Chapter 582: Subduing the Azure Dragon |
"What are you trying to say?"
Ning Qi did not understand its meaning.
He could only guess, but unfortunately, he couldn't even guess correctly.
What exactly was it trying to express?
So, he tried again here, but in the end, he still couldn't open the staircase leading to the third floor.
He ultimately chose to give up.
"Since I can't go up now, I'll just wait until I break through later and try again."
Ning Qi thought for a moment, then shifted his attention to the small snake.
From beginning to end, it had been bound by iron chains.
He walked forward and examined the chains. Driven by curiosity, Ning Qi took out his Chaos Sword and slashed down at the chain.
*Clang!*
Following a clear, crisp sound,
a blinding flash of firelight erupted from the iron chain.
Ning Qi looked closely and found the chain showed no change.
Under the slash of the Chaos Sword, not even a single nick had been made.
"So sturdy?"
Ning Qi widened his eyes, a look of gravity appearing on his face. Clearly, he hadn't expected this seemingly ordinary iron chain to be so tough.
Unwilling to accept this, he channeled his power to its limit.
Then he slashed down with another strike.
With this blow, the chain merely emitted the sound of metal clashing, still showing no change whatsoever.
Ning Qi looked at the Chaos Sword in his hand, then at the iron chain before him, his brow furrowing for a moment.
"It seems helping you leave here is impossible for me as well."
He looked at the small snake watching him from the side and said with a smile, "Then we'll just have to find a way later."
*Hiss!*
Hearing this, the small snake couldn't help but flick its tongue again.
This time, it pointed Ning Qi in a direction.
It was toward another wall.
Ning Qi followed its tongue flick and glanced at the wall.
He saw that this wall had some patterns painted on it.
These patterns depicted none other than the interior of this very pagoda.
Seeing these paintings, Ning Qi suddenly understood, finally realizing what was going on here.
"So that's how it is."
He sighed and said with a smile, "So it seems I understood correctly just now."
"To go up another level, I need to break through again."
"Then what level of strength would one reach after the seventh floor?"
Looking at the hints here, he understood the situation.
To go further up, one must first break through their current strength; to go higher, they must continue breaking through.
As for helping the small snake break free from its restraints on this first floor, brute force alone wouldn't work.
Because these iron chains also had restrictions placed on them.
To break them open, one must use Daoist methods to dissolve the restrictions on them; only then can the small snake escape.
After figuring out the situation, Ning Qi returned to the small snake.
"Then I'll help you once."
"It's not a waste of you telling me the secret here."
Ning Qi looked at the small snake beside him and said with a smile.
*Hiss!*
The small snake happily flicked its tongue at him.
Clearly, it also understood his meaning.
Ning Qi then sat cross-legged again and began circulating Ruoshui Sanqian, coordinating with his own Dao Patterns and water-wave patterns,
starting to fuse with the restrictions on the iron chain.
At first, after the restrictions on the chain were activated, they began to resist him.
Making it difficult for Ning Qi to make any progress, but gradually, under the fusion of his Dao Patterns, they were slowly assimilated.
*Sizzle...*
That iron chain began to emit bursts of piercing, grating sounds.
Ning Qi slightly opened his eyes to look.
He discovered that the restrictions on the iron chain were beginning to shatter under his fusion,
gradually peeling away from the chain.
Layer after layer.
Time also began to pass. After two hours had gone by, the restrictions on the iron chain were finally broken by Ning Qi.
Those layer upon layer of restrictions ultimately all disappeared.
Revealing the chain's true appearance.
It was actually a silver-colored iron chain, with streams of fluorescent light shimmering on it.
*Whew!*
Ning Qi took a deep breath and then stood up directly.
Once again, he took out his Chaos Sword.
"This time, there should be no problem, right?"
He smiled, then raised the Chaos Sword high.
Then he brought it down on the chain with a slash.
*Clang!*
With the clear sound of metal clashing,
Ning Qi looked again and found the chain had been severed by his Chaos Sword.
He had finally succeeded.
Ning Qi clapped his hands once, then shifted his attention to the small snake. "Now, you are free."
The small snake seemed to understand his words, shaking its body slightly.
