Chapter 208: "What the hell, is this guy here to gamble with his life?!"

Chapter 208: "What the hell, is this guy here to gamble with his life?!"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Chen Qiu followed Ao Tian's gaze towards the distant horizon, where the sea met the sky. "Where is the Dragon Palace? Let's go and see if we can find the Black Dragon, or if there's a chance to terminate the heritage early."

"The mortality rate has reached ninety-nine percent."

"There's no need to put the Black Dragon in danger. The sooner we go, the better the chances of his safety."

"It's useless."

A glimmer of despair flashed in Ao Tian's eyes, and he suddenly seemed to age a few years. He stumbled and sat on a nearby rock, his voice trembling as he spoke, "The Dragon Palace is the Dragon Clan's most precious treasure. It has two states: one is fixed in a specific location, and the other is constantly moving at high speed in the depths of the sea, without any rules."

"When the Dragon Clan moved out of the Dragon Palace tens of thousands of years ago, the Dragon Palace entered its second state."

"Only by holding the Dragon Palace Token can one establish a connection with the Dragon Palace and find it in the boundless depths of the sea. This token has always been passed down by the Dragon Clan leaders from generation to generation, and it has always been kept in the Dragon Clan's treasury."

"When I realized this, my divine sense quickly covered the entire Dragon Clan's treasury, only to find that the Dragon Palace Token had disappeared. This means that the Black Dragon has indeed taken the token and is heading towards the Dragon Palace."

"Without the Dragon Palace Token, we can't locate the Dragon Palace."

"Moreover, the Dragon Clan's heritage cannot be interrupted or stopped."

"The only thing that can save him now..."

"...is to leave it to fate."

"If heaven wills it, he will live."

"If heaven does not favor him, he will die within the Dragon Palace."

Ao Tian remained silent, sitting on a rock, his eyes slightly red as he stared into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. Perhaps the Black Dragon was already dead.

Three days was more than enough time to die and come back in the Dragon Clan's heritage.

Seeing Ao Tian like this, Chen Qiu also fell silent. Leaning on the Heavenly Clue Umbrella, he gazed silently at the sea, lost in thought. He wasn't good at comforting others, and at this moment, he didn't know what to say.

If one were to say that good people have their own blessings, then Black Dragon would surely return. But after hearing Ao Tian's description of the Dragon Clan's heritage and the ninety-nine percent mortality rate, such words would sound too hypocritical.

However, saying 'please accept my condolences' would also seem like cursing someone. Without receiving specific news of Black Dragon's death, saying such words would be like holding a funeral prematurely.

It would be better to just start the feast.

The only thing he could do was to keep Ao Tian company. At times like these, any words of comfort would seem pale and powerless. This was the first time he had seen Ao Tian in such a dispirited state.

To be honest, he was a little surprised to see Ao Tian so disheartened by Black Dragon's predicament. He had initially thought that Ao Tian's feelings for Black Dragon were based solely on the Dragon Clan's need for Black Dragon to carry on their heritage.

Now, with Fatty Dragon, the Dragon Clan's heritage was secure, even without Black Dragon.

Logically, Ao Tian shouldn't have had such strong emotions.

After all, with so many dragon cubs, losing one was no big deal.

But it seemed that Ao Tian's feelings for Black Dragon did have a touch of fatherly affection, which surprised Chen Qiu. He hadn't expected that a race like the Dragon Clan, which seemed to care little about blood relations, would also have paternal love.

After all, Ao Tian hadn't even spared Black Dragon's sister.

After a long silence, Ao Tian, sitting on the rock, suddenly let out a bitter laugh. He sighed deeply, and a strange light flashed in his eyes as he looked towards the terrifying waves on the distant sea, and said to himself, "Black Dragon, you're much braver than I am."

"When I inherited the position of Clan Leader, the first thing I did was to hold the Dragon Palace Token and find the Dragon Palace in the depths of the sea. It was truly magnificent, worthy of being the Dragon Clan's most precious treasure."

"I wandered around the Dragon Palace for a long time, but I didn't dare to touch any of the heritages because I was afraid of dying."

"I knew that I carried the responsibility of continuing the Dragon Clan's heritage. I knew that if I died, the Dragon Clan would be finished. I never imagined that Black Dragon would do what I was too afraid to do."

"But it's a bit foolish."

