Chapter 365: A Special Skill

Long Jiaonan pounced forward and shrieked, "You brat! This is all your fault!"

Qin Mu raised his hand, unleashing a burst of Buddhist light as he clashed with her. Both their bodies jolted violently. Suddenly, Long Jiaonan's hair scattered and fell, revealing bald patches on her head, and her face abruptly sagged.

Qin Mu's vital energy surged, and he was about to attack when he suddenly hesitated and held back.

On the East Sea, Long Jiaonan had nearly died from the combined attacks of Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang. She had desperately shed her skin, sacrificing her life force in the process. Although the Dao Master had taken her away, she still hadn't recovered.

Now, after clashing with Qin Mu, her wig immediately fell off, and her taut skin became loose.

Long Jiaonan noticed her hair falling out and cried out in alarm. She frantically grabbed at the strands, trying to pick them up and stick them back onto her head. But with her hair so scattered, how could she reattach it?

"Sister Long," Qin Mu said, "your lifespan is nearly exhausted. If you don't push yourself so hard, you could still live for decades like a normal person. If you attack me again, I won't kill you, but just severely injure you once, and you'll have no chance of survival."

Qin Mu shook his head. "You'll never have a chance to get revenge on me in this life. Why bother?"

Long Jiaonan snapped, "You're the one who ruined me like this, and now you're offering condescending remarks!"

"You harmed yourself, and your father, the Dragon King, also harmed you. It has nothing to do with me. You're just blaming me to find an outlet for your frustration."

Qin Mu glanced at the sturdy leg beside him, then looked up. The divine being was gazing down, but not at them; he was surveying the mountains and rivers of Eternal Peace Nation.

Clearly, the divine being paid no attention to them, considering them no threat. Their greatest use was merely to raise dragons for him.

Qin Mu composed himself and considered the possibility of using the Heaven-Stealing Divine Leg to escape, but immediately dismissed the idea. While the Heaven-Stealing Divine Leg was incredibly fast—he could burst forth at more than four times the speed of sound at full power—it couldn't be sustained for long. In just half a moment, his vital energy would be exhausted, and his body would be weary.

And judging by the speed of the two flood dragons beneath the divine being's feet, while he might be able to escape for a short distance, catching him would not be difficult.

Moreover, that good-for-nothing Dragon Qilin had already collapsed into a heap, unable to get up. If he had to carry the Dragon Qilin and run, the distance he could escape would be limited.

The Dragon Qilin was simply too fat and too heavy!

"Isn't it just raising dragons?" Qin Mu thought. "I raise Fatty Dragon every day. This is very simple for me!"

Qin Mu sat down on the broad body of a flood dragon beneath him. With a skill at hand, he wasn't afraid at all. If he could even raise Fatty Dragon, how could he not raise other flood dragons?

"Senior, what should I call you?" Qin Mu asked loudly.

"You can call me the Dragon Herder Monarch."

The divine being continued surveying the mountains and rivers, his voice rumbling like thunder. "I am a god from the High Heavens. As long as you serve my dragons well, I can spare your lives. Not only will I spare your lives, but I can also take you away from this murky world to the High Heavens, where you can enjoy blessings while raising dragons for me."

Long Jiaonan's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed loudly, "Patriarch, I am a disciple of the Dragon Tamer Sect! It's the sect you founded!"

Qin Mu suddenly shivered. "Oh no! This Dragon Herder Monarch is the founder of the Dragon Tamer Sect!"

He couldn't help but regret asking the Dragon Herder Monarch's name. Now that Long Jiaonan had acknowledged their connection, he was dead meat!

He wanted to slip away, but when he kicked the Dragon Qilin, the fat creature was still sprawled on the dragon's back, muscles sore and unable to get up.

"I have a special skill, I have a special skill!" Qin Mu composed himself, reassuring himself.

"The Dragon Tamer Sect?"

