275 Third-Level Bone Pattern Realm
“From as early as Li Shaoxiang could remember, her mother would often instill in her certain theories about destiny. She did this to ensure the child wouldn’t be too heartbroken when her mother eventually left.”
“As time passed, this is how things became,” Li Zeren finished, wiping the corners of his reddened eyes before leaving the secret chamber.
Qin Huai sat cross-legged in the center of the dragon corpse, an invisible aura rumbling around him. The next moment, the massive dragon corpse began to rise, emanating a majestic aura. Even Qin Huai himself floated into the air.
Two white spots of light materialized in the dragon’s empty eye sockets. At that moment, although Qin Huai’s eyes were closed, he could still perceive everything happening in the secret chamber.
He suddenly opened his eyes, a dazzling white light gathering within them. The white dragon aura surrounding him swelled like a raging wave.
Qin Huai’s own white dragon aura, equivalent to the fifth-level bone pattern realm, paled in comparison to the dragon corpse’s aura, which resembled a vast ocean. It could easily overwhelm his power.
He began to dance within the secret chamber, each step accompanied by a dragon’s roar. With a gentle wave of his claws, a tremendous force burst forth like a fierce gale.
Boom!
The entire secret chamber shook violently, the ground quaking as if the apocalypse was imminent. Qin Huai couldn’t help but be awestruck by this power.
“As expected of a legendary creature. Even with only a skeletal body left, and though I can only control a mere trace of it, its power is still so terrifying that it makes one’s hair stand on end,” Qin Huai praised.
He could sense the boundless power emanating from the dragon corpse. The combat strength he could unleash was only one ten-thousandth of its true potential. Yet, this was more than enough to defeat a fifth-level bone pattern realm expert from the Sacred Heart sect or the county governor’s mansion.
Qin Huai controlled the dragon corpse, dancing around the secret chamber. He attempted to master the astonishing white dragon force and display its might, but he was only proficient in controlling it. He practiced various offensive techniques and martial arts maneuvers as well.
“What a pity. I can’t maintain control for long,” Qin Huai lamented, his face gradually turning pale as he landed on the ground. “If I want to control the dragon corpse and unleash its full combat strength, the battlefield must be nearby. Otherwise, I’d exhaust myself just traveling.”
Qin Huai muttered to himself, realizing that the most suitable battlefield was undoubtedly the Nine Dragons sect. There, his own poison techniques, the sect disciples’ poison techniques, and the dragon corpse’s combat strength could all be utilized to their fullest potential.
Leaving the dragon corpse behind, Qin Huai sat cross-legged on the ground, meditating. He mentally deduced various offensive strategies and combination moves that the dragon corpse could execute. He needed to be able to directly overwhelm a formidable enemy when he attacked.
News from around the world flew toward Qin Huai like snowflakes.
“The Balance Army replied. They didn’t take anyone who cultivated the long breath technique. They claim we must have misunderstood,” Li Shaoxiang reported with a bitter smile as she read the letter. “And they don’t seem to be interested in our proposed internal cooperation.”
“Not interested?” Qin Huai was puzzled. He had anticipated their initial refusal to admit any wrongdoing. After all, every blacksmith was crucial at this time, especially since the Balance Army heavily relied on them.
The chances of the Balance Army letting them go were slim. Furthermore, it was safer for his master and the others to stay in Huai Dan City rather than go to Lingjiang.
However, Qin Huai found it strange that the other party still showed no interest in cooperation. Didn’t the Balance Army want to defeat the county governor’s mansion and occupy the entire Lingjiang county?
He spread out a map, examining the tense situation near Huai Dan City.
“They’ve been staying in Huai Dan City for almost two months,” Qin Huai muttered. “Ever since we occupied Huai Dan Cityor rather, half of Lingjiang countythey’ve been huddled in this territory. They initiate battles with the county governor’s army, but they don’t seem determined to attack the city in one go.” Qin Huai paced in front of the map, finding the Balance Army’s actions and their strange armors suspicious.
Li Shaoxiang shared his confusion, “This Balance Army doesn’t seem intent on dividing the county.”
“Perhaps the Balance Army wants to pacify Lingjiang county. However, the faction behind them must have other motives,” Qin Huai concluded, narrowing his eyes. He couldn’t figure out the intentions of those behind the Balance Army by prolonging the conflict.
“Have you gathered any information on those strange armors?” Qin Huai inquired.
“No, but their numbers on the Huai Dan City battlefield have increased, and their power seems to have grown as well,” Li Shaoxiang replied. “I think it has a lot to do with Song Ya’s lack of fighting spirit. There’s plenty of information suggesting that the county governor’s mansion might not hold out much longer and could attack the Nine Dragons sect.”
Qin Huai nodded. “Tell the sect disciples to stay alert over the next few days. We can’t overlook any information or suspicious details.” As he sat in the study, his mind remained on high alert.
“The city’s population has also significantly decreased,” Li Shaoxiang continued. “The streets have become deserted. Many people were instructed or hinted to evacuate with their families. I don’t think the county governor’s mansion will just go through the back mountain. They’ll likely split into two groups and come through the city.”
Initially, they thought that if Lingjiang county became a battlefield, countless people would be affected. If there were too many casualties, even if the county governor’s mansion won, there might not be much left for the future. But looking at it now
Qin Huai nodded. “We need to be on guard. We can’t take any chances.”
He knew the final battle would probably occur within the next few days.
Late at night, in the secret chamber of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Qin Huai sat cross-legged before the dragon corpse.
The dragon’s might around him was vast, causing his green and white robe to billow. At the same time, waves of air surged.
Boom!
At a certain moment, crisp crackling sounds emanated from Qin Huai’s body. His face flushed and heat radiated from his nostrils like a pillar.
He had reached the third-level bone pattern realm!
His vitality had also increased by another fifty points, breaking through the three-hundred-point barrier and reaching stage three.
For most martial artists whose physical bodies were weaker than their cultivation level, Qin Huai’s vitality already surpassed others in the same realm. Most importantly, his control over the dragon corpse was becoming increasingly more fluid. The qualitative change of breaking through the realm barrier was ultimately even more astounding.
“Perhaps I can use this on the dragon corpse?” Bold ideas surfaced in Qin Huai’s mind.