and bright as a miniature sun, burst into his vision.

There it is!

With a flick of his gaze, Qi Xiu raised his hand. A surge of water vapor erupted, forming a tendril that retrieved a piece of pale, jade-like bone. He split the bone open, and a palm-sized Spiritual Pearl slowly emerged.

This Spiritual Pearl seemed to be composed of countless tiny points of light, radiating a multicolored brilliance. Wisps of cloud-like energy swirled around the Spiritual Pearl, like the purest mist from the heavens. Inside the pearl, the phantom of a True Dragon could be faintly seen. This draconic phantom, transparent yet seemingly real, flickered within the flowing light. Its serpentine body coiled and twisted, its scales clearly defined, exuding an ancient, noble, powerful, and eternal aura.

"This is... the Dragon Origin!" Qi Xiu exclaimed.

The light from the Dragon Origin Spiritual Pearl illuminated Qi Xiu's face. Merely gazing upon it caused the True Gang within him to steadily grow.

A supreme treasure! Undoubtedly a supreme treasure!

Sensing the Dragon Origin's incomparable aura, Cheng Junie also stepped forward. "Qi Xiu, it wouldn't be fair for you to monopolize this. How about we split it fifty-fifty?" he asked.

"No!"

The resolute voice did not come from Qi Xiu, but from the Dragon Demon standing nearby. "I agreed to give the Dragon Origin to this young friend, not to you."

The Dragon Demon stood protectively in front of Qi Xiu, looking down at Cheng Junie, its azure eyes flashing with a hint of red. It was clear that if Cheng Junie dared to utter another word, the Dragon Demon would attack without hesitation.

"Qi Xiu! Did you plan this all along? Are you setting me up?" Cheng Junie hissed, his face turning livid with suppressed anger as he felt the terrifying, world-shaking aura from the Dragon Demon. He glared at Qi Xiu.

"Heaven and Earth be my witness, I truly didn't foresee this," Qi Xiu said with a helpless shrug. He was speaking the absolute truth, without a hint of falsehood.

Powerless against the Dragon Demon, Cheng Junie could only retreat to the side, sulking with his arms crossed.

With three Dragon Origins, I can definitely cultivate three hundred and sixty-five Mixed Primordial Beads, and I'll likely even have some left over. Sensing the vast and profound essence within the Dragon Origin, a hint of joy touched Qi Xiu's expression. He then continued to search for the remaining two Dragon Origins within the Dragon Pool.

It seems this Dragon Origin is truly fated for this young man. Watching Qi Xiu locate the Dragon Origins one by one within the Dragon Pool, the Dragon Demon slowly nodded. After enduring for so long, the day of release is finally at hand.ŸŸŸ

Once all three Dragon Origins were in his possession, Qi Xiu suddenly felt the entire Crystal Palace tremble slightly. Though there were no obvious outward changes, its overall ambient qi had begun to diminish. He estimated that in ten years at most, this former palace of True Dragons would crumble into ruins.

"You've got what you came for. What now?" Cheng Junie asked through gritted teeth, his eyes fixed on the Dragon Origins in Qi Xiu's hand.

Qi Xiu glanced down at the Dragon Origins in his hand, which pulsed with potent essence and radiated divine light. Then, looking up with a resolute expression, he declared firmly, "Guard me. I intend to break through to Dao-Entering Realm Complete in one fell swoop!"

「...」

「...」

PS: Asking my brothers for leave in advance. My diarrhea hasn't improved, so I plan to go to a major hospital for a check-up tomorrow on my day off. If I get back early, I'll post an update. If it's too late, I'll have to take a day off. Apologies, apologies!

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