Ever since Ling Xiao advanced to Martial Master in just six days, General September had sensed this guy was not to be underestimated. His potential was far more terrifying than anyone had imagined.
“Oh? If one can cultivate the Nine Transformations Golden Body to the seventh transformation or beyond, there’s a real chance they could grasp the cultivation method for the Heavenly Dragon Golden Body,” said the white-haired Ninth-Tier Martial Master, a glint of surprise in his eyes.
“Senior Brother, I’m afraid you’re being too optimistic,” a forty-ish Ninth-Tier Martial Master with jet-black hair said gravely. “Have you forgotten? The Heavenly Dragon Golden Body was originally a dragon clan technique for forging a golden body. Though it’s not explicitly stated, without dragon blood, success is nearly impossible.”
“Right, how did I forget that? September, hurry, tell that kid to switch techniques!” the white-haired Martial Master urged.
General September shook his head. “No can do. I’ve been through this myself. Once someone’s immersed in comprehension, interrupting them within the hour is against the rules.”
“What a shame,” the white-haired Martial Master sighed. “I thought we’d finally see a genius fully master a mortal technique. It’s been over a decade since anyone below Ninth-Tier Martial Vein in the General’s Mansion has fully comprehended a mortal technique. Meanwhile, at Sky Endurance Academy, that Fish-Flight kid from the ninja clan completely mastered a mortal technique’s attack mysteries.”
“Fish-Flight!” General September gritted his teeth. “He’s probably close to Eighth-Tier Martial Vein by now, isn’t he? He’s got a grudge with Ling Xiao, bound to come knocking sooner or later.”
“After this month, there’s that sparring match between Sky Endurance Academy and Hidden Dragon Camp, right? Wonder who they’ll send?” the white-haired Martial Master said, shaking his head, a bit helpless.
The monthly sparring was set by the Governor’s Mansion and the General’s Mansion: Sky Endurance or Hidden Dragon Camp sent three disciples to the other’s turf for a best-of-three duel, alternating venues.
Last time, Hidden Dragon Camp went to Sky Endurance Academy. This time, it was Sky Endurance’s turn to come to Hidden Dragon Camp.
But in the last couple of years, Sky Endurance Academy had been on the rise, leaving Hidden Dragon Camp defeated time and again. Except for Dai Yuling, who always won, every other match was a loss.
Last time was no different, Dai Yuling, Hua Nongying, and Shi Lei went, Dai Yuling eked out a win, the other two got crushed, and they returned in disgrace.
Even Border General Lin Ze had to admit, humans without complete martial spirits couldn’t compete with ninja clan warriors wielding full ninja spirits.
Now, with Dai Yuling promoted to one of the Twelve Tiger Guards, Hidden Dragon Camp’s chances in next month’s sparring looked grim.
Ling Xiao, inside the Treasure Pavilion, was oblivious to all this.
His focus was locked on the stone tablet before him, diving deep into the mysteries of the Heavenly Dragon Golden Body.
Strange symbols and patterns flickered in his mind.
He cross-referenced them with the Nine Transformations Golden Body cultivation method.
“No wonder the Heavenly Dragon Golden Body requires the seventh transformation of the Nine Transformations Golden Body. Comparing them, the Nine Transformations is basically a prerequisite for it!” A thrilled smile spread across Ling Xiao’s face.
It was simple logic.
With experience in the Nine Transformations Golden Body, grasping the Heavenly Dragon Golden Body became much easier.
This was a mortal technique, after all. Tackling it from scratch in one hour? Impossible.
The one-hour limit wasn’t stinginess, it was for safety. Back at the Ling family, lingering past an hour on a mortal technique’s fragment could lead to qi deviation.
Now, Ling Xiao was building on the Nine Transformations foundation, like constructing a house on an already-laid base, far simpler.
“Got it!”
Half an hour in, Ling Xiao’s closed eyes twitched, though they didn’t open.
In his mind, he’d mapped out the basic cultivation steps for the Heavenly Dragon Golden Body, drawn from its mortal technique mysteries.
It clicked.
The Heavenly Dragon Golden Body picked up from the seventh transformation of the Nine Transformations Golden Body.
It had six layers.
The first mirrored the seventh transformation’s method, just amped up several times, boosting muscles, bones, skin, and organs dramatically, even improving attack rebound effects.
The second layer shifted gears, generating Heavenly Dragon True Essence, usable for defense and attack, with strong self-healing, mending anything short of severed limbs unless the essence ran dry.
The third layer formed Heavenly Dragon Scales and Tendons, gold-hued scales boosting defense, internal veins turning into tough dragon tendons.
The fourth layer birthed Heavenly Dragon Martial Veins, fully converting veins to store more True Essence, all transformable into Heavenly Dragon True Essence.
The fifth layer was wild, a complete transformation, granting full Heavenly Dragon Blood, enabling rebirth from a drop of blood and breaking through to the Mortal Saint Realm!
Ling Xiao’s emotions surged, no surprise there, cultivating to the fifth layer could catapult him to the Mortal Realm, something he’d never dared dream.
No one had.
Ordinary mortal techniques or movement skills didn’t come close.
One layer left, the sixth, impervious to water and fire, indestructible as diamond, soul rebirth, body eternal!
He’d chosen right, the Heavenly Dragon Golden Body was unreal. Fifth layer, rebirth from a drop of blood, Mortal Realm breakthrough.
No gold needed, unlike the Nine Transformations ninth transformation, which allowed limb regrowth but burned heaps of gold.
Even then, limb regrowth had limits, a sliced neck or pierced heart still meant death.
Blood rebirth was different, one drop, and you’re back.
The sixth layer was crazier, soul rebirth, even without blood, as long as the soul lingered, you’d revive, near immortal.
A technique this strong, he’d master it.
With half an hour left, Ling Xiao started cultivating right there in the Treasure Pavilion.
The pavilion was stacked with spirit stones and special arrays to gather worldly qi, making cultivation there twice as effective.
Why waste it?
The first layer was easy, in under fifteen minutes, Ling Xiao nailed it.
It was so close to the Nine Transformations seventh transformation, just with effects cranked way up.
