Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Chapter 2242 A Glimpse Into Transcendence

Following Kefla's departure, Vahn asked Mikoto to return to their planet while he teleported to where Sarina was currently engaging Meng Zhang's wives. She was forced back following Wu's sudden disappearance, so, before things could get further out of hand, he appeared to the path of a sleek, eastern dragon covered in a mix of phthalo green and faded golden scales.

Arresting the 73m long dragon's charge with a single hand, a smile developed across Vahn's face as he said, "I would appreciate it if you pulled back..."

With a jade green crown pulsating between curved, burgundy-colored horns, it was clear to most that the phthalo green dragon wasn't an opponent to be looked down on. Against Vahn, however, she may as well have been a kitten. The moment he appeared to confront Amaterasu, even Meng Zhang, a Long in possession of seven crowns, felt his soul tremble in fear and expectation. As far as he and his wives were concerned, Vahn's status may as well be equal to the Jade Emperor's.

Pulling away from Vahn's hand, the phthalo green dragon immediately transformed into a beautiful woman with hair matching her scales, pointed ears, red eyes, and curved horns that started off as a deep purple near her scalp before transitioning into a pale shade of burgundy. Her eyebrows were a little on the thicker side but her body was lean, thin, and flexible. As for her outfit, it consisted of a bodice-like top that flowed into a long-sleeved robe. An armored pauldron, seemingly forged from her own scales, protected her right shoulder while similar plating protected her hips and the slender tail protruding from her lower back. As for the rest of her outfit, it consisted of an ornate skirt, white stockings, and various accessories.

Though the woman's outfit was rather eye-catching, the thing most people would take note of was the fact her left hand and feet were still transformed. Those with more dilute dragon bloodlines had a harder time transforming into humans. They could overcome this limation via cultivation, but, due to the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation forcing non-human entities to revert to their original forms, it wasn't uncommon for those descended from dragons to struggle with maintaining a human form.

Descending to one knee, the bushy-browed dragoness lowered her head as a sign of respect as she practically shouted, "Xiu Xuanshe greets the Venerable Sage Dragon Emperor!"

Gesturing for the woman to rise, Vahn's expression relaxed as he stated, "Your courtesy is noted and appreciated. Now, take me to your Husband. We have important matters to discuss."

Cupping her hands together, Xuanshe offered a courteous bow, answering, "As you will." before raising her head, turning to her sister-wives, and nodding. In response, the duo reverted to their human forms in order to offer similar courtesies before darting off into the half-destroyed palace below.

Following the duo's departure with his senses, Vahn had to admit that Meng Zhang was a lucky man. Not nearly as lucky as himself, of course, but, upon seeing the beauty of the Goddess whose true form was that of a Long comprised of ice and water, Vahn couldn't help feeling that there had been a bit of bias when Chang'e was concluded to be the most beautiful woman in the Heavenly Domain.

"May I have your permission to walk ahead?"

Returning his focus to the dragoness standing before him, Vahn simply nodded before extending a hand towards Sarina and asking, "Shall we?"

Recovering from the stupor she had been ever since Vahn arrived, Sarina swiftly dissipated her Bankai before flitting over to link her arm with his. She would never pass on an opportunity to be closer to Vahn, but, feeling a little miffed by his sudden arrival, a cute pout developed across her face as she whispered, "I had everything under control."

Nodding his head, Vahn returned a whisper of his own, stating, "I am well aware. It's just that a lot has changed in the past few minutes. Don't worry. Once I've delivered my message to Meng Zhang, you're free to destroy this planet at your leisure."

Though he had been whispering, Vahn made no efforts to prevent Xuanshe from overhearing him. Her expression became considerably more solemn, but, rather than prying into why Vahn wanted to destroy their planet, she just accepted it as an inevitability. After all, they were in the midst of a Gift Game. As the weaker Community, it was only natural that Vahn decides their fate...

Following a short journey through a palace constructed from marble and jade, Vahn and Sarina found themselves in a massive throne room that dwarfed the one situated at the core. An ornate throne could be seen on the far side of the room, but, contrary to what most would expect, Meng Zhang was not seated upon it. Instead, he had his wives lin up in two columns, heads bowed as a sign of respect while he waited to greet Vahn at the chamber's entrance.

After witnessing Vahn's performance against Amaterasu, Meng Zhang no longer had delusions about the former's status. Vahn was clearly not a descendant of his. His multiple transformations had already called this into doubt. Seeing Vahn manifest as a Celestial Star-Class Dragon had just confirmed things. It was a degree of power that far exceeded Meng Zhang's, so, if anything, it was more accurate to say he drew inspiration from Vahn.

Believing that Vahn may be the Origin of all Dragons, Meng Zhang, for the first time in his life, knelt for someone other than his father, the Jade Emperor, and Sun Wu Kong.

"Meng Zhang is both humbled and honored to be in the presence of the Venerable Sage Dragon Emperor."

