Listening to Liu Ji and her maid's unrestrained mockery, Long Ao's expression turned grim.
'What kind of people are these?'
'I just stepped in to right an injustice, fighting a life-and-death battle with an Earth Bear to save them. But what did I get in return?'
'Not only did Liu Ji fail to offer a single word of thanks, but she mocked me instead. That alone is enough to reveal her true character.'
"Long Ao, are you telling me you're not convinced?"
"Whether or not I challenge Long Yulang is my business. It has nothing to do with you."
Staring at the poised and fearless young man, Liu Ji was somewhat surprised. Ye Gucheng, after all, was no ordinary person—he was a supreme expert ranked within the top one hundred of Celestial State's Hundred Battles Ranking. 'For a good-for-nothing to dare speak so brazenly in front of a genius... he really is arrogant,' she thought.
She sneered and said mockingly, "A good-for-nothing like you has nothing but arrogance and an inflated sense of self-worth. Don't worry, Long Ao, I won't deal with you today. I'll let you live. In one year, I will personally travel to Thundercloud City to see how Brother Long crushes you."
"My Lady, let's go too when the time comes! I really want to see how Long Yulang defeats him."
Not wasting another breath on them, Long Ao turned to leave. But then, he stopped dead in his tracks. He stared coldly at the three of them, his voice filled with resolve. "Fortunes are ever-changing. Never underestimate someone just because they're young and down on their luck. In one year, I will not only defeat Long Yulang, but I will defeat you, too."
"Hahaha! I'll be waiting for that day to come." As if they had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, Ye Gucheng and his companions burst into laughter, their voices dripping with undisguised contempt and ridicule.
Long Ao didn't feel humiliated, nor did he fall into despair. He had always understood a simple truth: if you want to shut up the people who look down on you, there is only one way—use your strength to prove to everyone that you are more than capable.
'The Hundred Battles Ranking. Ye Gucheng.'
At that moment, Long Ao deeply etched that name into his memory. He knew that in one year, he had to defeat not only Long Yulang, but also this genius from the Hundred Battles Ranking.
In the days that followed, Long Ao spent every moment in life-or-death combat with Spirit Beasts. His Cultivation smoothly broke through to the Inner Strength Ninth Heaven. The only thing separating him from the Innate Realm was the final Inner Strength Tenth Heaven Realm.
「One month later.」
Having successfully broken through to the Peak of Inner Strength Ninth Heaven, Long Ao was battling a Ninth Level Spirit Beast, a Flaming Frenzied Lion. Combining Ghostly Wail and Wolf Howl with his Celestial Profound Finger, a ferocious Finger Force ruthlessly pierced through the Frenzied Lion's skull.
THUMP. The Flaming Frenzied Lion's body collapsed heavily to the ground. A month of life-and-death tempering had wiped the last traces of immaturity from Long Ao's face, replacing them with a weathered, steely look.
'What a heavy stench of blood.'
Frowning slightly, Long Ao curiously headed to his left. In no time, he came upon a shocking scene.
Not far away, a great, blood-red saber was spinning continuously in mid-air. The entire Blood Saber emanated waves of terrifying Power of Blood, endlessly Devouring the blood of the surrounding Spirit Beasts.
Spirit Beasts lay scattered in disarray all around the Blood Saber. After a quick count, Long Ao realized there were actually several hundred Spirit Beast corpses on the ground, all of them having their blood absorbed by the blade.
'What in the world is going on?'
The Blood Saber continued to absorb for a full several minutes before gradually coming to a stop. Having drunk the blood of over a hundred Spirit Beasts, the saber's color grew even more crimson, as if it had just been freshly painted with blood.
"Master, this is the Venerable Divine Artifact, the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber. It has never had a master. Why don't you claim it?"
'The Blood-Drinking Mad Saber?'
Long Ao did want to obtain this insane Blood-Drinking Mad Saber, but after witnessing what had just happened, his hair stood on end.
"Don't worry, Master. I will help you."
Since things had already come to this, Long Ao hesitated no longer. He slowly walked toward the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber. Just as he came within two meters of it, the tip of the saber suddenly pointed right at him, and its blade began to emanate waves of icy Killing Intent.
He stopped in his tracks, his eyes locked on the blade. Suddenly, a small, black seal of an unremarkable size appeared in his hand. It was the Dragon Seal. Long Fu's voice followed.
"Master, only by using your own power can you make the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber submit completely. The Dragon Seal will assist you when the time is right."
Nodding, Long Ao took a deep breath. Gripping the Dragon Seal, he lunged forward, his speed suddenly exploding as he smashed it fiercely toward the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber. As if sensing his battle intent, the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber let out a joyous cry and slashed down, sending a blood-red Sword Aura slicing through the air toward him.
Startled, Long Ao didn't dare to be the least bit careless. He sidestepped the attack, simultaneously smashing the Dragon Seal forward. Controlled by Long Fu, the Dragon Seal moved with incredible speed and slammed directly into the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber. Immediately after, a resounding Dragon's Roar echoed across the sky.
Following that, Long Ao wielded the Dragon Seal and began to continuously smash it against the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber. Seemingly not expecting its opponent to be so powerful, the saber was caught off guard and knocked completely senseless.
Seizing the opportunity, Long Ao followed Long Fu's instructions and immediately began the taming process. First, he stealthily dripped a drop of his Life Essence Blood into the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber, then infused it with a trace of his Soul Power. All the while, the Dragon Seal in his hand never slackened, each strike landing faster than the last.
After countless strikes, the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber had unknowingly completed its Fusion with Long Ao's Life Essence Blood and Soul Power. Seemingly finding this hard to accept, the saber let out a continuous, mournful wail, its blade emanating an aura of displeasure as if in protest.
Letting out a long sigh of relief, Long Ao looked at the now-subdued Blood-Drinking Mad Saber. He was ecstatic inside, but his face remained serious as he said, "Blood-Drinking Mad Saber, following me will not tarnish your name. Rest assured, I can promise you that one day, we will dominate the world together, and everyone will know the might of the Blood-Drinker."
The Blood-Drinking Mad Saber still seemed a bit reluctant, but since things had already come to this, it didn't resist any further. It was just as the saying goes: walk by the river long enough, and you're bound to get your feet wet.
The Blood-Drinking Mad Saber let out another cry, and then its hilt spun around, landing perfectly in Long Ao's hand. The bloody aura around the blade gradually faded, and it reverted to the color and sharpness of a normal saber.
Holding the Blood-Drinking Mad Saber, Long Ao felt a deep connection to it, as if it were an extension of his own body. A look of pure ecstasy spread across his face, and just as he was about to test out his new weapon, he let out a soft "Huh?" and quickly turned to leave, vanishing without a trace moments later.
No sooner had Long Ao left than Ye Gucheng, Liu Ji, and their maid arrived on the scene. Staring at the ground littered with the corpses of Spirit Beasts, all three of their faces were etched with shock, completely clueless as to what had just transpired.