Chapter 109: Dragon Qi Surges Through the Body – A Turn of Fate

My master and I were undaunted. The situation shifted into a two-on-one skirmish. The dragon aura behind Ao Long turned turbulent, and he opened his massive maw to roar at us, sending a gale of wind rushing toward my face. I tilted my head slightly to dodge. The dragon shadow, manifested from his aura, slithered about as if yearning to attack, held back only by the lack of a command from Ao Long.

Soon, Ao Long made his move. He soared toward my master, while the dragon shadow turned its focus upon me, balancing the scales into a two-on-two conflict. I gripped my weapon, Tianyin Po, tightly, prepared for battle. Before the shadow could reach me, silver arcs of electricity I had prepared crackled and surged toward it. The shadow showed no fear, opening its maw to swallow the bolts whole. I was unwilling to accept this, so I fired off more arcs, each one more powerful than the last, but they were all consumed. The shadow even seemed to relish the taste, flicking its tongue over its lips as if savoring a delicacy.

My brow furrowed deeply. The shadow’s enormous eyes were fixed on me, sending chills down my spine. With a thunderous roar, it slithered toward me and spat a torrent of dragon breath. I dove to the side, but the shockwave still sent me flying. I tumbled through the air and rolled several meters across the ground before stabilizing. I looked up at the shadow and cursed, "Damn it, playing with explosives, are we?"

I raised my hand, and Daoist runes coalesced in the air into a massive golden sigil that plummeted toward the shadow. Thunderous explosions rang out, gouging deep craters into the cracked earth. As the tenth rune landed, I lowered my hand and peered forward, only to find the ground empty—not a trace of the dragon or its shadow remained. I scanned my surroundings; it had vanished into thin air.

Suddenly, I heard my master’s voice. He was locked in a stalemate with Ao Long. After striking Ao Long with a palm blast, he turned and shouted, "Boy, what are you gaping at? Get out of the way!"

My brow knit in confusion. Before the words had even faded, I felt a terrifying force erupt behind me. I spun around to see the dragon shadow hovering at my back, radiating visible dragon aura. It roared, and I was startled, but as I tried to dodge, I found my body unresponsive. My limbs turned to jelly. I fought to resist, but my legs buckled, unable to hold me up. Ao Long turned toward me and gave a sinister laugh. "With your body flooded by dragon aura, let’s see how you resist. Prepare for death, ha ha!"

My master’s face paled. He tried to rush to my aid, but Ao Long blocked his path. My master swung his Green Lotus Sword, but Ao Long parried with a mass of dragon aura before launching a frenzied assault.

Pinned down, my master shouted urgently, "Hold on, boy!"

I knelt on the ground, bracing myself with both hands, gasping for air. My head felt heavier by the second, and a piercing pain throbbed in my temples. The veins throughout my body began to swell rapidly. Unable to bear it, I let out a wretched scream, clawing at my own neck and leaving three ghastly gashes. My master looked at me and shouted again, "Stay strong! I’m coming!"

Distracted, my master left an opening. Ao Long sneered, his hand morphing into a claw wreathed in dragon aura, and struck my master, sending him flying back over a dozen meters. The agonizing pain was becoming unbearable; as my veins expanded, my body turned scorching hot. The black and white fish symbols manifested into a Taiji diagram above my head, but it was futile. I collapsed, convulsing, blood trickling from the corners of my mouth. Clinging to my last shred of consciousness, I gritted my teeth and gasped, "Master, don't worry about me... you can't let him get out."

"Argh!" I shrieked again as golden light radiated from my body, as if I were on the verge of exploding. My master looked on, bellowing, "Hold on!"

He turned back to Ao Long, roaring, "Ao Long, you’re courting death!" Ao Long stood his ground, watching with a sinister smile, silent.

I vomited blood, my eyes bloodshot. I knew I was reaching my limit; my flesh was beginning to tear. My screams echoed endlessly. My master tried to break free, but Ao Long was like a cockroach that refused to die, avoiding direct confrontation and focusing solely on defense.

My head lolled, and I collapsed completely. Blood seeped from my limbs and skin, pooling on the ground. Ao Long dodged my master’s strike and leaped back, looking at me. "Tsk, tsk, poor little human. The feeling of dragon aura flooding your body must be unpleasant, but you won't have to suffer for much longer."

As he spoke, my master looked at me, his heart trembling to see me motionless in a pool of blood. He charged forward without a word. Ao Long tried to block him, but before they could collide, a blinding white light erupted from within me. It surged outward with aggressive force, blasting both my master and Ao Long away. They landed and stabilized themselves. My master frowned, murmuring, "Such a familiar aura... could the boy be alright?"

"What is this thing? It’s so powerful," Ao Long muttered, unable to help himself.

Both were stunned. A moment later, I—who had been lying motionless—was lifted by the white light. I floated in mid-air, standing as I looked toward Ao Long. I slowly opened my eyes, which now glowed with a dazzling white radiance. My master was startled, and Ao Long’s expression shifted. I felt like a different person. I floated there, gazing at the black and white fish on my right arm.

The symbols seemed to sense something; they flew out and circled me, as if with deep affection. I smiled faintly, raised my hand, and the symbols drifted into my palm, nuzzling against my skin. I stroked them, then looked up at Ao Long. "Ao Long, after a thousand years, you’ve grown quite bold. Today, you dare to harm my descendant? Since when did your Dragon Clan dare to ride roughshod over humanity? Do you truly believe the human race lacks great masters?!"

I emphasized the final words. Ao Long trembled involuntarily, though he tried to maintain a composed facade. My master, standing nearby, was relieved to see me alive. "Boy, you're alright? Thank goodness. You scared me to death just now!"

I turned my gaze slowly toward him. He smiled, but I looked at him expressionlessly. "Tan Boqing, leader of the Beiming Pass. You have governed the supernatural circle and the three realms for these years—your efforts are not without merit. But your power has been sealed by the Demon Saint; you are not the man you once were."

My master froze, looking at me with a bewildered frown. He had never heard me use his full name before. Wise as Zhuge, he observed my every word and action, and realization dawned on him. "You are not Xiaoxuan. Who are you, and how do you know my history?"

I smiled slightly. "Heaven’s secrets must not be revealed. Enough, no more talk. Let us subdue this wicked dragon first!"

I turned back to Ao Long and raised a hand. Daoist runes flew out, forming a force far more terrifying than anything I had produced before. The runes swirled rapidly within the white light. Even my master felt the staggering power and retreated a few steps, watching me in shock. Ao Long’s face turned grim. Sensing the aura of the ancient runes, he stopped holding back, manifesting his full dragon form in the sky. He roared, "You want to subdue me? Where do you find the courage?!"