“Ah, this…” Everyone was stunned for a moment, then their gazes shifted to the two black-clothed women under Ye Youluo’s command. Weren’t you the ones who said it? How come… it wasn’t the case?
“Re-Reporting to Sect Master, it was that guy… he said it himself.” The two immediately lowered their heads. Seeing Ling Qi at the Sect Master’s residence and hearing him claim it himself, they naturally hadn’t doubted it. Who would’ve thought… Ling Qi had lied?
What was that guy trying to pull?
Ye Youluo’s blood-red eyes locked onto Ling Qi, who stood in the air with a sword on his back. This guy… said it himself?
She didn’t hold her subordinates accountable and simply reminded, “Don’t spread false rumors. I only met him tonight.”
“…Yes!” Everyone forced a dry laugh and quickly nodded.
Though she said so, the truth was… if that guy became the Sect Master’s man, no one would object. It would actually be a blessing. Having someone at the Supreme Limit Realm in the Demon Sect meant being unmatched under the heavens.
And more importantly, the Sect Master didn’t get angry?
In the past, anyone who spread baseless rumors about her and a man would’ve faced her wrath without question. But this time, she merely said one line and brushed it off.
So the Sect Master… might actually be interested?
Since that guy claimed to be her husband, he clearly had feelings for her. And since the Sect Master wasn’t angry, that meant she likely had feelings for him too.
In that case… both having mutual interest—wouldn’t that be perfect?
Though no one dared speak further, in their hearts, everyone began praying that the Sect Master and Ling Qi would become a couple. In this entire world, who else could possibly be better suited for either of them?
At that moment, the sea’s surface surged violently, and the demonic dragon once again rose above the water, this time only revealing its massive head. Its body remained submerged. Its forehead scales were torn and bleeding, and its enormous eyes were bloodshot.
“You are… Supreme Limit Realm?” Its gruff voice echoed again, but the arrogance was completely gone. It knew well that if the opponent was truly at the Supreme Limit Realm, then it stood no chance.
“If you were from the Forbidden Demon Region, you might’ve recognized me. But unfortunately, you’re not.” Ling Qi finally raised the sword in his hand slowly. “And your answer just now… was also wrong.”
As soon as it heard this and saw Ling Qi lift his sword, the demonic dragon’s pupils trembled. In the next instant, it quickly turned and dove straight down into the sea.
Facing someone at the Supreme Limit Realm, it had no chance. Its only option… was to run!
“Ling Qi, don’t let it escape!” Xiao Chan shouted anxiously from the shore.
Without a word, Ling Qi carried his sword and shot down toward the depths of the sea.
“Ling… Qi?” Ye Youluo stared at the water’s surface where Ling Qi had dived. “Is that his name?”
Everyone watched as both Ling Qi and the demonic dragon disappeared beneath the sea. The once raging waters calmed down almost instantly, as if nothing had happened.
“This…” Everyone looked at each other. Ling Qi chased it into the sea?
Wouldn’t the demonic dragon have the advantage underwater?
“Sect Master, should we…” The crowd turned toward Ye Youluo. Were they supposed to do nothing?
“Just wait,” Ye Youluo said softly. Since Ling Qi dared to go down, he must be confident. She believed he could kill the demonic dragon.
“Understood!” Everyone nodded and stood quietly at the shore with Ye Youluo and Xiao Chan, waiting…
…
In the pitch-black sea, the demonic dragon’s massive body plunged toward the deepest trench, with Ling Qi close behind, moving at lightning speed.
“Damn it, how can a human be at the Supreme Limit Realm?” the demonic dragon panicked. In all of heaven and earth, neither humans nor demons had produced anyone at that level—until now.
Where had this man come from?
Had the outside world become this powerful while it hid in the sea for so long?
If humans had such power, how could the demon race compete?
All it could think about now was escaping from Ling Qi and rushing back to the Forbidden Demon Region to warn its kin not to act recklessly.
Whoosh! Behind it, Ling Qi’s speed increased again, rapidly closing the distance.
“Damn it!” the demonic dragon growled. If this continued, it would be caught sooner or later.
It suddenly stopped and turned its head, opening its massive mouth wide and letting out a roar.
BOOM! A thick bolt of lightning exploded out from its mouth, lighting up the depths of the sea and shooting straight at Ling Qi.
