Chapter 156, Powerful Thunder Flood Dragon and Large Face-Slapping

Translator: Raznick

 

A resonant, prolonged dragon’s roar suddenly echoed within the Zhou Clan estate, instantly startling countless people and beasts.

 

Within the beast enclosure, many demon beasts who had previously been leisurely and carefree shrank back at the sound, their bodies trembling as they collapsed onto the ground, experiencing a deeply ingrained sense of awe and fear.

 

It was a fear stemming from the depths of their bloodlines, the fear of prey towards a predator.

 

These lesser demon beasts were, after all, ingredients on the menu of greater demon beasts!

 

And many Zhou Clan cultivators, upon hearing the roar, also gazed with surprised expressions towards the location of the cultivation methods training grounds.

 

“This dragon’s roar… could it be emanating from the Clan Leader’s Sky Cloud Python?”

 

“Or perhaps it’s the Deputy Clan Leader’s Silver Thunder Python; it, too, has advanced to second-grade, hasn’t it?”

 

“No, that’s not right. If it’s a dragon’s roar, how could it be produced by two demonic serpents?”

 

Zhou Clan cultivators discussed the matter animatedly, feeling quite astonished.

 

Some cultivators who weren’t currently assigned any tasks even prepared to set off and investigate.

 

Meanwhile, several Zhou Clan elders who had been alerted flashed expressions of surprise and swiftly flew from their residences, heading towards the cultivation methods training grounds to witness the spectacle.

 

They were in the know, understanding the source of the dragon’s roar.

 

He was, however, even more curious about how much power the Silver Thunder Python, enlightened through the Ancestral Awakening secret art, could unleash.

 

Even the Grand Elder Zhou Mingde, atop Pagoda Peak, secretly released his Divine Sense to observe the situation at the cultivation field.

 

Zhou Chun hadn’t realized that experimenting with the Ancestral Awakening secret art within the clan would cause such a stir.

 

He himself was now shocked by the changes in his spirit pet, Whitey.

 

He saw that Whitey, whose inner Flood Dragon bloodline he had awakened, now had silver dragon horns wreathed in silver lightning, silver-white dragon claws emerging from its belly, and trails of silver lightning coursing across its body, each bolt capable of easily obliterating a cultivator in the Twelfth Layer of Qi Refinging Stage.

 

Its cultivation was still that of an inferior second-grade demon beast, yet its aura and actual power now far surpassed what it had been before.

 

Zhou Chun was even too afraid to try sparring with it himself as he had previously, for fear that he would be injured by his own spirit pet if he wasn’t careful.

 

However, without a sparring partner, simply having the Whitey, now transformed into a Thunder Flood Dragon, bombard the ground with mystical art wouldn’t completely reveal its true strength.

 

He immediately thought of riding Whitey and flying to Flying Stone Peak to find Third Elder Zhou Daoquan for a spar.

 

After all, the opportunity to use the Ancestral Awakening secret art was rare, and he didn’t want to waste this chance.

 

Fortunately, just as he was flying into the sky, he saw Third Elder Zhou Daoquan and several other Zhou Clan elder heading towards them.

 

This filled him with joy, and he quickly called out to Third Elder Zhou Daoquan, who was approaching the fastest: “ Third Elder, you’re arriving just in time. I was just struggling to find a sparring partner. You absolutely must help!”

 

“Indeed, I had the same thought.”

 

Zhou Daoquan’s eyes shone as he gazed at the Thunder Flood Dragon in the sky, and readily agreed.

 

He cast an art, first bolstering himself with a defensive technique, then summoned a ruler and a bronze-yellow bellt to encircle himself.

 

Then he nodded slightly towards Zhou Chun: “I am ready, let it strike!”

 

Boom!

 

Hearing Zhou Daoquan’s words, Whitey immediately raised a claw and swiped, gathering lightning within it, instantly transforming into a ball of thunder that hurtled towards Zhou Daoquan.

