"Strike!"

As Lin Fei, in his Martial King form, brandished his saber, it seemed as if he sought to cleave the very void itself. Beneath that singular strike, even the tallest mountains and vastest seas would likely have succumbed to Lin Fei's blade. Even the mighty Azure Flood Dragon King, for reasons it couldn't fathom, felt an inexplicable tremor in its heart. It seemed that with this one saber, it too could be cleaved in twain!

It was a peak king-level exotic beast! Even though it had shared half its bloodline and no longer held its peak status, when compared to Lin Fei, who had just become a Martial King, it should have been incomparably stronger.

Yet, that saber sent shivers through its core. There could only be one explanation — the depths of Lin Fei's prowess were unfathomable. Even with merely six top-tier Great Divine Abilities and having fused with the Azure Flood Dragon King's bloodline to attain the Martial King status, he was still leagues above those who achieved Martial King with nine Great Divine Abilities. The comparison wasn't even close. It couldn't simply regard Lin Fei as an ordinary Martial King.

With a resounding "snap," Lin Fei's saber descended, and the chains surrounding the Azure Flood Dragon King astonishingly shattered, meeting no resistance whatsoever.

"Broken?"

The Azure Flood Dragon King found it almost inconceivable. Were the chains so easily broken? These were the very chains that had confined it for twenty millennia!

With a thunderous roar, the Azure Flood Dragon King's massive form soared into the sky. If the formation's strongest aspect was these chains, and they were now severed by Lin Fei, what other mechanism could possibly restrain the Azure Flood Dragon King?

"Ha-ha-ha, I am finally free! Twenty thousand years, a full twenty millennia! Damn you, Qing Yuzi, for trapping me for over twenty millennia!"

The aura of the Azure Flood Dragon King surged tremendously, its colossal form causing the subterranean hall to tremble as if on the verge of collapse.

"Azure Flood Dragon King, that will be enough!"

A gleam flashed in Lin Fei's eyes. The next moment, his own aura soared, especially potent because of his Martial King bloodline. When he exerted the pressure of his Martial King bloodline onto the Azure Flood Dragon King, there was a palpable thud.

The Azure Flood Dragon King felt as if it were pinned beneath an ancient, heavy mountain, unable to wriggle free. Its vast form plummeted from the sky, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater. Overwhelmed and wary, it rolled over, raising its head. With its immense body prostrated on the ground, it respectfully addressed Lin Fei, "I acknowledge you as my master."

"Master?"

Lin Fei fixed his gaze on the Azure Flood Dragon King. Previously, the flood dragon had addressed him as the "Master of Dubhe." Now, it called him "Master." Naturally, the implications of these titles were not the same.

"Yes, Master. Your Divine Abilities have merged with half of my bloodline, thus producing the new Martial King bloodline. The source of the blood coursing through you is equivalent to the origin of my own blood. For all eternity, I am bound to serve you. Even the entirety of my Azure Flood Dragon clan, for generations to come, will serve you unwaveringly!"

The Azure Flood Dragon King spoke with utmost reverence. It had prepared itself for this. Having contributed half of its bloodline, it had long come to the realization that its fate was now intertwined with Lin Fei's.

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While it could choose to leave, the ocean's vast expanses held their own dangers. Should it return now, not only might its clan be endangered, but its own life would likely be at risk.

Having weakened considerably, it was well aware of the law of the jungle prevalent among sea beasts - the weak were preyed upon. It had once subjected other exotic beasts to this very rule.

Therefore, it deemed it wiser to align itself with Lin Fei. After all, Lin Fei possessed the Dubhe Dao Artifact and cultivated the pinnacle of six Great Divine Abilities. Such prowess was not to be underestimated.

Perhaps one day, Lin Fei could ascend to the status of a Martial God, a being on par with a Deity Transformation, possessing an immeasurable life span and abilities capable of dominating worlds. By then, the Azure Flood Dragon clan might transform its misfortune into a blessing.

Lin Fei scrutinized the Azure Flood Dragon King, intuitively grasping its intentions. This beast, despite its ordeal of over twenty millennia, seemed to have gained wisdom and clarity about the broader situation.

Rather than struggling in the vast ocean with the dim hope of ascending to dragonhood, it would be better to align with Lin Fei. Perhaps one day, the Azure Flood Dragon King could truly metamorphose into a dragon, soaring the skies.

"Very well, from now on, you shall remain by my side."

Lin Fei did not decline. He accepted the allegiance of the Azure Flood Dragon King. After all, it was a king-level exotic beast. Being of the water element, the Azure Flood Dragon would prove invaluable in oceanic realms.

Lin Fei wouldn't reject a king-level exotic beast of Martial King equivalence. Especially as he planned to return to the Ancient Origin Sect. What would become of Great Chang in his absence? And the Nine Profound Sect?

At present, Great Chang lacked even a Martial Saint, let alone a Martial Sovereign. The only Martial Saint, Shen Lianxin, would be accompanying Lin Fei back to the Ancient Origin Sect. Great Chang would undeniably require a formidable guardian in their absence.

The Azure Flood Dragon King seemed apt for this role. A king-level exotic beast, comparable in power to a Nascent Soul cultivator. With its protection, no individual or faction would dare covet Great Chang again. Lin Fei could depart with his mind at ease.

"Azure Flood Dragon King, can you reduce your size?" Lin Fei inquired.

Given the current colossal size of the Azure Flood Dragon King, parading it through the Nine Profound Sect would be too conspicuous and shocking.

"Of course I can," it replied.

The Azure Flood Dragon King rapidly shrank down until it was no larger than a gecko. It then leaped onto Lin Fei's shoulder.

"That's better. Let's go," Lin Fei said.

With the Azure Flood Dragon King on his shoulder, Lin Fei departed Qing Yuzi's underground chamber, taking with him a considerable amount of jade liquid. Now, without the Azure Flood Dragon King, the grand array set by Qing Yuzi would gradually lose its effect. The array wouldn't drain the Spiritual Qi of the entire Great Chang anymore, allowing its energy to slowly rejuvenate. However, this process would take time.

Soon, Lin Fei returned to the Nine Profound Sect. After making some inquiries and learning that no significant events had transpired, he retreated to his private chamber. He advised the Azure Flood Dragon King to roam around the vicinity of the Nine Profound Sect, keeping its true identity concealed and avoiding causing any significant disturbances.

As for Lin Fei, he secluded himself in his chamber. He had recently advanced to the Martial King realm, but he still had much to learn and understand about this new level. Once settled, Lin Fei summoned his system panel to check his current status:

Host: Lin Fei

Martial Arts Realm: Early Martial King

Saber Domain: Perfection (Progress 0%)

The system had become quite succinct. The Divine Abilities from before had vanished, not truly gone but integrated into his Martial King bloodline. Every action Lin Fei took now was infused with the power of these Divine Abilities.

However, a problem arose. While he had achieved the Martial King realm, it was not the pinnacle of martial arts. Beyond Martial King was the realm of Martial God. How should one train as a Martial King? How to progress further? The system didn't provide guidance on this.

Had it been earlier, Lin Fei would have been puzzled and might have even sought the Xiao family for insights, given the Ancient Origin Sect had never witnessed the rise of a Martial King. But now, with the Dubhe Dao Artifact in his possession, Lin Fei felt no concerns regarding his cultivation.

With a swift motion, Lin Fei entered the realm within the Dubhe Dao Artifact.