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Observing the heroic-looking man kneeling before him in a set of flowing, azure-blue robes, Vahn would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised. He had thought Meng Zhang was still being stubborn by expecting him to come and pay a visit. Instead, it was starting to seem as though he was just too afraid to come and pay a visit himself...

Resisting the urge to cough and clear his throat, Vahn simply nodded his head in approval before moving forward to help Meng Zhang stand. This was a sign of considerable respect that implied he would no longer need to bow in the future. Vahn had never been particularly fond of such customs. He often observed them, but, more often than not, he was paying homage to the culture more than the people he encountered.

Surprising many of his wives, a relieved smile developed across Meng Zhang's face as he accepted Vahn's assistance and self-deprecatingly stated, "You honor me beyond my standing."

Deciding not to get dragged into a competition of humility, Vahn chuckled in response to Meng Zhang's before stating, "No need for such remarks. My reason for coming here is to inform you that I will be stopping by your home to pay a visit. I'm not entirely sure of the date but it should be soon after the festival in the North."

Like a young man learning his father was about to return home from war, an enthusiastic smile developed across Meng Zhang's face as he loudly replied, "Splendid! The entire Azure Dragon Clan shall eagerly await your presence! For someone as August as the Sage Dragon Emperor, our doors shall never be closed...!"

Feeling a little awkward due to the man's zeal, Vahn's smile became imperceptibly strained as he extended his hand to give Meng Zhang a pat on the shoulder. This caused the heroic dragon's eyes to visibly sparkle, a hint of fervor appearing in his expression as he prepared to command his wives to prepare a feast.

Unfortunately, at least for Meng Zhang, Vahn had other places to be, so, immediately following the friendly pat, he stated, "We will discuss this matter in greater detail as the date approaches. For the time being, I have other matters to attend."

On that note, Vahn remove his hand from Meng Zhang's shoulder before promptly teleporting away with Sarina. He got the impression the overzealous dragon would try and convince him to stay if he delayed for too long. Since he had already announced his intentions to allow Sarina to destroy the planet, it would be incredibly awkward once Xuanshe passed along the message. He had a feeling Meng Zhang would readily surrender, but, as that would remove Sarina's chance to show off, Vahn willfully departed before things could take a strange turn...

Reappearing high in the sky, Vahn waited for a few of the spectating cameras to shift their focus to him before surprising Sarina with an unrepentantly passionate kiss. She was startled at first, but, less than three seconds later, she was practically clutching the sides of his face like a vice as she eagerly reciprocated his affections.

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Though he could feel the envy and disdain of countless people washing over him, Vahn managed to appear completely relaxed when he ultimately separated his lips from Sarina's to state, "It's time to stop holding back. Let the entire Little Garden see your true power."

Recovering from her dazed state, a hint of confusion appeared in Sarina's eyes until she noticed the meaningful glimmer contained within Vahn's. Immediately after that, a veritable ocean of energy far beyond her natural capabilities erupted from her body as her previously black hair gained a silvery-white hue. As for her eyes, they had shifted from a beautiful, obsidian grey to a vibrant, shimmering silver.

Though she felt as though her heart was about to burst from her chest, Sarina managed a confident smile and an affirming nod as she separated from Vahn and saying, "It's finally time to show people why I was chosen as the Vice-Leader of the Sage Dragon's Hearth..."

Striking a pose, Sarina manifested her Bankai without even needing to call out its name or exclaim its activation. When she saw the form it took, excitement and a hint of fear appeared in the depths of her eyes, as, rather than the cannon she was familiar with, a futuristic, shoulder-mounted cannon that made Soi Fon's Bankai look like a toothpick enveloped her right arm. At the same time, a petite girl with remarkably similar features to the version of herself Vahn had picked up all those years ago manifested next to her, an excited smile on her face as she assisted Sarina in keeping the oversized cannon stable.

Similar to when Kefla charged one of her incredibly dense ki blasts, the planet below began to visibly shake as an indescribably vast quantity of Divine Energy surged charged Sarina's artificial Shukai. A thin trail of blood emerged from her right nostril, but, with Vahn next to her, neither of the Sarina(s) showed any semblance of fear. Instead, their smiles continued to grow until a series of angel-like wings spontaneously erupted from the back and far side of the cannon.

Hearing words echoing within her mind, Sarina ignored the fact her gums were starting to bleed as she smiled wider than ever and shouted, "Glimpse the Light of the First Dawn! Creation Cannon...!"

Following her outburst, Sarina squeezed the trigger hidden within the massive cannon's structure. The last thing she recalled before waking up outside the Game Board was Vahn's warmth spreading throughout her body as a blindingly white light consumed everything in her vision. When she later reviewed the footage, she almost couldn't believe it, as, the moment she pulled the trigger, a mass of energy larger than the nearby star erupted from the end of her cannon...

...

..

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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn casually checking people out with a completely straight face...','Meng Zhang be like, "Subarashi, Vahn-sama...!!!"Ah'm a firin' mah lazor...!!!!')