Chapter 119: Great Misfortune

“Be careful, Young Master!”

Just as Li Changsheng was lost in thought, Sword Elder’s voice suddenly rang out!

A figure in a simple long robe, with a somber and aged face, swiftly materialized!

This was none other than the true Sword Elder himself!

“There is great danger here!”

Sword Elder’s eyes darkened as he appeared, his voice grave, and a terrifying aura surged faintly around him.

“Underworld River,” Li Changsheng murmured in his heart upon seeing Sword Elder’s cautious stance.

Splash... splash...

Behind them, a phantom river shimmered faintly deep within the lake, and Li Changsheng’s mind raced with thoughts.

According to the original owner’s memories, while this place held some danger, nothing had ever been heard of that warranted such caution even from Sword Elder.

Could it be that with the fate of the Child of Fortune altered, the opportunities and perils in the entire Qingling Realm had changed as well?

“Young Master, I—” Zhao Wan’er sensed the abnormal atmosphere and stepped out defensively before Li Changsheng, her eyes wary.

“Go back,” Li Changsheng interrupted sharply, pushing her back before she finished speaking.

Even Sword Elder was this serious about this place, why should a mere Peak Virtual God meddle?

Wait, what did he just push against?

So soft... could it be...

“Young Master...” Zhao Wan’er was momentarily stunned by his sudden action, a ripple stirring in her beautiful eyes.

Among the three, she was the weakest in cultivation, yet the young master still cared so deeply in such peril.

Wan’er, what have I done to deserve this...

“Ding~ The Nine Li Holy Maiden’s devotion intensifies, granting the host additional destiny points.”

???

Could being handsome also count as a kind of destiny?

Li Changsheng pondered this quietly.

“Young Master, over there!”

Suddenly, a gleam flashed in Sword Elder’s eyes as his terrifying aura surged violently!

“Let’s take a look.”

Without hesitation, Li Changsheng’s eyes gleamed deeply as he softly commanded.

At that moment, chaos erupted!

A piercing, bone-chilling roar shattered the silence, as if capable of rupturing the souls of all three! It echoed from the depths of the lake.

A fierce storm of violent energy stirred up the dark lake waters, instantly transforming into a savage and violent undercurrent!

“Jie!!!”

The dreadful roar sounded again. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of grotesque bone dragons, exuding an ominous aura, suddenly appeared!

The chilling cold was overwhelming, suffocating all warmth.

Their skeletal forms radiated a murderous aura that sent shivers down the spine.

“Run!!!”

Sword Elder reacted swiftly, his eyes flashing with terror as he shouted, his figure ghostlike as he unleashed a powerful force that sent Li Changsheng and Zhao Wan’er flying far backward.

He then performed a secret technique, spitting out a mouthful of black blood.

As a sacred rune mark appeared, golden light blazed forth!

With waves of terrifying might, it charged toward the hundreds of bone dragons!

But…

Bang!

The golden rune shattered the moment it touched the dragons, dissolving into countless points of light!

“Jie!!!”

The bone dragons roared fiercely once more, their momentum growing overwhelming.

Pfft!

Sword Elder bore the brunt of the assault, being blasted far away, blood spraying from his mouth, his eyes wide with shock.

One of the bone dragons charged straight at Li Changsheng!

“Young Master, run!!!”

Sword Elder’s terror was palpable, his mind on the brink of collapse.

If the young master died here, the Li family would come after him—there would be no chance of survival!

But Li Changsheng’s mind broke at that command.

Run?

Run where?

If even a Grand Ancient Realm expert like Sword Elder couldn’t hold them off, where could a half-step Immortal Realm cultivator like him escape to?

“Young Master!”

At that moment, Zhao Wan’er’s eyes blazed with determination as a violent aura flickered around her.

She stepped forward and stood firmly before Li Changsheng.

“My life is yours. If you are harmed, it will be my sin!”

In this life-or-death moment, could she abandon him after all his kindness?

“Wan’er…”

Li Changsheng was genuinely moved by her resolve.

He whispered softly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Hadn’t he just begun to act cool, only to end up getting himself killed?

He might be the most bewildered cultivator to die in history...

“Alas…”

A sigh escaped his lips, and he began to feel a strange sense of acceptance.

But just then—

Suddenly, Li Changsheng froze.

