Chapter 143: True Dragon Emerges, Substantial Dragon Aura Protection

Chapter 143: True Dragon Emerges, Substantial Dragon Aura Protection

In the hotel room's gym, Xueheng's skin was flushed red, with tendrils of steam rising from his body. He slowly calmed his boiling blood, which felt like bursting stars, and opened his eyes to access the panel.

[...]



【Dragon Concealment Technique Lv.6 (6309/7000)】

Ever since the Dragon Concealment Technique reached Lv.6 on the cruise ship, through numerous life-and-death battles, real-life applications, simulated battles in the consciousness space, and daily practice of the Coiling Dragon Technique and Shake Armor Art, the experience points for the technique had skyrocketed. In just a few days, it was on the verge of another upgrade.

"I just need two more sessions of practicing the Shake Armor Art to max out the experience points."

Xueheng pondered briefly before using his mental power to stimulate his vitality. The burning life force healed the damage caused by his previous training.

"I'll overdraw my vitality a bit and practice it two more times to level it up."

He stood up and continued with the 'Blood Training' movement of the Shake Armor Art.

"Gudong—"

His blood, thick and viscous like quicksilver, surged and boiled within his body, sounding like the roaring waves of a vast ocean.

With each intricate movement and breath, Xueheng's heart began to pound wildly.

In the Five Great Trainings, the heart corresponds to blood, and blood training is heart training. Blood is the source of the body's power, and a stronger heart can pump more potent blood. The heart and blood, along with the lungs, are crucial for channeling energy.

Oxygen enters the blood vessels and drives the blood, which then delivers oxygen to the entire body. They are mutually dependent.

As time passed, Xueheng completed another round of the Shake Armor Art but showed no signs of stopping. He immediately ignited his life force to heal himself once more and continued his training.

Only after finishing the third session of the day did he finally stop.

By then, his skin was red and swollen, radiating heat, and tendrils of steam rose from his body. The clothes he wore were drenched, and a ridiculously large puddle of sweat had formed on the floor, raising the temperature of the entire gym.

[...]



【Dragon Concealment Technique upgraded to Lv.7 (36/9000)】

Xueheng panted slightly and picked up the 2L bottle of mineral water he had placed on the floor. He twisted the cap open.

Then, like a whale swallowing water, the sound of 'kada kada' signaled the two liters of water disappearing into his stomach in just one second, leaving the plastic bottle crumpled and empty.

His internal organs sprang into action, distributing the water to every part of his body at a rate ten times faster than an ordinary person's.

"Ah, that's better."

Xueheng exhaled lightly, took off his shirt, and revealed his perfectly sculpted upper body, honed like a divine casting. His veins pulsed with power.

The sticky sweat that clung to his body exploded and sprayed outward, forming a circle of mist that hung in the air around him.

"Oh? That explosive power."

Xueheng curiously touched his arm, feeling the dry skin devoid of any moisture. Just a moment ago, he had been drenched in sweat, his arms slick with it.

"Dragon Concealment Technique Lv.7. I've officially reached the realm of 'not a feather can be added, nor an insect land,' where a single vibration shakes off all droplets of water."

Xueheng inhaled deeply through his mouth and nose, drawing an immense amount of oxygen into his lungs. Then, he channeled his energy.

His entire body responded, and in his mind's eye, a true dragon appeared—larger than before, with more defined features and clearer facial expressions.

"Roar—"

The dragon's roar seemed to carry a mix of joy and excitement.

Its sentience had reached a level where it exhibited distinct emotions.

Xueheng willed it, and the true dragon began to swim through his body, causing rumbling thunder wherever it passed.

After the dragon had coursed through his entire body, it suddenly shot into the sky, bursting forth from his shoulder! A white dragon, composed of substantial aura, leaped from Xueheng's shoulder, coiled around his body a few times, stretched out its ten claws, and opened its jaws to reveal sharp fangs.

"Roar—"

The dragon's roar vibrated the air, causing Ning Fengwan, who was sleeping on the couch in the living room, to stir. Her cat ears twitched, and her hands instinctively reached for the 'Snake-Slayer Spears.'

"Is this... True Dragon Emerges, Dragon Aura Protection?"

Xueheng exclaimed in surprise.

He reached out and touched the 'dragon aura' coiled around him.

The true dragon that had emerged from his body had blurry edges, like mist and clouds, but to the touch, it felt solid and real.

"The style is becoming more and more fantastical... Is this spiritual interference with self-reality?"

"The 'dragon aura' that has accumulated over a long period of practicing the Dragon Concealment Technique has finally materialized into a true 'dragon aura'?"

