Book 2: Chapter 53: This Pool... Is Now Dragon Palace’s!

Vol 2 Chapter 53: This Pool... Is Now Dragon Palace’s! The Monkey King successfully reached the Demon Core stage, causing the gathered cultivators’ faces to darken. Xu Zhizhi, in particular, scratched his head in frustration. If it had only been the Foundation Establishment monkeys earlier, he was confident he could lead the Dragon Palace team to drive them off. However, facing a demon of this level was a completely different story. This cunning creature was proving far trickier than Chu Ren. Even Chu Ren, despite his skills, wouldn’t stand a chance against the Monkey King. Fighting a Demon Core cultivator with a Foundation Establishment cultivation level was the prerogative of only the top few on the Genius Rankings—definitely not Chu Ren’s domain. As the Monkey King completed its breakthrough, it stepped out of the Dragon Transformation Blood Pool. Earlier, the other monkeys had refrained from acting recklessly during the enemy invasion, focusing solely on protecting their king’s advancement. "Let’s see how you handle this," Chu Ren chuckled, turning his Flood Dragon mount around to leave. He had no intention of confronting the Monkey King directly. “D*** it! That guy is all about infighting! He dares to fight us for the blood pool but runs away from the Demon Core Monkey King!” Gao Sheng froze for a moment before hurling curses. Wang Xiao also furrowed his brows. He hadn’t expected Chu Ren to flee so decisively, though the danger of the situation was undeniable. One misstep could lead to complete annihilation. After all, the Monkey King wasn’t fighting alone—it had dozens of Foundation Establishment monkey demons under its command. “ROAAARR!!!” The Monkey King immediately acted. A mere roar caused the surrounding mountains to crumble and massive boulders to shatter, unleashing an oppressive demonic power that shook the Dragon Palace members’ resolve. “‘Within the Spirit Trap Formation, even immortals cannot escape. Hidden truths lie within the Diagram of Nine Armies!’” “Everyone, do you know the Spirit Trap Formation?! Didn’t Mr. Lü from the Academy teach us how to enter it?” At that moment, a yellow-clad young man from Dragon Palace stepped forward. Xu Zhizhi’s eyes lit up when he recognized him. “Lin Jing, from the Divine Formation Sect,” Xu murmured. Lin Jing was a newcomer to Dragon Palace, hailing from the renowned Divine Formation Sect and proficient in the Dao of Formations. Among the new recruits, he had the fewest spirit beasts—a dragon-snake, a bird demon, a turtle demon, and a tiger demon, even fewer than Tang Cong’s pets. Xu Zhizhi analyzed the situation and realized Lin Jing might be planning to use his beasts as the formation’s core to execute the Divine Formation Sect’s famous Seven Saints Slaughter Formation. “Opportunities are fleeting; missing them would be a pity,” Xu Zhizhi declared. “You, arrange the formation! Everyone, enter it and fight together!” The usually low-profile Lin Jing now shone as he swiftly prepared the formation. His confidence lifted the spirits of the Dragon Palace members. "Among those who can enter Dragon Palace, none are mediocre. This situation can be resolved!" Xu assured everyone. “Let Senior Brother Zhou command!” The Divine Formation Sect prodigy became the focal point. Even with their combined talents, defeating a low-level Demon Core creature and subduing dozens of Foundation Establishment monkeys was a tall order. Yet, Xu Zhizhi believed in their collective potential. Lin Jing, using a flag as the formation’s core, quickly set up the Spirit Trap Formation. The Monkey King, sensing imminent danger, lunged at Tang Cong, but the formation was already operational. “Impressive,” commented a scholar observing from the clouds above. “That Tang Cong executed the Spirit Trap Formation so swiftly, even managing to lure everyone into it without confusion.” This autumn trial was the perfect stage for Hidden Dragon Academy students to showcase their skills. Although Dragon Palace was Chu Ren’s creation, who would have guessed one of its special recruits would lead the charge, trapping and slaying a Demon Core monster alongside the others? Under the formation’s might, the newly ascended Demon Core monkey was crushed by the combined efforts of the geniuses before it could even retaliate. “Take down the remaining monkeys too! Tie them all up!” Xu Zhizhi shouted. The Dragon Palace team, energized by the formation’s power, quickly routed the monkeys, leaving the area in chaos. When the battle ended, Zhou Lang, who had acted as the formation’s focal point, looked pale, and the others were visibly drained. The Spirit Trap Formation had allowed a group of newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators to defeat a Demon Core monster and subdue dozens of Foundation Establishment monkeys, but the cost was immense. The group hurriedly consumed pills to restore their energy. Despite the exhaustion, their faces beamed with satisfaction—it had been worth it. Beyond the victory, the Dragon Transformation Blood Pool stood before them, a prize of immeasurable value. “Senior Brother Zhou, you deserve the most credit for this battle. I’ll personally report your merit to the Palace Master,” Xu Zhizhi praised, marveling at the hidden talents within the Academy. “Already seen it.” As Xu prepared to distribute accolades, Lin Jing arrived, observing the scene with mild surprise. Even he had underestimated the newcomers. They had achieved what even a Pine Leaf Mouse’s intervention might have struggled to accomplish. This was the strength of teamwork. “You’ve finally made it,” Xu greeted Lin Jing with relief. seaʀᴄh thё NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “The Rising Dragon Pill is good, but this Dragon Transformation Blood Pool might be even better,” Zhou Lang mused. Lin Jing inspected the pool and immediately recognized its significance. “This pool contains the blood of the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor. Its scent is identical to that of the blood left behind by its Half-Divine Avatar after being slain by Senior Pine.” The Academy had audaciously made the Demon Emperor’s blood a part of this autumn trial... “This pool’s effects are exceptional. You should all soak in it with your spirit beasts,” Lin Jing suggested. “Yes! Hurry up and use it!” Xu urged. “That Monkey King’s breakthrough will likely attract more challengers—especially Chu Ren. He’ll be back soon to claim this opportunity.” “No need to worry,” Lin Jing said, watching everyone recover their strength. “Since Dragon Palace won this territory, it belongs to us. Enjoy the pool—I’ll stand guard. Anyone who wants to take it will have to go through me first.” “Just you, at Qi Refinement stage?” Before Lin Jing could finish speaking, clouds churned in the sky. As expected, Chu Ren returned, riding his Flood Dragon. Noticing the subdued monkeys and the heavily drained team, he smirked. Lin Jing’s bold words only added to his amusement. But Lin Jing responded calmly, unleashing his Myriad Beast Circle, releasing over a hundred mosquito beasts. Chu Ren initially dismissed the threat, but in seconds, the swarm engulfed him. Amid flashes of magical energy, silence fell. Moments later, a desiccated Flood Dragon and Chu Ren’s unconscious body plummeted from the sky. The Dragon Palace had triumphed again. The blood pool was theirs.