Chapter 340 – Heaven's Fury, People's Resentment—The Cruel Blood-Draining Formation

East Sea Gate, East Roam Island.

Three days had passed since the Azure Cloud Sect members departed.

Yet these mere three days had brought earth-shattering changes to the entire East Roam Island.

Now, the vast majority of Jiaolong People on East Roam Island had disappeared.

The enormous island had become a deserted ghost island.

This stood in stark contrast to the bustling scene when Lu Chen and the others had arrived three days earlier.

The reason for this could be traced back to a special order from the Underwater Dragon Palace three days prior.

It commanded all Jiaolong People on East Roam Island to proceed to a specific sea area.

Although the island’s inhabitants didn’t understand the reason for this order,

out of reverence and worship for the Deep Sea Dragon Palace,

they boarded the Celestial Ark specially prepared by the Dragon Palace without hesitation and left East Roam Island.

Unbeknownst to them, similar situations weren’t limited to East Roam Island.

The same was happening in the Underwater Dragon Palace.

Like them, the Dragon Palace disciples ordered to go to the special sea area were equally unaware of the reason.

But since the order came from Sect Leader Ao Yu himself, they dared not question it and could only obey.

Thus, large numbers of disciples from both East Roam Island and the Underwater Dragon Palace were gathered in this specially arranged sea area.

Currently, in a remote sea area tens of thousands of miles from East Sea Gate,

tens of thousands of Jiaolong People and East Sea Gate disciples had gathered here.

This sea area contained five uninhabited islands.

Each island was occupied by some East Sea Gate disciples and large numbers of the sect’s Jiaolong People.

From above, these five islands resembled five arenas, vaguely forming some special formation pattern.

But the islands were merely the surface appearance – the true key lay in the sea area they surrounded.

Deep within that sea area stretched a mysterious dragon skeleton spanning thousands of miles.

The mere bones being of such astonishing size indicated how powerful this dragon must have been in life.

Meanwhile, East Sea Gate’s Sect Leader Ao Yu appeared atop this dragon skeleton.

Beside him stood his only six direct descendants.

“Father, is this the breakthrough site you prepared for yourself?”

Ao Guang looked at the unfamiliar sea area stretching thousands of miles around, devoid of any living creatures, filled only with deathly silence.

An inexplicable sense of foreboding arose in his heart.

Since entering this sea area, he had felt an unexplainable palpitation.

As if some great danger lurked within these unfamiliar waters.

But at this point, even with his unease, he could neither turn back nor dared to.

Because what was about to happen here would determine the future of their bloodline!

If Ao Yu succeeded in his breakthrough, their lineage’s status in East Sea Gate would immediately rise.

If Ao Yu failed, while their bloodline wouldn’t necessarily die out,

Ao Yu losing his position as Sect Leader would be almost certain.

After all, the Spirit Transformation Tribulation was no ordinary matter.

Less than one in ten thousand succeeded in their breakthrough.

Otherwise, the Central Province wouldn’t have produced only a handful of Transformation Soul Stage cultivators over tens of thousands of years.

One could say that what was about to happen was nothing less than a high-stakes gamble.They had bet everything – if they won, their lineage would completely control the core of the East Sea Gate.

If they lost, over a century of their lineage’s efforts would be washed away.

Under such circumstances, Ao Guang had almost lost his basic capacity for thought.

His mind was completely occupied with Ao Yu’s breakthrough.

Even his expression appeared more tense than that of Ao Yu, the one actually undergoing the breakthrough.

Anyone unaware would have thought it was Ao Guang, not Ao Yu, who was attempting the Deity Transformation breakthrough today.

Perhaps noticing Ao Guang’s unusual state, or perhaps thinking of something else.

Ao Yu, seated atop the dragon bone, suddenly opened his eyes.

“Guang’er, do you truly believe your father can break through to the Great Divine Power Realm today?”

Hearing Ao Yu’s words, Ao Guang was momentarily stunned.

Then without hesitation, he replied: “Father, rest assured. With your talent and strength, plus the full support of the East Sea Gate, your breakthrough today is certain to succeed immediately, transforming from flood dragon to true dragon!”

As soon as Ao Guang spoke, his younger siblings immediately chimed in: “Yes, yes, big brother is right. Father, you will definitely succeed in your breakthrough today.”

“Then we will no longer be descendants of flood dragons, but true dragon descendants.”

“Father, don’t worry. You’ve made so many preparations – failure is impossible.”

