“It’s the demon clan’s great demon kings.”

When the three Vice Hall Masters of the Holy Assembly saw the powerful figures descending, they all let out a sigh of relief and went forward to greet them.

“Elephant King, Horse King, you’ve come as well?”

The old man approached the figures and cupped his hands.

Among them, a burly man with an elephant’s trunk frowned at the sight around him.

“Wu He, what’s going on here? I received King Zhenwu’s call for aid—where is he now?”

The old man sighed. “I’m afraid King Zhenwu has already met with misfortune.”

“What did you say?”

The demon kings were all shocked.

The Elephant King’s brows furrowed even deeper. “Impossible. King Zhenwu had already grasped the key step, on the verge of bloodline transformation, about to truly enter the Five-Tribulation Realm. Who could possibly kill him in such a short span?”

His gaze turned suspiciously toward the three Vice Hall Masters. After all, they had arrived first. Could it be they had struck him down?

“Words are useless. Elephant King, you’ll understand once you see for yourself.”

The old man naturally understood his suspicions. At a time like this, explanations meant nothing. He raised a hand, replaying the memory Elder Xing had shown them earlier, letting the demon kings see for themselves.

“This is…”

The demon kings were shaken as they watched.

“This was transmitted by Elder Xingjian’s soul avatar at the moment of death. His main body has already perished in self-destruction. The great pit below was left by his self-detonation. As for King Zhenwu, he likely fell to that fiend as well.”

The demon kings fell silent.

They recalled the scene they had just seen, then looked at the massive crater below. They had to admit, what the old man said was very likely true.

With the power that fiend displayed, King Zhenwu truly might not have escaped.

“Wu He, who exactly was that fiend? Why did King Zhenwu and the others provoke him?”

The Elephant King couldn’t help but ask. He had only received the distress call, but no further details.

“This is a long story. We should discuss it in detail. I was just worrying about how to pursue that fiend. If the Monster Domain is willing to help, that would be best.”

The old man sighed.

…

Lu Qing had no idea that after he left, three Vice Hall Masters of the Holy Assembly and several demon kings had arrived at the battlefield one after another.

Flying north along the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, he used several Transmission Talismans to teleport across space. After traveling tens of thousands of miles, he descended and found a wide natural cave. Setting up a Concealment Formation, he released Xiao Li and the others.

“Ah Qing, you’re amazing!”

The moment she came out of the Li Huo Cauldron, Xiao Li was so excited that she leapt around him.

“That was a peak Four-Tribulation Nascent Soul demon king, and you crushed him with a single palm! And you even turned into a giant, how…”

She chirped endlessly, her excitement bubbling over.

During the battle with King Zhenwu and the others, Lu Qing had not fully sealed the cauldron, so Xiao Li and the rest had witnessed everything.

Wuxing looked at Lu Qing with deep admiration. Though it had always known its master was formidable, it hadn’t expected that after crossing his tribulation, he would be this terrifying.

As for the White Flood Dragon, it lay obediently on the ground from the moment it was released, eyes full of awe.

Its mind was still replaying the scene of Lu Qing’s giant form smashing King Zhenwu with one palm, then slaughtering Nascent Soul experts with two more.

Especially King Zhenwu.

As a descendant of the Flood Dragon Clan, it had once lived in the Monster Domain’s royal capital as a child. The name King Zhenwu was one it had heard countless times.

He was a towering figure, one even its father could only look up to. It was said that King Zhenwu was the demon most likely to enter the Five-Tribulation Nascent Soul Realm and become a true demon king.

That was why he had been granted the title “King” so early.

Yet such a great figure, a half-step into the demon king realm, had been crushed by Lu Qing’s palm.

It felt like a dream.

The White Flood Dragon also realized just how lucky it had been when it had attacked Lu Qing back then. For someone so merciless, to have spared it was truly immense benevolence.

So now, facing Lu Qing again, it dared not move. It lay flat on the ground, even its tail held still, terrified of offending him.

“Alright, alright.” Lu Qing chuckled, pressing the excited Xiao Li down. “I’ll explain everything later. For now, I have something to ask Xiaobai.”

“Ah Qing, what do you want to say to Xiaobai?”

Xiao Li finally calmed as Lu Qing ruffled her head.

The White Flood Dragon shivered, lifting its head to look at him nervously.

“Xiaobai, you’re not an ordinary demon beast, are you?” Lu Qing asked. “Earlier, those demon Nascent Souls seemed to pay special attention to you.”

The White Flood Dragon hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, my lord. I was not born in this mountain range. I was born in the Monster Domain’s royal capital, carrying the pure bloodline of the Flood Dragon Clan.”

“The Flood Dragon Clan?” Lu Qing nodded slightly.

They were one of the strongest clans of the demon race. It was said that even a demon emperor had come from their line.

No wonder the Nascent Souls had been so interested in him.

“Since you are of the direct bloodline, why are you hiding here in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range?”

The dragon lowered its head. “Because my father once committed a great crime, and we were cast out of the Monster Domain. Later, while wandering outside, a human Nascent Soul tried to enslave us as spirit pets. My father resisted and fought him. He was defeated, gravely wounded, but used a secret technique to send me here to safety. Soon after, he succumbed to his injuries. Since then, I have hidden in the spirit spring to cultivate. For over a hundred years, I never left, never mingled with other beasts, until I met you.”

