Chapter 78: Slaying the Flood Dragon

“Master Chao Tong, my brother and I have come to lend you a hand!” As the two approached, one lunged at Qian Cai, while the other landed before Lin Feng, sneering coldly.

Qian Cai, eager to show off before his junior, now wore a look of panic. If something befell his little junior, it would be a disaster. Qian Cai could at least flee if defeated, but Lin Feng did not even possess the skill of sword flight.

But the Poisonfire Flood Dragon was a ruthless foe, wielding a magical weapon crafted from the only horn atop his head. The agony of losing that horn was beyond ordinary endurance. Chao Tong, desperate for superiority, would pay any price, all for a fleeting favor from the Dragon Emperor—no sacrifice was too great.

Qian Cai, wielding the Scarlet Flame Vermilion Flower, clashed fiercely with Chao Tong’s Azure Prison Poisonfire. Both men split their focus—magical weapons crossing and colliding. On one side, blazing flames set half the sky aglow, neither able to break free. The smallest misstep would see one roasted alive by the other's fire.

Of the two newly arrived demon cultivators, one hovered in midair, seeking a chance to ambush Qian Cai. The other, gripping a spiked mace, leered at Lin Feng and said, “You dare steal Master Chao Tong’s treasure? Even an immortal descended from heaven couldn’t save you today. Surrender your life to me, Mo Jiang. After your death, I’ll make sure to burn you some paper offerings every year at this time.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I have no desire to be devoured by a crocodile with such a foul, fishy stench. Only your death will suffice!” Lin Feng’s words had barely fallen when the Mourning Sun Sword in his hand flashed to Mo Jiang’s chest, heat and swordlight striking together. He moved with the blade—a dazzling execution of the “Draw Sword” technique from the Phantom Cloud Sword Art!

Drawing and striking—two of the simplest movements, yet at the very core of the Phantom Cloud Sword Art, fused with Elder Ye Kun’s unique swordplay. The “Draw Sword” technique was exceptionally swift. Combined with the Rain-Stepping Star-Plucking footwork, in a blink it threatened to sever Mo Jiang’s sternum. Mo Jiang only sneered, gripping his mace tightly as green light erupted—“Boom!” The weapons clashed ferociously.

At that instant, Lin Feng’s left hand moved. A bronze figure, ten feet tall, appeared in a flash, crashing down toward Mo Jiang’s head!

Boom! The bronze man landed on the rocky peak, shaking the barren mountain to its roots. Mo Jiang’s head burst like a watermelon, blood and brain matter splattering in all directions, his body smashed to pulp, dead without a whole corpse remaining.

Thus, a Scaled Fire Crocodile at the Shapeshifting Stage was slain in a single blow, without even a chance to scream. Overhead, Mo Jiang’s twin, Mo Hai, erupted in fury, his eyes brimming with venomous hatred. With a shrill cry, he plunged down from the clouds.

“I’ll swallow you alive!”

A flash of red: the massive true form of the fire crocodile tumbled down from the sky. The Scaled Fire Crocodile stretched fully five or six fathoms long, its barrel-like belly tough as a pill furnace, each scale as large as a human palm and flickering with fire. It opened its bloodstained jaws, fangs hanging like daggers, maw black as an abyss—a monstrous creature, intent on swallowing Lin Feng whole.

“Wind Step!” Just as that gaping maw snapped down, Lin Feng shot into the sky like an arrow, dodging the savage bite.

Thunder shook the earth as the Scaled Fire Crocodile, its fangs like steel, slammed into the cliffside, sending tremors through mountain and stone.

Foiled, the crocodile reared up, lashing its steel-whip tail at Lin Feng in the air—so swift and forceful that the very air split, hissing with flames.

“Piercing Sword!” A crimson blade-light swirled around the crocodile’s tail, Lin Feng spinning with the force, unleashing dozens of rapid thrusts at the fiery tail. The sword whistled through the air, fire flashing as the enormous scales shattered, blood spraying. The giant beast howled in pain, tail thrashing wildly as it turned to snarl at Lin Feng: “I’ll mince you into pulp!”

With a backward thrust, his sword embedded in the mountaintop, shattering stone. Lin Feng flipped nimbly through the air, landing steadily atop the peak. Having slain Mo Jiang, his confidence swelled. After all, these two were peerless among Foundation Establishment cultivators, while he still lagged far behind.

