I Only Know How to Bully Noobs

Chapter 193: Fire Flood Dragon

Chen Ming said, “Many thanks for your kindness, my lord. However, I cannot get close to the core area, so I won’t be going with you. I have something to attend to—I need to meet the Sect Master of Cangyue Sect.”

As he spoke, he pulled Deng Ziyang along and left.

That Lord Jin, seeing him mingling with the people of the Blood Demon Sect, frowned slightly, but now wasn’t the time to question such matters. He immediately led his men away. The rest of the people present also left one after another.

The Senior Brother Zhu of the Blood Demon Sect remained until the very end. Only after everyone had left did he pursue in the direction Chen Ming had taken.

He walked through the passageway with a relaxed air, as though a cat toying with a mouse.

After a while, he reached the end of the passage, where another karst cave appeared before his eyes.

Only then did the sense of ease on his face disappear.

“Interesting.”

Senior Brother Zhu murmured while looking at the empty cave.

That brat took two people with him and still moved so quickly. He had only lagged behind by a dozen breaths, yet they were already gone without a trace.

“Let’s see where you think you can run.”

A killing intent flashed through his scarlet eyes as he casually stepped into a tunnel.

In that case, he had no choice but to resort to the stupidest method—testing his luck.

After all, the tunnels here were all connected. Sooner or later, he would run into them.

As for the key, in his heart, it naturally paled in comparison to the “Blood God Bead”. The technique of eternal life was far too distant for him. Competing against so many experts—even if he managed to seize it, in the end it would only benefit that envoy.

The “Blood God Bead”, however, was uncontested. All he had to do was eliminate those few little rats.

Was there even a question which one he would choose?

…

“Put me down.”

In a certain tunnel, Chen Ming finally slowed his pace. Seeing him begin to regulate his breathing, clearly heavily drained, Deng Ziyang spoke up.

He truly didn’t want to drag Chen Ming down. “You are no longer alone. This young lady holds deep affection for you, willing to live and die alongside you. Such devotion must not be betrayed.”

As Deng Ziyang spoke, he couldn’t help but think of his late wife, Zhu Xixi, and his heart throbbed with pain.

Just now, witnessing Yu Haitang protect Chen Ming with her life had reminded him of his own past with his wife. He couldn’t bear to see Chen Ming repeat his tragedy, so he had stepped forward to turn against the three disciples of the Blood Demon Sect.

He had originally intended to sacrifice himself to help Chen Ming and Yu Haitang escape alive.

After his wife died, he had already lost the will to live. What had kept him going until now was the hatred in his heart.

He believed that as long as Chen Ming escaped, he would one day avenge him and his departed wife.

Then he could finally reunite with her in the Yellow Springs.

Who would have thought that Chen Ming’s martial arts would be so miraculous? At death’s door, Chen Ming had forcibly pulled him back from the gates of the underworld.

Now, that dog named Zhu had come in pursuit again.

Deng Ziyang knew very well that it was already difficult enough for Chen Ming to carry the young woman along. If he had to bring him too, it wouldn’t be long before that Zhu fellow caught up.

“He only wants me—”

“Just now, knowing you would die, why did you save us?”

Chen Ming interrupted him. “You stepped forward for me. Do you think I, Chen Ming, am a coward who fears death?”

Deng Ziyang retorted angrily, “Then why must you do this? Do you intend to sacrifice her life for a demonic path cultivator like me?”

“A mere First Grade won’t kill me.”

Chen Ming took a deep breath. The energy in his body had fully recovered.

When “Phoenix Dances Through Nine Heavens” was pushed to its limit, its speed was indeed astonishing. Even a First Grade Expert had been left eating dust behind him.

However, the cost was also tremendous—just covering this stretch had already consumed thirty percent of his energy.

He had no choice but to take out the “Fire Element Pearl” and absorb its energy to replenish his consumed strength.

This “Fire Element Pearl” contained incredibly pure fire element energy, which could be directly absorbed and quickly restore what was lost.

“Let’s go.”

Chen Ming picked him up again and continued on their way.

