A heavy silence loomed in the void. The Primal Chaos Dragon Sovereign, an existence who had witnessed the rise and fall of countless eras, sat motionless, his colossal body coiling around the fractured space. His golden eyes, deeper than the abyss itself, flickered with an unreadable light. Across from him, Long Chen leaned back, stretching his arms behind his head, a smug grin plastered across his face.
It had been an entire day since Long Chen had unveiled his latest absurdity—the Supreme Trinity and Hell, a concept so ludicrous that it had quite literally shut up the most ancient and powerful dragon in existence.
Long Chen, being Long Chen, finally broke the silence.
"So... are you gonna say something, or did I finally break that old dragon brain of yours?" He smirked, tapping his fingers against his knee. "Come on, I expected some legendary wisdom, some divine curse, or at least a 'WHAT IN THE NAME OF CHAOS DID YOU JUST DO?!'"
The Primal Chaos Dragon Sovereign's eyelid twitched. He had seen impossible things before. He had watched worlds be destroyed and reborn. But this… this defied everything.
"You… you little monster." His voice rumbled like thunder suppressed beneath the earth. "You should be dead."
"Yeah, I get that a lot. But mostly by my enemies." Long Chen shrugged. "And yet, here I am, breathing, talking, and pissing off an ancient and revered being. Life's fun."
The Dragon Sovereign narrowed his eyes. "No one—no one—has ever formed the Supreme Trinity. Do you understand what that means? Humans, dragons, deities—everyone who attempted it perished as there was no correct way and billions of years—your human race scholars and geniuses ended their life in vain just unable to comprehend the thing leaving only useless theory behind. It's not just possible, it's impossible."
Long Chen chuckled, rubbing his chin. "Right, right. And yet, me and my comrades did it. Weird, huh?"
The Dragon Sovereign inhaled sharply, suppressing the urge to slap this insolent brat into the next dimension. Instead, he spoke through gritted teeth.
The Dragon Sovereign's tail flicked. "That's not how Dao laws work."
Long Chen smirked. "Says who? Some old scholars? The Heavens? You?"
The Dragon Sovereign's nostrils flared. "The fact that everyone who has ever attempted it has died a horrible death!"
"Yeah, yeah. But they all followed the rules. I don't." Long Chen spread his arms. "You see, instead of just trying to force three things together, I created a conduit—a Martial Dao Rune, and then refined it into something beyond itself—an Ancestral Dao Rune. That way, I didn't just smash things together like an idiot; I built a bridge between them."
The Dragon Sovereign stared. "...That's ridiculous."
"Yet, it worked."
The dragon fell silent again.
The Dragon Sovereign stared at him like he had grown a second head. "You're insane."
"And innovative."
"You should be dead."
"Yet, here I am!" Long Chen grinned.
The Dragon Sovereign exhaled deeply, as if trying to find the will to continue existing. "And you think this is normal? You think this is something mortals—no, anything—should be doing?"
"Nope," Long Chen admitted. "But that's what makes it fun."
The Dragon Sovereign placed a claw on his forehead. "And what's this nonsense about Dragon Veins and Dragon Blood? Do you even understand what you've done?"
Long Chen laughed. "Oh, that. Yeah, you see, I realized something cool—Dragon Veins don't just channel Dragon Energy. They can weave it. So, I thought, what if I used my Dragon Blood to carve new pathways inside them?"
The dragon blinked. "You what."
"Carved. New. Pathways." Long Chen grinned. "And it worked like a charm! It completely altered how Dragon Blood flows and interacts with Qi. Turns out, you guys have been using it inefficiently this whole time."
The Dragon Sovereign just stared at him. His golden eyes flickered, his mind trying to process the absurdity but as soon as he checked Long Chen's body he was rendered speechless as there were countless Draconic Runes flowing within his Meridians.
"You… you just claimed that you—a human—have improved the way Dragons use their own ancestral power?"
"Yup."
"…You arrogant little—"
"Genius?"
The Dragon Sovereign took a deep, slow breath. If he had a mortal body, he was certain his blood pressure would have killed him by now.
"…And what, pray tell, do you plan to do next?"
Long Chen grinned. "I've already done the impossible multiple times. Might as well keep going."
The Dragon Sovereign was silent for a long moment. Then, finally, he spoke.
"I hate you."
"Aw, don't be like that, old lizard. You love me."
The dragon growled, turning away. "I refuse to acknowledge your existence."
Long Chen laughed. "You sure? 'Cause I bet you'll wanna see what happens next."
The Dragon Sovereign closed his eyes, muttering to himself. "I have lived for billions of years, seen the rise and fall of legends, but nothing—nothing—could have prepared me for you."
Long Chen grinned, standing up. "Well, buckle up, gramps. I'm just getting started."
---One Eternity Later---
The Primal Chaos Dragon Sovereign stared at Long Chen like he had just declared he would eat the sun for breakfast. For a whole day, he had refused to speak to this little menace. And now, Long Chen was at it again.
"Alright, Gramps, listen up!" Long Chen clapped his hands together like a merchant about to scam someone.
