Time flew by, and in a blink, nine days had passed.
The Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship sped through the sky at an extreme speed.
Inside the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship's cabin, Li Mu was multitasking; he was drawing Spiritual Charms while keeping his Divine Sense extended, constantly monitoring the hundred-mile radius around the Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship.
The Five-Rank Talisman paper, peeled from a Five-Rank Lightning Roc's hide, was as thin as a cicada's wing, with streaks of blue lightning flowing through it, exuding a powerful lightning-attribute spirituality.
Li Mu's expression was solemn as he held a Five-Rank Golden Bristle Talisman Brush, its tip stained with Thunder Blood Spirit Ink. He condensed Spiritual Power in his hand and injected it into the brush, his Divine Sense immersed within it, drawing complex lightning talisman spiritual patterns onto the talisman paper.
The luminous blue blood thunder ink, along with as the wolf hair brush tip moved, gradually outlined intricate and interwoven lightning-attribute talisman patterns on the talisman paper.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning erupted, and the entire talisman paper burst with a violent lightning force, about to explode.
Li Mu reacted swiftly, casually striking out with a Five Elements Spiritual Power, instantly condensing a miniature Five Elements spiritual shield, which immediately enveloped the talisman paper.
With a muffled 'bang,' the talisman paper exploded within the Five Elements spiritual shield, causing little disturbance.
Looking at the Five-Rank Lightning Talisman paper that had turned to ash, Li Mu couldn't help but sigh, his expression somewhat gloomy.
His Level 5 Symbol Making Art was still too strained for drawing Five-Rank Spiritual Charms; the chance of failure was too high!
However, Five-Rank Lightning Talismans were incredibly useful. It was thanks to two Five-Rank Body Fixing Lightning Prison Talismans that he managed to escape from that Seven-Rank Resentful Dragon this time.
Previously, supporting the Yu Ling Sect and breaking through the demonic Formation had also consumed many Five-Rank Lightning Talismans. Now, the stock of finished Five-Rank Lightning Talismans and Five-Rank lightning-attribute talisman paper was nearly depleted. He would have to restock once he returned to a Cultivation City.
Li Mu put the Five-Rank Talisman Brush into his nine storage spiritual pearl and stopped drawing talismans. The Celestial Shuttle Spirit Ship had flown continuously for nine days and finally arrived at Bitian City. A magnificent Cultivation City, a hundred miles away, came into his Sea of Consciousness.
If there were no accidents, he would soon reach Bitian City and then take the Illusory God Sect's teleportation array to Barren Ancient City.
Inside the Painting World Treasure Mansion Space.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon, which had been in a coma for several days, suddenly opened its azure eyes and shook its head, regaining consciousness.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon, now awake, looked at the unfamiliar surroundings: rich Spiritual Qi, beautiful scenery... it was simply a paradise, a blessed land, definitely not its nest!
Something's not right! Where is this? This is definitely not where I should be!
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon sensed something was amiss and suddenly became irritable. Its Six-Rank Demon King aura fully erupted, and it shot into the sky, unleashing its ice power, filled with vigilance towards its surroundings.
"Who! Who captured this Lord and brought me here?! Where is this?! Come out now!"
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon roared to the heavens, releasing its Divine Beast aura, searching everywhere for the person who had brought it here.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon still remembered being invaded by a wave of resentment, and it didn't know how long it had been lost and submerged. Now that it was awake, it only felt that its entire body was filled with abnormalities; its Divine Soul and body were incredibly uncomfortable.
No sooner had the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon finished speaking than three Yao Beasts flew before it: two Apes and one hybrid creature resembling a lizard and a Flood Dragon.
Two were at the Peak of the Fourth-Rank, and one was at the Peak of the Fifth-Rank. The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon didn't put them in its eyes, but it felt a strange emotion towards these three Spirit Beasts. Subtly, these three Yao Beasts made it feel an inexplicable sense of closeness, as if a special connection existed.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon, never having been controlled by a Spirit, didn't know what this feeling was.
