Proofreader: Papatonks

“Elder, up ahead is the Luo clan’s base.”

Whoosh~

A dozen people streaked the clear sky and landed, with a muscled man in his thirties leading them as he pointed in the direction of the prismatic glow, “We receive word from Gambling Town that the clan is refining a sword from a dragon scale is over there.”

The old man next to him gasped, “That’s…”

“What is that?”

Another elder with red hair frowned, “In all my thirty two millennia, I’ve never seen such an event anywhere in Sacred Domain. The whole world knows that any who refines a weapon with my race shall feel our wrath. But this clan just pranced around with their dragon sword without fear. Does someone have their back?”

“Yeah.” Another elder with black hair stepped forward, his eyes flashing, “Something doesn’t feel right. The Luo clan doesn’t look like much but does unusual things. Their location is also under some baffling phenomenon. Stay cautious.”

The others nodded.

The muscled man sneered, then came over with a bow, “Elders Bai Long, Chi Long, Hei Long, you’re overreacting. Isn’t that just a rainbow? I heard they have Demonic Emperor Zhao Chen’s protection. How is that a strong backing? Moreover, the most they could ever get to side with them are the Seven Sacred Mountains. But would those old guys dare mess in our affairs?”

“We don’t fear even three of those mountains working together. As for all seven…”

Bai Long pondered, “It never hurts to play it safe. Humans are treacherous and cunning. What if it’s the Seven Sacred Mountains’ attempt to taunt us into waging war? Never forget their constant taunts half a million years ago over the Fountain of Youth, making our race suffer heavy casualties as we relinquished that precious area. We were lucky that our diehard resolution scared them off, thinking we’d take them down with us, and didn’t suffer further needless losses.

“For the same reason we need to be extremely careful against the sudden clan taunting us out of nowhere. Remember the past.”

The others nodded, with the muscled man saying, “Should we test them? We’ll have to reconsider if an expert is among them. Otherwise, I alone am more than enough to waste them. I don’t fear even the Eight Emperors, let alone this puny clan. A dragon’s pride can’t be tarnished. Those humans are looking down on us.”

The three elders nodded.

The muscled man perked up and bowed before shooting forward. Before he even got close, the sudden boom scared him.

A draconic cry announced the rise of a prismatic dragon as it unleashed a golden aura. The dragon split into five, each with its own color. They circled in the sky and released black energy in the form of a hole. As the golden auras converged, the dragons intertwined their heads and tails to form the frame of a black mirror.

This was Zhuo Fan’s Imperial Mark, the Heaven Devouring Wraith Mirror.

The black mirror fell in Zhuo Fan’s room and vanished, followed by the disappearance of the prismatic lights.

Everyone else shot their eyes open, looking at the clear sky and sighing with disappointment.

[Where did the lights go? Couldn’t it last a bit longer? We haven’t had enough.]

After they checked their cultivation, their joy shot higher than the sorrow. All had grown by a large margin.

Danqing Shen, Murong Lie and the other oldies were now peak Emperors. Even Eight Emperors were nothing to them now.

As inheritors of the Sword Sovereign, and having gone through Zhuo Fan’s four Sovereign paths’ baptism, the Eight Emperors were like children now. Even those chosen from the Sacred Mountains couldn’t compare in foundation with them.

“For heaven’s sake! I told you it was a rainbow!”

The muscled man calmed himself as he said, “That was a human forming his Imperial Mark. Why did he have a dragon soul? Curses, the punk stole our dragon power to form his soul! How did he do it under our watch?”

The muscled man was puzzled, but then he shot at the city in rage.

[A mere human not only stole our dragon power but even used us for a weapon. They must all die!]

His berserk roar caused the cheerful Danqing Shen and others to flinch. They focused on the muscled man charging into their city, “Puny Luo clan, you have some nerve! I will obliterate you all!”

Peak Emperor power was unleashed, flooding the city with his bloodthirst.

The Luo clan would’ve been hard pressed against such a mighty foe for sure, two days ago that is. But now, the Luo clan’s Spirit Kings were peak Emperors.

An Emperor making a scene here? Nothing but a trifle.

“Where did this guy come from? He’s got spunk.”

Danqing Shen whispered to the others. Murong Lie beamed, filled with battle spirit, “With such a perfect test subject showing up, why not use him to hone our newfound Emperor strength?”

“Agreed!”

Everyone nodded with devious grins, even Baili Yulei got excited, “But first, form a line. We can’t have anyone hog him!”

“Like usual then!”

Murong Lie grinned at Li Jingtian, “Luo clan’s original Venerables go first then us, ha-ha-ha…”

“Don’t mind if we do, ha-ha-ha…”

Li Jingtian cupped his hands, filled with battlelust as he shot for the city limit, “I’m your opponent!”

The muscled guy nodded, “Peak Emperor, good. I didn’t think a tiny clan would have one. A shame you’re a human. Us dragons are tens of times stronger than you, humph.”

“You’re a dragon?”

Li Jingtian gasped then grew thrilled at the challenge, “Awesome! I can go all out then!”

“Come again?”

“They say dragons have the strongest bodies. I’m also a body cultivator so let’s dance!” Li Jingtian laughed and shot for the muscled guy with a punch covered in black energy.

Bam!

A savage shockwave spread outward, causing the space to warp. Li Jingtian’s punch landed in the guy’s outstretched hand, unleashing a violent wind. His body shuddered under the mighty force.

The muscled guy gasped, “I didn’t know humans could train their bodies to such a degree. A real shame though, that you’re just a human. No amount of training could ever help to win against dragons!”

Boom!

The muscled man shook his hand and shot Li Jingtian back for a dozen steps. His eyes were filled with shock and thrill.

[Dragons are so powerful!]

“Old Li, use your Imperial Mark! You’re no beast so don’t try meeting one with just your body! We humans use martial arts to our advantage!”

A shout roused Li Jingtian from his frenzy, Qiu Yanhai. The others nodded.

The muscled man mocked, “Your friend’s right. A mere human could never best dragons in raw power. That’s why you humans are so prideful in the Imperial Mark. Dying before taking it out, I would send you off in tears, ha-ha-ha. Those below are counting on you to protect them with the Imperial Mark!”

[What the hell do you know? They’re urging me so I’d finish fast and they’ll get a shot. Especially those Sword Kings. Once they get here, you won’t stand a chance, even as a dragon. Those are the real monsters here. You’re nothing but a freak of nature.]

Li Jingtian took a deep breath and made a sign, using the Imperial Mark he just formed.

He came to test himself. But this guy was actually waiting for him to show his best?

[Don’t you know where you are? This is the Luo clan, home of monsters and devils. Those below can’t wait to chew you up and spit you back out…]