Chapter 90: Silver Dragon Gaze, Dragon Nature Invading the Heart
The power of the Medicinal Pill was miraculous. After Yu Boxuan, Ye Kuan, and others consumed the pills refined primarily from Immortal Herbs, not only did their Soul Power improve, but the more significant change was in their Physical Body.
The majestic medicinal power cleansed their marrow and expelled chronic illnesses, making several Elders over sixty years old look rosy-cheeked, their white hair turning black, and their cloudy eyes regaining their luster. Their bodies overflowed with vitality far greater than before, as if they had suddenly become twenty years younger, with vigorous blood and abundant energy. The Sect was filled with a flourishing atmosphere.
One day, when the Sect's affairs had paused, Yu Yuanchen sought out his grandfather, Yu Boxuan. In the quiet room, he laid out the matter of how he had completely repaired the nine crowns of the true dragon and successfully absorbed it, transforming it into the "dragon kings crown" head soul bone. This matter concerned the Sect's precious heritage, and although he was the Young Lord, he needed to give an account.
After listening, Yu Boxuan stroked his beard for a long time. There was no blame in his eyes, but rather full of relief and pride. He patted his grandson's shoulder and laughed heartily: "Good! Good! Yuanchen, this is Heaven's will, and it is also your destiny!"
"The nine crowns of the true dragon have been reborn in your hands, even surpassing the past; this proves that it should have belonged to you. The ancestors of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect only sought the prosperity of the Sect and for the younger generation to surpass their predecessors. You have now far exceeded the expectations of the ancestors; your future achievements will be limitless. What is a single Soul Bone worth mentioning?"
His gaze was profound, carrying infinite anticipation. "I only hope that when you ascend to the God Realm in the future and look down upon all living beings, you will not forget the foundation of the Sect. At that time, leaving behind a heritage treasure even better than the 'dragon kings crown' will be the greatest reward for me and for our ancestors!"
Yu Yuanchen was moved and nodded solemnly: "Grandson will keep Grandfather's teachings in mind and will not fail the trust."
Shortly after, Yu Boxuan personally selected several experts from the Sect, led by himself, with Yu Yuanchen and Ye Zhilan assisting from the side. The group headed towards the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for the ninth Soul Ring for Ye Kuan, whose Soul Power had reached the 90th-level Bottleneck.
Relying on Yu Yuanchen's powerful Spiritual Power perception and the joint efforts of everyone, although there were occasional setbacks, they finally found a top-tier plant-type Soul Beast with a cultivation of 80,000 years — the "Star Devourer" ancient tree.
This tree contained majestic Life energy and the power of the stars, which was extremely compatible with Ye Kuan's Nine-Hearted Begonia Martial Soul. After a fierce battle, with Yu Yuanchen leading the attack and suppression, Ye Kuan finally delivered the killing blow, successfully absorbed its Soul Ring, and successfully broke through to level 91, officially entering the realm of Titled Douluo. Ye Kuan chose his own title — Begonia Douluo! A healing-type Titled Douluo was born, enough to shake the entire Spirit Master's world.
However, just as everyone had successfully hunted the Soul Beast, their moods relaxed, and they were about to leave the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest, a sudden change occurred!
Yu Yuanchen, who was walking in front, suddenly froze, as if pressed by an invisible giant mountain. A sense of extreme trembling and awe, originating from the depths of his Soul and the instinct of his Bloodline, swept through his whole body without warning! His Thunder Saint Dragon Martial Soul even emitted a faint whine uncontrollably, his surging Soul Power instantly stagnated, and the dragon kings crown at the center of his eyebrows transmitted bursts of scorching heat, actually trembling slightly!
He turned his head abruptly, his gaze like lightning, shooting towards the deepest part of the forest where the fog was shrouded and the Life aura was thick enough to not be dissolved — the direction of the Lake of Life!
There, it seemed as if a pair of Supreme, indifferent eyes, like an eternal ice field, pierced through the endless space and "glanced" at him indifferently.
This time, it was completely different from the previous inconspicuous peeking.
This "glance" was not aimed at him, but it acted directly on his core, his most proud Thunder Saint Dragon Bloodline! That was an absolute crushing in terms of hierarchy; it was the powerlessness of the inferior facing the superior!
