C901 A Brand New Formation

In Chong Xiao's grasp, the Shadowgold transformed in an instant, taking the shape of a majestic Five-clawed Golden Dragon. The scales shimmered with a golden brilliance, the lifeblood and dragon's breath sealed within the armor-like scales by a mystique. Under the sunlight, the translucent scales revealed a delicate golden dragon, its head swaying and tail undulating.

This sword was forged by Chong Xiao from the remains of a seventh level Five-clawed Golden Dragon he had slain. He used the dragon's scales for the blade, its hide for the scabbard, and infused it with the dragon's blood, Dragon Soul, and dragon's breath. Shadowgold was his gift to his cherished disciple, Wang Jinlin, and after Wang Jinlin's death, it returned to Chong Xiao's possession.

The fallen Five-clawed Golden Dragon's lineage might have been a notch below Loong Qi's, but within the ranks of the Nagas, its status far surpassed that of the green dragon. Green dragons were often overlooked in the Naga society, their lineage deemed inferior.

The Five-clawed Golden Dragon that Chong Xiao had vanquished was, by lineage, likely an offspring of the venerable patriarch, Loong Jie. Chong Xiao's audacity to slay such a revered creature and then use it to craft a sword was a clear message to Loong Qi that the Ethereal Void Sect, much like the upper sects Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, did not regard Dragon Lake with any significance.

Loong Qi let out a heavy sigh. He was acutely aware that Chong Xiao's display of the Shadowgold above his head was an act of intimidation, yet he dared not express his discontent.

The Ethereal Void Sect boasted several Unbound realm cultivators, and its current leader was rumored to be on the cusp of reaching the primordial spirit. The once-dominant Nagas of the Everlands had diminished in power over the years and now seemed incapable of withstanding a confrontation with the Ethereal Void Sect.

Moreover, the Ethereal Void Sect and the three great upper sects of Euwrea were known to act in concert. Should Dragon Lake engage in war with the Ethereal Void Sect, the combined pressures from the Ebon Star, Sword Sect, and Sunlit Order would be more than the giant dragons of Dragon Lake could withstand.

"Master Xinshang truly is the most magnanimous. He not only freed me from the thorns and brambles but also refrained from any air of arrogance," Loong Qi thought nervously.

"I'll rest easy now that you both have arrived."

Xinshang appeared to settle into the arc light circle, looking as though he was reclining on a circular swing, gently swaying. "Tianjing, Chong Xiao, if you seek to avenge Qu Jing, make haste. We are too close to the Moonfall Sanctuary, and I fear a prolonged night may breed further complications."

Chong Xiao, gripping the Shadowgold, held himself with great esteem when addressing Loong Qi, but his words and demeanor were filled with respect. "It won't take long."

"That fellow below, you go into the valley first," Chong Xiao commanded Loong Qi with an air of finality, "Work with the landscape to shatter the magic power barrier of the Crucible of Evil."

"Me?" Loong Qi pointed at himself.

Chong Xiao nodded, his expression stern.

At the eighth level, Loong Qi's power was on par with a Solar Spirit, but he had only recently advanced and was well aware that he was no match for Chong Xiao, especially with three Sages of the Ethereal Void present.

Despite his grievances, Loong Qi glanced at Xinshang, who remained silent, and resigned himself to his fate.

"Remember, when you strike the Crucible of Evil, you must reveal your true form. I'm well-acquainted with the Nagas; your fighting prowess significantly diminishes in human form. Your strength is at its peak in your dragon form," Chong Xiao reminded him once more.

'Damn you!' Loong Qi silently raged. With the miasma and Nightstorm winds in Gloomhollow, his nearly hundred-meter-long dragon body would inevitably be unable to dodge the lurking perils, and he was sure to sustain injuries.

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on you."

With a huff, Chong Xiao hurled the Shadowgold Sword towards the Crucible of Evil. Mid-flight, the Shadowgold disassembled, transforming into a sky full of golden dragon scales.

The dragon scales expanded to the size of several acres, filling the valley with their resplendent golden glow, which complemented the majestic mountain pressing down on the Crucible of Evil.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice that as soon as the golden dragon scales emerged, the mountain appeared to have sunk significantly.

Beams of golden light, akin to Divine Thunder, infused the mountain crafted by Tianjing from his beads, enhancing the mountain's formidable presence.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Above the Crucible of Evil, a layer of Ice Shard could not bear such an immense force and erupted with numerous ice shards.