Xueheng's eyes narrowed in thought.

"Master said that the ultimate goal of the 'Extreme Penetration' technique is to achieve extreme penetration, so in actual combat, it is usually performed with a sharp weapon."

"However, the highest realm of Extreme Penetration is not to use any weapon at all, but to execute it with one's physical body, known as 'A dragon needs momentum, but a true dragon has dragon aura.'"

"The sharp dragon aura cultivated through arduous training far surpasses any worldly weapon and is the most suitable for Extreme Penetration... I suppose the dragon aura Master mentioned refers to the one I possess now."

Xueheng's thoughts stirred, and he extended his fingers. The dragon aura on his body immediately moved its dragon claws to match his fingers.

He aligned his fingers and assumed the posture of a penetrating strike, aiming at the barbell plates hanging on the equipment beside him, and thrust forward with a fierce move.

The sharp penetrating strike pierced through two layers of barbell plates before coming to a halt.

"The power is barely passable... Although I can achieve the state of a true dragon leaving its lair, my current dragon aura is still immature."

Xueheng raised an eyebrow.

"With the enhancement of the dragon aura, my attack power has increased by about a quarter compared to when I relied solely on my physical body... Not bad."

Xueheng experimented for a while longer, obtained specific data, and then entered the consciousness space to simulate and test his dragon aura, gaining a deeper understanding of its usage.

Time flew by, and before he knew it, a day had passed.

...

The next morning, Xueheng had just woken up and was internally observing the state of his vitality.

The life fires burning throughout his body were still vibrant, but compared to when he was in perfect condition, they appeared somewhat lackluster.

"This method of prematurely drawing upon vitality to heal injuries for the sake of cultivation is not to be overused."

He contemplated.

Yesterday, in order to raise the Dragon Concealment Technique to Level 7, he had overdrawn his vitality three times in a row. Fortunately, his foundation was exceptionally robust, and it did not affect him much.

If an ordinary martial artist were to use this method, they would probably shorten their lifespan.

Of course, ordinary martial artists wouldn't be able to manipulate their vitality like he could.

He got out of bed, brushed his teeth, and washed his face.

Xueheng looked into the mirror and opened his mouth to examine his teeth.

They were white and neat, resembling jade and exuding an extremely resilient texture.

His original teeth were indeed attractive, but as he grew up, there was some wear and slight misalignment, falling short of perfection.

However, with the Charm Technique reaching Level 10 and the prolonged 'Bone Tempering,' his teeth were now flawless, with even the gaps between them being extremely tight.

Nevertheless, these two rows of perfect teeth would have to be replaced one day.

When he crosses the dragon gate, his body will regenerate, his teeth will fall out, and forty new teeth, flat and snowy, will grow back.

That is one of the transcendent symbols of becoming a 'Eternal Immortal' or a 'Living Buddha,' known as the 'Forty Teeth Symbol.'

"Buzz—"

His phone vibrated.

Xueheng took out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the interface.

It was a call from Xu Ren.

He answered the call.

"Hello, Captain Xu Ren," Xueheng said.

Xu Ren's mature and calm voice came through the receiver, "Xueheng, when will your match end?"

Xueheng thought for a moment and replied, "The match starts at 4 p.m., and I'm in the third round, so it should be over by 5 p.m."

"Alright, I'll come and pick you up at 5 p.m.," Xu Ren said.

Xueheng did not ask how, by what means, or where to wait... Since Xu Ren didn't bring it up, then it wasn't necessary for him to know.

When 5 p.m. arrived, he would naturally understand.

After hanging up the phone, Xueheng walked out of the bathroom.

In the living room, Ning Fengwan, in her cat-eared girl form, was lying on the sofa with her head resting on the armrest.

Her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her sleeping posture was somewhat ungraceful. Her right leg was curled up, and due to the position she was in, her plump and round buttocks were raised high, resembling a full moon.

The silky sleeping pants hugged her curves, outlining the contours of her full moon-like derriere.

Seeing this, Xueheng's eyebrows twitched, and he felt an itch in his palms.

This posture was just asking for a smack.

Xueheng thought and acted on it.

"Smack!"

His palm landed on the roundness of her derriere, causing a slight vibration, as if it were jelly-like and bouncy.

Ning Fengwan woke up instantly, and her lifeless, emotionless gaze fixed on Xueheng as she asked in a monotone voice, "What are you doing?"

Xueheng was just about to tease her with a playful remark, but seeing the 'Snake-Slayer Spears' that had appeared in her fingertips, he immediately knelt on the ground, placed his hands on his knees, and apologized obediently, "It was me, I couldn't hold back."

