In the long sweep of Dragon Kingdom history, across countless dynasties, even those counted as golden ages couldn't guarantee that everyone ate and stayed warm.
Compared to that, modern times were far better.
The basic material needs were met. But by then, what people wanted had long since stopped being just food and warmth.
*Boom!*
Deep in the wild zone, a savage roar erupted. Waves of force surged outward in every direction.
The massive carcass of a mutant giant bear crashed to the ground, thrown there by Luo Yang, who stood over it catching his breath. His eyes held no satisfaction with his own strength.
"Still not enough."
"This much power is still not enough."
"Not even close."
Luo Yang's mind filled with the image of Zhao Feng — who had petrified him in an instant.
How long had it been since Zhao Feng seized a First Sequence petrification ability?
Not even a month.
And yet Zhao Feng now possessed the strength to crush him utterly.
This was the gulf of raw talent — the difference between First Sequence and Second Sequence. Just one number apart. Worlds apart in reality.
How could Luo Yang accept this?
And it wasn't only Zhao Feng. Even against the other First Sequence prodigies — Firewing, Skyler Quinn, Chris Frost, Nathaniel Gray — he was unwilling to concede.
He knew the gap in natural talent was an unbridgeable chasm that pure effort could never close. And that was precisely what he couldn't accept.
He believed his own ability was the Titan. In Western mythology, Titans were beings that could slay dragons and stand shoulder to shoulder with angels.
An ability that powerful should never have been confined to Second Sequence.
It was his talent that had dragged it down.
As for what Zhao Feng had once said — that his ability might not be the Titan at all, but some mutant chimpanzee variant?
He knew his own ability. He didn't need Zhao Feng's opinion.
Talent was fixed at birth. Barring some extraordinary windfall, it couldn't be changed. But in today's world, beyond abilities, other paths existed — ways to close the gap with Skyler Quinn and the others.
Cultivation techniques.
For fighters of his type, the door to cultivation was at once the easiest and the hardest to find. Loyalty to the nation lowered the threshold — in the era of open cultivation, soldiers could enter the path with far less difficulty. But not everyone of his kind chose the nation's road.
He had no such hesitation. He was among the first to find his own Dao.
His Dao: loyalty to the nation. Loyalty to the people. The path called *Protection*.
With his Second Sequence talent and a Dao rooted in devotion to the Dragon Kingdom, he'd naturally been granted access to his pick of cultivation techniques.
The Dragon Tiger Vajra Art.
*(Author's note: I made this up — it doesn't exist in real life.)*
A body-tempering secret method from Longhu Mountain. Though rooted in physical refinement, it cultivated both body and inner energy — a true dual-path technique.
His strength had grown considerably since taking up the Dragon Tiger Vajra Art. But it still wasn't enough.
He was growing stronger. So was every other Second Sequence cultivator. Even among the Second Sequence, he wasn't the top. Comparing himself to the First Sequence was still a distant dream.
What puzzled him was that Skyler Quinn, Firewing, Chris Frost, and Nathaniel Gray had not chosen to practice cultivation techniques.
It wasn't just them — among all the First Sequence, only Chu Han had taken up a technique.
And Chu Han wasn't quite the right comparison. His raw talent only ranked around Second Sequence; it was the Sword Vault card that had earned him his First Sequence classification.
So what was holding Skyler Quinn and the others back?
Was First Sequence talent somehow incompatible with cultivation techniques?
He'd asked Firewing once. She'd told him they simply didn't need it.
There had to be a reason behind that. One he lacked the talent to access.
He shook his head and pushed the thoughts aside. He heaved the giant bear's carcass onto his back and started walking toward the city.
The mutant giant bear was no weakling. Without the Dragon Tiger Vajra Art, it would have been an even fight. This battle had given him a lot to absorb. Pressing further into the wild zone risked running into mutants of equal or greater strength — better to head back and consolidate what he'd gained.
And just then.
Luo Yang stopped.
He dropped the bear carcass from his back, eyes going sharp as he turned toward his left.
"Who's there?"
The words came as a question. The voice that answered was completely flat.
"Caught me."
"Long time no see, Luo Yang."
A figure of similar build stepped out from among the trees, moving to stand before him. The moment Luo Yang saw who it was, his pupils contracted.
"Zhao Feng!"
"Didn't expect to run into you here."
Zhao Feng glanced at the mutant giant bear's carcass on the ground. His voice was unhurried.
"Your strength has improved considerably."
"But that's all it is."
"Second Sequence talent sets the ceiling on how fast you can grow."
He said nothing more, turned, and walked away.
"Go. I'm not going to kill you."
"You've already lost the right to be plundered by me."
Having aligned himself with Jinhong and Tigerflame's faction, he no longer had any interest in Luo Yang's Second Sequence talent — or in whatever ability was more likely a mutant chimpanzee than any true Titan.
What was worth plundering was First Sequence only.
Luo Yang heard Zhao Feng's words. After a brief, blank moment — pure humiliation flooded through him.
*Lost the right to be plundered?*
Translated plainly: Zhao Feng didn't think his Second Sequence talent was worth the bother.
Reason and impulse warred inside him.
He wanted to throw everything aside and fight Zhao Feng then and there. But reason told him clearly — he was no match for Zhao Feng right now. Going back to report Zhao Feng's location, then letting the Dragon Emperor, Flame Emperor, and the others come to capture him — that was the right call.
He watched in silence as Zhao Feng walked further away. In the end, he said nothing. He hoisted the mutant giant bear back onto his shoulders and walked toward the city.
Reason had won.
As Luo Yang's footsteps faded toward the city, Zhao Feng appeared — no one was sure when he'd moved — atop a mountain peak, watching him leave. Beside him stood a massive mutant crimson tiger.
"I thought you'd kill him."
Tigerflame spoke without inflection.
"Your exposure will draw the First Sequence human fighters here. They bear you ill will."
"Not just me — they bear you ill will too."
Zhao Feng's voice was level.
"There is no possibility of peace between different intelligent species."
"The moment humans lay eyes on you, their first thought won't be peaceful coexistence. It will be to kill you while you're still not strong enough to threaten them."
"I cooperate with you. That doesn't mean I share your perspective."
"My goal is singular: become the strongest."
"Only First Sequence can defeat First Sequence. I look forward to whoever they think can take me."
"Dragon Emperor. Ice Emperor. Flame Emperor."
*(Chapter End)*