Clusters of ice-blue flames were also agitated by the golden light, shattering into tiny ice crystals.

At that moment, the Frost Queen had flown out of the Crucible of Evil, engaging in an aerial battle with the renowned Tianjing.

With the mountain bearing down and augmented by the golden dragon scales, Yu Yuan, standing within the cauldron, looked up to see nothing but dazzling gold.

The dark magic power curtain continued to contract into the cauldron.

"Yu, Brother Yu..."

Wen Lu set down the old woman's body and clutched the Dragon Head Staff with a slight tremble in her voice, "I need some time to grasp the marvels of this necklace."

The necklace, shaped like a leaf and having blocked a soul blade from Tianjing, clung to her pale neck, emitting a gentle silver radiance.

At this moment, her lifeblood essence was being channeled into the necklace.

The intricate design of the silver necklace was merging with her Shadowkin lineage, as if only through this process could it truly become hers.

"This Dragon Head Staff, crafted by my Wen family, is modeled after Loong Qi's draconic form. I can cast spells through the staff to target Loong Qi," Wen Lu explained rapidly, "but I require more time."

Yu Yuan looked at the leaf-like necklace with a hint of surprise, feeling a stir within his Altar of Rebirth.

He instantly recognized the necklace's uniqueness, suspecting it might be a special legacy left by Wen Lu's Shadowkin father.

"Tianjing, Chong Xiao, and Loong Qi, two Solar Spirits, one an eighth-level green dragon, along with the Unbound Xinshang, are reinforcing from above," Yu Yuan acknowledged internally, holding nothing back. He issued commands to the cauldron spirit before declaring, "I will give it my all!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Out of nowhere, thousands of Bane of various forms surged from the cauldron, swiftly engulfing the entirety of Gloomhollow, omnipresent in their haunting presence.

Being spirited bodies, the Bane feared neither the lethal poisons nor the miasma cloud, and even the Nightstorm held no terror for them.

Blood Moon, serving as the core, had orchestrated hundreds of Bane into a strategic formation. Following Chebus's emergence, she positioned herself at the heart of the formation, creating yet another array.

Grimlantern, Armor Crusher, and Silver Chain, three formidable Bane on par with Blood Moon, each commanded hundreds to nearly a thousand Bane, arranging their forces into formations within the void.

Blood Moon crafted the "Soul Shatter" formation, while the dark clouds bound together the "Soul Prison" formation.

Grimlantern manifested as a dazzling yellow lantern, its core ablaze with dark yellow flames. The surrounding Bane morphed into a foggy sea brimming with a tumult of negative energies.

This array, known as "Dark Fog," was a convergence of the Bane's malevolent thoughts from before their demise, capable of invoking the enemy's inner demons, inciting chaos in their minds, and disrupting concentration in battle.

Silver Chain, entwined with numerous silver chains, ensnared a host of bizarre corpses, creating a formation aptly named "Mountain of Corpses."

Each corpse that constituted the Mountain of Corpses had once been a Bane.

Elsewhere, a multitude of Bane had transformed into an ocean of dead souls. Amidst the waters formed by their remnant souls, a battered green armor floated, its matching eyes eerily opening within.

The dark fog, Mountain of Corpses, and the sea of the dead were three innovative formations that the Crucible of Evil could deploy following the Soul Shatter and Soul Prison.

Five cultivators, a notch below the Frost Queen and akin to Spirit Walk practitioners, were arrayed into five formations by Yu Yuan's command, scattered in the air around the Crucible of Evil.

Loong Qi, whose lineage had ascended to the eighth level, defied Chong Xiao's advice and, maintaining his human form, evaded the fiery poison to reach the heart of the valley.

Upon beholding the Mountain of Corpses, bound by silver chains, he experienced an odd sensation—a feeling of his dragon blood being stifled and its flow disrupted.

As he neared the cluster of dark fog, reminiscent of a beehive, it was as though he could hear an endless stream of whispers.

These whispers echoed the tumultuous emotions within him—his anger, fury, and fear—much like the agonized screams of the giant dragons at the decline of the Nagas.

Loong Qi's head was pounding with a severe ache.

Under the subtle influence of the dark fog, he cast aside his caution. With a guttural roar, he shed his human guise and transformed into a massive green dragon, stretching dozens of meters in length.

Aooo!

As the giant dragon materialized, the venomous miasma cloud settled upon his draconic form, penetrating his flesh through the crevices of his scales.

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