Free Web NovelChapter 414: Chapter 397: Trapped Dragon
With that, he led a squad of knights to wait quietly off to the side. The surrounding cultivators were all abuzz with discussion. With the Pure Land Knights, the No Illusion Demon Master, and other top-tier human experts present, they wouldn’t be afraid even if the terrifying Dragon Race were to return.
In fact, it might even be more interesting if they did.
Hua Jianyu and the others, however, weren’t concerned with any Dragon Race. They were all secretly watching Mingren. ’Is the Holy Light Demon Collapse Body really that strong?’ they wondered. ’Is it necessary to make such a big scene?’
In their eyes, Mingren’s background was simply too humble. This stark contrast truly made this group of heavenly prodigies feel a bit unsettled.
Hiding in the crowd, Zheng Dasheng was seething with envy, jealousy, and hatred, even harboring malicious thoughts. ’Is Mingren going to betray the Extreme Dao Alliance?’
’Mingren can join any Sect to conceal his identity and complete his mission, but he absolutely cannot join the Pure Land. That would be tantamount to making an enemy of the Extreme Dao Alliance!’
Mingren simply stared quietly at the Dragon Tomb, as he was waiting for one particular thing to happen before he made his decision.
The moment he stepped through the Dragon Soul Gate, Wang Meng felt as if his body had entered a void. His vision filled with all sorts of Giant Dragons soaring before him, some even charging straight at him.
Dragon Souls possessed a powerfully overwhelming effect. Those with weak spiritual resistance would have their own souls shattered by the impact, turning them into mindless fools. Not just anyone could absorb a Dragon Soul.
This was no illusion; Wang Meng could feel it. Having kept a low profile throughout his time in the Dragon Tomb, Wang Meng’s eyes suddenly flew open, emitting a brilliant light.
The Giant Dragon formed from an oncoming Dragon Soul was instantly shattered by his gaze. Wang Meng sat cross-legged, suspended in mid-air, and began to circulate the Five Elements Technique. At the same time, he released his Divine Sense, pulling the surrounding Dragon Souls toward him.
The surging Dragon Souls gradually formed a vortex with Wang Meng at its center. ’I have to use this power to break through to Minor Perfection in one fell swoop,’ he thought. ’This is my only chance, and I must seize it.’
Wang Meng knew his own body best. The final barrier from the forty-fifth layer to Minor Perfection had to be broken through with a fierce, all-out charge. Given the nature of his Five Elements Body, taking it slow would mean he wouldn’t succeed for an eternity.
Driven by his Divine Sense, the berserk Power of Dragon Soul surged madly toward Wang Meng’s Sea of Fate. The sensation of this forced infusion was akin to being torn apart. Wang Meng’s face contorted in pain, yet the speed of absorption didn’t slow in the slightest. ’I have to keep my mind clear,’ he resolved, as the Five Elements Technique spun frantically.
His Sea of Fate churned violently. The Five Elements Technique continuously converted the Power of Dragon Soul into Elemental Power, which then battered the walls of his Sea of Fate.
For someone with an ordinary constitution, being nourished by such pure Power of Dragon Soul would have already begun to form a Life Mark. For the Five Elements Body, however, it had little effect.
Spurred on by his Divine Sense, Wang Meng’s absorption rate was exceptionally high. A vast power churned within his Sea of Fate, yet he still couldn’t find the catalyst for the breakthrough.
This was different from his previous experiences with the Five Elements Technique. Before, it was merely about forming a Life Mark; this time, he was facing the barrier to Minor Perfection.
His first time experiencing the Celestial Dao.
The power in his Sea of Fate grew ever more abundant, yet it still lacked something, obstructing the final step for his Five Elements Body.
Fueled by this power, Wang Meng’s Five Elements Technique grew increasingly ferocious. ’If this keeps up,’ Wang Meng thought, ’I don’t know if I’ll break through, but I’m pretty sure my body is going to give out and I’ll just die.’
Just as Wang Meng was struggling, the previously dormant Dragon Crystal suddenly emitted a faint light. The vast power within his Sea of Fate seemed to instantly find a new focal point, and it began to pour madly into the Dragon Crystal.
Wang Meng was startled. ’What in the world is going on?’
