The Legacy of Yinglong and a Selfless Choice

Yinglong waved his sleeve, scattering a shower of golden dust over Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing. The moment the golden dust touched them, it was absorbed into their bodies.

The dust transformed into a gentle, golden energy that enveloped their divine souls. As the energy slowly permeated their souls, Chi Qiu felt as if her spirit had been immersed in warm water, bringing immense comfort to both her mind and body.

Beside Chi Qiu, Su Hanxing struggled to his feet and bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Senior.”

“You needn’t thank me,” Yinglong replied, his stern expression softening considerably. “You should be thanking each other instead.”

Shortly after Su Hanxing rose, Chi Qiu also offered Yinglong a bow, then waited quietly for him to speak.

“Only those who endure the second trial of the soul-fire, without relying on external aid, shall be worthy of my legacy,” Yinglong declared. He turned, sweeping his hand to part the pool water, then gestured for them to follow him toward the lakebed.

Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing exchanged a glance, their faces alight with poorly concealed joy. They immediately followed Yinglong to the depths of the pool.

With Yinglong cleaving the water ahead, their pace naturally quickened. In merely a quarter of an hour, Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing began to discern a faint golden light emanating from the pool floor.

Chi Qiu focused her gaze, realizing the golden light originated from a massive, hemispherical barrier. This shield, dozens of meters across, perfectly sealed off the Dragon Transformation Pool’s waters. Yinglong gently touched the golden barrier, causing a ripple to spread across its surface. He then passed through it, vanishing from sight. Following his example, Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing likewise entered the barrier.

Inside the barrier, there was no trace of water. Instead, a vast expanse of scorched earth stretched out, as if seared by intense flames. Upon this desolate ground lay skeletal remains. The skeleton was remarkably clean, with an extraordinarily thick spinal column extending endlessly into the distance.

“This is where I met my end,” the remnant soul of the Yinglong said, gazing at the enormous skeletal remains with a complex expression. “The one you see now is merely a wisp of my divine soul, all that remains from my life.”

“So young, yet you perished here?” Su Hanxing inquired.

“I have been dead for countless years, yet the aura emanating from this place far surpasses that of the Four Fiends outside the Yinglong Tomb. I was ambushed. My assailant wielded a strange black energy capable of corroding divine souls. In that battle, this black energy clung to me like a parasitic growth, proving impossible to eradicate.”

“I tried numerous methods to no avail. Eventually, I ceased my struggles and began constructing this Yinglong Tomb, severing a wisp of my untainted divine soul to sustain it. Finally, I perished here.” Though Yinglong recounted his demise, his tone was remarkably detached, betraying no hint of anger, only a newfound sense of liberation.

“Should we receive your legacy, we shall surely avenge you, Senior,” Su Hanxing declared, his expression solemn. Chi Qiu didn’t fully grasp the situation, but seeing Su Hanxing bow, she followed suit.

“There’s no need for that, really…” Yinglong turned to face them, gently declining Su Hanxing’s offer with a smile. “If you two ever have the chance to visit the Celestial Realm, simply bury my remains there.”

The Celestial Realm?

This wasn’t the first time Chi Qiu had heard the term, but previously it had always been in myths and legends. This was the first time she heard such an esteemed figure speak of it as a reality.

“Senior, does the Celestial Realm truly exist?” Su Hanxing asked, bewildered.

“Of course it does. My Yinglong clan originated from the Celestial Realm,” Yinglong affirmed with a gentle nod.

“Then where is the Celestial Realm now?” Chi Qiu asked, her curiosity piqued.

“It shattered long ago, transforming into the myriad stars of the heavens,” Yinglong replied, gesturing toward the dome above.

To think that the countless stars were once the shattered Celestial Realm—such a profound secret was truly unheard of.

A look of astonishment spread across Chi Qiu’s face. She turned to Su Hanxing, only to find him equally stunned.

So, my past stargazing was actually observing the shattered Celestial Realm… Su Hanxing mused inwardly.

“I established this trial of ice and fire to select successors with exceptional Dao hearts and unwavering resolve. I had intended to choose only one, but seeing you two—rather than abandoning each other in despair, instead offering mutual support in such a dire situation—has truly impressed me,” Yinglong stated, placing his palm upon the massive skull of the ancient remains.

“Here lie three items of legacy, corresponding to the physical body, divine soul, and cultivation realm,” Yinglong explained. With a slight pressure of his palm, several golden rays emanated from within the skull, coalescing into three objects.

“This is the True Dragon’s Aura,” Yinglong indicated a swirling mass of golden gas. “It contains the profound Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth. Human cultivators often use this to condense their Dharma Manifestations.” The gas hovered in the air, constantly shifting its form.

