“Other races… Gods?”
“Yes. In the future, you may see thirty-meter giants, beings of perfection who live for millennia, and winged races that soar through the sky on wings of light.”
Xiao Chen asked abruptly, “How do the legendary Bodhidharma, Dugu Qiubai, and Lang Fanyun compare to gods?”
Yizhen nodded. “Those heroes who have already seen through life and death — perhaps they may already be called gods.”
“May I be so bold as to ask, Venerable Yizhen, is there an urgent reason you came to Dragon Island?”
Yizhen smiled. “I am no venerable; just call me Yizhen. I came here to try my luck — to see if I can find the Ancestral Dragon.”
A look of surprise crossed Xiao Chen’s face. “The Ancestral Dragon? Isn’t that the totem of the mortal world? A legendary, nonexistent being?”
The so-called Ancestral Dragon was the divine dragon of mortal legend. Royalty had always styled themselves as Sons of the Divine Dragon, but the divine dragon had never appeared in the real world. Unlike tyrannosaurs, pterosaurs, or thunder lizards — which had once existed — the Ancestral Dragon was thought to be mere fiction.
Yizhen the monk spoke seriously. “The Ancestral Dragon does exist, but it seems there can only be one in heaven and earth. Two can never meet. It is the dragon among dragons. It may be born from a tyrannosaur, or from a stegosaur… any dragon can give birth to it. From the moment it is a hatchling, it fights among the lesser dragons, constantly transforming and changing its original form, until it has defeated ten thousand dragons and metamorphosed into a five-clawed Ancestral Dragon.”
“So the Ancestral Dragon is not born as such — it emerges through battle, rising from among ten thousand dragons through transformation?”
“Yes. Any young dragon has the potential to become an Ancestral Dragon! But a true Ancestral Dragon shows its brilliance even in infancy and is easily recognized.” Yizhen gazed at Dragon Island, where the roars of savage beasts rose and fell continuously. “The seers of all races on the continent have predicted that an Ancestral Dragon will be born on this island. The sealed Dragon Island may be unsealed because of it.”
Dragon Island, as its name implied, was the island where dragons dwelled. The ancient dragon race had been sealed here, and it indeed possessed the conditions to produce an Ancestral Dragon.
The ancient dragon race — if not sealed — could stand against gods! The legendary Ancestral Dragon… one could only marvel at the thought! This made it easy to understand why Wang Zifeng, Guluo, and the others had come here. If someone could tame an infant Ancestral Dragon, the consequences were unimaginable.
Yizhen shook his head with a rueful smile. “Seeking the Ancestral Dragon is a mere fantasy. I would be content if I could find a Companion Dragon during this trip.”
“Companion Dragon?”
“When an Ancestral Dragon is born, several Companion Dragons are born alongside it. Their strength is not far inferior to the Ancestral Dragon’s; they serve as its finest whetstone. Like the Ancestral Dragon, they show their brilliance even in infancy and are easily recognized. They too can transform through combat, and they are the Ancestral Dragon’s most powerful opponents and mortal enemies. Legend even says that some young Companion Dragons can kill the original infant Ancestral Dragon and take its place, becoming the supreme dragon sovereign.”
“The path of the Ancestral Dragon is brutal indeed,” Xiao Chen remarked.
“Yes, exceedingly brutal. Otherwise, it could not possess a strength that makes even gods tremble.”
Xiao Chen suddenly thought of a question. If the Ancestral Dragon was so powerful, would the heroes who had achieved eternal life in the world between heaven and earth appear here to seek the infant Ancestral Dragon? Yizhen’s answer made Xiao Chen feel the eerie strangeness of Dragon Island even more keenly.
After Dragon Island was sealed, not only did the dragons lose their divine abilities, but even gods who set foot on the island suffered the same fate. However, gods could recover after a long period of rest once they left. The dragons were not so fortunate.
Thus, the stronger one was, the more afraid they were to enter Dragon Island.
