C5 Don't Bother Me!

Three drops of blood, swirling like miniature dragons at the bottom of the jade bottle, lunged at Zhao Xiaoqi the moment the bottle was unsealed. Suddenly, the air itself seemed to thicken with the presence of dragon might.

Disciples with weaker cultivation stumbled, their legs turning to jelly, nearly collapsing under the weight of the aura. Their eyes widened with awe and fear. If mere droplets could unleash such power, what havoc would a living, breathing dragon wreak?

It's over!

That young man is doomed!

Not even a deity could shield him from such overwhelming force! That was the collective thought, but their disbelief soon took over as they witnessed the scene unfold.

Zhao Xiaoqi merely furrowed his brow at the oncoming assault of the three small dragons. With an effortless flick of his wrist, he dispersed them into nothingness. He scoffed internally. Having refined a Divine King Stage Dragon Pearl into his Dantian, what threat could three drops of blood possibly pose?

"So, it all makes sense now," Zhao Xiaoqi mused, a look of realization dawning on his face. The familiar aura—he had encountered it on Faang Hee's wound just two days prior. It appeared that a prominent figure from the Dragon Clan had pieced together the demise of their Ninth Prince and had tracked the clues here, leading to a fierce battle with Faang Hee, leaving both parties grievously wounded.

"This is not something you can handle," Zhao Xiaoqi said, turning to Tang Xin and the others. "Your cultivation is far too weak. Possessing the essence blood of a Divine King Dragon will only spell disaster for you."

"We're not alone!" Tang Xin blurted out, her voice laced with urgency as she anticipated Zhao Xiaoqi's concerns. "We have two elders accompanying us. They were held back by a formidable foe but should be here shortly!"

"Elders?" Zhao Xiaoqi inquired, a hint of interest in his tone. "What is the level of your elders' cultivation?"

"The ninth layer of Rebirth," she replied.

"The ninth layer of Rebirth?" Zhao Xiaoqi glanced skyward at the formidable demon above and shook his head. The ninth layer of Rebirth was on par with that creature—no more, no less.

It was simply too feeble.

Such treasures were beyond the reach of weaklings like them.

"Hand it over to me. Keeping it will only draw an endless stream of pursuers..."

Zhao Xiaoqi shook his head, pocketing the jade bottle amidst Tang Xin and the others' gazes, filled with a mix of frustration and anger. Yet, none of the surrounding disciples dared to make a move.

They had all witnessed Zhao Xiaoqi's effortless dispersion of the dragon blood essence with a mere slap.

Clearly, he was not someone they could provoke!

"Excuse me, which way to the Vreazia Kingdom?" Zhao Xiaoqi inquired after securing the dragon blood.

Tang Xin, still dazed by the earlier display of power, pointed in a direction almost reflexively upon hearing his question.

"Thank you!" With a grateful smile, Zhao Xiaoqi turned to leave, his every stride spanning a hundred yards.

"Hold on!"

The moment Zhao Xiaoqi was nearly out of sight, the formidable demon at the forefront called out. He had invested too much to let the dragon blood slip away.

Zhao Xiaoqi's presence was odd, exerting a pressure even on him.

Yet, after careful scrutiny, the demon concluded that Zhao Xiaoqi was merely a mortal without any cultivation.

"A single-horned Flood Dragon?"

Zhao Xiaoqi glanced back at the demon and shook his head. "I know what you're after. You wish to acquire the Divine Dragon's bloodline and transform. But these three drops of blood are overwhelmingly potent. You'd be torn apart by the energy within."

"I'll manage without your concern!"

The Flood Dragon's demeanor chilled as he thrust his palm forward, summoning a colossal palm from the heavens, massive enough to eclipse the sun.

Seeking death?

Zhao Xiaoqi's pupils narrowed as he calmly lifted his own palm.

Boom!

In a flash!

A fearsome force erupted, the dormant power within his bloodline stirring to life. Behind Zhao Xiaoqi, a towering Clouded Tree materialized, its verdant canopy blotting out the sky.

Beneath the Clouded Tree sat a Human Emperor, the Golden Wing Roc fluttering in his left hand, the Divine Dragon spiraling in his right, their forms nearly filling the firmament.

Beneath the Clouded Tree, the Human Emperor and Zhao Xiaoqi moved in unison, their palms halfway raised.

Gulp!

That was the sound of a single-horned Flood Dragon swallowing nervously. Gazing upon the towering visage of the Human Emperor beneath the Clouded Tree, it was gripped by the terror of impending death. A mere lift of the Human Emperor's finger would seal its fate!

Simultaneously, Zhao Xiaoqi's icy voice pierced the silence.

"Surrender, or face death?"

In the valley, two parties made their way forward at a measured pace. On closer inspection, one could recognize them as the same group from the Grand One Holy Land seen a few days prior. The difference now was the addition of a carriage trailing behind them.

