"Senior Brother Lu is in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, please don’t overpraise Mr. Chu."

Hearing Chu Ning say this, Lu Jiakang finally addressed him as Junior Brother.

At the same time, Cui Rongrong said with a cheerful smile:

"Last time, I even told Senior Sister Su that when Senior Brother Chu is at the Alchemy Pavilion, I’d also like to meet the alchemy prodigy praised by Elder Ge.

Now it’s even better, we can go on a mission together."

The Elder Ge Cui Rongrong mentioned must undoubtedly be the Golden Core Elder Ge Liuyang of the Artifact Refining Pavilion.

Chu Ning smiled without responding.

Having come to the main peak, he heard so many words of praise and respect today, he didn’t know how to respond.

The group left the main peak, each riding their magical artifact and flew towards the depths of Jiuhua Mountain.

Taking this opportunity, Su Yuqing briefly explained the situation of the Black Flood Dragon to Chu Ning.

Black Flood Dragons are not uncommon in the Jiuhua Mountain Range, varying from Tier One to Tier Four.

Generally, if a Black Flood Dragon is below Tier Four, the sect doesn’t specifically hunt them.

However, if Black Flood Dragons near the sect reach Tier Four, there is concern of them upgrading to Tier Five and posing a significant threat to sect disciples.

The sect often chooses to intervene.

The Tier Four Black Flood Dragon the group is going to hunt has just reached Tier Four in the past six months but has repeatedly attacked Jiuhua Sect disciples passing near Black Dragon Pool.

Thus, it was marked for elimination.

Cui Rongrong needed the Flood Dragon Skin for artifact refining, and Su Yuqing required the Snake Gall for alchemy, so they volunteered for the task.

Lu Jiakang and Dai Tong, fellow Artifact Refining Pavilion cultivators, came to support Cui Rongrong.

All of them were cultivators at or above the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, and their flying speed was not slow.

However, Black Dragon Pool was quite a distance from Jiuhua Sect, and it took them nearly a whole day to fly there.

The group stood in mid-air as Chu Ning instinctively released his Divine Sense to explore below.

The next moment, he couldn’t help but exclaim "Huh."

His Divine Sense, upon touching the pitch-black water surface of Black Dragon Pool, could not probe deeper.

Hearing Chu Ning’s surprise, Lu Jiakang seemed to have guessed his action and explained:

"Junior Brother Chu, the water of Black Dragon Pool is very peculiar and cannot be explored with Divine Sense.

Golden Core Elders of the sect once thought there might be some treasure within and explored it thoroughly.

However, they ultimately found nothing.

It is said that the Black Flood Dragon in the pool was just a small flood dragon in the past, but has now grown into a Tier Four Demon Beast."

Chu Ning nodded and said:

"The spiritual energy in this mountain is abundant. If a naturally gifted demon beast trains here quietly without interference from cultivators, it’s not surprising for it to grow into a Tier Four Demon Beast."

"Isn’t that so?" Lu Jiakang laughed.

"This flood dragon is extremely cunning. Before advancing to Tier Four, it always hid in the deep pool upon seeing a cultivator, never causing harm.

Thus, the sect never thought to eliminate it.

Unexpectedly, after advancing to Tier Four, it suddenly became aggressive, frequently injuring people."

While Chu Ning and Lu Jiakang were talking, Su Yuqing took a Spirit Medicine resembling an orchid out of her Storage Bag.

Then she handed it to Lu Jiakang.

"Demon-Attracting Grass."

Chu Ning recognized the spirit plant immediately.

Its real name is Spirit Jade Orchid, but due to its strong attraction to most demon beasts, it’s commonly known as Demon-Attracting Grass.

Lu Jiakang took the Demon-Attracting Grass as the group landed about a hundred meters outside Black Dragon Pool.

At this moment, Lu Jiakang said:

"This flood dragon is very cunning. After using the Demon-Attracting Grass to lure it out of Black Dragon Pool, I will conceal my presence behind it to block its retreat.

Everyone, please use thunderous means without holding back.

Otherwise, if it escapes back into Black Dragon Pool, it will be difficult to lure it out again."