From Wang Meng’s perspective, time had barely moved, but outside, five days had already passed. Not only had the spectating cultivators not dispersed, but their numbers had swelled. It was unclear what everyone was waiting for.
The Pure Land Knights were waiting for Mingren. Or, should the Dragon Race reappear, they were also eager to test their strength against the legendary race.
The No Illusion Demon Master was certainly waiting for Lin Jinghao to emerge. The Dragon Tomb was a place of great benefit for Lin Jinghao. On the surface, all was calm, but behind the scenes, the No Illusion Demon Sect had invested heavily in this expedition to the Dragon Tomb. Their goal was to create the optimal environment for Lin Jinghao, which required placating everyone from the Ten Great Sects to the Star Alliance.
Mingren’s Holy Light Demon Collapse Body was certainly valuable—the Pure Land’s mobilization was a testament to that. But the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body was nothing to scoff at either. Ultimately, the true value of any constitution depended on how much of its potential could be unleashed.
Demon Ba was supremely confident in Lin Jinghao. Of course, one could never have too many masters on their side.
Suddenly, a flash of light erupted in the night sky. The cultivators all rose to their feet and gathered at the entrance to the Dragon Cave.
It was the light of the Teleportation Array. A figure stumbled out, looking a little worse for wear upon landing, but the expression on his face was relaxed.
"Pah. What a godforsaken place," he spat.
Lin Jinghao preferred bright, sunny places and had a hard time adjusting to the gloomy Dragon Tomb. Still, his gains had been substantial.
"Master, I have returned."
Demon Ba threw his head back and laughed. "Good! It’s good you’re out. Was it a success?"
"Everything went smoothly, just as you predicted."
"Good. Very good. Alright then, let’s just wait and watch the show."
"Ah, people from the Pure Land are here. And they’re high-ranking, too," Lin Jinghao said, sizing up the group.
Demon Ba snorted. "They’re here to take Mingren away. The allure of the Holy Light Demon Collapse Body is truly something else, it seems."
Lin Jinghao smiled faintly. "Naturally. With one of the Ten Great Sacred Bodies emerging, it’s only normal that the Pure Land can’t remain calm."
Mingren glanced at Lin Jinghao, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. Lin Jinghao nodded back. "Looks like Wang Meng isn’t out yet. Tsk, tsk. By my count, he should’ve emerged by now. With his level of strength, I’m surprised he hasn’t already burst from the strain."
Ling Fei also gazed toward the Dragon Tomb. ’How much Power of Dragon Soul can someone who hasn’t even reached Minor Perfection possibly absorb?’
’Honestly, I really don’t understand why the Saintess thinks so highly of Wang Meng,’ Ling Fei mused, ’so much so that she told me to keep an eye on him from the very beginning.’
’Could she have made a mistake? Should the person I’m paying attention to be Mingren?’
’The Five Elements Body is practically useless, and it’s not like he’s the only one who has it. Is there really any value in watching someone like him?’
Ling Fei had been watching ever since this batch of disciples from the Holy Hall entered the Great Yuan Realm. That was why she’d had Moo WuZheng go to meet them. But from then until now, nothing particularly special had happened—not until Mingren’s Holy Light Demon Collapse Body was revealed.
And yet, the person she was supposed to be watching was not Mingren.
Another day passed. No one knew what Lin Jinghao had obtained in the Dragon Tomb, but judging by the Demon Venerable’s satisfied expression, his gains must have been substantial.
Many masters had indeed emerged from among the successors of the various Sects, such as Lin Jinghao, Ling Fei, and Bu Qingyun. The Ten Great Sects had poured considerable resources into them, grooming these heavenly prodigies from a young age to be future leaders. They were all deeply shrewd, and even during their time in the Dragon Tomb, they had barely used their full strength.
After emerging from the Dragon Tomb, Lin Jinghao was surprisingly sociable, politely greeting everyone without a hint of the typical Demon Cultivator’s demeanor.
However, once Lin Jinghao emerged, a portion of the cultivators began to leave. They didn’t see what else there was to watch. The excitement was over. ’Surely the people from the Pure Land aren’t going to attack the Dragon Tomb?’ they thought. ’Although they’re strong, the force gathered here is likely insufficient to assault the Dragon Tomb, and they’re clearly unprepared.’
