95: A desperate counterattack! The Bloodline Dragon escapes!

Chapter Ninety-Five: Desperate Counterattack! The Bloodline Flood Dragon Escapes!

Time flew by, and another ten days passed.

Above the Panlong River, the scarlet gold Heaven Burning Sea Boiling Grand Array that shrouded several miles of the river remained as blazing as ever, operating without pause.

But compared to the violent tremors and roars of half a month ago, the Grand Array appeared much more "peaceful" now.

Within the Formation, that Bloodline Flood Dragon, which had once stirred the winds and clouds with its monstrous power, had most of its massive dark red body submerged beneath the boiling scarlet gold "sea of fire," revealing only a spine covered in scorch marks and many areas where scales had curled and fallen off.

It no longer frantically crashed against the light screen, and it rarely even roared. It only occasionally swung its massive tail feebly, stirring up a wave of scorching water, before falling silent again.

Those scarlet dragon eyes, once filled with fierce and violent light, were now half-closed, revealing a deep exhaustion and... deathly stillness?

It was as if this Level Five Peak Yao Beast, which had dominated the great river for hundreds of years, had already accepted its fate, giving up its futile struggles and quietly waiting for the moment its power would be completely refined by the Formation and its life force extinguished.

Outside the Grand Array, atop the Peaks of the mountains to the east and west.

The Tianxing Sect Core Formation Elders Core Formation and Elder Cao Yu remained seated cross-legged at their respective Formation eyes, maintaining the final refinement of the Formation.

Although both looked slightly fatigued, their eyes sparkled with the light of certain victory.

"Senior Brother Core Formation, looking at this beast's state, its Yao power is nearly exhausted, and its life force is dissipating."

Elder Cao Yu's Divine Sense swept over the weakened Bloodline Flood Dragon in the Formation, his voice transmission carrying a hint of ease and satisfaction: "In three days at most, we will surely refine the last bit of its Yao power and life force. At that time, we can harvest the complete dragon corpse and Yao Core!"

Core Formation nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the subtle changes in the spiritual light on the Formation Plate: "Junior Brother Cao is right. However, the closer we get to the final moment, the more cautious we must be. This Bloodline Flood Dragon is cunning and fierce; there's no guarantee it won't make a final counterattack before it completely falls. You and I must maintain the Formation with all our strength and not give it any Opportunity."

He paused, his tone turning cold: "What we need to be even more vigilant against are those small fries from the outside. Although we have cleared a batch of reckless spies during these days, there's no guarantee that more troublesome characters aren't lurking nearby, intending to act as the oriole behind us the moment we succeed."

Elder Cao Yu's expression grew a few degrees more serious upon hearing this, and he snorted coldly: "Don't worry, Senior Brother. Within a radius of dozens of miles, you and I have scanned with our Divine Sense multiple times. Aside from some insignificant low-level Yao Beasts and occasionally passing Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators, there are no other Core Formation auras. Even if someone truly has high-level concealment methods that evaded our detection and wants to snatch this Bloodline Flood Dragon from our hands, they'll have to see if my 'Seven Star Sword' agrees!"

Despite saying this, the two of them tacitly increased the frequency of their Divine Sense patrols in the surrounding area, their hand seals becoming even steadier to ensure the Grand Array remained solid and without flaws.

In their view, the Bloodline Flood Dragon was already a turtle in a jar, a prize in their pocket; the only thing they needed to guard against was someone potentially "picking the peaches"... In a temporary Immortal Cave several miles away from the Grand Array.

Lu Qiu sat cross-legged by the spirit eye spring, listening intently to the movements outside.

"It has been a full two days since I last heard the Bloodline Flood Dragon's angry roar."

He calculated in his mind: "Before, I could still vaguely feel that violent aura crashing within the Formation, but now I can barely sense it... It seems this Level Five Yao Beast is truly at the end of its tether."

For Lu Qiu, who had been "trapped" in the Immortal Cave for a long time, this was undoubtedly good news.

Once the Bloodline Flood Dragon died, the Tianxing Sect's dragon-slaying operation would come to an end.

Those two Core Formation Cultivators would either process the dragon corpse on the spot or quickly return to their Sect with the treasure; in any case, they wouldn't stay here for long.

As soon as they left, this area would return to its former "peace."

At that time, he could leave this temporary Immortal Cave with peace of mind and first collect the silver Opportunities he had recorded during this period—the Iron-armored Crocodile corpse, Lu Yong's place of death, the Wind Thunder Falcon essence blood, and so on—before heading to the "Hidden Dragon Ravine" to explore that Core Formation Cultivator's Immortal Cave.

Thinking of this, a hint of anticipation couldn't help but rise in Lu Qiu's heart.

He suppressed his impatience and decided to wait patiently for two more days until everything outside had completely settled... Thus, another two days passed.

