Chapter 1224: Condensing the Sacred Image
The so-called "True Dragon" refers to members of the Divine Dragon Clan before they achieved godhood.
After the Divine Dragon Clan went extinct, no dragon clan dared to call themselves True Dragons.
However, some descendants of the Divine Dragon with its bloodline could awaken the dormant Divine Dragon blood within them, cultivating a True Dragon physique comparable to a young Divine Dragon.
Ao Xinyan possessed extraordinary talent. With Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei's help, she was getting closer and closer to achieving the True Dragon physique.
According to the saints of the Half-Dragon Human Clan, once Ao Xinyan underwent the baptism of the three Half-Saint tribulations, she could fully fuse her physique with the Divine Dragon bloodline, bringing her True Dragon physique to great perfection.
Under the full nurturing of the Half-Dragon Human Clan, Ao Xinyan's cultivation speed was astonishing, and she had already crossed the first Half-Saint tribulation.
Ao Xinyan was the woman the Devouring Demon Dragon had set his sights on, and she was likely to become a rising star in Ancestral Dragon Mountain in the future. The two Sacred Dragon Envoys naturally did not dare to offend her.
Ye Hong Sacred Dragon Envoy stepped forward and said, "The Half-Dragon Human Clan has always been a part of the Dragon Clan and should contribute to the great cause of unifying Ancestral Dragon Mountain. We will give the Clan Leader a few days to consider. When the Devouring Demon Dragon Highness arrives at Shenmeng Marsh, we hope the Clan Leader can give an answer that satisfies Ancestral Dragon Mountain."
The two Sacred Dragon Envoys left the Divine Dragon Hall but did not depart from the Half-Dragon Human Clan. Instead, they stayed temporarily in Shenmeng Marsh.
The high-ranking members of the Half-Dragon Human Clan were all furious.
"The Sacred Dragon Envoys of Ancestral Dragon Mountain are too overbearing. They severely injured the Young Clan Leader over a disagreement. Clan Leader, are we just going to let them off?" a hot-tempered burly man said in a deep voice.
An elder of the Half-Dragon Human Clan sighed, "Ancestral Dragon Mountain has existed since ancient times, and no one knows how deep their foundation truly is. During the peak of the First Central Empire, Ancestral Dragon Mountain might have been cautious. Now that the Empress has disappeared and the First Central Empire is engulfed in unprecedented internal strife, Ancestral Dragon Mountain fears no power in the entire Kunlun Realm. If the Half-Dragon Human Clan confronts Ancestral Dragon Mountain, it would undoubtedly be like an egg smashing against a rock."
The older cultivators present all understood how powerful Ancestral Dragon Mountain was, so they could well understand why the Clan Leader chose to endure.
It wasn't that they couldn't deal with the two Sacred Dragon Envoys, but the consequences of doing so might lead to the extermination of the Half-Dragon Human Clan.
"Clan Leader, are we really going to follow Ancestral Dragon Mountain's orders?" a saint of the Half-Dragon Human Clan asked.
"Ancestral Dragon Mountain has never regarded our Half-Dragon Human Clan as true members of the Dragon Clan. They see our bloodline as lowly and just want to use us as cannon fodder. Following Ancestral Dragon Mountain's orders will only lead the Half-Dragon Human Clan into the abyss of death."
"That's right, Ancestral Dragon Mountain only sees us as vassals and slaves. Even if we die, we won't fight for them."
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This matter concerned the life and death of hundreds of millions of people in the entire Half-Dragon Human Clan. Ao Yi was also deeply troubled, finding it extremely difficult to handle.
If they didn't follow Ancestral Dragon Mountain's orders, they would surely face brutal retaliation.
If they did follow, the future of the Half-Dragon Human Clan would still be bleak.
Someone else raised a question: "The Devouring Demon Dragon is a rising star being fully nurtured by the Ancestral Dragon Hall, with the potential to become the second Bi Huang. With such a noble status, why would he come to the Half-Dragon Human Clan? Could it really be for the Princess?"
Ao Yi glanced at Ao Xinyan and let out a soft sigh. "Yan'er, leave Shenmeng Marsh first and return to the Eastern Region Holy Academy to cultivate."
"No, I won't leave."
Ao Xinyan's gaze was firm. "Now is the most critical time for the Half-Dragon Human Clan. As the Eldest Princess, how could I run away?"
Ao Xinyan was not foolish. She had already guessed that her grandfather probably would not yield to Ancestral Dragon Mountain, and a racial war might soon break out.
Ao Yi urged again, "Once the Devouring Demon Dragon arrives at Shenmeng Marsh, even if you want to leave, you might not be able to. This is not the time for willfulness. You should learn to bide your time."
"Grandfather, don't persuade me anymore. I will live or die with the Half-Dragon Human Clan." Ao Xinyan's will was extremely resolute. Once she made a decision, she would not change it.
Ao Xinyan took the severely injured Ao Jing and withdrew, leaving the Divine Dragon Hall.
Ao Yi knew Ao Xinyan's character well, so he did not force her. Instead, he began to think about the next course of action.
Only the imperial court of the First Central Empire could oppose Ancestral Dragon Mountain. So, Ao Yi immediately wrote a letter and sent someone to deliver it to the Eastern Region Saint Prince Mansion.
At the same time, Ao Yi wrote other letters, inviting forces that had ties with the Half-Dragon Human Clan, hoping they could help at the critical moment.