A moist sensation at his lips—Zhao Wan’er had unexpectedly thrown herself into his embrace, arms wrapped around his neck with deep affection.

This girl, even at a time like this...

Forget it.

The cold chill was biting, yet the two held each other warmly, ignoring the surrounding hostile aura and terrifying scene.

The sight left Sword Elder, badly injured and coughing blood nearby, utterly speechless.

In such a crisis, these two...

Simply absurd!

At that moment—

“Ding~ The Nine Li Holy Maiden reveals her feelings; the host accepts by default. Destiny points begin to merge.”

“Ding~ Fusion successful. Host’s destiny points have surpassed one million.”

“Ding~ Fortune surges. Demonic nature merges. Host’s affinity with the Underworld River increases. Underworld River protection activated; capacity function enabled.”

“Ding~ Detected 382 true dragon souls filled with resentment, deceased. Underworld River has begun autonomous operation: collection and purification in progress.”

“Ding~ All resentment forces collected.”

“Ding~ True dragon souls collection and purification complete. View now?”

A series of chimes echoed in Li Changsheng’s mind, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.

He could understand the affinity increase and Underworld River’s capacity, but...

Must it be so ruthless?

Imagine—an overwhelming horde of terrifying, ferocious creatures charging at him with intent to crush, then swarming into his little treasure trove.

One moment the surroundings were chaotic and violent, the next, calm and deserted.

This was no mere opportunity—it was free fortune! Absolutely free!

Feeling the Underworld River’s spiritual connection and the hundreds of bone dragons swimming within, Li Changsheng’s confusion deepened.

Destiny points, to some extent, represented the focus of fortune. From another angle, the higher the destiny points, the stronger the fortune, and the greater the probability of encountering opportunities.

Perhaps even turning misfortune into fortune became a passive ability?

If that was true, having over one million destiny points would make him invincible!

Lost in thought, Li Changsheng gradually regained composure, though his expression remained indifferent, as if unaffected by recent events.

Sword Elder, dazed beside him, looked on in bewilderment.

Young Master possesses such power...

Zhao Wan’er, sensing the situation, slowly opened her eyes.

Looking at the indifferent and noble visage before her, her heart trembled.

Just now...

“Your servant...”

Fear flashed across her eyes as she nodded and whispered, afraid.

In such a deadly situation, the young master was clearly confident, calm all along.

Yet she had acted so recklessly...

As a servant, she had overstepped...

If the young master were to resent her for this...

The thought filled her with dread.

“That girl...”

Noticing Zhao Wan’er’s expression, a strange flicker crossed Li Changsheng’s eyes.

It seemed he was the victim here after all.

“Let’s go.”

Without hesitation, he turned and flew toward the lake’s depths.

Sword Elder showed respect and quickly followed.

Young Master, no resentment at all...

Zhao Wan’er hesitated briefly before following closely, a ripple stirring deep in her eyes.

Meanwhile, about a thousand miles away atop a mist-shrouded mountain peak, a young man sat cross-legged.

Dressed in snow-white robes, handsome, a teasing smile forever playing on his lips.

Before him stood a jade-colored three-legged alchemical cauldron, radiating divine light, far from ordinary.

Wisps of blue smoke drifted from the cauldron, carrying a strong medicinal fragrance that permeated far.

“Ugly one?”

Suddenly, the youth’s eyes snapped open in surprise as he gazed into the distance.

Where clouds twisted violently, a fearsome black-tinged flood dragon appeared, face contorted with terror and panic.

It writhed madly, flying toward the youth’s location!

“Who did this to you?”

Noticing the dragon’s scales had all fallen off, consumed by the black mist draining its vitality, the youth’s expression darkened.

Combined with the dragon’s fearful, desperate gaze, anyone could easily guess it had been harmed by another.

Who dared to injure my beast?

The youth’s expression grew even grimmer.

“Take this pill.”

After a moment, he lightly tapped the cauldron.

A pill shot out, glowing with golden light and radiating a powerful vitality and fragrance.

In an instant, the aroma spread over hundreds of miles.

“Roar...”

The flood dragon’s eyes filled with gratitude as it let out a low growl.

It twisted wildly and swallowed the pill in one gulp.

Vitality rapidly fused within its flesh, scales visibly regrowing, and the black mist dissolved!

