Chapter 526 - 517: Illusion Spirit Array Map!

Chapter 526: Chapter 517: Illusion Spirit Array Map!

The golden pillar of light slowly shrank, then dissipated. A figure a million meters tall gazed down with eyes the likes of which the world had never seen. Its gaze swept over the entire Extreme Martial Continent, over all living beings, and over the two phantoms floating within the Golden Array.

Her face was devoid of expression, her voice betrayed no emotion. Without her lips even moving, her soft, gentle voice echoed as if from a spiraling valley, reaching every corner of the world and touching every person’s heart.

"Child of the Primordial Continent, I am the Divine Split of the Goddess of Nature. I have descended here in answer to your call to fulfill your dearest wish."

But when her gaze fell upon the black sphere of Xiaohai’s unfinished fusion, the ethereal voice echoed once more.

"My poor child, since your awakening is not yet complete, let me help you with the final fusion."

The gentle, imperceptible whisper soothed the emotions of countless people. The million-meter-tall divine phantom slowly extended her hands, palms facing outward in a gesture of offering. A green flower, brimming with a dense Natural Aura, suddenly materialized between her palms. It drifted down, down, until it sank into the Golden Array where Xiaohai rested, disappearing into the massive, tricolored sphere of blended red, white, and black.

Before the strange green flower’s arrival, the tricolored sphere had only been rotating sluggishly, its fusion progressing at an exceptionally slow pace. But once the flower sank inside, the sphere seemed to undergo a fundamental transformation. Two massive, opposing whirlpools materialized around the sphere. The moment they appeared, they began to frantically absorb the dense Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi from the sky.

Like two great mouths, they guzzled the Seven-Colored Primordial Qi from the air. As they absorbed the energy, the tricolored sphere began to pulse with a bright, dazzling light. Once, twice... the flashes were slow at first. But as time passed, the pulsing quickened until the sphere remained in a constant state of brilliant light.

It took on the appearance of an eggshell. Its surface was etched with patterns evoking Chaos and an appearance that suggested the Void, a sight that shook everyone to their core.

Normally, it takes a long time for a Magical Beast to hatch from its egg. But now, with the help of the strange green flower, the process was drastically shortened.

In just a few moments, countless cracks appeared on the radiant void egg. A series of cracks, like the sound of parched earth splitting, echoed out—CRACK! CRACK! Pieces of the shell fell away. In a single instant, the hatching was complete, revealing a tiny, pink, winged beast! At first glance, the little beast’s overall shape was identical to the Void Black Dragon that had appeared earlier, yet there were differences. The light enveloping its body was simply too brilliant for even Mu Chen to see it clearly.

However, this was not the end. The strange green flower seemed to act as a catalyst, not only helping Xiaohai complete its fusion, metamorphosis, and awakening in a short time, but even spurring on its growth!

Before Mu Chen’s very eyes, the small pink beast was growing at a visible rate. Its body grew larger and larger. Its pink flesh began to turn gray, a soft shade at first. But by the time it reached two meters tall, the gray skin began to transform into black, gradually taking on a metallic sheen!

The metallic sheen on its black skin indicated that Xiaohai’s Defense Power had already reached that of a fully grown Lightning Armor Dragon! Moreover, its once tender and fragile fleshy wings were also undergoing a massive transformation, spurred on by the green flower.

Like the rest of its body, the wings gradually shifted from pink to gray, then from gray to a metallic black. Furthermore, a searing heat began to faintly radiate from the edges of the wings!

As for its head, it bore a ninety percent resemblance to that of the Void Black Dragon. However, compared to the Void Black Dragon’s stern, imposing face and domineering maturity, Xiaohai looked far more adorable and juvenile. Its eyes were shut tight, giving it the appearance of being fast asleep. The most peculiar feature was the three black bumps on its head: one on each side of its brow, and one on its snout, close to its eye sockets.

A searing heat also radiated from the center of its brow!

’It’s evolving!’ Mu Chen’s pupils constricted as he watched in his phantom state.

The transformation continued. For the next several minutes, Xiaohai’s only change was its size. Originally no bigger than a basketball, after nearly ten minutes it had grown to a height of three meters and a length of five meters! It was now truly a Giant Beast!

However, once Xiaohai reached this size, its growth finally slowed. This didn’t mean its transformation was over, though! On the contrary, the greatest change of all occurred in the very next minute!

With a sudden BOOM, Xiaohai’s body shot up from its prone position, standing upright on its two hind legs! Its long, narrow, pitch-black tail whipped back and forth twice—SWISH! SWISH!—before coiling to one side. Its tightly shut eyes snapped open, revealing a pair of crimson irises that locked onto Mu Chen, filled with profound dependence!

