The Dragon’s Gift and a New Path

After Su Hanxing had completed his cultivation and recuperation, he found himself beneath the colossal dragon’s spine. This very spot served as the core of the golden grand array encompassing Dragon’s Rest Island.

“Fusing with the essence blood will transform your physical body,” Yinglong warned, observing Su Hanxing already seated in meditation beneath the skeletal remains. “The agony involved is beyond what ordinary individuals can endure, so you must prepare yourself.”

“Senior, please rest assured,” Su Hanxing replied with a solemn expression, bowing respectfully with clasped fists. “This junior will certainly not squander your precious treasure.”

Seeing this, Yinglong wasted no further words. He immediately summoned the mass of golden essence blood, drawing out a strand as fine as a hair. He then guided this delicate thread towards Su Hanxing, who sat cross-legged on the ground.

The instant that wisp of golden blood entered Su Hanxing’s body, Chi Qiu witnessed his face flush crimson. Veins bulged visibly on his neck, his lips trembled slowly, and he occasionally let out suppressed, low gasps. Su Hanxing closed his eyes, forcing himself into a state of cultivation. He inwardly examined his body, only to find the wisp of essence blood rampaging through his meridians, bones, and flesh. It tore multiple wounds as it violently surged within him.

“Endure it,” Yinglong instructed, a look of satisfaction on his face as he saw Su Hanxing enter his meditative state. “I will convert the power of the Dragon Pool to suppress the essence blood for you.”

He immediately raised a hand, and several golden threads extended from the dragon’s spine. One end connected to Su Hanxing’s body, while the other plunged directly into the Dragon Transformation Pool above. Subsequently, wisps of incredibly vibrant energy flowed down the golden threads, merging into Su Hanxing’s physique. Once this vital energy entered Su Hanxing’s body, it pursued the wisp of essence blood, repairing his damaged meridians, bones, and flesh along its path.

This continued until the wisp of essence blood was entirely consumed, integrating into every part of the body it had traversed.

“The beginning is always the hardest,” Yinglong said with a reassuring smile and nod. “Now that this first wisp of essence blood has successfully integrated, the remaining process will only grow smoother. Little girl, you need not worry about him anymore.”

He then turned to Chi Qiu, whose face was etched with concern, her hands tightly clasped together.

“I… I suppose that’s for the best,” Chi Qiu stammered, then added, “Thank you, Senior.” She had initially intended to argue, but suddenly realized her palms were slick with sweat from her anxiety. Nodding, she offered her gratitude to Yinglong.

“Hahahaha, I once observed your battles on Dragon’s Rest Island, and found them quite peculiar,” Yinglong chuckled, nodding his head jovially. Then, with a shift in tone, he began to speak of Chi Qiu.

“Please, Senior, enlighten me,” Chi Qiu requested, feeling utterly bewildered by Yinglong’s comment about her strange fighting style.

“Although you consistently wield a longsword, your swordsmanship is rather unremarkable,” Yinglong explained. “However, those few punches you threw at the end of your battles were remarkably attuned to the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth, truly exceptional. Yet, most human cultivators who excel in martial arts possess robust physical bodies. You, however, are physically frail, not even comparable to other cultivators of your realm. This is truly perplexing.”

Yinglong stroked his long golden beard, his tone filled with unconcealed curiosity.

“This junior was once a body cultivator, Senior,” Chi Qiu explained. “Only after this transformation did I begin practicing swordsmanship, which explains the disparity.”

Chi Qiu had expected her previous experience to be a point of interest, but to be deemed ‘unremarkable’ by Yinglong left her feeling somewhat deflated.

“I truly don’t understand you human cultivators, engaging in such body-swapping—a practice that seems to offer harm with no benefit…” Yinglong mused, nodding. He then continued, “While the Dragon Orb and the True Dragon’s Aura are both rare and wondrous treasures in this world, they cannot rapidly increase your strength.”

