Chapter 407: Golden Talent: True Dragon Bloodline!
Standing against the wind overseas, Lü Yang felt utterly at ease.
With the aid of his [Exquisite Heart], he could clearly sense the heavens and earth casting their gaze upon him at this moment, brimming with intense malice.
This was only natural.
After all, he had just redirected Tian Qiu's long-accumulated killing move onto the heavens and earth itself—essentially delivering a vicious, unexpected slap to the cosmos.
'Too bad. What can you do about it?'
Lü Yang truly feared nothing. After all, [With the World] bound him directly to the heavens and earth. No matter how furious they became, they had no choice but to stand by his side.
Just like now.
Shifting his gaze, Lü Yang looked toward Tian Qiu not far away. The Dragon Palace's crown prince had completely lost his mind, his eyes bloodshot with madness.
An absolute calamity!
For Tian Qiu, this was truly an undeserved disaster. Out of nowhere, an otherworldly cultivator had appeared, and after a single battle, his Fate's Breath had been utterly depleted!
Honestly, given the outcome, he might as well have been beaten half to death. At least the Dragon Palace possessed countless treasures—even if his Physical Form were pulverized, recovery would still be possible. But once Fate's Breath and merit were lost, they were gone! Even if they could be restored, it wouldn't be in time for his fleeting decades-long opportunity to pursue Golden Core formation!
At this thought, Tian Qiu snapped completely.
When he looked at Lü Yang again, only one thought remained in his mind:
"Kill him!"
The rage in Tian Qiu's heart at this moment could not be washed away even with the waters of all four seas. His path to the Dao had been severed. Without killing this man, the hatred in his heart would never be quelled!
Yet Lü Yang remained perfectly calm.
The halo formed by [With the World] hovered behind his head, from which countless spiderweb-like light patterns extended, binding him inextricably to this stretch of heaven and earth.
"Boom!"
The next moment, Tian Qiu once again summoned the countless masses of [Profound River Heavy Water], gathering them into a tidal wave that crashed toward Lü Yang. The sight even drew an admiring click of Lü Yang's tongue.
'So strong. Too strong...'
Lü Yang knew full well he couldn't withstand this [Profound River Heavy Water].
In a direct clash, at best he could rely on [Tribulation Wave] and his sword intent to hold out briefly against it. But over time, defeat would be inevitable.
'...Is this a True Method?'
Ancestor Nether Whisper had once told him that among the Four Great Powers, there existed techniques specially prepared for those at Foundation Establishment Perfection—methods that could only be cultivated with hope of success after refining Metal Essence.
These were called [True Methods].
'Similar True Methods exist in the memories of both Hong Yun and Uncle Chongguang.'
'But such True Methods usually require customization—they must align with the Fruit Position indicated by the Metal Essence to be usable. So they're utterly useless to me.'
After all, he hadn't yet condensed his own Metal Essence.
"Didn't expect Tian Qiu to possess such a True Method either."
'Unexpected, yet reasonable. The True Dragon Clan has deep reserves, and he even has a True Lord father backing him.'
"Pah! What True Method?"
At this thought, Lü Yang couldn't help but curse aloud: "A Daoist method requiring customization by a True Lord—this isn't a battle of skill, it's a battle of connections!"
After his outburst, Lü Yang laughed again.
Truly a backward place—the power level wasn't even in the same league as the Seven Luminaries Heaven.
Now this felt right!
With these reflections, Lü Yang didn't dodge or evade, allowing Tian Qiu's [Profound River Heavy Water] to crash down before reactivating [With the World].
Damage transfer!
"Boom!"
Another thunderous roar echoed across the firmament, as if someone had cried out in pain. In that instant, Lü Yang clearly sensed the heavens' gaze upon him intensify.
"Beast!"
Meanwhile, Tian Qiu also noticed something was wrong. Amidst the fury that had nearly blinded him, a sliver of clarity emerged—but it was drowned by even greater frustration:
"If you have any skill, don't use that Divine Ability!"
Disgusting!
In all his years, Tian Qiu considered himself well-traveled and knowledgeable. Yet this was the first time he'd encountered such a revolting Divine Ability—utterly shameless.
"The howls of a defeated dog."
Lü Yang paid no heed, merely offering a cold smile. The strength of [With the World] lay in its binding to heaven and earth, but this same connection limited it—it couldn't be used as a killing move.
But paired with his other methods? That was a different story.
'Sign of Fortune Drawing!'