"AWOO!!"

Suddenly, its body flared with green light. The edges of its wings, which had previously only radiated a scorching heat, erupted with a roar of blue flames! That’s right! Not white, but blue! Its massive wings spread wide, and the blue flames burst forth. The searing torrent of air blasted through the clouds, scorching the very fabric of space and causing the image to distort.

Furthermore, an uncanny blue flame ignited at the center of its brow. This ball of fire was filled with a vibrant Life Aura, pulsing with youthful vitality like a newborn heart!

At the same time, a massive plume of blue flame erupted from the tip of Xiaohai’s tail. This flame was far larger than the one on its brow, but just like it, this one also radiated Xiaohai’s tenacious Life Force!

"FWOOSH!!"

The flames blazed. A dramatic change came over Xiaohai’s gaze. The look of dependence transformed into one of deep resolve, and within that resolve, Mu Chen saw a flicker of haughty pride!

"AWOO!!"

With another furious roar, Xiaohai’s metallic body flashed green once more. In that instant, countless blades burst forth from its shoulders, back, legs, and even all of its joints! They glinted with a sinister coldness under the golden light. A suit of form-fitting, metallic armor materialized on its body, seamlessly integrating with its joints and the protruding blades to form a perfect whole.

Without a doubt, the bloodline of the Lightning Armor Dragon had not gone to waste! However, compared to the Lightning Armor Dragon, its armor was far more terrifying!

"SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!"

Three crisp, metallic scrapes echoed from nowhere as the three bumps on Xiaohai’s brow and snout burst open. Three distinctly different, blade-like horns jutted out in a perfect arc. Adorned with crimson markings, they transformed it into a veritable killing machine!

Once this transformation was complete, two stripes, one red and one white, emerged from the soles of Xiaohai’s metallic feet. They snaked their way up its metallic body. As they spread, the crimson stripes—like an artist’s brush on a beautiful scroll—soon painted Xiaohai’s entire body in a mysterious hue!

And with that, Xiaohai’s birth and bloodline awakening were finally complete! However, its appearance belonged to no known Magical Beast in this world. It... was an entirely new species!

’Is this... Xiaohai’s true form?’

Mu Chen’s mouth fell open, his shock beyond words. In his mind, his image of Xiaohai had been turned completely upside down. If his first impression of Xiaohai had been one of extreme ugliness, then the Xiaohai before him now was the epitome of awe-inspiring power! It was perfect!

"My child, your awakening has been successful. My time on the Primordial Continent is short. I ask you one last time: are you truly willing to form an Illusion Spirit Contract with him?"

The Goddess of Nature’s body floated gently, her rainbow robes dancing in the air. Her lips remained still as her voice descended from the heavens.

"My will is unshakable!"

Suddenly, a voice, surprisingly mature, came from Xiaohai’s mouth. It was exceptionally magnetic, yet it seemed to be a composite of several different tones, creating a layered, resonant effect.

"I understand."

The corner of the Goddess of Nature’s mouth curled ever so slightly. That simple movement caused the sky and earth to dim, and millions of flowers to pale in comparison. It was a beauty that transcended nature itself! A beauty... that did not belong to this world.

"My child, your will has moved me. Illusion Spirit Contract—commence!"

With a crisp DING, the Goddess of Nature’s million-meter-tall, illusory form suddenly crumbled, dissolving into countless green motes of light that scattered across the sky. But just as Mu Chen assumed these were blessings being showered upon the world, they began to rapidly converge at a speed the naked eye could not follow, coalescing into a rotating, green Array Map.

This Array Map bore no complex Runes, no superfluous lines. All it contained was a single, simple, and utterly unknown symbol at the Array’s center. No one had ever seen this symbol, let alone knew its meaning. In fact, even though one could see it clearly, trying to picture it in one’s mind to replicate it proved utterly impossible.

Before Mu Chen or anyone else could even process their astonishment, the green Array Map abruptly flipped over. In the instant before Mu Chen could react, it descended, landing squarely over the Golden Array where he and Xiaohai were situated, enclosing them both within its bounds.

Immediately, the Golden Array beneath Mu Chen and the one beneath Xiaohai pulsed with Primordial Power. Countless golden threads extended from their respective Array Plates and shot into the green Array Map above. In that moment, the three completely independent Array Maps fused, becoming a single, complete Array Map.

And this Array Map... was none other than the Illusion Spirit Array Map!