C1743 Taishi's Gift

In the Zagreus Astral Domain, a realm under the dominion of the Star-Spawned Terror, Loong Jie sat amidst ice and snow, his tall and muscular frame draped in a violet gold dragon robe. Though the wound on his abdomen had healed, the essence of a sword's will still lingered, circulating within him. Minuscule beams of sword light continued to meander through his dragon form, seemingly intent on further ravaging his flesh.

"Lin Daoke!" Loong Jie bellowed with a laugh that bordered on madness.

In a sudden display, he unfurled his dragon form, vast as a range of golden mountains, his scales clattering in a cacophony. "Ha! Ahahaha, Lin Daoke couldn't finish me off!"

Boom! The thunderous sound echoed.

This frigid world, once the domain of the Frostfiend, concealed the Wintermaw in its depths and had now become one of Zhong Chichen's haunts.

Zhong Chichen stood pensively at the edge of an ice crevasse, gazing out over the endless expanse. Watching Loong Jie reveal his golden dragon form, which undulated through the void and bathed the world in a golden hue, Zhong Chichen allowed himself a soft laugh. He had indeed judged Loong Jie correctly.

The battle had awakened Loong Jie's primal ferocity, and the mark of fear that Lin Daoke had seared into the Dragon Soul had seemingly been obliterated by Lin Daoke's sword strike.

Now unscathed, Loong Jie had purposefully retained a trace of Lin Daoke's sword's will within the minor wound on his belly. He was attuning himself to the enigmatic essence of the sword's will, allowing the power to mature and periodically inflict pain, deepening his understanding of the sensation it wrought.

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

"Once my Ultimate Golden Body is perfected, even without the Rainbow Sage at my side, I will fear no confrontation with Lin Daoke!" Loong Jie roared defiantly.

The Zagreus and Annihilation Nebula were not too distant from one another, home to numerous Sky Fiend tribes and the Starway of the Boulderdawn—a fitting place for both him and Zhong Chichen to thrive.

"You must continue to refine and temper your dragon body," came the counsel.

Zhong Chichen looked up at him, rubbing his face stiffened by the cold, and said, "You really ought to be in the Ashlands. I'm always concerned about Yu Yuan and his other devious schemes, which is why I brought you here."

As soon as Yu Yuan's name was mentioned, Loong Jie, who had been brimming with confidence, suddenly slumped in defeat.

Whoosh!

He transformed into a burly elder with dragon horns, his face and skin a purplish-red hue, and swiftly moved to Zhong Chichen's side. "Rainbow Sage, can we truly never escape his grasp? He's still in the Unbound Realm. Once he ascends to become a supreme primordial spirit, will our Dragon Clan have any hope left?"

"For the time being, he has more adversaries," Zhong Chichen replied, himself feeling the weight of the situation. Knowing full well they were at a loss with Yu Yuan, he still sought to reassure Loong Jie, "Don't fret. Once the Ashlands' young beasts come of age and the outcomes from the Dark Phoenix and the Solar Meridian are revealed, we might just find our opportunity."

Loong Jie sighed heavily, "I'm aware that I won't fear Lin Daoke in the future, but his words..."

"He has decimated our Nagas once; he certainly won't get a second chance!" Zhong Chichen declared firmly.

"That remains to be seen."

Taishi's light laughter filled the air as he traversed the Star River and descended among them, looking nonchalantly at Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen. "If your Nagas behave, you should manage to live quite comfortably. But if you're still dreaming of ruling the Everlands, I'd say it's time to wake up."

"You're supposed to be in Ionodios, not here," Zhong Chichen said with a frown.

"We're in no rush."

Taishi remained serene, joining Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie by the ice cave. He addressed Loong Jie, "There are indeed shortcuts to achieving the Great Perfection of your Ultimate Golden Body."

Loong Jie's heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

"Absolutely."

Taishi produced a beautifully patterned iron box and casually handed it to Loong Jie. "Inside, you'll find the quintessence of the five elements, collected by the Boulderdawn Sect from numerous Starry Sky Forbidden Zones, along with a wealth of secret silver and black gold left by your ancestors in the extraterrestrial Star Rivers."

"Which ancestor?" Loong Jie was taken aback.

As soon as the iron box appeared, his heart raced, beating several times faster. He eyed the box Taishi handed over, tempted to snatch it, yet wary of a possible deceit.