However, the words of the Fifth-Rank Azure-Eyed White Ape completely stunned the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon.
"You are Master's Spirit Beast. This is the Treasure Mansion Space, which is Master's Grotto-Heaven Spirit Treasure!"
The Azure-Eyed White Ape, with its massive dozen-zhang body, sat directly on the ground, grabbed a Third-Rank spiritual fruit nearby that had been frozen into an ice sculpture, shoved it into its mouth, and began eating it in large bites.
Little Gold and Little Tile followed suit, picking and eating the spiritual fruits that had been damaged by the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's cold Qi.
"Me! A Spirit Beast! This is impossible!"
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon was instantly enraged, unwilling to accept this fact. Human Race Cultivators were merely its food, yet they were to be its Master?
Just as the enraged Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon was about to unleash its fury, Li Mu's figure suddenly appeared with a 'whoosh.'
"It's you? Damn it! What did you do to me?! Ah!"
When the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon saw Li Mu, it immediately felt the abnormality in its Divine Soul. Its anger couldn't be released at all. The existence of the Spirit Control Contract Seal caused its Soul to involuntarily submit to him.
However, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon had always been unruly and held great animosity towards Human Race Cultivators. Naturally, it was unwilling to submit, so it condensed Soul Power and launched a counterattack against the contract Seal in its Divine Soul.
Soon, the pain caused by attempting to erase the Divine Soul contract Seal instantly manifested.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon was immediately overwhelmed by unbearable pain. Its massive body plummeted directly from the sky, slamming heavily onto the icy surface.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon rolled on the ground in agony, its miserable cries echoing across the sky. The ground shook violently, and rocks flew everywhere.
After a while,
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon stopped struggling, lying on the ground like a dead fish, breathing more out than in, looking as if it wished it were dead.
"Why bother! Serve me as Master, and all pain will dissipate," Li Mu said with a slight smile, his voice leisurely.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon had slaughtered countless Human Race Cultivators. How could this mere Nascent Soul cultivator be worthy of becoming its Master?
Moreover, the Spirit Control method this person used was extremely terrifying. If it followed him, it would never be able to escape, and its Divine Soul would undergo subtle changes, completely submitting to him from the depths of its Soul. How would it be any different from those three fellows?
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon glanced at the three Yao Beasts who were eating spiritual fruits and watching the show, its eyes bloodshot and full of unwillingness.
"Fool, following Master is so good. There are only benefits, no drawbacks. Why aren't you quickly kneeling down to apologize and obey?" the Azure-Eyed White Ape chimed in from the side, seemingly eager to stir up trouble.
Little Gold and Little Tile chattered along, not knowing what they were saying, but it certainly wasn't anything good.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon was so angry its teeth itched, wishing it could rush up and kill the three traitors. Being enslaved by a Human Race Cultivator had already made it lose face, and now being ridiculed and mocked by three low-rank Yao Beasts, it felt like dying.
Under the dual mental torment, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon struggled for a while, its Divine Soul injured and too weak to get up in pain.
Seeing this, Li Mu frowned and could only form a hand Seal, quietly urging the Spirit Control Contract Seal to wear away the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's negative emotions.
Finally, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon gave in. From the depths of its Soul, it no longer dared to harbor any rebellious thoughts towards Li Mu. Soon, the excruciating pain from the depths of its Soul disappeared.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's aura gradually calmed down, and its body lay on the ground, panting heavily.
Through the Spirit Control Contract Seal, Li Mu no longer felt any resistance from the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon, and he couldn't help but smile happily.
Seeing this, Li Mu smiled and stepped forward to comfort it, "You have the potential to become a True Dragon. Stay obediently by my side, and in the future, I will find a way to help you successfully advance to a True Dragon."
True Dragon?
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon looked up at Li Mu, disbelievingly, "Impossible, I have already submitted to you, why bother deceiving me with such a lie!"
"Just believe me!"
Li Mu smiled faintly, unconcerned by the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's skepticism.
