Chapter 1426: The Three Dragons

“Really? You’d actually invite us to drink a cup of Tribulation Lightning Liquid?” A young man felt his mouth go dry, his voice trembling slightly.

Tribulation Lightning Liquid—what was that? It was something so rare in the world that no one would ever think to share it.

“Indeed. But looking at the crowd, I doubt there’s enough for everyone to have a full cup. I’ll just add a small amount to fine wine so everyone can get a taste,” Shi Hao said.

After all, he had carefully observed the gathering. Though he had only invited the most elite young warriors, the number wasn’t small. The pool of Tribulation Lightning Liquid was limited—if he gave each person a full cup, there’d be nothing left.

Even though he had taken the entire Thunder Pool this time, the pool itself was tiny, only about a foot in size.

When the confirmation came, the place erupted in noise, causing a sensation!

Tribulation Lightning Liquid was far too precious. Across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, barely anyone had ever tasted it. In this era, heavenly tribulations no longer manifested naturally. Forcing one to descend would multiply the difficulty—it was practically a death sentence.

Few in this age dared to provoke a heavenly tribulation.

That was why Tribulation Lightning Liquid was now one of the rarest treasures in existence. Even the heirs of the most supreme sects and divine descendants had never sampled it.

Especially when considering that the tribulation Shi Hao had endured was the strongest Void Path Tribulation in history—people grew even more excited. The quality of the corresponding Tribulation Lightning Liquid must be unimaginably high.

“I can’t wait! I really want to taste what Tribulation Lightning Liquid is like. Brother Shi Hao, please take your seat—quick, quick, quick!” Some young men who loved their drinks urged eagerly, grinning from ear to ear.

For the moment, even the strange anomaly within the Thunder Pool was temporarily forgotten, and no one rushed to inspect it.

Among the old-timers, some were also fond of wine. A few were too reserved to mingle with the youngsters and ask for a drink, but others were shamelessly bold, openly demanding wine from Shi Hao.

“Child, I’m still young at heart—forever eighteen, full of vigor!” declared one old man whose audacity rivaled Shi Hao’s.

“Hahaha…” The crowd burst into laughter.

Shi Hao didn’t touch the sealed Thunder Pool. Instead, he retrieved a bone cauldron—earlier, fearing he might not secure the pool, he had used it to collect a small portion of the Tribulation Lightning Liquid.

He poured himself a cup first and drank it down. Instantly, his expression shifted in surprise as a surge of heat rushed through him, his blood boiling with vitality.

This Tribulation Lightning Liquid was extraordinary—far surpassing any he had obtained before.

It wasn’t just because his cultivation level had risen, improving the quality of the liquid. The nature of the tribulation itself was unique, making this batch exceptionally rare.

The next moment, everyone saw Shi Hao’s battered body begin to glow. The deep wounds that had reached bone, the cracks on his skin, even the bloody hole in his chest—all were healing at a visible rate.

At the same time, radiant light erupted from his seven orifices—mouth, nose, eyes, and ears—uncontrollable due to the sheer intensity of the essence within.

The crowd was stunned, then overjoyed.

“Incredible! This Tribulation Lightning Liquid is even more precious than imagined. It healed Shi Hao’s severe injuries in an instant—this is truly a rare, supreme medicine!”

Things that could be called “supreme medicine” were exceedingly rare in the world, marking the highest praise.

Once Shi Hao understood the potency of the liquid, he entered the gathering hall and personally poured a small amount into each jade cup, diluting it with fine wine.

In an instant, the entire hall was bathed in radiant light, enveloped in a mist of spiritual essence, mingled with the fragrance of medicinal liquid and wine.

“Fellow Daoists, I won’t say much. In the days to come, we shall fight side by side beyond the Imperial Pass, bathing in blood to slay our enemies. Let us drink to that!” Shi Hao declared.

Many raised their cups, first inhaling the aroma, reluctant to drink. This was a treasure capable of saving lives—wasn’t consuming it now too extravagant?

“Drink it. Taste it. This is the purest essence of life force. Consuming it early won’t harm you—it will be stored in your flesh and blood, strengthening your vitality. In the future, when faced with mortal peril, it may save you from the brink of exhaustion,” an elder advised.

Heavenly tribulation represented destruction, yet this liquid was born from it—the rarest of treasures, symbolizing rebirth.

