Jiuxiao Breaks Through to Demon King!

Now that the four black flood dragons had been subdued by Jiuxiao, they were naturally willing to follow his wishes and assist the group. The experts aboard the two opposing cloud boats clearly had not anticipated that, aside from Li Guanqi and his companions, Gu Li and Meng Wanshu would also be here—to say nothing of four peak seventh-rank black flood dragon greater demons! Sure enough, once the enemy retreated, the spatial seal locking down the surroundings gradually dispersed. Spatial ripples spread outward, and a few breaths later, the handsome Xiang Huaizhi appeared before them. Scorching flames swept across heaven and earth in an instant! A terrifying pressure expanded across a thousand li! That horrifying volume of divine sense astonished even Gu Li. Fine beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead, and he could not help swallowing hard. He had thought his divine sense was nearly on par with the Mahayana Realm, or at least not far behind. Yet only now did he truly witness just how terrifying the mental energy of a pinnacle tier-eight alchemist could be. Such power was even a cut above Gu Changsheng's! Xiang Huaizhi narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping coldly in all directions as he frowned. "What happened?" Li Guanqi said in a heavy voice, "Two cloud boats attempted to ambush us, but they seemed unaware of the black flood dragons' presence." "No harm done. It's already settled." Li Guanqi had not taken this matter to heart. Once Ye Feng and the others completed their breakthroughs... The Lu clan—he would settle everything with them! Ever since Li Guanqi had stepped onto the Dao, he had adhered to one principle: every grudge must be avenged. Thus, this matter would not simply end here. Xiang Huaizhi, however, acted uncharacteristically, his voice turning cold. "Settled?" "It can't just end like that. Can you guess whose clan it was?" Li Guanqi shrugged and spoke frankly, "The design of those cloud boats somewhat resembled the Zhu clan's." "Back during the wager arena battle, after Senior Nangong destroyed the Lu clan's cloud boat, the Lu clan members all boarded the Zhu clan's vessel." "So I took a few extra looks back then." Xiang Huaizhi paused briefly, then burst into uproarious laughter, rocking back and forth. In the end, tears even streamed from his eyes. The three exchanged glances, none of them knowing what had come over him. Only Li Guanqi had a faint inkling, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. Immediately after, Xiang Huaizhi actually took out an azure jade slip and mocked, "Hahahaha! Nangong, I never thought you'd see this day!" "Haha! Guanqi was ambushed—it might have been the Lu clan joining hands with the Zhu clan." "Do you have no deterrent power left at all? Do you want me to handle this for you? Hahahaha, I can't take it..." "I'm going to tell everyone about this. Chankongzi will probably laugh at you for a hundred years." Xiang Huaizhi lowered the jade slip, giving Nangong Xuandu no chance to retort. He tossed the jade slip away and kicked it far into the distance, the flying jade slip bursting with brilliant light. Xiang Huaizhi clapped his hands, and with a wave of his arm, a boundless power of flame erupted with a roar! The void for a hundred li around was instantly enveloped by a curtain of heavenly flame! Li Guanqi was startled, while Gu Li blurted out, "Ninth of the heavenly flames, Chiyang!" The fiery-red wall of fire practically bridged heaven and earth, stretching endlessly upward. Wherever the curtain of fire swept, the space was incinerated into oblivion! Rampant fire-attribute spiritual energy raged violently, the searing heat making Li Guanqi's skin sting with discomfort. The thunder pool enveloped by the heavenly flame was also gradually suppressed. Xiang Huaizhi laughed. "Alright, let's head out first. That true dragon's breakthrough shouldn't have any issues." "With the yin and yang energies balanced inside its body now, breaking through is a certainty." Hearing this, Li Guanqi nodded slightly. As if sensing Li Guanqi's thoughts, Jiuxiao let out a low rumble of a roar, seemingly in response. Once the group stepped outside the fiery boundary, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Meng Wanshu and Gu Li were both somewhat injured, though fortunately, their core foundations were unharmed. Gu Li looked down at the black flood dragons beneath their feet. These normally ferocious greater demons were now exceptionally quiet, looking toward Xiang Huaizhi with fearful eyes. Gu Li suddenly blurted out a question: "Senior, could you check these black flood dragons to see if any true dragon offspring were conceived?" Xiang Huaizhi's expression stiffened, and he snapped, "I am an alchemist, not a veterinarian!" Gu Li scratched his head in embarrassment. After all, Ye Xuan had promised four generous gifts, yet nothing had shown yet. Clearly, he was not going to release the hawk until he saw the hare. Now that most of the yin energy within the four black flood dragons had been depleted, although they had received the true dragon's yang, no outward signs had manifested. Gu Li was somewhat worried... Xiang Huaizhi's gaze flickered, and his boundless divine sense swept out. His eyes brightened slightly, the corners of his mouth curving upward as he said softly, "Not bad for this true dragon... Three out of four took." "Moreover... after swallowing the Dragon Scale Divine Wood, its bloodline power is exceptionally formidable now. Along with it, these three black flood dragons might have a significant chance of transforming into dragons!" "The power of dragon yang inside them has not yet been refined. Once they can completely refine it, the day they break through to the eighth rank will likely be the day they transform into dragons." With that, Xiang Huaizhi flicked his fingers, sending four crimson flames onto the brows of the black flood dragons. The black flood dragons struggled only slightly before their eyes lit up. They understood Xiang Huaizhi's good intentions: he was helping them refine the power within their bodies! The four black flood dragons lowered their heads to Xiang Huaizhi in turn, expressing their respect and gratitude. Rumble! Billowing heavenly thunder instantly condensed, the dense thunderclouds stretching endlessly beyond sight. Yet the pill tribulation thunder pool of the Gu clan had instead become Jiuxiao's nourishment. Roar! A deep, resonant dragon roar rang out. Everyone saw Jiuxiao, his entire body glowing with purple luminescence, soar into the air! The five claws beneath his belly spread slightly, his dragon whiskers drifted, and his massive dragon eyes glared furiously at the heavens. Rampant dragon might awed all directions. Though the four black flood dragons were clearly higher in cultivation realm, they prostrated themselves in the void at this moment. Xiang Huaizhi could not help sighing in admiration at the sight. "As expected of the only true dragon left in this world—truly magnificent." Li Guanqi smiled. "Senior, why don't you go to the Nine Dragons Immortal Sect and ask for one of the black flood dragon offspring?" Xiang Huaizhi's eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter. "Right!" "Hahaha, you brat sure have a sharp mind." "Once these black flood dragons transform into dragons, the offspring they bear will very likely be pure-blooded true dragons as well." "At worst, I'll just find some spiritual items to enhance their bloodlines later!" "Heh heh, you guys keep watch here. I'm making a trip to the Ethereal Immortal Domain!" Xiang Huaizhi was impetuous by nature—the moment an idea struck, he was already putting it into motion. Gu Li raised his hand, as if trying to say something. "Senior! Take me! Take me with you! I guarantee I can get you one!" Xiang Huaizhi was skeptical, but he did not refuse. He simply brought the four black flood dragons and Gu Li along and departed. Li Guanqi looked with concern at Meng Wanshu, who was healing her wounds, and placed his palm against her back. After absorbing all the lightning within Meng Wanshu's body, he said softly, "I made you worry." Meng Wanshu smiled and shook her head, looking at Li Guanqi with an inexplicable depth in her gaze. "Why speak like a stranger?" "If it had been me, wouldn't you have done the exact same thing?" Li Guanqi offered a wry smile. "How could that be the same? You're my woman." Meng Wanshu pursed her lips in silence, a light shining in her eyes.