Though Deng Ziyang was anxious, there was nothing he could do. To prevent him from interfering, Chen Ming had sealed his inner force.

Not long after, they arrived at another karst cave. On the ground lay two more corpses of demonic beasts.

Chen Ming didn’t pause at all and entered another tunnel.

“This direction leads to the core—”

Deng Ziyang had circled around here several times and was roughly able to discern the directions. Generally, the central passages led deeper into the core.

The side tunnels were mostly loops.

Earlier outside, everyone had heard Shang Jianfei and Yuan Xingzhi say that those who cultivated “Blazing Sun Divine Art” could not enter the core area of the cave mansion.

Moreover, everyone was heading toward the core. Though they appeared peaceful now, once they dealt with the fire flood dragon, a bloody battle for the key was inevitable.

In such chaos, it would be extremely dangerous.

Chen Ming said, “He would never expect us to head that way. That makes it the safest.”

Deng Ziyang worried, “But what if there’s danger in the core area?”

“Don’t worry, I have my ways.”

…

After about the time it took to burn one incense stick.

The three of them had already reached the vicinity of the core area. The fire element energy in the air had reached an extreme intensity. Without Chen Ming’s protection, Deng Ziyang would’ve quickly dried up into a corpse.

The problem was, the fire element energy here was extremely violent and carried fire poison. Absorbing it directly would pollute one’s energy and cause immense harm to the body.

So the true danger here was from the fire poison.

Then, Deng Ziyang was shocked to see the protective energy around Chen Ming change—it turned pale green.

“This is—”

He was stunned, barely believing his eyes. “You… actually cultivated a second martial art?”

Normally, a martial artist would only cultivate one technique. It wasn’t impossible to practice multiple, but it was extremely troublesome. Firstly, it consumed too much time. Secondly, there was a risk of internal conflict.

Thus, those who had two different types of true energy in their bodies were exceedingly rare.

Yet Chen Ming not only cultivated a second technique, but had also reached the Third Grade. It was truly inconceivable.

He himself had struggled with just one technique and couldn’t keep up—what did that make him?

Chen Ming instructed, “This is my secret. Do not tell anyone.”

He didn’t explain that it was actually the same technique. That couldn’t be explained anyway. How could the same martial art produce two completely different types of energy? No one would believe it.

Deng Ziyang’s heart trembled. He nodded. “Alright.”

Just like that, Chen Ming, with Yu Haitang in one arm and Deng Ziyang in the other, finally exited the end of the tunnel.

What lay before them was an enormous space, so vast that one couldn’t see its end.

Faintly, they could hear a roar filled with majesty—most likely from the fire flood dragon.

The fire element energy here was even denser. Sparks floated in the air like fireflies—substantialized fire element energy.

Suddenly, one spark landed on his protective shield, instantly igniting and burning a hole through it.

“What terrifying elemental energy.”

Chen Ming was shocked and cast off the damaged shield. Without fuel, the flame quickly extinguished. Fınd the newest release on noᴠelfire.net

He looked around and saw that the space was filled with these fire sparks. Any careless touch would cause damage. At that thought, he activated the “Phoenix Cry Sword” at his waist, sending it forward to brush aside the nearest spark.

As the sword tip touched the spark, it merged into the blade.

Chen Ming was startled and quickly retrieved the sword. Holding it in his hand, he sensed a satisfied intent being transmitted through its hum.

“Looks like these sparks are nourishment for it.”

Only then did he relax.

That made sense. This divine weapon was fire-aligned, which was why it resonated so well with his “Mysterious Fire True Art”. Such pure fire element power was naturally a great supplement for it.

Thus, he used the “Phoenix Cry Sword” to clear the path as he walked forward.

After several hundred meters, a river appeared before them.

More precisely, it was a river of lava, filled with flowing molten rock.

Here, they could finally see the fire flood dragon clearly. In the center of the lava lake ahead, a massive fire flood dragon lay soaking, its body bound by nine chains, unable to leave the lake.

The other ends of the chains were fixed to nine thick pillars.

