Promise!

Chapter 196, Slaying the Dragon

Wow!
In the pouring rain, Zhuang Jin and Ning Tongxuan stood side by side on the back of the golden eagle, heading out of the city.

This golden eagle was at the Bone Forging Realm, roughly equivalent to a martial artist entering the seventh meridian, so carrying two people on its back was not a difficult task.

"Brother Ning's eagle is truly magnificent!" Zhuang Jin praised politely, though he was genuinely envious. With such a flying mount, traveling would be much more convenient.

Upon hearing this, Ning Tongxuan's expression became slightly strange. It was as if his own wife had been praised for her excellent performance; something felt off.

To be honest, he was somewhat resistant, not wanting his beloved eagle to be ridden by someone else, but tonight's special circumstances required it!

This was the first time the golden eagle had been ridden by someone other than its own master, and it seemed quite uncomfortable, whistling and soaring left and right as if trying to throw the person off.

But Zhuang Jin's feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, and he rode... no, he stood very steadily.

"Brother, I'm sorry, my eagle is a bit unruly."

Ning Tongxuan first apologized to Zhuang Jin, and then went to coax his trusted steed, Aiqi: "Xiao Jin, don't be angry. Give me some face in front of outsiders. I'll give you your favorite sausage when we get back."

As he spoke, a strange bittersweet feeling welled up inside him. His beloved wife... no, his beloved rider, was unwilling to share a ride with others, and he had to persuade her to do so. What kind of situation was this?

Ning Tongxuan shook his head slightly, shaking off some strange thoughts, and changed the subject, saying, "Xiao Jin and I met at Biyun Mountain outside the first pass of the Funiu Mountains. At that time... we went through dangers together and formed a bond, which was also a coincidence."

"If you want a flying mount, you can go to the Strange Beast Workshop under the Suspended Sky Division in the state city. With your strength, as long as you are willing to do more missions, it is not difficult to obtain ordinary skin-refining, flesh-refining, or even meridian-opening beast mounts."

"The capital city, I'll go there sooner or later." Zhuang Jin nodded slightly.

Upon hearing this, Ning Tongxuan glanced at Zhuang Jin curiously, inwardly marveling at how even shallow waters could nurture dragons in the lower prefecture. He sighed, "Compared to the lower prefecture, the state capital is vastly different because of that immortal from eight hundred years ago. It's like another world, with unimaginable wonders..."

He was speaking when he suddenly stopped and looked at the beast-finding compass: "Found it! The Yin-Yang Dragon is on the summit of this mountain!"

Zhuang Jin looked in that direction and saw lightning flashing and thunder roaring on a cliff beside the river. He exchanged a glance with Ning Tongxuan, both of them showing surprise.

They all assumed that the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, having been poisoned by the Blood-Corroding Powder, should be taking shelter from the rain in a cave somewhere on the shore, but unexpectedly, it went to that cliff mountain.

As they gazed at the lightning bolts on the mountaintop that seemed to tear the sky apart, both of them had a vague sense of foreboding, as if something was spiraling out of control.

……

Boom, boom, boom!
Click!

At the summit of the precipice, torrential rain poured down. The Yin-Yang Flood Dragon remained in its Hunyuan Flood Dragon state, landing on a large rock. A dense network of lightning, like a spider web, fell from the sky, striking a walnut-sized, shimmering, bluish-purple rock suspended three feet above it. The lightning was absorbed and transformed into vibrant, fine bluish-purple lightning that fell down.

As the suspended bluish-purple stone shrank at an extremely slow speed, the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, injured during the day, saw its cracks on its horn gradually heal, its wounds become shallower and scab over, and even its broken claw began to regrow. It had already grown back, though it appeared somewhat small and tender. In addition to the green and crimson colors, its body was covered with bluish-purple lightning-like patterns.

"That's... a Thunder Essence Stone?!"

Ning Tongxuan and Zhuang Jin spoke in unison upon seeing this scene.

Not only Ning Tongxuan, but Zhuang Jin, after learning about the beast beads from the Iron-skinned Pig King and Teng Yuansong, had also been doing his homework in the past few months and instantly recognized the strange object floating above the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon's head as the Thunder Essence Stone.

Thunder Essence Stone: A rare and precious material of the thunder attribute formed by mixing thunder essence with the primordial energy of heaven and earth under extreme conditions. It can attract lightning, transform the destructive and deathly intent within it into vitality, restore injuries, and has many other special uses.