“Fine wine! The taste is divine!” Cao Yusheng was the first to drink, savoring the aftertaste. He wasn’t worried about running out—he planned to enjoy more in private with Shi Hao later.

Seeing this, the others raised their cups, though none gulped it down. Instead, they sipped carefully, their faces lighting up with delight as their pores emitted light, as if they had consumed divine herbs, ascending in radiance.

“Hahaha… Good wine deserves good food. I have dozens of semi-divine fruits here—everyone, help yourselves!” Tuogu Yulong announced.

“This old man won’t take advantage of you all. Here, try some jerky made from creatures of the other realm—utterly delicious,” another elder offered.

Shi Hao’s heart stirred, and he took out several glowing creatures, all rare and not of this world.

The crowd gasped—these were the royal bloodlines of the other realm, beings of immense power.

“Could these be the Ten Kings Brother Shi Hao slew at the Great Scarlet Sky Frontier?”

“Indeed,” Shi Hao confirmed with a nod.

Everyone’s eyes gleamed with desire. Even Qi Hong, master of the Five-Spirit War Chariot, chuckled, “Though I’ve tasted the flesh of the other realm’s royalty, never in such abundance. Today, I’ll feast to my heart’s content!”

As a descendant of an immortal family within the Imperial Pass, his clan had once hunted high-ranking royalty from the other realm, causing a sensation. He had been fortunate enough to taste it before.

The atmosphere soared instantly. Everyone was thrilled and invigorated—they were about to feast on the flesh of their enemies’ kings, stirring their blood with excitement.

“Eat big, drink big, and tomorrow we fight on the battlefield!”

“I’ll contribute too—I’ll sneak out two of my grandfather’s prized Eight-Treasure Chickens!” a young man from an ancient family in the Imperial Pass joked.

“Brat, you dare?!”

As it turned out, his family elder was among the crowd, studying the Thunder Pool with the other old men, and had overheard.

“Then… just one?” the young man muttered sheepishly.

“Hahaha…”

The hall erupted in laughter, the mood turning light and joyous.

Soon, someone conjured Dao flames to roast the glowing meat of the other realm’s royalty—some golden and glistening, others white as jade, all exuding an extraordinary aroma.

The somber air from the earlier battles vanished entirely. The group chatted and laughed, clinking cups and indulging in the feast.

Shi Hao sighed inwardly. How long would this carefree joy last in the Imperial Pass? Months? Years? A century? Beyond the pass, rivers of blood and mountains of bones awaited. He wondered how many of them would still be alive when they next gathered.

The truth was stark—ten years from now, most of them would likely be dead.

That was an unchangeable reality.

“Young friend, this thing of yours is extraordinary—it might overturn all conventional understanding. I think it should be presented to the Ancestral Altar for the great figures to examine,” one of the old men said gravely.

Some of the elders had been too engrossed in studying the Thunder Pool to even drink the Tribulation Lightning Liquid. Now, after much deliberation, they had reached a shocking conclusion.

“It seems… there are three dragons inside!” one of them uttered, voice trembling.

“What?!” The younger generation, though tipsy, was jolted awake. Three dragons?!

“The Thunder Pool is made of real ancient stone—already defying logic. And inside, there appear to be three true dragon hatchlings swimming in the liquid. We… are baffled!” an elder admitted.

They were utterly stunned. Upon closer inspection, they could sense faint draconic might emanating from the pool. Within the liquid, three creatures swam, flickering in and out of sight—astonishingly resembling true dragons.

“Dragons? Bring them here—I’ll teach them a lesson!” The golden Heavenly Horned Ant, drunk, slurred. His lineage had once vied with true dragons for supremacy.

Shi Hao also stared for a long time. The Thunder Pool was indeed peculiar—though small in size, peering into it felt like gazing into an abyss.

Even with his Heavenly Eye, he couldn’t fully penetrate its depths.

At the very bottom, as if in the heart of a chasm, three dragon hatchlings could faintly be seen chasing each other, swimming amidst thunder and tempest—a terrifying sight.

“I’m beginning to doubt… just how the true dragon race originated,” one elder murmured.

“Are you certain you’re not mistaken? Those are… three true dragons?!”

A young man whispered in disbelief.

If confirmed, this would shake the heavens. The sudden appearance of three true dragons would terrify even the gods. Shi Hao had truly overturned the natural order!

He had seized a Thunder Pool—and within it lay something so unimaginably divine.