The Black Flood Dragon
Near Mount Kaoshan Sect, a group of people were frantically digging in a mountainous area.
Under a large ornate canopy resembling a parasol, there was a reclining chair. A woman in a red dress with heavy makeup and rather beautiful features was half-lying on the chair. This woman was Princess Liu Yuxi of the Qianyu Empire.
Beside her stood an elderly man holding an ancient map. After studying the map for a moment, he respectfully looked at Liu Yuxi. "Princess, the treasure map we obtained points to a location around here, likely beneath that mountain."
Hearing this, Liu Yuxi's face revealed a hint of delight, but she coldly said, "Then hurry up and have them dig. Punish anyone who doesn't put in enough effort!"
The old man nodded and gestured to a middle-aged man standing respectfully nearby.
After speaking, Liu Yuxi turned to the morose Mu Rong Xue standing beside her and said sternly, "Why are you just standing there idly? This princess is thirsty, go cut open a watermelon!"
Hearing the words treating her like a servant, Mu Rong Xue clenched her fists tightly. But she had no choice. Her current strength surpassed this princess, but her status did not. Moreover, the elderly man beside the princess had crossed the Tribulation realm—a mere spit from him could drown her!
Gritting her teeth, Mu Rong Xue followed the orders to cut open a watermelon.
Watching Mu Rong Xue's form, Liu Yuxi inwardly sneered repeatedly. The first time she laid eyes on Mu Rong Xue, she was stunned for a moment before becoming enraged.
Ever since awakening her physical constitution, her cultivation had reached the fifth level of the Yuan Ying realm. This level of cultivation was already formidable. Coupled with her young age, she was undoubtedly considered a prodigious genius in the southern regions.
Furthermore, she was not lacking in beauty, even exceptionally so, and with her family's rise to imperial status, her value had skyrocketed.
However, despite believing herself to be incredibly strong, after arriving in this desolate corner of the world, she discovered a woman more beautiful and more powerful than herself! This woman also seemed somewhat younger.
This dealt a huge blow to Liu Yuxi and filled her with rage. She did not want to tolerate such a person's existence, but to placate Mount Kaoshan Sect, she could not execute Mu Rong Xue for the time being. But later on, she could!
For now, though, she would not let Mu Rong Xue have an easy time, deciding to make her a servant.
Mu Rong Xue brought the cut watermelon over. Liu Yuxi took a slice, ate a bite, then violently smashed the watermelon onto the ground in front of Mu Rong Xue's feet. "It doesn't taste good, cut another one!"
Mu Rong Xue's face flushed red with anger as she gritted her teeth. Fine, I'll endure it for now, but don't give me a reason, or I'll kill you!
Mu Rong Xue sullenly went to cut another watermelon.
Liu Yuxi giggled derisively. Trash. Just watch me make your life miserable.
She did not admit to feeling jealous. Because to her, this was not jealousy—she was simply a person of lofty status, and this nobody from the middle of nowhere did not deserve to possess such qualities.
That's right, she did not deserve it.
Moreover, in this short period of time, more and more powerful wandering cultivators had joined their empire. Some powerful forces had even taken note of the empire's advantages and sought alliances.
Their empire was set to become a paramount power on the continent, a matter of time.
As the empire's princess, her future accomplishments would undoubtedly far surpass this worthless trash before her.
At the mountain's base, Mu Rong Gong and the others dug frantically. But at that moment, they seemed to have uncovered something, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
"Everyone, retreat!"
Mu Rong Gong sensed a mysterious aura and shouted a warning. The Mount Kaoshan Sect members rapidly retreated.
Then, where they had been digging moments ago, the mountainside seemed to slide away, revealing a pitch-black cave entrance.
Logically, with outside light, some should have filtered inside. But that cave entrance appeared pitch-black, like the gaping bloody maw of some terrifying monster.
The group around Liu Yuxi sensed the disturbance and flashed over in an instant. Seeing the black cave entrance, their eyes lit up.
"We finally found it!" Liu Yuxi laughed heartily.
This was rumored to be the dwelling of an ancient powerful cultivator before their ascension. This cultivator lived alone, without relatives or any sect. During their ascension, they undoubtedly left behind many valuable treasures.
If they could find them, they would surely gain immense riches.