For martial artists, the best stage to reach is the third or fourth meridian, which can be used to create secret medicines in place of beast treasures, strengthening and altering the attributes of internal energy, giving it the attribute of lightning.

— In this respect, the Fetal Breathing Realm is not suitable, because the Fetal Breathing Realm martial artist has opened the Ren and Du meridians, the Heaven and Earth Bridge, and the internal energy is transforming into innate true qi. The strength is in an unstable state of Gang Jin. At this time, rashly changing the attributes and introducing variables will most likely cause the internal energy to go out of control and explode, resulting in death.

However, those who cultivate lightning-attribute techniques and practice embryonic breathing are an exception. For them, this is not the introduction of a variable, but rather the strengthening of their internal energy. Under such stimulation, their meridians can become more solid and even slightly wider.

To put it simply, for martial artists practicing lightning-attribute cultivation techniques, the Thunder Essence Stone is a rare and precious treasure that can broaden and strengthen the meridians, specifically targeting the second of the three innate barriers, the "Body Barrier." For example, Yan Shilin of Donghu Prefecture, who cultivates the "Purple Gold Raging Thunder Technique," and Shen Xuhong, the eldest son of the Shen family, who cultivates the "Wind and Thunder Shock Technique," have Thunder Essence Stones whose value is almost comparable to the Flood Dragon Pearl of the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon!

For mythical beasts, Thunder Stones can bestow and enhance thunder attributes, stimulating transformation.

Unlike martial artists, beasts can use Thunder Stones regardless of their cultivation level.

— Martial artists cultivate the twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians, with the realms of: Qi Condensation, Meridian Opening, and Fetal Breathing; exotic beasts cultivate their physical bodies, with the realms of: Skin Polishing, Flesh Refining, Tendon Transformation, and Bone Forging. Just by hearing the names, you can tell that the cultivation paths are different. Therefore, exotic beasts in the Bone Forging Realm do not have the same problem as martial artists in the Fetal Breathing Realm.

At this moment, the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon was using this Thunder Essence Stone to recover from its injuries and was solidifying its Hunyuan Flood Dragon state... no, more accurately, it was transforming into the Hunyuan Thunder Flood Dragon form!
The Hunyuan Thunder Dragon is a dragon-type mythical beast with Yin, Yang, and Thunder attributes. It is considered top-tier among all dragon-type mythical beasts and ranks 163rd on the list of wondrous beasts of heaven and earth. Breaking through to the Five Organs Realm is virtually effortless and safe.

It can be said that as long as this Yin-Yang Flood Dragon successfully transforms into a Primordial Thunder Flood Dragon, it will become a Five Organs Realm Beast within a month or two!

Upon seeing this, the two instantly understood: no wonder such a powerful beast as the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon would leave the Funiu Mountains; it turned out it wanted to use the Thunder Essence Stone to transform into a Primordial Thunder Flood Dragon.

The reason it's not in the Funiu Mountains is because this process would cause a huge disturbance and attract powerful beasts from there. Coming to the county town below avoids this problem.

Zhuang Jin now understood why the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon had attacked the ships that were delivering medicinal herbs at the beginning of the year, and why it was easily lured by the herbs during the day—it was all to accumulate energy for its transformation.

"We can't let this beast succeed in its transformation!"

Ning Tongxuan looked solemn, worried that Zhuang Jin might hesitate or back out under these circumstances. He then promised, "Brother, everything will proceed as previously agreed. If you kill this Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, the Thunder Essence Stone will be yours."

While Lei Yuan Stones were indeed precious, he had no use for them, so he didn't hesitate to discard them and instead try to win over Zhuang Jin!
However, he wouldn't lose out either. If he really killed this Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, the Flood Dragon Pearl in its semi-transformed Primordial Thunder Flood Dragon state would be two or three times more effective, probably having the effect of most of a beast core. It would probably have about 30% of the effect on awakening the innate spiritual light in the first stage of the Three Innate Gates.

"Can!"

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly. Now that they were already here, riding on someone else's back, how could they possibly back down?

He also had a trump card: as long as the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon didn't completely transform, he was confident that even if he couldn't defeat it, he could still protect himself.

"Furthermore, if this Yin-Yang Flood Dragon successfully transforms, Ning Tongxuan will at most return empty-handed, but I'll be in trouble. In a month or two, once this beast becomes a Five Organs Realm beast—a Five Organs Realm beast far stronger than an ordinary Innate Martial Artist—it will hold a grudge and seek revenge, causing widespread devastation in Qinghe County. My Linji County is right next door; how can it escape unscathed?"

