I cultivate the Chaos Technique

Chapter 171 Subduing the Black Dragon

Zhang Yifan stared at the slumped black dragon on the ground, a bold idea suddenly springing into his mind. This black dragon was a powerful cultivator at the Refinement of Void Realm. If he could subdue it, he could travel the world with more confidence, if not unchallenged, and his prestige would be off the charts. In the vast Tianyuan Continent, owning a mount at the Refinement of Void Realm was something countless cultivators dreamed of but could never achieve. Leaving aside the immense assistance it would provide in battle, just its mere presence would command respect, deterring others from easily provoking it.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yifan stepped forward, cleared his throat, and said to the black dragon, "Black dragon, you are now in dire straits. If you continue to resist, you will only face death. But if you are willing to submit to me, I can spare your life." His voice echoed in the valley, carrying an undeniable authority and a hint of expectation.

Upon hearing this, the black dragon abruptly raised its head, its blood-red vertical pupils filled with anger and disdain. As a Void Refinement expert of the dragon clan, pride flowed in its veins, and it would rather die than submit. It snorted coldly and said, "Hmph, make me submit to a mere mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like you? Dream on!" Its voice was like a booming bell, causing the surrounding rubble to tremble slightly, revealing its undiminished majesty despite its predicament.

Zhang Yifan wasn't annoyed. He had anticipated that the black dragon wouldn't give in easily. He smiled slightly and continued, "I know you're resentful, but think about it. Your current predicament is all because of Xiao Tianmu. If you follow me, when the time is right, I will definitely help you find Xiao Tianmu and let you kill him with your own hands to avenge today's grievances." A cold glint flashed in Zhang Yifan's eyes as he mentioned Xiao Tianmu. He knew this was the black dragon's weakness and the key to subduing it.

Upon hearing the name "Xiao Tianmu," the black dragon's rage intensified. It gritted its teeth, recalling the betrayal it had just suffered, its hatred burning fiercely. It remembered how it had risked its life to buy time for Xiao Tianmu, enduring Zhang Yifan's relentless attacks, its scales shattered and blood gushing forth, only to have Xiao Tianmu, at the crucial moment, mercilessly use a teleportation technique to abandon it, leaving it to its fate. This humiliation and resentment pierced its heart like a sharp blade.

After a long silence, it finally spoke slowly: "Is what you say true?" The black dragon's voice trembled slightly, reflecting both its desire for revenge and its anxiety about the uncertainty of the future. It looked at Zhang Yifan, trying to find a trace of sincerity in the eyes of this seemingly young cultivator who had repeatedly demonstrated extraordinary strength.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Zhang Yifan's expression brightened, and he quickly nodded, saying, "Of course it's true. I, Zhang Yifan, always keep my word." He spoke with unwavering conviction, his gaze meeting the black dragon's with a resolute look, attempting to convey his sincerity. At this moment, the spiritual energy fluctuations outside the valley grew increasingly intense, hinting at the approach of a new enemy, but Zhang Yifan was completely focused on subduing the black dragon and had no time to spare.

The black dragon scrutinized Zhang Yifan for a moment, seemingly assessing the credibility of his words. It carefully examined Zhang Yifan's face, sensing a unique power emanating from his resolute eyes and composed demeanor. Finally, it sighed deeply, its massive body slowly rising from the ground, lowering its proud head: "Fine, I believe you this time. Today I submit to you." Though its tone still held a hint of reluctance, it also carried a touch of resolute determination.

Overjoyed, Zhang Yifan quickly stepped forward and, following the demon race's subjugation ritual, dripped a drop of his own blood onto the black dragon's forehead, establishing a contractual bond with it. In an instant, a faint light flashed, and an invisible connection seemed to form between the black dragon and Zhang Yifan. From that moment on, the black dragon became Zhang Yifan's mount.

Immediately after completing the contract, Zhang Yifan felt a strange telepathic connection with the black dragon, as if he could sense its emotional fluctuations. He gently patted the black dragon's neck to soothe it, and the black dragon shook its head slightly in response.

