Chapter 77: The Dragon Core
With a hint of wistfulness, the Ice Dragon King spoke: "The nourishing effects within this Martial Soul space are actually capable of faintly influencing even us—these dormant, remnant souls. Though the process is slow, it is undeniably real."
"Were it not for this, we would never have awakened even a flicker of consciousness from our long slumber."
The Fire Dragon King regarded the scene with a mix of scrutiny and surprise: "Hmph. This brat... his Martial Soul is peculiar. As for his talent... it is merely passable—though, admittedly, he does possess a few traces of the potential to ascend to godhood."
The phantom image of his massive dragon eyes swept across the four dragon-beasts still prostrate below.
"Fire, Ice, Earth, Wind... the four fundamental elemental dragon types? Is he gathering these in an attempt to walk the same path as the Dragon God?"
This conjecture caused even the Fire Dragon King to stir with a ripple of emotion.
The Dragon God—that supreme entity who once reigned over all dragonkind and stood at the very pinnacle of the Divine Realm!
Although they currently harbored grievances against that tyrant, surely... that path was not something a mere human brat could aspire to tread?
The Ice Dragon King gently shook her head.
"Do not jump to conclusions so soon. It remains unknown whether he is even aware of the Dragon God’s existence. Perhaps it is mere coincidence; perhaps it is guidance from the unseen forces of destiny... Regardless, the fact that this youth was able to awaken us—and possesses such a miraculous space—proves that his fortune and potential are truly extraordinary."
"I... have high hopes for him."
Having spoken, her massive, ice-blue dragon eyes turned toward the Ice Dragon and the Fire Dragon, fixing them with a gaze that blended both pity and sternness.
"You... are far too weak."
"Your bloodlines are impure and diluted, having degenerated into mere sub-dragon species... The glory and pride of the Dragon Clan have, in your hands, truly faded to such a dismal state."
Upon hearing these words, the Ice Dragon and the Fire Dragon lowered their massive heads even further; their dragon eyes were filled with a look of deep grievance and helplessness.
We... it’s not that we wanted this...
Across the entire continent, there are scarcely any true, pure-blooded dragons left; for us to have grown into pure-blooded sub-dragons is already the absolute limit...
Your Majesty, the times have changed...
They dared not offer a verbal rebuttal, able only to let out mournful, aggrieved whimpers from the depths of their souls. The Ice Dragon King fell silent for a moment, appearing to sense the very fabric of this world while simultaneously perceiving Jiang Bai in the realm beyond.
After a long pause, her voice rang out once more, now imbued with a distinct note of resolve.
"However..."
She paused again, her voice growing even clearer and more forceful.
"Since fate has intervened—allowing this wisp of my remnant soul to awaken thanks to him, and bringing me face-to-face with you, the descendants of the Dragon Clan—I can no longer stand idly by and watch the Dragon Clan’s bloodline continue its decline."
Her gaze shifted toward the Ice Dragon and the Fire Dragon, her majestic demeanor now tinged with a hint of anticipation.
"From this day forth, I shall personally instruct you! I will teach you the battle techniques of the Dragon Clan and temper the very essence of your bloodlines!"
Upon hearing these words, the massive bodies of the four dragon beasts shuddered in unison!
Within their draconic eyes, a brilliance of unprecedented intensity erupted instantly!
Anticipation! Ecstasy! Sheer disbelief!
To be personally instructed by the Dragon King herself!
What an earth-shattering stroke of fortune this was!
The Ice Dragon and the Fire Dragon, in particular, were so overcome with excitement that their very whiskers trembled.
At that moment, the colossal, ethereal silhouette of the Ice Dragon King’s soul parted its jaws slightly.
A pearl—roughly the size of a fist, entirely translucent and ice-blue in hue, and radiating both boundless frigidity and profound, mysterious energy—slowly drifted forth from her spectral maw, floating gently to hover directly before the Ice Dragon’s massive head.
The Ice Dragon King’s telepathic voice rang out with an unquestionable majesty: "This is my Dragon Core. It encapsulates my life’s entire comprehension of the Laws of Ice, along with a portion of my primordial essence."
"Consume it, refine it, and absorb its power; doing so will evolve your bloodline, purify your essence, and vastly elevate your cultivation! Whether you can seize this opportunity—to undergo a metamorphosis and be reborn anew—now rests entirely upon your own shoulders."
"Th-thank you... Your Majesty!"
The Ice Dragon’s massive eyes remained locked upon the ice-blue Dragon Core hovering before her—an artifact radiating an energy that made her very soul thrum with yearning and desire—and she was so overwhelmed with emotion that she nearly let loose a resounding roar of pure elation!
She struggled to restrain herself, lowered her draconic head, and cautiously parted her jaws to take the ice-blue Dragon Core into her mouth; then, with a sudden motion, she swallowed it whole!
"Roar—!!"
The instant the Dragon Core entered her belly, the Ice Dragon let out a long, drawn-out roar—a sound woven from a blend of agony and sheer ecstasy!
A vast, majestic surge of ice-elemental energy—pure to the absolute limit—erupted within her body!
Her body convulsed violently, curling in upon itself, completely beyond her control!
Visible to the naked eye, layer upon layer of thick, hard, and crystal-clear deep-blue ice crystals began to grow, spread, and thicken madly across her entire surface!
In the span of mere moments—no more than a few breaths—her massive draconic body, stretching over twenty meters in length, was completely encased within a colossal, oval-shaped egg of ice crystals!
Upon the surface of this giant ice-crystal egg, countless mysterious, naturally formed ice patterns shimmered and flowed, radiating a bone-chilling coldness and an aura of ancient, draconic majesty.
Within the egg, both life and energy were undergoing a cataclysmic, earth-shattering metamorphosis!
