Chapter 1260: True Dragon Body Achieved
A first-rank quasi-saint, having only undergone one tribulation, had directly condensed a sacred source and stepped into the saint realm. How could this not be astonishing?
"Really? Even condensing a sacred source takes a long time. How could it be this fast?"
Even with Xiao Hei's experience, he found it hard to believe.
He stared at Ao Xinyan with a suspicious gaze, wondering if she had obtained some incredible inheritance.
But even if she had received an inheritance, it would require an immense external force, unimaginable to ordinary people, to enable a quasi-saint to condense a sacred source in an instant.
Becoming a saint—how could it be that easy?
Xiao Hei asked again, "Just now, did a remnant soul of a divine dragon really descend?"
"Xiao Hei."
Zhang Ruochen shouted lightly, glaring at him.
Regardless of what had actually happened, it was certain that Ao Xinyan had encountered an extraordinary opportunity. For her, this was a secret. How could she speak of it openly?
Everyone harbors secrets they cannot share with others.
Ao Xinyan cast a grateful and apologetic glance at Zhang Ruochen and said, "During this tribulation, I indeed obtained a great opportunity. My True Dragon Body has reached Great Perfection."
A perfected True Dragon Body was hailed as one of the most powerful physiques, equal in strength to a young divine dragon. In ancient times, young divine dragons rarely met their match at the same cultivation level, representing the pinnacle of combat power.
Cultivating a True Dragon Body meant there was a high chance of eventually transforming into a divine dragon, becoming an existence on par with the gods.
Zhang Ruochen's eyes lit up as he examined Ao Xinyan again. He could sense that her slender body now contained an incredibly terrifying surge of power.
Ao Xinyan's eyes gleamed with fervor. "Captain, with my current strength, can I rival the Devouring Demon Dragon?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Your physique is no weaker than the Devouring Demon Dragon's, but there is still a gap between you and it."
Ao Xinyan looked unconvinced and wanted to argue, but Zhang Ruochen stopped her.
He continued, "Your talent and comprehension are extremely high, among the top tier in the entire Kunlun Realm. However, the Devouring Demon Dragon's talent and comprehension are once-in-ten-thousand-years rare. Its mastery of the sacred path and sacred arts far surpasses yours. Additionally, it possesses the Ancestral Dragon Scale and has absorbed a mature Nuanling Dragon Flame, widening the gap between your strengths."
Zhang Ruochen's assessment was objective and factual, but Ao Xinyan remained unconvinced.
She said, "The Devouring Demon Dragon's mastery of the sacred path and sacred arts is indeed much greater than mine now, but in the future, I may not be unable to catch up or even surpass it."
"Having fighting spirit and confidence is a good thing."
Zhang Ruochen secretly guessed that Ao Xinyan had likely obtained something truly remarkable; otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken with such conviction.
Ao Xinyan added, "The Devouring Demon Dragon has indeed absorbed a Nuanling Dragon Flame, but Nuanling Dragon Flame is not invincible. Extreme Yin Dragon Qi can counter it."
Xiao Hei nodded. "That's right. Nuanling Dragon Flame and Extreme Yin Dragon Qi do counter each other. If you can successfully absorb Extreme Yin Dragon Qi at the Yin Eye of the Yin-Yang Sea, you'll have the strength to stand against the Devouring Demon Dragon."
Zhang Ruochen's heart stirred. "What is the Yin Eye of the Yin-Yang Sea?"
"The Yin Eye is opposite the Yang Eye. The Divine Dragon Clan calls it the Abandoned Deep Sea. Its danger far exceeds the depths beneath Dragon Fire Island. Even young divine dragons dare not enter. Since the Middle Ages, few creatures who dared to venture into the Abandoned Deep Sea have come out alive," Ao Xinyan said.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Xiao Hei, is your physical body sealed there?"
"Exactly."
Xiao Hei's eyes rolled slyly, and he lowered his voice. "The Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower is likely at the deepest part of the Abandoned Deep Sea."
Zhang Ruochen said, "How do you know such a secret?"
"You're not tricking us into going to the Abandoned Deep Sea to retrieve your body, are you?" Ao Xinyan, knowing Xiao Hei well, was suspicious of his words.
"I, the Emperor, never speak nonsense. I have solid evidence, but it's not convenient to tell you," Xiao Hei said coldly.
Zhang Ruochen shrugged, looking indifferent. "I came to the Yin-Yang Sea mainly to find the recipe for the Six Saints Ascension Wine. I don't hold much hope for the Divine Dragon Sun-Moon Chaos Tower."
"Finding the recipe for the Six Saints Ascension Wine depends on luck."
Xiao Hei told Zhang Ruochen the truth. Back then, the six human saints had just brewed the first batch of Ascension Wine when they were attacked by a large number of sacred beasts from the Nine Li Palace.
The six saints tried to destroy the recipe but failed.
The leader who killed the six saints was a sacred beast king from the Dragon-Li Cat Clan. That beast king used the recipe to brew a batch of Ascension Wine, but its effects were far inferior to the wine brewed by the six saints.