To obtain a Flood Dragon with the potential to advance to a True Dragon, he would certainly devote all his strength to cultivating it. With his abilities, as long as he paid a sufficient price, he could obtain the resources needed for a Flood Dragon to advance to a True Dragon.
For example, Dragon Blood Spiritual Plant.
Li Mu still remembered that the first time he met the Golden Core cultivator, Yun Xiaozi, he had obtained a Dragon Blood Spiritual Plant that could help a Flood Dragon advance.
He wondered how Yun Xiaozi was doing now. If he had a chance to meet him again, he would ask where he picked that Dragon Blood Spiritual Plant. This item would be of great help to the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's advancement.
"Since the death of the Qing Yue Flood Dragon clan's Seventh Dragon Ancestor, for tens of thousands of years, no True Dragon has advanced in the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon clan. Many of our kin have left the clan in search of advancement opportunities. Now, only I remain, but I cannot activate the True Dragon Blood, and the path of transformation is distant! You are only a Nascent Soul cultivator; how can you help me advance?"
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's massive body gradually shrunk dozens of times, transforming into a ten-foot-long Double-Horned Quadruped Flood Dragon, lying on the ground, looking at Li Mu with melancholy.
Now, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon had resigned itself to its fate, unwillingly acknowledging Li Mu as its Master, which eased and alleviated the pain of the Spirit Control Contract Seal.
"Seventh Dragon Ancestor? Are you referring to the Resentful Dragon hidden deep within your habitat's nest?" Li Mu asked the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon curiously.
"You, how do you know? The Seventh Dragon Ancestor's resentment is extremely deep; it has already transformed into a Corpse Demon, incredibly powerful and terrifying. It has been sleeping beneath the mountain of corpses, and only if a living being enters will it awaken..."
"Hmm! I went in and exchanged a few blows with it!" Li Mu smiled and nodded, saying it lightly.
Hearing this, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's head broke out in a sweat, and it said disbelievingly, "Impossible, impossible! The Seventh Dragon Ancestor's strength is extremely terrifying. When I curiously ventured in, I was almost killed by it, and eventually escaped with severe injuries. After that, my Divine Soul was entangled by resentment, losing my sanity... Did you really go in? How did you escape?" The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon paused as it spoke. It then realized that if Li Mu hadn't entered the ancestral land, how would he know of the Seventh Dragon Ancestor's existence?
Hearing this, Li Mu suddenly understood why the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon had lost its sanity and gone berserk. It turned out that it was due to the invasion of the Dragon Yao's resentment, which controlled its Divine Soul.
"First, answer me one question: who set up the Formation in that graveyard?" Li Mu asked the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon curiously.
"I don't know about that. That is our clan's sacred guardian land for tens of thousands of years. Following ancestral teachings, we never dared to venture into it," the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon frowned and replied.
"Oh! Then why does the Seventh Dragon Ancestor have such deep resentment? Even transforming into a Seven-Rank Resentful Dragon?" Li Mu nodded, then continued to ask.
It wasn't that Li Mu was nosy, but rather, he was determined to obtain that Dragon skeleton.
The nine Dragon skeletons required for the Nine Dragons Immortal Slaughtering Formation were extremely difficult to find. Now that he had finally encountered one, Li Mu was unwilling to give up easily.
To subdue that resentful Dragon skeleton, he had to figure out how the Dragon Yao's resentment came about, who arranged that mysterious grand Formation, and why it could only trap the Seven-Rank Resentful Dragon but not prevent others from entering or exiting.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon frowned, pondering deeply, then hesitated and said, "I heard from our ancestors that the Seventh Dragon Ancestor was extraordinarily powerful, reaching the Peak of a Seven-Rank True Dragon, with the potential to advance to an Eight-Rank Dragon King. Later, it encountered a powerful enemy; its essence blood was forcibly extracted, its inverse scale was peeled off, and its Dragon sinews were pulled out to refine Spiritual Artifacts. Its mutilated body was discarded and later brought back by clansmen for treatment, but it was beyond saving. After its death, due to immense resentment, it transformed into a Corpse Demon and began slaughtering countless of its own kind."
