Beneath the clear blue sky, the green light that had sprung from Li Ye's fingertip suddenly split first into two, then four, then eight…
In the blink of an eye, it multiplied into seventy-two strands, weaving together into a formation that completely enveloped the third-rank Black Flood Dragon.
In midair, a misty green haze spread out, and the illusory shadows of countless flowers, grasses, and trees appeared, spiraling toward the dragon to strangle it.
The Black Flood Dragon, having just thrown Oucha and the others from its back, lowered its head a single horn gleaming fiercely as it crackled with lightning, ready to summon thunder.
But it was instantly sealed off.
Its connection to external water vapor and spiritual energy was completely severed, drastically weakening its might.
"We from Thousand Island Water City came with good intentions to offer congratulations, and you dare attack us outright? Such disrespect!"
The third-rank Black Flood Dragon roared in fury.
As expected of a spirit beast raised by human cultivators even at a time like this, it tried to manipulate the situation with words, attempting to sway Li Ye's resolve.
But what use was that against Li Ye? Or against the gathered cultivators?
No matter how clever a third-rank Black Flood Dragon might be, it could not command the allegiance of Thousand Island Water City.
Would the cultivators here trust a newly ascended human Golden Core or a beast?
And once it was defeated, it would lose any chance of influencing the situation!
Li Ye remained calm, a faint smile on his lips. The Verdant Spirit Light evolved into a formation, pressing down even harder, clearly intending to completely immobilize the dragon.
"How dare you humiliate me like this!"
Seeing Li Ye completely unmoved, the Black Flood Dragon, unable to summon external water vapor, could only unleash its innate divine ability: channeling thunder through its horn.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thunder raged, sweeping aside the green mist and the illusory plants. But when the black-blue lightning struck the formation itself the essence of the Verdant Spirit Light momentarily stalled.
Since breaking through to the Golden Core stage, Li Ye's Verdant Spirit arts have been greatly refined. His secret techniques were now far more condensed and profound, forming a divine light with a hint of true mystical power.
The brilliant light, arranged in a formation, even gave rise to faint spatial distortions. As the black-blue lightning collided, it was redirected and entangled, coiling tighter and tighter until it was compressed into a ball of lightning.
With a casual motion, Li Ye summoned the ball into his palm.
At that moment, the Black Flood Dragon seized the opportunity. Its long body twisted sharply, and it lunged forward. Gathering thunder at its claws, it tore apart a portion of the Verdant Spirit formation and broke free!
"Roar!"
Splaaash!
Dark waters surged forth, as thick as ink, laced with crackling threads of lightning.
The third-rank Black Flood Dragon soared into the air, opened its maw, and spat out a torrent of black water infused with lightning, sweeping toward Li Ye like a raging river.
Such overwhelming power if any cultivator below the Core Formation stage were caught in it, they would be instantly drowned by the condensed dark waters and the lightning within, their bodies destroyed, their souls annihilated.
The scene made many of the watching cultivators lose their composure, their faces filled with panic and fear.
"Ah! No!"
Yu Xiaoshan and Yu Lijun clenched their fists, their hearts tight with worry. A young girl nearby even shrieked and covered her eyes, unable to bear watching what she thought would be a tragic scene.
In her innocent view, the Black Flood Dragon was fierce and gigantic, while Li Ye, in comparison, was no bigger than a grain of rice how could he possibly survive?
Yet facing the overwhelming flood, Li Ye showed no fear. Instead, he smiled lightly and murmured,
"Since breaking through to Golden Core, I have obtained several new divine arts… and with water giving birth to wood, your water and thunder just happen to make the perfect catalyst for me…"
As he spoke, the condensed water-thunder trapped by the Verdant Spirit Light in Li Ye's hand suddenly began to transform. Threads of lightning, now infused with Verdant Spirit light, split into two distinct strands of azure thunder.
Jiamu Divine Thunder!
Yimu Divine Thunder!
One representing Yang, the other Yin together, they were the supreme manifestations of wood-element lightning arts.