“Ugly brute! If you want death, come and get it!” Lin Feng wiped blood from his face and spat.

Enraged, the Scaled Fire Crocodile swept its tail across the rocks with a thunderous crash, its massive body surging toward Lin Feng like a tidal wave. At the same time, its jaws spewed a jet of scarlet flame, fast as lightning.

“Severing Fire!” Lin Feng raised his hand, releasing a stream of azure earth-fire, vaulting once more into the sky.

Missing again, Mo Hai was furious. If not for Lin Feng’s quick dodging, he’d have been scorched alive. Tumbling aside, he barely escaped.

Across the sky, the duel between Qian Cai and Chao Tong reached its climax. Chao Tong’s true form—a Purpleflame Flood Dragon—spanned forty or fifty yards, thick as a water tank, clad in violet scales, bald-headed and hornless, with a row of spines down its back glinting cold and sharp. Four claws slashed as it spewed deadly fire, battling Qian Cai with fury.

This was a Flood Dragon newly ascended to the Core Formation Stage, its cultivation barely mature, yet it fought desperately over two Fire Serpent Fruits.

Facing such an even match, Qian Cai unleashed his trump card: two Heavenly Thunderburst Talismans. Rolling thunder pierced the dragon’s chest and belly, leaving charred, gruesome wounds. Scales split and crumbled to dust, flesh burned black and scabbed.

“Roooar…” The pain wrung a tortured howl from the Purpleflame Flood Dragon, its cry echoing over the wilds.

“This is bad!” Qian Cai paled. If he couldn’t finish the dragon quickly, and other masters from the Nine Dragons Hall—or a true dragon—arrived, they’d be doomed.

“Heavenly City Spiritfire Array!” Surging flames engulfed the Purpleflame Flood Dragon, four pillars of fire locking its body, scorching it mercilessly!

“Ah… Lin Feng! The Nine Dragons Hall will never let you go! Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor, avenge Chao Tong!” Trapped, the dragon coiled around a pillar, twisting it into a corkscrew with sheer force.

“He’s about to break free!” A cold light flashed in Qian Cai’s eyes. The five-colored Coin Seal shot before him, expanding to the size of a millstone, slashing toward the dragon’s neck.

With his foe fallen, the Dragonhorn Blade spun straight for Qian Cai, its black light swirling with terrifying speed.

Thud! Thud! Two muffled impacts—the Purpleflame Flood Dragon’s head half torn away, while Qian Cai was struck by the Dragonhorn Blade, sent flying for dozens of yards, crashing into the distant forest.

A hoarse, dying roar escaped the flood dragon’s jaws, echoing long in the sky. With Chao Tong dead, his vast body crashed down, smashing trees and rocks, billows of dust sweeping the mountains.

Hearing of Chao Tong’s death, Mo Hai panicked. He’d meant to please Chao Tong and win some reward, but instead found himself facing disaster. His brother was dead, the Purpleflame Hall Master slain—far beyond his expectations.

Terror-stricken, he resolved to flee. With a feigned attack of his massive tail—timed to Lin Feng’s dodge—he shot skyward, transformed into human form, and fled desperately into the wilds.

“He ran?” Lin Feng was stunned.

“We can’t let him escape!” Qian Cai, clutching his chest, dragged himself from the forest, coughing blood, yet Mo Hai had vanished.

“Second Senior Brother, how badly are you hurt?” Seeing Qian Cai’s ashen face, Lin Feng was alarmed.

“I’ll live,” Qian Cai replied, struggling to rise into the air. With several incantations, he stored the Purpleflame Flood Dragon’s corpse in a mustard seed pouch, swiftly cleaned the battlefield, seized Lin Feng, and soared away on his magical treasure.

“Who would have thought Second Senior Brother, for all his plain looks, could be so formidable—he even slew a flood dragon.” Lin Feng’s heart brimmed with admiration, unaware that Qian Cai’s own heart was pounding with terror. They had just committed robbery at someone’s doorstep—should another master arrive, neither would escape.

Scarcely a stick of incense after their flight, four clouds surged up from the wilds—two of violet leading, a golden cloud in the center, and a black cloud in the rear. The four clouds rose, blotting out the blazing sun, and sped straight toward the scene of the carnage.