C15 Blood Sect's Blood Sect Token

The aura of the Primordial Thunder Dragon lingering on Liu Yangshuo's body had obscured his face from the people in the passage, a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune.

"Phew, that was close," Liu Yangshuo exhaled in relief as he retrieved his long spear.

"You seem unfazed by that encounter. But let me be frank: you've landed yourself in hot water. Don't believe me? Check your chest."

With a roll of its eyes, the Primordial Thunder Dragon on his wrist chided Liu Yangshuo.

Bewildered, Liu Yangshuo hastily ripped open his shirt, only to discover a blood-red 'Blood Sect' insignia over his heart.

"What in the world is this?"

It was Liu Yangshuo's first encounter with such a thing, and he was visibly astonished.

"That's the Blood Sect's token. Anyone who issues it can locate you within a hundred meters, guaranteed. Think of it as their death warrant. Judging by the hue of that 'Blood Sect' mark, the issuer is no less than an elder."

The Primordial Thunder Dragon couldn't help but smirk at the predicament.

"What? So what am I supposed to do now? Live with a death warrant hanging over my head forever?"

Liu Yangshuo was genuinely rattled. Having slain an elder's disciple, his future path seemed fraught with peril.

"Don't panic. If it comes to it, just steer clear of the Blood Sect's members."

"But how will I know who's from the Blood Sect? And aren't you supposed to be my protector? Why can't you shield me? Surely the Primordial Thunder Dragon isn't intimidated by the Blood Sect?"

Liu Yangshuo couldn't hide his irritation at the dragon's nonchalant demeanor.

"It's not them I fear, but the power they wield. Ever been hunted by a Mortal Transcendence Stage puppet?"

The gravity in the Primordial Thunder Dragon's eyes deepened.

"Pfft, I refuse to believe you're scared of a Mortal Transcendence Stage puppet."

Liu Yangshuo wasn't certain of the Primordial Thunder Dragon's true strength, as the Divine Beast Catalogue lacked a detailed description, but it was undoubtedly beyond the Mortal Transcendence Stage—otherwise, it wouldn't be listed at the very end of the catalogue.

"I'm not scared of one Mortal Transcendence Stage puppet, but a hundred thousand?"

The thought of being pursued by a hundred thousand Mortal Transcendence Stage puppets still made the Primordial Thunder Dragon's skin crawl. If all those puppets were to self-destruct, even he would be reduced to nothing but ash.

"A hundred thousand? That's just absurd..."

Liu Yangshuo was flabbergasted. To put it into perspective, the entire population of Lostbrook was less than a hundred thousand. Imagine strolling through the streets of Lostbrook and every person you bump into being a Mortal Transcendence Stage master.

"Let's focus on the matter at hand—it's just the Blood Sect. I assure you, you'll be safe for the next three years. Now, go back and get to the bottom of this."

The Primordial Thunder Dragon was eager to move past the painful memories and pressed Liu Yangshuo to attend to urgent matters.

Reassured by the Primordial Thunder Dragon's promise, Liu Yangshuo nodded and stealthily made his way back to the City Lord's Mansion and rejoined the search team without drawing any attention.

Upon his return, Liu Yangshuo found Captain Wang awake, with the Heavenly Fragrance Bone Replenishing Ointment already working its magic.

Captain Wang revealed that the City Lord's meeting hadn't focused on the recent beast uprising. Instead, he had been pressed to surrender the search team's Kamesha Ape and was even instructed to capture a Spirit Transformation Demonic Beast every other day—a clear death sentence for the search team.

Captain Wang had refused, only to be blindsided by the City Lord's enforcer, who inflicted severe injuries with a single strike and subjected him to a full day of brutal interrogation. Only when Captain Wang was on the brink of death did they release him.

"It looks like he's intent on creating his own personal army of the living dead. But he's got guts, targeting the central circle of the Yilan Mine. The creatures there are way out of his league."

The Primordial Thunder Dragon sneered with contempt. Clearly, the old Taoist was oblivious to the true extent of his own power.

Liu Yangshuo remained silent, aware that turmoil was about to engulf Lostbrook. It was likely that he would no longer be able to stay in the city.

Sure enough, by the next morning, the City Lord's Mansion was thrown into disarray. The City Lord was dead, the priest had vanished, and it was only through the joint efforts of Captain Wang and the Royal Guards that the public's panic was quelled. It was then that Liu Yangshuo informed Captain Wang of his decision to leave.

After a moment's consideration, Captain Wang made no attempt to persuade Liu Yangshuo to stay, recognizing that Liu Yangshuo's destiny lay elsewhere.

With that, Liu Yangshuo quickly packed his belongings and led his horse away from the search team.

"So, kid, where to next?" the Primordial Thunder Dragon asked, yawning.

"Uh... It's over four months until we reach the Ten Thousand Beast Sect. I'm not sure where to go in the meantime; I guess I'll just find a place to practice cultivation."

Liu Yangshuo was momentarily stumped by the question. His initial plan was to train at Yilan Mine, but that was before encountering the Primordial Thunder Dragon. With the divine beast by his side, there was no longer a need to seek out spiritual mines.

"You ungrateful little rascal," the dragon chided. "I've been running around helping you for the past two days. Don't you think you owe me a decent meal? Or would you rather I fry you with a bolt of lightning?"

With a flick of its tongue, the dragon released a spark of electricity, making Liu Yangshuo's hair stand on end.

"Enough with the shocks! I'm taking you now!" Liu Yangshuo quickly mounted his horse and headed straight for the nearest restaurant.

"Boss, give us a full spread from your menu!"

Liu Yangshuo's voice boomed out before he even dismounted. By the time he reached the ground, the waiter was already at the door, beaming with anticipation.

"Coming right up! A full spread for our esteemed guest!"

They feasted from noon until evening, and under the cover of darkness, a man, a dragon, and a horse quietly left the city.

Stuffed to the brim, the Primordial Thunder Dragon was too bloated to wrap around Liu Yangshuo's wrist and instead lay stretched out across the horse's back.

Liu Yangshuo peered into his wallet, unable to stop the painful tears from falling. The meal he had just finished had drained his last penny, leaving his wallet spotless—cleaner than his own face.

"Why the tears? Why so melodramatic?" the Primordial Thunder Dragon inquired, belching contentedly.

"It's easy for you to say; it wasn't your money. I'm flat broke now. I won't even have anything to eat later on," Liu Yangshuo retorted, giving the Primordial Thunder Dragon a sidelong glance. Due to the dragon's voracious appetite, they were now completely out of provisions.

"Don't be so petty. I don't freeload. I'll make good on my promise about the dragon qi, not a wisp less. Rest assured. About five hundred miles to the east, there's a secluded valley. No one's there. You can use it as a place to cultivate for the next few months," the Primordial Thunder Dragon said, pointing eastward before promptly falling asleep.

Reassured by the mention of dragon qi, Liu Yangshuo managed to console himself, feeling a tad more at peace.