Chapter 381 - 376: The Difficult Human Race

Du Youqian’s plan went very smoothly.

The journey had its share of scares, but they managed to avoid any real danger.

After the convoy had traveled for two hours, Du Youqian took out the Thousand-Mile Shuttle. He had everyone board it and, sparing no expense, powered it with Spiritual Diamonds, sending the Shuttle fleeing northeast at maximum speed.

Soon, they left the territory of the Red-eyed Stone Dragons and Sand Storks, crossed the borderlands, and entered the lands of the Human Race.

Just then, Du Youqian sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching from behind.

This was expected. The measures he had taken could never have fooled the Tier Four Demon King of the Red-eyed Stone Dragon clan forever.

Buying this much time to escape into the Human Race’s territory was already considered a great success.

He quickly lowered the Thousand-Mile Shuttle, letting out all the Mortals and Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and instructed, "I will hold it off. Each of you take at least one Mortal and flee in different directions. Save as many as you can."

The Foundation Establishment Cultivators didn’t dare to delay. The Mortals had no say in the matter. Perhaps they would have preferred to die together as families, but there was certainly no time for weeping and tearful goodbyes.

The speed of the Tier Four Demon King was unbelievably fast, several times faster than even the Thousand-Mile Shuttle.

In the blink of an eye, the powerful aura was upon Du Youqian.

A foul wind washed over Du Youqian. He couldn’t see a thing, but he instinctively activated his Copper Skin Iron Bones Divine Ability.

A tremendous force slammed into his chest, the impact so suffocating he nearly coughed up blood as he was sent flying.

The pain didn’t hit him until he was airborne. He had several broken ribs.

Still, it wasn’t too bad; the injuries weren’t severe.

No one would believe that a Golden Core Middle Stage Cultivator like Du Youqian could take a direct hit from a Tier Four Demon King and walk away with just a few broken ribs.

Normally, a single blow from such an opponent would have torn a Golden Core Cultivator to shreds, leaving not a single patch of unbroken skin on their body.

The second attack didn’t come immediately. Du Youqian righted himself in mid-air and landed steadily on his feet.

Only then did he get a clear look at his attacker.

It was an enormous Red-eyed Stone Dragon, about thirty feet long. Its thick, powerful tail alone was over ten feet long—the very same tail that had just broken Du Youqian’s ribs.

This Red-eyed Stone Dragon looked far more ferocious than the ones Du Youqian had seen the previous night. It had short, thick legs and a robust, almost clumsy-looking body.

It looked something like a crocodile magnified several times over, but its snout wasn’t as slender, and it lacked the crocodile’s characteristically long, sharp teeth.

There was a hint of surprise in its eyes, as if it were wondering how Du Youqian had managed to take a direct hit without being killed instantly.

A message arrived through its Divine Sense: "Human junior, you dare slaughter the promising youth of my clan! Today, this Old Dragon will tear you to pieces and feed you to the hatchlings. I imagine that eating your flesh and drinking the marrow from your bones will help them grow big and strong."

Du Youqian was not afraid of it.

That last strike had shown Du Youqian the gap in power between them.

But it wasn’t so vast as to be hopeless.

Du Youqian felt, ’If I resort to the Secret Technique of Burning Essence Blood, I could probably fight this Red-eyed Stone Dragon on equal terms, and maybe even kill it.’

’But what’s the point?’

’We don’t have some irreconcilable feud, so why fight to the death?’

’Besides, who’s to say the clan’s other Tier Four Demon King isn’t hiding nearby, waiting to ambush me?’

’Maybe the Sand Storks’ Tier Four Demon King is also waiting in the wings to pick up the scraps.’

So, when the Red-eyed Stone Dragon’s tail lashed out again, Du Youqian gave a faint smile and activated his Inch and Mile Divine Ability.

The Tier Four Demon King’s full-powered strikes looked as if they would turn Du Youqian into pulp at any second, yet they always missed by the barest of margins.

It seemed as if just a fraction more speed would be enough to catch him.

But that inch was a mile!