Given such a huge threat, the Shen family might recall the county and town governors below them... a situation that Zhuang Jin cannot accept.

……

Having reached an agreement, Ning Tongxuan did not hesitate to order the operation to begin.

Swish!
The golden eagle soared through the torrential rain, heading straight for the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon atop the cliff, and in an instant arrived several feet in front of the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon in mid-air.

The Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, with its keen senses, also detected the two people and the eagle. One of their auras was that of the culprit who had severely injured it during the day, and now it had come to interrupt its transformation. In extreme anger, it opened its mouth and inhaled, swallowing the Thunder Essence Stone, and then unleashed a fierce breath at the air.

The Yin-Yang primordial energy surged forth, its blue and red hues intertwining and spiraling, condensing into a destructive death ray, faintly mixed with blue-purple lightning.

Ning Tongxuan was prepared. At that moment, he waved his fan, and golden wind and jade dew transformed into a rainbow. Whoosh!
As the two forces eroded each other, the aurora appeared. This time, the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, in its semi-transformed state, intensified its breath once again, surpassing even Ning Tongxuan's ultimate technique. The airflow surged back towards them.

Ning Tongxuan used his fan again to separate the airflow, finally blocking it completely.

In that instant, Zhuang Jin descended from mid-air, closing in on the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon. With every move, he unleashed streams of dark dragon energy, each one carrying raindrops, creating a rhythmic flow that repeatedly interrupted the dragon's breath.

Ning Tongxuan followed closely behind, waving his Thousand-Silk White Jade Fan. Brilliant rays of gold and silver light burst forth, striking the scales of the Yin-Yang Dragon and producing a metallic clanging sound, leaving behind numerous fine wounds.

However, the Yin-Yang Dragon had completed half of its transformation and its body had been greatly strengthened, which was far from enough to be fatal.

It's not fatal, but it hurts!
"Hiss!"

The Yin-Yang Flood Dragon opened its mouth, attempting to breathe fire at Ning Tongxuan each time, but was interrupted by Zhuang Jin. It wanted to deal with Zhuang Jin, the insect, first, but Zhuang Jin was extremely fast and agile, causing it to miss its target time and time again.

However, neither of them could secure victory. Zhuang Jin took the lead, interrupting the breathing attack, while Ning Tongxuan attacked, but his close-range attacks were like scraping a scalp. He tried to retreat and create distance to unleash his ultimate move, "Golden Wind and Jade Dew in One Fan," but each time it was interrupted by the mixed lightning emitted from the Yin-Yang Dragon's horn.

Zhuang Jin could interrupt the breath attack, but he had no way to deal with the instantaneous Primordial Lightning. Its horn had been broken before, but it had now been repaired and mended, which was beyond his expectations.

"Brother, I have a trump card, but I need to limit it for a breath or two."

"Okay, I'll give you three breaths!"

As soon as Zhuang Jin finished speaking, he unleashed his ultimate martial arts technique, "A Glimpse of Splendor," in quick succession. At that moment, his figure moved like a swimming fish, and the rain seemed to become an aid, increasing his speed by a full 80%!
This was his hidden trump card: the perfect third level of the Gale Step, a level that carries on the legacy. At this level, it's not just about using force to control and change the airflow; it carries a hint of "all things in heaven and earth can be used as a sword." He can even control rainwater, turning it into an aid, like a fish in water.

Especially in such torrential rain, the speed can increase by 80% for a certain period of time. It is precisely this that gives Zhuang Jin confidence that the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon cannot harm him, and that he is not afraid of Ning Tongxuan turning against him in case he turns against him.

Zhuang Jin's figure flickered, as if he had created multiple clones. He launched the Triple Frost Poisoning attack in succession, and black dragons danced in the air, striking the Yin-Yang Dragon's various acupoints and freezing its body.

"well done!"

Ning Tongxuan called out, "Little Jin, come here!"

"Wow!"

The Golden Roc appeared above Ning Tongxuan, its wings crossed in a cross shape, unleashing a storm and a whirlwind-breaking slash. Ning Tongxuan, in perfect harmony, also activated 'Golden Wind and Jade Dew in One Fan' at that very moment.

Like the darkest hour of dawn, at a certain moment, the wind blows the clouds apart, and the east reveals a pale white light. Golden light bursts from the clouds, forming the aurora, which is absolutely beautiful and dazzling, yet contains endless killing intent.