According to the secret techniques recorded in the Wood God Art, once these two divine thunders were cultivated to profound depths, they could be fused into a complete supreme technique.
The Great Yin-Yang Verdant Divine Thunder!
Although Li Ye had only just achieved this step and could not yet fully merge them, for now, each strand acting independently was more than enough to deal with the Black Flood Dragon!
With a flick of his fingers
Boom! Boom!
Thunderous explosions rang out as if all things were sprouting with life. The surrounding trees and grasses visibly flourished, brimming with vibrant energy.
The Jiamu Divine Thunder, embodying Yang and firmness, shot forward first like a mighty, unyielding tree, cleaving into the surging black waters.
Lightning flashed, and black water burst apart!
Droplets scattered like stars across the sky, raining down toward the massive tree platforms, causing many cultivators nearby to almost jump up in alarm.
But they quickly realized that most of the water's power had already been dispersed. When it struck the protective arrays fused with the giant trees, it merely sparked faint glimmers of green light and caused the platforms to sway slightly leaving them otherwise unharmed.
Embarrassed smiles crossed the faces of those who had instinctively ducked or shielded themselves.
When they looked up again, they saw that no one else had even noticed all eyes remained locked on the fierce battle between man and beast.
Relieved, they eagerly turned back to the fight.
Only to hear another thunderous blast, followed by a pained roar from the Black Flood Dragon!
"Argh!"
The Jiamu Divine Thunder had broken open the black waters, and the Yimu Divine Thunder, clinging stealthily to it, suddenly surged upward along the trail of spiritual energy and exploded directly against the dragon's head!
The strike blasted green smoke from the Black Flood Dragon's mouth. It howled in agony, its massive body twisting as it tried to flee.
Its movements now betrayed a hint of panic.
Watching from a distance, the Thousand Island Water City delegation paled.
Disaster!
Li Ye had only just broken through to Golden Core, and he already wielded such fearsome divine arts?!
"You dare wound me like this... I will make you pay!"
The third-rank Black Flood Dragon's deafening roar echoed across the red mountains and skies, thick with murderous fury.
Grievously wounded, the beast's savagery was finally unleashed.
Its scales flared blood-red, dark waters condensed around its body, and sinister water-element lightning flickered between its claws.
It spun through the air and hurled itself straight at Li Ye!
For demon beasts, innate divine abilities were powerful but their true peak potential emerged when combined with their battle-hardened bodies.
Now, the Black Flood Dragon was using a desperate, all-or-nothing assault!
"Uncle Black Flood! Stop, stop immediately!"
Oucha shouted frantically, his face stricken with panic.
If either the Black Flood Dragon or Li Ye was badly wounded here, Thousand Island Water City would be left vulnerable. Should the Bone Demon or Feather Fiend two powerful rogue Golden Core cultivators strike now, they could wipe them all out!
Oucha tried to use his spirit beast command token to restrain the dragon, but ever since the death of Bihu Sanren, the token's control over it had weakened significantly.
Now, in its berserk fury, the Black Flood Dragon could not be stopped!
The dragon swooped down, its claws slashing toward Li Ye
Li Ye's gaze remained calm. He simply raised his hand and formed a new incantation, summoning streaks of Verdant Spirit Light from the sky.
"These tricks again… You think that alone can stop me?!"
The Black Flood Dragon roared disdainfully only for its expression to abruptly change.
In that brief instant, the Verdant Spirit Light had shifted and now carried the aura of Dragon-Subduing Wood!
The Verdant Spirit lights morphed in form, transforming into sharp wooden spikes that sped toward the dragon.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
What appeared to be ordinary wooden spikes easily pierced through the dragon's scaly defenses, driving deep into its flesh!
The Black Flood Dragon howled in agony once more, its aura visibly weakening with each spike embedded into its body.
In a mere blink, seventy-two spikes had lodged throughout its form.
The dragon could no longer struggle. It hung helplessly in the air, pinned in place, utterly immobilized!
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