Translator: AnubisTL

[Congratulations on successfully refining a yellow-grade spirit treasure: Azure Dragon Mace! Reward: 1,900 years of lifespan!]

As the notification of increased lifespan appeared before Li Qing's eyes, the Azure Dragon Mace finally endured the heavenly tribulation and transformed into a unique spirit treasure!

The heavenly tribulation subsided, and the thick thunderclouds slowly dissipated.

A Treasure Mace radiating an azure glow floated beneath the heavens, momentarily becoming the center of heaven and earth.

Boom!

The Azure Flood Dragon King eagerly soared into the sky, summoning the Azure Dragon Mace with a wave of his hand. He repeatedly examined and played with it, his face brimming with unrestrained joy.

"Hahahaha! Excellent! Truly a powerful and magnificent treasure!"

He couldn't be more satisfied with this yellow-grade spirit treasure, erupting into unrestrained laughter.

With the Azure Dragon Mace in hand, he felt capable of sweeping across the Human Realm. Who could possibly stand against him now?

A Divine Transformation stage cultivator wielding a yellow-grade spirit treasure possessed an overwhelming advantage. Their combat prowess would undoubtedly rank among the absolute pinnacle of this realm.

At this level of cultivation, one could manipulate the Primordial Energy of Heaven and Earth at will, never needing to worry about depleting their mana.

Unlike Li Qing, whose mana reserves far surpassed those of cultivators at his level, he still hesitated to fully unleash the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings. Activating spirit treasures consumed an exorbitant amount of mana.

Seeing this, the Black Flood Dragon King, who had been watching from behind, soared into the sky with undisguised joy. He knew that with this powerful spirit treasure, his big brother's combat prowess would reach unprecedented heights.

"Congratulations, Big Brother!" the Black Flood Dragon King exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with envy. When will I ever possess such a formidable treasure?

This thought solidified his resolve to cultivate a close relationship with Li Qing, the human cultivator.

He couldn't help but feel grateful that he hadn't completely antagonized Li Qing back in the Wind Origin Domain. Instead, they had resolved their differences and forged a genuine connection.

Otherwise, how would this scene be unfolding today?

I'll have to give that good-for-nothing nephew a proper scolding later. He needs to show more respect to Li Qing in the future!

As the Black Flood Dragon King pondered this, a scarlet flood dragon undergoing trials in a distant sea territory suddenly shivered, feeling an inexplicable chill.

Meanwhile, Li Qing let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing the Azure Dragon Mace withstand the cataclysmic heavenly tribulation filled him with immense satisfaction.

"Either the spirit materials used for the Azure Dragon Mace were exceptionally precious, allowing it to withstand the tribulation purely through its inherent strength."

"Or it's the Profound Yellow True Flame. Forging treasures with this heavenly spirit fire seems to enhance their resilience. This is a remarkable application I hadn't discovered before."

Li Qing felt a surge of joy. The Azure Dragon Mace clearly surpassed the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings in extraordinary qualities. Upon its completion, it had instantly granted him an additional nineteen hundred years of lifespan!

This exceeded even the seven hundred years he had gained from refining the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings, a testament to the spirit treasure's exceptional nature.

His lifespan had now surged to nearly thirty-five hundred years. In terms of longevity alone, he rivaled even some of the most naturally blessed great demons.

After all, the standard lifespan for a cultivator in the Divine Transformation stage was only around two thousand years. Without resorting to lifespan-extending self-sealing techniques, they could never exceed this limit.

However, such secret techniques often came with severe restrictions. The conditions for their activation were extremely demanding, typically requiring centuries or even millennia of confinement to a single location, complete immobility, and even the cessation of conscious thought—essentially a state indistinguishable from suspended animation.

Li Qing's situation was different. The lifespan he had gained was genuine and unrestricted, allowing him to live out these extended years in complete freedom and contentment.

Nearly thirty-five hundred years of lifespan—what an astonishing number!

What pleased him most was that he had refined the Azure Dragon Mace almost entirely on his own.

Unlike the Wind-Thunder Silver Wings, for which Senior Bai Ling had provided the refinement method, Li Qing had merely followed the instructions like a child copying a drawing.

Though both were spirit treasures, the difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth.

This meant Li Qing now possessed the ability to refine spirit treasures independently, his artifact refinement skills firmly established at the fifth-tier level!

Indeed, Li Qing had become a fifth-tier artifact refiner, his mastery of artifact refinement techniques reaching a level of divine artistry!

Throughout history, across the entire Human Realm, and even far into the future, few could ever hope to rival Li Qing's skill.

He represented the pinnacle of artifact refinement in this world, a true patriarch of the craft.

Even a fool would know that such a figure must be befriended. If friendship was unattainable, enmity must be avoided at all costs.

