236: Ride it in the face a thousand times, Dragon Soul

"Ao Qingli... is dull-witted."

She collapsed on the ground, her voice clear, her forehead pressed against the cold floor, looking utterly disheveled.

"My previous arrogance, failure to recognize destiny, and inability to discern the true master was Ao Qingli's fault."

"My Dragon Clan Bloodline gave me arrogance, but it never taught me reverence... for the true powerhouses of this world."

She lifted her eyelashes slightly, her gaze daring only to land on the tips of Qin Wushang's jet-black boots.

This posture was sufficiently humble, yet it also cleverly avoided direct eye contact with him.

"Now that the shackles are upon me, I finally understand what cannot be resisted."

"Master's means are heaven-reaching; Ao Qingli is thoroughly convinced."

She said the four words "thoroughly convinced" extremely slowly, as if swallowing a thorny fruit.

This was truly difficult for her!

A dignified True Dragon clan Saintess, yet at this moment, she had to humble herself and seek accommodation from a member of the Human Race.

"The title of Saintess is merely an empty title bestowed by the clan!"

"In Master's eyes, a True Dragon form is no different from an ordinary beast."

"At this moment, Ao Qingli does not regard herself as a Dragon Clan Saintess; I only ask, as a defeated person, for the Opportunity to serve Master."

She paused, then continued: "Calling you 'Master' is not because you are of the Human Race, but because you are the… Master of Destiny who can control my life and death, and make even my True Dragon body tremble."

She appeared very humble, but inwardly she remained arrogant, unwilling to submit.

Master of Destiny?

Hmph! It is merely temporary suppression!

When a dragon swims in shallow water, it gets bullied by shrimp; once I escape this predicament and fully awaken my ancestral Bloodline, I will repay today's humiliation a thousandfold!

At that time, I shall see who the true Dominator is!

Qin Wushang, today you ride me once; one day this Saintess will ride your face ten thousand times!

This is called a ten-thousand-fold repayment!

"Hand over your soul seal."

Qin Wushang looked down at her, his voice flat.

To him, whether she truly submitted or not was unimportant; if she wasn't honest, he would beat her until she was.

Ao Qingli's fingertips curled almost imperceptibly; the intense resistance surging in her heart was hard for her to endure.

Giving up her soul seal was equivalent to handing over her life and freedom completely into the hands of another.

But at this moment, she had no choice.

A faint silver light flew out from between her eyebrows, slowly condensing into a complex and tiny dragon-shaped mark.

Qin Wushang raised his hand, drawing the soul seal into his palm, feeling the faint will of resistance within it.

A curve appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he immediately suppressed it deep within his own Sea of Consciousness.

"You just said there is something beneath the Immortal Pool?"

"What is it?"

He turned, his gaze cast toward the Immortal Pool in the distance, shrouded in misty water vapor.

Throughout the entire Heavenly Palace Ruins, only that pool of water remained shimmering with spiritual light, dreamlike and unreal.

"...dragon saliva immortal jade."

Ao Qingli propped up her body and whispered, her gaze also looking toward the Immortal Pool with a hint of longing.

"A True Dragon powerhouse fell here, and their dragon blood essence underwent transformation over countless years to form this Immortal Pool."

"When our clan's Old Ancestor was young, he had the Opportunity to enter these ruins by chance. At that time, the great dao suppression was too terrifying, and he only managed to obtain three drops of the pool water essence with great difficulty."

"I... was able to advance my Bloodline to this point only because I refined one of those drops."

This was also the reason she wanted to monopolize the Immortal Pool at all costs!

She just never expected that a reckless fiend like Qin Wushang would appear halfway.

"A powerful True Dragon fell here?"

Qin Wushang raised an eyebrow, recalling the scene he had glimpsed.

That Immortal Pool was clearly the place where the Yaochi Fairy bathed and played; it was peaceful and serene, where could there be a True Dragon?

"It is absolutely true!"

Ao Qingli said with utmost seriousness.

"When I bathed in the pool, my Bloodline had already begun to resonate, it was just... interrupted by Master."

She lowered her eyes at the right moment, displaying a hint of regret and grievance just right.

"From now on, call me Young Master."

Qin Wushang said indifferently, not caring about her little antics.

He looked at Mu Bingyun.

Mu Bingyun's eyes were cold and clear, and she shook her head slightly: "I did not sense any special Dragon Clan aura."

"However, since she said so, there is no harm in investigating."

"If there really is dragon saliva immortal jade, it is indeed a rare stroke of fortune."

The two of them had been Cultivating in the Immortal Pool for quite some time and had not discovered anything unexpected.

"Let's go see."

Qin Wushang nodded.

