The plain-clothed woman’s smile disappeared, returning to her normal calmness, when she saw that the flood dragon was going to try a desperate struggle. She didn’t make any large movements, she just gently waved her sword. A ray of light shot out like lightning from the Purple Abyss.

The inner core spat out by the flood dragon changed and began to shine. He was ready to inject all his spirit force into the inner core to launch a fatal blow. It was very difficult for a spirit beast to refine a core, and when they refined one, they would not casually bring it out. 

Because losing one’s inner core would mean losing all of your cultivation. If not for the fact that his tail had been cut and he was enraged, the flood dragon would not have been so rash.

A shocking scene occurred! The flood dragon was surging his spirit force and the light from the Purple Abyss closed in like lightning. In the blink of an eye, the sword light closed in on the dragon’s head and cut into the upper body of the flood dragon. There was no blood, everything was frozen.

The eyes of the dead flood dragon lost their color and his body fell into the pool below. The plain-clothed woman waved her sleeve and the flood dragon’s inner core flew toward her. Now that it had lost the source of spirit force, the inner core no longer shined like before.

Zhao Jiugu’s eyes almost fell out from what he had just seen. Just one strike to kill the flood dragon! This woman was simply too powerful. The flood dragon couldn't do a thing before he was killed and his core dimmed. Like a firework that shined for but a moment before disappearing.

The surface of the pool had lowered considerably and the sides of the surrounding cliff were all in ruins. Due to the ray of sword energy, the top of the waterfall was cut and caused the waterfall to split.

Zhao Jiuge stared dumbfounded at his surroundings. He marveled at the woman’s cultivation but at the same time he became determined. No matter how long it takes or how difficult the road will be he will surpass her! The youth’s eyes were filled with determination and stubbornness.

The plain-clothed woman put away the core and the woman in pink quickly put away the flood dragon’s body. The tendons of the flood dragon could be used to make magical treasures.

“Senior Sister Bo Re, we were really lucky to find a flood dragon that had refined a core.” The woman in pink sighed when she thought about her own core. At rank four, although there was  hope to form her nascent soul, the chances were slim. She looked at her senior sister and sighed.

“I have cultivated since childhood and single-heartedly pursued the path of cultivation so I could exist forever with heaven and earth. Regardless of what happens this time, even if I don’t advance, I’ll do everything I can to improve my core so that I could go further in the future.” The plain-clothed woman’s words were cold. Only when talking about cultivation would there be a slight fluctuation in her heart.

“Senior Sister Bo Re, let us quickly return back to Teacher. If we wait too long, the flood dragon’s inner core will lose its effect.” The woman in pink thought about how far this proud woman before her would go in the cultivation world.

And if she could not form her nascent soul, she would only live a few hundred years more than mortals before she died as if it was all a dream. Although a mortal only lived for around 100 years, at least it would be short and happy. They would not have to worry about cultivation and not live in constant danger.

Although cultivators lived long lives, they spent all that time cultivating and could not enjoy the world. Thinking about this, the woman in pink could help but lose some interest.

The plain-clothed woman gently nodded and then leaped back onto the dragon boat. She subconsciously looked at the youth and was a little surprised that he had remained on the cliff after all that had happened. She noticed from his spirit force fluctuations that he was at the Blood Movement Realm—he was actually a cultivator.

At this moment, the youth was no longer stiff and shy. His back was straight and there was a hint of stubbornness in his calm eyes. His expression was very firm.

Seeing the youth’s fortitude and stubbornness, for some reason, she lost focus for a moment. She shook her head and didn’t think too much about it as she steered the dragon boat and disappeared over the horizon.

Zhao Jiuge watched the plain-clothed woman until she disappeared and silently remembered the name “Bo Re” and the Luo Water Cultivation Method. He slowly regained his senses and then looked around. Everything had returned back to normal. If not for the cliffs and waterfall being a complete mess, no one would have known anything had happened.

During the days he spent cultivating in the cold pool, the cold energy entered his body and became spiritual energy, thus the increase in his cultivation level was much more obvious. Zhao Jigue was confused about it. It turned out that not only was the pool already cold, there was a flood dragon cultivating below. He originally intended to take Little Black back into the valley, but after meeting the plain-clothed woman, he changed his mind.

He decided to cultivate inside the pool. Now that the flood dragon had been killed by the woman named Bo Re, the pool should be safe.

“Little Black, once I reach the late stage of the Blood Movement Realm, reach the first stage of Sanskrit Divine Body, and refine my first golden dragon, I’ll need to head out of the mountains. I will need to enter a sect to continue my cultivation. Once I become stronger, I will still have a lot to do,” Zhao Jiuge said with a complicated expression.

Little Black was very different from normal and was very quiet compared to before. He didn’t blink as he stared at Zhao Jiuge, and his little hand pulled at his sleeve. Zhao Jiuge rubbed Little Black’s head and then jumped into the pool. The bone-chilling pain echoed through his body.

His cultivation method activated and spiritual energy surged. Cultivating in the pool now, Zhao Jiuge found that there was less spiritual energy inside, probably because the flood dragon was gone. The mixture of spiritual energy and cold energy slowly flowed into his body and gathered under the effect of the Sanskrit Heart Sutra.

The blood in his body was filled with a faint, golden light. As his spirit force gathered, Zhao Jiuge was prepared to spread his spirit force into his limbs and try to break through to the late stage of the Blood Movement Realm.

There was no concept of time in the mountains as Zhao Jiuge cultivated inside the cold pool. His breathing became slow, but the spiritual energy surged toward him. Time passed day by day.

More than half a month had passed when Zhao Jiuge opened his eyes. They were shining. He stood up and shouted as he released a mouthful of foul air. The blood in his body was now completely filled with golden light.

Even without activating his spirit force, his limbs were filled with spirit force fluctuations. His skin constantly absorbed spiritual energy to replenish his body. After more than half a month, Zhao Jiuge had reached the late stage of the Blood Movement Realm!

He was very excited and happy and couldn’t help but remember the Sanskrit Divine Body. He decided to return to the valley to recover and consolidate his cultivation. Then he would come back to the pool to cultivate the Sanskrit Divine Body. Once he reached the first level, it would be time for him to leave the mountains!

On the way back to the valley, Zhao Jiugue noticed that during this time Little Black had reached Spirit Detecting Realm. Although he knew Little Black’s mother was at Spirit Transformation Realm and knew that Little Black was able to cultivate but for it to happen before him it still shocked him a little.

It had been more than a month since he returned to the valley. Everything in the valley remained the same and was filled with a familiar fragrance. The battle between Little Black’s mother and the bear had happened a long time ago, but the traces of their battle still remained.

Night fell. Inside the cave, Zhao Jiuge looked at the sky outside. The moon hung in the night sky as he listened to the sound of the insects and enjoyed the evening wind. His heart was at peace as he thought about what had happened during the last few months. Everything was like a dream.

He unknowingly thought of his grandpa and his eyes became wet. He forced himself not to cry and finally fell asleep. He had a dream, and in that dream he saw the plain-clothed woman and her ice-cold and noble face.

Zhao Jiuge had a very good sleep. He had spent more than a month cultivating and rarely got a good night of sleep. The corner of Zhao Jiuge’s eyes were moist, but the corner of his mouth rose up in a very sweet smile.