However, that pitch-black entrance made them wary of what lay within, not daring to approach recklessly.
At this moment, Liu Yuxi looked towards Mu Rong Gong and coldly ordered, "You send someone to check it out!"
Hearing these commanding words, Mu Rong Gong clenched his fists tightly. "We only agreed to help excavate. Now that the task is complete, as initially stated, we should be able to leave!"
If not for the Tribulation cultivator beside Liu Yuxi, Mu Rong Gong would have loved to give her a beating, despite her being female and around his granddaughter's age.
But he really wanted to hit her!
Liu Yuxi sneered derisively, "So you're forcing me to take action?"
These words infuriated the entire Mount Kaoshan Sect. Some even wanted to retort, "Ancestor, let's fight them!"
They were being utterly bullied!
Mu Rong Gong tightened his fists, wanting to act, but ultimately closed his eyes and suppressed his anger. He looked towards Zhang Shaofeng and said, "The two of us will go in."
Zhang Shaofeng nodded. He sensed danger within. Sending disciples in would be sending them to their deaths. But if the two of them went, they might be able to react accordingly.
Mu Rong Gong then looked at Liu Yuxi and said, "The two of us will go in and check. Allow my sect disciples to retreat a distance. Surely that shouldn't be an issue?"
Liu Yuxi nodded coldly. As long as someone went to scout, it was fine.
Following Mu Rong Gong's arrangements, the Mount Kaoshan Sect members retreated several hundred meters away. Liu Yuxi's group did the same, fearing Mu Rong Gong and Zhang Shaofeng might stir up some terrifying presence inside.
For they too sensed an ominous aura from within.
Outside the cave, Mu Rong Gong and Zhang Shaofeng exchanged a glance before venturing inside the darkness.
The exterior fell silent.
Mu Rong Yunhai and the others gritted their teeth, filled with resentment towards Liu Yuxi's group.
Liu Yuxi seemed to sense their gazes but paid no mind. In fact, she felt it was like ants looking up at an elephant. To the elephant, no matter how displeased the ants were, they were still just ants—she had no interest in even stepping on them.
Not long after Mu Rong Gong and Zhang Shaofeng entered, an unexpected incident occurred. A powerful humming sound rang out, as if triggering some mechanism.
At this moment, Mu Rong Xue and the others' expressions changed drastically. They sensed an extremely powerful and ferocious aura suddenly appear at the cave entrance.
Boom!
Following the humming sound, an intense impact noise erupted.
Two black figures were flung out of the cave entrance and slammed into the ground, sliding a long distance before finally stopping.
Pffft!
Pffft!
Shortly after hitting the ground, Mu Rong Gong and Zhang Shaofeng simultaneously coughed up mouthfuls of fresh blood before passing out.
Mu Rong Xue and the others looked on with horror-stricken expressions as they rapidly rushed over.
But then, a rumbling sound came from the pitch-black cave entrance. A massive creature emerged, step by thunderous step, revealing itself before everyone's eyes.
It was a gigantic black flood dragon!!
The scaly beast let out an ear-splitting roar that shook the mountainside. Its crimson eyes burned with an ancient ferocity as it surveyed its surroundings.
The Mount Kaoshan cultivators froze in terror. Even Liu Yuxi's imperious expression faltered as she took an involuntary step back. The Tribulation cultivator beside her narrowed his eyes, appraising the ancient prime devil with wary caution.
"A...An Ancient Devil Beast?!" someone exclaimed in disbelief.
These primordial flood dragons were remnants from an era long, long ago, when devils still roamed the realm freely. For one to have survived into this age was unfathomable.
The black dragon reared up, unfurling leathery wings that blotted out the sun. Another deafening roar echoed through the mountains as it prepared to unleash its terrible wrath.
Mu Rong Xue's beautiful face drained of color but her eyes burned with determination. In a flash of radiant light, her cultivation base erupted, rapidly ascending past the Yuan Ying realm as her true phoenix bloodline awakened!
Before anyone could react, she launched herself straight at the gargantuan beast, ethereal flames wreathing her form. "Everyone, retreat! I will stall this ancient devil!"
Flames and steel clashed as the battle commenced in earnest. The other cultivators could only watch in awe as Mu Rong Xue, now a celestial phoenix, traded blows with the terrifying flood dragon...