CHAPTER 949: CHAPTER 949: PLUCKING EVERY FEATHER AS THE GOOSE FLIES BY

The Earth Dragon was stunned by Chen Nan’s blow, with scales on its head burned off, unable to escape in its dazed state.

Chen Nan, still unappeased, grabbed the Earth Dragon with one hand and pinned it to the ground, then summoned the Heavy Mountain Pill Furnace he had obtained earlier.

"For ambushing me!"

The pill furnace, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, smashed down harshly, finally subduing the Earth Dragon.

With a single strike, blood already flowed from its ears and nose.

The Heavy Mountain Pill Furnace turned out to be unexpectedly useful, especially effective against these hard-scaled demon beasts.

Ordinary attacks couldn’t damage the scales, but when the pill furnace smashed down, even if the scales were unharmed, the internal organs would be shattered.

After only a couple of hits, the Earth Dragon was already on the brink of death.

Chen Nan stored away the pill furnace and directly straddled the Earth Dragon, taking deep breaths, pleased to have discovered another means of defense.

In battles, using the Heavy Mountain Pill Furnace to smash opponents was highly unexpected.

Moreover, the pill furnace was incredibly sturdy and could envelop him for defense, making it both offensive and defensive.

Looking at the Earth Dragon, on the verge of death, Chen Nan also glanced at the large exposed passages on the ground, then took out a spiritual artifact.

It was the Beast Taming Ring!

Since obtaining the Beast Taming Ring earlier, Chen Nan had kept it with him but hadn’t used it, as he didn’t know any Beast Taming magic techniques.

But while dealing with the Earth Dragon just now, he considered that if he could tame it, it could help him dig passages or something similar.

So when the Earth Dragon was nearly dead, Chen Nan took out the Beast Taming Ring, focused his mind, and the ring flew into the air, enlarged, then swiftly tightened around the Earth Dragon’s neck.

The Earth Dragon’s life or death now lay within Chen Nan’s thoughts; if it refused to submit, the Beast Taming Ring would continue to tighten, finally breaking its neck.

Chen Nan retrieved a healing pill and fed it to the Earth Dragon, and not long after, the near-death creature revived, though upon seeing Chen Nan, there was a hint of fear in its eyes.

It then tried to dig a hole to escape, but unexpectedly, the ring tightened abruptly, almost digging into its flesh.

The Earth Dragon howled in agony, immediately collapsing to the ground.

Chen Nan pointed his fingers and sent mana onto the Beast Taming Ring, pausing its tightening.

Yet the Earth Dragon was still disobedient, trying to escape again, only to be choked by the ring and unable to breathe.

After several attempts, the Earth Dragon finally submitted, lying obediently at Chen Nan’s feet.

"Heh, the Beast Taming Ring is quite useful."

Chen Nan chuckled twice, reaching out to pat the Earth Dragon’s head, where several scales had been burned away earlier, leaving it looking a bit patchy.

Although forcibly taming the Earth Dragon, Chen Nan knew his method couldn’t be sustainable; true Beast Taming required professional magic techniques and forming a contract with demon beasts to prevent rebellion.

However, Chen Nan didn’t plan to take the Earth Dragon outside; once the secret realm concluded, he intended to leave it behind, so there was no need for any contract.

"Earth Dragon, can you bring me out that spiritual medicine in there?"

Chen Nan patted the bald spot on the Earth Dragon’s head again and pointed at the Blood Burning Flower within the array, but the Earth Dragon didn’t understand, its eyes filled with stupidity.

Left with no choice, Chen Nan explained repeatedly, using gestures and actions, until the Earth Dragon somewhat understood.

The Earth Dragon plunged headfirst into the dirt, in the blink of an eye digging a tunnel straight into the array.

Inside the array, the Earth Dragon emerged but simply lay there, seemingly waiting for Chen Nan’s praise.

"Oh, communicating is too much trouble!"

Expecting the Earth Dragon to bring out the Blood Burning Flower was impossible, so he crawled slowly into the array along the tunnel the Earth Dragon had dug.

He discovered that the weak point he found in the array was indeed the spot where the Earth Dragon dug, creating a hole in the array that allowed passage.

After much effort, Chen Nan finally harvested the Blood Burning Flower.

Just this spiritual medicine alone, if sold outside, would fetch tens of thousands of low-grade Spirit Stones, already acquired in abundance.

"Come on, let’s continue exploring!"

After exiting the array, Chen Nan hopped onto the Earth Dragon, using it as a mount, and pointed ahead.

...

Upon the Blood-colored Plain, countless bones were strewn across the ground, the air filled with a murderous aura.

This should be a battlefield; just the number of bones reveals the ferocity of the battle fought long ago.

In the center of the plain stood an ancient temple, still retaining a complete structure despite the passage of time; it was evidently significant.

At the moment outside the temple, several cultivators were standing guard, seemingly prepared to fend off unexpected arrivals.

Chen Nan rode the Earth Dragon all the way here, where those bones had already been searched, and any treasures picked clean.

"Truly like plucking feathers from passing birds, not a single good thing left behind!"

Chen Nan tossed aside a decayed longsword and sighed deeply.

The Ancient Realm Secret Realm has existed for tens of thousands of years, and even if it opens once every hundred years, it’s already been accessed hundreds of times, with most places thoroughly searched.

"Earth Dragon, do you think those major family clans have maps?"

Chen Nan suddenly pondered this question, slapping his thigh.

"Surely they do! If these families sent people into the secret realm a couple of times, they could create a map, definitely knowing where the treasures are!"

"I’ve decided, next I must get hold of a map, or else I’ll be like a headless fly, aimlessly wandering as a month swiftly passes!"

The Earth Dragon couldn’t comprehend, just kept trudging forward.

Suddenly, Chen Nan gave the Earth Dragon a firm pat on the head, "Stop, quick, stop!"

Looking up, he saw the temple on the battlefield and several cultivators guarding it.

"Are there people? Could there be treasure inside the temple?"

Chen Nan stroked his chin thoughtfully, deciding to check it out.

He executed the Life and Death Technique, merging his aura with the environment, then had the Earth Dragon dig a tunnel directly into the temple.

In a corner of the temple, Chen Nan lifted a stone slab and cautiously peered to see the situation inside.

Inside the temple was a damaged stone statue, unknown which deity it represented.

Among the four or five cultivators, one female cultivator was distinctly familiar to Chen Nan.

"Oh? Junior Sister is here too? But something seems off!"

Indeed, the female cultivator in the temple was Tang Zhirou, surrounded by four other cultivators, faintly enclosing her.

"Junior Sister Tang, we discovered this temple together, so the treasures ought to be divided equally."

A sly-looking cultivator with yellow teeth said sinisterly.

Tang Zhirou snorted coldly, full of disgust, putting a worn storage bag into her own arms, "We agreed earlier, whoever finds it claims it; why should I share with you?"