Chapter 450 Ancient True Dragon? Azure Ancient Dragon!!

[ancestral dragon essence blood]

[Grade]: Legendary Grade

[Attributes]: Five Elements, Wind and Thunder, and other all attributes

[Description]: The life essence blood spilled across heaven and earth when the ancient Ancestral Dragon fell.

The Ancestral Dragon is the Ancestor of ten thousand dragons and the venerable of scaled creatures. Its essence blood contains the most primitive and purest Dragon Clan Origin Bloodline Power from the beginning of heaven and earth.

This item has a Heaven-Defying Bloodline leap effect for all beast companions with Dragon Clan Bloodlines, but it has certain requirements for Bloodline purity.

The closer the Bloodline is to a True Dragon, the stronger the refining effect; conversely, one might suffer a backlash due to being unable to withstand the ancient dragon might contained within the essence blood.

[Core Ability · Ancestral Dragon Origin Awakening]: After a beast companion with Dragon Clan Bloodline refines this item, the ancient Ancestral Dragon Origin power within the essence blood will perform a foundational Awakening of the dormant dragon genes within its body.

The specific effect depends on the current Bloodline purity of the beast companion; those with True Dragon Bloodline can directly increase their Bloodline purity by one major level.

Those with Pseudo-Dragon Bloodlines can use this to complete the key transformation toward a True Dragon Bloodline. The Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline will begin to transform into a True Dragon Bloodline, and the progress of the transformation depends on the beast companion's own Foundation and subsequent opportunities.

Once the transformation starts, it is irreversible, and for every additional drop of ancestral dragon essence blood refined, the transformation progress will leap forward by a large step.

Upon reaching a certain level, even a Pseudo-Dragon can turn into a True Dragon.

[Special Effect · Ancestral Dragon Will Legacy]: During the refining process, the beast companion has a chance to awaken a life Divine Ability of the Ancestral Dragon, a forbidden skill of the Dragon Clan. This skill is not limited by attributes, and its power will grow synchronously with the increase in Bloodline purity.

[Extra Gift · Ten Thousand Dragons Pay Homage]: After refining is complete, the beast companion will receive an Ancestral Dragon aura bonus, producing an Innate Bloodline suppression effect against all beast companions with Dragon Clan Bloodlines lower than its own. The suppression range increases with the Bloodline purity gap and can cause the opponent's combat power to decrease by fifty percent.

[Restriction Note]: The Ancestral Dragon Origin power contained within the Medium Grade Legendary ancestral dragon essence blood is extremely violent. During refining, one must endure the intense pain of Bloodline burning and Physical Body reconstruction.

When refining with a Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline, the level of pain is doubled.

After refining, the transformation progress can be pushed forward by about thirty to forty percent; it still takes several more drops of ancestral dragon essence blood to completely turn into a True Dragon.

[Challenge Conditions]: Defeat the ancient dragonkin phantom projected by the Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation. The phantom's Realm will be ten Realm levels or more higher than the highest-level beast companion summoned by the Beast Tamer.

This challenge is an exclusive trial for Legendary Grade treasures; no external help is allowed.

...

Jiang Yun's gaze was fixed firmly on the entry information.

ancestral dragon essence blood.

Real ancestral dragon essence blood!

Jiang Yun never expected.

In the deepest part of the seventh floor of the Star Pavilion, a real drop of ancestral dragon essence blood was actually hidden.

And the information made Jiang Yun sigh in admiration.

Just how powerful was this Ancestral Dragon?

Just a single drop of essence blood was already a Legendary Grade treasure!

Moreover, it was written clearly in the entry.

As long as enough ancestral dragon essence blood was absorbed.

Even a Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline could transform into a True Dragon.

Little Fire's current Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline had already begun to evolve toward a True Dragon, and its appearance was infinitely close to a dragon, but its Bloodline essence was still that of a Pseudo-Dragon.

If it could refine this drop of ancestral dragon essence blood, Little Fire's Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline would officially begin the key transformation into a True Dragon Bloodline. Although the transformation progress would only advance a little, it was already a qualitative Breakthrough.