The Azure Flood Dragon King was no fool. Suppressing his joy at obtaining the Azure Dragon Mace, he swallowed it whole, then turned to Li Qing and said:

"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Li Qing, to celebrate the successful refinement of this treasure, why not join us at the Dragon Palace for a proper celebration?"

"The Flood Dragon Clan owes you a tremendous debt for this. I will reward you handsomely!"

As he spoke, the Azure Flood Dragon King turned to his second brother, the Black Flood Dragon King, and asked, "By the way, I recall the Source Dragon Fruit in our clan should be nearing maturity. We'll retrieve it and present it to Fellow Daoist Li as a gift!"

The Black Flood Dragon King froze, his voice tinged with disbelief as he countered, "Big brother, the Source Dragon Fruit is indeed ripe, but Fourth Brother was counting on it to advance to the mid-transformation stage!"

The Azure Flood Dragon King waved dismissively. "That lazy fourth brother? I know his nature well. I've already made my decision. The Source Dragon Fruit will serve as compensation for Fellow Daoist Li's artifact refinement!"

As the strongest member of the Flood Dragon Clan, the Azure Flood Dragon King naturally possessed the authority to make such unilateral decisions.

"Fellow Daoist Li, shall we relocate to the Dragon Palace now?"

Seeing the Azure Flood Dragon King's amiable demeanor, Li Qing couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and awkwardness. He hadn't expected the king to change his form of address so quickly.

Previously, the king had only called him "Fellow Daoist Li," but now that Li Qing had demonstrated his mastery of fifth-tier artifact refinement techniques, the Azure Flood Dragon King clearly regarded him as an equal.

Yet, upon reflection, this was only natural. Throughout history, the Human Realm's cultivation world had produced numerous cultivators who reached the Divine Transformation stage.

However, fifth-tier artifact refiners were truly rare, so few they could be counted on one hand.

Li Qing accepted the Azure Flood Dragon King's invitation. He was genuinely curious about this so-called Source Dragon Fruit, which had clearly captured the Black Flood Dragon King's attention. Judging by the king's attitude, this Spirit Fruit must be extraordinary, even within the Flood Dragon Clan, where it was considered a rare treasure.

"Then I shall humbly accept your invitation. The creation of a spirit treasure deserves celebration!"

The Azure Flood Dragon King roared with laughter at Li Qing's acceptance.

"Hahahaha! Then, Fellow Daoist Li, let us proceed to the banquet together!"

Over the next three days, the Undersea Dragon Palace lived up to its promise, hosting a grand banquet to honor Li Qing. Throughout the three-day, three-night feast, powerful representatives from various sea clans near the East Sea arrived to pay their respects.

Li Qing inevitably became the center of attention, drawing the gaze of these sea clans. This was largely due to the Azure Flood Dragon King's unusually cordial and fraternal demeanor toward him—a sight rarely witnessed before!

"Hahahaha! Come, Fellow Daoist Li, drain this cup! This is blood wine from the Blood Shark Tribe, intensely flavorful and nourishing to vital energy."

As he spoke, the Azure Flood Dragon King poured Li Qing a cup of spirit brew as red as blood.

Li Qing drained the cup in one gulp, his eyes narrowing at the soaring, intoxicating aroma.

A connoisseur of fine spirits, Li Qing had sampled countless spirit wines over the years. He preferred to savor the full-bodied flavor of each brew, refraining from using mana to dissipate the alcohol's potency.

This blood wine from the Blood Shark Tribe was indeed exceptionally potent, the most intense spirit wine he had ever tasted.

"Magnificent!" Li Qing roared with satisfaction, thoroughly enjoying the blood wine's robust character.

The Azure Flood Dragon King chuckled heartily at his guest's reaction.

Just then, a young flood dragon swam over and whispered a few words in the Azure Flood Dragon King's ear.

The king waved dismissively before turning to Li Qing with a warm smile. "Fellow Daoist Li, the Source Dragon Fruit has arrived. Please, follow me!"

Li Qing's spirits lifted instantly. The lingering alcohol haze vanished, leaving him completely clear-headed.

He had been eagerly anticipating the Source Dragon Fruit for days, eager to learn what kind of Spirit Fruit could be so highly prized even among the Flood Dragon Clan.

Thus, he followed the Azure Flood Dragon King to the rear hall, where a mermaid with a face covered in black moles soon arrived, carrying a jade plate.

The plate was covered with a golden cloth, beneath which lay an object roughly the size of an adult's fist.

At a single glance, Li Qing sensed a faint yet palpable aura of majesty emanating from within, akin to the pure and potent dragon's might. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Azure Flood Dragon King waved his hand, directly taking the jade plate from the mermaid attendant.

He lifted the golden cloth, revealing a plump, pale yellow fruit.

"Fellow Daoist Li, this is the Source Dragon Fruit. It grows on the Source Dragon Fruit Tree, which bears only one fruit every five hundred years!"

