Translator: AnubisTL
The moment the two forces collided, the entire world seemed to fall silent.
The Dragon King Curse and the Flame Giant Hammer unleashed boundless spiritual energy fluctuations, causing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to become completely chaotic!
Within a radius of several thousand miles, the seawater evaporated instantly, revealing the volcanic slag-like reefs on the seabed.
The power of this single strike was truly terrifying. It took a long time for the ocean below to refill completely.
"Roar!" The Black Flood Dragon King roared in fury, his battle spirit surging to its peak.
He had transformed into a king long ago, and the Flood Dragon Clan had ruled the four directions, their fame spreading throughout the world. It had been an age since he had engaged in such a thrilling, all-out battle!
Li Qing felt the same way. His battle spirit burned just as fiercely, and he fought with exhilarating freedom.
For him, this mid-transformation stage Black Flood Dragon King was the perfect test subject. No matter what techniques he unleashed, the king could withstand them all.
"Exhilarating! Let's go again!"
With that, Li Qing broke free from the flame giant, his long hair dancing wildly in the wind, a picture of carefree elegance.
"Human, you truly exceed my expectations!"
"To achieve this level of power at the early Nascent Soul Realm... there are only a handful of cultivators in the entire Human Realm who could match you!"
Half of the Black Flood Dragon King's body remained hidden within the dense, ominous clouds. His cold, reptilian eyes fixed on Li Qing.
In the next moment, the Black Flood Dragon King moved like thunder, his massive flood dragon body bursting through the thick, ominous clouds and charging directly at Li Qing.
"Hahahaha, excellent timing!"
Li Qing, his battle spirit soaring, roared with laughter. He gripped the Peerless Hammer in one hand and formed a hand seal with the other.
Kunpeng Treasure Technique!
Ancient legends claimed that the Kunpeng devoured great dragons.
Whether the tale was true or not, it spoke to the extraordinary nature of the Kunpeng clan.
Yet here was Li Qing, using this very precious technique against a flood dragon, clearly testing its effectiveness.
Kunpeng Divine Power surged through his body, sharpening his already formidable fleshly body.
He was actually planning to continue his direct confrontation with the Black Flood Dragon King, who had revealed his true flood dragon form—an astonishing feat!
Even the most accomplished body refinement cultivators could not hope to match the fleshly body of a flood dragon clan member whose cultivation was a realm higher.
But Li Qing defied this common sense. With the Primordial Chaos Peerless Hammer stirring boundless wind and clouds, he somehow managed to withstand the Black Flood Dragon King's relentless attacks.
The Black Flood Dragon King was deeply shaken. He had assumed that once he revealed his flood dragon form, Li Qing would be no match for him.
Yet this human cultivator, through some unknown secret technique, had somehow amplified his fleshly body even further.
Kunpeng Heaven-Rending Hand!
Li Qing suddenly thrust out a single hand. Surging Kunpeng Divine Power coursed through his arm, transforming it into a razor-sharp Kunpeng claw capable of rending heaven and earth!
Swish!
The void twisted erratically as the Black Flood Dragon King's glistening black scales rained down. Deep crimson gashes appeared across his flood dragon body.
"Roar!"
The searing pain ignited the Black Flood Dragon King's fury. He roared in agony, humiliated that a mere human had managed to wound him with a single claw strike!
Though the injury wasn't fatal, it was utterly inconceivable!
Driven mad by the pain, the Black Flood Dragon King unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks. His massive body thrashed, unleashing a storm of blows like torrential rain, accompanied by jets of inky Heavy Water.
Li Qing remained unfazed by the onslaught. He continued to channel his Kunpeng Divine Power, unleashing the Kunpeng Treasure Technique's ultimate killing move to counter the assault.
In a blur of motion, their fierce battle seemed to transform into a clash between a true dragon and a Kunpeng, evenly matched in their struggle!
Both combatants were utterly consumed by the fight, oblivious to the fact that their battlefield had gradually shifted toward the Wind Origin Domain.
Wind Origin Domain, Heavenly Treasure Capital.
This was a major hub for the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild, a true immortal city that normally teemed with cultivators exchanging goods and information.
Now, with a grand auction about to begin, this immortal city had become even more bustling than usual.
Among the cultivators coming and going were many at the core formation and nascent soul realms, with many arriving early due to their proximity.
"I never thought a Transformation Stage Demon King from the Demon Realm would attend this grand auction!"
"The Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's influence is truly terrifying. Even the demon race's demon kings must give them face?"
