The next day, Qin Mu and his group set out early in the morning.
“Haah——”
Qin Mu let out a big yawn.
The sky had just begun to brighten when Sister Mengyu dragged him out of bed.
Another day of tedious travel was about to begin.
Along the way, there were only tall trees, insects flying back and forth, and bird calls from unknown sources.
Occasionally, rustling sounds came from the surrounding bushes.
Walking in such an environment could only be described with one word—silence.
Coupled with the tall trees blocking the sunlight, everything under them was shrouded in shadow.
As for why they didn’t fly through the sky?
Doing so would attract some demonic beasts.
Although their cultivation wasn’t particularly strong, there were many of them, and fighting them would be troublesome.
“Ha—ha—”
Qin Mu panted, looking at Lu Shuanger, who appeared completely unfazed, and couldn’t help asking, “How are you so relaxed?”
Here, it was damp and dark, plus other factors—it was really wearing Qin Mu down.
He could understand Elder Sister Ruoshuang and Sister Mengyu being fine—after all, they were at the Nascent Soul Realm—but how was Lu Shuanger also not feeling the least bit uncomfortable!?
Lu Shuanger looked at Qin Mu, who was leaning on a branch and panting.
She subconsciously straightened her back, showing a hint of pride, and said, “Come on, I grew up here. Of course I’m fine. As for you, it’s just acclimation sickness. After a while, you’ll get used to it.”
“That’s… easy for you to say…”
Now, Qin Mu had to catch his breath even when speaking.
Finally unable to bear it anymore, he mustered all his strength and trotted over to Sister Mengyu, tugging at her sleeve.
“Sister Mengyu, do you still have any pills?”
In the past few days, Qin Mu had been relying on Sister Mengyu’s pills to survive.
Swallowing one immediately refreshed him—no more sore legs, no more aching feet, full of energy! Truly an essential pill for traveling!
Seeing Mu’er covered in sweat and weak, Qin Mengyu felt a pang of distress.
She took out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from Mu’er’s forehead, then produced a pill.
“Mu’er.”
Qin Mu obediently opened his mouth.
The pill entered his stomach, and soon the feeling of weakness in his body disappeared.
With a whoosh, Qin Mu threw away the branch in his hand, took a few steps with ease—the pill’s effect was incredibly strong.
“Ooh! I’m back to full health!”
Seeing Mu’er instantly become lively again, the worry in Qin Mengyu’s brows did not fade.
She reminded him, “Mu’er, you can only take two pills a day. This is the second one. Conserve your strength.”
Though Qin Mengyu had prepared thoroughly this time, she hadn’t expected Mu’er’s body to be so unaccustomed to the Wildlands’ environment.
After all, Qin Mu had not yet reached Foundation Establishment; he was only at Qi Refining.
Honestly speaking, the Qi Refining Stage was just tempering the body—it couldn’t be considered true cultivation.
Only stepping into the Foundation Establishment Stage counted as becoming a real cultivator.
“Got it.”
Feeling the surging vitality in his body, Qin Mu dashed ahead in a flash.
If the pill’s effect wore off, he wouldn’t want Sister Mengyu and the others to wait too long for him.
He didn’t want to stay in this damned place for a second longer.
The damp, sultry environment was too uncomfortable.
“Mu’er! Don’t run too far!”
Qin Mengyu called out.
Although she had placed a Soul Mark on Mu’er, if something unexpected happened, she might not be able to reach him in time.
“I know!”
Qin Mu waved his hand and went ahead to scout the path.
***
The Dragon Clan.
The Seventh Elder of the Dragon Clan had never imagined that one day he would personally see the Divine Dragon’s Dragon Mark!
There was some connection between the Divine Dragon and the Dragon Clan.
According to ancient records of the Dragon Clan, they possessed the Divine Dragon Power within them.
Though they had not inherited the Divine Dragon’s bloodline, they still had some ties to it.
After all, that existence was born innately; even if one mated with it, producing offspring was extremely difficult.
The Dragon Clan’s survival to this day was inseparable from the Divine Dragon.
“This! This pattern—may I ask, Lu Sect Leader, where did you obtain it?!”
The Seventh Elder’s voice trembled as he spoke.
“I saw it at an ancient ruin and made a rubbing of it.”
Lu Qian naturally would not reveal that this came from Mu’er, not until she understood exactly what this pattern was.
“Seventh Elder, judging by your reaction, you seem to know something.”
Wang Yan’er set down her teacup, staring at the Seventh Elder.
The Seventh Elder composed himself from his earlier lapse, looked at the pattern on the paper, and said, “This is recorded in my clan’s ancient texts—the Divine Dragon’s Dragon Mark. It is said that when this Mark appears, it signifies the emergence of a living being that inherits the Divine Dragon’s power.”
“The Divine Dragon? Could it be a being born at the creation of heaven and earth?!”
Lu Qian’s beautiful eyes showed shock.
“That’s right.”
The Seventh Elder nodded.
Lu Qian knew something about these beings born at the dawn of creation.
They were not only incredibly powerful but also had extremely long lifespans—legend said they lived as long as heaven and earth.
Moreover, the bloodline of these beings possessed unparalleled allure.
Drinking their blood would cause cultivation to skyrocket, temper the meridians, and even grant unexpected abilities.
What specific abilities? That was not detailed, because after the Ancient Era and the Primordial Era, traces of these beings had almost vanished.
But why would such a legendary thing appear on Mu’er?
“Seventh Elder, if this Dragon Mark appears on a living being, what effects will it have?”
Wang Yan’er asked hurriedly.
After all, this thing was already on Mu’er—if there were any side effects, it would be bad.
“Perhaps it can prove that this living being has extraordinarily good luck.”
“Good luck?”
“Yes. Our Dragon Clan has searched long and hard for this Dragon Mark, yet found no clues. The being that obtains this Mark, given enough time and if the opportunity is sufficient, may—transform into a Divine Dragon!”
Hearing this, both Lu Qian and Wang Yan’er trembled involuntarily.
Transform into a Divine Dragon!
“Can such a thing really happen?”
Lu Qian had never heard of a living being transforming into an innately born existence.
“It’s only theoretical.”
The Seventh Elder slowly spoke his conjecture.
“First, since this Dragon Mark has appeared, it means that within this being’s body, due to the Mark, there flows or hides the true blood of the Divine Dragon.”
“When the true blood is fully refined, the Dragon Mark will spread across the entire body. At that time, when it meets the wind and rain, it will transform into a dragon—we will witness it firsthand. However…”
“However what?”
“Sigh.”
The Seventh Elder looked up at the sky, his tone somewhat reluctant.
“But now, the Heavenly Dao no longer favors innate beings. Once it wants to undergo tribulation and become a Divine Dragon, the Heavenly Dao will surely do everything to stop it.”
“To become a Divine Dragon, according to this old man’s speculation, one must oppose the Heavenly Dao and go against heaven’s will. There is a high probability of failure. Of course, if successful, in this world, those who can match a Divine Dragon are few and far between—perhaps only the legendary Immortals can.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Qian and Wang Yan’er exchanged a glance.
Their beautiful eyes seemed to hold unspoken words.