"You may not have heard of the Source Dragon Fruit Tree. It can only thrive in a unique terrain known as a dragon nest; it cannot survive anywhere else in the world."

"Our Flood Dragon Clan possesses only one such tree. Over the years, we've repeatedly attempted to cultivate new Source Dragon Fruit Trees, but alas, all efforts have failed. It seems a single dragon nest can only sustain one Source Dragon Fruit Tree."

The Azure Flood Dragon King wore a look of regret as he handed the fruit to Li Qing, then proceeded to explain its various properties.

"This fruit contains a unique Secret Power, imbued with a fierce and untamed will. After consuming it, you must subdue this will with your own divine sense."

"Once subdued, the Secret Power will merge into your body, enhancing your cultivation and refining your mana!"

"Originally, my fourth brother intended to use this fruit to break through to the mid-stage of his transformation. But giving it to him would be a waste. If he weren't so lazy, he would have advanced long ago with his natural talent. Consider this a lesson to teach him a lasting lesson."

Hearing this, Li Qing didn't feign reluctance. He solemnly accepted the Source Dragon Fruit and carefully stored it away.

"Thank you, Senior Azure Flood Dragon King!"

Li Qing still addressed the Azure Flood Dragon King as "senior," not letting his recent breakthrough in artifact refinement technique go to his head. After all, the king's cultivation far surpassed his own, and the respectful title was still appropriate.

"Wan Shengtian once came seeking a Source Dragon Fruit as well, but I refused him."

"Hahahaha! But you, Fellow Daoist Li, are a friend of our Flood Dragon Clan. This token of gratitude is only fitting. Accept it graciously."

"The banquet is nearly over. You should refine this fruit as soon as possible," the Azure Flood Dragon King said, his sincerity evident. He was investing heavily in fostering goodwill with Li Qing.

Li Qing took note of this gesture. He nodded and immediately began refining the Source Dragon Fruit within the Dragon Palace.

The fruit felt heavy in his hand, though it emitted no unusual fragrance and appeared plain and unassuming.

Within the Dragon Palace, there was no need to worry about interruptions, making it the perfect place for cultivation.

Li Qing swallowed the Source Dragon Fruit whole. Instantly, faint dragon roars echoed within his body.

Roar! Roar!

A wave of dragon might erupted, causing Li Qing's mind to tremble slightly.

But how formidable was his divine soul?

This mere dragon might, far from the true pressure of a true dragon, could never subdue him.

Immediately, he unleashed his divine sense to subdue this arrogant, dragon-like pressure, suppressing it firmly within his body.

After a long while, the dragon might finally dissipated, along with the peculiar force of will that had accompanied it.

Soon, a surge of pure, potent energy flowed into Li Qing's dantian. Without needing much refinement, the energy effortlessly merged with his own.

Li Qing's cultivation began to advance steadily once more, his mana thickening drop by drop—a far easier process than his usual arduous meditation.

Three more days passed in this manner.

By the time Li Qing had completely absorbed the Source Dragon Fruit's medicinal power, his aura had grown significantly stronger, and his internal mana had thickened by nearly twenty percent.

He had taken another step closer to the late-stage nascent soul realm. Reaching that bottleneck now seemed only a matter of time.

"Impressive," Li Qing mused. "This fruit truly lives up to its reputation. Just a single one has advanced my cultivation so significantly."

"I wonder what its effects would be if refined into a medicinal pill."

However, this was merely a fleeting thought. The Source Dragon Fruit was a closely guarded secret of the Flood Dragon Clan, making it virtually impossible for external pill refiners to obtain.

Moreover, with the Source Dragon Fruit Tree bearing only one fruit every five hundred years, the yield was far too meager for pill refinement.

After all, pill formulas didn't simply appear out of thin air. They required countless experiments, each failure contributing to the accumulated experience necessary for success.

But clearly, the Human Realm lacked the abundance of Source Dragon Fruits needed for pill refiners to attempt creating new formulas. Such an endeavor was simply impractical.

Just as Li Qing finished refining the medicinal properties of the Source Dragon Fruit, two flood dragons—one crimson and one black—glided into view outside the hall.

It was none other than the Black Flood Dragon King and his Fourth Brother, the Scarlet Flood Dragon King!

"Fellow Daoist Li," the Black Flood Dragon King called out from outside the hall, his voice booming, "the day of the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's invitation is fast approaching. Since you've also received an invitation, why not join us on our journey to Heaven's End Island?"

Li Qing nodded in response. "Very well, let's travel together. I happen to be unfamiliar with the location of Heaven's End Island."

With that, Li Qing rose and stepped outside.

There, beside the Black Flood Dragon King, stood a majestic scarlet flood dragon, its crimson eyes sizing up Li Qing with a hint of hostility.

(End of the Chapter)

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