125: Ling Xi's imagination

Ling Xi's back stiffened under Old Huang's "friendly" gaze, and she subconsciously clutched her skirt.

This ox lookedCute, but the glance it just gave her made her feel a subtle pressure.

She secretly activated her Soul perception, her gaze falling on the greenish-gold fur of the old yellow ox.

The aura of ordinary Yao Beasts is chaotic and muddled, but this ox's aura was as deep as a cold pond; on the surface, it looked like a common Yao Beast.

But upon closer perception, one would discover that its seemingly slow breathing contained a rhythm that resonated with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

"Something's not right..."

Ling Xi muttered in her heart, her brows subtly furrowing!

She subconsciously activated a trace of her remaining Emperor Soul power, cautiously probing the seemingly lazy Old Huang.

It was an Azure Sky Python Ox!

A Saint Realm! At least a Great Yao of the Saint Realm!

Perhaps... even higher!

Ling Xi's pupils constricted, the color instantly draining from her beautiful face, her heart almost skipping a beat.

A Saint Realm Great Yao, capable of sweeping across Xuan Province and shaking the entire Southern Domain, was actually lying prostrate on Zizhu Peak, a corner of the Azure Profound Sect, casually chewing Spiritual Plants, just like a domestic animal kept by an old farmer!

Absurd! Bizarre! Unfathomable!

What kind of Dragon's Den and Tiger's Lair was this Azure Profound Sect?

A Master who seemingly only possessed the Cave Heaven Realm, whose Disciples were all peculiar, whose peak's Spiritual Qi was comparable to an Imperial Court Secret Realm, and now, a Saint Realm Great Yao disguised as a Spirit Beast!

What was it plotting by lurking here? To seize the Spiritual Vein of Zizhu Peak?

Or... a larger conspiracy?

When she looked at Old Huang again, the curiosity in her eyes had completely turned into vigilance.

A chill permeated Ling Xi's back. She stared sharply at Old Huang, her muscles unconsciously tensing.

She almost blurted out a warning to Gu Changge, who seemed oblivious beside her.

But the words caught in her throat, swallowed back down with great effort.

Tell Gu Changge? What good would it do?

Below a Saint, all are ants.

Once this Azure Sky Python Ox revealed its true cultivation, the entire Azure Profound Sect combined probably wouldn't be enough for one of its hooves.

Exposing it now would not only be useless but might also bring about the Azure Profound Sect's destruction.

Although she could unleash the last vestiges of her Great Emperor remnant Soul to contend with it, she would inevitably fall into extreme weakness, or even perish and have her Dao extinguished, which would be a net loss.

Since this old ox chose to disguise itself and hide, it must have a purpose; tearing off the facade would be the most foolish choice.

In a flash, countless thoughts raced through Ling Xi's mind.

She forcibly suppressed her turbulent emotions, her face returning to calm, but in the depths of her beautiful eyes, her vigilance towards Old Huang had reached its peak.

She slightly lowered her eyelids, avoiding Old Huang's seeminglyhonest but actually terrifying gaze, her mind already made up: 'This matter must never be revealed.'

'I must keep an eye on this Saint Realm Great Yao and figure out its purpose for lurking here. Until I have enough power to protect myself or deal with it, I can only feign ignorance and play along.'

When she lifted her eyes again, her gaze was clear, as if the shock she had just experienced had never happened.

However, beneath her wide sleeves, her slender jade fingers had quietly clenched.

Old Huang's huge ox eyes blinked, and he let out a very soft, confused grunt from his throat: "Moo?"

What's wrong with this little girl?

Just now, she was secretly using Divine Thought to probe me, that little movement was like a mosquito scratching an itch... why did her eyes become so strange after probing?

One moment she was terrified, the next she was pretending to be fine... why did she look at me like I was a thief? And with a hint of... apprehension?

Old Huang flicked his tail, feeling a bit puzzled.

Gu Changge stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Ling Xi.

The fleeting fright on her face, the forcibly suppressed ripples in her eyes, and her feigned calm but undeniably vigilant demeanor, all fell into his sight.

The corner of his lips curved into an almost imperceptible arc.

This Disciple is quite interesting, her spiritual perception is so keen that she can see through Old Huang's disguise.

