Chapter 127: A Draw?

Chapter 127: A Draw?

Ming Yang stood tall amidst a pool of blood, gripping his heavy sword. Blood streamed from his head, cheeks, back, and legs, his eyes wild like a beast’s, his mouth continuously dripping crimson.

Thud!

Ning Xiaochuan’s Martial Arts Profound Qi was severely depleted, no longer able to sustain the dragon-scale armor and the dragon claw battle sword. The armor dissolved into a red mist, transforming back into the small red dragon, which draped limply over Ning Xiaochuan’s shoulder, motionless.

Ning Xiaochuan’s hair was disheveled, his body covered in bloodstains. Propping himself up with one hand on the ground, he gasped for breath, every inch of his body wracked with pain. At this moment, he lacked even the strength to stand—not only was he grievously injured, but his Martial Arts Profound Qi was nearly exhausted.

Ming Yang could no longer lift his heavy sword, instead planting it into the ground. He condensed a Profound Qi Sword in his hand and trudged toward Ning Xiaochuan with great difficulty. "Ning Xiaochuan, you are indeed strong—so strong you nearly defeated me. But you fell just short. Today, you will not escape death."

Ning Xiaochuan’s gaze remained resolute, fixed on the Profound Qi Sword in Ming Yang’s hand. Gathering the last vestiges of his strength, he channeled it to his brow.

The moment Ming Yang swung his sword, a golden light shot from Ning Xiaochuan’s forehead, piercing Ming Yang’s chest and sending him crashing heavily to the ground.

Splat!

A torrent of blood spilled from Ming Yang’s body.

Meanwhile, Ning Xiaochuan, drained of all energy, blacked out and collapsed.

On the Martial Arena, both lay motionless in pools of blood.

The Deputy Headmaster of the Diamond Martial Academy and the Deputy Headmaster of the Three Masters Martial Academy simultaneously transformed into streaks of light, darting into the arena to retrieve the two.

In the darkness, Ning Xiaochuan’s consciousness seemed to detach from his body. Before him stretched a river of blood-red hues. Drifting along its currents, he eventually arrived outside his own heart.

The heart had four ventricles and three atria. The central atrium was the Martial Arts Heart Palace.

Within the Martial Arts Heart Palace, dense Profound Qi swirled like an ocean. At its center stood a crimson Dragon Vein, towering like a divine pillar, with a Dragon Soul coiled around it.

"Why has a Dragon Vein appeared in my Martial Arts Heart Palace?"

Ning Xiaochuan recalled that after merging with the small red dragon, this Dragon Vein had manifested within him, becoming a bridge between them.

Focusing his senses, he could detect the life force pulsating from the Dragon Vein, its rhythmic beats perfectly synchronized with his own heartbeat.

"The birth of that Dragon Vein signifies that you have become a Divine Dragon Envoy. For you, this can be both a blessing and a curse," a woman’s voice echoed in Ning Xiaochuan’s ears.

The voice came from the Demonic Sword.

Ning Xiaochuan fixed his gaze on the Demonic Sword within his Demon Ventricle. "Senior, have you always been inside the Demonic Sword?"

On the blade of the Demonic Sword, a stunning figure appeared, her long hair cascading like a Flying Waterfall, her posture graceful yet her aura cold and fierce—like a celestial empress or a demonic enchantress. She spoke, "No, my true form is sealed within the true Annihilation Sword, separated from you by countless millions of kilometers. It is only because of the subtle connection between the Demonic Sword and the Annihilation Sword that I can converse with you across such vast distances."

The Demonic Sword was formed from a wisp of Sword Qi of the Annihilation Sword, the relationship between the two akin to that of a "master sword" and a "subordinate sword." Sui Hanyu, the third-generation leader of the Annihilation Path, utilized this subtle connection between the Demonic Sword and the Annihilation Sword to briefly communicate with Ning Xiaochuan.

Knowing that Sui Hanyu's appearances were fleeting, Ning Xiaochuan wasted no time and asked, "Senior, what did you mean earlier by the Divine Dragon Envoy?"

"Senior? As the fourth-generation inheritor of the Annihilation Path, you should address me as Master." Sui Hanyu's voice carried an overwhelming authority, brimming with reverence and pride for the Annihilation Path.

Ning Xiaochuan had never formally acknowledged a master, yet he had indeed cultivated the Annihilation Sword Dao, inheriting this peerless sword technique. Moreover, this very sword technique had saved him from peril multiple times. By all logic, this woman was indeed his master.

"Master."

As he uttered these words, Ning Xiaochuan felt a calm reverence for her.

Sui Hanyu nodded and said, "The Divine Dragon Envoy, also known as the War God Dragon Envoy, is born alongside the young Supreme Divine Dragon King. Once the War God Dragon Envoy grows powerful, they can even battle deities—their combat prowess is beyond your current comprehension. Becoming a War God Dragon Envoy is a tremendous opportunity for you. In the future, you may even forge alliances with the entire dragon race."

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "So, that Small Red Dragon is the young Supreme Divine Dragon King?"

Sui Hanyu shook her head. "That’s not entirely accurate. Whether it can become the Supreme Divine Dragon King depends on whether you two can defeat all your formidable rivals. Only by vanquishing every competitor can it have the chance to ascend as the Supreme Divine Dragon King."