 

Realizing this was merely a casual strike from Whitey, Zhou Daoquan didn’t take it too seriously, directly relying on his protective mystical art to withstand the attack.

 

But it shocked him profoundly.

 

With an explosion, the yellow shield surrounding him shuddered violently, as if it had encountered an attack from a peer cultivator.

 

“Impressive! Even this single strike is considerably stronger than the attack of an average mid Foundation Establishment cultivator!”

 

He channeled his spiritual power, stabilizing the trembling yellow shield, and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

 

Then he addressed Zhou Chun: “Let it unleash a truly formidable move, don’t hold back, I can endure it!”

 

“Alright, then Third Elder, you must be careful.”

 

Zhou Chun nodded and immediately gave Whitey the instruction to hold nothing back.

 

Receiving this instruction, Whitey truly unleashed his full power.

 

He opened his mouth, letting out a roar, and streaks of lightning suddenly flashed in the sky above Zhou Daoquan, instantly unleashing three silver lightning bolts as thick as arms.

 

This Heavenly Thunder Triple Strike instantly startled Zhou Daoquan, who hastily urged his town-measuring artifact, glowing with yellow light, to strike the thunder, simultaneously activating the power of the bronze-yellow chimes, releasing circles of yellow light waves towards the lightning.

 

But the ruler only shattered the first bolt of thunder before being blasted away by the second.

 

The subsequent wave of yellow light, though it dispersed the second heavenly thunder, couldn’t weaken the third.

 

Thus, Zhou Daoquan bore the full force of a direct lightning strike.

 

A blinding flash erupted, and the yellow protective barrier surrounding Zhou Daoquan fractured instantly, appearing as if it would shatter.

 

He was startled, quickly channeling his spiritual power to reinforce it, ultimately relying on his deep reserves of spiritual power to prevent the yellow barrier’s destruction.

 

“Incredible! Truly incredible! This move isn’t significantly weaker than a late Foundation Establishment cultivator’s killing technique!”

 

Zhou Daoquan exclaimed again, astonished by the power Whitey had displayed.

 

Then he added, “Bring on any other tricks you have!”

 

“As elder wishes.”

 

Zhou Chun spoke, and Whitey had already moved.

 

A silver lightning dragon composed entirely of shimmering lightning coalesced from the horn atop his head, launching itself towards Zhou Daoquan with a furious rush.

 

Simultaneously, Whitey’s claws danced, and silver lightning orbs began to materialize from his claws, swirling around him.

 

Before long, a total of five lightning orbs floated around him.

 

Meanwhile, Zhou Daoquan was still desperately defending against the lightning dragon’s attack.

 

After barely weathering the impact of the lightning dragon’s self-destruction, he saw Whitey’s body crackling with lightning, suddenly surging forward with the five lightning orbs, moving with a speed like lightning itself!

 

Boom!

 

With a barrage of deafening explosions erupting, Zhou Daoquan was sent flying backward, blood spewing from his mouth, courtesy of Whitey’s tail.

 

It was actually a mercy, considering; otherwise, he likely would have been beyond recognition.

 

“Cough, cough… I underestimated the situation, I did!”

 

Upon hitting the ground and regaining his footing, Zhou Daoquan stared at the blood staining his robes, his face burning with embarrassment, and could only blurt out the words “I underestimated the situation” to mask his discomfort.

 

It wasn’t just him who was embarrassed; Zhou Chun was mortified as well.

 

It seemed the practice session had gone spectacularly wrong.

 

The injuries Zhou Daoquan sustained were insignificant compared to the humiliation he suffered.

 

He had only moments ago boasted, only to be publicly humiliated.

 

Zhou Chun could have guessed his level of embarrassment with his little toe.

 

Fortunately, no other clan members had witnessed the scene.

 

Zhou Chun surveyed the practice area, sparsely populated with only a few elder present, and breathed a sigh of relief – a small mercy amidst the misfortune.