"Since he decided to sneak into the Dragon Clan's treasury, steal the Dragon Palace Token, and go to the Dragon Palace to participate in the Dragon Clan's heritage, why didn't he also steal a few more of the Dragon Clan's treasures? That would have at least increased his chances of survival."

After a long silence, Chen Qiu spoke softly, "He probably wanted to prove himself. Sons always want to prove themselves in front of their fathers, especially when they can't find their own value."

"You've been paying less attention to Black Dragon lately."

"His value used to be immense. The Dragon Clan's heritage depended on him. Although he was tired every day, at least he felt that his life had value. But now, the Dragon Clan's heritage doesn't need him anymore, and they don't need his strength as a Nascent Soul cultivator."

"He has lost his value."

"A person cannot feel that they have no value, or else they will soon be on the path to self-destruction."

"What value does he want?!" Ao Tian suddenly stood up angrily and roared, "What value does he want?!"

"The Dragon Clan's situation is looking very good, and their revival is just around the corner!"

"In just one more year, the Dragon Clan will have nearly a hundred more adult dragons with Divine Transformation cultivation!"

"As the leader of the Dragon Clan, and as my only son, he is the Dragon Clan's crown prince. Without doing anything, he can enjoy wealth and prestige, becoming one of the most authoritative figures on the Xuantian Continent!"

"What value does he want?!"

Chen Qiu didn't respond but turned his head towards the distant horizon and whispered, "Everyone has their own path to walk. I can understand that."

"But..."

"...I hope Black Dragon returns safely."

Deep in the ocean, an extreme darkness prevailed, with not a glimmer of light. Only a palace emitting golden light was constantly moving at high speed in the depths of the sea.

It couldn't be detected or locked onto by divine sense, and there were no spiritual energy fluctuations when it moved.

Like a ghost, it appeared and disappeared without a trace.

This palace was the Dragon Palace!

At that moment, inside the Dragon Palace, in a Dragon Clan heritage meant for young dragons, Black Dragon was suspended in mid-air, panting heavily, his entire body looking extremely unwell.

The dragon scales on his body had almost halved, with the remaining scales mostly cracked. Even the reverse scale, the most robust scale on a dragon's body and a dragon clan's innate spiritual treasure, had a fissure.

Large patches of dragon blood splattered in mid-air, and his whiskers were all severed. His entire dragon eye was covered in blood from a fierce impact, giving it a terrifying appearance. Even his claws were broken in several places.

"Huff, huff."

The black dragon hovered in the air, the only sound in the silent space being his heavy breathing. His tail occasionally lashed at his wounds.

He was in immense pain.

The agony had gradually numbed his body, and blood loss made his mind hazy. He had to use his tail to strike his wounds, keeping his body alert and his mind clear.

This ensured a healthy fighting state.

Before him was a cloud-shrouded space with no end in sight, like a small world. Not far away, an adult dragon with injuries, though minor, stared at him intently.

It didn't initiate an attack.

It was in a resting state.

This Dragon Clan heritage, designed specifically for young dragons, had five levels. Passing through these five levels would instantly mature the young dragon, allowing it to break through to the Divine Transformation stage. The quality of the Dragon Clan heritage they received depended on their performance.

This was his first level.

He had been attempting this level for three days without success. The requirement was simple: defeat the mature dragon in front of him.

But as a young dragon, even without the mature dragon using its breath or activating its Divine Transformation Realm, its physical strength was far beyond his.

Just then—

The mature dragon suddenly spoke, its cold gaze fixed on the black dragon in the distance: "It's been tens of thousands of years since a young dragon has come to the Dragon Clan heritage. I thought the Dragon Clan had gone extinct."

"I didn't expect to finally meet a young dragon, but it's just a little guy with a seventh-grade bloodline."

"Little guy."

"Don't say I didn't warn you. The first level of the Dragon Clan's young dragon heritage can be quit early. You're at the end of your strength, and continuing will only lead to self-destruction. It's better to quit early."

"Otherwise, you might lose your life here."

"Hey."

The black dragon, hovering in the air and constantly whipping its tail against its wounds, heard the voice and suddenly laughed, his swollen dragon head smiling slightly, albeit comically.

"Why don't you take a look at your own injuries?"

"I can hurt you too."

"If I can hurt you, I can kill you."

"Ignorant."

The mature dragon in the white mist coldly smiled, "I am of the tenth-grade Red Dragon bloodline, naturally skilled in physical strength. You, on the other hand, are of the seventh-grade Cloud-Hidden Dragon bloodline."

