Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

"Seen it? Of course I’ve seen it! That’s Celestial Might!" Fear flashed in the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon’s crimson eyes. Then it looked at Ling Xiao, sizing him up and down before asking, "How do you know so much? Let me think... humans haven’t produced any exceptionally powerful Martial Artists in many years, have they? So where did you learn all this?"

"Don’t worry about where I found out. I’m here to make a deal with you." Ling Xiao was now certain that the creature before him not only knew about tribulations but knew far more than many powerful humans. It had probably even witnessed one of its own kind face a tribulation; otherwise, it wouldn’t have shown such terror when he mentioned the Celestial Tribulation.

"A deal with me? You’ve got a lot of nerve! Still, let’s hear it!" the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon said, grinning wide and flicking its tongue out a few times. ’This human is so bold,’ it thought. ’But he seems to know a lot—much more than that neighbor of mine! Then again, my neighbor is very useful to me, so I naturally can’t kill him. And these two little brats... it seems I can’t kill them either! But trying to take advantage of me? Heh heh... Impossible!’

Ling Xiao paid no mind to what the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon was thinking and simply said, "I need a bottle of your blood!" As he spoke, he took out a palm-sized porcelain vial from his robes. Behind him, Song Mingyue couldn’t help but shake her head, thinking to herself, ’My husband is being a little too modest, isn’t he? After all this trouble, he’s only asking for such a tiny bottle! What if it agrees? Won’t you be getting the short end of the stick?’

Upon hearing the demand for its blood, fury instantly clouded the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon’s ghastly white face. However, Ling Xiao’s next words immediately quelled its anger.

"In exchange, I can give you an elixir that can save your life during the Celestial Might!" Ling Xiao finished, calmly meeting the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon’s gaze.

Sure enough, as soon as Ling Xiao finished speaking, the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon’s breathing grew ragged. Its crimson eyes seemed to grow even more bewitching, and its gaze flickered as it stared at Ling Xiao. "How do I know you’re not trying to deceive me?"

An innocent smile appeared on Ling Xiao’s face. "As a powerful Magic Beast Cultivator who has lived for ten thousand years, surely you possess at least that much discernment? Besides, how would I dare deceive you?"

In truth, the poor Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon, aside from recognizing a few simple medicinal herbs, really didn’t have much worldly knowledge. Its ability to cultivate to such a level was entirely due to its family bloodline and the inherited Cultivation Technique.

However, even a Magical Beast has its pride, and it certainly wasn’t about to admit its own ignorance. But if it agreed to this little human brat’s proposal just like that, and it turned out to be a trick, the issue would no longer be about finding him for revenge. Its very life would be forfeit.

And so, the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon’s gaze flickered as it hesitated.

Ling Xiao smiled faintly and continued, "You see, you’re solely focused on increasing your strength, recklessly devouring human Martial Artists. I imagine the side effects are quite severe, aren’t they? On the night of every full moon, when Soul Power is at its peak, do you often feel the souls of the Martial Artists you’ve devoured chattering in your ears, leaving you restless and disturbed? Heh, to prove my words are true, I can give you a few elixirs. The next time this happens, you can take one. Then you’ll know whether I’m lying to you or not, won’t you?"

The expression on the Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon’s ghastly white face shifted unpredictably as it stared at Ling Xiao. Then, it suddenly gave a sinister laugh. "Now that you mention it, I almost fell for your trap! You little human brat, you’re quite the schemer. No matter what, you come out ahead, don’t you? Hmph, the full moon just passed. There are still more than ten days until the next one! No matter what kind of elixir you give me, I’ll need more than ten days to verify if it’s real or fake. By then, you two would have long since taken my Essence Blood and disappeared! Hmph hmph... Trying to trick a ten-thousand-year-old great python... no, a ten-thousand-year-old flood dragon—you’re still far too green!"

Ling Xiao curled his lip in disdain. "I can’t believe you’ve lived for ten thousand years and still haven’t grown up. So pathetic! Is your courage really that small? Have you ever stopped to wonder why I know all of this? Hmph, do any of your neighbors from the Qin Family, whom you treat as slaves, know any of this?"

"That’s true." The Ten Thousand Year Flood Dragon ignored the mockery in Ling Xiao’s words. It thought for a moment, then performed a very human-like action—it frowned.

"So why do you know all this? Could it be... you’re from the Holy Sanctuary? No, that’s not right! The Holy Sanctuary wouldn’t have a human as weak as you! Besides, even among the people of the Holy Sanctuary, countless are unaware of these matters! So tell me... how do you know?!"

"You’re so long-winded!" Ling Xiao sighed, then said, "You wouldn’t understand how I know even if I told you. But I can prove that I’m not deceiving you! And let me give you a reminder, something I’m sure you’re already aware of: devouring human Martial Artists like this isn’t a long-term solution! One day, the resentment will grow too strong for my elixirs to suppress! It will inevitably backlash against you! So, it’s very likely you won’t even live to see the day the Celestial Might descends before the backlash from the thousands of vengeful souls you’ve devoured drives you insane!"