 

Then, his expression shifting rapidly, he swiftly scolded Whitey, “Whitey, you mischievous child! How dare you lay such a heavy hand on the Third Elder? Apologize to the Third Elder!”

 

“No need for an apology, what’s the point of apologizing? I didn’t do anything wrong! I simply underestimated the situation earlier; let’s try again!”

 

Zhou Daoquan, his face flushed crimson, frantically waved his hands, visibly agitated.

 

He clearly preferred to salvage his reputation through demonstrating strength rather than engaging in a polite apology to save face.

 

Yes, he had been careless just now!

 

He still had his trump card artifact that he hadn’t used, and two spirit pets that he hadn’t summoned.

 

That wasn’t his true strength just then, it absolutely wasn’t!

 

But Zhou Chun dared not continue the fight.

 

Zhou Daoquan hadn’t exerted himself, and Whitey was the same.

 

And if the fight continued, both sides would lose control of their power, and then any injuries would be considered an accident.

 

So, he decisively issued a hidden command for Whitey to end his transformation prematurely.

 

Then he exclaimed, “Oh dear, I fear there won’t be time for another one; Whitey’s transformation time is up.”

 

And he saw the dragon horns and dragon claws atop Whitey’s head all vanish and dissipate, and his imposing aura also plummeted, falling into a weak and listless state.

 

Seeing this scene, those present, including Zhou Jiarui and Zhou Jiahe, all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

 

To be honest, its gratifying to see someone get humiliated, but the consequences must be considered.

 

Zhou Daoquan was, after all, the clan Third Elder, his seniority and cultivation ranked third in the clan, and he was known for his kindness, and he had shown great kindness to Zhou Chun.

 

Such a respected senior, if he were truly to lose face in front of these younger generations, even if he had a generous heart and wouldn’t hold it against Zhou Chun.

 

They feared they might develop their own emotional scars, severely hindering their future cultivation.

 

They certainly didn’t want to see that kind of situation unfold.

 

Therefore, the current circumstances were undoubtedly the most suitable.

 

Zhou Chun didn’t need to ask the Silver Thunder Python to hold back; Zhou Daoquan wouldn’t harbor any battle intent towards the already weakened Silver Thunder Python.

 

“It seems that attack of that intensity has taken a significant toll on it. This secret art that stimulates potential isn’t without its own cost.”

 

Second Elder Zhou Chongshan spoke up suddenly, helping Zhou Daoquan, whose face was still flushed and unsure of how to gracefully exit the situation, to save face and offered him a way out.

 

“That’s true. The Ancestral Awakening secret art merely stimulates the demon beast’s bloodline potential. To unleash such a furious barrage like it just did, the power is undeniably immense, but the consumption of spiritual power is also considerable. It’s still quite young, and doesn’t know how to moderate.”

 

Zhou Daoquan nodded slightly, his expression easing a bit, and added his own commentary.

 

Then, he waved to Zhou Chun, saying, “Alright, since you’ve already tested the move, take it back to recuperate and don’t let it hurt the child.”

 

Seeing this, Zhou Chun quickly nodded in agreement, saying, “Third Elder is right. This trial move ends here. I will take Whitey to take his leave now.”

 

He then hastily left the scene with the Silver Thunder Python.

 

“That kid!”

 

Watching Zhou Chun’s departing back, Zhou Daoquan’s whiskers twitched, his teeth aching with frustration.

 

No matter what, his old face had been utterly humiliated today.

 

The thought of being injured by a demon snake barely in his teens left the Zhou Daoquan, who was always lauded for his beast-taming skills, feeling incredibly frustrated.

 

Where could he possibly go to explain this?

 

It truly was a case of having a sorrow he couldn’t express.

 

“I will be returning to rest as well.”

 

Ultimately, he had no desire to remain at the scene any longer, and retreated to Flying Stone Peak with a crestfallen expression.

 

Seeing that both parties involved had left in this manner, Zhou Chongshan suddenly turned to the other two elders and said, “The events of today must be kept strictly confidential, and must not be let out to more people.”

