Nine Star Hegemon Body Art c1-2048
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That was a kind of inherent grandness and arrogance. Others had no choice but to admire and worship it, without the slightest ability to even form a heart to resist.
Yue Xiaoqian’s face was pale as she tightly clenched Long Chen’s hand. He could feel the cold sweat on her hand as well as her slight trembling.
“That is a green dragon’s reverse scale.”
The barbarian race expert’s words gave both Long Chen and Yue Xiaoqian a great shock. Although Yue Xiaoqian was extremely knowledgeable, a dragon was something that existed only in legends.
They originated from before even the immortal era. That was an age that was impossible to date. Within the eyes of the current cultivators, dragons were just mythical beasts from legends.
The legends said that dragons were the emperors of all beasts. They were the most sacred existence, and even in the flourishing immortal age, they were existences that could look down on all. There was no one that would dare disrespect them.
Now looking at this small scale, Long Chen and Yue Xiaoqian were both filled with shock. They finally understood why this scale was so terrifying.
The legends said that a dragon’s scales grew along with them from birth, never shedding. There was only one exception: that was a scale that grew in reverse. It was located under their necks, and that was where all the dragon’s heart blood converged. It was also their weak point.
This reverse scale was a forbidden area to dragons. No one had better touch it, or the dragon’s majestic fury would cause a bloodbath throughout the nine heavens, creating corpses throughout ten thousand miles.
Those were all things that Long Chen had heard in legends. But Long Chen had never imagined he would see a green dragon’s scale, let alone its reverse scale.
This legendary reverse scale was connected to the dragon’s heart blood. After being nourished for a long time by that heart blood, it gained its own miraculous powers.
“Those Two-Winged Devilmen were all killed by this dragon scale.” The barbarian race expert once more dropped a bombshell. Long Chen, who had been shocked to the point of being insensitive now, once more had his jaw drop. “But although this is just a remnant of a green dragon, the might of the dragon contained in it is specialized towards restraining fiendish auras. While fighting, these Two-Winged Devilmen ended up carelessly provoking the reverse scale that has been buried here, causing them to be instantly exterminated by its dragon might.”
“You… you’re giving this to me?” Long Chen was so emotionally moved that he was stuttering. This was a dragon’s reverse scale, a legendary existence!
“It’s not that I’m giving it to you, as it was never mine in the first place. All I did was manage to see it exterminate these Devilmen right before my death.
“If you want to obtain it, you’ll have to rely on your own strength to subdue it. As for whether or not it will belong to you in the end, it’ll be up to your own abilities.
“However, there is one thing I have to warn you about. To subdue a reverse scale, using brute force is an impossibility. You must use your will to subdue it, or it will never allow you to control it.
“My time is up. I really wish to see my clansman. Unfortunately, I still have some regrets in the end…” sighed the barbaric race expert. Long Chen saw that his bones were starting to dim.
“Senior, do you have any cultivation technique or inheritance you need me to give your clansman?” asked Long Chen hastily.
“No need. My barbarian race has the god’s blessing. As long as our power reaches a certain level, those things will automatically awaken. Finally, let me ask you to… look after… my clansman… thank…”
Before the barbarian race expert could finish speaking, his body exploded into pieces. After the wind within the abyss swept those fragments away, he had completely disappeared from Long Chen’s eyes. A powerful expert had completely disappeared just like that.
Long Chen felt a kind of sadness. That had been an expert worthy of respect, and he had very likely been Wilde’s clansman.
Even as he felt death coming for him, his only worry had been for his clansman. He had even abandoned an expert’s pride to ask him for help. He truly cared deeply about his junior generation.
“Don’t worry senior. Wilde is my brother, and I will properly look after him.” Long Chen bowed deeply in the direction where the barbarian race expert had disappeared. Long Chen felt profound respect for this expert.
Despite clearly having already died and being just a skeleton, he had still possessed that imposing manner of looking down disdainfully on the nine heavens as well as a heaven-shaking battle strength. Just how terrifying had he been when he was alive?
