"Roaaar"
The Black Flood Dragon was pinned mid-air, trembling uncontrollably, unable to move. Its anguished cries echoed across the sky.
The disciples of Thousand Island Water City were all stunned, their faces filled with shock and fear.
The third-rank Black Flood Dragon their greatest reliance, the very being that upheld Thousand Island Water City's standing among the top powers of the four-nation cultivation world had been so effortlessly suppressed by Li Ye, unable to resist even in the slightest!
"Yay! Yay!"
Beside Yu Xiaoshan, a young girl burst into joyful laughter, clapping her tiny hands.
"The immortal has won!"
Barely ten years old, she still believed Li Ye to be some celestial being, and her heart brimmed with admiration.
The girl's clear, innocent voice, unrestrained in this deathly silence broken only by the dragon's howls carried far and wide, easily reaching the ears of many cultivators.
Faces across the crowd shifted subtly, some revealing strange, complicated expressions.
To have just stepped into the Golden Core realm, not yet forged a life-bound treasure, and yet with merely two divine techniques, subdue a third-rank Flood Dragon so completely
Such methods... this Realman Li's depths were truly unfathomable!
In these turbulent times, with demonic forces lurking and watching for a chance to strike, the sudden emergence of such a figure was undoubtedly a blessing for the cultivation world of the four nations.
As for Thousand Island Water City, though...
First, one of their disciples had offended this formidable figure; then they tried to show off their strength with the Black Flood Dragon during what was supposed to be a congratulatory visit actions that carried more than a hint of trying to establish dominance.
After two such offenses stacked together, whether the Black Flood Dragon would live past today likely depended on Realman Li's whim.
Thousand Island Water City is in trouble!
Such thoughts arose in the hearts of many cultivators. Some felt schadenfreude, others a touch of worry.
If this were any other time, the death of the Black Flood Dragon would be of little consequence.
But with the demonic tide looming, even with Realman Li's vast abilities, the enemies were many. Losing a powerful ally like a third-rank Flood Dragon could still leave him stretched thin against multiple foes.
It was a risk, no doubt.
"Realman Li! Realman Li, please show mercy!"
At that moment, Oucha, along with a few junior brothers, stumbled forward and fell to their knees before Li Ye.
"We yield! Thousand Island Water City yields!
We will prepare a generous offering to make amends for our previous disrespect!
We beg Realman Li to show mercy!"
Oucha didn't dare mention anything about how the Black Flood Dragon was vital for resisting the demonic tide. He simply and sincerely expressed submission and repentance.
Faced with such divine power, even when their former master was alive, he might not have been able to act so effortlessly.
Not to mention, the Black Flood Dragon was now completely at Li Ye's mercy.
Had Oucha known Li Ye possessed such terrifying strength, he would never have dared even after witnessing Yu Kun's tragic end to act on his fleeting anger and attempt that reckless probing attack.
In the end, it was surviving the great tribulation and gaining an unknown Golden Core technique that had inflated his mindset... leading to today's miscalculation.
Today, Li Ye's display of subduing the Flood Dragon had truly been a rude awakening for Oucha.
Without reaching the Golden Core stage and relying solely on external forces, all else was ultimately just an illusion!
Li Ye looked at Oucha's expression and said indifferently,
"You're not submitting you're just afraid.
Perhaps if you were still unwilling to submit, you would already be dead."
Oucha's heart tightened. He wanted to explain himself, but Li Ye spoke casually again,
"Still, with the demonic tide looming, this third-rank Flood Dragon is a decent fighting force.
I'll spare you today... but when the time comes, this dragon must serve as the vanguard.
Any objections?"
At that, the Black Flood Dragon immediately cried out loudly:
"I will obey! I will obey!
I beg Real Man Li for mercy! Spare my life, and I, your humble servant, will fight with all my strength!"
Although its voice was still heavy with pain, it was filled with genuine submission even carrying a hint of flattery, as if terrified that one wrong word would make Li Ye slaughter it.