Inside the Immortal Cave, Lu Qiu was immersed in his insights from Cultivating the Xuanji Pupil.

This ancient Divine Ability specifically for the pupils was indeed extraordinarily profound; even with his Divine Sense based on the second layer of the Great Evolution Art, comprehending it was quite difficult.

Over the past month, he had constantly pondered the "Illusion-Breaking Spiritual Light" condensation method and the spiritual power circulation paths in the eye Meridians recorded in the Jade Slip, trying repeatedly and failing countless times.

At this moment, his eyes were slightly closed, his mind concentrated. Following a newly understood spiritual power vibration frequency, he cautiously guided a strand of pure Crimson Heaven Mana to flow slowly along a set of extremely minute and obscure peripheral eye Meridians.

Wherever the mana passed, there were bursts of aching and stinging pain, but Lu Qiu kept his mind steady, not daring to make the slightest error.

When this strand of mana painstakingly completed a minor cycle and finally flowed into a strange acupoint deep within the pupil—

Buzz!

Lu Qiu only felt a slight heat in his eyes, and then an extremely faint golden halo seemed to flash and vanish before him!

Although it disappeared in an instant and did not truly trigger the "Illusion-Breaking" power, that subtle feeling of his visual penetration increasing by a thread, which was completely different from usual, was real!

"It's done! I've finally grasped the basic threshold!" A surge of indescribable joy rose in Lu Qiu's heart.

Cultivating the Xuanji Pupil was difficult, but this first step of "Spiritual Power Pupil Nourishing" was finally a solid small step forward.

In time, with perseverance, it might not be impossible to preliminarily master this Divine Ability Secret Technique.

Just as his mind relaxed and he prepared to regulate his breathing to consolidate this small Breakthrough—

"ROAR—!!!!!!"

An earth-shaking roar, far more violent, tragic, and determined than any before, like a volcano that had accumulated for ten thousand years suddenly erupting, tore through the "peace" that had lasted for several days on the Panlong River without warning!

The pain, anger, madness, and will for destruction at all costs contained in this roar even penetrated layers of Formations, causing Lu Qiu's mind to shake violently and his blood and Qi to stagnate!

"What?!" Lu Qiu snapped his eyes open, the golden halo that had just settled completely dissipating, replaced by shock and vigilance.

He stood up instantly, instinctively wanting to rush out of the Immortal Cave to investigate.

But as soon as he moved, he stopped himself abruptly.

Outside was a life-and-death battlefield between Core Formation Cultivators and a Level Five Peak Yao Beast; any extra spiritual power fluctuation or aura leak could bring about a fatal disaster!

He forcibly suppressed the shock and curiosity in his heart, took a deep breath, sat back down cross-legged, and operated the Myriad Transformations Hidden Origin Art with all his strength to minimize his presence. At the same time, his Divine Sense was highly concentrated, but he only dared to cautiously "listen" to the spiritual power fluctuations outside at the edge of the Immortal Cave's Formation.

"A roar that had disappeared for nearly ten days... far more mad and violent than any before..."

Lu Qiu's thoughts raced: "Could it be that this Bloodline Flood Dragon was hiding its strength and accumulating power before? Only at this final moment did it use some high-cost life-saving secret technique for a final desperate struggle?"

...Above the river, at the core of the Heaven Burning Sea Boiling Grand Array.

The Bloodline Flood Dragon, which just a moment ago had been gasping for breath and seemingly on the verge of death, underwent an earth-shaking change!

Its massive body, nearly a hundred feet long, suddenly expanded as if it were being inflated!

The originally dull and charred dark red scales now seemed to be soaked in fresh blood, bursting with a blindingly scarlet light!

A terrifying aura, far more fierce and brutal than its previous Peak and faintly touching the threshold of another level, erupted from its body like a hurricane!

The most terrifying thing was within its wide-open bloody mouth!

A fist-sized, perfectly round orb of deep dark red, its surface naturally branded with profound golden patterns but now covered in fine cracks, was hovering before its mouth, spinning frantically and emitting destructive energy fluctuations!

It was the Life Yao Core the Bloodline Flood Dragon had painstakingly Cultivated for hundreds of years!

But at this moment, this Yao Core, which should have been lustrous and contained infinite Yao power, was like a glass ball about to shatter. Those golden patterns were writhing and burning like living things, frantically injecting strands of blood-colored energy—pure to the extreme yet also violent to the extreme—into the Bloodline Flood Dragon's body!

As for the Yao Core itself, after letting out an overburdened wail, a long, thin crack in the center suddenly expanded, almost piercing through the entire core body!

"This beast! It's actually damaging its Yao Core Origin to forcibly cast the 'Blood Sacrifice Pill Burning' technique!"

On the eastern mountain Peak, Elder Core Formation's face changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm. His hand seals changed repeatedly as he poured more mana into the Formation Plate, trying to stabilize the Grand Array, which was shaking violently due to the Bloodline Flood Dragon's surging aura!

