C10 Let's Try Our Best!

The black flood dragon had assumed it would easily dispatch the insignificant human before it. After all, those who had ventured here before had failed to evade their fate of being consumed, and it seemed Liu Changqing was destined to be just another morsel.

But as the battle unfolded, the black flood dragon realized its error.

This diminutive human was adept in the arcane arts.

"Roar!"

Enraged, as though it had been challenged, the black flood dragon bared its razor-sharp teeth and unleashed a billowing cloud of black venom at Liu Changqing.

"Boom!"

With a casual wave of his hand, Liu Changqing summoned a pale blue shield that materialized before him, repelling the toxic cloud.

The venom hissed and crackled against the barrier, trying in vain to corrode it, but the shield remained unbroken.

"Fiend! Meet your end!"

Once the venom had cleared, Liu Changqing dismissed the shield with a flick of his wrist. Channeling the spiritual energy within, he swiftly traced a rune in the air, which glowed with a golden radiance as though branded upon the very fabric of space.

"Sky-Suppressing Seal!"

Liu Changqing pressed his palm against the floating rune, launching it at the black flood dragon.

This was the Sky-Suppressing Seal, a move Liu Changqing had conceived in a past life. At the zenith of his power as the Immortal Emperor, he could use it to subdue entire planets. Were his current strength not so diminished, this black flood dragon would be annihilated in moments.

Yet even now, a technique birthed by the Immortal Emperor held formidable power. The Sky-Suppressing Seal surged forward, a cataclysmic force bearing down on the black flood dragon.

"Ang!"

Sensing the overwhelming force of the Sky-Suppressing Seal, the black flood dragon let out a defiant roar and sprang from the lake, hurtling towards the impending doom.

Its golden horns gleamed as it sought to break through the Sky-Suppressing Seal with its colossal physique.

"Bam!"

The Seal collided with the black flood dragon, eliciting a pained howl, yet it failed to inflict a fatal blow.

Liu Changqing never anticipated that his current level of power would be insufficient to inflict any damage on the black flood dragon. How ancient must this creature be to have such impenetrable hide? Yet, even more frustrating was the scarcity of spiritual energy on Dookdil—it was practically nonexistent!

Had there been the slightest trace of spiritual energy, the Heaven Suppressing Seal would have been formidable, bolstered by that power. As it was, what good did it do, aside from mildly irritating the black flood dragon?

In the past, he wielded the Heaven Suppressing Seal to dominate realms, but now, he couldn't even subdue a black flood dragon. The thought of such a downfall was mortifying!

"Boom!"

The black flood dragon's tail descended like a meteor, aiming for Liu Changqing's position.

A thunderous crash echoed as Liu Changqing vanished from his spot, leaving behind a crater two meters deep.

"Roar!"

Annoyed by Liu Changqing's swift evasion, the black flood dragon bared its massive jaws and lunged at him.

With a quick sidestep, Liu Changqing repositioned himself behind the car he had just abandoned. Channeling his spiritual energy, he delivered a powerful kick to the car door, sending the vehicle soaring toward the gaping maw of the black flood dragon.

"Crunch!"

The black flood dragon effortlessly shattered the car with its bite, swallowing it whole.

"Seriously? That's brutal! Doesn't it worry about indigestion?"

Liu Changqing was astounded by the black flood dragon's ferocity. Once, he could have easily crushed such a creature, which seemed no more significant than a mere insect to him. But times had changed.

Stripped of his powers and stranded on the spiritually barren Dookdil, inhabiting Liu Changqing's body, he was left with nothing—how could he possibly cultivate now?

Even as the Evergreen King, he was reduced to being overpowered and outmatched.

"Crash!"

Liu Changqing realized he couldn't afford a prolonged battle with the black flood dragon; he was clearly outclassed. Escaping was imperative.

But how? Glancing at the remaining cars, he kicked another one into the air, hurtling it toward the black flood dragon. The beast prepared to crush the car with its teeth, but Liu Changqing was already making his next move.

"Eternal Changqing Strike!"

Liu Changqing channeled his spiritual energy, unleashing a streak of green light that screamed through the air like lightning, striking the car directly at the fuel tank.

The green light pierced the tank, and in a flash, the vehicle erupted in a fiery explosion.

"Aooo!"

The black flood dragon had barely opened its mouth when the car detonated, the tremendous force shattering several of its teeth and filling its mouth with blood. Its body recoiled, tumbling backward into the lake.

The water turned crimson in moments, but Liu Changqing had no time to concern himself with the dragon's fate. He sprinted into the distance.

"Wretched beast, mark my words! Once this emperor's powers have further ascended, I shall return to claim your internal dan and forge a water spirit!"

Liu Changqing's silhouette darted into the woods, vanishing swiftly.

"Roar!"

After Liu Changqing's departure, the lake's surface burst as the black flood dragon reemerged, but Liu Changqing was nowhere to be seen. The dragon let out an enraged bellow to the heavens, though grievously wounded, it was forced to retreat to the lake's depths to heal. It would seek out Liu Changqing for vengeance once recovered.

...

In the eastern district of Gliatol, within the Cloud Tide Heavenly Realm.

Here lay one of the city's most opulent villas, home to the wealthy and esteemed. Each standalone villa was perched at the mountain's base, mid-slope, or summit.

The higher the elevation, the steeper the price; the higher the location, the more distinguished the resident.

Atop the Cloud Tide Heavenly Realm, within one such villa, Tang Zhenye cautiously extracted a pill ground by Chiang Huangqi from Liu Changqing's formula.

"Grandfather, are you truly going to give this to Grandma?"

Tang Qingshan eyed the dark pill with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"I trust him."

Tang Zhenye's life was a tapestry of experiences, from building a business from scratch to amassing a vast family fortune. Many sought his secret to success, but he had only one: judging character.

He was confident in his discernment. A Master like Liu Changqing could take his life with a mere gesture, so there was no reason for him to harm his beloved wife.

"But even Divine Doctor Chiang isn't certain about this pill. Grandpa, we can't afford to take this kind of risk!" Tang Qingshan expressed his concerns with unease.

Despite Liu Changqing's formidable skills, it didn't mean he had medical knowledge! This was no laughing matter; it could be a matter of life and death!

"Exactly! Dad, you can't put your faith in a charlatan! If even Divine Doctor Chiang has doubts, how can we possibly administer it to Mom?" chimed in a middle-aged man who had been quiet until now.

Dressed in a suit, he appeared slightly portly, but he exuded an aura of authority that seemed to weigh heavily on those around him—a presence cultivated from years in a position of power.

This man was none other than the Tang family's second son and Tang Qingshan's father—Tang Xingye.

"Do you really think I've become senile?" Tang Zhenye bristled with irritation upon seeing his second son step forward to challenge him.

Tang Qingshan is young and naive, but what's your excuse?

Have I really become so feeble-minded that I'd blindly trust just anyone?

"I wouldn't dare," Tang Xingye responded, a powerful figure in his own right, yet in the presence of Tang Zhenye's piercing stare, he found himself bowing his head, unable to meet his father's eyes.

"Your mother has been by my side her entire life, enduring countless hardships. I can't just let her slip away. We've exhausted every option we could think of. Do we have any alternatives left? No! If there's even the slightest glimmer of hope, I'm willing to grasp at it! Moreover, I believe in him! I have this gut feeling—he can heal your mother's sickness!"

With a resolute look in his eyes, Tang Zhenye disregarded the objections of those around him and gently placed the pill into the mouth of the old woman on the bed, who was barely clinging to life.