Chapter 564: Chapter 563: Swallowing the Treasure Alone
But Mu Keqing cursed, "You shameless lot! Where were you when Ye was risking his life to snatch the Divine Dragon Essence Blood just now? He obtained it at the cost of his life. It belongs only to him, and none of you have the right to take it!"
The two sides were arguing, and it looked like a full-blown battle was about to erupt.
Just then, the weakened Ye Fan, who had begun to slowly recover, saw the situation and immediately swallowed the Divine Dragon Essence Blood.
"What?"
Everyone’s expression changed. No one had expected Ye Fan to make such a reckless move. Even Mu Chen Dong was stunned. Now that he’s consumed the Divine Dragon Essence Blood, is there any left for me? Impossible. An angry crowd stared at Ye Fan.
Ye Fan knew that even though some people were defending him now, they might not truly protect him in the end. He had seen this kind of thing countless times during his travels in the martial world. Without hesitation, he turned and fled from the cavern.
"Chase him!"
Bypassing Mu Keqing and Mu Chen Dong, the crowd rushed to the mouth of the cavern, only to find it pitch-black inside. The Divine Dragon Essence Blood was far too important to give up, however. Ignoring the darkness, they leaped into the void. They had to obtain the Divine Dragon Essence Blood, no matter the cost; it was their ultimate dream.
Left behind, Mu Chen Dong and Mu Keqing stood facing each other.
"Big brother," Mu Keqing said, "you have to help Ye!"
"Why should I? He took all the benefits for himself! Am I, Laozi, supposed to be his hired muscle?" Mu Chen Dong retorted, enraged. He should have gotten a share. The thought of Ye Fan hoarding all the spoils while he was left with nothing—not even the scraps—was infuriating. As one of the top talents of the younger generation, Mu Chen Dong was deeply insulted.
But Mu Keqing was firm. "No. If you don’t help him, not only will I tell Father, but I’ll also spread this to the entire world and let everyone know what a despicable thing you’ve done!"
Threatened by his own sister, Mu Chen Dong was so furious he could have spat blood. "You can’t do this to me! I’m your big brother! Is some random outsider more important to you than your own family?"
Mu Chen Dong seethed with jealousy. He had looked after Mu Keqing since they were children, and now she was threatening him, her own brother, for some wild man she had just met.
After a moment of contemplation, however, Mu Keqing suddenly said, "I’m carrying his child."
"No way! You moved that fast?" Mu Chen Dong’s body trembled, unable to accept the devastating reality.
Mu Keqing continued, "So, if you don’t want to see your little sister heartbroken, you’d better help him. If I’m heartbroken, you won’t get off easy either!"
Torn between her threats and her appeal to his sympathy, Mu Chen Dong was at a loss for words.
Gritting his teeth, he finally said, "Then what are you waiting for? Let’s go after them! Those people are lunatics. They’ll do anything for personal gain!"
The two siblings immediately gave chase.
After leaping into the dark cavern, the group discovered an underground river ahead. The river was fraught with peril, and their resolve to chase Ye Fan began to waver. Their dream was important, but their lives were more so. Besides, this was the Divine Dragon Secret Realm. Even if Ye Fan escaped now, where could he run? Finding him was just a matter of time and effort. There was no need to risk their lives in the treacherous river.
"Let’s go!"
The group immediately left the Divine Dragon’s burial ground. With the Divine Dragon Essence Blood gone, the place held no value, not even for study.
About fifteen minutes after they had left, Ye Fan finally broke the surface of the water, gasping for breath. The water was frigid, but that wasn’t the worst of it; the real problem was how long he had been forced to hold his breath.
"None of you would have guessed that I, Laozi, would hide here instead of running," he said, his voice laced with grief and indignation. "Hmph! Just you wait. Once Laozi refines this Divine Dragon Essence Blood, I’ll make you all pay!"
When had he ever suffered such humiliation, being hunted like a stray dog? It was always he who hunted others, leaving them to flee in a constant state of panic. Only here in the Divine Domain, as a newcomer, had he been bullied like this.
But Ye Fan had memorized their faces. As long as he could merge with the Divine Dragon Essence Blood, he would break through again and have the power to challenge them.
Ye Fan decided not to seek out Mu Chen Dong and Mu Keqing. Right now, too many things were uncertain; he didn’t know who was an enemy and who was a friend. No, that’s wrong. In this secret realm, I have no friends. With the Divine Dragon Essence Blood in his possession, everyone was a potential enemy. He couldn’t afford to take the risk.
Although he knew Mu Keqing wouldn’t harm him, she would surely expect a share. There was only this one small piece of Divine Dragon Essence Blood. To perfect his Pure Yang Divine Power, he needed every last drop. Therefore, he would absolutely not give any of it away.
Ye Fan decided to first find a safe place to refine the Divine Dragon Essence Blood. Once it was fully integrated with his body, he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone taking it from him. With this plan in mind, he left the Divine Dragon’s burial ground.
He felt no lingering attachment to the place. The Divine Dragon’s death was a great tragedy, but Ye Fan knew that with his current power, he was in no position to investigate the Curse Technique responsible for it.
He found a secluded spot and began the refining process.
The Divine Dragon Essence Blood was incredibly potent. After employing several techniques, Ye Fan finally succeeded in refining it. Integrating the blood essence was an excruciating process, and Ye Fan was wracked with agony. Fortunately, with the aid of his Ancestor Realm Bloodline, the Dragon Blood was at last successfully merged.
After integrating the Dragon Blood, Ye Fan was astonished. He felt himself on the verge of a breakthrough—a rapid one at that. This was fantastic news.
However, beginning the breakthrough process was fraught with risk. There were too many uncertainties, and if another Martial Artist found him in his vulnerable state, they would undoubtedly do everything in their power to kill him.
Ye Fan arrived at Dragon Valley. It was a labyrinthine valley where he had once been ambushed, and it was the very place he chose for his breakthrough. Even if other Martial Artists detected him, the valley’s swirling clouds and complex geography would make finding him no easy task. It was an excellent place to hide from prying eyes.
Ye Fan began his attempt to break through.
Finally, the day came when he unleashed his power. Instantly, dark clouds swarmed across the sky. This was supposed to be a minor tribulation, but the Heavenly Tribulation brewing above was as powerful as one for a major advancement.
Ye Fan was already used to this. He knew he received unfair treatment; even the heavens seemed to single him out for punishment, as if jealous of his terrifying talent. This only served to increase the difficulty of his breakthrough.
Finally, the heavenly thunder descended, arcing with wild sparks.
The first bolt slammed into his body.
"ARGH!"
An agonized scream tore from Ye Fan’s throat.