Facing the full-powered attack, Ling Qi remained expressionless. He raised his longsword and swung.
Shua! A brilliant sword light burst forth and, with unstoppable momentum, split the thunderbolt down the middle.
The demonic dragon’s pupils contracted, and it hurriedly tried to dodge.
Shua! Too late. The sword Qi was too fast, too strong. Though it barely avoided a fatal blow, one of its horns and half a front claw were severed cleanly.
Scalding blood burst out, dyeing the sea red.
The demonic dragon let out a painful roar, and its scales shuddered violently. A terrifying chill burst out from its body, freezing the surrounding seawater rapidly.
Above, under the dark sky, Ye Youluo and the others waited in silence. Suddenly, flashes of lightning surged from beneath the sea, followed by strange sounds.
Everyone squinted as the vast sea slowly began to freeze over.
“What is this? How is the entire sea freezing over?”
“What terrifying cold! It’s freezing such a massive area?”
Everyone was shocked.
Beneath the sea, the demonic dragon’s ice spread quickly, and Ling Qi found himself trapped in the frozen water.
The demonic dragon seized the opportunity and turned to flee again, this time even faster.
“Dual attributes, huh? Interesting.” Ling Qi chuckled. Then, a dense aura surged from his palm into his sword.
BOOM! The next moment, the longsword exploded forward with a loud bang, ignoring the thick ice and piercing through it, chasing the demonic dragon.
The dragon had just looked back when—
Shu! The sword, carrying terrifying sword Qi, pierced cleanly through its body and spine.
It screamed in agony, and its lower half immediately lost all strength, going limp.
Now only one front claw was flailing uselessly in the freezing sea. It looked utterly pitiful.
BOOM! In the next instant, Ling Qi’s figure burst out from the ice, landing directly in front of the demonic dragon.
He raised his hand and caught the sword, pointing it at the dragon.
The dragon completely froze, its massive eyes filled with fear as it looked at the tiny figure standing before it.
This tiny human had rendered it utterly powerless.
This… was the Supreme Limit Realm. Absolute suppression beyond cultivation levels.
“You won’t get many chances to speak, so I suggest you choose every word carefully,” Ling Qi said coldly.
“I…” The demonic dragon’s head and body were still bleeding, and its lower half was paralyzed. It didn’t even know where to begin.
“Let’s go up and talk slowly,” Ling Qi said with a smile as he sheathed his sword and raised a foot.
BOOM! He kicked the demonic dragon’s jaw with tremendous force.
Its upper and lower jaws smashed together, and its vision blurred from the impact.
The violent force sent it flying upward, breaking through the sea’s surface.
…
As the sea had frozen over completely, the temperature above had also dropped noticeably. Everyone still stood at the shore, silently watching.
Then, BOOM!
With a deafening crash, a colossal figure burst through the ice from beneath and slammed onto the frozen surface—it was the demonic dragon.
Its massive body collapsed onto the ice, completely drained of strength.
Ling Qi followed closely behind and landed in front of it.
Everyone was stunned by the scene.
“As expected of the Sect Master’s… friend.” Someone corrected themselves midway.
“This demonic dragon attacked Demon Island multiple times, and we could only drive it away each time.”
“Who would’ve thought, he alone could leave it in such a miserable state.”
“Haha, this beast won’t be escaping this time.”
It was the first time they’d seen the demonic dragon this pitiful. One claw severed, one horn gone, bleeding all over, and its lower body paralyzed. It lay there like a limp snake, helpless. Enjoying the story? Read on at NovelPing.
Ye Youluo rushed forward, her jade-like feet stepping on the ice as she arrived beside Ling Qi. Xiao Chan and the others also quickly gathered around.
Though the demonic dragon was still alive, it might as well have been a corpse. It didn’t move at all.
Despite its immense size, no one was afraid anymore.
Because it no longer had the strength to fight. All that awaited it… was judgment.
“You have one last chance to tell the truth.” Ling Qi’s calm voice rang out again.
As he spoke, Xiao Chan came to his side, both of them staring into the demonic dragon’s giant eyes.
The demonic dragon looked at Ling Qi and the others, knowing it had no other choice.
“I’ll talk!” Its hoarse voice sounded.