He glanced anxiously at Zhong Chichen. "The Rainbow Sage? I can feel it!"

Taishi's explanation was no longer necessary. Loong Jie's reaction confirmed that the iron box indeed contained the treasure of the ancient golden dragon, not that of the old Titan Spinosaurus.

"Your Boulderdawn found it?" Zhong Chichen's spirits lifted.

The ancient golden dragon, before its descent into the Everlands, had emulated the Old Titan and the spinosaurus in creating its own secret treasure trove.

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

As a fellow Dragon God of the Nagas, he shared the penchant for collecting unique treasures.

The old patriarch of the Nagas had always been cautious, fearing that if Zhong Chichen discovered the location, he would plunder the hoard. Thus, the secret was kept from him.

After his rebirth, in an effort to accelerate Loong Jie's growth, he had scoured the extraterrestrial realms for the patriarch's secret place but to no avail.

Yet the Boulderdawn, from beyond the stars, had managed to locate the patriarch's hidden cache and retrieved an item capable of aiding Loong Jie's next transformation, presenting it to him.

What was Taishi's angle?

"Just take it if you want it."

Taishi pressed the box into Loong Jie's hands, grinning broadly. "After all, your Nagas can't escape Yu Yuan's grasp. You're fated to be bound by him."

Holding the iron box, Loong Jie's excitement was palpable, but Taishi's words weighed heavily on his dragon heart.

"Your old patriarch's ancestor's lair has been wiped out by him. Do you really think you two Dragon Gods can turn the tide?" Taishi laughed heartily, pointing at Zhong Chichen. "You're so clever, you must have realized that he will surpass his first life!"

"In this lifetime, even if the five ancient Dragon Gods of your era united, they wouldn't pose a threat to him."

"I'm really not concerned about you all."

Taishi chuckled and strode away under Zhong Chichen's dark gaze.

...

Ashlands.

"His presence lingers in this realm."

Yu Yuan materialized on Eiwrone, his brow furrowed as he addressed the Abyssal Greater Basilisk and Abyssal Leviathan, "One of his souls resides within President Lyi, who has ventured to the subterranean world of the Everlands."

The old lizard remained unfazed, "That has nothing to do with me."

Awkwafina of the Shadowkin, however, suddenly paled, "What? He still has a soul? Then, he must know of my grievances and discontent?"

"Everlands, Earthfire, Primal Soul," the Abyssal Leviathan intoned.

"The Dark Phoenix's assault on the Dark Star has officially begun. What are your thoughts?" Yu Yuan inquired, eyes narrowed.

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

"You may opt out, but consider this: if the Dark Phoenix captures the Solar Meridian and seizes the Primal Blood Continent, what space will be left for you in the future?" Yu Yuan said with a light laugh. "For years, she's been relentless in her pursuit to exterminate the cosmic giant beasts, aiming to completely supplant your kind with a new breed of evilkind and alien beasts."

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

"Me?"

"Should you ascend to the highest echelons, with the Solar Spirit catalyzing another transformation, you might become the next Titan Spinosaurus. Your Way of Heaven aligns with hers, and I'm aware that post-deification, you could be even more formidable than she is." The old lizard's voice tinged with melancholy, he continued, "The era of our Giant Beast Clan has been waning since the death of the Old Titan Spinosaurus. I've come to terms with that, but is it so hard to ask for a chance at survival?"

"I have the capacity to nurture it, so naturally, I can make room for you," Yu Yuan replied, gazing toward the central star.

"I need time to consider," the old lizard stated.

"That's fine."

Yu Yuan nodded slightly, gesturing for the Snow Bear, Duskjaw, Stormwraith, and Three-legged Golden Crow to descend onto his Dragon Slaying Stage.

Once the alien beasts settled, Yu Yuan declared, "Feel free to wander the Ashlands as you please. Whether you stay or go is of no concern to me."

"What's your plan?" inquired the Abyssal Leviathan with a hint of curiosity.

"I want to explore the potential for their bloodlines to undergo a transformation, to see if we can elevate them to the tenth level," Yu Yuan responded.

Upon hearing this, Lizard, the Abyssal Leviathan, Jessica, and Awkwafina were all visibly shaken, their gazes turning towards him in sheer astonishment.

The four alien beasts felt their blood surge with excitement.

"..."