Chapter 11: Feud with the black moon sect

In a dimly lit mountain cave near the forest, Shi Yun sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, surrounded by a glowing pile of high-grade Qi spiritual stones. Closing his eyes, he steadied his breath and assumed the lotus position. He could feel the constraints of the Qi Refining Realm loosening, urging him to ascend to the next level. Near the cave's entrance, the chubby dragon stood guard, its rotund form casting a faint shadow on the rocky walls. Bored and restless, it yawned loudly, its sharp teeth glinting faintly in the dim light.

Shi Yun grasped a handful of spiritual stones, their radiant energy pulsing faintly under his touch. As he began to absorb their power, the stones dimmed and disintegrated into fine dust, swirling briefly before vanishing into the air. The process repeated, and soon Shi Yun felt his dantian surge with energy. The Qi within it churned like a restless ocean, and as his dantian expanded, it greedily drew in energy from the very air around him.

Finally, a breakthrough! Shi Yun had entered the Foundation Building Realm. He opened his eyes, a triumphant grin lighting up his face as he steadied his newfound power.

The dragon waddled into the cave, its excitement breaking the silence. "Finally! It's so much better out here! So much fun! Let's go out and play!" it exclaimed, its round eyes gleaming with mischief.

Shi Yun chuckled, standing up and stretching. "Let's go! I can fly now!" He unsheathed a long sword, its polished blue blade catching the dim cave light. Stepping onto the sword, he wobbled slightly but soon found his balance. The dragon watched, snickering, as Shi Yun soared clumsily at first but quickly gained confidence. The two companions spent hours soaring through the sky, the cool mountain breeze rushing past them.

Shi Yun's spiritual Qi depleted rapidly during his flight, and there was a moment of panic as he almost tumbled from the sky. Swiftly, he drew on another high-grade spiritual stone to replenish his energy and stabilized himself mid-air. For two days, the pair flew, explored, and hunted beasts, encountering and slaying creatures like winged tigers and three-headed pythons. Their adventures were filled with laughter and the thrill of victory. They also collected lots of flowers and herbs to plant them at home.

On the third day, while flying over a dense forest, they spotted two groups engaged in fierce combat below. Curious, they hovered closer and then hid behind the bushes and trees. One group, clad in black, exuded a menacing aura of arrogance and cruelty, swiftly overpowering their opponents. The other group, clearly struggling, bore the emblem of the Honglian Sect.

The leader of the black-clad group sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Meng Yan, hand over the forbidden technique scroll, and I promise a quick, painless death. Refuse, and you'll wish for mercy that will never come!"

Meng Yan, the lead disciple of the Honglian Sect, glared at his adversary. "Shu Tong, you overestimate yourself! Even if I die, the scroll won't fall into your vile hands. The Honglian Sect is not afraid of your Black Moon Sect!"

Shu Tong's cruel laughter echoed through the clearing. "You poor fools! You are just ants at our mercy now, you may not know but our black moon sect has become the vassal of the dark holy church, the most powerful demonic sect. We are stronger now hahaha! Just give us that scroll or else I will not leave even your bones. Look how scared your fellow disciples are, hahaha!" The other disciples of black moon sect laughed.

Fear spread among the Honglian disciples. Two female disciples, clutching their weapons, trembled but spoke with resolve. "Senior Brother, even if we die, we won't let them have the scroll!"

Shu Tong's expression darkened. "So be it. You don't toast when we give you fine wine right? I'll make an example of you!" He raised his sword, its edge gleaming as it arced toward the closest female disciple.

"Clang!" A flying sword intercepted the attack, sending a sharp metallic echo reverberating through the forest. All eyes turned toward the source of the sound. A young boy, no older than ten, strolled toward them with a small, pudgy creature beside him.

"Are the so-called evil sects so brazen now?" Shi Yun asked, tilting his head in mock curiosity.

Shu Tong's face twisted with rage. "You insolent brat! how dare you come to ruin our deeds not knowing who we are? Do you even know who we are?"

Before Shi Yun could respond, the chubby dragon puffed out its chest. "Lowly humans, how dare you assume we fear your pathetic Dark Holy Church? You're not even enough to fill the gaps between my teeth!"

Stunned silence followed before Shu Tong roared with laughter. "A talking bird with delusions of grandeur! I'll roast you and serve you for dinner! How dare you two talk about our dark holy church like that?"

The dragon's golden eyes blazed with fury. Clearly, it was offended. "Bird? You ignorant fool! I'm a mighty dragon, and you—an animal pretending to be human—are nothing but dust beneath my claws!"

Shi Yun mocked, "Your Dark Holy Church is just a speck. Your dark holy church is going to cease to exist after you offended my master! You guys better run away tucking your tails before it's too late!"

The Honglian disciples exchanged worried glances, mistaking Shi Yun for an overprotected young master, oblivious to the danger of the world.

"Little brother, leave now!" Meng Yan shouted urgently.

Shi Yun only smiled. "Thanks for the advice, but these clowns aren't worth running from."

Shu Tong's patience snapped. "Since you're so eager to die, I'll oblige!" He unleashed a powerful fist technique, "Demon Bull Fist," aiming straight for Shi Yun.

With a casual flick of his hand, Shi Yun deflected the attack, sending Shu Tong hurtling into a massive tree. The impact reverberated through the clearing, leaving Shu Tong groaning on the ground.

The dragon roared with laughter. "See? The Dragon Lord didn't even need to lift a claw. Shi Yun alone is more than enough to handle you!"