However, self-interpretation is the most deadly.

Gu Changge didn't expose her either, wanting to see what tricks she would come up with later, and also to slowly wear down her arrogance... Deep in the back mountain, a cold pond was shrouded in mist, its water dark and deep.

A thick, dark shadow could vaguely be seen slowly swimming at the bottom of the pond, its scales rubbing against the rocks at the bottom, emitting a dull rustling sound, and a faint, fierce aura permeated the air, causing the surrounding insects to fall silent.

Gu Changge walked to the edge of the pond, leaned down to look at the blurry, huge dark shadow beneath the clear water, and then... lifted his foot and stomped on the ground beside the pond, neither lightly nor heavily.

"Hey, stop sleeping, time to go to work."

His tone was normal, as if he were calling a lazy coworker.

The pond water suddenly surged violently!

"Roar—!"

A Dragon's roar, suppressed with fury and grievance, boomed from the bottom of the pond, shaking the entire cold pond and causing the leaves of the surrounding mountain forest to rustle down!

The next moment, a hideous, massive flood Dragon's head broke through the water, its scarlet vertical pupils fixed on the figure by the pond that it hated to the core yet could do nothing about, and it spoke in human words, its voice dull as thunder, carrying towering resentment:

"Gu Changge! You again! Do you really take me for that silly ox?! You only cut off some meat ten days ago! Dragon Clan recovery also takes time! You're bullying the Dragon too much!"

This flood Dragon was covered in dark green, hard scales, and the bump on its head already showed signs of a single horn about to break through; its aura was powerful, clearly a fierce Yao King that had mostly transformed into a Dragon and was only a step away from becoming a true Dragon!

At this moment, this Yao King, who could normally summon wind and rain and dominate a region, was like a laborer whose wages had been docked, issuing a sorrowful accusation to Gu Changge.

Gu Changge ignored its anger, stroking his chin and examining the newly grown, tender meat beneath the iridescent, precious-looking scales on its body, nodding, seemingly very satisfied.

"Hmm, it seems to have recovered well, the meat quality should be firmer this time. Don't worry, I won't ask for much, just a hundred jin of 'snowflake flat iron steak,' that part gets a lot of activity, it's chewy."

The flood Dragon was so angry it almost spat out old blood, its Dragon whiskers trembling: "A hundred jin?! And snowflake flat iron steak?! Do you think I'm a Spirit Ox to be picked?! I am a noble flood Dragon! A flood Dragon!"

"I know, I know, a flood Dragon, the texture is indeed more robust than ordinary Spirit Beasts."

Gu Changge nodded perfunctorily, his fingers pointed like a sword, a wisp of invisible, sharp Sword Qi already flickering at his fingertips.

"Don't move around, I promise this cut will be quick, precise, and ruthless, halving the pain. Will you do it yourself or should I?"

The flood Dragon looked at the wisp of Sword Qi that made its scales feel cold, and its massive body stiffened.

Struggle? Resist?

It had tried countless times!

The result was always a harsher beating and more meat being cut off!

The huge flood Dragon's head heaved violently a few times, and finally, its full-blown indignation turned into a long, humiliating Dragon's roar with a tremor in its voice. It slowly turned around as if resigned to its fate, exposing the back of its neck, covered with the freshest scales, to Gu Changge, its voice choked:

"You... be gentle... otherwise... otherwise I'll... I'll..."

It "I'll" for a long time without coming up with anything coherent.

A subtle streak of light flashed, and a piece of crystalline flood Dragon meat, thin as a cicada's wing yet containing majestic Qi and blood essence, floated lightly into the jade box Gu Changge had already prepared.

The cut was smooth and even, without even a drop of fresh blood seeping out.

The flood Dragon's body suddenly trembled, letting out a suppressed groan mixed with pain and relief.

Gu Changge closed the jade box and tossed him a few drops of Innate Spirit Marrow.

He clapped his hands, in a rather good mood: "Thanks, I'll come find you again next time I need some. Rest well, and try to grow even better quality meat next time."

With that, he carried the jade box, humming an off-key tune, and leisurely departed.

Only a robbed flood Dragon remained in the cold pond, burying its huge head in the icy pond water, letting out muffled, aggrieved whimpers that stirred the water, making it splash.