This is the ultimate combined attack technique of the man and the eagle: Dawn Breaks!
The Yin-Yang Dragon's frozen state had just ended when it was met with this beam of light, and it immediately let out a deafening roar.

"Is he dead?!"

Ning Tongxuan and Zhuang Jin looked over and saw that the combined attack technique "Dawn Breaks" had just caused the heavy rain to evaporate and turn into mist. Suddenly, a huge dragon head emerged from the mist and roared to the sky. Its aura did not weaken at all, and it was completely unharmed.

—Just a moment ago, the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon consumed the Thunder Essence Stone and used its horn to absorb lightning elements from the air, forming a lightning shield that blocked the combined attack.

"grass!"

Ning Tongxuan couldn't help but break down and swore, but he quickly calmed down: "Things are hopeless. It seems today is..."

"No, Brother Ning, you and your eagle will use your ultimate move again, but this time I will take the lead and cooperate fully with me."

"You mean... fine!"

Ning Tongxuan seemed to have guessed something, suppressed his shock, agreed, and called out again, "Little Jin!"

The golden eagle spreads its wings, creating a hurricane; Ning Tongxuan's fan turns golden wind and jade dew into a rainbow.

Zhuang Jin also used the Triple Frost Poison to form a black dragon. At the same time, he used the ability brought by the perfected third level of the Swift Wind Step to control it with his strength and try to integrate the three.

The Golden Roc is a beast at the Bone Forging Realm, Ning Tongxuan is ranked 12th on the Hidden Dragon List, and Zhuang Jin has also reached the third level of perfection in two martial arts. All of them are extraordinary. At this moment, the ultimate skill that the two people and the eagle are using to cooperate with all their strength is strangely fused together under the pull of air currents and rain.

At this moment, within the spiral storm, large swaths of raindrops floated still like feathers, even rising upwards. Amidst the contrast of gold and silver, a dark silver dragon phantom, about ten feet long, formed by the combined strength of the three, carrying raindrops, distorting light, and influencing the condensation of air currents, spun and flew down.

It can be said that this move, which combines the ultimate skills of the three, is not just a simple breakthrough of the limit of fetal breathing, but is almost comparable to the strike of the innate level!
"Hiss!"

Sensing a strong crisis, the Yin-Yang Dragon unleashed a powerful breath and activated its lightning shield once more.

But all efforts were in vain. The dark silver dragon swallowed the destructive death ray, smashed through the lightning shield, and continued its momentum until it crashed into the dragon's head, causing it to explode into dust.

Swish!Swish!
Two objects, one blue-red and the other blue-purple, shot out. Ning Tongxuan and Zhuang Jin flashed forward and grabbed at their respective targets.

In Ning Tongxuan's hand was a dragon pearl with fluctuating Yin-Yang, water, and fire energies and hidden lightning, while Zhuang Jin held a thunder elemental stone that flashed with blue-purple lightning. The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Blah blah blah!

The heavy rain poured down on them, but the two didn't care at all. Instead, they felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration. Their camaraderie during their battle had fostered a deep mutual respect between them.

"Brother, what skill you have! You've managed to combine three ultimate techniques into one... That battle was exhilarating and satisfying!"

"That felt great!"

This Yin-Yang Flood Dragon was the strongest opponent Zhuang Jin had ever encountered since he began practicing martial arts. It was also the most difficult battle he had just fought. Now, having achieved a resounding victory, he felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment. He took off the wine gourd from his waist, drank a couple of sips, and threw it away.

Ning Tongxuan didn't mind, tilting his head back and gulping down the wine, which flowed down his neck. Then he looked at Zhuang Jin and said, "Brother, you have fulfilled your promise, and I will not break my word. I will give you my experience and insights on breaking through to the Innate Realm, as well as the secret method for surviving a failed breakthrough. And all of this dragon corpse is yours."

He was clear-headed and rational, knowing what he needed. His goal was the Flood Dragon Pearl. Flood Dragon Corpses and Thunder Essence Stones were precious, but their use to him was limited, and he wouldn't be distracted by them.

"Thanks!"

Zhuang Jin was also delighted. This time, with the experience and insights of the Innate Realm, the secret method of not dying after a failed breakthrough, and the corpse of the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, he could complete the accumulation of the Eight Meridians Realm and break through to the Innate Realm at the fastest speed.

For him, the dragon pearl was of little use; the dragon corpse, which could accelerate the accumulation of the Eight Meridians Realm, was relatively more valuable.

Both parties got what they wanted, making it a pleasant collaboration.

……

(End of this chapter)