Saying this, Lu Jiakang took out a Talisman and hid atop a large tree approximately fifty meters outside Black Dragon Pool.

Chu Ning and the others also found hiding spots, each taking out a Talisman.

The talisman was given by Cui Rongrong on the way.

It not only conceals magical power fluctuations but also masks scent.

It’s the first time Chu Ning has encountered a Talisman since arriving at Jiuhua Sect, sparking his curiosity.

On the way, he used his Talismanic Spirit Body to parse his Talisman Source Talent and analyze the Talisman.

This Talisman is merely an Intermediate Lower Grade Talisman; with the strength of Chu Ning’s Talismanic Spirit Body, he quickly completed the analysis.

Just as everyone concealed themselves, a rustling sound came from the direction of Black Dragon Pool.

"The Black Flood Dragon should be coming now!"

Chu Ning muttered to himself.

Just now, Lu Jiakang instructed not to use Divine Sense to probe before the demon entered the ambush circle to avoid alarming it.

Therefore, Chu Ning could only rely on his eyes to see.

He could vaguely see a dark shadow sneaking in from the direction of Black Dragon Pool.

Soon, the shadow came within about thirty meters of Chu Ning and the others.

At this moment, Chu Ning could see more clearly.

The shadow was a long flood dragon with a black body and occasionally had green spots.

This flood dragon was almost ten meters long, with a body thicker than a barrel.

On its dragon head was a red and purple snake crown.

"Hmm? The aura of this flood dragon doesn’t seem like it just advanced to Tier Four?"

Chu Ning’s keen sense detected something amiss.

Meanwhile, the black flood dragon had come within about five to six meters of the Demon-Attracting Grass.

At this moment, the black flood dragon did not go directly to eat the Demon-Attracting Grass.

Instead, it opened its mouth and sprayed a green mist over an area two to three meters around the Demon-Attracting Grass.

After the mist was sprayed, all the surrounding plants withered except the Demon-Attracting Grass, which remained unchanged.

Only then did the black flood dragon slowly crawl toward the Demon-Attracting Grass.

Then, it circled around the Demon-Attracting Grass, seemingly sensing for any anomalies.

Chu Ning and the others had done nothing to the Demon-Attracting Grass.

Upon confirming no anomalies, the black flood dragon extended its tongue to snatch the Demon-Attracting Grass.

"Now’s the time!"

The group had previously agreed to strike as the demon swallowed the Demon-Attracting Grass.

At this moment, Chu Ning hesitated no longer.

The Fire Phoenix Feather Spear was swiftly wielded, swinging fiercely.

Instantly, a fire attribute demon tiger shaped like a Red-eyed Tiger Demon pounced toward the black flood dragon.

At the same time, nearby Chu Ning, Su Yuqing wielded a red jade Ruyi-shaped magical artifact, casting a spell.

Meanwhile, Cui Rongrong activated a short saber, shooting it at the black flood dragon.

Dai Tong used an axe-shaped magical artifact, chopping forward with a yellow light toward the black flood dragon’s head.

Judging by appearances, it was likely an earth attribute magical artifact.

Everything proceeded according to plan, yet Chu Ning suddenly looked up, directing his attention to Lu Jiakang’s position behind.

Simultaneously, after attacking, Chu Ning released his Divine Sense to probe.

The highest realm cultivator among the five, Lu Jiakang, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, had not attacked the black flood dragon.

Under Chu Ning’s Spiritual Sense, he was suddenly taken aback.

At this moment, a small green snake, only about the size of an ordinary flower snake, lunged directly at Lu Jiakang, who was about to make a move.

"Tier Four Green Demon Snake?"

Chu Ning identified the snake demon with just a glance.

He also sensed this snake demon was indeed a Tier Four Demon Beast.

Moreover, its aura level was even stronger than the black flood dragon everyone was attacking now.

Lu Jiakang, a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, reacted swiftly.

As his expression slightly changed, the Fire Technique originally aimed at the black flood dragon was directly directed at the Green Demon Snake.

Simultaneously, a white light shield appeared, blocking the attacking Tier Four Green Demon Snake.