"The Cloud-Hidden Dragon bloodline specializes in concealment and assassination. Challenging me in physical strength is a suicidal act."

As his words fell, the red mature dragon no longer held back. Its entire body shot towards the black dragon at extreme speed, its tail lashing viciously at the black dragon.

The impact was so great that the black dragon's body instantly curled up into a ball and was whipped into the depths of the mist.

In its original position, seven or eight broken scales and a large amount of dragon blood fell from the air.

This single strike! Almost killed the black dragon, who was already on the brink of death from his severe injuries.

"Hmph."

The mature dragon coldly humphed and then looked into the depths of the white mist, "I was just..."

However, the next moment—

"Hmm?"

A flash of surprise crossed the mature dragon's large dragon eye as it realized it couldn't find the black dragon. There was no trace of the black dragon in the entire mist.

Upon realizing this, a smile uncontrollably crept onto his lips. He muttered with a smile.

"Turns out he's quite talented."

"The Cloud-Hidden Dragon, the Cloud-Hidden Dragon. The white mist is the most suitable battlefield for you. Let me see what you've learned."

Immediately—

Before the mature dragon could react, five dragon claws shimmering with cold light suddenly appeared, carrying a formidable killing intent and stabbing towards its dragon eye. Just as the attack was about to hit, the mature dragon's head shrank back, causing the deadly strike to land on its dragon face instead of its eye.

The attack missed.

It immediately retreated.

The black dragon's figure disappeared again in the white mist.

"Tsk."

Feeling the hot dragon blood flowing down his face, the mature dragon couldn't help but smile again, "Good move, but your killing intent is too heavy. As a Cloud-Hidden Dragon, you should be able to conceal your killing intent."

"What's the difference between you and an assassin who covers their face with a black cloth and carries a sharp blade under the bright sun?"

"The Cloud-Hidden Dragon specializes in concealment and assassination!"

"The highest principle of assassination is to make your enemy feel no killing intent from you, to make them think you're just a passerby. Then, when you brush past them, deliver the most ferocious attack into their chest!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but offer guidance, which was against the rules. But it had been tens of thousands of years since a young dragon had come, and he had been lonely for many years.

He couldn't help himself, and these were marginal violations, not too serious.

However, before he could finish speaking, he felt something was wrong. His dragon face started to go numb.

He was initially taken aback.

Then he realized that the blood flowing from his wound had turned an oily dark color, and the wound was rapidly rotting, turning green. His expression changed.

He raised his dragon claw and quickly stabbed his dragon face, digging out the rotten flesh and the surrounding fresh meat. Only then did he feel relieved, enduring the pain with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

"You actually poisoned your own dragon claws?"

"The Dragon Clan is proud!"

"The Dragon Clan is a noble race, and has never stooped to using such underhanded methods as poisoning. Why would you, as a member of the Dragon Clan, resort to such lowly tactics?"

Soon enough, a voice emerged from the white mist, belonging to the Black Dragon.

"A long time ago, I never understood why, as a Yunyin Dragon, I had to remain hidden and assassinate. Was it because I was skilled in concealment that I had to stay hidden?"

"I prefer the feeling of defeating my enemies openly and honorably."

"But just now, I suddenly realized something."

"Since I excel in concealment, I naturally want to push this skill to the limit. No matter what means I use, only winning matters."

"I have my reasons for inheriting the Dragon Clan's legacy."

"No matter the methods, whether it's poisoning or concealment."

"I must win."

"Hmph." The mature dragon snorted coldly. Although the poison had caused him some serious injury, it wasn't a big issue. He dealt with it swiftly, blocking the spread of the poison before it could spread further.

He licked the corner of his mouth, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

He had been alone here for too long.

It had been a while since he had a conversation with anyone, and now that a junior was debating with him, he was actually enjoying the feeling of the debate.

As he prepared to overwhelm the junior with his vast knowledge, he suddenly felt his dragon face tingle again.

The wound that he had just dug out with his own dragon claws.

At some point, the wound had turned green again, and a pale green blood was slowly spreading.

"Hmm?"

A look of bewilderment flashed in the mature dragon's eyes. This time, he was truly confused. He had clearly removed the rotten flesh, but how did the poison continue to spread?

Was this poison so potent?

But it didn't matter—

It was just a piece of flesh lost.