'Silver Dragon King!' Yu Yuanchen was shocked in his heart and realized instantly. It must be that he had absorbed the dragon power of the Ice and Fire Dragon King many times at the bottom of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and the aura of those two fallen God Kings remained on him, thereby alarming the Silver Dragon King Gu Yue, who was sleeping in the Lake of Life, as a Clone of the Dragon God and the current co-ruler of the Soul Beasts!
Although the gaze was withdrawn as soon as it touched him, as if it were just casually sweeping over a slightly special bug, the Supreme majesty contained within it, which transcended all Dragon Clan, made Yu Yuanchen's back soaked with cold sweat instantly. He did not doubt that if the other party had the slightest killing intent, the absolute suppression of this Bloodline alone would be enough to make his combat power plummet, and he might not even be able to muster the heart to resist!
"Yuanchen, what's wrong?" Ye Zhilan noticed his abnormality for the first time and held his cold hand with concern.
Yu Boxuan, Ye Kuan, and others also stopped, their faces showing confusion and vigilance. Although they did not feel that terrifying pressure, Yu Yuanchen's suddenly changed face and instantly tense aura were enough to show that something extremely terrible had happened.
"It's nothing, let's go quickly!" Yu Yuanchen forcibly suppressed the palpitation in his heart, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible hoarseness, urging everyone to speed up and leave. He did not dare to stay for a moment, for fear of attracting further attention from that unfathomable existence.
Fortunately, until they completely stepped out of the Star Dou Great Forest area, no further abnormalities occurred. But the sense of Bloodline suppression brought by that gaze was deeply imprinted in the bottom of Yu Yuanchen's heart like a nightmare, making him dwell on it, unable to let go.
Since his Martial Soul Awakening, especially after his Martial Soul evolved into the Thunder Saint Dragon, condensed a Martial Soul core, and obtained the dragon kings crown, when had he ever suffered such humiliation? Even facing a powerhouse like his grandfather, he was confident that he had the power to fight, but under that gaze, he couldn't even muster the thought of resisting! This sense of powerlessness made him extremely uncomfortable, and he even felt a surge of anger.
Ye Kuan's successful promotion to Titled Douluo, and as a rare healing-type Titled Douluo, the news spread across the continent like a whirlwind. The powerful healing ability of the Nine Heart Begonia (the outside world did not yet know it had evolved), coupled with the support of Titled Douluo-level Soul Power, was almost equivalent to having an extra Life!
For a time, the Ye family's reputation was at its Peak. Various forces and Loose Cultivator Soul Masters, whether they had serious injuries that were difficult to heal or were poisoned by strange toxins, all flocked to them. People seeking medical treatment were endless, and the mansion where the Dragon City Ye family was temporarily staying was bustling, with the threshold almost being trampled down.
Among them, there were naturally those with malicious intentions. Some wanted to forcibly abduct Ye Kuan to serve them exclusively, some relied on their strength to cut in line and threaten, and others wanted to steal the Ye family's medical secrets.
However, under the powerful deterrence of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, most of the petty people had to restrain themselves, obediently handing over visiting cards, offering heavy gifts, and waiting in line for the "summons" of the "Begonia Douluo".
There were also a few who relied on their own strength (at most Soul Saint or Soul Douluo level), or were blinded by greed, or had complex backgrounds, and wanted to commit evil acts.
It just so happened that Yu Yuanchen was holding a fire in his heart because of the Star Dou Forest incident and had nowhere to vent it. These guys who bumped into the muzzle of the gun became his best punching bags. He didn't even need to use his Soul skills; relying solely on his tyrannical physique and exquisite control over the power of thunder, he easily suppressed all invading enemies in a gesture, with sharp methods, killing them without mercy!
After a few times, the lesson of blood finally made everyone sober, realizing how stupid it was to provoke the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the alliance with a newly promoted healing-type Titled Douluo in Dragon City, and no one dared to act presumptuously again.
Ye Kuan always upheld the benevolence of a physician. For those who truly sought medical treatment, regardless of their background, he treated them equally, diagnosed and treated them in order, saved many people with his miraculous hands. Soul Masters who received his favor were all over the continent, filled with gratitude. Ye Kuan's name as the "Begonia Douluo" with a benevolent heart was widely praised, and he gained tremendous prestige.