The No Illusion Demon Venerable and his people didn’t leave because Mingren had yet to agree to join the Pure Land, which meant they still had a chance.
「The seventh day.」
The Dragon Crystal inside Wang Meng’s body had absorbed sufficient power and was now pulsing faintly.
The Five Elements Technique had stopped circulating. Wang Meng seemed to have entered a deep slumber, all his power concentrated at a single point, merely waiting for the final moment to arrive.
Within his Sea of Heart, the power of his Heart Spirit focused on a single point. Instantly, his Sea of Fate grew calm.
Abruptly, the Dragon Crystal, having absorbed all the power, burst forth with a brilliant light, seemingly on the verge of shattering his Sea of Fate.
Meanwhile, in his Sea of Heart, the Power of Heart Spirit poured down from above.
Outside the Dragon Tomb, the cultivators were growing bored and preparing to leave. There was no more excitement, no opportunities, and no reason to stay. But then, the calm sky was suddenly filled with ominous clouds. A faint rumble of thunder could be heard, and a dark golden light appeared within the black clouds.
This was the sign of a Celestial Tribulation.
What in the world was happening???
Mingren gazed toward the Dragon Tomb, a faint smile gracing his lips. Ling Fei and the others all came out to look. Ji Rushan and his group, of course, knew what this meant. Only Wang Meng was left inside the Dragon Tomb. ’Could he have really used the Power of Dragon Soul to successfully break through to Minor Perfection?’
The Dragon Crystal Power and his Divine Sense were currently working to break open a Mystic Gate. For the Five Elements Body, this Mystic Gate had to be broken in order to enter Minor Perfection.
This Dragon Crystal was one of the treasures of the Dragon Race. The breakthrough for a Five Elements Body was more akin to that of the Demon or Dragon Races than of a human. Such breakthroughs were incredibly difficult; the Demon and Dragon Races had endless years to accumulate power and wait for the right moment. Unfortunately, Wang Meng didn’t have that kind of time. However, if he could succeed, he would surely obtain a Great Divine Technique—at least, that was the case for both the Dragon and Demon Races.
Wang Meng was frustrated. He’d been frustrated for a while now. First, he was dragged to the Dragon Transformation Hall, only to be cast aside like trash. To be honest, Wang Meng had immense self-respect. Anyone could look down on him, but he would never look down on himself. He didn’t want to implicate others, so he’d left peacefully. But then he was thrown into a furnace and refined to within an inch of his life. Although it turned out to be a blessing in disguise that led to a breakthrough, the process had been excruciating. And as soon as he got out, he was grievously wounded by Zheng Dasheng and barely escaped with his life.
Wang Meng couldn’t shake the feeling that some damn hand was manipulating his destiny. Ever since he was exiled to the Five Elements Desert Space, he had felt suffocated and resentful. Wang Meng wasn’t afraid of death, but he was sick and tired of this cursed, oppressive atmosphere.
If he wanted answers, he had to break through to Minor Perfection. The Dragon Crystal’s power was ferocious, acting like an amplifier that forced his Elemental Power upward. His Divine Sense was also formidable; though small in quantity, it was enough to completely transform his Spiritual Power. The Mystic Gate of his Five Elements Body was on the verge of collapsing. But just then, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array seemed to rebel, siphoning off a stream of its power to obstruct Wang Meng’s advancement.
Master Wang finally snapped. ’Fuck this! What the hell is all this shit?!’
’If the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array splits its power, my Divine Sense will just get stronger! Who’s afraid of who?!’
When Wang Meng got truly angry, he became single-minded. All other thoughts were cast aside; he had to break through the Mystic Gate, no matter what.
The Dragon Crystal continuously poured out Elemental Power; it clearly had a great deal of power stored within it. As the Heaven and Earth Spirit Locking Array’s power weakened, Wang Meng’s Divine Sense grew stronger. The two opposing forces were now locked in a desperate struggle.
At that moment, Wang Meng’s fury shattered the stalemate. The two opposing forces slammed into each other.
BOOOOOOOM...
Wang Meng’s body was rocked by a world-shaking tremor, as if annihilation had begun. His Sea of Fate descended into chaos. Amidst the brilliant light, the Dragon Crystal slowly vanished. In that final collision, all of its stored power had been instantly and utterly consumed. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian.com to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