The mature dragon gave a cold laugh and raised his dragon claws again to dig out the rotten dragon flesh from his face. Just as he was about to speak again, the wound began to rot and turn green once more.

The poison was still spreading!

Impossible!

He was a Red Dragon, renowned for his physical strength, a member of the Dragon Clan's bloodline. While he wasn't immune to all poisons, the effects of poison on them were very limited.

Especially in this case, where he had immediately removed the rotten flesh, how could the poison spread without any apparent reason?

Still skeptical, he raised his dragon claws again to dig out the rotten flesh from his dragon face!

However, just moments after he removed the rotten flesh, the poison began to spread again.

After seven or eight continuous attempts...

".”

The mature dragon fell silent. He couldn't keep digging; he had already lost a third of his dragon face, and if he continued, he would die.

The next moment, his Divine Transformation cultivation leaked out, and spiritual energy surged, forcing the pale green poison from his dragon face.

Only then did he speak without expression.

"Congratulations. You have successfully passed the first test. Now, tell me how you did it, as it will determine the grade of the legacy you receive if you pass the final test."

Immediately after, the pitch-black Black Dragon slowly appeared in the white mist, a hint of pride in his eyes as he raised his dragon claws, which were now emitting a pale green glow, clearly indicating its toxicity.

"During the battle, I suddenly felt that my dragon claws could condense poison, so I used this method."

"Hmm."

The mature dragon's face remained calm, and he said coldly, "The 'Dragon Poison' is a secret bloodline technique exclusive to the Yunyin Dragons. There is indeed a certain probability of awakening it during combat."

"Although this 'Dragon Poison' bloodline technique is rare, and few Yunyin Dragons awaken this Dragon Clan secret, the Dragon Clan has always looked down upon poisoning. Even if a Yunyin Dragon awakens this Dragon Clan secret, they may choose not to use it out of disdain, abandoning the secret."

"But—"

"As far as I know, the 'Dragon Poison' bloodline technique of the Yunyin Dragons shouldn't be this powerful. Why did the poison continue to spread even after I removed the rotten flesh from my face immediately?"

"Hehe."

Although the Black Dragon was severely injured, he was excited, his dragon tail constantly tapping the surrounding air. His eyes were filled with pride as he looked up at the mature dragon.

"Senior, take a look at your own dragon claws."

"Hmm?"

The mature dragon was slightly startled, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. He then lowered his head to look at his dragon claws, his face full of shock.

He noticed that his dragon claws were now also filled with a pale green, mesmerizing light.

This meant that the poison had been on his dragon claws all along.

No wonder the poison could spread immediately every time he quickly removed the rotten flesh. It was as if his dragon claws were always poisoned.

Each time he removed the rotten flesh, it was like poisoning himself again!

"Impossible!"

This time, the mature dragon was completely stunned. He looked up at the Black Dragon, who was not far away, his face full of disbelief. "How did you do this? How did you manage to poison my dragon claws?"

"You barely touched me during the entire battle. How did you manage to poison my dragon claws without me knowing?"

"This is unbelievable. This is fundamentally..."

"Wait!"

The mature dragon suddenly realized something and looked up at the Black Dragon. On the Black Dragon's body, where there was still some remaining flesh, a deep green color could be seen on the surface of the dragon scales.

However, it was barely noticeable under the pitch-black dragon scales and the crimson dragon blood.

Especially since the Black Dragon had been constantly whipping his dragon tail against his own body during the ceasefire, diverting his attention from that area.

Action: In an instant, the mature dragon couldn't help but gasp in shock, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "Are you crazy? You've poisoned your own dragon scales?"

"By now, the poison must have entered your body!"

"You're not far from death!"

He had to admit that this young dragon was truly cunning. He had smeared "Dragon Poison" on the surface of his own scales, then deliberately created conditions that made it easier for his claws to attack, ensuring that each time his claws scraped against the young dragon's scales, they would pick up a trace of the poison.

And then, with all his might, he delivered the final blow to the young dragon's face!

He didn't need to stab the eyes; as long as he could wound the young dragon and pain, it was enough.

After that, he didn't need to do anything. The young dragon, with his claws coated in poison, would continue to poison himself. Where in the world did this young dragon learn so many schemes and plots?!

"To kill eight hundred enemies, one must be willing to sacrifice a thousand."

The black dragon, already at the brink of death, could no longer suppress the poison within his body. His wounds began to ooze a faint green blood.