Even Spirit Hall had to attach importance to this emerging and highly appealing force, specifically dispatching a Cardinal to come, representing the Supreme Pontiff to bestow a Supreme Pontiff Token, granting Ye Kuan the title of Honorary Elder, and officially acknowledging his outstanding contribution to the Spirit Master's world.
However, under this flourishing scene, Yu Yuanchen had gradually noticed something wrong with himself.
At first, this change was extremely subtle. Perhaps when guiding the younger generation in the clan to Cultivate, facing those seemingly "stupid" mistakes, he would involuntarily reveal a trace of imperceptible impatience and contempt;
Perhaps when discussing affairs with the Sect Elders, for some suggestions that he deemed "shallow," he would subconsciously develop a sense of superiority of "you mortals, how can you know the vastness of the world";
Or perhaps, just in his daily walking, sitting, and lying down, his demeanor and behavior intangibly added a bit of detachment and arrogance of looking down on all living beings.
This arrogance was not deliberate, but more like an instinct originating from the depths of the Bloodline, a natural sense of superiority at the level of Life, as if a giant dragon were looking down at ants, thinking everything was taken for granted.
In the past, Yu Yuanchen might have attributed it to the confidence brought by the improvement in strength, or the arrogant nature inherent in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul itself. In the Sect, those with dragon-type Martial Souls were mostly proud, which was common.
But now, how sharp was his spiritual perception? Especially after successfully absorbing the "dragon kings crown" and his Spiritual Power underwent a qualitative change, his grasp of his own mind had reached a level of extreme precision.
He clearly perceived that this growing "arrogance" was completely different from ordinary confidence or the nature of a Martial Soul.
Its root cause was that he seemed to have been influenced by an invisible force.
On one hand, it was the arrogant nature belonging to the top Dragon Clan that remained in the God King-level dragon power he absorbed from the Ice and Fire Dragon King;
On the other hand, it was the sense of superiority belonging to a kingly creature that naturally grew as his own Thunder Saint Dragon, this true dragon Martial Soul, surged in strength.
This influence was subtle, making him inadvertently reveal a condescending examination when looking at ordinary Soul Masters and even Sect Disciples, as if looking at ants.
Although he remained calm and restrained on the surface, the thought of viewing all living beings as ants in his heart surfaced from time to time. It was subtly eroding and assimilating his Heart-Nature!
"God King-level power... indeed, it is not so easy to take." In the quiet room, Yu Yuanchen slowly opened his eyes, purple-gold lightning flashing in his eyes, but with a trace of unspeakable complex emotions.
He looked inward at himself, as if he could "see" the Ice and Fire Dragon King's dragon power that had merged into his body, not only strengthening his Physical Body and Soul Power at all times, but also trying to distort his will, pushing him towards an absolute rational, indifferent to all living beings, and self-respecting "Dragon" way of thinking.
Paying a price was inevitable, and he had been mentally prepared. But when he truly realized that this erosion was happening, waves still rose in his heart. He, Yu Yuanchen, pursued freedom, protecting his loved ones, and climbing to the Peak, not becoming a "Dragon" enslaved by Bloodline and power, losing his humanity!
What made him feel even more like a thorn in his heart was the gaze he had felt deep in the Star Dou Great Forest. The Bloodline pressure contained in that gaze far exceeded the Ice and Fire Dragon King, even making the Thunder Saint Dragon Bloodline in his body tremble and submit! That was definitely the Silver Dragon King Gu Yue! Only this half of the Dragon God could produce such absolute suppression on him, who possessed Dragon King-level Bloodline.
At that time, he relied on reason and intuition about danger to lead everyone to evacuate, avoiding a possible conflict. But in retrospect, the fear and humiliation originating from the depths of the Bloodline were like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in his heart. He hated that feeling of being unable to help himself, hated the feeling of being suppressed by a higher-level Bloodline!
"My strength is largely built on the true dragon Bloodline. The Ice and Fire Dragon King's dragon power helped me refine my body and condense my ring, the Thunder Dragon King's crown protected my divine soul... Bloodline gave me power, but it also wanted to lock my mind, and even made me unable to straighten my spine in front of such existences." Yu Yuanchen muttered to himself, a self-deprecating sneer appearing at the corner of his mouth, "Heh, just wanting the benefits, not wanting to take responsibility, and bearing its disadvantages... My thinking is quite... shameless."