Jiang Yun took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and began to calmly analyze the challenge conditions.

Ten Realm levels.

The entry said ten Realm levels or more, rather than the clear indication of how many minor stages higher as before.

And this time, there were no certain markings like before.

Previously, the challenge conditions for every floor would clearly state three stages higher, eight stages higher, nine stages higher—precise numbers.

But this time, the entry used the vague expression "ten Realm levels or more."

This meant that the Realm span of the opponent in this challenge might no longer be a precise number of minor stages, but a more vague and terrifying range.

According to conventional understanding, ten Realm levels meant that if Little Fire entered the Trial Space at the Peak Gold Rank 9 Realm, the phantom's Realm would be at least Peak Purple Gold Rank 9.

If the calculation method for Realm levels was even stricter, it might even cross the chasm between Purple Gold Rank and Diamond Rank, directly matching the Diamond Rank.

Between Peak Purple Gold Rank 9 and Diamond Rank, although there was only one stage difference, that stage was the watershed between major Realms.

The spiritual power quality and Law control of a Diamond Rank powerhouse were completely in a different dimension compared to the Peak of the Purple Gold Rank.

But...

This drop of ancestral dragon essence blood was too important for Little Fire.

This was a key step for Little Fire to transform into a True Dragon Bloodline.

If he missed this time, heaven knows when he would encounter a second drop of ancestral dragon essence blood.

Moreover, if he guessed correctly, the distribution of ancestral dragon essence blood was extremely scattered. Every drop was scattered in some corner of the Endless Continent; some might be in Secret Realms, some in the depths of forbidden zones, and some might even be collected by other top-tier forces.

To absorb enough would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

But the more it was like this, the more he couldn't let a single drop go.

Jiang Yun's fist clenched unconsciously.

A bold plan flashed through his mind.

If after entering the Trial Space, he found the opponent's Realm was truly too ridiculous to defeat head-on.

Then he would, inside the Trial Space, have Little Fire perform a Purple Gold Rank Breakthrough on the spot within the Beast Taming Space, breaking through the Purple Gold Rank Bottleneck.

From Peak Gold Rank 9 to Purple Gold Rank level one, although it was only a one-stage difference, it was a leap across major Realms, and Little Fire's combat power would undergo a qualitative leap.

If that still wasn't enough, he could even have Little Skylark evolve on the spot in the Trial Space.

The three evolution Materials were already complete. Although evolving here would expose Little Skylark's trump cards, compared to the value of the ancestral dragon essence blood, this bit of risk was entirely worth it.

In the Beast Taming Space, his beast companions could obtain the dual enhancement of the Beast Taming Space's Heaven-Defying characteristics and the gift of heaven and earth, completing evolution and Breakthrough in a short time.

This tactic of breaking through in the middle of a battle was risky, but absolutely feasible.

Jiang Yun slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He had already made a decision in his heart.

He was determined to get this drop of ancestral dragon essence blood.

He stepped forward, resolutely walking toward the dark-gold display stand where the ancestral dragon essence blood was displayed.

And at this moment.

In front of the mystic light mirror.

Liu Qingyun's pupils suddenly shrank.

His gaze was fixed firmly on the display stand Jiang Yun was walking toward. The dark-gold blood floating on that dark-gold display stand reflected an eerie light in the mirror.

He naturally knew what that was.

That was one of the core Foundations the Liu family had cherished most for hundreds of years, the Legendary Grade treasure the Ancestor had exchanged half his life for back then—the ancestral dragon essence blood!

"He... he has his eyes on the ancestral dragon essence blood?!"

Liu Qingyun's voice changed pitch, as if someone were clutching his throat.

Beside him, Elder Liu Lan also gasped.

"That's a treasure of the seventh floor, a gap of ten Realm levels! He wouldn't really be going to challenge it, would he?"

Liu Qingyun clenched his fists tightly.

He didn't even notice his nails digging into his palms.

His face looked like a knocked-over spice tray.

There was heartache, worry, disbelief, and a trace of... fear that he himself didn't want to admit.

That was a Legendary Grade treasure.

