The passage of time flowed like water and Huang Xiaolong had stayed in the Blessed Buddha Palace for three days.
During the day, Huang Xiaolong exchanged cultivation pointers with Shi Fantian, while at night, he continued to observe the twelve primordial divine dragons, practicing the Twelve Forms of the Dragon God. At the end, he would swallow a Sky Dragon Pill, Water Fire Dragon Essence Pill, Dragon Buddha Pill, and other divine grade pellets while meditating.
That time when Huang Xiaolong was in the Ancient Dragon Clan ruins, in an Elder Dragon Palace he found more than ten bottles of Divine Dragon Pills, each bottle containing a dozen pellets. Therefore, he still had some left after giving some to his family, Zhao Shu, and others.
Huang Xiaolong's strength grew with each passing day, and he continued to absorb true dragon essence emitted by the Dragon Pearl in his forehead.
Every time Huang Xiaolong practiced, the small symbol on his forehead would glimmer with a vivid halo.
Three days passed.
Outside the Blessed Buddha Palace doors, Shi Fantian, Empress Lin Mengle, Shi Xiaofei, and a group of princes and imperial grandsons gathered to bid farewell to Huang Xiaolong, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu.
Huang Xiaolong took out a jade bottle from the Asura Ring, giving it to Shi Fantian, "Senior Brother, for these days of hospitality, this Junior Brother has nothing good to give in return, here are ten Golden Jadesea Dragon Pills, take it."
"The legendary Dragon Clan's divine grade pellets, Golden Jadesea Dragon Pills!" Shi Fantian gasped with shock staring at the small bottle in Huang Xiaolong's hand. Empress Lin Mengle and Shi Xiaofei had the same astonished expressions on their faces.
Shi Fantian shook his head after recovering from his shock, "No, Junior Brother, this is too valuable, I cannot accept it!"
These Golden Jadesea Dragon Pill were rare divine grade pellets, each one was a priceless treasure.
Huang Xiaolong persuaded, "I found them in the Ancient Dragon Clan ruin, I still have a lot with me, take them."
Still have a lot? Shi Fantian's mind went blank for a second, then he relented, "Alright then, Senior Brother will gratefully accept them." Taking the bottle, he carefully put them away.
Huang Xiaolong's eyes fell on Shi Xiaofei. After a brief thought, he took out two fist-sized red ruby-like things in front of everyone, giving them to Shi Xiaofei.
Shi Fantian thought they were just some normal red-colored rubies, but taking a closer look, his eyes widened, blurting out before he could stop himself, "Dragon Blood Crystals?!"
This sudden exclamation and the two 'red rubies' stunned Empress Lin Mengle and Shi Xiaofei.
Huang Xiaolong nodded, "Yes, they are Dragon Blood Crystals." In the Ancient Dragon Clan ruin, Huang Xiaolong looted close to a thousand big and small pieces of Blood Dragon Crystal. Deducting the ones he gave to his family, Zhao Shu, and the rest, he still had about eight hundred pieces inside the Asura Ring.
Moments later, Shi Xiaofei held the Dragon Blood Crystals that Huang Xiaolong gave in her hands. Looking at Huang Xiaolong she said, "Thank you, Big brother Xiaolong."
That gaze really made Huang Xiaolong uncomfortable all over. In the end, Huang Xiaolong also gave two pieces of Dragon Blood Crystal to Empress Lin Mengle, making her so happy that she was smiling from ear to ear nonstop.
"Junior Brother, all these are too much." As the Emperor of Blessed Buddha Empire, Shi Fantian had many treasures, yet receiving so many valuable items from Huang Xiaolong at once, Golden Jadesea Pills and Dragon Blood Crystals, made him feel slightly embarrassed.
Huang Xiaolong grinned, "The one hundred jugs of Blessed Buddha Wine you gave me are just as valuable."
Shi Fantian chuckled hearing that, "Then, after you won the Asura's Gate Sovereign position, I will give you another hundred jugs. At that time, us brothers will drink to our hearts' content!"
Huang Xiaolong concurred, "Deal!" He cupped his hands at Shi Fantian, then turned around and left with Zhao Shu, Zhang Fu, and the two giant puppets following behind, very quickly disappeared from their sight.
