"Senior Tang Chen, Brother Yuan Shu."
"I have indeed only mastered the first level of the Dragon Transformation. As for why my barrier arts' combat power can exceed that of an ordinary first-level Dragon Transformation cultivator — it is because my bloodline power has already awakened."
Chu Feng said.
"Bloodline power awakened?"
Hearing Chu Feng say this, both Master Tang Chen and Yuan Shu were startled. At the same time, their gazes toward Chu Feng were filled with curiosity.
As for Chu Feng, he went on to explain the whole story to them.
After all, the reason his bloodline power had been able to awaken in the first place was largely thanks to Master Tang Chen's formation.
......
Meanwhile, the Beast Taming Venerable Master and Li Fengxue had already boarded their war chariot, departing from the Seven Sun Mountain Range.
Furthermore, they had left in a great hurry.
In order to put as much distance between themselves and the mountain range as quickly as possible, the Beast Taming Venerable Master personally drove the war chariot, pushing their speed to a nearly terrifying level.
Because of his failure, not only had his master lost the two fragment maps he had won, but he had also lost his own two fragment maps on top of that.
Li Fengxue was terrified. He didn't dare disturb his master at all, and didn't even dare bring up the matter.
Yet his complexion grew increasingly grim, and he writhed in tremendous pain, as though he were gravely ill and on the verge of death.
Finally, he could endure it no longer. He crawled to the side of the Beast Taming Venerable Master, who was fully focused on driving the war chariot, and knelt down.
"Master… I… I can't hold on much longer."
"Please, Master, save me."
After uttering those words, Li Fengxue collapsed to the ground, too weak to even kneel back up.
Seeing this, the Beast Taming Venerable Master hesitated for a moment, but ultimately cursed in anger.
"Useless thing."
But even as he hurled the insult, he produced a gourd.
The moment the gourd was placed in his hand, light began to swirl across its surface. He turned the gourd upside down, aimed it at Li Fengxue, and then spoke.
"Open your mouth."
The instant the Beast Taming Venerable Master gave the order, Li Fengxue hurriedly complied.
Blegh—
The moment he opened his mouth, great gushes of blood spewed out in thick pillars.
But the blood was not only pitch-black — it also emitted a nauseating stench.
And as the black blood continued to pour out, a black centipede emerged from his mouth.
This centipede was nothing like an ordinary one. It looked utterly horrifying.
Its entire body was inscribed with talisman markings.
The centipede was still struggling, unwilling to leave Li Fengxue's body.
But under the suction force of the gourd, it was finally wrenched from Li Fengxue's mouth and drawn inside.
After the centipede left his body, Li Fengxue's once-full figure instantly became withered and gaunt, and his appearance aged considerably.
"Thank you, Master."
At that moment, he no longer had the strength to stand, but he still bowed and expressed his gratitude.
He knew that if his master hadn't extracted that centipede, he would have died for certain.
"Useless thing. I spent a fortune to acquire this Ghost Talisman Earth Dragon so that you could defeat Yuan Shu and help me win a fragment map."
"Otherwise, with your strength — at the same first level of the Dragon Transformation — how could you have possibly fought Yuan Shu so easily?"
"But what did you do? You even lost my own stake."
The Beast Taming Venerable Master berated him.
Hearing this, Li Fengxue felt deeply wronged.
Indeed, that centipede had helped him enhance his barrier arts.
But the pain it brought him was even more unbearable than barrier forbidden medicines.
And the reason he had been willing to swallow that centipede was none other than to help his master win the fragment maps!
In the end, all of his suffering had been for his master's sake.
"It was this disciple's incompetence."
Though Li Fengxue felt wronged, he didn't dare say so. All he could do was continuously admit his faults.
"Fine, fine. Take this pill and get some rest."
Though the Beast Taming Venerable Master was furious, he didn't seem to be completely heartless. In the end, he produced a pill and tossed it to Li Fengxue, who was lying prostrate on the ground.
Li Fengxue hurriedly picked up the pill and swallowed it.
Once the pill took effect, he finally recovered a bit of strength.
"Thank you, Master."
"Master, rest assured. This disciple will cultivate diligently. I won't let that Chu Feng off easy."
Li Fengxue said with a tone of determination.
"You? Don't even think about it."
"Sure, that kid only displayed combat power comparable to a third-rank Supreme."
"But since he has mastered the second level of the Dragon Transformation, he must possess combat power comparable to a fourth-rank Supreme."
"And he's still a junior, with talent far exceeding yours."
"What could you possibly use to fight him?"