The entire Liu family had accumulated for thousands of years, and there were only two such Legendary Grade treasures.

One was the ancestral dragon essence blood, and the other was the nether phoenix divine feather.

These two items were the Liu family's clan-protecting Foundation, the greatest capital that allowed the Liu family to establish itself in the Eastern Region for hundreds of years.

Countless prodigies from successive generations of the Liu family had set their sights on these two treasures, only to return in defeat because of the Star Pavilion's Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation.

Yet this youth wearing a silver-white mask, this Grand Tutor Dongxuan who was only sixteen or seventeen years old, actually dared to target the ancestral dragon essence blood.

Liu Qingyun's lips trembled.

"A gap of ten Realm levels..."

He repeatedly muttered the number as if to boost his own courage.

"From Peak Gold Rank 9 to Peak Purple Gold Rank 9, there's a whole major Realm plus nine minor stages in between! With such a gap, no matter how Heaven-Defying his True Dragon Bloodline is, there's no way he can have any chance of winning. Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

By the time he finished, his voice grew lower and lower, and his confidence became more and more lacking.

Because he didn't believe it himself.

He had said similar things too many times.

Every time he said it was impossible, the youth in the mystic light mirror would use practical actions to tell him what "possible" meant.

He had been slapped in the face too many times, so many that he couldn't count them himself.

"But..."

Elder Liu Lan's voice sounded behind him, filled with deep concern.

"Didn't he also take down that Low Grade Radiant Sun Law Crystal on the sixth floor just now, which was also nine minor stages higher?"

"That's different! Nine minor stages and ten Realm levels are not the same thing! And between Low Grade Radiant Sun and Medium Grade Legendary, there's also a major grade of Peak Grade Radiant Sun in between! The severity of the challenge rules will definitely have a qualitative leap!"

Liu Qingyun almost roared it out.

But he immediately realized his loss of composure, took several deep breaths, and forced himself to calm down.

He stared intently at Jiang Yun's face in the mystic light mirror, which was mostly covered by the silver-white mask, his heart churning with countless complex emotions.

Pain, resentment, heartache, fear, and a trace of awe that he didn't want to admit.

Suddenly, he knelt down toward the ancestral land with a thud.

Elder Liu Lan was startled by this action.

"Family Head?!"

Liu Qingyun ignored her, pressed his hands together, closed his eyes, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly from the effort.

His lips moved rapidly, emitting a murmur that only he could hear.

"Ancestors of the Liu family above, your unworthy descendant Liu Qingyun bows here. I beg the Ancestors to manifest and protect us. You must not let that Grand Tutor Dongxuan pass this challenge. That ancestral dragon essence blood is a treasure our forefather Lord Tianxing exchanged half his life for; if it's taken away just like that, how can I, Liu Qingyun, have the face to meet the Ancestors after I die? Ancestors protect us, may the forefather protect us, as long as he can be sent back in defeat, I, Liu Qingyun, am willing to sacrifice ten years of my life..."

At this point, he seemed to feel ten years wasn't enough, and with a grit of his teeth, he added more.

"No, twenty years! Twenty years is fine too! As long as he can't take the ancestral dragon essence blood, I'll accept it even if it shortens my life by twenty years!!"

Elder Liu Lan stood to the side, watching her family head in this state, her mouth twitching repeatedly, not knowing what to say.

She opened her mouth but ultimately swallowed her words.

Because she also knew in her heart that if the ancestral dragon essence blood was really taken away, the Liu family would truly be bleeding out to the very marrow this time.

The three treasures from the sixth floor plus a Legendary Grade treasure from the seventh floor—this loss was enough to set back the Liu family's Foundation by decades or even centuries.

In the mystic light mirror.

Jiang Yun stood before the display stand holding the ancestral dragon essence blood, his hand already reaching toward the invisible Restriction barrier.

The light of the teleportation film began to glow around his body.

Liu Qingyun knelt on the ground, hands pressed together, fine beads of sweat already breaking out on his forehead, his mouth still muttering incessantly.

"Ancestors protect us... Ancestors protect us..."