Shi Fantian retrieved his gaze and turned around. Seeing that his daughter was still looking in the direction Huang Xiaolong left, he teased, "The person has already left, are you still looking?"
Shi Xiaofei realized her gaffe, and noticing the look in her father's eyes, her small cheeks blushed, "Who said I was looking?" She fled inside the palace after throwing that sentence.
Shi Fantian and Lin Mengle shared a laugh at the expense of their daughter.
Two days later, Huang Xiaolong's group crossed the border out of Blessed Buddha Empire's territory, reaching an area of rocky mountains.
Zhao Shu spoke, "Sovereign, not far ahead are the Demonic Beasts Forest and Dead Sea Gorge, should we cross the Demonic Beasts Forest to reach Starcloud Continent or go through the Dead Sea Gorge?"
Similar to the Origin Forest, the Demonic Beasts Forest a forest of ancient times, and a point between the Starcloud Continent and Wind Snow Continent, like the Dead Sea Gorge.
Huang Xiaolong had two routes to choose from, whether traveling through the Demonic Beasts Forest or the Dead Sea Gorge, to reach Starcloud Continent.
"Go through the Demonic Beasts Forest." Huang Xiaolong decided.
High-level demonic beasts roamed rampant in the Demonic Beasts Forest, but other than sea creatures, there were also space cracks in the Dead Sea Gorge. If they were somehow careless and got sucked into a space crack, who knows how long it would take before they could get out, wasting time that he didn't have. This was exactly what happened to Yu Ming the last time he went back to Starcloud Continent, delaying six years' time after getting trapped inside a space crack.
it was one of the main reasons that Huang Xiaolong chose to go through the Demonic Beasts Forest.
Thus, Huang Xiaolong's group flew in the Demonic Beasts Forest's direction.
…
Night gradually blanketed the earth in darkness.
Several hours later, Huang Xiaolong and the others finally made it to the edge of the Demonic Beasts Forest.
Looking at the sky, Huang Xiaolong said, "Let's rest here for the night and continue tomorrow."
The Demonic Beasts Forest, Origin Forest, and Dead Sea Gorge were infamous places in Martial Spirit World, especially at night, when the demonic beasts were most active. Although Huang Xiaolong had confidence in his strength, to avoid unnecessary trouble, he decided to travel during daytime.
This Demonic Beasts Forest wasn't lacking in Saint realm level demonic beasts.
Having decided, Huang Xiaolong's group built a fire for the night at a large empty space close to the forest's edge.
The fire might attract some demonic beasts at night, but since they were at the edge, it was mostly low levels demonic beasts. Huang Xiaolong wasn't worried.
The few of them sat around the fire.
From the Asura Ring, Huang Xiaolong took out three jugs of the Blessed Buddha Wine that Shi Fantian gave him, for himself, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu, while the two giant puppets went hunting for Tyrant Boars under Huang Xiaolong's order. This Tyrant Boar was a low-level demonic beast, but its meat was sweet and delicious, an excellent accompaniment to their wine.
Huang Xiaolong deftly skinned two Tyrant Boars, sprinkled some spices, and placed them to roast over the fire. Before long, the tantalizing fragrance of roast Tyrant Boar meat permeated the air.
The three people tore big chunks of meat and gulped down great wine with abandon.
Oil from the meat fell to the soil.
Zhao Shu laughed happily, "Following Sovereign is really a joy for our taste buds."
Zhang Fu agreed, "That is so!"
Huang Xiaolong laughed.
Yet, at this moment, Huang Xiaolong, Zhao Shu, and Zhang Fu's laughter stopped abruptly as they caught the sound of rapid whistling wind heading in their direction. Judging from the speed, it was a Saint realm expert, no doubt.
Moments later, a small figure appeared before the three of them.
Huang Xiaolong was taken aback seeing a figure that looked like a seven to eight-year-old small child!
In a fast flicker, the small child was already next to Huang Xiaolong, close to the fire.
So fast! Huang Xiaolong noted inwardly.
"Big brother, can you give me a piece of meat?" The small child stared fixedly at the piece of meat warming over the fire ever since he arrived, the greedy look on his face as he kept swallowing his saliva.
Huang Xiaolong was stunned at first, but he reacted quickly, tearing a large piece of meat, "Here."
The small child's face beamed, taking the meat from Huang Xiaolong, "Thank you, Big brother."