 

“Yes, we understand.”

 

Zhou Jiarui and Zhou Jiahe hastily nodded in agreement, indicating their understanding of the gravity of the situation.

 

On the other side, upon returning to his residence, Zhou Chun first carefully examined Silver Thunder Python Whitey for any injuries.

 

Once he confirmed that Whitey’s weakness was merely a consequence of the secret art, he breathed a sigh of relief and brought out some demon beast meat to feed him, then let him rest comfortably and recover at home.

 

Zhou Chun certainly wouldn’t truly blame his own spirit pet for the accidental incident.

 

After all, even Whitey was unaware of just how powerful its abilities were at the time.

 

Of course, he couldn’t blame Zhou Daoquan for being too weak either; after all, Zhou Daoquan was kindly looking out for the younger generation, and hadn’t exerted himself fully.

 

He could only fault the unexpectedness of it all, which left no one with the time to react.

 

The immense power displayed by Silver Thunder Python Whitey after transforming into a thunderous dragon through the Ancestral Awakening, also filled Zhou Chun with awe and delight.

 

There was no doubt that the thunderous dragon Whitey at that time, undoubtedly possessed the power to face a late Foundation Establishment cultivator head-on, and even some weaker late Foundation Establishment cultivators might not have been a match for him.

 

Such immense power was enough to utterly thrill Zhou Chun.

 

And this was merely the strength unleashed by utilizing the secret art of Ancestral Awakening to spark his bloodline’s potential and transform it into a Flood Dragon, not a true transformation into a fully formed Flood Dragon.

 

If he were to truly transform into a Thunder Flood Dragon, just how powerful could it be? Zhou Chun could scarcely imagine it.

 

Among the numerous Flood Dragons, the Thunder Flood Dragon was already one of the strongest among them, a powerhouse even within its own rank.

 

“I wonder if I cultivate the Golden Cauldron Mystic Art, will my strength be as formidable as Whitey’s?”

 

The thought suddenly arose in Zhou Chun’s mind.

 

Demon beasts like spirit pets, though naturally gifted and possessing immense strength,

 

aren’t insurmountable obstacles for cultivators of the same rank.

 

Some cultivators who cultivated powerful top cultivation methods, and also cultivated powerful secret arts, and possessed several powerful artifacts, still had the opportunity to defeat a Flood Dragon of the same rank.

 

It was just that such cultivators in the cultivation world were even rarer than Flood Dragons.

 

Zhou Chun was merely thinking about it at this point, and didn’t truly believe he could achieve that level of power just yet.

 

After all, the secret arts he was cultivateing were primarily intended to enhance Whitey’s strength.

 

Several days later, Zhou Chun personally went to Flying Stone Peak to beg forgiveness, and privately endured a thorough scolding from Zhou Daoquan.

 

He was reprimanded for lacking martial ethics, for launching a full-force attack without prior notice of Whitey’s new ability.

 

Had he possessed even a modicum of preparation, had he known Whitey had the Lightning Flash trick up its sleeve, he would have been more guarded, and wouldn’t have so carelessly allowed it to approach with a ball of electric energy.

Of course, Zhou Chun had come expecting a verbal lashing, a release for his frustrations.

 

He remained stubbornly silent, allowing the tirade to run its course, effectively venting the pressure that had built within him.

 

The effect was indeed palpable.

 

Zhou Daoquan unleashed a torrent of reprimands, a cathartic outburst that visibly eased the tension that had been festering in Zhou Chun’s chest.

 

He then proceeded to outline a plan for Whitey’s continued cultivation, detailing how to unlock further potential mystical art applications and fortify his bloodline.

 

In this realm of expertise, Zhou Daoquan’s experience dwarfed Zhou Chun’s.

 

And Zhou Daoquan’s inherent integrity resonated deeply with Zhou Chun, fostering a profound respect for the clan elder.