"Hmm?" The Tier Four Demon King stopped. "What a formidable Divine Ability! You can’t be a nobody among the Human Race, junior. State your name. After I’ve eaten you, I’ll use your clothes to build you a cenotaph."

"You even know what a cenotaph is? You’re quite learned for an Old Dragon!" Du Youqian didn’t mind stalling for time.

"I’ve lived for over a thousand years, Old Dragon that I am. Naturally, I know a little about everything." The Red-eyed Stone Dragon’s mouth twisted into a strange smile. "You’re trying to stall for time to let those people escape, aren’t you, junior? But have you wondered why I’m in no hurry either?"

Du Youqian pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "I don’t know, and I can’t be bothered to find out. I’ve done more than enough. If they can’t escape with their lives, then it’s their fate to perish here."

The Red-eyed Stone Dragon sneered. "You humans are so good at making excuses."

There wasn’t the slightest hint of dejection or sorrow on Du Youqian’s face. He simply smiled. "An excuse? Perhaps. Tell me, Old Dragon, I’m just over seventy years old. Do you think I have a chance of reaching the Nascent Soul realm?"

A bright red light flared in the Red-eyed Stone Dragon’s eyes. After a moment, a low chuckle rumbled from deep in its throat. "Trying to trick this Old Dragon? You may have only been in that body for a few decades via Possession, but your soul is at least five hundred years old."

’Du Youqian was speechless. Weren’t the Demon Race supposed to be brutally savage, yet simple-minded like beasts?’

’Why was this Red-eyed Stone Dragon so difficult?’

After a moment, he laughed. "In any case, I am completely confident I will reach the Nascent Soul realm. So tell me, once I do, what’s to stop me from coming back now and then to slaughter a few of your little dragons? Do you think you’ll be able to stop me?"

The Red-eyed Stone Dragon’s long face grew longer still, its expression turning grim. "Then this Old Dragon will go and slaughter a few little human brats from time to time."

Du Youqian laughed. "Go on, then. What’s it to me? I can only look after the people right in front of me. If you go off slaughtering somewhere I can’t see, it’s none of my business, even if you massacre an entire city."

The Red-eyed Stone Dragon considered this for a moment, then nodded at Du Youqian. It then seemed to issue a command to someone via its Divine Sense.

A moment later, it said, "Fine. This Old Dragon won’t go on a rampage today. I’ll kill only you, junior."

Du Youqian dodged a sneak attack from its tail and laughed. "Old Dragon, you’re learning all the wrong things from humans—how to lie, how to be two-faced. If I die, you’ll surely go on a rampage. Only by keeping me alive will you be forced to show restraint. I’m leaving, Old Dragon. We’ll meet again!"

With that, he used the Thousand Miles in One Line Secret Technique and vanished, reappearing over a hundred li away.

"Don’t run! The hatchlings are waiting to eat your flesh and drink your blood!" The Red-eyed Stone Dragon gave chase, its speed at a full sprint surprisingly not much slower than Du Youqian’s while using the blood-burning Secret Technique.

Du Youqian glanced back, and the Jinhuan Sword flew out to block the path before him.

The highly concentrated Sword Intent emanating from it made the Red-eyed Stone Dragon frown and halt its pursuit.

"Old Dragon, if I succeed in my Nascent Soul Formation, do you think you could withstand this very sword?"

The Red-eyed Stone Dragon hesitated for a moment before letting out a sharp, cackling laugh. "Why wouldn’t I be able to? You’re welcome to try!"

Though it projected absolute confidence, it had quietly dropped the "junior" prefix when addressing Du Youqian.

It clearly now saw Du Youqian as a Cultivator capable of threatening it, not just some insignificant junior.

"Don’t chase me, Old Dragon. Don’t force this into a battle where we both perish." With that, Du Youqian turned and continued fleeing northeast, toward Starry Valley.

The Red-eyed Stone Dragon hesitated, then broke off the chase.

’What a troublesome human. If he really achieves Nascent Soul Formation, what am I to do?’