"Zodiac Guardian, becoming a Divine Dragon Warrior?"
Lin Feng was completely stunned, as if a pie had suddenly smashed on his head. He never expected that at the moment he was ready to die bravely, he would be chosen by the Divine Dragon Battle Armor to become a Divine Dragon Warrior. This was like a heaven-sent gift, something he never even dreamed of. And now it was actually happening.
His feelings were complex beyond words. His heart pounded violently, as if it might leap out of his chest—he couldn't contain his excitement.
"I'm willing, of course I'm willing," Lin Feng said without hesitation.
There was no reason to refuse becoming a Zodiac Guardian, especially a Divine Dragon Warrior. It had been his lifelong dream.
But he still asked, "May I ask, why was I chosen?"
"The Zodiac Guardian—Dragon selects those with fearless spirit and unyielding fighting will. A dragon fights fiercely in the wild, its qi and blood swirling yellow and profound. Your talent, character, conduct, and your very beliefs match the Divine Dragon Battle Armor's requirements. Furthermore, your destiny resonates with the Dragon's pact. Among all candidates, you rank first."
The Dragon Spirit spoke openly and slowly.
Each Zodiac Guardian has different selection criteria. The Dragon Warrior's is a fierce fighting will combined with a destiny linked to the Dragon. These are the qualifications.
At the moment of crisis, you were acknowledged by the Dragon Spirit and confirmed as the first generation host—the Zodiac Guardian, Divine Dragon Warrior.
"Please swear the oath," the Dragon Spirit's voice echoed in his mind.
"I vow to become the Zodiac Guardian, inheriting the Divine Dragon Battle Armor, to protect Great Yi, to protect humanity, to protect all the world's people. Fearless and undaunted, willing to die a hundred deaths without regret, taking my belief as oath."
The Dragon Spirit's voice continued.
"I, Lin Feng, vow to become the Zodiac Guardian, inheriting the Divine Dragon Battle Armor, to protect Great Yi, to protect humanity, to protect all the world's people. Fearless and undaunted, willing to die a hundred deaths without regret, taking my belief as oath."
Lin Feng repeated the oath without hesitation.
This oath was taken with his very belief. If broken, his belief would instantly collapse, and his soul would dissolve on the spot. Such an oath was more terrifying than the greatest soul-devil vows. Without the purest conviction, no one could issue such a belief oath—it required the highest qualification.
To speak the belief oath was to truly become a Zodiac Guardian.
"Divine Dragon Battle Armor, unite!!"
The moment he spoke the oath, the divine light around him blossomed with unprecedented brilliance, shining across all Great Yi.
Between Lin Feng's brows, a golden light flashed, revealing a golden dragon seal—like a miniature sun-shadow dragon, vivid and majestic. Golden light spread from the seal, covering his head and forming a divine dragon helmet and mask.
The golden light rapidly enveloped his entire body.
The battle armor exuded power and streamlined beauty, perfectly suited for combat. It looked like a masterpiece of art, imposing no hindrance to movement or fighting, but instead increasing his strength.
The boots, the armor, the dragon scales covering it—seen from afar, it looked like a living divine dragon, shining like a great sun upon his chest.
Sharp blades appeared on the joints of his hands and feet.
As the armor fused with him, an invisible force merged into his flesh and soul. Countless familiar yet strange visions flooded his mind.
"Who am I?"
"I am Qiao Feng, Xiao Feng, Lin Feng."
"Yes, these are all me, but now I am only Lin Feng."
Memories of a past life awakened in his soul during the armor fusion. He recalled past events but quickly understood that the past was past—this moment was the true future.
His previous life was incomparable, but this era was infinitely more extraordinary and dangerous. Humanity desperately needed a guardian.
Qiao Feng, Lin Feng—just names, codes.
"The Divine Dragon Battle Armor is fully integrated. The armor grants divine techniques: Great Sun Golden Bell, Three Lives of Time and Space, Ten Thousand Dragons Exorcism Blade. It includes the divine weapon: Great Dragon Blade. Wearing the armor allows power rivaling the eighth-tier Dao Platform Realm. If the host's strength is insufficient, they cannot sustain eighth-tier power for long, but can maintain conventional seventh-tier True Spirit Realm power. The stronger the fighting will, the stronger the power. Zodiac Guardians can link qi and energy to multiply power—each added Guardian doubles the strength. When all twelve Zodiac Guardians unite and fight together, their power is amplified twelvefold."