The two flood dragons beneath the Dragon Herder Monarch's feet paused. The tall divine being lowered his head to look at Long Jiaonan, asking in surprise, "I did create this sect once, but that was a long, long time ago. Founding the Dragon Tamer Sect was just a whim of mine; I paid no attention to it after going to the High Heavens. You're a disciple of the Dragon Tamer Sect? Who was that earlier who called you 'son'?"

Long Jiaonan was both surprised and delighted. She quickly knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly. "That was your disciple's father, the current Sect Master of the Dragon Tamer Sect!"

"His cultivation is quite poor," the Dragon Herder Monarch said. "He kept getting flicked away by me. He won't die."

The two dragons beneath the Dragon Herder Monarch's feet began to fly downwards. He said, "Since you are a disciple of the Dragon Tamer Sect, I won't trouble you. You seem to have damaged your vital energy. Here, take a dragon pearl to recuperate. Although it won't restore your appearance to its original state, it can replenish your true essence and extend your life."

A bright orange pearl flew down from above. Long Jiaonan quickly grabbed it, kowtowing repeatedly as she snapped, "Patriarch, this person is the mortal enemy of our Dragon Tamer Sect! It was this brat who destroyed our sect!"

Qin Mu shrank his neck and shook his head. "Miss Long, please don't slander me. With my cultivation and strength, how could I possibly destroy your Dragon Tamer Sect? It's such a vast sacred ground, with countless experts, each possessing great divine abilities and extraordinary handsomeness, and they all raise excellent dragons. How could I have the ability to destroy them?"

The Dragon Herder Monarch looked at him. He was clearly an honest and simple-looking young man, much more reliable than Long Jiaonan. He said, "This weak, honest child, could he really destroy the sect I founded? Are you all too weak?"

Long Jiaonan gritted her teeth and snapped, "This brat summoned a demon god and killed my entire family, old and young!"

Qin Mu, with his honest appearance, stammered in his defense, "How could I? I've studied medicine since childhood and am respected as a divine physician. Usually, I only prepare medicines and raise the Dragon Qilin, feeding him until he's plump. How could I summon demon gods to harm people? Not only are you slandering me, but you're also... slandering me!"

Long Jiaonan was furious. She leaped over and grabbed his neck, her voice shrill. "You're the Heavenly Devil Cult Master! Full of wicked schemes! The devil of all devils!"

Qin Mu choked, his eyes rolling back.

Suddenly, the Dragon Herder Monarch flicked his finger, sending Long Jiaonan tumbling several times.

Long Jiaonan fell headfirst to the ground. Only then did she notice they had landed; the two flood dragons beneath the Dragon Herder Monarch's feet had brought them beside the Golden River.

"Was it you who fed this qilin-species dragon until it became so fat?"

The Dragon Herder Monarch held Qin Mu in his palm, examining him up and down. He chuckled, "You've fed him very well, very well. I truly appreciate you."

Qin Mu was face to face with him, his heart pounding. The Dragon Herder Monarch was simply too enormous; his face alone was much larger than Qin Mu's entire body. His face was covered in dragon scales, and his prominent brow bones, not covered by scales, had grown two winged, flying-like eyebrows.

"Senior..."

Qin Mu mustered his courage and said, "I've studied medicine since childhood, and my medical skills are passable. I feed the Dragon Qilin half a dou of Red Fire Elixir every day."

"Half a dou of Red Fire Elixir?"

The Dragon Herder Monarch chuckled. "It seems your alchemy skills are truly extraordinary, to be able to refine so many elixirs every day. How could a little one like this, still in its juvenile form, eat half a dou every day? Just one bowl of Red Fire Elixir is enough for him."

Qin Mu's face immediately darkened.

The Dragon Herder Monarch continued, "However, he didn't waste all those elixirs he ate. Instead, they transformed into dragon essence and qilin essence stored within his body. By simply activating this energy, he can forge a Dragon Pearl and Qilin Fire, which is quite extraordinary. Only then will he truly be considered an adult. I see you understand alchemy, but not dragon-rearing. Would you like to become my apprentice?"