His voice carried a bit of pleading, a bit of despair, and a bit of complex emotion that he himself couldn't explain...

On Jiang Yun's side.

The teleportation film dissipated.

The moment Jiang Yun opened his eyes.

He was stunned on the spot.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Before his eyes, it was no longer the monotonous Bluestone Battle Stage from the previous challenges, nor was it the enclosed space formed by the light patterns of the Formation and hazy white mist.

Replacing it was a true world.

Beneath his feet were rolling green hills, with knee-high wild grass surging in the wind like green waves.

In the distance, a stream like a silver ribbon meandered through the mountain ravine, the mist from the water striking the rocks refracting colorful halos under the sunlight.

Further away, several mountain Peaks stood in layers, clouds and mist swirling around their mid-slopes, with waterfalls faintly visible hanging between them.

If it were not for the faint, semi-transparent boundary a thousand zhang above his head, Jiang Yun would have almost thought he had been teleported into some Secret Realm Small World.

This was the challenge space of a Legendary Grade treasure.

It was no longer a battle stage, but a Small World.

Before Jiang Yun could withdraw his gaze from this landscape, a chill suddenly surged from the base of his spine, shooting straight to the top of his head.

He looked up abruptly.

In the sky hundreds of zhang away, a slender figure was slowly circling.

It was a Dragon.

A Dragon completely different from Little Fire.

Its body length was no more than ten meters, a size smaller than Little Fire.

Its entire body was covered in dark cyan scales, the edges of each scale gleaming with a cold metallic luster. The surface of the scales was covered in dense, ancient patterns. These patterns were not carved later but grew naturally from within the scales, layered like the rings of a tree, exuding a sense of vastness and antiquity that could not be described in words.

Its dragon head was slender and majestic, with two ink-colored dragon horns curving backward on both sides of its forehead. The texture of the horns was like ten-thousand-year-old black jade, with dark cyan halos faintly flowing within.

Its dragon eyes were long and narrow, with vertical dark golden pupils. There was no emotional fluctuation in its eyes, only a high-and-mighty indifference, as if looking down upon ants.

It released no aura of any Realm, yet simply by circling there, it caused the air of the entire world to freeze.

The wind dissipated on its own upon reaching within a hundred zhang of its body, the sound of the flowing stream became faint and sluggish under the coverage of its pressure, and even the sunlight seemed to dim slightly when it shone near it.

This was the True Dragon Clan.

Not a Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline, not something merely similar in appearance, but a genuine, ancient True Dragon standing at the pinnacle of all living things.

Jiang Yun felt his breathing involuntarily become a bit heavier.

That sense of oppression did not come from the crushing power of a Realm, nor from the deterrence of spiritual power, but from a more essential suppression of life level engraved in the deepest part of his Bloodline.

It was like a rabbit seeing a fierce tiger; it was not a question of fear, but every cell in his body was trembling instinctively.

He activated the Entry Manifestation talent without hesitation.

Deep blue light lit up in his pupils, and dense information appeared beside the phantom of that cyan-scaled True Dragon.

"Azure Ancient Dragon · Ancient Dragon Soul Projection"

"Bloodline": Azure Ancient Dragon · Primordial True Dragon Bloodline

"Attribute": Wind / Wood

"Realm": Not Activated (Based on the Realm of the Beast summoned by the Beast Tamer, with Realm levels stacked upwards)

"Natal Dragon Soul": This phantom is not an ordinary projection simulated by the Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation using spiritual power, but a Dragon Soul projection summoned from ancient remnant Soul fragments, using the records of the Azure Ancient Dragon as a guide, via an ancient Peak Formation.

The phantom completely retains thirty percent of the Azure Ancient Dragon's Dragon Might from its lifetime, all of its combat instincts, and nine Natal Dragon Clan skills.

The essence of its Dragon Soul dictates that it has an Innate Soul suppression effect on any Beast without a True Dragon Bloodline.

"Skills":

· Dragon Might Domain (True Dragon Natal).

Expands a True Dragon pressure Domain. Within the Domain, all attributes of non-Dragon Clan Beasts are forcibly suppressed, with the degree of suppression depending on the difference in Bloodline. The suppression effect is doubled against Pseudo-Dragon Bloodlines, and triggers Soul shock against those without Dragon Clan Bloodlines.