The Dragon Spirit's voice swiftly transmitted all this into Lin Feng's mind.
This was the greatness of the Zodiac Battle Armor: at peak performance, it could rival Dao Platform power, but the host must endure the terrifying force from the armor. Otherwise, irreversible damage could occur.
Generally, hosts maintain seventh-tier strength, only risking eighth-tier in desperate moments—ideally for one fatal strike.
Otherwise, body collapse is possible.
When all Zodiac Guardians assemble, the twelvefold power boost needs no host endurance—pure autonomous power.
That is the true strength of the Zodiac Guardians, protecting the entire Great Yi Empire.
"The Zodiac Guardian legacy—'Divine Dragon Battle Canon.'"
This is the true inheritance. Without receiving the Divine Dragon Battle Canon's transmission, even with the armor, one cannot wield its full power. This is the fundamental legacy.
Upon inheritance, the true essence within the body is transformed, even the foundational Dao root is refined and reshaped, allowing rapid cultivation transformation that's normally impossible.
The Zodiac represents time. The legacy can reverse time silently, rewriting the foundation without harm—a source of immense power.
"Legacy begins."
The Dragon Spirit's voice echoed in Lin Feng's mind.
Instantly, Lin Feng felt his true essence and magical power undergoing transformation. The Divine Dragon Battle Canon appeared in his mind, and its unique Dao resonance flowed into his body.
Dragon-Sealing Stake!!
The most fundamental legacy of the Canon, the supreme body refinement technique, the Dragon-Sealing Body Tempering, granting immense strength.
Almost instantly, under the legacy's power, his essence rapidly transformed, even forcibly opening his life gate.
Though this only raised his Qi Refining stage cultivation to Life map stage for now, with his prior foundation, further breakthroughs would accelerate rapidly.
This did not hinder his use of the Divine Dragon Battle Armor, and his body cultivation achievements remained intact—his body was the root of everything.
Though this sounds lengthy, the process was completed in a blink.
Zodiac inheritance was time itself; everything was finished in an instant.
Outside, the White Bone Tower still loomed, near and threatening.
The blinding divine light that once shielded the sky vanished the next moment.
But the severely injured Lin Feng—who seemed moments from death—was now fully recovered and clad in golden armor of indescribable divine majesty.
It was perfect beyond words.
Wearing it, he seemed like an unmatched deity above the clouds.
An invisible pressure radiated from him in all directions, as if confronting a supreme true dragon.
Souls trembled before him.
"What is this?"
"That shining aura from the armor is not Great Yi's original phantom armor, it's a Innate spirit treasure-grade battle armor."
"Dragon-shaped armor—it's the Divine Dragon Battle Armor among the twelve Zodiac Armors. You were actually chosen as the Zodiac Guardian? How is this possible?"
News of the Zodiac Guardians was no secret throughout Great Yi.
Even tribes in the wilderness knew of the twelve stars in the sky—it was plainly visible to all.
No one expected to personally witness the birth of a Zodiac Guardian, much less the powerful offensive-type Divine Dragon Warrior.
Countless powerful ghouls' faces darkened instantly.
What kind of luck was this?
"I am the Zodiac Guardian, crushing all rebels. Kill!!"
Lin Feng opened his eyes, staring down the still charging White Bone Tower.
He spat out the words without mercy.
As the words fell, a huge golden bell appeared above his head.
On the bell floated a vivid image of the Great Sun Shadow Dragon.
A cold gleam appeared between his brows.
Divine Dragon Battle Armor—Great Sun Golden Bell!!
Dong!!
At his will, the bell swayed atop him, releasing a vast bell toll that echoed through heaven and earth.
Golden waves spread like tides in all directions.
The White Bone Tower bore the brunt, covered instantly by the golden waves, violently battered like a ship breaking in a stormy sea.
Golden flame appeared across the tower.
Surrounding ghouls writhed and shattered within the golden waves. Those who could withstand it burst into golden flames, turning to ash in moments.
Plants and trees withered and perished.
The surrounding area was utterly desolate.