The Sovereign squinted at him. "No."
Long Chen blinked. "I haven't even said anything yet."
"I don't need to hear it. Whatever you're about to say is either suicidal, impossible, or both."
Long Chen wagged a finger. "Now, now, don't be so negative, Old Lizard. This one is big. It's not just Supreme Trinity stuff this time. I'm thinking of something else!"
The Sovereign groaned. "I should've let you die in the womb."
Long Chen ignored the insult with a bright grin. "You ever heard of the Nine Heavens Manifestation?"
The Sovereign's scales twitched, "What the fu--"… His massive golden eyes darkened. "Tell me you're joking."
Long Chen's grin widened. "Oh, I'm so not joking. I'm going to copy it."
Silence.
The Sovereign looked at him. Then he looked at the sky. Then he looked back at Long Chen. "...You're going to copy the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths? You realize that's an entire world and not to mention—it's our world, right?"
"Yup!"
"You realize no living being, no treasure, no anything can sustain anything like Secret Realm, right?"
"Yup!"
"You realize that means you'll implode and die?"
"...Well, that's where the fun part begins!" Long Chen clapped his hands excitedly.
The Sovereign's eye twitched so violently he nearly developed a facial disorder. "...Are you mentally defective?"
Long Chen beamed. "Maybe! But listen, I'm going to merge it with my Jiuli Core Rune and Starry Sky Essence!"
The Sovereign sucked in a deep breath. His tail dug into the ground. His jaw clenched. His claws flexed like he was holding himself back from murder.
"You… you're trying to turn yourself into a living vessel for an entire universe and not to mention keep it within your Dantian!!???"
"Exactly!"
"THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING!"
Long Chen tilted his head. "Well, it's not a bad thing either. Think about it, Gramps. If I pull it off, I'll basically be walking around with an entire world inside me! That's badass!"
"That's suicidal."
Long Chen waved him off. "Details, details."
The Sovereign exhaled sharply. "Do you have a death wish?"
"Nah, I have a cool wish."
The Sovereign rubbed his temples, which was impressive since he had claws the size of Stars. "...I should just throw you into a Chaos hole and be done with it."
"But then who would entertain you, Old Man?"
"Entertain?!! I'm not entertained, I'm horrified! Every time you open your mouth, my lifespan shortens!"
Long Chen shrugged. "Well, I am making history here. Can't blame you for feeling a little overwhelmed."
The Sovereign took a deep, deep, deep breath. "Fine. Whatever. Just tell me this—what do you want from me this time?"
Long Chen's eyes sparkled. "Since you're offering—"
"I never offered—"
"—I need a technique."
The Sovereign groaned. "What kind of technique?"
"Something that uses my Dragon Blood and gives me some crazy offensive and defensive powers."
The Sovereign's claws stopped twitching. He narrowed his eyes. "You mean... How dare you eye my Dragon Blood Battle Armor??"
Long Chen pointed at him dramatically. "Bingo!"
The Sovereign let out the longest, most suffering sigh in history. "...Absolutely not."
"Why not?! It's perfect for me!"
"It's not perfect for you. It's a legendary technique meant for dragons. YOU. ARE. NOT. A. DRAGON."
"Details, details."
The Sovereign gritted his teeth. "You already have too much power. Why do you need more?"
Long Chen grinned. "Because I can!"
The Sovereign squinted at him. "...Are you a gremlin?"
Long Chen gasped. "Gramps, I'm hurt. I'm just a simple man who wants to be invincible."
"That's not simple!"
"Okay, fine, how about this—what if I refine your Reverse Dragon Scale when I reach the Bone Forging Realm?"
The Sovereign stared.
Long Chen smirked. "Oh? Did I get your attention, Old Man?"
The Sovereign was silent for a moment. Then he let out another long, suffering sigh. "...If you reach the Bone Forging Realm, and if—IF—you can refine my Reverse Dragon Scale, I'll teach you the Dragon Blood Battle Armor."
Long Chen fist-pumped. "Yes! See, I knew you loved me, Gramps!"
The Sovereign gave him the most unimpressed look of all time. "No, I just know that if I don't give you some kind of goal, you'll find an even dumber way to cause a catastrophe."
Long Chen grinned. "Aw, you really do get me!"
The Sovereign glared. "I'm going to regret this."
"Nah, you'll love it!"
The dragon's eyes darkened. "If I get even a single headache because of you—"
Long Chen wagged a finger. "Oh, Gramps, we both know I'm going to give you several headaches."
The Sovereign groaned, laying his head down on his claws. "Why was I cursed with you?"
"Because fate decided you needed some excitement in your life."
"...I hate fate."
Long Chen patted his giant snout. "Don't worry, Old Man, you'll live."
"Not if you keep talking."
And thus, the conversation ended, with the Sovereign contemplating the meaning of life while Long Chen smiling at corner knowing that the Dragon Sovereign was getting more and more lively compared to their first conversation.
The Primal Chaos Dragon Sovereign finally had some peace. After suffering through Long Chen's ridiculous theories and reality-breaking ambitions, the little menace had finally gone to sleep.