However, the crisis was far from over. The spiritual energy fluctuations outside the valley grew increasingly turbulent, and a new enemy was approaching. Zhang Yifan flipped onto the black dragon, which roared to the sky, its sound echoing through the valley, seemingly a show of force against the approaching enemy. Zhang Yifan looked at Xuan Qingzi, his eyes revealing determination and resolve: "Sect Leader, I will definitely not let the Lingdan Sect be destroyed!" Xuan Qingzi nodded slightly, his eyes filled with gratitude and trust. At this moment, Xuan Qingzi's spiritual energy was almost exhausted, his face as pale as paper, but he still forced himself to direct the Lingdan Sect disciples in setting up defenses, trying to withstand the impending onslaught.

A new enemy finally entered the valley, led by a mysterious figure in black robes, followed by a group of powerful followers. The mysterious figure in black robes coldly scanned the battlefield, and when he saw the ninth-grade pill on the ground, a greedy glint flashed in his eyes. "Hmph, this pill is mine today!" He sneered and raised his hand to snatch the pill.

Seeing this, Zhang Yifan urged the black dragon forward, his long sword trembling as he pointed it at the mysterious man in black robes: "If you want to snatch the pills, you'll have to get past me first!" The mysterious man in black robes glanced at him disdainfully: "With your heavily injured body and this newly subdued beast, you think you can stop me?" With that, he waved his hand lightly, and a black spiritual energy shockwave swept towards Zhang Yifan.

Zhang Yifan gritted his teeth and used his remaining spiritual energy to withstand the attack, but the shockwave sent him crashing to the ground again. The mysterious man in black robes laughed loudly and strode towards the pill. Just as he was about to touch it, Xuan Qingzi suddenly intervened. Using his last ounce of spiritual energy, he cast a sealing spell to seal the pill, while simultaneously shouting to Zhang Yifan, "Little Fan, take the pill and run! Find a safe place, and I'll come find you!"

Zhang Yifan's heart skipped a beat. He knew Xuan Qingzi was going to sacrifice himself to protect him and the elixir. His eyes welled up with tears, but without hesitation, he grabbed the sealed elixir, mounted the black dragon, and commanded it to rush into the depths of the valley. The mysterious man in black robes was furious upon seeing this. He ordered his followers to chase after Zhang Yifan, while he stayed behind to deal with Xuan Qingzi.

Zhang Yifan rode the black dragon at breakneck speed, pursued relentlessly. His spiritual energy was depleted, and his body was severely injured, but he had only one belief in his mind: he must protect the elixir and find a safe place. The black dragon seemed to understand its master's urgency; it exerted all its strength, weaving through the valley like lightning, its massive body creating gusts of wind that sent the trees on either side swaying wildly.

Using the "Misty Mind's Eye" technique they had learned in the Cloud Mist Mountains, they weaved left and right through the valley, trying to shake off their pursuers. The pursuers were disoriented and gradually increased the distance between them. However, the black dragon was also injured, and its speed gradually slowed down. Zhang Yifan was extremely anxious and kept urging it on.

During his escape, Zhang Yifan stumbled upon a hidden cave. Without a second thought, he plunged inside. Once inside, he blocked the entrance with a boulder, then sat cross-legged and began to heal his injuries. He took out some healing pills from his storage ring, swallowed them, and then circulated the Chaos Technique to slowly regulate his disordered spiritual energy.

The black dragon lay to one side, panting heavily, its wounds still bleeding. It glanced at Zhang Yifan every now and then, its eyes filled with concern. Zhang Yifan noticed the dragon's gaze, his heart warming. He used a wisp of his spiritual energy to heal the dragon's wounds.

However, just as they breathed a sigh of relief, they heard a series of noisy footsteps outside the cave; the pursuers seemed to have found its location. Zhang Yifan's heart tightened, and he gripped his longsword, preparing for a final stand. Just then, he suddenly noticed a faint light flickering deep within the cave, as if it concealed some secret…

Zhang Yifan stood up and cautiously walked towards the light, the black dragon close behind. As they approached, the light grew stronger, emanating from a stone emitting a strange blue glow. Zhang Yifan peered closer and discovered the stone was covered in ancient runes, runes he had never seen before, yet they faintly radiated a mysterious power. Just as he was wondering, the footsteps outside the cave grew more urgent; the pursuers had reached the entrance, and a new crisis was about to unfold. This mysterious stone might just be the key to their escape…