The blood-colored saber, having lost its owner’s support, fell to the ground, causing the ground to crumble.
“What terrifying weight!” exclaimed Yue Xiaoqian.
The ground here was harder than steel, and ordinary weapons would find it difficult to even cut the ground. But this saber was able to crush the ground with just its weight.
However, now that the blood-colored saber had lost its icy arrogance, it was filled with a forlorn, aggrieved aura. This saber had its own spirit, and sensing its master’s true death, it was filled with grief and unwillingness.
Long Chen slowly walked up to it. With great solemness, he consoled it, “Don’t worry. The senior walked a carefree path, and if you follow me, I will not disgrace you.”
He slowly grabbed the hilt and pulled. Now Long Chen truly sensed just how heavy it was.
This saber had to be at least ten times heavier than Devil Decapitator had been. If Long Chen had not condensed the Alioth Star, allowing his strength to explode, there was no way he could have picked it up.
With the saber in his hand, Long Chen could feel the grief inside it even more clearly. That was a kind of unwillingness to be parted. Although this saber wasn’t alive, it could still express its emotions.
“Everything’s over now, so just properly rest. I will carry on senior’s will, and once you’re done resting, we’ll fight together side by side,” consoled Long Chen before placing it into his spatial ring. “Xiaoqian, you should go gather those devil cores. I’ll think of a way to handle this dragon scale.”
Yue Xiaoqian nodded and went back to gather those countless devil cores. Those were all priceless treasures to her, so she had to make sure to gather them all.
Two hours later, Yue Xiaoqian brought back thousands of devil cores. She saw Long Chen was still just staring at the dragon scale that was floating in the air.
“Have you thought of a method?” she asked.
“I’ve figured it out,” sighed Long Chen.
“Really? Excellent! What did you come up with?”
“I’ve figured out that there’s no method at all.” Long Chen helplessly shrugged his shoulders.
Yue Xiaoqian was first stunned, then angrily said, “What time do you think it is? Why can’t you be a bit more serious? Can you handle this dragon scale or not?”
Long Chen’s expression was solemn. “I, Long Chen, have adventured everywhere for so long. There are only two things in my life that I can’t do!”
“What two things?”
“I can’t do this and I can’t do that!” lamented Long Chen dejectedly.
“Dislikable. Can you not joke around at this time? Try to read the situation.” Yue Xiaoqian hit Long Chen lightly in rebuke.
“This is just me relieving some of my nervousness.” Long Chen smiled bitterly. He wasn’t a god. Even he was nervous about trying to subdue a dragon’s reverse scale.
“Do you need my help?” asked Yue Xiaoqian.
“Forget about it. To subdue a dragon scale is not as simple as you seem to think. Once a dragon’s might is released, it will obliterate a person’s soul. Those Devilmen all died that way.” Long Chen shook his head.
Just now he had done some simple experiments, and he now knew that a divine object like a dragon scale could not be subdued by any kind of
technique or trick. The barbarian race expert had also warned him about that.
“It’s that terrifying? Then shouldn’t you just give up?” said Yue Xiaoqian worriedly.
“Haven’t I already told you? I have the See A Treasure And Can’t Walk Away Disease. This incurable disease isn’t so easy to handle. Step back. I’m going to start.”
Long Chen shook his head and took a deep breath. He walked up to the dragon scale and reached out to grab it.
Chapter 403 An Eye up in the Void
Long Chen took a deep breath and walked up to the dragon scale, reaching out to grab it. Since he couldn’t resist this enticement, all he could do was try.
The main reason Long Chen was so set on trying to subdue this dragon scale was because of the confidence the barbarian race expert had given him. Long Chen trusted that the barbarian race expert wouldn’t harm him.
Unfortunately, they had run out of time. While it had seemed that the barbarian race expert had known some secrets about the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, he hadn’t given him any information at all about that.
