Chapter 238: True Dragon Transformation

Your physical body radiated terrifying qi and blood pressure. Ordinary Nascent Soul True Monarchs could not even look directly at you; with every step closer, they would endure a suffocating weight.

'I've finally survived it...'

You opened your eyes, exhaling in relief.

The power of the Fourth-Order Late Stage Body Refining Heavenly Tribulation had exceeded your expectations.

If not for Lingxu Blessed Land's multitude of top-tier body-tempering resources, which had massively transformed your physique until it rivaled a pure ancient body cultivator of the same realm—along with body cultivation divine abilities like Qi and Blood and Eruption—you probably would have been forced to use your dharma power to protect yourself.

Using dharma power would have meant missing out on the lightning tribulation's tempering. Without stimulating your physical potential, you likely would have failed to awaken the fundamental foundation of pure ancient body cultivation true lords: the Indestructible Golden Essence.

The Indestructible Golden Essence could evolve into the Indestructible Golden Body. The peak ancient body cultivation true lords had run rampant across the world on the sheer strength of their physical forms, relying entirely on this Indestructible Golden Body.

Normally, a pure ancient body cultivator awakened this divine ability upon stepping into the fourth tier.

You, however, had taken quite a few shortcuts on your path of body cultivation. By relying on dharma power to cross previous Body Refining Heavenly Tribulations, you had circumvented their tempering. As a result, this awakening had been delayed, or what you awakened was not the Indestructible Golden Essence.

But now? After fully enduring the Fourth-Order Late Stage Body Refining Heavenly Tribulation, you had finally made up for this flaw and awakened the Indestructible Golden Essence.

The Indestructible Golden Essence was the foundation of the Indestructible Golden Body. With the former awakened, evolving the latter was only a matter of time.

At this moment, you were no different from a pure ancient body cultivator. Relying on the Indestructible Golden Body, once you cultivated to the Fourth-Tier Late Stage Peak, you would be able to rival peak dharma cultivation Great Cultivators.

'With the Indestructible Golden Body, I have a bit more certainty of surviving the Deity Transformation Five Elements Lightning Tribulation.'

You felt slightly reassured.

Many of Lingxu Blessed Land's top-tier body-tempering resources remained—enough for you to smoothly cultivate to the Fourth-Tier Late Stage Peak.

'Indestructible Golden Essence...'

You felt the golden essence suffusing your flesh and blood. With every cycle of expansion, your physical body improved by a fraction, an ongoing process that would continue until your physique completely transformed into the Indestructible Golden Body.

'Crossing the Body Refining Heavenly Tribulation this time caught the attention of some Early Nascent Soul Stage true lords in the Eastern Wilderness Domain, but it's only attention. It won't cause any real impact.'

You pinched your fingers to divine the heavenly secrets. The commotion caused by the Fourth-Order Late Stage Body Refining Heavenly Tribulation surpassed even a Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation. It could faintly be sensed from hundreds of thousands or even a million miles away.

But that was all. The Early Nascent Soul Stage true lords who noticed it would never dare approach. Any true lord who cultivated to that level was a cunning old fox; there was no way they would personally risk their lives to investigate.

'It's time to head back.'

You stood up slowly, produced a Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Apricot, and swallowed it.

The physical injuries you sustained during the heavenly tribulation rapidly healed under its effects.

"Congratulations, Master, on your major completion in body cultivation!"

A blood-red roc phantom spoke up immediately. It was the Blood Roc that had been standing guard for you.

Sensing the ocean-like fluctuations of qi and blood within your physical body, the Blood Roc trembled with fear.

Although the Blood Roc was a True Spirit descendant, its physical strength naturally could not compare to that of a pure body cultivation Great Cultivator who had awakened the Indestructible Golden Essence.

Furthermore, your body was enhanced by the Surpassing Oneself by Half a Move talent, displaying a level of power one minor realm above your actual stage.

"Mhm, let's go back," you replied.

With a single step, you stood upon the Blood Roc's broad back.

Having just survived the Body Refining Heavenly Tribulation, your physical body needed time to recover. This was exactly where the Blood Roc proved its worth; it could fly you back to the Central Continent at a reasonable speed.