[Event: Slay Tian Qiu]
[Great Auspice: This man's Fate's Breath is exhausted—he's already marked for death]
[Great Auspice: This man's Fate's Breath is exhausted—he's already marked for death]
[Great Auspice: This man's Fate's Breath is exhausted—he's already marked for death]
'As expected!'
A savage grin spread across Lü Yang's face. Whether [Sign of Fortune Drawing] yielded favorable results depended not just on himself, but also on the strength of his target's fortune.
And now, Tian Qiu's Fate's Breath and merit had been completely depleted.
Thus, for any action targeting him, [Sign of Fortune Drawing] would invariably return Great Auspice!
'Tian Qiu's destiny is sealed!'
Almost simultaneously, Tian Qiu felt a twitch between his eyebrows as an unprecedented sense of crisis flooded his heart, scattering all his rage and frustration.
'If this fight continues...my life may be in danger!'
At this realization, Tian Qiu didn't dare linger another moment. He plunged straight toward the sea below, intending to escape via water-escape. Witnessing this, Lü Yang simply formed a hand seal, channeling [True Qi Containment] to its limits as it transformed into a gaping maw descending upon Tian Qiu.
Seeing this, Tian Qiu felt slightly reassured.
'This level of technique...can't kill me!'
Once he returned to the Dragon Palace, he'd be as secure as Mount Tai. As for the loss of Fate's Breath and merit, solutions could be found later. As long as he survived, all would be well—
Then—
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion interrupted Tian Qiu's thoughts. The sea surface he'd been diving toward suddenly erupted with an immense surge of scorching energy!
[Earth Fire Heart Furnace]!
This undersea volcano meticulously crafted by Suo Huan—already damaged earlier by Sui Ling and Sui Ying, then further affected by Lü Yang and Tian Qiu's battle—had chosen this moment to erupt!
The fire-sha nurtured in the ocean depths for countless years burst forth in full force, coincidentally engulfing Tian Qiu just as he attempted to dive beneath the waves.
Instantly, the entire sea surface billowed with steam as terrifying heat waves mingled with gold-red radiance cascaded over Tian Qiu's draconic form. Wherever they passed, scales charred red and split apart, allowing flames to slither beneath his flesh, searing through his internal organs.
"Ah?"
Before Tian Qiu could even react, his body had been burned through by the fire-sha. Scales and flesh melted together, half his draconic head reduced to bare bone.
Yet even in this state, his thoughts remained sharp.
'Keep running!'
Though formidable, the fire-sha couldn't kill him—at worst, it would compound his injuries. As long as he reached the Dragon Palace, recovery methods would be plentiful.
With this in mind, he forcefully activated his magic power to flee.
But the next moment, his energy suddenly stagnated. The Divine Ability that should have flowed smoothly instead went berserk, leaving him frozen in place!
'This is...qi deviation?'
'Me? Qi deviation???'
The absurdity of it struck Tian Qiu—a perfected Foundation Establishment expert on the verge of Golden Core, suffering qi deviation? Ridiculous beyond words!
But he had no time to dwell on it.
Because Lü Yang's Divine Ability had already arrived, timed perfectly for the instant Tian Qiu's defenses were down during his qi deviation.
[True Qi Containment]!
In that split second, the radiant Divine Ability became a monstrous maw that swallowed the Dragon Prince whole, leaving behind only a final roar of protest:
This wasn't a failure of battle!
"I refuse...to accept..."
Tian Qiu attempted a last desperate resistance, even detonating his draconic form. But it was too late. His majestic body crumbled utterly beneath Lü Yang's Divine Ability.
"Boom!"
Amidst the swirling colors, a golden light silently slipped into Lü Yang's sleeve before being thoroughly consumed by the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], leaving nothing behind.
Tian Qiu's Metal Essence!
[Calculating "Tian Qiu's" experiences...]
[You were the Dragon Lord's second son, a True Dragon Bloodline—once a favored scion of heaven and earth. Though times have changed and heaven's favor has faded, remnants of your former glory remain.]
Soon, golden light erupted across the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] panel!
[You have obtained the Golden Talent: True Dragon Bloodline]
[True Dragon Bloodline: Though human in form, you are draconic by descent. Naturally blessed by the Water Element Fruit Position, inheriting the majesty of True Dragons—you can wield all innate abilities of the True Dragons.]
"..."
Staring at this golden talent, Lü Yang's expression gradually twisted into something peculiar.
So...does this make me a True Dragon now?
With this thought, he abruptly looked toward the Dragon Palace's direction. With the Dragon Lord absent and the crown prince dead...shouldn't the Dragon Palace's treasures...have a share belonging to him too?