Upon seeing the golden mist, Chi Qiu’s breath hitched. If she could obtain this, the Dharma Manifestation Realm would no longer be an obstacle. Then, she too could become a formidable figure and never again be targeted by those ancient aristocratic families. After the incident with the Gong family’s abduction attempt, Chi Qiu’s yearning for strength had intensified even further.

“This item is the Blood of Yinglong,” Yinglong continued, introducing another divine artifact. “Integrating it into your body can enhance your physique and grant you a portion of Yinglong’s divine power. However, assimilating dragon blood demands an exceptionally robust physical body.” This was a golden liquid, about the size of a human head, within which streaks of tribulation lightning, marsh winds, and tranquil waters intertwined.

“Little girl, you won’t be able to assimilate this,” Yinglong said, observing Chi Qiu. “Firstly, your physical body’s strength is insufficient, and secondly, your soul is only barely adequate; you will eventually need to change bodies in the future.”

“Senior, if I were to change bodies again later, my cultivation progress would be completely lost, and the issue of my soul not matching my body would remain unresolved. What should I do?” Chi Qiu asked, her brow furrowed. She was very reluctant to abandon her current talent.

“It’s not about changing bodies,” Yinglong corrected, shaking his head. “It’s about using your divine soul as a foundation and borrowing a Heavenly Earth Spirit Treasure to reshape your physical body.”

“This third treasure can help you retain your cultivation when you reshape your body, preventing any loss,” Yinglong said, pointing to the final item. It was a spherical crystal, seemingly cast from golden quartz. The only flaw was that this once-whole crystal was tragically shattered into two halves.

“This is the Yinglong Orb, similar to your human Sea of Consciousness; it was the place where I nourished my divine soul. However, that black energy was too tyrannical, even piercing my Dragon Orb,” Yinglong explained. “Though it’s split into two, its functions remain. It can nourish the divine soul and protect it from erosion. As fate would have it, this item is also divided into two halves, so you two may each take one.”

Chi Qiu extended her hands and received the shattered golden Dragon Orb. The moment it touched her, it burrowed into her body, traveling to her Sea of Consciousness.

“This item has suffered significant damage, so you must nourish it diligently,” Yinglong advised. “Little girl, you can store your divine soul and vital heart points within this orb. When you reconstruct your physical body in the future, simply transfer this Dragon Orb into your new body.”

Chi Qiu’s face lit up with joy, and she hastily offered her thanks.

“After this, I will channel the power of the Dragon Transformation Pool to mend the shattered Dragon Orbs within your bodies. As for these two remaining wondrous items, you may each take one,” Yinglong said, presenting the True Dragon’s Aura and the Essence Blood of Yinglong to the two, allowing them to choose.

Chi Qiu gazed at the True Dragon’s Aura, her face betraying an undeniable yearning. However, she had previously promised Su Hanxing that she would help him obtain it. She was unwilling to betray her vow.

“You… you choose first…” Chi Qiu swallowed hard, her eyes fixed expectantly on Su Hanxing.

Su Hanxing couldn’t help but chuckle at Chi Qiu’s expression. He bowed respectfully to Yinglong. “Senior, which of these treasures do you believe suits each of us best?”

“The dragon blood is more suitable for you,” Yinglong replied simply.

“Then I shall choose the dragon blood,” Su Hanxing said with a cheerful smile. His tone was natural.

Chi Qiu’s voice grew fainter. Facing the utterly serious Su Hanxing, she found herself at a loss for words.

“Excellent. Then the True Dragon’s Aura shall be given to the little girl,” Yinglong said. He manipulated the wisp of True Dragon’s Aura to gently settle into Chi Qiu’s palm, then turned to Su Hanxing. “Fusing the dragon blood will take a considerable amount of time. You should first recuperate before beginning. Once you’ve assimilated the dragon blood, you can then use its power to help mend both your Dragon Orbs.”

Su Hanxing nodded, then prepared to sit cross-legged.

“Su Hanxing,” Chi Qiu called out, gazing at the True Dragon’s Aura in her hand. She gently tugged Su Hanxing’s sleeve. “Thank you,” she whispered. She understood that he had willingly yielded the True Dragon’s Aura to her.

Su Hanxing had given the treasure to Chi Qiu, touching her so deeply she was almost moved to tears. “I will surely repay you in the future,” she vowed. She recalled the long-standing rumor about the Tianyan Sect’s head disciple being aloof from women, then remembered the intimate behavior he had displayed towards her recently.

“I didn’t do this for you to repay me, Little Chi. It’s enough for me if you just trust me,” Su Hanxing said, shaking his head.

“Alright, little girl, the future is still distant. For now, it’s more important to integrate the dragon blood into his body,” Yinglong interjected with a chuckle.

Chi Qiu acknowledged him, then took a few steps back. If Su Hanxing truly harbored feelings for her, what then should she do?

Chi Qiu remained undecided.