In the two hundred and tenth year, you were two hundred and twenty-seven years old.

With a continuous investment of top-tier body-tempering resources, you successfully evolved the Indestructible Golden Essence into the Indestructible Golden Body.

A normal pure ancient body cultivator would awaken the Indestructible Golden Essence upon stepping into the fourth tier. Then, through a long evolutionary process lasting until the Fourth-Order Late Stage, they would finally evolve it into the Indestructible Golden Body.

But you were different. You were already at the Fourth-Order Late Stage. Combined with your divine soul strength, countless top-tier body-tempering resources, and the golden seal script secret art from the central boulder in Lingxu Blessed Land, you were able to massively accelerate the evolution of the Indestructible Golden Body.

In the two hundred and twentieth year, you were two hundred and thirty-seven years old.

"Wood Source Grotto-heaven... has opened." You opened your eyes and looked toward a certain direction in the Central Continent.

Wood Source Grotto-heaven, one of the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens of the Central Continent, was similar to Tianzhu Grotto-Heaven; it produced a multitude of rare and precious dharma cultivation resources.

You had no interest in Wood Source Grotto-heaven. Having already plundered Tianzhu Grotto-Heaven, you possessed more dharma cultivation resources than you could ever use. There was no need to reveal yourself to claim more.

The major factions of the Central Continent were already aware of your existence, so it was best to act as little as possible.

The more times you struck, the more traces and clues you left behind, making it easier for divination arts to lock onto you.

Even though you were a Tier 4 Mid-Grade Divination Grandmaster holding a Quasi-Fifth Tier Divination Tortoise Shell, the Central Continent was full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Who knew what methods they might have to bypass your obscured heavenly secrets?

As long as you were not a Deity Transformation Heavenly Monarch, you ought to maintain a healthy reverence.

'Xuande Grotto-Heaven...'

Your next target was Xuande Grotto-Heaven.

Xuande Grotto-Heaven was an incredibly special domain. Its entrance was located in the stellar layer of Outer Heaven.

The Outer Heaven of the Human Realm was dotted with stars and completely devoid of spiritual energy. Only true lords at the Mid or Late Nascent Soul Stage possessed the strength to cross the exceedingly dangerous astral wind layer and enter the stellar layer.

Because of the stellar layer's unique nature, Xuande Grotto-Heaven's entrance could not be occupied by any faction. It was one of the extremely rare ownerless domains among the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens.

Xuande Grotto-Heaven opened once every five thousand years. Every time it opened, the Great Cultivators who entered were extremely secretive about their harvests.

What could be confirmed was that the fortuitous encounters within Xuande Grotto-Heaven were neither dharma cultivation resources nor body cultivation resources.

You were interested in Xuande Grotto-Heaven because the Purple-Eyed True Monarch had fought over it during the fifth simulation. Paying a heavy price, he had severely injured a peak Great Cultivator there.

It was from that battle onward that the Purple-Eyed True Monarch ranked first on the top ten bandit cultivator list.

Peak Great Cultivators were generally on par with one another. Even at a steep price and with the use of forbidden arts, severely injuring another peak Great Cultivator remained exceedingly difficult.

You did not know exactly what the fortuitous encounter inside Xuande Grotto-Heaven was.

But following the Purple-Eyed True Monarch was definitely the right choice.

In the fifth simulation, the Purple-Eyed True Monarch had managed to reach the rank of Heavenly Monarch.

Even with the Demon Abyss Realm supporting him, his own foundation was inevitably the primary factor.

Since even the Purple-Eyed True Monarch valued Xuande Grotto-Heaven so highly, it would definitely be useful to you as well.

'It should be related to breaking through to Deity Transformation.'

You deduced that because it involved formidable Heavenly Monarchs from the ancient era, you could not get an accurate hexagram despite multiple divinations. However, for the peak Great Cultivators of the Human Realm, only a Deity Transformation fortuitous encounter was worth such drastic action.

In the two hundred and thirtieth year, you were two hundred and forty-seven years old.