But he quickly collected his emotions, and his eyes became sharp. "Shameless is shameless! Power is a tool, Bloodline is a ladder. My, Yu Yuanchen's, Cultivation is to surpass shackles and obtain great freedom, not to become a Puppet of some Bloodline or power! My Martial Soul is a Dragon, but I am ultimately a Human! The will of a human should be above the Bloodline!"
He realized that he seemed to have been too obsessed with and dependent on the various conveniences and power brought by the "true dragon Bloodline" recently. Whether it was Cultivating the "True Dragon Immortal Body", using the power of the dragon kings crown, or even thinking about his future path, he unconsciously took the perspective of a "Dragon" as the starting point, but gradually ignored his original intention as a "Human".
It is a common phenomenon for Soul Masters to be influenced by their Martial Souls. Evil Soul Masters are often cruel and bloodthirsty, those with fire Martial Souls are easily angered, those with lightning Martial Souls have fiery tempers, those with plant Martial Souls are gentle... It is also a fact that people from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect generally have the arrogance of a dragon. But this influence is usually a subtle common nurturing, not like him, being actively eroded and transformed by higher-level external forces!
"I must find a way to curb, or even resolve, this 'Dragon' erosion." Yu Yuanchen fell into deep thought. Forcibly rejecting the Ice and Fire dragon power or stripping off the dragon kings crown was impossible, as that would be self-destructive. The key was how to hold onto the "Self".
"The human heart lies in emotion, in righteousness, in the cognition and control of one's own behavior, in the courage to draw a sword against power even when knowing one is weak, not in pure power hierarchy and Bloodline suppression." He recalled the bits and pieces of warmth he had with Ye Zhilan, the responsibility he had with his family, and even his judgment of those who dared to offend and were suppressed by him; these were all judgments and choices based on his own will, not the cold-blooded "Law of the Dragon".
"Perhaps... what I need is not to resist the Dragon nature, but to surpass it. Use the human heart to control the dragon power. Let this power be used by me, not me being assimilated by it." A thought gradually became clear in his heart, "I need to understand the essence of 'Human' more deeply, and even more so, I need a... baptism that transcends the fear of Bloodline."
He thought of the thunder god position that was silent in the depths of his Sea of Consciousness. The inheritance of the God Position tests not only power, but also Heart-Nature, will, and understanding of the Law. Perhaps he could find the answer there.
He also thought of that existence deep in the Star Dou Great Forest. Avoiding fear cannot eliminate fear. True strength is to face it, and even... one day, surpass it! This unwillingness and obsession arising from being suppressed by the Bloodline might also be transformed into a whetstone for tempering his state of mind.
The train of thought gradually became clear. Yu Yuanchen stood up and pushed open the door of the quiet room. The sun outside was just right, and Ye Zhilan was interacting with the "Star Devourer" vine guard that had become docile and agile in the courtyard. The scene was warm and beautiful. Seeing Yu Yuanchen come out, she looked back and smiled, her eyes filled with unreserved trust and attachment.
The layer of cold aloofness that had grown in Yu Yuanchen's heart due to the Dragon nature quietly melted a bit. He walked forward and naturally held her hand, feeling that real warmth.
"Zhilan, walk with me." He said softly.
"Okay." Ye Zhilan responded obediently. She could feel that Yu Yuanchen's mood had been fluctuating recently, but she never asked too much, just accompanied him silently.
The two walked hand in hand on the tree-lined path behind the Sect. The breeze brushed their faces, and there were birds and flowers. Yu Yuanchen did not circulate his Soul Power, just walked like an ordinary person, feeling the softness of the soil under his feet, breathing the freshness of the grass and trees, and listening to the gentle words of his lover beside him.
These simplest, most ordinary fireworks of the human world were now like the most effective purification technique, cleansing his Soul that had been quietly eroded by the Dragon nature. He became more and more certain that the Dao he pursued should not be the aloof Dao of the Dragon, but the Dao of the Human that embraces all things and protects beauty. Using the human heart to wield thunder and control the true dragon is the right path.
The road ahead is long, and the test of Heart-Nature may be more difficult than the improvement of strength. But there was no confusion in Yu Yuanchen's eyes, only firmness. He will definitely keep his "Self", control the power of all dragons, and not be enslaved by them.
That gaze from deep within the Star Dou, one day, he will face it calmly, and even... look at it equally.
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