C1929 The Docile Golden Dragon

"There's no need to depend on the original source to assume the mantle of the Dragon God. I can forge it for you just the same."

Yu Yuan gracefully approached Loong Jie, pointing the Dragon Slaying Stage at the golden dragon, and spoke with a smile, "If you trust me, present yourself in the primal form of your kind."

Having lost his origin, Loong Jie, whose bloodline had diminished to the ninth level, was somewhat bewildered.

He couldn't fathom Yu Yuan's intentions.

The Dragon Slaying Stage abruptly shifted to a dark gold hue as Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body channeled the quintessence of vital energy, unleashing the world's primordial life force, harmonizing the stone platform with Loong Jie's dragon's breath.

Loong Jie's dragon blood began to surge. He inhaled deeply, bringing his nose close to the Dragon Slaying Stage, as if discerning the concealed power within.

After a brief pause, Loong Jie spoke with a quiver, "I... I can feel it!"

Zhong Chichen's slender fingers tensed into his palm. He refrained from moving closer to the Dragon Slaying Stage, merely casting a glance before firmly instructing, "Loong Jie, follow his lead!"

"Should we head back to the Ashlands?"

Concerned about the fragile barrier between the worlds and its imminent collapse, Kaiya suggested, "The Ashlands are your domain. Without the constraints of his origin, it would be more prudent to assist Loong Jie there."

"There's no need."

Yu Yuan shook his head, focusing on the area around Loong Jie's chest, and explained, "The vital energy from my Solar Spirit Body can converge right here through the Dragon Slaying Stage. I don't need to be in the Ashlands; I can assess Loong Jie's condition immediately."

"Loong Jie has ascended to Dragon God before and is well-versed in the breakthrough to the tenth level. His decline is solely due to the loss of his origin. I'm confident I can easily aid his return to the ranks of the Dragon God!"

Recently, at the Abyssal Gate, he had successfully restored Yu Zhu to the status of Dark Deity.

If Yu Zhu could reclaim her place as a Dark Deity, then Loong Jie, with his Titan Spinosaurus lineage and not being an alien beast of the Wasteland, should find the transition even more straightforward.

"Return to the status of Dragon God?" Zhong Chichen was a bit too excited, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Taiyin! Do you truly have such confidence?"

In his emotional outburst, he had inadvertently called out Taiyin instead of Yu Yuan.

Kaiya, Tianqi, Yu Yiyi, Loong Jie, and everyone else on this land were well aware of Yu Yuan's reputation. When Zhong Chichen cried out the name Taiyin, everyone remained composed.

Ji Ningshuang, who was also privy to the truth, had a peculiar look in her eyes as she gradually came to terms with the revelation.

"Sir."

Since Zhong Chichen had let Taiyin's name slip, Tianqi naturally adjusted his address as well, reporting with reverence, "I've come from the Ashlands. On that side..."

He had intended to speak of the transformations of the Ashlands' snow bear, Duskjaw, Stormwraith, and Three-legged Golden Crow.

"I can see it."

Yu Yuan interrupted him with a nod and a smile, "Ann Ziqing and Taixu are my eyes in the Ashlands. Oh, and the Great Demon God Grec. Through them, I can observe all that transpires in the Ashlands."

Tianqi wisely chose not to elaborate further.

"The name Taiyin will no longer be used by me. Regardless of what the future holds, I've decided to live differently."

Yu Yuan gestured dismissively, "From now on, don't address me by that title, and there's no need for such formality. Good brother, let's not dwell on past events." He directed this last part to Zhong Chichen.

"Understood."

Tianqi quickly concurred, seemingly to bolster Loong Jie's spirits. He purposefully mentioned, "That Dire Bear, after transforming into a human, has begun to challenge the tenth level. When I left the Ashlands, it seemed he was on the brink of success."

"Dire Bear? Advancing to the tenth level?"

Both Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie were invigorated by the news.

"Yu Zhu has reclaimed her place among the highest echelons after her descent. Her presence has shattered the bond between the Origin and the Supreme. Following her, the Darkpinion will see the emergence of more Beast Gods. The White Tiger, barring any unforeseen events, should also return to the ranks of the Dark Deity with the assistance of the Dark Phoenix."