The Cold Talisman Grand Cultivator passed away in meditation. Within the entire Heavenly Talisman Sect, the only Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivators remaining were the Red Talisman Grand Cultivator and yourself.

You were not a Great Cultivator raised by the Heavenly Talisman Sect. Strictly speaking, the sect had only one true Great Cultivator left: the Red Talisman Grand Cultivator.

The Heavenly Talisman Sect had fallen to a low point.

After the Cold Talisman Grand Cultivator passed away in meditation, the cultivators of the Heavenly Talisman Sect kept a much lower profile in the outside world.

'Old friends are fading away one by one...' You sighed inwardly. When you joined the Heavenly Talisman Sect, it had been at its peak, overseen by four Great Cultivators. Now, only one remained.

You left your immortal cave and arrived at the Dao Transmission Hall.

As a late-stage Great Cultivator of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, you were required to visit the Dao Transmission Hall once every ten years to preach the Dao and resolve doubts for the sect's numerous true lords.

This was the duty of an elder. Having enjoyed the generous treatment of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, you naturally had to give something back.

You had no complaints about this. Preaching once every ten years was well within reason. Moreover, if you were busy, you could always postpone it.

In the Dao Transmission Hall, the various Early Nascent Soul Stage and Mid Nascent Soul Stage true lords of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, along with a small number of Core Formation Stage true persons, had already been waiting for a long time.

You were not only a Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator but also a Fourth Tier High Grade talisman craft grandmaster. Every time you preached the Dao, the Early and Mid Nascent Soul Stage true lords of the Heavenly Talisman Sect would attend.

At the Nascent Soul Stage, every step forward was fraught with extreme difficulty. Receiving guidance from a senior was something countless true lords dreamed of. This was also part of the foundation of a top-tier faction; in ordinary factions, obtaining pointers from a Late Nascent Soul Stage Great Cultivator was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

"Everyone... The so-called Dao of Talismans..."

After arriving, you glanced over the true lords and true persons and began your sermon.

Your sermon lasted for the better part of a day. The true lords and true persons in attendance were thoroughly entranced.

"Elder Qingyuan..." A white-browed true lord spoke up, voicing his confusion. "Using mountains and rivers as talisman paper and one's own divine soul as the talisman brush... how exactly does one..."

You looked at the white-browed true lord.

This white-browed true lord was none other than True Monarch Sanfu—the future Great Cultivator Sanfu of several centuries later.

Only now, True Monarch Sanfu was still merely at the Mid Nascent Soul Stage and could not be considered the most outstanding among the sect's mid-stage true lords.

With an even tone, you casually clarified True Monarch Sanfu's confusion.

"So that is how it works."

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder Qingyuan."

A look of sudden realization dawned on True Monarch Sanfu's face, and he bowed respectfully to thank you.

He had already posed this same question to the Cold Talisman Grand Cultivator and the Red Talisman Grand Cultivator.

Although those two great cultivators had offered explanations, True Monarch Sanfu had not been able to grasp them.

It was not until he heard your pointers that he finally understood.

Your guidance was not limited solely to the Dao of Talismans.

You used the simplest words to illustrate the most profound truths.

Having reached your level, you could effortlessly extend insights from the Dao of Talismans to other paths, such as array craft or alchemy.

It was incredibly comprehensive.

Once the sermon ended, you returned to your immortal cave.

And resumed your cultivation.

Currently, you were focusing your cultivation efforts primarily on three areas.

The first was your physical body. You needed to push your body cultivation realm to the Fourth-Tier Late Stage Peak.

The second was the Divine Origin Void Crossing Great Art. You had yet to master the third layer of this secret art, and since it was directly related to the final trial in the Ghost Realm Trial Field, you naturally would not give it up.

The third consisted of your various secondary arts. Currently, the skills you had brought to the Fourth Tier High Grade included alchemy, talisman craft, and puppetry.

Your array craft had long since reached the Rank 4 Middle Grade Peak, putting it only a hair's breadth away from breaking into the Fourth Tier High Grade.

In the two hundred and fortieth year, you were two hundred and fifty-seven years old.