But from his words and tone, Long Chen could sense that he felt great reverence towards the Heir of the Nine Stars. That made Long Chen even more curious about the history of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art.
However, thinking about that didn’t have any meaning right now. Since the barbarian race expert had led Long Chen to this dragon scale, it meant Long Chen definitely had some chance of succeeding.
BUZZ!
When Long Chen’s hand grabbed the dragon scale, it suddenly released a harsh light, seemingly provoked, and a terrifying pressure shot out.
Despite having summoned his FengFu Battle Armor, despite having his divine ring support him, Long Chen was still unable to resist that terrifying pressure. The flesh on his arms exploded, appearing incredibly horrifying.
At the same time, a spiritual pressure filled the world, a pressure that could suppress all living things, even gods. Long Chen felt as if his soul was being torn apart. He was able to bitterly endure the physical pain, but this spiritual pain was just unbearable.
This was not just pain, but a spiritual suppression. This was a pressure that would cause all things to be subdued, with not a single person being able to resist.
According to the legend, dragons were peak existences even above gods. They were inherently haughty and could overlook the entire world. No one was able to form a heart to resist. That was dragon might.
In front of dragon might, people could only crawl beneath their feet. If they dared resist, they would be mercilessly erased.
In records of ancient myths, when dragons were born, they were a green color. Green dragons were the weakest existences amongst the dragon race.
Once their strength reached a certain level, their scales would change color, going from green to white. However, they wouldn’t be called white dragons, but azure dragons[1].
Furthermore, it was said there were even higher levels above azure dragons. But these were all just mythological stories, so no one took them seriously.
When a dragon advanced ranks, its scales would all change color. Only this reverse scale wouldn’t change color. Instead, it would shed, and they would grow a new reverse scale.
If this myth was true, then this reverse scale in front of Long Chen was from the dragon’s first transformation. In other words, this was the weakest reverse scale of all reverse scales.
But just this weakest reverse scale caused Long Chen’s flesh to explode and make his soul feel like it was being torn apart. Furthermore, an involuntary feeling of subservient allegiance arose within him.
Instead of subduing the dragon scale, he was being subdued by it. That made Long Chen feel great humiliation.
“Be suppressed!” Long Chen clenched the dragon scale with both hands. His Spiritual Strength poured out, and at the same time, he released his powerful will.
This clash of wills caused the entire world to tremble. Although will was a formless existence, this clash released a terrifying pressure that made heaven and earth change color.
Yue Xiaoqian’s face was pale as paper. Long Chen’s clash with the dragon might made her feel incomparably terrified.
That was a kind formless suppression that came from the depths of her soul. She had never imagined Long Chen’s will was so powerful that it was able to face off against dragon might.
Will was something unrelated to cultivation base. A part of it was just inherent, but another portion was acquired through tempering. But it seemed like all other wills could be easily crushed by Long Chen’s.
Yue Xiaoqian had distanced herself greatly, and the dragon might wasn’t even targeting her. However, she still felt her body shuddering and intense pain in her soul. Long Chen, who was resisting with his full power, was definitely facing much more pressure.
His arms were dyed with blood as he tightly clenched the dragon scale. Fresh blood continued to pour out of his arms. Long Chen’s eyes were tightly closed right now as he pushed his Spiritual Strength to its peak.
BUZZ!
Suddenly, space trembled intensely. Long Chen spat out blood and was blown back.
“Long Chen!” Yue Xiaoqian cried out.
“HAHAHAHA!”
But Long Chen suddenly began to laugh heartily; his laughter growing more and more delighted, seeming like a madman.
“Long Chen, you…?” Seeing Long Chen laughing like a madman, Yue Xiaoqian was appalled. It couldn’t be that he had gone crazy due to an injury to his soul, right?
“I’m fine.” Long Chen finally stopped laughing. However, he was still smiling brightly.
“You succeeded?”
Long Chen shook his head.
