The night before the tournament arrived swiftly. While the sect buzzed with anticipation, Long Chen secluded himself inside a quiet chamber at the base of Azure Cloud Peak. The walls were reinforced with arrays, preventing even the faintest wisp of spiritual qi from leaking out.
He sat cross-legged, his eyes closed, his breathing steady. Around him, qi gathered in torrents, spiraling like a hurricane. The faint roar of a dragon echoed within the chamber.
Ding!
[Origin Dao System Notification]
Special Training Quest: Awaken the Heavenly Devouring Dragon Bloodline.
Condition: Devour three spiritual beasts' cores before the dawn of the tournament.
Reward: Dragon Might (Suppression Ability).
Long Chen's lips curved faintly. The System never allowed him to rest — yet every challenge became another stepping stone on his path to supremacy.
Silently, Long Chen slipped into the night, leaving his chamber behind. The sect's outer forests stretched endlessly, filled with low-level spiritual beasts used for disciples' training.
Within the moonlit woods, Long Chen's figure blurred as he leapt between trees, his senses sharp as blades. The dragon blood within him pulsed, guiding him like an instinct older than time itself.
The first beast appeared — a scarlet-furred Ironclaw Tiger, its eyes glowing faintly with demonic qi. It roared, shaking the ground, but Long Chen moved like lightning.
"Too slow."
His palm struck forward, qi condensed into a dragon claw. With a thunderous crack, the beast collapsed, its core shimmering faintly. Long Chen's bloodline stirred, devouring the core whole.
A hot tide of energy surged through him, strengthening his meridians.
Deeper into the forest, a Silverfang Wolf leapt from the shadows, its fangs gleaming under the moonlight. Its speed was unmatched, claws slashing toward his throat.
But Long Chen's body shifted mid-air, his movements flowing like water. His fist crashed down with the force of a mountain, crushing the wolf beneath him.
The core pulsed with silver light. The moment it touched his bloodline, it dissolved, energy rushing into his bones and blood. A faint silver gleam appeared in his eyes before fading.
The last beast was no ordinary prey. A black-scaled serpent slithered silently through the undergrowth, its body coiled with poisonous qi. Its crimson eyes glared at Long Chen as if sensing a natural predator.
The serpent struck first, its fangs flashing like daggers. Long Chen's body moved instinctively, qi condensing around his arm. For the first time, the roar of the dragon thundered from his body, shaking the trees.
"Devour!"
The serpent's strike shattered. Long Chen's hand pierced its skull, ripping out the core in one fluid motion. The bloodline surged like a tidal wave, devouring the core instantly.
His body trembled as power erupted from within. Dragon shadows coiled around him, their roars echoing across the night sky.
Long Chen dropped to one knee as energy flooded his veins. His blood boiled, his skin radiating a faint golden sheen. His back tingled, as if phantom wings threatened to sprout.
Ding!
[Bloodline Advancement Achieved]
Heavenly Devouring Dragon Bloodline – Early Awakening.
Ability Unlocked: Dragon Might – Suppresses enemies of equal or lower cultivation, instilling fear in their hearts.
Long Chen exhaled slowly, the air around him rippling. Even the beasts lurking nearby fled, whimpering. His aura now carried the faint pressure of a dragon, invisible yet undeniable.
"This power…" he whispered, his eyes gleaming like stars. "Tomorrow, I'll shake the sect."
Unbeknownst to him, he was not alone.
On a distant cliff, Li Qingyue stood silently, her silver hair fluttering in the night wind. Her violet eyes reflected the image of Long Chen surrounded by dragon shadows.
She murmured softly, almost to herself, "So it really is… dragon blood."
Yet within her chest, a faint warmth stirred, something unfamiliar and dangerous.
Farther away, another set of eyes glowed crimson in the darkness. Mo Lingxi watched with an enchanting smile, her crimson pupils burning with curiosity.
"My dragon… your wings have begun to open. When you soar higher, I will be there… waiting."
Her voice faded into the void, as if never spoken, but her shadow lingered.
As dawn's first light broke over the horizon, Long Chen returned to his chamber. He sat cross-legged once more, suppressing his surging aura, stabilizing his foundation.
Tomorrow, before the eyes of the entire sect, he would no longer be just another outer sect disciple. Tomorrow, the world would remember his name.
"Azure Cloud Sect… my journey begins now."