Moreover, Ascension Wine had no effect on savage beasts at all, seemingly only able to enhance human physiques.
Thus, the Nine Li Palace did not place much importance on the recipe, which remained with that sacred beast king.
Later, when that beast king was nearing the end of his lifespan, he ventured into the Yin-Yang Sea seeking an opportunity to break through and extend his life, but he never returned.
For this reason, Xiao Hei told Zhang Ruochen that the recipe for the Six Saints Ascension Wine was in the Yin-Yang Sea.
After hearing Xiao Hei's account, Zhang Ruochen couldn't help but smile bitterly. "The Yin-Yang Sea is vast beyond measure. Finding the remains of that sacred beast king is like searching for a needle in the ocean."
"That's why I said it depends on luck. However..."
Xiao Hei paused, then continued, "It's said that beast king was quite powerful in his old age but was a coward. So, when he entered the Yin-Yang Sea, he wouldn't have wandered recklessly. He should have taken a ghost ship, following the same route we're on now. Even if he died, it would likely be along this route or on one of those ghost ships."
"Perhaps," Zhang Ruochen said.
Next, Zhang Ruochen took out a sacred medicine and handed it to Huang Yanchen, letting her absorb and refine it to break through to a higher realm.
Seeing Ao Xinyan cultivate her True Dragon Body and reach the saint realm, Huang Yanchen seemed to feel some pressure. She accepted the sacred medicine and began to cultivate.
Zhang Ruochen then took Ao Xinyan alone to the other end of the deck.
His gaze was deep, fixed on the boundless sea. No one knew what he was thinking at that moment.
Ao Xinyan stood behind Zhang Ruochen and asked, "Captain, if you want to know what I just experienced and gained, I can tell you now."
After a pause, she added softly, "Only you."
Zhang Ruochen didn't respond. After a long while, he said, "Everyone's cultivation path is different. What you've gained or possess doesn't matter to me. You have your path; I have mine."
"If it's not about that, why did you want to see me alone?" Ao Xinyan asked, puzzled.
"Don't you want to challenge the Devouring Demon Dragon? It has the Ancestral Dragon Scale. You can't defeat it no matter what."
Zhang Ruochen had witnessed the primal, ancient power emanating from the Ancestral Dragon Scale. It was truly terrifying, which is why he said this.
Ao Xinyan said, "I've obtained the Divine Dragon Silver Armor. It might be able to withstand the Ancestral Dragon Scale."
Zhang Ruochen had already guessed as much, so when Ao Xinyan mentioned the Divine Dragon Silver Armor, he wasn't surprised. He only said calmly, "No matter how miraculous the Divine Dragon Silver Armor is, its main function is still defense. Do you want to keep taking hits? Even the strongest defense can be broken through if you're always on the defensive."
Ao Xinyan wanted to retort, because the Divine Dragon Silver Armor wasn't just a simple suit of armor. Like the Ten Saints Blood Armor, it could greatly enhance a cultivator's strength and speed, and it also provided the blessing of divine dragon power, elevating her combat ability to a formidable level.
But upon reflection, if the Divine Dragon Silver Armor had offensive capabilities, didn't the Ancestral Dragon Scale also have defensive ones?
Comparing the two, the Divine Dragon Silver Armor's main function was indeed defense, unable to match the Ancestral Dragon Scale's offensive power.
"Captain, what are you trying to say?" Ao Xinyan asked.
Zhang Ruochen touched his space ring, and with a flash of light, a Realm Seal appeared in his hand. He handed it to Ao Xinyan. "Only by using the Realm Seal can you engage the Devouring Demon Dragon head-on. I've thought about it for a long time. This Realm Seal is best suited for you."
The value of the Realm Seal went without saying. It represented a nascent world. As long as a cultivator continuously infused sacred path rules into it, it could eventually evolve into a real world. By then, the Realm Seal's power would be unimaginable.
If Zhang Ruochen didn't have the Qiankun Realm, he wouldn't have given away the Realm Seal.
Of course, for the nascent world within the Realm Seal to evolve into a real world, only the most exceptional prodigies could achieve it. Giving it to an ordinary saint would be a complete waste.
Initially, Zhang Ruochen had planned to give the Realm Seal to Han Qiu after she became a saint, hoping that the nascent world within it would absorb dark rules and evolve into a dark world, unleashing unparalleled power.
But later, Han Qiu chose to leave...
Besides Han Qiu, Zhang Ruochen had a few other candidates, such as Han Xue, A Le, Mu Lingxi, and Murong Yue. In the end, he ruled them out one by one. Some weren't suited for cultivating a world, while others couldn't sustain one. Ao Xinyan, however, had risen to prominence, earning Zhang Ruochen's admiration.
No one wants to fight alone. Zhang Ruochen naturally hoped that Ao Xinyan would grow stronger and become his right hand.
Perhaps, by absorbing her sacred path rules, the nascent world within the Realm Seal could evolve into a Dragon Realm.
Of course, the so-called "Dragon Realm" was just Zhang Ruochen's wishful thinking. Achieving that step would be even harder than becoming a god.
(Chapter End)