“I see.” Lu Qing nodded again.

Though his abilities could probe the dragon’s past, the details were limited. Now he finally understood.

He did not press further about its father’s crime. Instead, he said:

“Xiaobai, as you saw, your valley has been exposed. You can’t return there. What do you plan to do now?”

“I…I don’t know.” The dragon’s voice trembled with helplessness.

Everything had happened too suddenly. It was completely lost.

Lu Qing pondered for a moment. “In truth, this was partly caused by me. If I hadn’t occupied your valley to undergo tribulation, so many Nascent Souls wouldn’t have gathered. So, I’ll give you two choices.

First, if you have somewhere you wish to go, I can send you there and grant you a fortune to ensure you reach the Nascent Soul Realm.

Second, you may follow me, cultivate by my side along with Xiao Li and the others.”

At the first choice, the White Flood Dragon was silent. But when the second was spoken, it suddenly raised its head in disbelief.

“M-my lord…may I truly follow you?”

“Of course. Your bloodline is strong, and you’re good friends with Xiao Li. If you stay with me, Xiao Li will also have a companion to play with. But I must warn you, soon we may leave the Tianyuan Great World, and we might never return. Think carefully.”

“I want to follow you!” the White Flood Dragon immediately declared. “No matter where you go, I wish to go too.”

Seeing the firmness in its eyes, Lu Qing smiled and nodded. “Very well. From now on, you will cultivate by my side.”

“Great! Xiaobai, we can train together!”

Before the dragon could even breathe, Xiao Li cheered and leapt in front of it. Even Wuxing ran over joyfully, eager to make friends.

Lu Qing let them play. Setting up a Sound-Blocking Array, he sat cross-legged, entering meditation.

This tribulation had brought him into the Nascent Soul Realm, but the clash had forced him straight into battle. He had yet to truly comprehend his breakthrough. Now, at last, he could reflect.

The beasts quieted, whispering softly so as not to disturb him.

“Xiaoli, when will you go home?”

“I’m not sure. We’ll have to wait until Ah Qing finishes digesting his gains.”

“He’s incredible. He just entered the Nascent Soul Realm, yet he killed the peak Four-Tribulation King Zhenwu.”

“Of course. Ah Qing has always been this strong. Even before his tribulation, he killed many Nascent Souls already.”

The White Flood Dragon’s eyes went wide.

“By the way, Xiaobai,” Xiao Li added, “your body’s still too big. You’ve been trying to master transformation, right? How far have you gotten?”

“H-how did you know…”

“I could tell from your aura. Every time we met, it changed.”

“I…I still can’t shrink too small yet.”

“Then let me teach you a transformation technique.”

…

When Lu Qing finally emerged from meditation, his eyes were filled with new insight. He had fully grasped the changes from entering the Nascent Soul Realm.

First was strength.

Whether in mana, body, or soul, everything had undergone a qualitative leap.

Especially the gray mist-like power condensed in his dantian and qi sea—it was unimaginably potent. Every technique he used surged in might.

For instance, his Heaven-Shattering Sword Qi was now truly perfected, peerless in power. Compared to the Heaven-Shatterer Daoist of ten millennia past, he was not far behind.

Of course, that was the past. If that daoist still lived today, he would surely be far stronger.

But mana was only one aspect.

His body had also transformed.

During the tribulation, his flesh had broken through, stepping into the Grand Witch Realm. His physique surpassed even the ancient prodigies of the Wu Clan.

And with this, he could unleash the Wu Clan’s signature divine ability—the True Witch Body.

When manifested, his body swelled a hundredfold, his strength multiplying with it.

Ordinary Grand Witches could only reach a height of a few zhang. To reach ten zhang marked a peerless genius.

But Lu Qing, upon first entering the realm, could already reach a hundred zhang tall.

Such heaven-defying talent would have shaken the Wu Clan’s great witches and even their Ancestral Witches, had they still existed.

Alas, the Wu Clan had long since vanished. No one lived to recognize his gift.

And beyond body and mana, his soul too had transformed.

His Nascent Soul wielded the Yin-Yang Five Elements Gourd in its right hand, a Divine Soul Talisman in its left, and five great pearls floating behind.

Three supreme treasures guarded him, amplifying his soul’s innate strangeness. His Nascent Soul strength was unfathomable.

Though he had just entered the realm, in sheer Nascent Soul power he rivaled peak Four-Tribulation and even Five-Tribulation cultivators.

It was this depth of foundation that allowed him to slay both King Zhenwu and Elder Xing so easily.

By his estimation, even without treasures, relying only on his techniques and divine abilities, ordinary Four-Tribulation Nascent Souls could not match him.

As for Five-Tribulation experts, many had already begun to grasp spatial laws—an unfathomable power. Against them, the outcome was uncertain.

Still, with the Void Flying Boat, even a Five-Tribulation could not easily defeat him.

Lu Qing was satisfied.

After all, he had just stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm. His cultivation would only rise further. Given time, even Five-Tribulation Nascent Souls might not be his equal.

The power assessment section gave me chills—it really shows how far he’s come. If you’re enjoying the ride, don’t forget to leave a rating on NovelUpdates—it helps more readers discover this story!

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