"It's more than that. I heard the Flood Dragon Clan from the sea will also send powerful representatives. This is truly a rare gathering in the Human Realm."
"Look! That's Old Lord Tianxing. He's a renowned Grand Array Master from the Flame Domain, with a formation art mastery that borders on profound comprehension!"
Above the bustling immortal city, an old man in a simple straw cloak floated through the air, immediately greeted by someone.
"Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Tianxing, it's been far too long! Has it been eighty years since we last met?"
The newcomer was also a Nascent Soul cultivator, holding a position similar to True Monarch Tianbao's. He managed the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's branch in the Wind Origin Domain, enjoying high prestige and widespread fame.
Old Lord Tianxing clasped his hands in greeting. "Fellow Daoist Wan He, your demeanor is even more refined than before!"
True Monarch Wan He humbly replied, "Not at all, Fellow Daoist Tianxing. I hear you've already begun experimenting with fifth-tier formation arts?"
"The teleportation array in Heavenly Treasure Capital has fallen into disrepair over the years. I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you to put in some extra effort!"
Old Lord Tianxing waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a remnant of a fifth-tier formation I stumbled upon. It's from ancient times, severely damaged, and incredibly profound—impossible to fully comprehend."
"As for repairing the teleportation array, that's easily handled."
True Monarch Wan He's smile widened. He said, "Quickly, this way, please. Many Nascent Soul cultivators have already arrived in the city, the elite from various domains!"
"They're all eager to make acquaintance with Fellow Daoist Tianxing. Perhaps during this trip, you might even discover a rare formation spirit material or two."
At these words, Old Lord Tianxing's eyes lit up. He was deeply immersed in the art of formation, and rare and exotic formation spirit materials were his greatest passion.
Thus, the two continued their conversation as they entered the immortal city.
Throughout their journey, Nascent Soul cultivators descended from the sky, and even Transformed Demon Kings, retaining their demon race features, arrived to attend the gathering.
It had to be said, the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's influence was truly immense. It encompassed virtually everyone, from righteous path cultivators of the human race and demonic cultivators to reclusive Nascent Soul old monsters and ancient old demons who had been hidden for centuries.
Even more astonishing was the restraint these figures displayed. Even cultivators with long-standing grudges met without erupting into conflict, giving the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild ample face.
The reason for this was simple: they all knew that the guild still had a living Divine Transformation Stage ancestor, Wan Shengtian!
Wan Shengtian was a figure whom everyone had to respect.
Though it was uncertain whether the living ancestor would personally oversee the grand auction, the Nascent Soul cultivators attending the event took advantage of the occasion to host their own smaller trade fairs before the main event. Their aim was to forge connections with fellow cultivators from other great domains.
"Hahaha, in my opinion, your esteemed merchant guild should hold more auctions of this caliber! This is truly a rare spectacle in the Human Realm!" a Nascent Soul cultivator joked at one of the trade fairs.
True Monarch Wan He waved his hand with a smile. "It's not that we don't want to, it's simply not possible!"
"Even our Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild can't possibly have an endless supply of treasures to auction!"
"Accumulation takes time. If we lack spiritual objects and treasures of sufficient caliber, wouldn't that tarnish the reputation of the Ten Thousand Treasures Grand Gathering?"
This remark drew nods of agreement from many present.
In fact, over the years, the Ten Thousand Treasures Grand Gathering had been held at irregular intervals, sometimes separated by over a century, other times by as little as forty or fifty years.
Everyone understood the reason.
"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Wan He, I hear a heaven-piercing spirit treasure will appear at this grand auction?"
The question immediately piqued the interest of many Nascent Soul cultivators in attendance, who perked up their ears and eagerly awaited True Monarch Wan He's response.
Unfortunately, True Monarch Wan He merely offered a mysterious smile. "Hehe, I can't break the rules of confidentiality. If you wish to know, you'll have to wait for the auction to begin."
His ambiguous answer sent a wave of excitement through the crowd, sparking their imaginations.
Just then, the sky above the immortal city suddenly darkened, as ominous clouds gathered overhead, plunging the city into an abrupt twilight.
Not only that, but waves of astonishing spiritual pressure began to radiate outward, causing many faces to subtly change.
"Such intense spiritual pressure... and there's more than one source!"
"What's going on? Is someone planning to attack Heavenly Treasure Capital?"
All present were Nascent Soul cultivators, their divine souls naturally powerful and their senses exceptionally sharp. They immediately detected the disturbance in the sky.
Instantly, everyone's attention was drawn upward.
