Chapter 823 - Three Drops of Blood Essence

Everyone present harbored a deep hatred for Liu Wuxie, not just the Spirit Profound Realm cultivators.

But the underground tremors were just as Liu Wuxie had foreseen. The underground labyrinth would collapse if the altar were destroyed.

Several Spirit Profound Realm cultivators lunged at Liu Wuxie, and the latter had no means to resist such overwhelming force. He wouldn't be able to escape death even if he unleashed every last one of his trump cards.

But at the critical moment, the azure flood dragon made its move. With a swift dive, like a dragon returning to the sea, it swept its massive tail with immense force, instantly killing the charging Spirit Profound Realm cultivators. No trace of them remained—not even their bones.

The azure flood dragon's power had increased several times over, and even Wei Wang was no match for it. He didn't dare to face the azure flood dragon head-on and could only watch in frustration.

The ground began to crack open as countless Twin-Headed Serpents plunged into the abyss below.

"Quick, run!" The crowd panicked and scrambled toward the exit, desperate to escape. This was the underground world, and they would die if buried there. Their only hope was to follow the original path back to the surface.

Yet, only a small fraction of them managed to reach the exit, while most were buried beneath the falling debris, their agonized screams swallowed by the chaos.

Wei Wang glanced at Liu Wuxie, who was still far away. He knew the azure flood dragon would intervene if he made a move, leaving both sides locked in a tense standoff.

Liu Wuxie’s surroundings had fallen into chaos, with rocks raining down, threatening to bury him at any moment.

"I will remember this, boy!" Wei Wang hesitated for a moment before turning and fleeing toward the exit. He knew he would be buried there if he waited any longer.

With a deafening rumble, the exit vanished, and Liu Wuxie was also sealed within the underground world. Even if he could reach the exit, Wei Wang and the others would be waiting outside, and only death awaited him.

Liu Wuxie smiled wryly, as he hadn't expected this outcome. The underground world continued to crumble, and the altar sank deeper.

Suddenly, the azure flood dragon descended before Liu Wuxie, signaling him to climb onto its back.

This brought a flicker of joy on Liu Wuxie's face because the azure flood dragon really knew another way out.

"Wait for me!" Liu Wuxie had given up on retrieving Ru Shou's embryo, resigning himself to his fate. But since he could escape, he naturally wouldn't leave empty-handed.

If he could refine Ru Shou's embryo, he believed he could reach the sixth-level Nascent Transformation Realm and comprehend Ru Shou's dao technique.

Like a comet, he darted into the altar. Ru Shou was still in the reviving process, and its consciousness had yet to awaken. Liu Wuxie easily retrieved the embryo using the Sky Devouring Divine Cauldron.

The azure flood dragon didn't stop him, as it bore deep hatred for the divine avatar. It had been imprisoned there for countless years, and it was finally free.

With the embryo secured, Liu Wuxie leaped back to the surface. There was hardly any footing left, and the space was shrinking. Without hesitation, he jumped on the azure flood dragon’s back.

The azure flood dragon let out a mighty roar before it shot forward, destroying all the obstructions and opening a new path. Without a second thought, it burrowed into the tunnel and vanished.

When the azure flood dragon left, the entire temple collapsed into the abyss, and the altar was buried for eternity.

Wails echoed through the underground world as cultivators were still alive even after being buried.

The Twin-Headed Serpents vanished one by one, swallowed by the abyss. From this day forward, no Twin-Headed Serpent would roam these lands again.

After Wei Wang and the others escaped from the underground world, the entire mountain crumbled into ruins. Out of the thousands who had entered, barely a hundred survived. Even several Spirit Profound Realm cultivators perished, making the losses devastating.

"It's that brat's fault! If not for him, there wouldn't be so many dead, and the azure dragon would be ours!" A Spirit Profound Realm cultivator struck the ground in frustration, placing the blame on Liu Wuxie.

"There's no use saying that now. He's dead anyways," sighed another Spirit Profound Realm cultivator.

They had failed to obtain anything and lost many people, including friends and family who had accompanied them.

Just as everyone sighed in despair, an azure flood dragon burst from the ground and soared into the sky.

"Look, it's the azure dragon! That brat is also still alive!" Everyone widened their eyes in shock when they saw Liu Wuxie riding on the azure flood dragon, vanishing into the horizon before they could react.

Wei Wang and the others gave chase, but the azure dragon was already gone. Many coughed up blood in a fury upon realizing Liu Wuxie had survived.

If he had perished, they might have found some solace. But not only was he alive—he had even managed to befriend the azure dragon. Their frustration boiled over into seething rage.

"I'll hunt him down no matter where he runs and kill him!" Wei Wang spat, his voice thick with hatred. He swore he wouldn't rest until Liu Wuxie was dead.

"But where are we supposed to find him?" Everyone present shared the same murderous intent, but Liu Wuxie's whereabouts had become a mystery.

"He can't have gone far. There are only a few nearby cities, and he’ll need to rest eventually. The azure dragon can't enter a city, so they’ll be forced to separate sooner or later. We just need to station men in each city, and we’ll find him," Wei Wang said confidently.