Chi Qiu nodded in understanding. The Dragon Orb was already shattered, its sole remaining use to protect her divine soul. As for the True Dragon’s Aura, it needed to be reserved for breaking through to the Dharma Manifestation Realm and God Concealing stage. She still required time to stabilize her realm and accumulate a deeper foundation, meaning it would take at least several years before she could even attempt to form a Dharma Manifestation.

Given these circumstances, a rapid increase in strength was indeed impossible.

“You humans condense Dharma Manifestations purely through your comprehension of the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth,” Yinglong stated with considerable pride. “My Yinglong race, however, are born divine beasts; our every action is naturally attuned to the Grand Dao. Upon reaching adulthood, we can achieve godhood without needing to undergo tribulation.”

Chi Qiu asked with a puzzled expression, “Senior, I often hear people speak of the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth, but what exactly is it?”

“The so-called Grand Dao is simply the rule by which all things in Heaven and Earth operate,” Yinglong explained concisely. “If one can align with this Dao, one can borrow the power of Heaven and Earth.”

Yinglong’s brief explanation left Chi Qiu utterly bewildered.

“Since you are skilled in martial arts, I shall impart these nine diagrams to you,” Yinglong declared. “These diagrams contain the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth as manifested during my Yinglong battles; their mysteries are profound. If you can comprehend even a fraction of them, your strength will greatly increase.”

With those words, Yinglong lightly flicked his sleeve. Nine colossal diagrams materialized in the air, then coalesced into a single golden ray. It swiftly pierced into Chi Qiu’s Sea of Consciousness.

“I have infused these nine diagrams into your Sea of Consciousness; you may observe and comprehend them at your leisure,” Yinglong stated. Having completed all this, Yinglong’s form grew somewhat fainter. He left these words behind before vanishing entirely.

Chi Qiu had intended to offer her thanks, but Yinglong was nowhere to be seen. She could only store his words within her heart. She found a flat spot, sat down quietly, and began to observe the nine colossal diagrams within her Sea of Consciousness. The content of these nine diagrams depicted Yinglong battling various foes, yet each maneuver and technique was distinct. Some involved powerful claw strikes, others extended cloud-like movements, and their profound mysteries varied greatly. With just a single glance, Chi Qiu found herself completely immersed, unable to pull away.

Meanwhile, after undergoing several rounds of essence blood refinement, Su Hanxing finally settled into a state of calm. A faint golden glow gradually emanated from his physical body. Beneath his skin, golden scales subtly shimmered, and his muscles rippled with power. With Yinglong’s disappearance, both Chi Qiu and Su Hanxing entered their respective states of cultivation.

After an unknown number of hours, Chi Qiu was the first to open her eyes. At this moment, her heart swelled with immense joy; these nine Yinglong battle diagrams had been an immeasurable aid to her. Though she had only grasped a fraction of their profound mysteries, they had nonetheless opened up entirely new avenues of thought. Regrettably, observing these diagrams was incredibly taxing on her mind. Chi Qiu had been immersed in comprehension for so long that she was utterly exhausted, finding it impossible to concentrate further. She had no choice but to withdraw from her cultivation state.

Just as Chi Qiu awoke, Su Hanxing’s body also trembled slightly, seemingly on the verge of awakening. Chi Qiu looked up, noticing that the head-sized mass of Yinglong essence blood that had hovered in mid-air was now gone.

Beneath the dragon’s skull, Su Hanxing was enveloped in an explosive golden radiance. Fine, intricate golden dragon scales gradually covered his skin and flesh. Though his face remained free of scales, his complexion had deepened slightly, giving him a much sharper, more formidable appearance.

Moreover, from Su Hanxing’s wrists, elbows, and shoulders, sharp spikes, approximately a chi long, extended outward. Their glittering edges were so keen they made one’s eyes ache. His entire body, covered in golden dragon scales and adorned with these golden spikes, resembled a suit of magnificent, domineering golden dragon armor.

Su Hanxing slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Chi Qiu, staring intently at him from a short distance away. He paused, then a look of delight spread across his face. He pressed his palms to the ground, exerting a slight force to flip himself upright.