Ning Fengwan sat up, her arms crossed, her long legs stacked on top of each other as she struck a queenly pose. Her exquisite feet, unadorned by any rouge, swung back and forth, even more tempting than ice cream.

She looked down at Xueheng and let out a soft hum before speaking:

"Turn around and stick out your butt."

"Hmm?" Xueheng uttered, taken aback.

Ning Fengwan's eyes gleamed with mischief: "I want you to experience it for yourself."

Xueheng stroked his chin thoughtfully: "No room for negotiation?"

"None."

Xueheng pondered for a moment, then reluctantly turned his back to her.

"Smack!"

...

At noon, Xueheng headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Without a towel, he shook his body vigorously after washing, using his qi to dispel all the moisture from his body. He then flicked his hair, sending the remaining droplets flying from his locks.

After getting dressed, he exited the bathroom and glanced at Ning Fengwan, who was playing with her phone. He hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"By the way, Teacher Wan, is there any way you can get me your 'Snake-Slayer Spears' to use?"

He had been thinking of bringing Ning Fengwan with him to the 'Roaring Waterfall' at the border... After all, there was a dragon species there, and the Snake-Slayer Spears were particularly effective against all serpentine beings, including dragon species.

However, Ning Fengwan didn't meet the entry requirements for the border.

Firstly, there was the issue of age; she was older than him and had exceeded the 6,313-day limit.

Secondly, she could no longer be considered a 'natural person.' She had been thoroughly marinated by the Cat Goddess, Bastet, and her body carried a hint of pollution and mutation.

He could only consider borrowing the Snake-Slayer Spears.

Ning Fengwan pouted: "Do you think this is a Sharingan that you can just plug and play?"

She paused for a moment, deep in thought: "But, I suppose it's not entirely impossible."

"Oh?" Xueheng asked, intrigued.

Ning Fengwan extended her palm, her fingers extending and retracting to reveal sharp, silver-white claws.

A grave expression settled on her face as she clenched her teeth and exerted herself. Her hand began to tremble, and beads of perspiration formed on her forehead. The 'Snake-Slayer Spears' on her fingers emitted a faint, creaking sound.

To Xueheng's amazement, the five claws slowly extended, growing longer and longer until they finally... fell out of her fingertips and landed on the table with a soft clatter.

Five empty holes were left in the tips of her fingers, but they quickly closed up.

Ning Fengwan's face paled, her body glistening with a sheen of sweat. She panted lightly as she explained:

"I overdrew my power to forcibly squeeze them out. These five claws are filled with 'Snake-Slaying Power,' and although it will gradually diminish over time, they should last for about a month..."

Xueheng remained silent for a moment before asking: "What's the cost?"

A weak smile appeared on Ning Fengwan's face: "You don't have to be so serious. It's just that I won't be able to use this ability for a while; it's not a serious price to pay."

"Having this extra protection in the borderlands could be a lifesaver. I'd say it's a fantastic deal."

Her tone was casual and lighthearted.

Xueheng reached out and gently stroked her head, his voice soft:

"Thank you for your hard work."

Ning Fengwan whispered:

"You're the one working hard."

Xueheng smiled and didn't dwell on the topic. He carefully picked up the five silver-white claws from the table and tucked them into his pocket, ensuring they were safely kept.

...

At a little past two in the afternoon, Xueheng dropped off Ning Fengwan, who had transformed into her cat-girl form, with his sister, Xue Wan.

He then got into Jiang Siwei's car, along with Yin Mushu, and they made their way back to the Fengcheng Stadium.

"Today's match tickets are sold out," Yin Mushu commented as they sat in the athletes' lounge.

"It's rare for a U19 regional elimination round to generate this much interest. All twenty thousand tickets were snapped up, and there's even a resale market for scalped tickets."

Jiang Siwei looked at Xueheng, who was seated, and teased:

"I bet the U19 officials wish they could kowtow to you right now, Xiao Jing."

She was well aware of why the tickets had sold out.

It was all because of Xueheng's captivating smile that had flashed across the camera lens.

"That's fine. It's more fun with a bigger crowd," Xueheng replied nonchalantly.

"Good afternoon, viewers, and welcome to the U19 Fengcheng Elimination Round! After a day's rest, we're back with the round of 16, where we'll witness eight exciting matches!"

The commentator's voice echoed throughout the stadium.

"We can see that the audience turnout is incredible today. We're thrilled that U19 is receiving so much attention. In today's matches, we'll not only see the highly anticipated appearance of player Xueheng but also witness the talents of many other young geniuses..."

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end