“It’s here!” Lu Yun snapped to attention and extreme excitement rose from his heart. The true Dragonling Assembly had arrived!
Two majestic characters soared over the door of purple crystal—Dragon Gate!
Though it was invitingly open, not everyone possessed the ability to pass through it. An enormous curtain of light billowed in front of it, and only those who could pass through had the right to participate in the true assembly.
Carp leaping over the dragon gate?
The gate carved from purple crystal had yet to stabilize and the curtain of purple light constantly undulated and rippled, gradually forming a hazy purple sea.
The Hongmeng Sea.
The dragon gate slowly melted into the center of the sea and drifted among the waves.
“This sea isn’t the true Hongmeng Sea—it’s projected by the power of a world,” Lu Yun murmured as he stared at the gate of purple crystal. The ground beneath their feet was slowly transforming into the sea as well. Imperceptible howls and roars echoed from the boundless watery depths.
“ROAR!!” An arcane beast snarled and leapt into the air, pouncing toward the gate in a ray of crimson light.
Rumble—
A terrifying wave reared from the sea’s surface when the beast soared into the air and a large black claw—a thousand kilometers long—stretched forth from the frothing waters. It slapped down the half step king and dragged it into the wave.
A mind-numbing chewing sound echoed from the deep blue.
Devoured.
There were monsters in the sea that could eat extremely strong arcane beasts!
One had to know that out of the one thousand arcane beasts left, all of them were half step kings—apart from those who were descendants of the arcane beast kings. Though that beast hadn’t reached the titled duke level, it was infinitely close after absorbing the power of creation. And yet, it hadn’t even had a chance to resist before being eaten!
The cultivators and arcane beasts ready to rush the dragon gate jumped with shock and halted their forward momentum.
“What was that?” Azureclad gasped. He hadn’t even gotten a clear look at what was in the wave!
“A dragon—a black dragon,” Qing Ting responded calmly. “This is a test for everything that passed the rainbow bridge. We need to avoid the black dragon’s attack through our own strength and abilities.”
Lu Yun nodded. “That black dragon is a dragon king and his cultivation is suppressed to a certain degree. Any who can withstand his attack will have the right to leap through the gate. If not… well, the power of creation from Dragonhollow Mountain isn’t that easily obtained.”
“Heh heh heh, interesting!” Qing Di laughed loudly. “Having taken Pills of Creation and trained with you for seven days, this kind of challenge shouldn’t be a problem…”
He soared into the air and shot for the dragon gate, but Lu Yun dragged him back by the ankle.
“You need to fully digest the pills’ power first. If you rush over like this, I guarantee that the black dragon king will treat you as a human-shaped Pill of Creation,” Lu Yun scoffed.
Qing Di shuddered with dread. Over the past seven days, he’d shamelessly begged four more pills off Lu Yun and eaten them all. He’d yet to completely refine their power into his body, and Lu Yun didn’t think that the black dragon king was wholly uninterested in the power of creation.
Qing Di quickly sat down to focus on the power circulating within him.
“I’ll go.” Qing Ting stepped forth.
The arcane beast had died in a rather unfortunate manner. If the next person to try also failed their attempt, it would be a grievous blow to general morale.
“Let me.” Her brother placed his hand on her shoulder. “Your strength will definitely propel you through the gate, but I am the Azureclad Duke and the banner of all half step cultivators in the Hongmeng. I must set an example to others…”
Qing Ting blinked, then nodded and took a half step back. She understood that he wasn’t able to give up his status and the awe-inspiring title that’d once brought him untold glory. Though he’d been surpassed by Lu Yun and his own sister, he was still the Azureclad Duke.
“Let’s go together.” Crimsonclad walked up. “You are the Azureclad Duke and I am the Crimsonclad Duke. I can’t fall behind you.”
“Alright!” Azureclad smiled faintly with ready agreement.
A ray of azure and crimson radiance rose from their bodies as they took each other’s hand and shot toward the dragon gate. Knowing that there was a black dragon king in the waters, they attacked instantly when the enormous wave built up.
Their strongest blow smashed into the wave at the same time and blasted the claw back into the depths before it could show itself.
A furious roar shook the wave and the black dragon king within wanted to rush out, but a hazy purple light rose from the shifting Hongmeng Sea and locked it within the waters.
“He can only move one claw!” Azureclad and Crimsonclad’s eyes lit up. They slipped through a crack left by the towering wave.
Both of them set foot onto the dragon gate and entered the world beyond. Purple-green luminescence circled around them, instilling a profound power into their nascent spirit. It truly felt like they were transforming into a more sophisticated life form.
……
“Hahahah!! How about it? I was right!” Hearty laughter rang in their ears when Azureclad and Crimsonclad set foot into the inner world.
“I told you that the first through the dragon gate would be the Azureclad and Crimsonclad Dukes!” A merry Purpleclad Duke walked up to the two. “You two lived up to me and Bloodclad’s expectations, hahaha!!”
“This… is…” Azureclad paused and looked around.
They were at the foot of a large mountain and a few dozen cultivators and arcane beasts were in residence. They were sprawled lazily on the ground. Some regarded Azureclad and Crimsonclad with interest, others with contempt.
“The Dragonling Ranking has already been set and we are the top one hundred. All that remains is the lower ranks, but this so-called Azureclad and Crimsonclad are also trash.” A young man with red hair regarded the new arrivals with derision. “So what if they are the first through the gate? They’re still trash.”
Hopping on a plane in 12 hours! I’m going to get that really intense 30mb countdown timer again lolol. It’s been an absolute whirlwind of a four weeks and you guys got caught up right in it. Looking forward to being home and the schedule going back to normal. ?
And hey, we’re an editors’ choice now!
