C1743 The Gift from Taishi

In the Serene Starfield, a domain under the control of the Outland Devaputra, Loong Jie sat amidst the snow, his tall and burly figure clad in a purple-gold dragon robe. Though the wound on his abdomen had healed, a persistent sword intent still swirled within him.

Flecks of sword light continued to wander through his dragon form, seemingly intent on causing further destruction.

"Lin Daoke!" Loong Jie bared his teeth in a wild, maniacal laugh.

He then revealed his dragon form, which sprawled like a golden mountain range, his scales clattering. "Hah! Ahaha, Lin Daoke couldn't kill me!"

Boom! The world, once the cold and harsh realm of the Freezing Devaputra and home to the hidden Cold Abyss Entrance, now served as one of Zhong Chichen's haunts.

Zhong Chichen stood contemplatively at the edge of an ice hole on the vast frozen expanse.

Watching Loong Jie display the magnificent body of the Golden Dragon, which shook the void and bathed the world in golden light, Zhong Chichen let out a soft chuckle.

He had indeed judged Loong Jie correctly.

The battle had awakened Loong Jie's fighting spirit, and the mark of fear that Lin Daoke had seared into the depths of his dragon soul seemed to have shattered with Lin Daoke's sword strike.

Now unharmed, Loong Jie intentionally retained a trace of Lin Daoke's sword intent at the site of his minor wound.

He was delving into that enigmatic sword intent, allowing it to ferment and occasionally jab at him, deepening his understanding of the pain and its lessons.

Loong Jie harnessed Lin Daoke's sword to fortify his dragon form and bolster his resolve.

"When I fully master the Golden Body, even without the Colorful Patriarch at my side, I will not fear Lin Daoke!" Loong Jie roared.

Not far from the Serene Starfield lay the Oblivion Starfield, home to numerous Devaputra tribes and the Galaxy Crossing of the Divine Soul Sect, an ideal place for him and Zhong Chichen to operate.

"You must repeatedly refine your dragon form," Zhong Chichen advised, looking up at him and massaging his cold-stiffened face. "Truth be told, you belong in the Gray Domain. My concerns about Yu Yuan and other treacherous schemes are why I've brought you here."

Upon mentioning Yu Yuan, Loong Jie, who had been strutting proudly, suddenly sank into despondency.

With a whoosh, he transformed into a burly old man with dragon horns, his face and skin a purplish-red hue. He swiftly flew to Zhong Chichen's side and lamented, "Colorful Patriarch, is there really no way for us to escape his grasp? He's still at the Unrestrained Stage. Once he ascends to the highest level of Primordial Spirit, what hope will our Naga have?"

"For now, he has more adversaries," Zhong Chichen replied, feeling the weight of the situation. Aware that they were powerless against Yu Yuan, he still sought to reassure Loong Jie. "Don't fret. Let's wait for the young creatures of the Gray Domain to come of age, and for the outcome between the Demon Phoenix and the Yang Meridian. We might just find our opportunity then."

Loong Jie heaved a sigh, "I'm aware that Lin Daoke won't intimidate me in the future, but his words..."

"Our Naga were decimated by him once; he certainly won't succeed a second time!" Zhong Chichen declared emphatically.

"That remains to be seen," came the light-hearted retort from Taishi. Gliding through the galaxy, he landed among them, his demeanor nonchalant as he regarded Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen. "If your Naga behave, you should manage to live quite comfortably. But if you're still dreaming of ruling the vast expanses, I'd suggest you abandon such fantasies."

"You belong in the Plover Realm, not here," Zhong Chichen said with a furrowed brow.

"There's no rush," Taishi responded, his tone serene. He positioned himself beside Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie, settling down by the ice cavern. Addressing Loong Jie, he offered, "You know, there are indeed shortcuts to fully realizing your Golden Body."

Loong Jie's heart raced at the revelation. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," Taishi affirmed. He produced a beautifully patterned iron box and casually passed it to Loong Jie. "Inside, you'll find the quintessence of the five elements, collected by the Divine Soul Sect from numerous Starry Forbidden Grounds, along with the secret silver and black gold your ancestor left in the Outland Star River."

"Which ancestor?" Loong Jie asked, taken aback.

As the iron box emerged, his heart pounded with increased fervor. He eyed the box Taishi offered, tempted to seize it immediately, yet he hesitated, suspecting a ruse.