Yue Xiaoqian felt some pity when she looked at Long Chen’s hands that were dripping blood. “Failure is normal. At the very least, you’re still alive. Let’s just give up. This is fundamentally impossible. A dragon’s reverse scale will be provoked as soon as you touch it. And as soon as it releases its dragon might, all living beings will be suppressed. Even a reverse scale that has been shed for countless years will still have its dragon might. That’s not something we can subdue.”
In the cultivation world, the weak were simply prey to the strong. When they ran into an opportunity to get stronger, they would risk their lives, going all-out to obtain it. But going all-out and risking your life for an opportunity you couldn’t possibly obtain was just folly.
“Although I didn’t succeed, I didn’t fail. On the contrary, I’m not far from success!” Long Chen smiled confidently.
He got back up and walked back to the dragon scale in front of Yue Xiaoqian’s stunned gaze.
“I was misled. In truth, it should be much simpler than I thought.”
Long Chen once more reached out to grab the dragon scale.
Yue Xiaoqian turned pale with fright. That was because this time, Long Chen didn’t put up any defenses at all. He hadn’t even released his aura before grabbing the dragon scale. As long as it released its dragon pressure, Long Chen would be instantly crushed to death.
She wanted to stop him, but it was already too late. Long Chen’s hand had already grabbed the dragon scale. But what stupefied Yue Xiaoqian was that the dragon scale merely released a bright light and didn’t release its dragon might.
Long Chen’s eyes were closed as he calmly gripped the dragon scale. As he held the dragon scale, it was as if the entire world had frozen. Yue Xiaoqian could only hear her own heartbeat.
Each breath felt as long as a year. Yue Xiaoqian was worried the dragon scale would suddenly explode in fury, crushing Long Chen to bits.
Two hours felt like ten thousand years. Long Chen still hadn’t moved. But then suddenly, the dragon scale released an even brighter light, causing Yue Xiaoqian’s heart to clench.
That light grew ever brighter, lighting up the entire abyss, making it so people couldn’t even see. However, even once that light reached its brightest point, no dragon might was released. Finally, the l
ight began to fade.
It was only after a long while that Yue Xiaoqian’s vision recovered. She finally saw that Long Chen was still in the same posture as before. However, the dragon scale had disappeared.
“HAHAHA!”
Long Chen once more raised his head and laughed, his voice full of excitement.
“Long Chen, you… you succeeded?!” Yue Xiaoqian was filled with disbelief.
“Yup.” Long Chen nodded; his eyes still filled with a crazy joy. He extended his hand, and the reverse scale suddenly appeared over it.
“How did you do this?” Yue Xiaoqian found this to be completely inconceivable. Long Chen had actually managed to subdue a reverse scale.
“In truth, trying to subdue a dragon’s reverse scale was fundamentally a mistake,” sighed Long Chen. He had almost been misled by the barbarian race expert.
He trusted that the barbarian race expert hadn’t known the taboos regarding a dragon’s reverse scale. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said that Long Chen should subdue it.
However, in truth, that barbarian race expert really did know a bit about dragon reverse scales, and he truly had heard of people subduing them. But what he didn’t know was that those dragon reverse scales were different from this one. This one could not possibly be subdued.
If a peerless expert wanted to rely on their powerful cultivation base to forcibly subdue it, it would automatically explode. Although it was just a shed scale, a dragon’s dignity would not allow anyone to step on it.
The dragon scales the barbarian race expert had heard of were actually from some mix-blood dragons, not pure-blood true dragons.
A true dragon’s scale contained its pride, and it would not submit to brute force. It was only because Long Chen had managed to sense this that he had switched methods.
When his will had clashed with it, Long Chen had realized that the dragon scale’s will was similar to his own in that it would not surrender to any power.
Neither the dragon might nor his will were able to subdue the other. Instead, there was actually a slight resonance due to the similarity between their wills.
That was why Long Chen had given up on suppressing it and tried using his will to connect with it. As a result, this gentle method had worked, and the dragon scale hadn’t rejected him.