RIIIP—

Accompanying Su Hanxing’s sudden movement was the distinct sound of fabric tearing. After cultivating the ‘Intertwined Gold,’ Su Hanxing’s physical body had become exceptionally tough, rendering protective spiritual armor unnecessary. Thus, he typically wore only the Daoist robes of a Tianyan Sect disciple when venturing out. Now, however, after fusing with the dragon blood, Su Hanxing’s physical strength had reached an astonishing realm. The raw power generated by his every movement would likely overwhelm even some cultivators, let alone a mere ordinary Daoist robe.

Consequently, when Su Hanxing flipped himself over, the clothes on his body could not withstand such immense force. They instantly disintegrated into dozens of fragments, scattering to the ground.

Su Hanxing, completely oblivious to his nakedness, simply continued walking towards Chi Qiu.

Chi Qiu had initially been admiring Su Hanxing’s dragon scales, which resembled a suit of armor, finding them incredibly dashing and even wishing for a similar set herself. However, after Su Hanxing’s sudden movement, her attention was entirely drawn to the prominent sight between his legs. She felt a mixture of revulsion and fascination, finding herself unable to look away for a moment.

“Put some clothes on,” Chi Qiu commanded, not daring to look any longer. She immediately drew her sword and swung it, unleashing a faint wisp of sword qi. It wavered slightly before stopping Su Hanxing in his tracks.

Only then did Su Hanxing realize his clothes had already turned into a pile of rags. He let out an embarrassed laugh, then touched the dragon scales covering his skin. He retrieved a long robe from his storage artifact and casually draped it over himself.

Once the robe was on, Su Hanxing looked at Chi Qiu again, only to see her turn her face away. Her cheeks, neck, and even the tips of her ears were a deep crimson, a truly adorable sight.

“Little Chi, I’m dressed,” Su Hanxing announced. Seeing her reaction, he walked over to her, admiring her as he spoke.

Chi Qiu turned her head, nodding slightly upon seeing Su Hanxing now clad in his long robe. She reached out, gently caressing the dragon scales exposed outside his robe.

“These dragon scales are quite impressive,” she murmured. “But can you retract them?”

While the dragon scales were undeniably domineering, having them constantly visible would be far too peculiar.

“I’ll try…” Su Hanxing pondered for a moment, then closed his eyes and attempted it. A short while later, golden light emanated from Su Hanxing’s body. The dragon scales, spikes, and claws slowly retracted back into his physique.

“How do you feel?” Chi Qiu asked, nodding contentedly as she watched Su Hanxing’s dragon scales recede into his body.

“Better than ever before,” Su Hanxing replied with a confident smile. Though the dragon scales had retracted, his terrifying physical strength had not diminished in the slightest.

“It seems you’ve made significant progress; I’ll have to work harder myself,” Chi Qiu remarked. Hearing Su Hanxing’s answer, she naturally understood that his strength had vastly improved.

“Little Chi, since you possess the True Dragon’s Aura, you are destined to reach the Dharma Manifestation Realm one day,” Su Hanxing began, offering her advice. “In the future, you won’t need to wander in search of opportunities. You can find a safe place to cultivate diligently and break through to the Dharma Manifestation Realm sooner.”

“That sounds right,” Chi Qiu affirmed, fully agreeing with Su Hanxing’s suggestion. “I plan to settle in the Imperial City. I doubt there’s any safer place in the world.”

Moreover, the Imperial City was well-connected, making it far easier to gather information about the Tianyan Sect there than anywhere else. This particular thought, however, Chi Qiu kept to herself.

“Once I complete my sect mission, how about I come find you in the Imperial City?” Su Hanxing proposed, delighted by the Imperial City’s proximity to the Tianyan Sect.

Chi Qiu cast a peculiar glance at Su Hanxing, then nodded. “Once I find a suitable residence, I will inform you of its location.”

Seeing that Chi Qiu did not decline, Su Hanxing immediately retrieved an item from his storage artifact and handed it to her. “Little Chi, once you’ve found a place to live, use this item to let me know.”

Chi Qiu took the item Su Hanxing offered her. It was a paper kite, imbued with surging spiritual energy, clearly an extraordinary artifact.

“Alright.”