"Two powerful ancestors, to resolve this calamity, joined forces and fought a great battle with it, both perishing there. Fortunately, one ancestor, using an unknown artifact Formation, sacrificed his life to release its power, thereby sealing the Seventh Dragon Ancestor!"
After a pause, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon continued, "There's also another version: the Seventh Dragon Ancestor and the mysterious magic Formation already existed, set up by some mysterious powerful being, and then entrusted to our clan for guardianship."
"Tens of thousands of years is too long! Many truths and ancient legacies have been lost. With the ancestral teachings and the Seventh Dragon Ancestor guarding it, we never dared to delve deep into it," the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon finally explained.
After listening to the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's account, Li Mu nodded silently, sighing repeatedly. No wonder that Yao Dragon's resentment was so deep; being dismembered and trapped under the sea for ten thousand years, it would be strange if it wasn't resentful.
A Seven-Rank Resentful Dragon and a human dying with resentment, their resentment entering their Soul and turning into a resentful spirit, is the same principle.
As for the Seventh Resentful Dragon and the things it guarded, Li Mu wasn't particularly interested.
He would only take on what he could handle. With the Golden Finger ability to improve his cultivation by absorbing Spiritual Plants, Li Mu only needed to find a place to hide and cultivate diligently to raise his cultivation. There was no need to explore dangerous places like that ten-thousand-year-old ancient ruin or the underwater mansion.
"Hmm! You go and guard a spiritual pond for me. In the spiritual pond, I have planted a batch of Four-Rank nine-leaf azure lotus. Your task is to watch over them and not allow any low-rank Spirit Beasts to cause any damage to these Spiritual Plants," Li Mu said, no longer concerned about the Seven-Rank Resentful Dragon, looking at the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon and gesturing.
"Guard a spiritual pond? Me! I'm a Six-Rank Spirit Beast, aren't I? You, you, I, I...!" The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon looked at Li Mu in disbelief, wanting to argue about something.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon had envisioned its future life: either being sent to deal with powerful enemies or serving as a shield against dangers.
It never expected that its assigned task would be to guard a spiritual pond. This was simply overkill! It was practically treating a Six-Rank Flood Dragon as if it weren't a Demon King! The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration.
"That's right! You just go and guard that place!" Li Mu nodded definitively.
"This isn't appropriate! You should still let me go into battle. For guarding a spiritual pond, you should let them do it!"
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon was inherently belligerent. Making it guard a spiritual pond was no different from being imprisoned; those days would be too difficult to bear!
Seeing this, the Azure-Eyed White Ape's eyes darted around. Discovering an opportunity to show loyalty, it immediately jumped out and poked the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon's nose, saying, "How dare you disobey Master's arrangements? You've got some nerve!"
"Stinky monkey, where do you get off talking here!" The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon glared furiously, opening its mouth as if to bite.
"Come on then, who's afraid of you!"
The Azure-Eyed White Ape had been prepared, dodging behind Li Mu like lightning and shouting loudly.
"Stop it, both of you. I'm having you guard the spiritual pond because the Spiritual Plants in it are very important to me and cannot tolerate any negligence. In the future, if a battle is needed, I will naturally call you to the field." Li Mu's tone was unyielding, allowing no room for negotiation.
The Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon sensed Li Mu's displeasure. It dared not argue further and could only lower its head in submission.
Seeing that the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon had softened and complied, Li Mu personally led it to the spiritual pond.
Above the spiritual pond, at Li Mu's signal, the Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon plunged into the spiritual pond.
The appearance of the Six-Rank Double-Horned Azure Moon Flood Dragon, emitting just a trace of residual might, terrified all the spiritual fish in the pond, causing them to flee in panic. The Spirit Beasts drinking water by the shore also fled in disarray.
Seeing this effect, Li Mu was very satisfied. He instructed the few Spirit Beasts to get along well and not fight, then hastily left the Painting World Treasure Mansion.