“She… she was one of the Seven Kings of the demon race. One-seventh of the demon race’s power was under her control.”
“Back then, the demon race planned a full-scale attack on the human race, but because of her betrayal, the plan was scrapped.”
“Later, the other six kings joined forces to hunt her down. She should’ve been dead.”
“Never expected… she survived. And lost her memory.”
“Because of her betrayal, the demon race delayed their plans.”
“That’s everything I know about her.”
Back then, before it had reached the Heaven-Revering Realm, it had lived in the Forbidden Demon Region. It had been mid-ranked among the demon race and thus knew the whole story.
“So… because of her betrayal, your demon race lost part of its strength?” Ling Qi said. “And afterward… your demon race forged a sword, one capable of opposing someone at the Supreme Limit Realm, didn’t you?”
The demonic dragon was shocked.
How did Ling Qi know that?
No one should know that!
But it was true. After a king’s betrayal, the demon race suffered immense losses. Though she later died, the damage was done.
So the demon race began forging an ancient sword… to serve as their hidden trump card.
The day the sword is completed will be the day the human race is destroyed.
This was something no one should have known. Even though it was now forced to speak, the demonic dragon still had no intention of telling Ling Qi about this. Yet somehow, Ling Qi already knew?
Ling Qi smiled faintly. So, Xiao Chan had unknowingly stopped a war where both sides had equal strength. And then, he himself had prevented a future war where the demon race would have crushed humanity. Everything… seemed to fall perfectly into place.
If not for Xiao Chan back then, and not for himself now, perhaps there would be no human race left today.
“So back then… I disappeared during the war?” Xiao Chan asked.
“Everyone saw you get completely obliterated. No one thought you’d still be alive,” the demonic dragon replied deeply. It had been there too—it had seen it with its own eyes. Who would’ve imagined she had survived? Not only that, but she’d ended up among the humans.
He had once thought, if he could kill her and return to the Forbidden Demon Region, he’d have a chance to take her place as one of the Seven Kings. Who would have thought… someone at the Supreme Limit Realm was standing at her side?
“What else do you know?” Xiao Chan asked.
“That’s all I know,” the demonic dragon replied honestly. “After the plan was delayed, I left the Forbidden Demon Region and came out to cultivate alone.”
That’s why it hadn’t known Ling Qi had entered the Forbidden Demon Region before. Otherwise, it would’ve recognized him.
“Then… what’s on this island?” Ling Qi asked. “What is it that you want?”
The demonic dragon hesitated. It truly didn’t want to say. But right now, it had no choice.
“The Threefold Origin Qi, an extremely vast and innate power,” it said. “I’ve already acquired two of the three elements. If I obtain the last one, I’ll have a chance to break through to the Supreme Limit Realm.”
“What exactly is the Threefold Origin Qi?” Ling Qi asked.
“Ice, fire, and lightning,” the dragon answered. “You saw earlier—I have both ice and lightning. The last one, fire, is at the center of this magic island.”
The island was shaped like a triangular cone, resembling a mountain, with only a small part exposed above sea level. The fire element was inside the core of this mountain. But the mountain was too massive, and no matter how many times it had rammed into it over the years, it couldn’t break through. And the people of the Demon Sect kept getting in the way, so it had never succeeded.
Ling Qi nodded. No wonder it had dual attributes—it had been planning to obtain a third.
“I’ve told you everything. Now… you’ll let me go, right?” the demonic dragon said.
It had truly been defeated today. If it could survive, it swore it would never return to this island. And if it ever encountered Ling Qi again, it would take a wide detour.
“Of course. I keep my word. I won’t make things hard for you,” Ling Qi said with a smile.
The demonic dragon felt a weight lift off its chest. As long as it could live, that was enough.
It started dragging its limp body, trying to crawl back toward the sea.
But just as it began to move, Ling Qi turned and handed his sword to Ye Youluo.
Ye Youluo understood instantly and took the sword. With a cold expression, she stepped forward, walking straight up to the dragon’s head. A blood-red aura surged around her, filled with killing intent.
Seeing this, the demonic dragon’s eyes changed. “You… what are you doing?”
“I said I’d spare you if you answered honestly, but whether others will spare you… that’s not up to me,” Ling Qi said, smiling.
