Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

The Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon didn’t suspect a thing. After all, it knew that Magic Beast Crystal Cores contained vast amounts of energy, so using them for Refining Elixirs seemed perfectly reasonable. Besides, it was feeling dizzy and muddle-headed. It was well aware that this damn human brat had tricked it, causing it to shrink to human size and lose a significant amount of blood.

The Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon lamented its losses. ’Brat, just you wait until you’re no longer useful to me! I’ll show you what real torture is! Hmph, I’m an expert when it comes to tormenting humans. My favorite thing is to scare them witless before devouring them. It does a better job of drawing out the Essence Blood in their bodies!’

"Brat, hurry up. Don’t test my patience!" The Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon felt a wave of drowsiness. After speaking, it revealed its massive true form and coiled up on the ground. "I hope that when I wake, you will have finished Refining the Elixir I need! Don’t even think about escaping... If you do, I will devour you both without a second thought!"

With that, the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon closed its enormous eyes and began to doze.

Ling Xiao took Song Mingyue’s hand with a smile. "Come on," he said, "help me pick out some Magic Beast Crystal Cores. Since we’re Refining Elixirs, the higher the tier, the better!"

A cold snort came from the direction of the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon. It thought, ’Two self-important humans. They just want to use this as an opportunity to steal a few of my Crystal Cores. You’ve already lost any chance of leaving this cave forever. Even if you fill your pockets with these Crystal Cores, what good would it do?’ The Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon felt its understanding of human greed had deepened yet again.

Song Mingyue was exceptionally sharp. She saw the glint in Ling Xiao’s eyes as he gazed at the pile of Crystal Cores and instantly knew what he was planning. A bewitching smile graced her lips. ’Her man was capable, so of course she was overjoyed.’ Moreover, Song Mingyue knew that a Sword Emperor Powerhouse had once fallen right at the Lingxiao Mansion!

’A Sword Emperor!’ Song Mingyue marveled internally. ’Even my own father is only a Sword Emperor at Tier One Peak, not quite reaching Tier Two. And yet the Sword Emperor who died at Lingxiao Mansion was rumored to be Middle Tier! Back then, Ling Xiao’s strength... was... barely on par with mine!’

Then there was that time in the Ancient Ruins, the place where their relationship had changed. Ling Xiao had used just a few Crystal Stones to seal off an entire room, and from the outside, you couldn’t tell the difference at all!

Song Mingyue admired Ling Xiao’s transcendent skill to no end. She had a gut feeling that these things he called "Arrays" could be used to defeat opponents many times stronger than himself!

That Sword Emperor was a perfect example!

’But... this colossal Magical Beast... it’s... it’s a Tier Nine Magical Beast capable of taking human form!’ Song Mingyue cried out internally. She was thrilled but also incredibly nervous. The palm of her soft hand, held tightly in Ling Xiao’s, was already slick with a fine layer of sweat.

Song Mingyue sifted through the pile, picking out what looked like high-tier Crystal Cores and handing them to Ling Xiao. He, in turn, would casually remark, "Not this one. This one’s no good either... Hmm, this one might do..." With each rejection, he would carelessly toss a Crystal Core to the ground. By now, snores rumbled from the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon. A Magical Beast of its power truly saw the two of them as nothing more than ants.

Its Spiritual Power alone was so immense that if Ling Xiao or Song Mingyue made the slightest hostile move, it would react instantly. That was why the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon couldn’t care less that they were scattering its Crystal Cores. With a single puff of air, it could gather them all back into a pile.

Song Mingyue gently bit her lower lip, her eyes gleaming in the dark as she watched Ling Xiao. He appeared to be acting casually, but he seemed to deliberate over each Crystal Core he tossed. And his placement was incredibly precise. She watched with her own eyes as he threw several Crystal Cores to land in the exact same area, each one separated by a finger’s width—no more, no less.

Song Mingyue was mesmerized once again. ’It’s maddening!’ she thought. ’Just where did you learn to do all this?’ As her mind wandered, she recalled the rumors she’d heard about Ling Xiao’s past. A faint smile touched her lips. ’I can’t believe an inscrutable man like you had such a mortifying experience. That woman... not only was she foolish, but she was utterly venomous!’

’There are a hundred ways to break off an engagement, yet she chose the cruelest method, even at the cost of her own reputation! How... vicious! She’s about the same age as Ling Xiao, which would make her only fifteen or sixteen now, right? Which means she must have been even younger when she did that. For a girl to be that conniving at such a young age is truly terrifying!’

’Then again, my dear husband already crippled her cultivation. She got what she deserved! I bet every time that woman hears about Ling Xiao’s accomplishments, her heart twists in agony. I wonder if she feels any regret?’

While Song Mingyue was lost in thought, Ling Xiao had nearly finished setting up the Array.

Only a few key positions were left to fill, and the Array would be complete.