"Not good! It wants to fight to the death! Its strength has instantly surged to the threshold of a Level Six Yao Beast!" On the western side, Elder Cao Yu's face was also ashen, filled with shock and anger.

The aura the Bloodline Flood Dragon was emitting now had already surpassed the Level Five Peak, faintly carrying the heart-palpitating pressure that only a Level Six Yao Beast possesses!

Although it was extremely unstable and clearly a brief explosion exchanged for overdrawing its life and Yao Core Origin, its destructive power was absolutely terrifying!

"The Yao Core is damaged; its value has plummeted! Damned beast!" Elder Cao Yu was both shocked and angry, his heart aching with regret.

A complete Level Five Peak Flood Dragon Yao Core was worth a fortune and was an excellent primary material for refining Medicinal Pills that could enhance strength!

Now that cracks had appeared and its Origin was heavily damaged, its effectiveness would drop by at least several tens of percent!

But now was not the time for regret.

The completely maddened and desperate Bloodline Flood Dragon let out a resolute roar that seemed as if it would shatter the Divine Soul, its scarlet eyes dead-locked on a certain node in the Grand Array's scarlet gold light screen that had become the weakest under the impact of its surging power after days of refinement!

Its expanded body suddenly arched, and the crack-filled Yao Core's blood light flared brilliantly!

"ROAR—!!!"

In the next instant, the Bloodline Flood Dragon, carrying a world-destroying momentum like a meteor burning with blood-flames, slammed violently into that Formation node!

The power of the Yao Core, the power of essence blood, along with the brief Level Six power it gained from burning its life, poured out without reservation!

"BOOM—!!!!!"

An unprecedentedly terrifying explosion occurred!

The scarlet gold light screen was like crystal struck by a giant hammer, emitting an ear-piercing, screeching sound of shattering!

At that node, countless flame runes were instantly annihilated, and spider-web-like cracks spread frantically from the point of impact!

Core Formation and Elder Cao Yu's faces turned deathly pale, and they spat out a mouthful of essence blood, desperately driving their Formation Plates in an attempt to mend the gap and stabilize the Grand Array.

But the power of the Bloodline Flood Dragon's desperate strike far exceeded their expectations!

"Crack—!"

A clear sound of breaking echoed through the heavens and earth!

The scarlet gold light screen had broken!

An irregular gap several yards in diameter, its edges flowing with scarlet gold and blood-colored flames, appeared abruptly on the Grand Array!

"Swoosh—!"

Almost the moment the gap appeared, the Bloodline Flood Dragon's massive body turned into a blurred blood-colored afterimage, carrying a resolute and tragic aura as it rushed out through the gap!

In an instant, it plunged into the rushing main channel of the Panlong River below and disappeared! It left only a thick, inseparable smell of blood and burning in the air, and a dark red trail on the river surface that was quickly smoothed over by the river water.

"Scoundrel!"

"Beast, don't you dare leave!"

Core Formation and Elder Cao Yu's eyes were nearly splitting, filled with shock and fury!

The cooked duck had actually flown away at the last moment!

Not only had it flown away, but it had also destroyed the complete Yao Core they were determined to obtain!

The two of them no longer cared about maintaining the broken Grand Array. Almost simultaneously, they turned into two dazzling starlight escape lights, carrying heaven-toppling anger and killing intent as they chased frantically in the direction the Bloodline Flood Dragon had fled—downstream of the Panlong River!

The scarlet gold "Heaven Burning Sea Boiling Grand Array" lost its controllers, and its radiance quickly dimmed and dissipated.

The boiling "sea of fire" on the river surface also gradually subsided, leaving only the river water in a scorched mess and the high temperature that lingered in the air for a long time.

In the mountain hollow Immortal Cave several miles away.

Although Lu Qiu had not witnessed it with his own eyes, he had already guessed the situation fairly accurately through the sudden explosion of terrifying energy impact outside, the ear-piercing sound of the Formation breaking, and the movement of the two Core Formation Cultivators' escape lights rushing away with undisguised shock and anger.

"The Bloodline Flood Dragon... actually escaped?" He was stunned for a moment, and then a very complex expression appeared on his face, as if he were sighing with emotion and also feeling lucky.

"The will to survive of a Level Five Peak Yao Beast... is indeed terrifying." He let out a soft breath, and his mind, which had been tense for a long time, finally slowly relaxed.

Although the process was unexpected, the result seemed... even more beneficial to him?

The two Tianxing Sect Core Formation Cultivators had gone to chase the dragon and would likely have no time for anything else in the short term.

This area was temporarily safe.

Lu Qiu's gaze turned toward the Panlong River outside the Immortal Cave, which was gradually returning to peace but still bore the traces of the great battle.

It was time to go out and move around.