The senior and junior brothers of Oucha exchanged glances.
To see their greatest support acting so humble and servile before Li Ye, kneeling so swiftly, left them with complicated feelings.
But things had come to this what else could they do but kneel?
Better to live on one's knees than die standing.
Oucha immediately straightened his posture and solemnly declared,
"We, the disciples of Thousand Island Water City, shall fully obey Real Man Li's command and rally the entire city's strength to resist the demonic tide!"
"Hmm..."
Li Ye nodded in satisfaction and lifted his hand.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh
The seventy-two wooden nails pinning the Black Flood Dragon dispersed into beams of pure divine light, swiftly flying back to Li Ye.
In mid-air, they converged into a single strand of divine light and disappeared into his sleeve.
Along with the nails, the essence blood absorbed from the dragon was also gathered into a large orb and collected by Li Ye.
This essence blood would be excellent for refining the body, alchemy, or talisman crafting he was merely taking some in passing.
Li Ye did not attempt to hide this action, but no one dared utter a word of complaint.
Given Thousand Island Water City and the Black Flood Dragon's previous disrespect, wasn't it only natural for Real Man Li to take some interest?
As the wooden nails left its body, the Black Flood Dragon let out a long, relieved cry.
Sensing that no trace of the suppressive Dragon-Subduing Wood aura remained within it, it relaxed completely.
Wounds across its body visibly healed at an astonishing speed, returning to normal.
Yet, its attitude didn't change at all it shrank its body down and lowered its head toward Li Ye in a gesture of complete submission.
"Now that the matter is settled, since you've come to attend the ceremony, go find your seats."
Li Ye said this lightly, then suddenly turned into a streak of azure-purple light and flew back toward the peak of Pingyang Mountain.
Only then did Oucha and the others still bowed low dare to lift their heads and stand upright.
The group exchanged complex looks, then silently sighed and led the Black Flood Dragon toward the nearest treetop platform.
Even though the surrounding cultivators were casting all kinds of glances at them, their expressions remained calm and unmoved.
After all, when you rely on strength to demand justice for your fellow disciple and end up utterly suppressed in return you have to recognize your place.
The judgment of others meant little now.
What mattered more was that the compensation gift they had prepared earlier was surely far from enough they would need to gather much more to appease Li Ye!
Otherwise, judging from Li Ye's overwhelming display today securing his place as the foremost cultivator across the allied nations, and establishing his dominance over the entire crowd.
If they were to displease him again when it came time to march to battle, Thousand Island Water City might very well be crushed by Li Ye's hand and fed to the demonic tide, vanishing without a trace!
...
After personally subduing the Black Flood Dragon,
and offering a toast to the gathered cultivators at the start of the ceremony,
Li Ye returned to the top of Pingyang Mountain, leaving all the trivial matters outside to others.
Under the Hollow Realm Tree, Li Ye casually leaned against its increasingly tall and sturdy trunk, his expression full of satisfaction.
"The Divine Thunder of Jiamu Wood, the Divine Thunder of Yimu Wood, and the evolved arts of the Azure Wood Divine Light... truly marvelous!"
In the earlier battle, he had more or less tested all the techniques he could regularly use after his breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.
The Yin-Yang Wood Divine Thunder required no further elaboration its attributes and power were exceptional.
And the Azure Wood Divine Light, after its evolution, gained a unique ability to draw upon the essence of spiritual plants and embody their characteristics a truly wondrous power.
Earlier, he had borrowed the aura of the Dragon-Subduing Wood.
Though the imitation was less than forty percent as strong as the original, the sheer number of attacks overwhelmed the Black Flood Dragon and pinned it firmly.
In the future, once he accumulated enough spiritual plant essence, he would be able to transform endlessly in battle, leaving opponents scrambling to react.
"Now that I've mastered most of my secret techniques,
the next thing I need to address is my life-bound treasure..."
Activate Ape God Mode!
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