· Azure Dragon Breath (True Dragon Natal) — Spits an azure destructive breath containing the dual Law power of Wind and Wood. Wherever the breath passes, all things wither and life is severed. The Wood attribute erodes flesh, the Wind attribute tears apart the Soul, and the dual Law stacked damage cannot be offset by stacked defenses.

· Wind and Cloud Dragon Transformation (True Dragon Natal). Transforms the body into wind and clouds, converting between virtual and real. Can switch freely between a Physical Body and a body of wind and clouds. In the wind and cloud state, it is immune to all physical attacks, and Wind and Wood attribute attacks are absorbed and converted into its own spiritual power.

Ten Thousand Wood Prison (True Dragon Legacy). Uses Dragon blood to draw upon the Wood-type Origin power deep within the earth, instantly causing all plants within a hundred-mile radius to grow into a prison to trap enemies. Each vine in the prison carries a Dragon Might brand, continuously causing Bloodline suppression and Soul erosion to those trapped.

Wind Meteor Nine Heavens (True Dragon Legacy). Flapping its wings raises nine world-destroying gales. The gales contain tiny spatial cracks that can tear through all defensive shields and Domain barriers. Each gale stacks and increases, with the ninth gale's power equivalent to nine times that of the first.

Dragon Soul Roar (True Dragon Natal) Releases the Origin Dragon Might from deep within the Dragon Soul to conduct a wide-range Soul shock, ignoring physical defenses and spiritual power shields, acting directly on the opponent's Soul Origin. In minor cases, the Soul is shaken and combat power drops sharply; in severe cases, the Soul shatters and the opponent falls on the spot.

Reverse Scale Protection (True Dragon Natal) A Dragon has a reverse scale; touch it and it will surely rage. When Reverse Scale Protection is triggered, the defensive power of the dragon scales around the Azure Ancient Dragon instantly skyrockets, while half of the damage received is converted into Dragon Rage points. When the Dragon Rage points are full, the forbidden technique — Azure Dragon World Destruction — will be unlocked.

Life Siphon (True Dragon Legacy) Locks onto a target with Dragon Might, forcibly extracting the life Origin within the target to nourish itself. The one being drained cannot interrupt this process through any conventional means; only by forcibly breaking free with an equal or higher level of Bloodline Power can it be stopped.

· Azure Dragon World Destruction (Forbidden Technique) Burns thirty percent of the Dragon Soul Origin to release the final forbidden technique of the Azure Ancient Dragon. The Laws of Heaven and Earth within tens of miles are forcibly rewritten by Dragon Might, transforming into the Azure Dragon Domain. Within the Domain, the Azure Ancient Dragon is the Law itself, and all enemies will suffer continuous Law-level Dragon Might crushing. Those with a cultivation level one major Realm lower than the caster will be instantly obliterated.

"Special Note": This phantom has retained thirty percent of the Azure Ancient Dragon's Dragon Might from its lifetime and possesses all combat instincts. A Dragon Soul projection is different from a spiritual power phantom; it will demonstrate true combat intelligence and tactical judgment in battle, rather than mechanically releasing skills. Facing it is equivalent to facing a true Primordial True Dragon. Even if it is only thirty percent of its prime.

"Warning": The gap of ten Realm levels is not the limit; the challenger's Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline will be additionally suppressed in the face of True Dragon pressure. Please carefully evaluate your combat power before summoning a Beast. Once a Beast is summoned, the challenge is considered officially started.

...

Jiang Yun's gaze swept across the entry information line by line, and with each line he read, his expression grew more solemn.

Nine skills.

All of them are True Dragon Natal and True Dragon Legacy level skills.

And there is even a forbidden technique.

What shocked him even more was that note.

A Dragon Soul projection is different from a spiritual power phantom; it possesses true combat intelligence.

This meant that he was no longer facing a Formation Puppet that only knew how to mechanically release skills, but a Primordial True Dragon remnant Soul that truly knew how to think, how to use tactics, and how to seize flaws. Even if it was only thirty percent Dragon Might, it was still a True Dragon.