Although he was in a terrible state, the dragon's head held itself high with unprecedented pride, his face filled with satisfaction and pride.

"Someone once told me," he said, "that the only way to defeat an opponent of a higher level is to fight with all your might, risking your life for a glimmer of hope."

"And now, I've succeeded."

"I guess that if I pass the first stage of the inheritance, even if my injuries are severe, as long as I don't die on the spot, there should be some sort of healing process, right?"

The mature dragon hovered in the air, his expression complex as he looked at the black dragon and said hoarsely, "But what if there's no healing process?"

"Then I've lost my bet."

The black dragon shook his head, feeling a bit dejected but still forcing a smile, and said proudly, "But at least I've defeated a mature dragon of a higher level."

"It's a pity that this news won't spread, and no one will know of my strength as a black dragon. What a shame."

The black dragon's voice gradually weakened.

Then, without even the strength to hover in the air, his body slumped, and he fell into the depths of the clouds and mist.

"Alas," the mature dragon sighed, still hovering in the air. He transformed into a human form and waved his hand casually, causing the white mist to instantly gather and transform into a gushing spring.

The black dragon, who had fainted from his near-death state, was caught and held securely.

As he fell into the spring water, the wounds on the dragon's body began to heal rapidly, including the originally rotting wound, which, under the spring's cleansing, slowly regained a healthy pink hue.

The middle-aged man standing by the spring water looked at the unconscious black dragon in the water with a complex expression.

The black dragon had guessed correctly.

After passing the first stage, there indeed was a healing process.

Countless years had passed, and the dragon clan seemed to have long lost the information about the inheritance for young dragons. This little guy had entered without knowing anything, boldly challenging the trial.

You damn fool, you must have come here with the intention of risking your life!

It was in the dragon clan's nature to be cautious about their lives. This was an inherent trait of all top-tier creatures, especially during their juvenile stage, as only adult dragons in the dragon clan could achieve a qualitative breakthrough in cultivation.

So, during their juvenile stage, they were extremely afraid of death.

This was their innate nature.

But today, he had met an exception.

The middle-aged man shook his head, then couldn't help but laugh. A glint of pain and satisfaction flashed in his eyes. If a young dragon became fearless of death during its juvenile stage, there could only be one reason.

There must be something that this young dragon feared more than death itself.

But you're just a young dragon. The only task of a young dragon is to play carefree and without worries. What could possibly weigh on you so heavily?

He didn't think further.

He simply jumped into the spring water, plucking out the remaining dragon scales one by one. Each time a scale was pulled out, the unconscious black dragon's body would twitch.

"Boneless Rebirth!"

This was the true meaning of the first stage—to shatter all the scales of the young dragon and then soak in the Dragon Immortal Spring to regrow new, harder scales.

He remembered that every time a young dragon challenged this stage, they would come with an elder from their family, who would offer all sorts of benefits and beg for mercy, asking you to go easy on their junior."

The scales shattered.

For the dragon clan, the pain was almost comparable to a human cultivator having their testicles kicked.

Especially when all the scales on the body needed to be shattered, a pain that was unbearable for ordinary people.

But—

This was a process of breaking and rebuilding, and there was no room for going easy. Out of a hundred young dragons who came to challenge this stage, only one could grit their teeth and pass through.

Young dragons of the dragon clan were naturally cautious about their lives.

The torture at the brink of death would make those young dragons back out of the first stage due to fear, which was normal. Not every dragon could successfully change their scales and be reborn.

He had always been a strict guardian, never showing mercy to anyone. Even though he admired the black dragon, he didn't hold back when it came to testing him.

He had always believed that what was done was done, and what wasn't done was not done.

Even though he hadn't seen a young dragon in countless years, it didn't mean he would go easy on the black dragon. To do so would go against the very reason for his existence. The reason he had chosen to become a guardian of the dragon clan's inheritance, willingly confining himself to this small space for eternity, was because he loved the young dragons.

He loved children, especially those with resilient personalities and clever minds.

In a daze, he looked at the black dragon with even more admiration in his eyes. Of course, when he plucked the scales, he didn't go easy; if anything, he was even harsher.

He had become a guardian of the dragon clan's inheritance precisely because he was tired of seeing the same old schemes and plots.

Yet, even here in the dragon clan's inheritance, he encountered schemes he had never seen before!

It was truly astonishing!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end