Upon the canopy of this tree rested a single fruit.
Zhou Yan’s heart throbbed uncontrollably.
This fruit was entirely verdant, its skin delicate and tender, as if sculpted from jade. It was crystalline and emitted a subtle fragrance.
It was, in fact, a Yu Ling Fruit!
“Such a large Yu Ling Fruit is enough to elevate me by a minor realm!”
Zhou Yan’s heart bloomed with joy.
He eagerly plucked the Yu Ling Fruit and popped it into his mouth.
"Sizzle—"
Instantly, the Yu Ling Fruit dissolved upon contact with his tongue. A warm current, smooth as spring water, flowed down his throat and merged into his dantian sea of qi.
In the blink of an eye, the dantian sea of qi began to churn.
Endless true qi surged and rolled, filling his limbs and bones.
Zhou Yan’s cultivation base surged at a visible rate.
In mere moments, he broke through the bottleneck and stepped into the late stage of Qi Refining.
Concurrently, his physical prowess and defensive capabilities also saw a significant enhancement.
Wounds that ordinary people would dare not touch no longer caused him so much pain.
Within Zhou Yan’s sea of consciousness, that drop of essence blood became even more condensed, radiating a dazzling brilliance.
Subtly, the aura it emitted seemed to have strengthened considerably.
Just then, a massive claw extended, striking fiercely at Zhou Yan.
Caught off guard, Zhou Yan was sent flying, crashing into the trunk of the tree.
With a crisp snap, the colossal tree was broken in half.
Zhou Yan coughed, struggling to rise.
At this moment, the mask on his face had shattered into pieces.
“Damn it!”
Zhou Yan’s face darkened.
All of this was his fault for coveting the dragon脉 (dragon vein) and seeking benefits.
He had never expected to attract such immense trouble.
If not for his strong will, he would have already succumbed.
Now, before him, puppets roared, their ferocity boundless.
Each puppet’s strength was equivalent to that of a cultivator at the fifth or even sixth level of Qi Refining.
If Zhou Yan had not cultivated the 《Yu Shou Jue》 (Beast Taming Art), with his current strength alone, he wouldn’t have been able to deal with even a single puppet.
“This world is truly dangerous!”
Zhou Yan couldn’t help but sigh.
Although he had anticipated danger before embarking on his cultivation journey, he had never imagined encountering so many terrifying,异类傀儡 (alien puppets).
They were utterly insane and horrifying.
“Hmm?”
At this moment, Zhou Yan frowned slightly and glanced to the side.
There stood a stone tablet, covered in inscriptions, emanating a strange aura.
This stone tablet was inscribed with numerous runes, obscure and profound, containing a mysterious and unfathomable power.
“Could this be the legendary ‘Yu Shou Jue’?”
“It is said that this Yu Shou Jue is the most core treasure from the ruins of an ancient sect.”
“It can command the异类妖物 (alien demonic beasts) of heaven and earth to fight!”
Zhou Yan muttered softly.
Suddenly, his eyes blazed with a fervent golden light.
He leaped up and placed his hand on the stone tablet.
Instantly, a peculiar power surged from the stone tablet.
Zhou Yan’s body trembled violently, as if he were in a furnace, burning ceaselessly.
He gasped, sweat pouring down his forehead.
Abruptly, he spat out a mouthful of black blood.
Zhou Yan groaned and slumped to the ground, his face ashen.
His fingers were blackened and charred.
Moments ago, he had forcefully circulated the 《Yu Shou Jue》, attempting to activate the stone tablet.
However, the mysterious power contained within the stone tablet was too vast, and it easily backfired on him.
Even a mere trickle of its leaked power had nearly annihilated him.
If not for the ancestral inheritance memory within him, granting him immunity to this mysterious power, he would have surely died.
“The runes on this stone tablet contain a trace of dragon qi; it is undoubtedly extraordinary.”
Zhou Yan’s gaze flickered.
He then sat down cross-legged, quietly tending to his injuries.
…
Meanwhile.
Those alien puppets roared ferociously.
Their eyes were crimson, filled with bloodlust and brutality.
With a single stride, they lunged towards Zhou Yan.
In an instant, Zhou Yan was heavily surrounded, plunged into desperation.
Another alien puppet slammed its fist down, striking Zhou Yan’s chest with immense force.
Blood splattered, Zhou Yan’s chest caved in, and he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.
A bone in his leg was completely shattered.
“How are these puppets so powerful?”
Zhou Yan gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead.
Even with his physical conditioning, recovery would take time.
“It seems I have no choice but to fight for my life.”
Zhou Yan knew that if he continued to stall, he would eventually be defeated.
And if he were defeated, then nothing would remain.
Therefore, his only option was to fight with all his might.
“Huff! Huff!”
Zhou Yan panted, heat radiating from his body.
At this moment, his veins bulged, his clothes ripped, and golden patterns appeared beneath his skin.
Within these golden patterns, a faint dark hue could be discerned.
That was…
Within Zhou Yan’s body, a primordial beast lay dormant.
It was a ferocious dragon-serpent.
At this moment, this dragon-serpent opened its eyes, and a trace of icy killing intent emanated.
It roared towards the heavens, a dragon’s cry that shook the heavens and earth.
Instantly, the wind and clouds changed, lightning flashed and thunder roared.
The void trembled, and the firmament cracked.
This was the awakening of the dragon soul sealed within Zhou Yan!
“Roar!”
The dragon soul let out a roar, carrying world-ending might.
This scene further ignited the ferocity of the other alien puppets.
They all roared and charged at Zhou Yan fearlessly.
Zhou Yan raised his hand to block, repelling them one by one.
However, his expression grew increasingly grim.
Because the dragon soul within his body did not unleash its unparalleled power as it had before.
The sheer number of these alien puppets was overwhelming.
Furthermore, each one was more powerful than ordinary puppets.
“No, if I continue to delay like this, I will be ground to death.”
“I can only stake everything!”
A look of resolute determination flashed in Zhou Yan’s eyes.
He immediately waved his right hand, producing a storage bag.
A storage bag was a magical artifact used by warriors to store items.
“Swish!”
Zhou Yan grabbed the storage bag and pulled hard.
Instantly, a pile of bottles and jars spilled out.
These bottles and jars contained all sorts of precious resources such as elixirs and spirit herbs.
Moreover, they were all of the highest quality.
Among them, a jade bottle, crystalline and radiating a faint blue light, contained a pill that was entirely snow-white, resembling amber and glaze.
“This is?”
Zhou Yan’s heart pounded, his gaze fixed on the jade bottle.
This pill was called a Ju Yuan Dan.
It could instantly enhance physical cultivation and increase lifespan, making it a potent healing elixir.
He usually couldn’t bear to use it.
After all, such pills were priceless, and even the Zhou royal family possessed very few.
However, now, to save his life, Zhou Yan had no choice but to relinquish it.
“Boom!”