Chapter 1202, The Lake Bottom

Translator: Silavin

  

Upon the summit of Vibrant Vermilion Peak, figures clustered thickly, yet without much clamour.

 

With the conclusion of the Sacred Energy Fruit’s contest, most of the original crowd had already departed in a gradual stream. Only a number, either wholly unwilling to give up or simply intent on watching the excitement, still kept their posts here without leaving.

 

These experts had their gazes fixed tightly upon the lake at the centre of the peak, its surface undisturbed and serene.

 

At the fore of this group, Zhao Xueqi and Zhang Qun stood upright, their expressions dark.

 

The faces of both men were thoroughly grim, and from their persons emanated a faint, barely-concealed killing intent.

 

Around them, the gazes of the many experts drifted over from time to time, and occasionally they exchanged whispered conversation with one another.

 

“Word is Zhao Xueqi has had his eye on this Sacred Energy Fruit for quite some time now. Who could have imagined such chaos would erupt at this juncture.”

 

“That Demonic Beast is truly cunning, having proactively expelled its own Beast Core to put them off their guard…”

 

“Now that both the Beast Core and Sacred Energy Fruit have been reclaimed by it, getting them back again would be next to impossible.”

 

A succession of hushed exchanges arose, and they only served to make the already-unsightly expressions of Zhao Xueqi and the other man grow still darker.

 

They were fully aware, of course, that extracting something a Half-Saint Realm Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon had taken back was by no means a straightforward matter.

 

Certainly not something within their individual means.

 

Yet the temptation of the Sacred Energy Fruit was simply too immense, and even knowing full well it was an unworkable endeavour, they were unwilling to abandon it just like that.

 

…

 

At this moment, within the lake, in a depth so pitch-black that not even light could penetrate, a slender figure stood erect.

 

Opposite him, an enormous shadow, nightmarish in its dimensions, fixed him with a predatory stare.

 

Despite the completely disproportionate scale between the two, staring at this creature before it, no larger than an ant, the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon felt a deep and unsettling palpitation in its heart.

 

Moreover, it was this very human who had taken its Beast Core and Sacred Energy Fruit, yet from the latter’s person it could not detect the fluctuation of either object.

 

This was precisely what unsettled it most.

 

Having cultivated to the Half-Saint Realm, the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon had heard more than a few closely-guarded secrets.

 

To be capable of shielding its perception, this person must have an exceedingly precious treasure.

 

Though it had never laid eyes on such a treasure, it knew that an ant possessing such a thing would command a position of the utmost esteem among the Myriad Races.

 

*Roar!* The Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon did not strike immediately, but rumbled in a low growl as though in warning. Yet in that enormous pair of pupils, a restless and vicious gleam had begun to surface.

 

Though it held some wariness toward the figure before it, that was entirely insufficient reason to abandon the matter. Its Beast Core was still in his hands.

 

Moreover, by instinct, the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon knew that if it could consume the one before it, it might be able to fully cross that threshold and become a Saint Realm Demonic Beast, ascending to the pinnacle.

 

The difficulty was, looking at things now, consuming him would first require killing him.

 

“If you wish to eat me, are you not afraid of breaking your teeth?”

 

Qin Yichen seemed to have seen through the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon’s intentions and gave a cold smile.

 

*Boom!*

 

The Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon let out a thunderous roar, opened its great maw, and several pillars of ice-cold water shot forth like frozen swords. Within the depths of the lake their speed was not diminished in the slightest, and even the surrounding currents seemed to lend them assistance, sending them hurtling toward the latter with lightning speed.

 

These few frozen blades were far less imposing in presence than the sky-filling barrage of ice swords the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon had unleashed in its fury previously.

 

Yet any expert with keen perception could sense that the dreadfulness of these few strikes bore no comparison whatsoever to those scattered ice swords.

 

Even the offensive unleashed in fury by Zhao Xueqi and Zhang Qun had not been so terrifying as this.

 

“Meaningless.”

 

Yet facing those offensives shooting toward him like lethal vipers, Qin Yichen’s face showed not the slightest trace of fear. With a single thought, an ancient armour materialised across his body.

 

*Roar!*

 

To Qin Yichen’s words, the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon gave another roar in response. Those several streams of cold water, at the very instant they were about to strike Qin Yichen, suddenly merged into a single form, twisting into a spiralling shape that tore through the lake water and slammed with full force into the centre of Qin Yichen’s chest.

 

*Clang!*

 

Under this strike, the surrounding lake water rolled outward like waves breaking in all directions. At the precise location where Qin Yichen stood, the water had been driven away entirely into open air.

 

At that instant, the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon’s eyes contracted sharply. The scene of blood spraying in all directions that it had anticipated did not materialise. Not even a single step backward had been taken by the ant before it.

 

That massive cold torrent dissipated slowly. Upon the ancient armour Qin Yichen wore, not even a single mark had been left.

 

“Want to try again?”

 

Qin Yichen smiled with a wicked ease. With the Myriad Dao Divine Armour activated, he was in a state of near-invincibility.

 

Formidable as a Half-Saint Realm Demonic Beast was, it posed absolutely no threat to him whatsoever.

 

Staring at the smile on Qin Yichen’s face, a creeping unease welled up in the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon’s heart. Those enormous eyes of its fixed tightly upon the armour on the latter’s body.

 

That armour appeared entirely unassuming, covered in the marks of ages past, very much resembling a half-spent and discarded item.

 

Yet this inconspicuous armour had effortlessly stopped an attack it had unleashed without the slightest restraint, and had not even left a single scratch behind.

 

“Return the Beast Core and Sacred Energy Fruit to me, and I shall pardon your impertinence!” A moment later, a halting voice abruptly rang out within Qin Yichen’s mind.

 

Qin Yichen’s brow rose slightly, and the corner of his lips curved into a faint smile.

 

Among the Human Race, Demonic Beasts who had cultivated to the Martial Emperor Realm or even the Martial Ancestor Realm had the potential to speak. This Demonic Beast was already half a step into the Saint Realm, so it being able to transmit a mental message was not the least bit surprising to him.

 

“If you want those things, you are welcome to come and take them yourself.”

 

Qin Yichen gave a light laugh, his gaze fixed steadily on the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon, those eyes of his causing the latter’s heart to stir with an involuntary unease.

 

*Splash!*

 

As the rampaging afterwaves gradually settled, the icy lake water poured back down once more.

 

Yet these lake waters were not calm. Rather, as though drawn by some force, they churned and billowed incessantly, as if forming a vortex of sorts.

 

Within this vortex, a terrifying power was dimly coalescing.

 

[This ant… could he have allowed himself to be swallowed on purpose?!]

 

At this moment, a dreadful notion abruptly surged up in the Azure Sky Demonic Flood Dragon’s heart.

 

The Beast Core and Sacred Energy Fruit had both already come into his possession. Could it be that this person had now set his sights upon its very own Blood Essence and hide?!