Chapter 86

**Clang! Clang!**

**"Roar!!!"**

In the midst of Zhaoyao Mountain, Li Mang and the Crystal Dragon were locked in a fierce struggle. He pounded his fists into the Crystal Dragon's flesh, the crystal scales clanging with each blow, but his fists also throbbed with pain.

**"Slap!"**

The Crystal Dragon lashed its tail at Li Mang's back, but it couldn't do much to the thick-skinned Li Mang. Instead, it only enraged him further, and he landed two more punches on the Crystal Dragon's head.

The pain made the Crystal Dragon furious. Now that it had somewhat recovered from its daze and regained some strength, it roared and soared into the sky, carrying Li Mang with it.

Without wings or any energy usage, the Crystal Dragon's flying ability seemed innate. The sudden rush of wind in Li Mang's ears made him cling tightly to the Crystal Dragon's body, not daring to let go for a moment. Over the past few days, he had consumed a lot of fish meat, enhancing his lightness ability, which now helped him reduce his weight in the air.

The Crystal Dragon then darted up and down, but it couldn't shake Li Mang off, only tiring itself out, which made it even angrier.

"Dragon, this is my world. If you submit to me, you can enjoy the abundant spiritual energy and eat the meat of spiritual beasts, allowing you to quickly advance in your realm, rather than engaging in petty theft in the outside world!" Li Mang shouted, trying to tempt the Crystal Dragon.

**"Roar!"**

But the Crystal Dragon, in its fury, wouldn't listen. Seeing that it couldn't shake Li Mang off, it suddenly dove downward at high speed.

"Are you crazy!" Li Mang was startled. They were hundreds of meters in the air, and if they fell, he would surely meet a bad end. His lightness ability wasn't omnipotent.

However, to his relief, the Crystal Dragon wasn't trying to take him down with it. Instead, it plunged into the Lijishui River—**"Splash!"**

The Crystal Dragon was water-based, and the water was its domain. With a swift movement, it darted forward, the clear water squeezing Li Mang painfully, but he gritted his teeth and refused to let go. He knew that if he let go now, he would lose the only chance to subdue the Crystal Dragon, which he could not allow.

The Crystal Dragon held great hope for him, and it was also his only way to deal with the current crisis. In this life-or-death moment, he dared not and would not give up. He did not want death; he wanted immortality.

**"Boom!"**

The *Classic of Mountains and Seas* space was peculiar. Currently, only the first series of mountains in the Southern Mountains was accessible; the other areas were not 'open' to the outside.

By 'open,' it meant that the native entities of the *Classic of Mountains and Seas* could move freely within the domain, but Li Mang could not, nor could the items he brought in. Zhaoyao Mountain was Zhaoyao Mountain, and except for the direction of Tangting Mountain, the other three sides were impassable barriers. These barriers wouldn't harm anyone upon touch, feeling soft and yielding, but colliding with them at high speed...

The Crystal Dragon's swift movement suddenly collided with the barrier, feeling like hitting a spongy, elastic cushion. It couldn't pass through and was instead dazed, and Li Mang, who was on its back, was thrown off.

However, the Crystal Dragon didn't escape, as it couldn't. The dizziness made it float to the surface. Li Mang, too, floated on the water, unconscious for a long time.

The Crystal Dragon was already weak, and this collision was almost fatal. It was fortunate that it didn't immediately turn back into a crystal sculpture.

Li Mang, on the other hand, was thrown off, and although he was also in a bad state, he was a healthy person and had suffered far less damage than the Crystal Dragon. Gradually, he woke up from the water, feeling dazed and with a lingering headache.

"Huh? I can float on the water." Li Mang muttered, his lightness ability instinctively activating. He stood up from the water, standing steadily on the surface in a way that defied comprehension. Floating on water? That was nothing; he could stand on water as if it were solid ground.

He then walked on the water to the Crystal Dragon, grabbed its tail, and dragged it to the shore.

The Crystal Dragon struggled a couple of times but was already exhausted. Even in the water, it couldn't match Li Mang and finally resigned itself, closing its eyes.

"Brat!" Li Mang had to exert a lot of effort to drag it ashore. He cursed and kicked it in the shoulder, feeling somewhat satisfied.

**"Crunch..."** Li Mang bit into a Yan fruit, the rich Yan wood aroma and a faint spiritual energy emanating from it, which made the Crystal Dragon open its eyes despite itself.

"You're really a piece of work. I give you such a good opportunity, and you still try to escape? Is it so shameful to be my battle pet?" Li Mang mumbled with the fruit in his mouth.

**"..."** The Crystal Dragon closed its eyes again, lying still like a corpse. Though not a true dragon, it still had some dragon blood, and its pride was immense. It wouldn't easily submit to a human.

"How much is your pride worth? If you don't see reason, I'll peel your skin and extract your tendons. Your hide can be used to forge weapons and treasures, your flesh can be stewed and eaten, and any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. I believe your essence blood can help me break through, and I might even gain some powerful abilities... Hmm, this is more valuable than raising a white-eyed wolf!" Li Mang muttered to himself.

**"..."** The Crystal Dragon opened its eyes again, revealing sharp, pointed teeth, but the pain from its injuries almost made it shed tears. In reality, it was quite afraid. Although it hadn't interacted with cultivators, it knew how terrifying humans could be.

But it refused to submit. Death was better than dishonor, and in eighteen years, it would be a fine dragon again! So it closed its eyes, determined to resist to the death.

Li Mang ignored it and took another Yan fruit to eat. After a couple of bites, he threw it in front of the Crystal Dragon. "See this? This fruit can quickly restore strength and is great for reviving your Black Tortoise. If you submit to me, becoming a true dragon isn't impossible. Otherwise, you'll be a stupid dragon for the rest of your life."

**"Roar!"** The Crystal Dragon, seemingly regaining some strength, turned its head and glared at Li Mang angrily. If it weren't for the distance, it would have bitten him.

**"Clang!"** Li Mang drew the yellow-grade longsword beside him.

**"Thud!"** The sword struck a rock, emitting a buzzing sound.

"What are you glaring at? My patience has its limits. Do you want to be a dragon or a pile of dung? This is your last chance, the only chance!" Li Mang shouted.

**"..."** The Crystal Dragon was startled, instinctively pulling its neck back and staring at Li Mang cautiously. It didn't seem like he was bluffing, and it hesitated.

Submitting to a human was the last thing it wanted, but it wasn't fearless. The conditions Li Mang offered were indeed tempting. Dragon or dung? Did it really need to choose? The main reason it hesitated was its pride.

"Cheapskate, be dung then!" Li Mang seemed to be enraged, forcefully pulling the yellow-grade longsword out of the rock and making a move to strike the Crystal Dragon.

**"Howl..."** Just as the sword was about to strike its neck, the Crystal Dragon finally lowered its proud head and howled.

...

**PS: The book will go live tomorrow at noon. Let's fight together, and I'll see you there.**

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