“You!!!” the demonic dragon’s pupils shrank. It quickly tried to crawl away, using its only functioning claw to scrape the ice. But it could only move a tiny distance.
“Evil creature!” Ye Youluo’s blood-red eyes narrowed.
She raised the longsword and slashed down without hesitation.
Shua… BOOM! The bloody sword Qi came crashing down, striking the exact spot on the dragon’s head that Ling Qi had smashed open earlier.
The dragon screamed in agony, its wounds ripping open even more.
Ye Youluo struck again.
Shua! Shua! Shua! Each slash landed on the same spot. The demonic dragon’s screams echoed across the sea around the Demon Island.
It struggled madly, trying to escape. But it had already been beaten so badly by Ling Qi that it couldn’t fight back. It could only be slaughtered.
Under the constant bombardment of bloody sword Qi, its skull was gradually split open. Blood flowed from all seven orifices.
Shua! With Ye Youluo’s final strike, its entire forehead split apart, blood gushing wildly. Finally, with its grotesque face twisted in pain, it lost all signs of life.
The dragon that had tormented the Demon Island for so long was finally eliminated.
All the members of the Demon Sect silently cheered. At last, the island could have peace.
After she hacked the dragon to death, Ye Youluo sheathed the sword and let out a soft breath. Her master’s revenge… was finally complete.
She slowly turned and walked toward Ling Qi. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
She knew clearly—without Ling Qi, she probably never would’ve been able to kill this dragon. Though their cultivation levels were similar, the dragon’s massive body and underwater advantage made it impossible for her to win.
Thankfully, Ling Qi had shown up tonight and helped her fulfill her long-cherished wish.
Ling Qi smiled. “So you do know how to say thank you? Just don’t forget what you promised me.”
“I always keep my word,” Ye Youluo replied coldly.
Since she had agreed to give Ling Qi the first half of the medical tome, then she would keep that promise.
“I’ll write it down now,” she said calmly. “Now… can you stop sticking to me?”
“No problem. Go ahead.” Ling Qi grinned.
Ye Youluo nodded and waved her hand, signaling her people to clean up the scene. Then she leapt toward her residence.
She had held it in long enough—she could finally relieve herself…
After she left, the members of the Demon Sect began cleaning up the corpse. The best way to deal with it was to break the ice and let the body sink, becoming food for the fish.
Ling Qi and Xiao Chan remained where they were. Xiao Chan looked thoughtful.
So she was a demon king? Because of that ancient battle, she had lost her cultivation and memories when crossing over. Otherwise, she would’ve been incredibly powerful.
If she was a demon king, then at the very least, she should’ve been able to match that mutated flood dragon.
“Now that you know who you are, what’s your plan?” Ling Qi asked, rubbing her head.
“What plan could I have? I’ll just keep living like before,” Xiao Chan said with a light sigh.
“There’s still something else. Didn’t I tell you before… I always felt like I had to come back here no matter what?”
She continued, “That question still hasn’t been answered.”
Even though her identity was clear now, she still didn’t know why, even after losing her memory and crossing over, she had an unshakable instinct to return.
What obsession was so important?
“I’ll take you to the Forbidden Demon Region. You’ll understand everything,” Ling Qi said with a faint smile.
Xiao Chan exhaled. “Forget it. Who knows if you’ll survive another trip there.”
He had almost died the first time. If he went again, wouldn’t he be walking into death?
Even if her truth was important, it wasn’t worth Ling Qi’s life.
“Even if we don’t go, they’ll come out eventually,” Ling Qi said.
Only three years remained. After that, the demon race would launch a full-scale invasion.
Xiao Chan sighed again. Then we’ll deal with it when the time comes…
BOOM! Just then, several of the Demon Sect’s top experts stepped forward, surrounding the dragon’s massive corpse and preparing to break the ice to sink it.
“Wait!” Ling Qi suddenly raised a hand.
Everyone stopped and looked at him curiously.
He was at the Supreme Limit Realm and had ties to the Sect Master. Of course they would listen to him.
“Didn’t that dragon just say it had a treasure inside? Wouldn’t it be a waste to let it sink like this?” Ling Qi smiled casually, then snatched a knife from someone and walked over to the dragon’s blood-soaked head.
He raised the blade and slashed down hard.