Those nine pillars connected the ground to the top, covered in all kinds of strange symbols. Red light pulsed along the pillar bodies, glowing dimly and brightly as if they were alive.

This place was most likely the core of the cave mansion.

Clearly, that fire flood dragon was the formation’s eye.

Then where was the key?

Chen Ming thought to himself and searched for a while, but found nothing resembling a key, which puzzled him. He asked the Yu Haitang in his arms, “Where’s the key?”

She lazily replied, “It should be in the lava beneath the fire flood dragon.”

“So, we have to kill the fire flood dragon to obtain the key?”

“Exactly.”

“If the fire flood dragon dies, will the cave mansion still function?”

“Of course it will. That fire flood dragon is merely a guardian for the key,” Yu Haitang answered with certainty.

Hearing this, Deng Ziyang couldn’t help but glance at her. She seemed far too familiar with this cave mansion.

Chen Ming finally turned his attention to the battle between the First Grade Experts and the fire flood dragon.

There were seven First Grade Experts in total, including the Sect Master of Cangyue Sect, Ling Qiyang. Madam Yu, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Though the seven fought together, the fire flood dragon, while appearing to be at a disadvantage, was not seriously injured.

Chen Ming noticed that it possessed extremely high combat intelligence and always avoided its vital points. Its body was massive—several dozen meters long, as thick as several people’s arms combined. As long as the wounds weren’t at critical points, they meant nothing to it.

One against seven, and it was still holding its ground.

Indeed, it had lived for several thousand years. Even though it had been constantly suppressed, it was still far beyond ordinary beings.

Suddenly, Lord Jin of the Six Doors Authority proposed, “Everyone, show your true skills. If this continues, we’ll exhaust ourselves without even killing this beast.”

This golden-robed inspector was actually a First Grade Expert.

“Good!”

“Let’s kill the beast first!”

At once, several terrifying force fields erupted.

Even though Chen Ming’s group was over a hundred meters away, they were nearly blown away by the overwhelming aura.

Such terrifying power cleared the fire element energy in a radius of several hundred meters.

Boom!

Along with a flurry of blades and swords, the lava lake ahead suddenly exploded, and countless streams of flaming rain scattered in all directions.

Chen Ming couldn’t see the battle clearly at all.

So this was the power of a First Grade Expert!

Gripping the “Phoenix Cry Sword”, Chen Ming placed Yu Haitang on the ground and stepped forward. With one move “Myriad Feathers Return to the Sect”, he unleashed a barrage of sword shadows to block the incoming “flaming rain”.

Ding ding ding—

At last, the aftermath of that “flaming rain” passed.

Chen Ming felt a wave of emptiness surge through his body, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Indeed, one should never casually observe battles between experts.

Just enduring the residual force of a First Grade battle had pushed him to the limit—he had nearly failed to withstand it.

Just now, every drop of that “flaming rain” was more powerful than a full-strength strike from Gao Chen, a Third Grade Martial Artist.

“Roar—”

A deafening roar rang out.

The fire flood dragon still wasn’t dead!

Chen Ming looked again and saw that the lava had dried up. At the bottom of the lake, a golden flame rose up from the earth, appearing nearly tangible.

To remain unharmed under such ferocious attacks—it could not be an ordinary object.

“Could that be the key?”

So he thought, then saw the fire flood dragon again. Its condition was extremely poor, covered in several massive wounds, two of its four claws severed, one eye blinded, and a large portion of its head sliced off.

And yet, it still wasn’t dead. Its tenacity was truly astonishing.

Just then, Chen Ming suddenly sensed an unusual fluctuation. He turned sharply and looked at the meditating Yu Haitang with some shock. “No way? At a time like this…”

That fluctuation was all too familiar to him—it meant that Yu Haitang was attempting a breakthrough to Third Grade.

Why would she choose now?

“Old Ghost Yang, how dare you—”

Suddenly, an urgent and furious voice rang out.

Chen Ming looked back and saw that two of the First Grade Experts had already started fighting each other. One of them he recognized—it was the old man who had once escorted Yu Haitang.

The fire flood dragon wasn’t even dead yet, and they were already turning on each other.