"Rivals?" Ning Xiaochuan asked curiously.

Sui Hanyu did not elaborate further. "They will appear in time, even seeking you out on their own. So you must train relentlessly, racing against time. Across the myriad heavens, you already have countless powerful adversaries. If they grow stronger before you do, they will cross spatial boundaries to kill you. If you cannot withstand them, death will be your only fate."

"Remember this: Where there is opportunity, danger also lurks."

With these words, Sui Hanyu's figure gradually faded from the Demonic Sword, retreating once more to a place millions of kilometers away. As for when she might appear next, Ning Xiaochuan could not predict.

A sense of pressure weighed on Ning Xiaochuan's heart. Unwittingly, he had become a War God Dragon Envoy, dragged into the storm of the Supreme Divine Dragon King's succession. The path of cultivation ahead would only grow more arduous.

Within the Demon Ventricle, the Demonic Sword resided.

Within the Heart Ventricle, a Heart Nurturing Cauldron hovered.

Within the Martial Arts Heart Palace, a Dragon Vein now pulsed.

If not for possessing a Seven Orifices Demon Heart, it would likely be impossible to bear so many things.

Ning Xiaochuan withdrew his consciousness from his heart and returned to his body, opening his eyes and sitting up from the bed.

"Where is this place?"

Ning Xiaochuan realized he was no longer in the Martial Arena or Camp Nine but lying on a comfortable bed.

This was a small wooden cabin that had been recently built, the air still thick with the scent of fresh timber.

Creak.

Ning Xiaochuan pushed the door open and saw a lush expanse of trees before him, filled with birdsong, fragrant flowers, and the murmur of flowing water.

The trees here were unusually tall, having grown for hundreds, even thousands of years. Some bore purple leaves, some red, and others white.

On the branches crawled strange creatures—spiders as large as fists, squirrels with wings, and red birds with two heads.

Screech! Screech!

Hearing the small red dragon’s cries, Ning Xiaochuan followed the sound and found it perched on a large brown tree.

Flapping its wings, it was chasing after a bird.

Ning Xiaochuan grabbed it by the tail and pulled it down, asking, "Where is this place? Where are the others?"

The small red dragon widened its eyes and then shook its head vigorously.

Ning Xiaochuan was speechless. This thing was truly foolish—how could it ever become the Supreme Divine Dragon King?

"This is the residence of the Heart Nurturers of the Three Masters Martial Academy, located at the edge of the Ghost Dream Wilderness in the eastern part of the Emperor's Ruins." Yu Qianqian stepped through layers of fallen leaves, emerging slowly from the forest and standing at a distance, watching Ning Xiaochuan.

She wore a light cyan robe, her black hair lustrous and her eyes ethereal. Though she wore no gold or silver ornaments, she still exuded an extraordinary, noble aura.

The small red dragon, upon seeing Yu Qianqian, immediately transformed into a streak of red light and flew into her arms.

Clearly, this little dragon was still emotionally dependent—it grew especially affectionate toward any woman.

"You’ve been unconscious for two days. The Deputy Headmaster brought you here. Are your injuries serious?" Yu Qianqian handed Ning Xiaochuan a red wild fruit.

Starving, Ning Xiaochuan took the fruit and took a small bite. It was juicy, sweet, and fragrant. He smiled and said, "My injuries are no longer serious. Thank you for your concern, Princess. Were you the one taking care of me these past two days?"

"M-me? How could I? I’ve only ever been served by others—I don’t know how to take care of people. It was… it was Little Red who looked after you." Yu Qianqian tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, forcing herself to appear composed.

Ning Xiaochuan didn’t press further. "What was the result of the battle? Did Ming Yang become this year’s Champion?"

Yu Qianqian shook her head. "Both you and Ming Yang were severely injured and collapsed. The Elder of New Students declared it a draw, ranking you both as joint second place. The position of Champion remains vacant."

"The Deputy Headmaster of the Diamond Martial Academy proposed that after a year, you and Ming Yang will fight again to determine who will be this year’s Champion. The winner will also have the right to cultivate in the Heavenly Palace for seven days."

Ning Xiaochuan chuckled. "That’s not bad. A year is enough time for me to surpass Ming Yang."

Yu Qianqian said, "Don’t underestimate this. The Deputy Headmaster of the Diamond Martial Academy is Ming Yang’s master. Since he dared to challenge you for next year, it means he already has a foolproof plan. He will spare no effort to train Ming Yang. In a year, Ming Yang’s cultivation will likely reach a terrifying level."

"A year? Then let’s see who progresses faster," Ning Xiaochuan replied.

Yu Qianqian added, "By the way, the Deputy Headmaster said that once you woke up, you should go to Furnace Mountain to see him immediately. Although neither you nor Ming Yang won the qualification to cultivate in the Heavenly Palace for seven days, the academy still has generous rewards for you, stored with the Deputy Headmaster. You can claim them now."

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "What kind of place is Furnace Mountain?"

Yu Qianqian explained, "Furnace Mountain is a sacred mountain of the Three Masters Martial Academy, where many Heart Nurturers and Forging Masters gather. I’ll take you there now."