Listening to his children’s comforting words one after another, the gravity on Ao Yu’s face did not disappear.

He gazed into the empty deep sea before him, as if looking at something unseen.

After a moment, Ao Yu said with complex emotions: “The words ‘true dragon’… I have indeed waited too long for them.”

“So long that I’ve even doubted whether I would ever have another chance to touch this Realm in this lifetime.”

Then Ao Yu suddenly turned to look at Ao Guang and the others, saying: “Tell me, if someone suddenly approached you and promised that as long as you sacrificed all your direct descendants, you would have over fifty percent certainty of successful Dragon Transformation – would you make that choice?”

These words caused Ao Yu’s expression to instantly freeze, their minds going blank.

Then Ao Guang, having processed the words, looked at Ao Yu with a smile uglier than crying, stammering: “F-father, y-you must be joking with us, right?”

“Yes, you must be joking with us.”

Though he said this, when Ao Guang saw the complex expression on Ao Yu’s face, his heart sank completely.

Because from Ao Yu’s face, he read guilt, he read reluctance, he read determination.

The only thing he didn’t read was jest.

Without doubt, Ao Yu’s words… were serious.

Understanding this, Ao Guang’s head seemed to explode.

Many previously puzzling, incomprehensible things suddenly became clear at this moment.

He had originally wondered why, when attempting such a dangerous Deity Transformation breakthrough.

Ao Yu would bring along descendants like them who hadn’t even reached the Nascent Soul Stage.

After all, even if you combined all their cultivation levels.

They couldn’t provide even the slightest assistance to Ao Yu undergoing Deity Transformation.

Not only that, besides bringing them, Ao Yu had also brought the Jiaolong People from East Roam Island.

And hadn’t arranged for other East Sea Gate elders to provide protection.

If Ao Guang had been able to calm down and think carefully at the time.

He would have noticed many unreasonable aspects in this situation.If Ao Yu were to undergo a normal breakthrough, he would inevitably need the true Dragon Elders from the depths of the Dragon Palace to protect his Dao.

In that case, even if Ao Yu failed his breakthrough,

those Elders would have the ability to ensure he wouldn’t perish in the Spirit Transformation Tribulation.

Yet Ao Yu deliberately chose not to do this.

This could only mean one thing.

That Ao Yu’s upcoming breakthrough absolutely could not be known by the true Dragon Elders in the depths of the Dragon Palace.

And what kind of breakthrough couldn’t even be disclosed to his own School’s Elders?

Only those breakthrough methods that relied on Demonic Heresy and violated the natural order were things that couldn’t be revealed even to one’s own School’s Elders!

“Quick, go!”

Ao Guang shouted as he realized the situation, swimming with all his strength toward the sea surface.

Although his younger siblings weren’t as quick to react,

after Ao Guang’s warning, they all understood the severity of the situation and hurriedly followed.

But by now, even if they had realized, it was already too late.

Boom…

The abyssal seabed suddenly surged with massive waves, these heavy deep-sea waves striking like a club to the head, forcefully pressing down Ao Guang and the others.

The next second, Ao Guang and the others began plummeting rapidly, crashing hard onto the seabed.

They looked up, faces filled with despair as they gazed upward.

What blocked them was a white bone dragon claw.

Following the claw to its source, Ao Guang and the others quickly saw the resurrected ‘mysterious Bone Dragon’.

Ao Yu stood atop the dragon skeleton’s head, looking at Ao Guang and the others with complex emotions in his eyes.

“Don’t blame your father, this is my only chance.”

As he spoke, the massive Bone Dragon beneath him began to move.

The white bone dragon claw parted the seawater, grabbing Ao Guang and the others.

Under their terrified gazes, the resurrected Bone Dragon directly delivered them into its mouth.

“Ah!!!”

Accompanied by miserable screams and chilling chewing sounds,

the Bone Dragon actually swallowed Ao Guang and the others alive.

After devouring Ao Guang and the others, Ao Yu immediately extended his hand.

He cut his palm with his Saber, blood flowing from his palm and, guided by some mysterious force, streaming directly to the Bone Dragon’s brow.

Soaked in blood, numerous intricate blood patterns slowly emerged on the Bone Dragon’s brow.

These blood patterns spread continuously from the Bone Dragon’s brow across its entire body.

But the more these blood patterns spread, the more color drained from Ao Yu’s face, his features becoming increasingly gaunt.

By the time the blood patterns had covered half the Bone Dragon’s body,

Ao Yu had completely become skin and bones, with sunken eye sockets and faint vitality.