Witnessing this, the Fire Dragon nearby stared wide-eyed with envy. Its crimson draconic pupils gazed pleadingly toward the Fire Dragon King, while its massive tail unconsciously tapped lightly against the ground, brimming with anticipation.
"..."
The Fire Dragon King’s colossal, ethereal draconic eyes met the Fire Dragon’s "scorching" gaze—one massive, one small; a silent staring contest ensued, filling the air with a subtle, palpable silence.
The Ice Dragon King gave a soft chuckle and spoke: "Very well, stop teasing the youngster. We exist now as mere wisps of residual soul; who knows how many years or ages it will take for us to recover our former bodies and power? Keeping the Dragon Cores serves little purpose for us in our current state. We are better off using them to nurture promising descendants—a way to preserve a spark of hope for the Dragon Clan."
Upon hearing this, the Fire Dragon King gave a low huff—seeming somewhat reluctant—yet ultimately, he relented.
"Oh, very well! So be it!"
"Take it! And do not squander this great fortune!"
A second Dragon Core—identical in size, yet glowing a fiery crimson from core to surface—flew through the air to land directly before the Fire Dragon. "Many thanks, Your Majesty!"
Overcome with excitement, the Fire Dragon let out a low growl and, without a moment’s hesitation, swallowed the object whole!
"Raaawr—!!"
An incredibly scorching, crimson radiance instantly erupted from within the Fire Dragon’s body!
Its body, too, began to curl inward; a layer of crystals—as red as fire—sprouted across its surface, rapidly coalescing into a colossal, crimson egg engulfed in roaring, ethereal flames!
The intense heat warped the surrounding space, creating a stark contrast with the adjacent, ice-blue giant egg.
The Ice Dragon King’s gaze then shifted toward the Earth Dragon and the Wind Dragon in the distance—creatures whose expressions held a mix of envy and nervous anticipation.
"You two, come here as well," a gentle wave of mental energy beckoned.
Feeling as though they had been granted a great reprieve, the Earth Dragon and Wind Dragon hurriedly scampered over with eager, bouncing steps.
"Although we specialize primarily in the Laws of Ice and Fire, and are not particularly adept with the elements of Earth and Wind..."
The Ice Dragon King spoke slowly, "...there are, nonetheless, common threads running through all Dragon Clan combat techniques, methods of power manipulation, and ways to awaken one’s bloodline. I can certainly instruct you in various basic and advanced techniques, helping you to unearth the latent potential within your own bloodlines."
Upon hearing this, the Earth Dragon and Wind Dragon’s massive eyes lit up with a radiance of sheer ecstasy!
Even though they had not received a Dragon Core—the artifact that directly elevates one’s bloodline—to receive personal guidance from the Dragon King herself was, in itself, a monumental stroke of good fortune!
"We are deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s grace!"
The two dragons responded with fervent excitement.
The Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King exchanged a glance; two colossal, ethereal dragon souls began to emit a soft yet majestic radiance, enveloping the two dragons within their glow.
Ancient draconic whispers, the transmission of combat techniques, insights into the nature of power... all began to flow—in a profound and mysterious manner—slowly yet surely, into the deepest recesses of their souls.
...
Outside.
The campfire flickered gently beneath a clear, moonlit sky.
Jiang Bai, who was currently immersed in deep meditation, suddenly felt a jolt within his Dantian—his Sea of Qi!
A strange energy—pure, gentle, yet incredibly vast and majestic—surged forth without warning. Like a trickling stream, it swiftly flowed into every limb and bone, coursing through his meridians and converging within his Dantian!
It felt akin to the finest spiritual elixir—nourishing his physical body while simultaneously tempering and refining his meridians. To his even greater surprise, bolstered by this surge of energy, the speed at which he absorbed the surrounding spiritual power of heaven and earth suddenly accelerated—by more than thirty percent!
His spiritual power—which had already been hovering near the pinnacle of Level 48—now, under this dual influence from both within and without, effortlessly shattered that final barrier, much like water naturally finding its course.
"Buzz—!"
An aura, noticeably more potent than before, flashed briefly across his body.
Jiang Bai slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of astonishment and bewilderment passing through his gaze.
"Level 49?"
He sensed the spiritual power within him—now even more dense and substantial—along with that peculiar warm current which, though not yet fully dissipated, continued to slowly nourish his body.
"That energy just now... what was that all about?"
He attempted to turn his senses inward, sinking his consciousness deep into his Sea of Spirit.
Yet, he discovered nothing out of the ordinary.
"Strange... Could it be that the medicinal effects of the Qiluo Tulip are still lingering? Or perhaps... is the space within the tower somehow feeding power back to me?"
He racked his brains over the matter but came up with no leads.
Finally, he shook his head, temporarily shelving his doubts.
"Oh well. It certainly hasn’t done any harm; on the contrary, it’s been immensely beneficial."
He maintained a healthy mindset and chose not to dwell on it further. An increase in strength was always a good thing; as for the underlying cause, the truth would surely come to light eventually.
He spent a moment regulating his breath, then stood up and stretched his body, which had grown somewhat stiff from sitting for so long.
The night was deep, and all was silent save for the crackling of the campfire.
Jiang Bai walked over to the nearby stream, gathered a trace of spiritual power, and casually unleashed a few palm strikes through the air.
Water splashed upward as several plump, silver-scaled fish were stunned by the shockwaves and floated to the surface.
He scooped up the fish, skillfully cleaned and dressed them, skewered them onto sharpened branches, and returned to the campfire.
Before long, the fish were roasted to a golden crisp; fat dripped into the flames with a sizzling sound, and a rich, savory aroma wafted through the cold night air.
Jiang Bai was intently turning the roasting fish when he suddenly sensed someone approaching.