Slaying Demons: Starting with Upgrading my Calligraphy-Chapter 380 - 347: Dragon Crown Prince!

Awakened?

Being watched by those lifeless Dragon Eyes, Qi Xiu’s body hair stood on end. An indescribable sense of horror made him feel as if he had fallen into an arctic ice cellar.

The huge body that coiled around most of the Longevity Star Realm slowly stirred. The True Dragon gradually raised its head. Though it had grown extremely aged and feeble, that majestic, supreme presence still made Qi Xiu’s robes flutter and whistle.

An immensely thick, unparalleled oppressive majesty descended in an instant.

This was the pure and unmatched... Dragon Power!

His Daoist robe billowed and howled. Qi Xiu raised his hand in front of his forehead; the gaze of the aged True Dragon was far too dazzling, as if two great suns hung before his eyes, painfully piercing.

Taking a deep breath, Qi Xiu resisted the crushing pressure of the True Dragon’s power, circulated his techniques, and suddenly let out a long howl towards the sky.

"RROOAAARR—"

The deafening dragon’s roar pierced through the clouds, and vertical sound waves surged skyward, generating rings of substantial shockwaves in this cold and silent void.

Imitating the dragon’s roar with the Dragon Might Spell was Qi Xiu’s way of declaring his Dragon Clan identity. Although he was only nominally of the Dragon Clan, he still bore the True Dragon Mark, after all. And it was precisely for this reason that he was able to learn the racial Divine Marvel technique of the True Dragon Clan—the Dragon Might Spell!

Upon hearing the Dragon Power emitted by Qi Xiu, a ripple suddenly passed through the indifferent eyes of the True Dragon. However, facing Qi Xiu, who possessed the body of a human, the ancient dragon seemed momentarily unable to react, unable to comprehend why a member of the Human Race would be one of its own kind.

Seeing the hesitation in the old dragon’s eyes, Qi Xiu mustered his courage and strode forward, simultaneously lifting the ancient dragon scale high.

BOOM—

The enormous, resplendent Dragon Eyes noticed the ancient dragon scale in Qi Xiu’s hand, and a hint of recollection appeared on the rigid dragon’s head.

"Western Sea... Dragon King... Third Crown Prince?"

The words, ancient and obscure, resounding and vibrating, were not of the Human Race’s language, filled with a heavy sense of the ages. Yet, to Qi Xiu’s surprise, he could understand every word perfectly, as if he were innately proficient in this language.

It felt as if a talent within him had been activated. An Ancestral Aperture between Qi Xiu’s brows grew warm, and deep within the soul that sat enthroned in Yama’s Palace within his Ancestral Aperture, the mark of the True Dragon Clan gleamed brightly. A certain legacy and power hidden within began to flow out, integrating into his soul.

"This was given to me by an old friend. Do you recognize it, Senior?"

The words that slipped out were in the same ancient syllables as those used by the old dragon. Qi Xiu suppressed the astonishment in his heart and maintained his composure.

"I am... the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea..."

Dragon King of the Eastern Sea?

Qi Xiu’s eyes widened, and he clenched his fists unconsciously, not expecting that the one slumbering within the Longevity Star Realm would be the legendary Dragon King.

"...The Fifth Prince..."

But before the shock could fully register on Qi Xiu’s face, the old dragon slowly uttered the second half of the sentence.

If it hadn’t been for the terrifying power of this old dragon, Qi Xiu, who had been nearly choked speechless, would have really liked to roll his eyes at him.

A human body... a dragon mark... Interesting.

Seemingly recognizing Qi Xiu’s identity as part of the True Dragon Clan, the old dragon slowly lowered its raised head, and the overwhelming Dragon Power also dissipated into nothingness.

The dark-gold Dragon Eyes quietly watched Qi Xiu, and this Fifth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon King slowly spoke, "You are... from the Western Sea... karma. Coming here today... Could it be... you too desire... to seize the opportunity of the Eastern Sea?"

Having slumbered for countless years, The Fifth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon King still spoke slowly, but each syllable could cause the void to shudder and heaven and earth to resonate. Gazing at the sprawling Longevity Star Realm beneath him, Qi Xiu could even imagine that if the old dragon took a fancy, it could grind this world to dust with a single claw.

"I am unaware of the karma Senior speaks of. This dragon scale was gifted by an old friend, and my coming here was also guided by this dragon scale," Qi Xiu explained the origins of the ancient dragon scale given to him by Elder Shui, choosing not to hide anything.

The True Dragon before him was old, but Qi Xiu could feel a terrifying, abyss-like pressure emanating from it. This kind of oppressive feeling, he had only experienced it in one place before: the Shenxiao Sect’s Sect-Defending Divine Artifact—the Nine Heavens Shenxiao Thunder City!

Undoubtedly, although countless years had left this Fifth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon King ancient and frail, as a member of the True Dragon Clan, the passage of time had not made him weak. Instead, his True Dragon Blood had grown even denser and purer, endowing him with an incomparably terrifying power.

After hearing Qi Xiu’s words, The Fifth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon King narrowed his Dragon Eyes slightly, and his palpable gaze swept swiftly across Qi Xiu.

"Hunyuan? So that’s it... No wonder the Western Sea staked its hopes on you."

A glimmer of light appeared in the Dragon Eyes. It seemed that even the Divine Luster Inward Concealment of the Hunyuan Myriad Laws Immortal Body could not escape the scrutiny of this Dragon Palace’s Prince. With just a glance, he discerned that Qi Xiu possessed the power of Hunyuan.