Yet contrary to his physical weakness, Ao Yu’s eyes grew increasingly bright.

Because now he could feel the true dragon blood hidden within this ancient true dragon corpse.

Although to activate this wisp of true dragon blood, he had not only sacrificed all his offspring but also exhausted his own thousand years of cultivation,

Ao Yu believed it was all worth it.

Because if he could steal this ancient true dragon’s body and make it regrow flesh and blood,

then he could directly shed his Flood Dragon form and successfully achieve Dragon Transformation.

This was the breakthrough method the Nine Realms Gate had told him.

Though he had now connected with this dragon corpse’s true dragon blood,

it still required several more steps to fully revitalize it.

First, he needed to send his Nascent Soul into this dragon corpse and completely master it.Second, sufficient blood and Qi were needed to allow this dragon corpse to reconstitute flesh and blood.

Finally, he needed to use this new body to withstand the Spirit Transformation Tribulation.

Ao Yu had absolute confidence in successfully completing the first two steps.

It was only this final step that he felt uncertain about.

But having reached this point, there was no turning back for him.

Because if his breakthrough failed, regardless of whether he survived the Heavenly Tribulation or not,

the East Sea Gate, knowing the truth, would not let him go.

Ao Yu’s actions had reached a level that shook the very foundation of the East Sea Gate.

If later generations followed his example, it wouldn’t be long before the entire East Sea Gate would have no new members.

Between having one more Deity Transformation True Dragon and ensuring the school’s long-term survival,

there was no question which option the True Dragon Elders of the East Sea Gate would choose.

But if Ao Yu succeeded,

with the power of a True Dragon at the Deity Transformation Stage, he had many ways to prevent the True Dragon Elders from pursuing the matter.

Thus, only two paths lay before Ao Yu:

Either succeed in the Dragon Transformation and ascend to heaven in one step,

or fail and face eternal damnation.

Under such circumstances, the last trace of hesitation in Ao Yu’s heart vanished.

With a fierce glint in his eyes, Ao Yu immediately abandoned his own body, which had been drained dry by the dragon corpse and was now like a candle in the wind, and his Nascent Soul emerged.

Then, his Nascent Soul entered the awakened dragon corpse and began to take possession of this new body.

During this process, a tremendous change occurred in the five islands above.

“Wh-what’s happening?!”

A Jiaolong Person from East Roam Island stared in terror at the crimson barrier suddenly rising around the islands.

Others also noticed something amiss; the decisive ones immediately took action, trying to flee the eerie islands.

But the crimson barrier took only two or three seconds to appear and fully close.

Its speed was so fast that the Jiaolong People had no time to react.

In an instant, over a hundred thousand Jiaolong People on the five islands became trapped beasts in a cage.

No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t break through the crimson prison in the slightest.

About the time it takes to burn an incense stick after the crimson barrier appeared, a massive figure slowly emerged from the waters at the center.

It was a giant Corpse Dragon.

The front half had decaying flesh, while the rear half was bare white bone.

With an astonishing length of several kilometers, even with only half its body exposed, the Corpse Dragon stirred up colossal waves.

The waves crashed against the crimson barrier surrounding the islands, causing violent shaking throughout.

Seeing the Corpse Dragon, the Jiaolong People’s survival instincts drove them to run deeper into the islands, trying to distance themselves from the eerie creature.

But trapped on the islands, they had nowhere to run even if they wanted to.

The Corpse Dragon selected the island closest to it and looked down upon the Jiaolong People below.

It was like a colossal giant gazing down at a pile of food.

Under the desperate eyes of the Jiaolong People, the crimson barrier covering the entire island offered no resistance to the strange Corpse Dragon.

The Corpse Dragon’s claw pierced through the barrier, directly grabbing over a hundred Jiaolong People and immediately stuffing them into its mouth.

Amid the screams of the Jiaolong People and the sound of the Corpse Dragon chewing, its physical body began to visibly regenerate at a rapid pace.

As if having acquired a taste for it, the Corpse Dragon showed an expression of pleasure.Then it grew unsatisfied with using just one claw to grab the Jiaolong People, employing its other claws as well.

In this frenzied feast, the thirty thousand Jiaolong People on the island were soon devoured completely.

With the nourishment of so much flesh and blood, vast amounts of new tissue grew over the Corpse Dragon’s previously exposed skeletal areas.

Without any pause, the massive Corpse Dragon abandoned this emptied island and headed toward another nearby one…

(End of Chapter)