Then it leaped into the air, arriving mid-air.
*Hiss!*
It flicked its tongue and began to coil its body together.
At first, there was no change, but later on, a transformation gradually occurred.
It was actually changing from a small snake back into a shimmering silver egg.
Gradually, the silver light receded, ultimately turning into a green egg.
"Oh? What does this mean?"
Ning Qi watched as the small snake before him underwent an earth-shattering change, unable to help but widen his eyes.
*Whoosh!*
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, this egg began to change.
Gradually, cracks appeared.
These cracks were finally pushed open by a pair of dragon horns.
*Roar!*
The next moment, a dragon's roar emanated from within the egg.
"Oh? It's restrained?"
"Then let me lend you a hand."
Seeing this situation, Ning Qi immediately understood what was happening.
So, he spread his hands open, channeled his Immortal Power, and directed it into the cracks of the egg.
*Whoosh!*
Amidst a surge of strong wind, the cracks in the egg widened a few more fractions.
"Still not enough?"
Seeing this, Ning Qi couldn't help but exert more effort.
Then he channeled all the strength in his body and gave the egg a forceful push.
*Crack!*
The next moment, this egg was directly forced open by him.
*Roar!*
The next moment, an Azure Dragon soared out from within the egg.
At first, it was only the size of a palm. As it gradually flew higher and higher,
its body grew larger. Finally, when it reached the ceiling, it was already over a foot long.
Reaching here, it stopped growing and instead shrank back to palm size again.
It flew down from the void, arriving in front of Ning Qi.
Joyfully, it began swimming back and forth in front of him.
As if expressing its gratitude.
"Oh? Recovered so quickly?"
Ning Qi looked at the small snake before him and couldn't help but smile. "A pity you can't speak. It would be great if you could."
"Master, I can already speak."
However, just as he was lamenting this, he heard the small snake speaking.
"Oh? How can I hear you speak?"
Ning Qi immediately became curious.
The key point was that this small snake could actually call him 'Master'.
He hadn't formed a master-servant bond with it; what was going on?
"Master, after the restrictions here were broken, you became my master."
The small snake happily explained to Ning Qi. "I was imprisoned here, waiting for a destined person who could break the seal."
"It's been tens of thousands of years; you are the first person capable of breaking the restrictions here."
"Oh? You mean other people have been here before?"
Hearing the small snake's words, Ning Qi couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Yes, people have come before."
"Unfortunately, they either lacked comprehension or their strength was insufficient."
The small snake nodded, then continued, "Those without comprehension couldn't even see the paintings on the wall."
"You are the first one who could see the paintings here!"
"Oh? These paintings aren't something everyone can see?"
Hearing the small snake say this, Ning Qi immediately became interested.
He never would have thought these paintings possessed such an ability.
"Yes, just now when you were breaking the restrictions upstairs, I already noticed you could see this painting."
"You just didn't pay attention to it earlier!"
The small snake nodded, smiling as it said, "Master, if you want to break the restrictions to go up, you need to break through to the Golden Immortal level!"
"Before breaking through in strength, going up is impossible."
"Mm, I already understood that just now."
Ning Qi nodded, then asked further, "Then, what's above?"
"Master, above is the White Tiger, a very fierce fellow!"
"It's not easy to subdue, but after your strength breaks through, it won't be too difficult either."
The small snake thought for a moment and explained.
"Oh? It's the White Tiger?"
Hearing this, Ning Qi said, "I'd like to see how difficult it is to tame."
"Master, that still requires you to break through in strength first."
The small snake added.
"Alright then. And you, what help can you provide me?"
Ning Qi nodded, then shifted his attention to the small snake.
A look of curiosity appeared in his eyes.
"Master, I can attach myself to your body."
"I can enhance your strength, and I can also increase your body's defense and regeneration abilities."
"As long as you have a breath left, I can keep you from dying."
The small snake looked at Ning Qi and said seriously.
"So you are of the wood attribute, right?"
Hearing this, Ning Qi couldn't help but smile. "So that's how it is."
"Yes, that's right!"
The small snake affirmed.
"Good, this counts as a gain."