"Alas, the immortal herb is still tender and fragile, hardly ready for major use. Without reaching the Primordial Spirit Realm, all are mere ants. With your current cultivation, to take on the karma of the Western Sea is already your limit. To add another, I fear you would soon perish in the wilderness."

The Prince’s speech gradually returned to normal, as if he had recovered from the discomfort of his long slumber. His words clearly conveyed his low opinion of Qi Xiu’s insufficient strength. But this was indeed the reality.

Below the Primordial Spirit Realm, all are ants. This was a rule known to all cultivators, and the ultimate goal for which everyone on the path of cultivation strived throughout their lives.

"If that’s the case, then I’ll refrain from getting involved," Qi Xiu said with a chuckle, his expression natural, not dwelling on the matter.

As for the karma between the Western Sea and Eastern Sea, he was unaware of it, and he didn’t care about any potential benefits that might come after completing it. With the Divine Marvel of Proficiency in hand, as long as no accidents happened, his chances of achieving the Primordial Spirit Realm were definitely far greater than those of most cultivators. The path of karma had both its advantages and disadvantages; handled well, the profit was substantial, but handled poorly, one could easily find oneself mired in trouble. If possible, he would even be willing to rid himself of this so-called karma of the Western Sea, simply seeking a clean and carefree life.

"Oh? Do you know what reward you will receive if you take on the karma of my Eastern Sea?" Seeing Qi Xiu’s indifferent demeanor, the old dragon showed a hint of interest.

The True Dragon Clan had always been known not only for their strength but also for their wealth. It wasn’t just because the True Dragon Clan was powerful and therefore sat upon mountains of treasure. It was in the very nature of the True Dragon Clan to collect the treasures of the world. The Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas were the epitome of this. It could be said that each Dragon Palace contained enough treasures to shock the world. With such tremendous temptations, the old dragon believed no one could remain so calm and composed.

"This junior does not know. I only know that there’s no such thing as a free lunch in the world; what you gain always comes with a loss." With the Divine Marvel of Proficiency in his hand, Qi Xiu’s nature could be described as indifferent and unambitious. He was especially uninterested in high-risk, high-reward situations, preferring to quietly improve his skills rather than risk his life for a chance at fortune.

"Hahaha, interesting. You, junior, are quite amusing. However, since the Western Sea sent you to me, I will count you in on this karma. I will give you a thousand years. If you can achieve the Primordial Spirit Realm within these thousand years, come and find me here. Don’t be in a hurry to refuse. I know you’re not interested in Dharma Gates or treasures, but as long as you take on the karma of my Eastern Sea, I can ensure you’ll receive something that all living beings desire."

The old dragon’s words were profound and calm, yet they carried an alluring power that was deeply seductive.

"May Senior please enlighten me." Qi Xiu felt a hint of curiosity about this thing that all living beings desired.

"The name of that thing is..." Pausing for a moment, The Fifth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon King slowly uttered a term: "Longevity!"

"Longevity?" Hearing this, Qi Xiu’s eyebrows knit together, "Isn’t the Primordial Spirit Realm already synonymous with longevity, as it allows one to live as long as heaven and earth?"

"The Primordial Spirit Realm? Hehe, the Heavenly Dao is fair. Although those in the Primordial Spirit Realm may glimpse the profound mysteries of the Great Dao, they must also face the besieging calamities of heaven and earth. Year after year of tribulations, no Primordial Spirit Realm cultivator dares claim they can always survive them. But the longevity I’m speaking of is true freedom from disasters and calamities, carefree and at ease."

The dragon’s half-closed eyes gazed faintly at Qi Xiu. Seeing the look of longing appear on the young Daoist’s face as he had hoped, the old dragon smiled. "What do you say, want to give it a try?"

Since it had come to this, Qi Xiu naturally would not refuse any longer. He cupped his hands towards the old dragon. "In that case, this junior will give it my all."

"Good. Remember, I’m only giving you a thousand years. And if someone else comes looking for me within these thousand years, if they are sufficiently worthy, I will pass the karma onto them.

"So, the sooner you achieve the Primordial Spirit Realm, the greater your chance."

The old dragon’s words left Qi Xiu with a trace of helplessness on his face.

Crown Prince, you mustn’t believe that everyone is like the True Dragon Clan, capable of possessing the power of the Primordial Spirit Realm upon reaching maturity. Throughout the endless ages, geniuses and prodigies pass by like fleeting clouds. But those who become Primordial Spirit True Honors are still as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

However, he naturally couldn’t voice these thoughts.

"This old dragon needs to sleep. Just speaking these few words to you has exhausted ten thousand years’ worth of my accumulated primordial essence. I hope that when we meet again, you will have achieved the Primordial Spirit Realm."

Yawning, the old dragon coiled up his body, his Dragon Eyes heavy with sleep. Remaining alive through endless eons, prolonged hibernation was how this Eastern Sea Dragon Prince had achieved longevity and avoided calamities.

The old dragon returned to his slumber. Qi Xiu, pursing his lips, said no more and retraced his path back into the Longevity Star Realm.

Next, it’s time to deal with this Immortal Peach.

He flipped his hand, and the purple-patterned, yellow-cored Immortal Peach appeared. Qi Xiu pondered deeply.

Although the crisis in the Longevity Star Realm had been resolved, and according to Tao Guyun, the Taizu Holy Tree was beginning to revive and regenerate the Taogong Clan, restoring the clan to half its numbers and restarting the inter-realm array would still require some time.

Since that was the case, he might as well use this time to consume this Spiritual Object of the world, break through the fivefold barriers in one fell swoop, and achieve the Bloodstained Pinnacle Realm!

...