"This disciple is willing!"

Long Jiaonan was furious. This black-hearted scoundrel was seizing the opportunity, trying to climb above her and become her grand-patriarch!

"I'm letting you join my service, not as a formal disciple, but as a young attendant."

The Dragon Herder Monarch chuckled, "Don't rush to become my disciple. I don't take disciples. As long as you serve my dragons well, it might be possible for me to take you as a disciple in the future. For now, refine a furnace of Red Fire Elixir for me to see."

Qin Mu immediately unleashed his vital energy, took out some medicinal ingredients from his Gluttonous Bag, and began refining elixirs in mid-air. While the Dragon Herder Monarch was still speaking, he had already refined a furnace of Red Fire Elixir.

The Dragon Herder Monarch showed a look of surprise, then became overjoyed, bursting out laughing. "With you as my young attendant, I'll be saved from many trivial matters. From now on, you'll refine elixirs, and I can be idle!"

He raised his leg and kicked the Dragon Qilin, saying, "Little one, I will teach you the method for cultivating the Dragon Pearl and Qilin Fire. You can also help with the fire for refining elixirs."

The Dragon Qilin could finally stand up, filled with both surprise and delight.

Qin Mu also felt relieved. "Grandpa Deaf always said that all professions are inferior except for scholarship, and that Grandpa Apothecary's medical skills were useless, leading him to bankruptcy by compensating for deaths. He claimed that studying and painting could allow one to survive anywhere. Yet, Grandpa Deaf almost starved to death on the streets selling paintings, while Grandpa Apothecary's medical skills were always well-received wherever he went..."

"Little girl, come here."

Long Jiaonan lowered her head and stepped forward. The Dragon Herder Monarch looked her up and down, then shook his head. "You also know a bit about dragon-rearing. So, become his attendant and help me raise dragons. Remember this well: don't always frame him, otherwise, I won't let you off!"

Long Jiaonan was consumed by rage, but she had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Qin Mu felt delighted and asked, "Dragon Monarch, what are you doing here at the Golden River?"

"Searching for the main dragon vein of Eternal Peace Nation."

An earring on the Dragon Herder Monarch's ear swayed. It swam down from his ear, transforming into a yellow flood dragon. Its body grew longer and larger, its aura becoming increasingly terrifying, as it swam directly into the river.

The Golden River's current was swift. As soon as the flood dragon entered the river, it began to stir up storms and waves. Immediately, a massive volume of water surged into the air, hovering in the sky and forming a long river.

"This is where the Golden River's dragon belly lies," the Dragon Herder Monarch said. "The dragon claws are nearby."

The Dragon Herder Monarch looked down at the riverbed, a look of disappointment on his face. He shook his head. "This is not the main dragon vein."

Qin Mu also looked down at the riverbed, slightly stunned. He saw that the riverbed had been scoured, revealing layers of dragon-scale-shaped stones. From the arrangement of these stones, one could faintly discern the shape of dragon claws!

"Rivers have river qi, and river qi converges to form a water-attributed dragon vein," the Dragon Herder Monarch explained. "Mountain qi converges to form an earth-attributed dragon vein. Fiery qi and magma converge to form a fire-attributed dragon vein. These three types are well-known. But there is also a fourth type, which is wind: long winds howling for thousands of miles, carving dragon traces across mountains and land. This type of dragon vein is wind-attributed."

The Dragon Herder Monarch looked up, murmuring, "I've already examined the wind and mountain veins. I've also seen the Tu River and Golden River. Moving forward, I need to look at the three fire dragon veins below. Eternal Peace Nation has so many dragon veins; I'm afraid a great dragon is about to be born here. If I take away the main dragon vein, the dragons will be without a leader... hehe, and chaos will erupt in the world..."