Ning Qi nodded, then shifted his attention back to the small snake. "Then, someone said before that this pagoda of yours also has an independent space, a self-contained dimension. What's that about?"
"Master, that independent space can only be used after you break through to the Great Luo Golden Immortal level."
"For now, it can only be used as a pocket dimension."
The small snake said seriously to Ning Qi.
"Mm, understood."
Ning Qi nodded, then shifted his attention to the outside. "Since that's the case, then you should come with me and leave this place."
"Okay!"
The small snake agreed.
Then, in a flash, it directly transformed into a stream of greenish energy.
And then it merged into Ning Qi's arm. After a wisp of green smoke coiled,
a mark of an Azure Dragon appeared on Ning Qi's arm. However, after a few breaths, this mark completely dissipated.
He wasn't overly curious about this. Instead, he directly flashed away, leaving the Iron Pagoda.
"Master!"
The moment he appeared, the Pill Spirit came flying over.
His eyes were full of worry. "Are you alright? Just now, I seemed to hear a dragon's roar inside."
"You heard correctly, there really was a dragon inside."
Hearing this, Ning Qi said with a smile.
"Ah? There really was one? That old fellow didn't lie to us."
Hearing his words, the Pill Spirit couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. "It seems scaring them a bit was the right move."
"He also didn't tell the whole truth; this was probably all his rumor-mongering!"
Ning Qi shook his head, then continued, "I found all this myself; it has nothing to do with him."
"Master, then tomorrow we'll go settle accounts with him."
"This old thing, daring to lie even on his deathbed."
The Pill Spirit rubbed his fists and palms together.
"No need. Although this thing isn't exactly as he described, it's still useful."
"With this treasure, even if I reach Golden Immortal or even Great Luo Golden Immortal, I'll have a protective treasure by my side."
Ning Qi shook his head, then said with a smile, "He wanted to deceive us, but his item truly is a treasure."
"He probably didn't even know it himself."
"Oh, that's good then. Master, how did you deal with that dragon?"
The Pill Spirit nodded, then suddenly thought of something and quickly asked.
"The dragon has been subdued by me; it's right on my arm."
As Ning Qi spoke, he extended his arm.
Then he channeled his Immortal Power.
*Roar!*
The dragon-shaped mark suddenly appeared.
As this mark appeared, the Pill Spirit looked on, clicking his tongue in amazement. "My heavens, it's the Azure Dragon."
"Master, then we really hit the jackpot this time. Just this dragon alone is worth more than that bit of spirit marrow."
"Correct. So that old fellow wanted to deceive us, but he ended up being fooled by his own item."
Ning Qi nodded, then let out a long, relieved sigh. "Alright, it's getting late. Let's prepare to rest."
"Okay!"
The Pill Spirit agreed, then returned to the bed, found a spot, and rested.
Ning Qi also returned to the bed. After sitting on it, he began to meditate and rest.
The night passed swiftly. After the two rested, dawn soon arrived.
By the time they lazily got out of bed, the sun was already high in the sky.
"Ning Qi."
Outside the door, Xu Qingqiu could no longer contain herself and came to call them.
"Coming."
Only then did Ning Qi get up and come to the door,
opening it.
He saw Xu Qingqiu was already waiting for them.
"Why did you get up so late?"
Xu Qingqiu asked, somewhat curious.
"I spent some time refining this Iron Pagoda last night, wasted a bit of time!"
Ning Qi said without hesitation.
Regarding the pagoda, he had absolutely no intention of hiding it from Xu Qingqiu.
"Oh? How did it go? Did you discover anything?"
Hearing this, Xu Qingqiu also became interested and asked.
"Mm, I discovered a few things."
Ning Qi nodded, then continued, "That old fellow didn't exactly lie to us, but it's somewhat different from what he said."
"That's good. As long as you weren't deceived, I was worried you might have been tricked."
Hearing him say this, Xu Qingqiu immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Her eyes looked at Ning Qi as she continued, "Then what kind of treasure is this? What use does it have?"
She was clearly also very interested in magical treasures.
"This pagoda has several Spirit Beasts sealed inside. Not ordinary Spirit Beasts, but divine beasts."
Ning Qi paused for a moment and said solemnly.