Soon, the two intertwined spiritual pressures grew closer, causing even some of the weaker cultivators within the immortal city to feel a sudden tightness in their chests and shortness of breath.
"Wait, are they fighting?"
"Good heavens, is that a black dragon? When did a True Spirit descend into the Human Realm?"
"Nonsense, that's the Black Flood Dragon King of the Flood Dragon Clan!"
Someone familiar with the Flood Dragon Clan's affairs revealed the truth. But soon, everyone realized that this black flood dragon, resembling a true dragon, had met its match!
Clearly visible above the heavy, dark clouds, someone was locked in a fierce battle with this incomparably powerful Transformation Stage demon!
After witnessing the battle firsthand, everyone who knew the Black Flood Dragon King's power couldn't help but gasp in shock.
"Hiss!"
"A Nascent Soul human is actually locked in fierce combat with the Black Flood Dragon King!"
"Unbelievable! Where did this fearsome star emerge from? It looks like the Black Flood Dragon King isn't even holding his own against him!"
The Flood Dragon Clan's might was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds. Both demons and humans respected them.
Yet no one had ever imagined that someone would dare to engage the Black Flood Dragon King in such a brazen battle, and even hold their own.
In an instant, all Nascent Soul cultivators within the immortal city were alerted. They immediately emerged from seclusion to investigate the identity of this audacious individual.
As for cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm, they trembled under the oppressive spiritual pressure emanating from the sky. This wasn't just the pressure of a higher cultivation realm; it was also mixed with the Flood Dragon Clan's innate aura!
Even Core Formation cultivators felt the strain!
True Monarch Wan He, who was stationed in the city, could no longer maintain his composure. If the battle between the Black Flood Dragon King and the human continued, the immortal city itself would be affected!
"Fellow Daoists, please cease this conflict immediately!"
"Harmony is paramount! If there are any conflicts or disputes, let's sit down and talk them out. There's no need to resort to violence and damage our harmony!"
The person currently locked in battle with the Black Flood Dragon King was none other than Li Qing.
Their fight had raged all the way from the coastal regions deep into the mainland. Unbeknownst to them, they had unknowingly drawn near their destination: Heavenly Treasure Capital!
"Roar!" The Black Flood Dragon King roared, unleashing a powerful tail strike that scattered ten thousand acres of clouds and mist.
Li Qing let out a hearty laugh, clapping his hands together to summon surging spirit fire that blocked the incoming dark clouds and black mist.
"Hiss! Is that heavenly spirit fire?"
"With such power, it can even withstand the innate divine ability of the Flood Dragon Clan. It must be heavenly spirit fire!"
"That man is truly blessed by fate. To encounter heavenly spirit fire and subdue it..."
"..."
Amidst the murmurs, True Monarch Wan He frowned even deeper.
Neither the Black Flood Dragon King nor Li Qing showed any signs of stopping. Their battle was fierce and exhilarating, clearly indicating their intention to continue fighting regardless of any interference.
Sighing, True Monarch Wan He reached into his robes.
In the next moment, he produced a golden token emblazoned with the character "万" (Ten Thousand) on one side and the special emblem of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild on the other.
This was no ordinary token. The moment it appeared, a faint aura of pressure emanated from it, causing every Nascent Soul cultivator present to feel their hearts skip a beat.
This golden token carried the aura of a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator!
"Fellow Daoists, if you continue this reckless battle, I'll have no choice but to summon our ancestor!" True Monarch Wan He said sternly.
Sensing the aura of the Divine Transformation Stage Old Monster, Li Qing and the Black Flood Dragon King instantly sobered up.
They quickly retracted their divine abilities and cultivation techniques, creating a considerable distance between them.
"Hahaha, exhilarating! The Flood Dragon Clan truly lives up to its reputation!"
"I've learned from this encounter!" Li Qing clasped his hands in a respectful bow. His hair, previously disheveled, now appeared wild and unrestrained.
The Black Flood Dragon King shook his body, transforming back into his human form with black horns atop his head. His body, covered in black scales, was once again draped in a black robe.
His expression was slightly grim, but he wasn't one to hold grudges. After a fierce battle with Li Qing, he had naturally come to respect the human cultivator before him.
"Human, I remember you. I am the Black Flood Dragon King of the Flood Dragon Clan!"
And before the entire immortal city, Li Qing proudly declared his daoist name:
"Azure Ridge Domain, Lingyun Sect, Limitless True Monarch!"
At that moment, the name Limitless True Monarch officially resounded throughout the entire Human Realm.
(End of the Chapter)
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