Furthermore, the thousand-li surrounding sea was also affected. Under normal circumstances, it was a death zone, nearly impossible to cross — a true Forbidden Sea. Only once every few hundred years did the deathly confinement of the Forbidden Sea lift for a time. Now, another cycle had come, and the sea was temporarily passable.
“Venerable Yizhen, did you cross the sea alone?”
Yizhen shook his head. “This island is tens of thousands of li from the continent. I lack the strength to cross alone. I came by ship with other practitioners. According to our predecessors’ notes, there are fierce dragons in the waters around Dragon Island. So we separated near here. I merely arrived ahead of the others.”
As they spoke, several figures appeared in the azure sea, approaching rapidly from different directions. Some propelled small boats with mystic arts; others rode flying scrolls through the air. What astonished Xiao Chen most was a golden-haired young man who flew directly through the sky.
Noticing Xiao Chen’s surprise, Yizhen explained, “That is a divine-granted curse master from the Western tribes. It is said they can borrow the power of the gods they worship.”
The figures quickly rushed onto the beach. When they saw Yizhen standing with a tall, handsome young man, they seemed surprised.
Xiao Chen assessed them in return. All appeared to be exceptional individuals, each bearing an extraordinary air.
A beautiful woman always drew attention, and a city-toppling beauty who could make the moon pale would forever be the focus of all eyes. Among the four who had come ashore was such a woman whose beauty stunned the world — in no way inferior to the Royal Celestial Maiden, Zhao Lin’er.
“Yan Qingcheng, heiress of the Undying Evil King lineage,” Yizhen murmured quietly for Xiao Chen alone while they were still some distance apart.
A striking name, but fitting indeed. Her graceful, lithe form seemed the most perfect creation of heaven — if she stood among flowers, even the blossoms would dim. Clad in fluttering purple garments, her snow-like skin appeared even more tender and vibrant. Her long, glossy black hair fell naturally over her shoulders. Beneath long lashes, her eyes brimmed with spirit. Her nose was delicate, her lips moist, her teeth like fine jade. Her peerless countenance seemed veiled in faint mist, dreamlike and illusory.
Yan Qingcheng — one could not help but remember her deeply. Such a woman of unparalleled grace would etch herself into the heart of anyone who saw her for the first time.
However, Xiao Chen sensed something ominous. This woman might become his deadly enemy. Yan Qingcheng was most likely the junior sister of Wang Zifeng, whom he had ambushed and killed!
Yan Qingcheng was stunning, drawing unavoidable attention. But the last of the four to step onto the beach was in no way handsome — yet equally remarkable.
This man stood a full three meters tall, towering over ordinary people. His brownish-yellow hair hung loose over his shoulders. He had thick brows, leopard-like eyes, and a rugged face. Strangest of all, he had a pair of upright wolf ears and a long, powerful tiger tail. Xiao Chen could not help but stare.
Yizhen whispered to Xiao Chen, “Kaio, a young strongman of the Barbarian tribes. The Barbarian population is very sparse, but they are born warriors with overwhelming physical strength. Legend says that their bloodline seals ancient, powerful beast souls, so they are also called the Beast Clan.”
Xiao Chen looked at the three-meter Kaio, imagining his explosive power and the unknown, fearsome beast soul within. Such a man must be unmatched in ferocity.
The sound of shifting sand arose on the beach. Green vines began to emerge from beneath the sand — a truly astonishing sight. Strands of vines coiled around another young man ahead.
Earlier, he had seemed ordinary, the least noticeable of the four. But now he became the center of attention.
“Dragon Island indeed possesses strange power. My spiritual energy has been disturbed!”
Hearing his conclusion, the others present frowned. Yizhen explained softly for Xiao Chen, “Yarode, a young strongman of the Forest Tribe. Their people have the ability to manipulate plants.”
Yarode had dark green hair and pale green pupils. His features were plain, his frame slender. But Xiao Chen dared not underestimate the man’s strength. In just a moment, the beach had turned lush and green. This foreign youth possessed very peculiar abilities, and his methods of attack were likely equally unusual.
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