As the old flood dragon watched his mingled physical body lying on the ground like some plucked chicken, he started trembling with rage. The fury and humiliation he felt were beyond what ordinary people could comprehend. "Senior, try returning your divine soul to your body and take a look," said Fang Chen with a smile. The old flood dragon snorted coldly and sent his soul back into his body. "Hmph! I'll see what kind of trick you're playing!" Immediately, his blood and qi began to circulate, and new skin rapidly grew. After that, a dark, bluish aura surged forth before condensing into new scales. However, this didn't appease the old flood dragon at all. He had painstakingly refined his old scales over countless years. These new ones were two whole notches weaker, if not more. Resentment filled the old flood dragon's heart. After his new dragon skin and scales fully grew, he reverted to his human form and glared at Fang Chen with hatred. He growled, "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" Fang Chen asked, "Tell me, Senior—do you still feel the presence of the tribulation lightning hanging over you?" The old dragon furrowed his brow. He closed his eyes and tried to sense for a moment. His eyes soon snapped open, and he stared at Fang Chen with shock and confusion. "What's going on?" he asked in disbelief. That constant sense of impending tribulation he had always felt was indeed gone. For countless years, he had lived under a looming shadow. It was as if the slightest disturbance could trigger the descent of lightning tribulation at any moment. However, that feeling was now gone, like receding storm clouds. The oppressive weight was gone, leaving him feeling lighter than he had in ages. In fact, he even felt like his cultivation had made some progress after so many years of stagnation. With the threat of the tribulation lightning lifted, he could finally attempt to make a break through to the fourth-transformation Loose Immortal Realm! Once he was certain this wasn't just his imagination, the old flood dragon broke into a joyful smile. He no longer cared about what had just happened to his physical body. To him, advancing to the fourth-transformation was worth far more than a slightly weakened body. In due time, he would refine his new scales to perfection. "Little Brother, that method of yours is truly ingenius! I never imagined that 'walking the underworld' would yield such results. If my descendants ever struggle with a tribulation... can they also use this method to safely pass it?" The old flood dragon was a bit excited. Fang Chen replied, "Of course they can, but it requires a great amount of Yin Lifespan. If you have spare time in the future, you can walk the Path of Yin to Jiangguang City and discuss with Stone Dragon and the others how to earn some Yin Lifespan." The old flood dragon quickly said, "Ah yes, speaking of that, I almost forgot. I feel guilty for costing you so much lifespan. However... I already gave all my immortal crystals to those unfilial descendants of mine. There's no point trying to get them back." "How about this? Here is a peak-grade spirit stone. Don't look down on it, now. That thing might not be as valuable as an immortal crystal, but in certain situations, they can be far more useful." As he spoke, the old flood dragon took out an item. Fang Chen activated his Primordial Immortal Eyes, and what appeared before him was a mass of beautiful lines, like the boundless starry sky. At first glance, the peak-grade spirit stone looked quite similar to a high-grade spirit stone. In fact, its spiritual energy was only slightly stronger than that of a high-grade spirit stone. "This is a peak-grade spirit stone?" Fang Chen reached out and took it. "This is the first time I've ever seen a peak-grade spirit stone." Fang Chen examined it carefully, his brow raised. Is old man flood dragon trying to fool me with a high-grade spirit stone? Fang Chen looked at the old flood dragon and said, "Senior, this peak grade spirit stone doesn't seem much different from a high-grade one." "You've never seen a peak grade spirit stone, so you don't know its wondrous uses. It's only natural for you to think that. To the inexperienced eye, this might indeed seem no different from a high-grade spirit stone. But it's classified as 'peak-grade' for a reason! Watch this!" The old flood dragon took the spirit stone back from Fang Chen and lightly tossed it into the air. In an instant, lightning flashed and thunder roared. It was as if an extremely violent power was surging madly from within the stone, and Fang Chen recognized this blue thunder all too well. Azure Lightning! This spirit stone contains Azure Lightning? The Heavenly Dao despised this Heavenly Abhorrence Technique, yet it strangely appeared within peak-grade spirit stones! "Spirit stones, when untouched and preserved since ancient times, absorb various spiritual energies over millennia, eventually forming the purest essence for cultivation," the old flood dragon explained with a trace of emotion. "And a rare few, having survived from even older eras, absorb the energies of that time—energies long lost to history." The old flood dragon let out a sigh. "Some of these spirit stones have existed since even older eras, allowing them to absorb the power unique to that age, power that may have long been buried by the river of time and is now utterly lost." He looked at Fang Chen with a smile. "This is why they are classified as 'peak-grade.' Though their spiritual energy might not match top-grade or mid-grade stones, they hold power no other spirit stones possess. "Take this special energy, for example. Have you ever seen this kind of ancient lightning energy before? It's perfect for comprehending immortal techniques. He continued, "I've heard that the immortal techniques from ancient times were far more powerful than those of today. If you can grasp even a sliver of their mystery, wouldn't it be far more valuable than a high-grade spirit stone?" "So that's how it is..." He understood now. No wonder peak-grade spirit stones were even rarer than immortal crystals back in the Prison Wind Lands. Only spirit stones preserved since antiquity, imbued with lost forces of those eras, could be classified as "peak-grade." They were like ancient relics—living fossils of the cultivation world. "All the major sects are eager to spend a fortune to acquire even a single peak-grade spirit stone. But sadly, they're priceless, and there is no channel to obtain them. From what I know, the Nine Immortal Mountain Holy Land holds just three, each containing a different kind of ancient spiritual energy." The old flood dragon once again tossed the stone to Fang Chen. "I spent five immortal crystals to obtain this stone and comprehend the lightning power within it to increase my odds of surviving the tribulation. But now I no longer need it. Consider this a small favor returned. As I said earlier, once I reach the fourth transformation, I'll help you solve the trouble you're facing." Fang Chen's eyes lit up. "Senior, how long will it take to reach the fourth transformation?" "Three to five years if quick, three to five decades if slow—just a blink to us immortals," the old flood dragon said indifferently. Fang Chen replied, "To be honest, Senior, there are some matters that might not be able to wait that long." "Can't wait? No matter. Just call for me when the time comes. Even if I haven't advanced to the fourth transformation, I've been itching to stretch my old bones anyway," the old flood dragon chuckled. "I've already sent word to Chen Qianlong. He'll take the true dragon adopted by the Heaven Calamity Dragoness and personally guide it. That little one and you are on good terms, aren't you? From now on, while you're under my protection, you don't need to worry about those sword cultivators coming after you. They don't have the guts." Fang Chen cupped his hands in gratitude. "In that case, thank you, Senior." After exchanging a few more words, Fang Chen took his leave. The matters with the old flood dragon were settled. Unknowingly, the old flood dragon had become a Day Walker. Even if he wanted to back out, it was too late. "Peak grade spirit stones..." muttered Fang Chen. He now had a rough idea of how to make use of them. Use them to comprehend ancient immortal techniques? The Heavenly Supreme Pill Technique was a ready-made ancient immortal technique. It required the convergence of ninety-nine kinds of special spiritual energy. These energies could be found within peak-grade spirit stones.... ...