At the reins was a man distinguished by a single horn atop his head. The horses drawing the carriage were no ordinary beasts; their bodies were sheathed in scales, their muscles rippling with strength, effortlessly pulling the massive carriage.

Disciples from the Grand One Holy Land occasionally cast glances their way, only to quickly avert their eyes, their faces etched with complexity.

A Ninth Layer Rebirth Realm Great Demon was at the helm, while two initial stage Rebirth Realm Great Demons served as the steeds. Such luxury was unheard of, even for their Holy Land's Holy Lord.

"Loong San..." Zhao Xiaoqi called out as he parted the carriage curtains, revealing his face. "How far are we from the Vreazia Kingdom?"

Observing the burly man dutifully driving the carriage, Zhao Xiaoqi was torn between amusement and exasperation.

Just a few days ago, Loong San had confronted him, seeking three drops of dragon blood. Zhao Xiaoqi, not one to seek conflict yet unwilling to be trampled upon, had unleashed his aura and posed the ultimatum: surrender or die.

To Zhao Xiaoqi's bemusement, Loong San had not hesitated for a second before kneeling in submission.

With their leader yielding, the other two had no grounds for defiance.

And so, the three Great Demons had willingly become Zhao Xiaoqi's subordinates.

"Young Master, we are approximately a thousand miles from the Vreazia Kingdom," came the reply.

Loong San gripped the reins firmly and respectfully addressed those at the front of the carriage, "With the stamina of Brandug and Xyret, if we manage to shake off these disciples from the Grand One Holy Land, we'll make it to the Vreazia Kingdom within a day."

Brandug and Xyret, the horses Loong San referred to, were no ordinary steeds. These were exceptional horses, each with a hint of Flood Dragon lineage, naturally swift and enduring travelers.

Of course, this was a noteworthy feat only within the lower realms. After all, seeing a mighty demon of the Bodiless Stage relegated to pulling a carriage was a first for Loong San.

"Let's just follow along behind them..."

Zhao Xiaoqi gave a slight shake of his head and let the curtain fall back into place. An old saying from his previous life on another planet echoed in his mind: "He who eats another's bread does his bidding."

Faang Hee had mentioned the Grand One Holy Land, a sect founded out of boredom over a hundred thousand years ago, and even he hadn't taken it seriously.

Yet, Zhao Xiaoqi had indeed benefited greatly from Faang Hee's largesse.

Guarding them on this journey seemed a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Through conversation, Zhao Xiaoqi had learned from Tang Xin that the Grand One Holy Land was also situated within the Vreazia Kingdom.

Since their paths aligned, it made sense to extend a helping hand.

Creak!

The sound came from Zhao Xiaoqi's clenched fist.

With days of acclimation, he had at last fully mastered the power of his new body, no longer causing the ground to collapse with every step.

The formidable nature of the dragon pearl and his other bloodlines was becoming increasingly apparent.

All he had to do was sit idly in the carriage each day, and the dragon pearl would operate autonomously, continuously drawing in the essence of heaven and earth. Purified by the dragon pearl and filtered through his divine bloodlines, this essence became a highly refined force that nourished his body.

In just a few days, his cultivation had advanced from non-existent to the Third Layer of the Body.

Though it was only the Third Layer, it was important to acknowledge the significance of such progress.

Only a few days ago, Zhao Xiaoqi was a complete novice in cultivation, without a shred of progress to his name. Yet, at the pace he's going now, Zhao Xiaoqi could do nothing but eat, drink, and sleep, and he'd still break through to the Manifestation Stage within a month. If word of his rapid advancement got out, it's certain that some would see him as a freak of nature, capturing him to study his extraordinary abilities.

But for Zhao Xiaoqi, cultivation isn't all that useful at the moment. His combat prowess can't be measured by his level of cultivation alone. He may only be at the Third Layer of the Body, but with the strongest physique ever known, even Loong San of the Bodiless Stage must act with deference around him.

Despite cultivation not being his current priority, Zhao Xiaoqi knows he must continue to elevate his realm. Through recent introspection and self-refinement, he's realized that many of his powerful bloodline potentials remain untapped. These abilities are exceptionally rare and confer a unique advantage.

They are only slightly less formidable than the celestial treasures of the Human Emperor bloodline and the Dragon Pearl, which have kept them dormant. But as Zhao Xiaoqi's realm steadily advances, these bloodline powers will gradually be unleashed. Once fully unlocked, his body will reach its ultimate form.

Bang!

This revelation was interrupted as Zhao Xiaoqi, deeply engrossed in analyzing his physique, was jolted by a sudden thud. The ground itself seemed to quiver beneath him.

"Young Master," came a voice, "the people from the Grand One Holy Land may be facing some trouble."