"Finally… Silence." The Dragon Sovereign sighed in relief, resting his massive head on his claws. "I swear, this brat will give me a heart attack… If I even had a heart like humans do."
But just as he was about to enjoy this moment of peace—
"Yo, Old Lizard. What's up?"
The Sovereign's eyes snapped open. His entire body tensed.
That voice.
With a slow, painful movement, he turned his head, dreading what he might see. And sure enough—
There stood another Long Chen.
This one was calmer, less chaotic, but no less infuriating.
The Sovereign groaned so loudly that the mountains trembled. "Oh, for the love of the heavens. Not you too."
The other Long Chen smirked. "Aw, come on, Gramps. Don't sound so tired. I'm much easier to deal with than the other guy, right?"
"That's like asking if I'd rather be stabbed or poisoned."
The other Long Chen chuckled. "Well, at least poison takes longer to kill you."
The Sovereign rubbed his massive face with his claws. "Just… tell me what you want."
"Nothing much. Just wanted to check in on how you're holding up after hearing his latest nonsense."
The Sovereign's golden eyes twitched. "That little menace. That little… lunatic. He actually wants to copy the Nine Heavens?"
The other Long Chen folded his arms, his expression conflicted. "Yeah… Even I had to pause at that one."
"You should have done more than pause! You should have stopped him!"
The other Long Chen chuckled. "Like I could? You know how he is. Once he gets an idea, stopping him is harder than stopping a cosmic disaster."
The Sovereign gritted his teeth. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of."
For a moment, the two were silent, just staring at each other, both clearly questioning their life choices.
Then, the Sovereign narrowed his eyes. "Wait… Does he still have the Karma Nine Star Line limiting him?"
The other Long Chen's smirk faltered slightly. "...Why are you asking that?"
The Sovereign growled. "Because if he's still bound by it, then maybe, just maybe, we have a chance to keep him from doing something so cosmically stupid that it breaks the balance of the universe."
The other Long Chen rubbed his chin. "Well, technically, the Karma Nine Star Line still exists… but you know him. He never follows the damn rules."
The Sovereign let out a long, suffering groan. "So, in other words, it's useless."
"Pretty much."
The Sovereign's claws scraped against the ground. "I'm getting too old for this."
The other Long Chen laughed. "Come on, you're immortal."
"EXACTLY! Do you know what that means?! I have to deal with this forever as the kids' lifespan will increase along with his cultivation!"
The other Long Chen shrugged. "Yeah, that's pretty rough."
The Sovereign glared. "You don't sound even a little sorry for me."
"I'm really not."
The Sovereign exhaled sharply. "Alright, let's get serious. Do you actually think he can pull it off? Merging the Starry Sky Essence with his Jiuli Core Rune, using his Astral Shadow as a foundation to replicate the Nine Heavens?"
The other Long Chen went silent.
That was the thing. Even he wasn't sure.
"...Honestly? If it were anyone else, I'd say no. Impossible. Certain death."
"But this is him," the Sovereign muttered darkly.
The other Long Chen nodded. "And he's already done the impossible thing before."
The Sovereign's tail smashed into the ground. "I don't like this. I don't like this one bit."
"You and me both, Old Lizard."
Then, suddenly—
The Sovereign's pupils shrank. His golden eyes flashed.
His body trembled.
The other Long Chen noticed the change. "Old man?"
The Sovereign's voice came out in a roar.
"You fool! He's already done it!"
The other Long Chen stiffened. "...What?"
The Sovereign's eyes blazed with realization. "Did you forget the Astral Star's formation?! It consists of nine-star spheres with a vortex around them!"
The other Long Chen's expression changed.
The Sovereign continued, his voice rising. "Two vortexes are already lit as he has only awakened Two of Nine Stars right now. But when he fully awakens all nine stars…"
The other Long Chen's eyes widened.
The Sovereign's voice turned deadly serious.
"Then he may perfectly be replicating the Nine Heavens."
"He'll be awakening another the Nine Heavens within himself."
Silence.
Neither spoke. Neither moved.
The weight of that realization crushed the air between them.
Finally, the other Long Chen muttered, "...Well, shit."
The Sovereign looked utterly exhausted. "You only just figured that out?!"
The other Long Chen rubbed his temples. "Look, I was too busy laughing at his insanity to connect the dots!"
"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SMART ONE!"
"Hey, that's not fair! He does way too many things at once! I can't keep track of all his ridiculous achievements!"
The Sovereign let out a slow, ragged breath. "Alright… alright… Let's calm down. We need to think."
The other Long Chen nodded. "Yeah. Thinking is good."
A moment passed.
Then the Sovereign growled. "I'm too old for this."
The other Long Chen sighed. "And I'm too young to be dealing with this level of cosmic nonsense."
"Fucking Old Man!!!" Dragon Sovereign Yelled…
And both of them went off-topic yelling at each other once again.
They both stared at the sky, as if praying for some kind of divine intervention.
No help came.
Long Chen—the original one—slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the existential crisis he had just given both of them.
To Be Continued...