He glanced anxiously at Zhong Chichen. "Colorful Patriarch? I—I can feel it!"

No explanation from Taishi was necessary. The abnormal reaction of Loong Jie's heart made it clear that Taishi's iron box held something significant—certainly not the remains of that ancient Spinosaurus.

"Has your Divine Soul Sect found it?" Zhong Chichen's spirits lifted.

The Golden Dragon, from times long before, had emulated the old Spinosaurus, creating his own celestial palace and a hidden treasure trove.

Zhong Chichen was aware of its existence, yet the precise location eluded him.

As a fellow Dragon God, he shared a penchant for collecting exotic treasures. The former clan leader of the Nagas had always been wary, fearing that if Zhong Chichen learned of the treasure's location, he would plunder it. Thus, the secret was kept from him.

After his rebirth, in an effort to accelerate Loong Jie's growth, he had scoured the heavens for the patriarch's hidden domain to no avail.

Yet, the Divine Soul Sect had somehow located the patriarch's treasure trove and retrieved items capable of aiding Loong Jie's next transformation.

What was Taishi's angle?

"Just take it if you want it," Taishi insisted, pressing the item into Loong Jie's hands with a beaming smile. "After all, your Dragon Clan can't escape Yu Yuan's grip. You're destined to be bound by him."

Holding the iron box, Loong Jie's heart, already racing with excitement, grew heavier with Taishi's words.

"Your old patriarch's ancient lair has been completely overtaken by him. Do you really think you two Dragon Gods can turn the tide?" Taishi guffawed, pointing at Zhong Chichen. "You're clever enough to realize that he's destined to surpass his former self!"

"In this era, not even the combined might of the five ancient Dragon Gods could pose a threat to him."

"I'm truly not concerned about you."

With that, Taishi departed, leaving Zhong Chichen with a darkened expression.

...

Gray Domain.

"His presence lingers in this realm."

Yu Yuan materialized on Heaven Opening Flare Star, his brow furrowed as he addressed the Chaos Roc and Abyss Goanna, "One of his souls has taken refuge in President Lyi, journeying to the subterranean world of Hao Xing."

The old lizard's expression remained unchanged. "It has nothing to do with me."

Awkwafina of the Shadow Clan, however, turned pale with shock. "What? He still has a soul? Then, does that mean he's aware of my grievances and the things I've said?"

"Hao Xing, Geocentric Fire, Origin Soul," the Chaos Roc intoned.

"The Demon Phoenix has officially heralded the invasion of the Dim Starfield. What are your thoughts?" Yu Yuan inquired, eyes slightly squinted.

"What's in it for us if we join the fight?" the old lizard asked bluntly.

"You're free to abstain, but consider the consequences if the Demon Phoenix captures the Origin Blood Continent and dominates the Starfield," Yu Yuan said with a light laugh. "She's been relentless in her pursuit to annihilate the Starry Behemoths, aiming to replace your kind with a new breed of Demon Phoenix and alien beasts."

"And what about you?" the old lizard grunted.

"Me?"

"If you ascend to the highest ranks and the Yang God triggers your transformation, you could become the next Spinosaurus. Your paths are intertwined, and I fear you might become even more formidable than her once you ascend to godhood," the old lizard said, his voice tinged with melancholy. "The age of our Giant Beasts has been waning ever since the old Spinosaurus died. I've come to terms with that, but is it so hard to just ask for a way to survive?"

"If I can nurture it, I can surely make room for you," Yu Yuan said, glancing toward the Main Planet.

"I'll need some time to think it over," the old lizard stated.

"That's fine."

Yu Yuan gave a slight nod and gestured to the Cold Domain Bear, Ash Divine Crocodile, Raymon Beast, and Three-legged Golden Crow to settle on his Dragon Slash Platform.

Once the alien beasts were in place, Yu Yuan announced, "Feel free to roam the Gray Domain. Whether you stay or go is of no concern to me."

"What are you planning?" the Chaos Roc inquired, intrigued.

"I want to see if there's a possibility for their bloodlines to evolve, to help them ascend to the Tenth Level," Yu Yuan responded.

At his words, the old lizard and the Chaos Roc, along with Jessica and Awkwafina, were visibly shaken, staring in disbelief.

The four alien beasts felt their blood surge with excitement.

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