[Ding! Host has completed the selection task 'Ride Across the World', successfully trained Ao Qingli as a mount, and received the reward: Law of Strength!]

At this moment, the System notification sound fell!

A vast and ancient torrent of insights surged into Qin Wushang's Sea of Consciousness, and many profound fragments regarding the essence of power lit up one after another.

This instantly elevated his control and understanding of his own power to a new level.

...

The group arrived at the edge of the Immortal Pool; the water was clear, and Immortal Qi curled in the air.

Qin Wushang looked at Ao Qingli beside him and said: "Prove it."

"...Yes, Young Master."

Ao Qingli replied in a low voice.

She took a deep breath, and silver light erupted from her body!

"Roar!"

A dragon roar shook the surroundings, and a True Dragon, a hundred zhang long and covered in silver-white scales, appeared.

Under the sunlight, the dragon scales refracted a cold and noble luster.

She leaped into the Immortal Pool, her massive dragon body churning the water, instantly kicking up monstrous waves!

Pure Dragon Qi was released without reservation, like a spark thrown into boiling oil.

"Rumble!"

The entire Immortal Pool began to shake violently!

It seemed as if some ancient existence at the bottom of the pool was completely awakened by this homologous and pure Dragon Clan aura.

The originally crystal-clear pool water, centered on Ao Qingli, quickly dyed a blinding blood-red, and it continued to spread.

In the blink of an eye, the large Immortal Pool had turned into a pool of blood, emitting a thick scent of blood and an ancient pressure!

"Roar!!!"

A dragon roar of shock and anger came from the bottom of the pool, even more high-pitched than before.

"Young Master! There is a change at the bottom of the pool!"

Lin Jiuyang shouted urgently.

Seeing that within the Immortal Pool, countless dazzling golden Dao runes gushed out like a fountain, weaving into a holy yet violent web of Law!

A desolate and terrifying aura, like a Vicious Beast that had been sleeping for ages, completely awakened.

The terrifying pressure instantly swept through the entire core area of the ruins, shocking the various Prodigies searching for treasure in the distance, making them look sideways in horror toward the direction of the Immortal Pool.

"Jiuyang! Sword Demon! Go down and provide support, see what is going on!"

Qin Wushang's eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"Understood!"

The two did not hesitate, blazing sun and sharp Sword Intent rising from their bodies, turning into two streams of light that dove into the churning blood-colored Immortal Pool.

"Boom!"

Only a few breaths later, a terrifying loud noise even greater than before came from the bottom of the pool, as if heaven and earth were colliding!

That Awakening aura continued to surge, and the blood-colored pool water shot into the sky as if boiling, turning into a rain of blood!

"Young Master! It is a Dragon Soul! An ancient Dragon Soul has awakened! It is attacking Ao Qingli!"

Lin Jiuyang's urgent voice came from below.

"Clang!"

Immediately after, a brilliant sword light that seemed capable of cutting heaven and earth tore through the blood-colored water curtain and shot straight into the sky.

That was the Sword Demon's full-power strike!

At the same time, a scorching sun exploded deep in the blood pool, colliding violently with the countless churning golden Dao runes!

"Roar!"

Accompanied by a pained dragon roar, Ao Qingli's massive silver-white dragon body flew out of the Immortal Pool and slammed heavily onto a sacred mountain in the distance!

"Boom!"

The mountain collapsed, giant rocks rolled down, and smoke and dust shot into the sky.

Ao Qingli lay collapsed in the ruins; several terrifying wounds deep enough to see the bone appeared on her silver-white dragon body.

Her dragon scales were shattered and falling off in large areas, and scalding dragon blood gushed out, staining a large area of the mountain rock red.

She managed to lift her huge dragon head, her golden vertical pupils filled with horror and lingering fear, and hissed: "Young Master! It is a Dragon Soul!"

"An extremely ancient and powerful Dragon Soul... it has passed through countless years and awakened once again!"

"Rumble!"

The Immortal Pool was in complete riot, blood waves surging to the sky, golden Dao runes like a volcanic eruption.

Surrounded by endless blood light and Dao runes, a phantom even larger than Ao Qingli's true form rose from the bottom of the pool!

"Roar!"

The Dragon Soul roared, and the terrifying dragon might crushed down, making even Qin Wushang's body tremble involuntarily.

Lin Jiuyang and the Sword Demon's figures flew out in disarray from the edge of the blood pool, landing beside Qin Wushang.

"Young Master! It has at least the strength of a Saint!"

Lin Jiuyang said.

"There is a huge skeleton underneath, and there is something inside the skeleton, very bright, I can't see clearly what it is."

The Sword Demon frowned and said to Qin Wushang.