Jiang Yun's gaze fell back on the four characters "Azure Ancient Dragon," and a question suddenly popped into his mind.

Where did this phantom actually come from?

The Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation could project Vicious Beast phantoms.

He had figured this out long ago.

But the previous phantoms were all simulated using spiritual power; essentially, they were still Formation creations.

However, the phantom of the Azure Ancient Dragon before him was written clearly in the entry.

It was a Dragon Soul projection summoned from ancient remnant Soul fragments, using the remnants of the Azure Dragon as a guide.

This was no longer a simple Formation creation; this was sealing a wisp of a True Dragon Soul fragment within the Battle Formation.

There was only one possibility for someone who could leave such a thing behind.

The Ancestor of the Liu family had most likely seen a real Azure Ancient Dragon with his own eyes.

It was even possible that he had fought against it.

Or perhaps he had obtained the remnant blood and remnant Soul of an Azure Ancient Dragon.

Whichever possibility it was, it was enough to show just how terrifying the strength and opportunities of the Liu family Ancestor were back then.

Jiang Yun took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

The answers to these questions were not for him to delve into now.

The most urgent thing right now was to figure out what kind of opponent he was going to face.

With a thought, the golden light gate of the Beast Taming Space bloomed behind him.

Little Fire's massive dragon body swam out from the light gate, golden flames leaping and burning on its dragon scales, and its Dragon Might spread out.

However, the moment Little Fire appeared, the golden flames all over its body suddenly shrank, its dragon body stiffened in mid-air, and its dragon head lifted abruptly, staring fixedly at the cyan dragon shadow in the sky in the distance.

For the first time, an emotion Jiang Yun had never seen before appeared in its golden dragon eyes.

It was apprehension, vigilance, and even a trace of fear at an instinctive level.

The moment Little Fire's Realm aura spread out, the phantom of the Azure Ancient Dragon in the distant sky began to change.

Jiang Yun widened his eyes.

On the entry information, the line marked "Realm Not Activated" began to jump.

Bronze Rank! Silver Rank! Gold Rank! Purple Gold Rank! Purple Gold Rank 1! Purple Gold Rank 2! Purple Gold Rank 3...

The numbers jumped all the way up. Each time it jumped, the aura around the Azure Ancient Dragon became more violent, and its body size expanded by a circle.

When the Realm number broke through the threshold of Peak Purple Gold Rank 9, and stopped steadily at Diamond Rank 1, Jiang Yun's pupils contracted sharply.

And the phantom of the Azure Ancient Dragon had completely changed its appearance at this moment.

The slender dragon body, which was originally no more than ten meters long, had now expanded to a terrifying length of over sixty meters, a full four or five times larger than Little Fire.

It circled in the sky, the shadow of its spread wings covering a small half of the challenge space. The dark cyan scales reflected a cold chill under the light, each dragon scale the size of a door panel, and the cold luster on the edges of the scales connected into one piece, as if it were wearing a suit of cyan battle armor.

Its dragon head hung low, and those dark golden vertical pupils looked down coldly at Little Fire below from hundreds of zhang away, just like a master looking at a stray dog that had mistakenly wandered into his yard.

Jiang Yun stood beside Little Fire's dragon body, looking up at the dragon shadow that blocked out the sky and sun, his breathing almost stopped.

This was a True Dragon.

A real Primordial True Dragon.

Under the same Realm, its body size was just that much larger than Little Fire's. That was not a gap gained through Cultivation, but a gap in the life level itself; it was the chasm of Bloodline between a Pseudo-Dragon and a True Dragon that could not be bridged by any Cultivation Technique or any Medicinal Pill.

In front of it, Little Fire was like a young snake standing before an adult fierce tiger.

It was not because Little Fire was not strong enough, but because a True Dragon and a Pseudo-Dragon were never on the same starting line.

And such a behemoth, its Realm was Diamond Rank 1.

It was a full ten Realm levels higher than Little Fire, who was at Peak Gold Rank 9...