He had a sharp mind and knew the azure dragon would eventually return to the wilderness and Liu Wuxie to the human world. So, it was only a matter of time before they caught him.

"Alright, let's split into four groups and station ourselves in different cities. The moment he appears, we'll capture and force him to reveal the azure dragon's whereabouts," one of the Spirit Profound Realm cultivators suggested. The others nodded in agreement, and without delay, they divided into four groups, each heading to a different city.

They were certain it was only a matter of time before Liu Wuxie fell into their hands. Once everything was arranged, they swiftly departed, scattering in four directions.

......

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie felt the wind howling past his ears as he rode the azure flood dragon, with the world blurred behind him. They occasionally soared through the clouds and mountain ranges as the azure flood dragon enjoyed its newfound freedom. Now that its soul had returned, it finally carried the full majesty of a true dragon.

Eventually, a vast ocean stretched out before them, causing the azure dragon to slow its flight. Being a flood dragon, it was only natural for it to seek its home in the sea.

Liu Wuxie leaped from the dragon's back and landed softly on the ground.

The azure flood dragon circled him once before lowering its head in gratitude. Suddenly, it trembled in pain, and three drops of blood essence seeped from its wounds, drifting toward Liu Wuxie.

"This..." Liu Wuxie was stunned. He hadn’t expected the dragon to willingly offer him its blood essence—a gift of immeasurable value.

This was exactly what he needed. The dragon clan’s blood essence would greatly enhance his True Dragon Physique and strengthen the Heavenly Dragon Seal. With these precious drops, he could finally repair the missing edge in his cultivation.

He carefully stored the three drops of blood essence in a porcelain bottle before cupping his hands in gratitude toward the azure flood dragon. Fortunately, the dragon would only need a few days to replenish its lost essence.

Circling above him one last time, the flood dragon let out a thunderous roar before diving into the ocean, vanishing beneath the waves.

A wave of melancholy washed over Liu Wuxie as he watched it disappear. Yet, he knew that in a few thousand—perhaps even tens of thousands—of years, a true divine dragon might be born on the True Martial Continent. When that time came, the world would surely be thrown into chaos.

But for now, the azure flood dragon couldn't be considered a true dragon. It had yet to fully awaken its bloodline.

Turning back toward the direction he had come from, Liu Wuxie realized he had no idea where he was. He needed to find a city soon and inquire about the route to the Martial Astral Vein.

"But before that, I have to find somewhere safe to refine the blood essence, forge the Metal Suppression Stele, and refine the divine avatar's embryo," Liu Wuxie murmured to himself. There was no time limit to his mission, and he might find himself dead before he could reach the Martial Astral Vein if he went with his current cultivation.

The only solution was to increase his cultivation. He was fortunate to have plenty of spirit stones and the golden sword in his possession, brimming with metal-attribute energy. These items were enough to help him forge the Metal Suppression Stele.

Moreover, the three drops of blood essence were enough to help him make a breakthrough in his cultivation. In addition to refining Ru Shou's embryo, he was confident it could propel him to the eighth-level Nascent Transformation Realm.

He didn't expect this trip to the Azure Dragon Mountain to yield such a tremendous harvest. Though the experience had been perilous, the rewards made it all worthwhile. After all, the treasures he had obtained were priceless, and he could never buy them with spirit stones outside.

When he returned to the mountain range, he began searching for a secluded and secure location. This place was completely uninhabited, and it was unlikely that anyone would come.

It wasn't long before Liu Wuxie found a well-hidden cave and began building spiritual arrays in the surroundings. These weren't meant to ward off humans but the profound beasts lurking there. He estimated that his seclusion would take about a month.

The exact duration would depend on the effectiveness of his breakthrough. If everything went smoothly, it would take him one to two months to refine all the treasures.

A cultivation chamber would be great, as it would significantly shorten his refining process. He would have to gather materials and forge a cultivation chamber he could carry with him.

However, to forge a cultivation chamber, he would need an astronomical amount of resources beyond what his current wealth could support.

He took out spirit stones and array flags to activate the spiritual arrays he had set up, which spanned several kilometers with the cave at the center.

The entire process took three days, and Liu Wuxie meticulously attended to every detail. The primitive mountain range was teeming with profound beasts, and the possibility of encountering a spiritual beast was a risk he couldn't ignore. If one appeared, it would spell disaster for him.

Moreover, refining the azure flood dragon’s blood essence would release powerful energy fluctuations—something that could easily attract formidable spiritual beasts. He needed to take every precaution to remain undisturbed.

Once everything was in place, he returned to the cave, making a few modifications to improve its habitability. Since he would be staying for a while, there was no reason to endure unnecessary discomfort.

He released Fiery to let it guard the cave's entrance and gave it dozens of spiritual fruits—enough to last for a few days.

Fiery lay lazily at the cave's entrance, basking in the sunlight as it munched on the spiritual fruits.

After all preparations, Liu Wuxie sat down, ready to begin his cultivation. He took out the porcelain bottle containing three drops of blood essence and placed it before him.

"Time to make a breakthrough now!" Liu Wuxie poured out a drop of blood essence and swallowed it.