The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

”It really is Dao Essence,” Xu Fu cried out in delight.

His voice rippled across the water’s surface, sending out concentric circles.

Suddenly, the water erupted. Four hundred-zhang-tall columns of water shot into the air as an unprecedented demonic aura pressed down. The surface, which had been clear around their feet, was now submerged up to their knees. Even Zisang Jin was no exception.

The Peach Blossom Divine Sword hovered at Zisang Jin’s side, letting out a long, resonant hum.

Everyone’s hearts skipped a beat. ’This demonic aura... it’s too powerful!’

The columns of water receded, revealing the source of the demonic aura. They were four jet-black Water Flood Dragons, each over a hundred zhang long. No, to call them dragons was inaccurate; their ferocious faces were more like those of Water Pythons, and they had no claws.

Their eight frigid eyes stared coldly at the group. This aura was far beyond the Nascent Soul Stage; it might have been Divinity Transformation, or perhaps even a stage beyond that.

’A trap? Guardian beasts? Or...’

Before Chen Dong could process his thoughts, Liu Ling stepped forward lightly. One of the Water Pythons actually lowered its head, allowing Liu Ling to take a seat upon it.

Before Chen Dong could even ask, Liu Ling spoke in a clear voice, ”Master, I told you, I would never harm you under the terms of the Beast Taming Contract!”

Then her tone changed. ”However, that is only *under* the Beast Taming Contract!”

A playful look appeared in Liu Ling’s eyes, and the inscription for the Celestial Dao-level Beast Taming Contract emerged on her forehead.

”Master, were you planning to use the Beast Taming Contract to control me? Pity, we’re not within the domain of the Celestial Dao here~!”

The inscription that represented the contract shattered with a crash, dissipating into the space.

Liu Ling’s gaze turned cold. Staring at Chen Dong, she said icily, ”That’s him. Take him away!”

One of the Water Pythons obeyed, striking directly toward Chen Dong.

Everyone’s brows furrowed in anger. The Dao Essence on Zisang Jin’s forehead began to unfurl. At that moment, however, another Water Python let out a heaven-shattering roar. Space itself seemed to tremble, and everyone felt as if they were shackled, unable to move a muscle.

They could only watch helplessly as Chen Dong was seized in the Water Python’s jaws.

Liu Ling let out a soft laugh. ”You can have this Dao Essence! Consider it... a small gift for the future!”

Then, the four Water Pythons dove into the water and vanished from sight.

Chen Dong watched as he was carried down into the bottomless waters, into the silent gloom.

A long time later, a different world unfolded before his eyes. The first thing he saw was a colossal, dark green gourd. The four Water Pythons, each over a hundred zhang long, were not even one ten-thousandth of the gourd’s size. The gourd appeared to be covered in thick moss, making it impossible to see its detailed carvings.

And through the clear depths, he saw that surrounding the gourd was a field of white bones stretching for ten thousand zhang. Some were as large as mountains, others as small as needles, numbering in the hundreds of millions.

The Water Python, with Liu Ling on its head and Chen Dong in its mouth, swam up to the gourd. The massive beast wasn’t even as large as one of the minuscule, faintly visible markings on the gourd. Among the bones scattered far and wide, quite a few rib cages were even more gigantic than the Water Python.

Chen Dong was stunned. ’What in the world *is* this gourd?’ Even just looking from afar, the Dao it emanated felt like a mountain ten thousand zhang high. Chen Dong exhausted his senses trying to perceive it, but he could not grasp even a fraction.

’To learn of the Dao in the morning and die by evening is a worthy life!’

Though he had not yet seen the Dao, witnessing such a divine object brought a sense of peace to Chen Dong’s heart. And as for Liu Ling painstakingly deceiving him... no, Chen Dong wouldn’t admit that to himself. He’d rather believe it was her appearance that had fooled him into being lured here.

’Letting lust cloud my judgment was just a normal mistake,’ Chen Dong tried to console himself. ’If I ever see the light of day again, I’m going to pinch that cute little face of Liu Ling’s until she’s wailing, and I won’t stop until she’s a teary mess!’

Liu Ling had no idea what Chen Dong was thinking. She, however, could speak normally even at this incredible depth.

She spoke in a tearful voice, ”Master, please don’t blame me. I cannot bear to see the Floating Shadow Realm torn by conflict again, nor can I bear to let this Hongmeng Dao Artifact remain dormant forever!”

Chen Dong was still immobilized, suppressed by the immense Demonic Power, but it couldn’t stop the shock that rocked his heart. ’This gourd is a Hongmeng Dao Artifact? But what does it take to activate it that required bringing me here?’ he wondered. In his mind, Chen Dong added another reason Liu Ling had been able to deceive him: her supposed compassion for all beings.

”This Hongmeng Dao Artifact is named the Demon Refining Pot, and it has been dormant for several eons. I was originally just a grain of sand at the bottom of this lake, but the Demon Refining Pot granted me enlightenment. My life’s wish is to make the Demon Refining Pot reveal the divine emblem of a Hongmeng Dao Artifact once more. You are not the first of the Human Race or Demon Race that I have sought out, but they all failed. However, I believe that you, Master, can do it. With your divine soul, you can surely stir the Demon Refining Pot!”

Chen Dong’s eyes widened. ’Has Liu Ling lost her mind?’ he thought. ’Using the divine soul of a Golden Core Stage cultivator to stir a Hongmeng Dao Artifact? If I still had the Saint’s Emblem, there might have been a sliver of a chance, but now... you could beat me to death and I still couldn’t do it.’

A look of reluctance appeared in Liu Ling’s eyes, but she quickly shook her head. She lamented to herself, ”It seems the Celestial Dao-level Beast Taming Contract did have some effect on me after all. I’m actually finding it hard to part with you!”

As she spoke, what looked like tears streamed from Liu Ling’s eyes, but in the deep water, Chen Dong couldn’t be sure.

Liu Ling swam over and took Chen Dong’s hand. She leisurely swam to the Demon Refining Pot and placed his hand upon it. Instantly, Chen Dong felt the world go black as he fell into endless darkness. A moment later, he was assaulted by the sensation of his divine soul being ripped from his body.

The pain was so excruciating that it forced endless screams from Chen Dong, but no one could hear them…