Who wounded you so?

On the misty mountain peak, the white-robed youth stroked the enormous flood dragon’s head and murmured deeply.

Man and beast locked eyes.

In that moment, warmth overflowed.

Passion brimmed...

“Roar...”

Feeling the youth’s deep concern, the flood dragon was comforted, eyes shining with gratitude.

It lowly growled, pouting slightly toward the distant horizon as if wronged.

“Is the one who hurt you still there?”

The youth’s eyes darkened sharply as understanding dawned.

The dragon’s grievance deepened, tears shimmering.

“Lead the way!”

The youth’s gaze turned cold, a flicker of killing intent flashing as he commanded.

“Roar!”

The flood dragon howled skyward, twisting its massive body as the youth stepped firmly on its head.

Together, they surged fiercely toward the distant horizon.

Back at the bottom of the Wan Zhang Lake near the Sword Sect, three figures stood silently.

Li Changsheng, Zhao Wan’er, and Sword Elder.

Except for Li Changsheng’s indifferent, icy composure, both Zhao Wan’er and Sword Elder looked hesitant, struggling to accept what lay before them.

In front of them stood an altar.

Pitch black and covered with eerie patterns that sent chills down the spine.

Atop the altar was a shattered egg, broken into two halves.

The eggshell shards glittered with golden light, radiating a sacred aura as if nurturing a divine beast.

Beside the shell was a creature entirely black, covered in coarse black hair...

Not quite a horse, grotesquely ugly...

A donkey!

The black donkey was busily gnawing the eggshell, ignoring the crowd.

Its behavior left Sword Elder utterly dumbfounded.

A Grand Ancient Realm cultivator, yet ignored by a donkey?

Upon closer inspection, the donkey’s eyes frequently glanced at Li Changsheng, seemingly intrigued by something about him.

Li Changsheng’s expression remained indifferent, eyes deep as he quietly extended his divine perception to scrutinize the donkey.

He refused to believe...

The original owner went to all this trouble just for a seemingly useless black donkey?

Impossible...

Absolutely impossible...

This donkey must possess some extraordinary qualities!

Yet after a long mutual scrutiny, neither man nor beast saw through the other.

At that moment, Zhao Wan’er and Sword Elder also noticed something strange between Li Changsheng and the donkey.

Perhaps the young master had discovered something.

As the two murmured in understanding, their eyes brightened with realization.

The young master faced hundreds of terrifying bone dragons with ease, unfazed.

His cultivation and insight far surpassed theirs.

Surely, this donkey was extraordinary, explaining the young master’s silence.

Li Changsheng’s coolness soared further in their eyes.

“Ding~ Host’s coolness increased, granting extra 500 destiny points.”

The system’s voice sounded again, leaving Li Changsheng helpless.

He didn’t want to show off, but...

Alas!

Suddenly, the black donkey, still gnawing the eggshell, shuddered, eyes flashing with intense light.

Excitedly braying, it suddenly flew upward from the spot!

“Chase!”

Li Changsheng’s eyes gleamed with surprise.

He gathered the shattered golden eggshell, then gave chase to the little black donkey.

Sword Elder and Zhao Wan’er hastened after him.

As expected, this donkey was no ordinary beast!

Flying swiftly, Li Changsheng pushed his spiritual energy, yet as a half-step Immortal Realm cultivator, he struggled to catch up.

Moreover, the donkey appeared to be only an early-stage Virtual God!

This piqued Li Changsheng’s interest, and he followed at a steady pace, quietly planning.

Boom!

Soon, a towering water column erupted above the Wan Zhang Lake’s surface.

“Alas!”

A pitiful cry echoed through the sky.

The black donkey and Li Changsheng’s figures appeared.

Close behind were the cold-faced Zhao Wan’er and the ethereal force of Sword Elder.

Roar!!!

From the distant sky, as clouds twisted, a fierce, golden flood dragon suddenly appeared!

“Who dares wound my imperial beast!”

The flood dragon bore the white-robed youth on its head, his eyes dark and voice thundering like rolling thunder, empowered by spiritual energy!

Li Changsheng and the others looked on in surprise.

Hiss...

This man certainly had style...

“Slay this beast.”

Li Changsheng’s expression was calm as he spoke lightly.

Style or not, challenging me means I’ll cut you down!

“Yes...”