An Understated Dominance

 The dark red lake, which had only been faintly restless before, suddenly began to surge violently— as though some colossal creature beneath the surface had awakened! In the next instant, thick tentacles—each as wide as a water jar and formed from viscous blood and foul miasma—burst forth from the lake. They came whipping and coiling toward the group on the narrow path, bringing with them a stench so strong it made one’s teeth ache, accompanied by the harsh sound of tearing flesh. “Careful!” A’Long shouted, slashing his blade toward a blood-red tentacle that lunged for  Margaret . The blade struck, and a metallic  clang  rang out, sparks flying! The tentacle was incredibly tough, its surface covered in corrosive energy. A’Long’s arm went numb from the impact, and his sword was quickly stained with a layer of dark red filth, its spiritual glow fading. The other two guards also swung their weapons, but their attacks barely made a dent. They were forced into a desperate...

 Dustin approached the blood altar, paying no heed to the dense aura of hatred lingering in the air. He bent down and picked up the bronze waist token, his fingers brushing over the strange, twisted emblem. His gaze was icy. “Not just one group,” he muttered. “Judging from the age of the bloodstains and the styles of these remnants, at least three separate factions have conducted blood sacrifices here over the past few decades.” He examined a relatively intact corpse. Its sternum glimmered with an abnormal dark-gold hue, covered in fine cracks. “This person was no weakling — at least Master-level cultivation. Yet death came not by ordinary means. Their life essence and soul were forcibly drained, leaving even the spiritual energy in their bones stripped away,” Dustin explained. Margaret frowned. “The sacrifices… were they trying to communicate with the Dragon? Or weaken it?” She recalled Xuan Chengzi’s words: the seal had grown weak over the years, leaking its power. Someone delibe...

 “Weak Water…” Margaret gazed at the serene blue lake before her — so calm that even the light itself seemed to be faintly swallowed by it. She could sense the strange, profound laws flowing within, and her brows knitted together in unease. Feathers cannot float, birds cannot cross  — that was no exaggeration. Though she was no weakling, maintaining a protective barrier long enough to traverse such waters would likely exceed her limits. Dustin walked to the water’s edge and crouched down. At his fingertip gathered a wisp of pure, refined Xuanqing true energy, which he slowly extended into the lake. The moment it touched the surface, no ripples appeared. Instead, it felt as though his energy had entered a viscous, gel-like substance, struggling to move forward. A strange, corrosive force began to erode that wisp of energy at an alarming speed. “There’s no mistake,” Dustin murmured calmly. “This water carries the laws of dissolution and descent — a force that devours all. Ordina...

At those words, Margaret’s delicate face instantly turned pale. The sliver of hope in her heart  that fragile light she had clung to  was shattered completely by the old man’s words. In her mind, she seemed to see her father swallowing the so-called celestial pill, not recovering, but transforming into a monstrous abomination. Terror, despair, and helplessness surged like a tide, drowning her whole being. Qingzhu quickly crouched beside her, holding her trembling body, her own eyes red with grief. Dustin stood quietly, watching everything unfold, offering no comfort. Some truths had to be faced  no matter how cruel they were. Xuan Chengzi gazed at the desolate Margaret and sighed softly. “Girl, it is not that I wish to deny your filial devotion, but fate itself mocks the hearts of men. To borrow the power of the Void Dragon is like drinking poison to quench thirst. Doing so would only hasten the breaking of its seal and when that happens, all beings of this world will suf...

 Moving through the perilous medicine garden, every step felt like dancing on the edge of a blade. Those once-alluring spirit herbs that glowed with radiant light now appeared to everyone like fanged demons, baring their claws. They followed closely behind Dustin, avoiding every patch of ground that showed abnormal energy fluctuations. Every nerve was stretched taut to the limit. At the end of the garden, the mist thickened, and the sound of flowing water grew clearer and nearer. Finally, as they broke through the last veil of mist that obscured their vision, the scene before them left them breathless. It was a vast expanse of water—boundless, tranquil as a mirror, shimmering with a dreamlike azure hue. Dense spiritual energy rolled above the lake, almost tangible, so rich that even a single breath made one’s entire body feel light and invigorated. The inner strength they had lost in the poisonous mists earlier began to slowly recover. At the center of the lake, a small island coul...

 Dustin pointed at the lines on the stele:  “Resembles an elixir of immortality, yet is a supreme evil,”  and  “Those who consume it will have their souls destroyed or become dragon puppets.”  His voice was low and grave. “It seems the so-called ‘Immortal Elixir’ we’ve been searching for is likely this very  Dragonblood Bodhi . It isn’t a true elixir of ascension at all, but a vile creation born from the corrupted power of the Demonic Dragon, fused with the spiritual veins of this land.” This revelation struck Margaret like a bolt of lightning. Her face went pale in an instant. All her hardships, all the guards who had fallen for her quest—only for the prize to be a cursed object that could destroy the soul or turn one into a monster? “How could this be…” she staggered, nearly losing her balance. Was her father’s only hope truly shattered here? At that moment, one of the remaining guards, gazing at the garden full of plants glowing with enticing light, coul...

 After a brief rest, Margaret exhaled softly and turned to the few who had stayed behind. A-Long’s eyes were firm; the two remaining guards, though pale, gripped their weapons tightly. Old Zhang, his arm severed, sat leaning against the cave wall — his eyes hollow yet calm, as though resigned to fate. Qingzhu, meanwhile, watched Margaret with deep worry. Finally, her gaze fell upon Dustin. He still sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation, utterly untouched by the turmoil around him. That profound serenity, somehow, soothed her restless heart. “Let’s go,” Margaret said. Her voice had regained its usual cool composure, but now carried a tone of unwavering resolve — the sound of someone who had already burned all bridges behind her. Dustin opened his eyes at that moment, gave a small nod, and without another word, strode toward the other end of the cavern — down the narrow passage leading into the unknown. The passage was damp and dark, barely wide enough for one person to pass wh...