Whether or not a racial war would break out, at least they needed to make the most thorough preparations in advance.
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Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged on the back of the Four-Winged Silverlight Crane, healing his injuries while traveling.
The Four-Winged Silverlight Crane's flying speed was indeed astonishing, comparable to a Lower Realm Saint. In just one day and one night, it had already flown out of the Fallen God Mountain Range, reached the edge of the Eastern Region, and was getting closer to the Wild Secret Realm.
"Whoosh——"
Zhang Ruochen let out a long breath, stood up, and stretched his arms.
Then, he struck out a palm print, causing the air to violently tremble and pushing a white cloud dozens of miles away.
Xiao Hei asked, "Are your injuries fully healed?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head with a smile. "This time, I was seriously injured. How could it be so easy to recover? Right now, I've recovered about thirty to forty percent. As long as I don't encounter an Upper Realm Saint, any other Saint-level being can be suppressed with a flip of my hand."
"You spent a whole day and night and only recovered thirty to forty percent. If this Emperor's Spring Revival Pill were successfully refined, it would probably take only half an hour for your injuries to be completely healed," Xiao Hei said.
The alchemy furnace for refining the Spring Revival Pill was placed on the back of the Four-Winged Silverlight Crane.
Inside the furnace, wisps of green pill vapor emanated, carrying a rich fragrance. Just by inhaling it, Zhang Ruochen felt the pain in his lungs and heart lessen.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "How much longer until the Spring Revival Pill is successfully refined?"
"The Spring Revival Pill is not some extraordinary sacred pill. The time needed to nurture the pill isn't too long. It should be ready soon," Xiao Hei said.
Sacred pills were also graded: Low-grade Sacred Pill, Mid-grade Sacred Pill, High-grade Sacred Pill, Earth-grade Sacred Pill, and Heaven-grade Sacred Pill.
It was said that above Heaven-grade Sacred Pills, there were even higher-grade sacred pills.
However, pills of that grade were extremely spiritual, possessing intelligence equal to humans. They could take human form and unleash devastating combat power, making it impossible even for Saints to contend with them.
Such high-grade sacred pills were extremely rare. Once they emerged from the furnace, they themselves were peerless experts. Who would dare to consume them?
The Spring Revival Pill and the Saint Yuan Pill were both Low-grade Sacred Pills. Their refining methods were relatively simple and did not require too much time to nurture the pill.
Of course, even Low-grade Sacred Pills were priceless. Saints would be quite tempted and would fight to seize them.
Zhang Ruochen did not continue healing his injuries. Instead, he began to test how much his strength had increased after crossing the third Half-Saint tribulation.
Crossing the third Half-Saint tribulation did not immediately make a cultivator a Saint.
First, one had to cultivate a "Sacred Image," and then condense a "Sacred Source" before stepping into the Saint realm.
Now, Zhang Ruochen was only a Three Tribulation Half-Saint, still a small distance away from achieving martial sainthood.
"After enduring the thunder tribulation's tempering, my spiritual power has actually reached the fifty-first rank." Zhang Ruochen was surprised.
For a spiritual power Saint, reaching the fifty-first rank meant they could already contend with a Mid-level Saint.
Some formidable fifty-first rank spiritual power Saints could even challenge Upper-level Saints.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen did not primarily cultivate spiritual power. He had not practiced many high-level spells, so relying solely on spiritual power could not unleash too great a combat strength.
The increase in spiritual power only made his control over space and time stronger.
After crossing the third Half-Saint tribulation, Zhang Ruochen's combat power had not increased significantly. After all, being able to contend with an Upper-level Saint with just his physical body was already quite abnormal. The achievements in martial arts seemed insignificant in comparison.
Unless Zhang Ruochen could cultivate a "Sacred Image," his strength would truly increase somewhat.
Every cultivator who crossed the third Half-Saint tribulation had to use the Sacred Dao rules they had comprehended to condense their own Sacred Image.
Once the Sacred Image was cultivated, the cultivator's combat power would increase significantly, bringing them closer to a true Saint.
"All cultivators who practice the 'Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture' can condense the Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Image. I wonder how powerful the Immovable Wisdom King Sacred Image really is?"
Zhang Ruochen could not wait. He closed his eyes and entered a meditative state, releasing all the Sacred Dao rules he had comprehended.
Sword Dao rules, Time rules, Space rules, Palm Dao rules... All kinds of Sacred Dao rules appeared densely, some thick, some thin, arranged all around Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen raised both arms, forcibly pressing all the Sacred Dao rules together, and uttered a single word: "Condense."
Something unexpected happened. The Palm Dao rules actually separated from the many Sacred Dao rules and independently condensed into a Sacred Image.
The Sacred Image condensed from the Palm Dao rules was not human-shaped but a dragon and an elephant.
The dragon coiled around the elephant, emitting a golden light ten thousand feet high, appearing exceptionally sacred.
"How can this be? Why did the Palm Dao rules separate on their own? Could it be that I can condense multiple Sacred Images?"
Zhang Ruochen was astonished, not knowing what was happening.
Putting aside his thoughts, Zhang Ruochen steeled himself and mobilized the Sword Dao rules, attempting to condense a second Sacred Image.
If he could truly condense a second Sacred Image, then Zhang Ruochen would likely become the first martial saint to possess two Sacred Images simultaneously.
Perhaps it wouldn't stop at two, but three, four... or even more.
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(End of this chapter)