Yu Yuan confidently affirmed, "Loong Jie, Senior Brother Zhong, for both of you to rejoin the ranks of the Dragon God... it really shouldn't pose much of an issue."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Zhong Chichen's face was etched with a look of reproach. "Had I known earlier, I could have been spared so much pain and the immense psychological burden."

"I wasn't sure myself until now," Yu Yuan admitted with a wry smile.

"It's not too late," Tianqi declared in a low growl.

Upon hearing the news, Loong Jie, who had been indecisive, became ecstatic, his golden dragon eyes blazing with intensity.

With a roar, in the presence of Yu Yuan, Kaiya, and the others, the golden dragon, after enduring many hardships, finally revealed his true draconic form.

His serpentine body, shimmering like a golden fortress, sprawled across the barren landscape, emitting a mournful howl tinged with pain.

Deep gashes crisscrossed his hide, exposing bone, and many scales were missing, seemingly ripped away by force.

The exposed flesh beneath the missing scales glowed with a subdued golden sheen, and some of the wounds showed clear signs of fractured bones.

Clearly, both he and Zhong Chichen had suffered grievously while fleeing from the giant ape.

Loong Jie's howls filled the air as he exhaled a pungent dragon's breath, mingled with clouds of tainted blood carrying the acidic venom of the Marsh.

This exhalation was also a method of healing for him.

"Is that... a golden dragon?"

On the nearby land, many of the Boulderdawn's elders and disciples could not hear the conversation between Kaiya and the others, but they could observe their actions.

Loong Jie, with a wide grin, suddenly took on the sinuous form of a golden dragon, startling everyone.

They feared the golden dragon might go into a frenzy and turn against Yu Yuan and the rest.

But in the next moment, they saw the golden dragon lay down submissively on the ground.

Whatever Yu Yuan had said was unknown, but the golden dragon then rolled over, exposing his belly and chest to the sky, and with a dragon claw, gestured towards his heart.

It appeared he was anticipating something.

"What's that lecherous dragon up to now? Sunbathing his belly?"

A fresh-faced young girl stood beside Jiang Miaojie, her eyes wide with curiosity as she asked, "Is he... the one who killed the Blood King Sabonis?"

Loong Jie, in his current state, looked rather comical, even bordering on ridiculous—a stark contrast to the legendary and formidable golden dragon god.

The Boulderdawn's newer disciples, who had spent their lives in the Stellar Oblivion without venturing into the vast Everlands, always found the Nagas shrouded in mystery. Their rise came after the overthrow of the Naga's dominion.

The tales spoke of noble and mighty dragons, not ones who would carry themselves in such an odd fashion.

Yet here was Loong Jie, the ancient patriarch of the Nagas, the slayer of the Blood King, presenting himself before Yu Yuan in a manner that was nothing short of ludicrous, leaving them utterly baffled.

"I don't understand it either," Jiang Miaojie admitted, shaking her head.

"He's no longer a golden dragon god. Though I'm not sure what occurred, both he and Zhong Chichen have fallen from grace, reduced to ninth level dragons," Hua Xin stated flatly.

"Ah! They're no longer dragon gods?"

Upon learning that Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen had been stripped of their divinity, the previously awestruck Boulderdawn neophytes suddenly felt at ease.

At that moment, Yu Yuan, wielding the Dragon Slaying Stage, approached the heart of Loong Jie.

He placed the Dragon Slaying Stage upon Loong Jie's heart.

Whoosh!

A blinding light erupted from the Dragon Slaying Stage, shattering Kaiya's seal and causing the vibrant purple thistle flower at her feet to vanish.

All members of the Boulderdawn, from disciples to elders, sensed an ineffable, mighty force converging upon the Dragon Slaying Stage.

It then permeated Loong Jie's heart through the artifact.

Loong Jie, despite his comical appearance, radiated gratitude from his golden eyes, letting out a low, excited roar.

A power akin to the Nagas yet vastly superior coursed through him, purifying and reordering his heart.

He was enveloped in warmth, a sense of security that felt utterly alien from the primal essence of the Everlands.

"Ancestor, the flavor of my homeland."

Loong Jie's consciousness drifted, centering on his dragon heart, where he beheld a magnificent vision that would stay with him for the rest of his days.

...