Inside your immortal cave, you silently opened your eyes. The power of the Divine Ability Transformation wove through your body; that drop of True Dragon Blood had finally been completely refined.

'True Dragon Transformation!'

Your eyes lit up brilliantly.

Two hundred and forty years! To refine this single drop of True Dragon Blood, you had spent a full two hundred and forty years.

Only then had you managed to manifest it into the True Dragon Transformation within your Divine Ability Transformation.

'I need to find a place to test it.'

You did not attempt the True Dragon Transformation immediately, worried that you would be unable to control the power of this transformation art.

A refining period of two hundred and forty years made you realize that the True Dragon Transformation was no small matter.

A month later, you returned to the Eastern Wilderness Domain.

After scanning a radius of hundreds of thousands of miles and confirming there were no other true lords present...

...you shifted your thoughts, circulated the Divine Ability Transformation, and locked onto the True Dragon Transformation.

Hum!

An immensely oppressive aura gathered. Your human form vanished, replaced by a golden-scaled True Dragon a hundred zhang long. Its dragon body was long, slender, and powerful, covered from head to tail in solid scales the size of buckets, with the edges of every scale shimmering with a glazed halo.

An unprecedented pressure coalesced, permeating an area of ten thousand, then a hundred thousand miles.

Faintly, you felt the Human Realm placing minute restrictions on you. Though subtle, they genuinely existed.

Swoosh!

You extended your dragon claw and swiped with all your might.

Space rippled, growing deeper and deeper until a few barely visible spatial rifts appeared, only to quickly vanish.

'Is this... an attack surpassing the limits of the Human Realm?'

You were inwardly shocked. Just then, you felt a sudden wave of exhaustion from your divine soul. You immediately exited the True Dragon Transformation and returned to your original form.

'The True Dragon Transformation exceeds the limits of what my physical body and divine soul can endure. I can only maintain it for ten breaths at most...'

You thought to yourself. Having personally experienced the True Dragon Transformation, you now understood a great deal about your strength in this state.

In True Dragon form, your physique, divine soul strength, and the power of your Nascent Soul dharma power all skyrocketed massively. Augmented by Surpassing Oneself by Half a Move, your full-powered strike barely stepped past the threshold of the Deity Transformation Stage, rendering you capable of tearing space itself.

While it was vastly inferior to a true Heavenly Monarch casually ripping open large swathes of space, it was an absolute dimensional strike against anyone at the Nascent Soul Stage level.

'It's too strong. Even when I step into the Deity Transformation Stage in the future, this transformation art will still substantially boost my power.'

You mused inwardly. Once you reached the Deity Transformation Stage, your physical body and divine soul would surge exponentially. The duration you could maintain the True Dragon Transformation would definitely lengthen, leading to an even greater amplification of your strength.

'Hm? I can only maintain a complete True Dragon Transformation for ten breaths at most, but what about an incomplete True Dragon Transformation...'

Your heart stirred slightly. Having possessed the Divine Ability Transformation for so many years, you had thoroughly researched this divine ability. The beast kings you transformed into were divided into complete forms and incomplete forms.

The incomplete state meant partially circulating the transformation without physically turning into the corresponding form. The duration would be extended, though the boost in strength would naturally be substantially lower.

However, considering the sheer magnitude of the complete True Dragon Transformation's boost, even the incomplete state would provide quite a significant enhancement.

Your physical body, divine soul, and Nascent Soul dharma power would still see an increase. Your physique shot directly up to the late-stage peak, and with the boost from the Surpassing Oneself by Half a Move talent, you broke past the limits of the Nascent Soul Stage.

'Incomplete form...' After resting for half a day, you attempted the incomplete state of the True Dragon Transformation.

Your physical form remained unchanged, but your emitted aura gained an inexplicable sense of majesty.

'I can maintain this for a full day...'

Your mood was excellent. The complete True Dragon Transformation could only last for ten breaths; it was the trump card of all trump cards, something you could not use unless absolutely necessary.

However, the incomplete True Dragon Transformation could last for an entire day, and the power boost was not small either. Its range of application was naturally much broader.