Right where Ye Youluo had split it open earlier.
The dragon’s enormous head was split in two.
Everyone watched as, nestled inside its brain, two glowing orbs hovered in place.
Two fist-sized pearls—one crackling with lightning, the other radiating cold air.
Ice and lightning—the two elements of the Threefold Origin Qi.
Ling Qi lifted a hand and drew them into his palm.
“I’ll leave the rest to you,” he said, then turned with Xiao Chan and left.
“…”
Everyone stared in silence. Had they just missed out on a huge opportunity?
Why hadn’t anyone thought about those elemental essences still being in the dragon’s body?
Even the Sect Master hadn’t thought of that.
Since they were called Qi, everyone assumed they had already been absorbed. Who would’ve guessed they had condensed into solid pearls?
Well, no fate, no fortune…
Ling Qi and Xiao Chan returned to the island. With nowhere else to go, they headed back to Ye Youluo’s residence.
In the quiet courtyard, Ye Youluo sat by the window, elegantly writing down the first half of the medical tome.
“So serious?” Ling Qi asked with a smile as he entered with Xiao Chan.
“I said I’d give it to you tomorrow. Why are you here?” she said, glancing sideways at him as she wrote.
“No place to sleep. Thought I’d crash here,” Ling Qi said, casually walking over to her bed and lying down with his hands behind his head.
Ye Youluo frowned but didn’t say much. Fine. He already touched the bed. Let him sleep there.
Besides, she couldn’t stop him anyway…
She ignored Ling Qi and kept writing. She was taking it seriously. She had memorized the tome long ago. Now that Ling Qi had helped her, she would keep her promise.
“You know medicine?” Ling Qi asked.
“My master… was a fellow disciple of the previous imperial physician of the Great Yan Empire,” she replied. “In terms of medical skill, I’m second to none.”
“No wonder your hidden weapons are silver needles,” Ling Qi nodded. “Why did you kill that old divine doctor? You don’t seem like someone who kills the innocent.”
“That has nothing to do with you,” Ye Youluo said coldly.
Her master and the old divine doctor came from the same sect, but they had taken completely different paths.
Her master… was a poison doctor.
To the divine doctor, that was heresy.
When her master fell ill from developing poisons, she had gone to the divine doctor for help. Not only did he refuse to help, he humiliated her repeatedly.
So she killed him in anger… and took his medical tome.
But even then, she couldn’t save her master.
And because her master was still ill, she was killed later during one of the dragon’s attacks.
“Forget it, then. Sleep.” Ling Qi didn’t press and lay back down, clearly intending to spend the night.
“There’s something you should know,” Ye Youluo said suddenly. “Your body is in bad shape. I suggest you avoid using your spiritual Qi. Every time you do… it shortens your life.”
Ling Qi frowned slightly.
What the hell? So every time he fights, his lifespan drops?
Am I Bai Yuekuai now?
Invincible but can’t make a move?
After a moment, he sighed. “Well, it’s not like I enjoy fighting anyway. But if we’re going to be good friends, you better save me someday.”
Ye Youluo smiled faintly but said nothing.
Indeed, in some ways, Ling Qi’s life… was in her hands now.
Only she could save him.
Whether she would or not—that was up to her.
“Good night.” Ling Qi waved. “Oh, and if you don’t mind the crowding, you can sleep next to me.”
Ye Youluo glared at him.
Sleep next to you?
Get lost! You’re already hogging my bed, and now you want to hog me too?
Ling Qi said no more, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
Xiao Chan transformed into a little black cat and curled up beside his pillow, drifting off too.
In the quiet room, one man and one cat slept soundly on the bed. Ye Youluo stayed up under the lamplight, writing the tome.
Only much later did she finish writing the first half—a thick little book.
She stood and stretched, her red dress outlining her curves. Then she walked barefoot to the bedside.
Ling Qi and Xiao Chan were already fast asleep.
“This guy… really dares to fall asleep like this?”
Ye Youluo stared at Ling Qi.
Wasn’t he afraid she’d do something to him?
Or did he trust her that much?
Or… did he simply think she wasn’t a threat?
After a moment, a faint smile appeared on Ye Youluo’s face.
She didn’t wake him, didn’t harm him. She just quietly turned and walked out of the room…