The dragon’s golden eyes narrowed, the air around them suddenly thick with a suffocating heat. It wasn’t a roar, not yet, but a low rumble in the dragon’s throat that promised something far worse. Then, a blast of fire, impossibly bright, swept across the cavern floor, stopping mere inches from Riu Xian’s toes. The rock there glowed red-hot in an instant, the air shimmering above it like a heat mirage."
Riu Xian recoiled, throwing himself backward. Even with his healing factor and the dual fire and water spiritual roots that granted him a degree of resistance, the dragon's fire was unlike anything he had ever encountered. "This is not normal fire," he muttered, his voice tight with fear. "Is this... divine fire?" It felt as if the flames were trying to burn his soul, not just his flesh. His skin prickled, and the air in his lungs turned to ash. He scrambled away, desperate for any reprieve from the overwhelming heat.
He dove behind a jagged spur of volcanic rock, the stone burning his hands as he gripped it. A whimper escaped his lips, a sound of pure, animalistic fear. The heat was still intense, radiating through the rock, making his clothes smoke. He could hear the crackling of the flames, the roar of the dragon's breath, a terrifying symphony of destruction. He squeezed his eyes shut, his body trembling.
After what felt like an eternity, the inferno subsided. The air, though still thick with smoke and the stench of sulfur, was no longer actively trying to incinerate him. Riu Xian, coughing, his lungs burning, slowly peeked out from his inadequate shelter.
The dragon hadn't moved. It was watching him, its ancient, molten gold eyes narrowed, and Riu Xian swore he could see a flicker of amusement in their depths. A low rumble, like the grinding of tectonic plates, vibrated through the chamber, and he realized the dragon was chuckling.
"How did you find your way here, little cultivator?" The dragon's voice boomed, the sound reverberating through the cavern, pressing down on Riu Xian like a physical weight. "And how did you sense my presence? I detect the essence of a dragon about you... a power that doesn't originate from any of the lower realms. I sense the power of other Divine Beasts within you as well... you possess the bloodline of a Qilin. But that is not what troubled me. It was the dragon essence. Tell me, how did you come to possess such a power? Did you, or someone you know, slay one of my kind to obtain it?" There was a hint of anger in the dragon's voice.
Riu Xian tried to answer, to explain, but the temperature in the chamber spiked again. It felt like he was standing inside a furnace. The air shimmered, making it hard to see. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his eyes, and his skin felt stretched taut, threatening to crack. He opened his mouth, but his throat was as dry as dust, his tongue a useless lump in his mouth.
"The ring!" His mind screamed. He could escape using the ring. But a frantic mental inventory confirmed his worst fears. Not enough spirit stones to power the boat's underground travel function. He was trapped. And fighting back? He glanced at the colossal dragon, its scales shimmering like a thousand sunsets. His meager techniques felt utterly insignificant in the face of such power. He was a mayfly facing a hurricane.
He tried to force words out, a choked, "I... I..." escaping his lips.
"The origin of that dragon essence, which had initially sparked my anger, thinking a dragon might have been killed, no longer interests me, little one," the dragon interrupted, its voice taking on a strangely gentler tone. The anger was gone, replaced by a focused calmness. It was like a mountain deciding to speak softly to an ant. "That spatial ring of yours, however... it is quite unique. And within it, I sense a spirit vein." The pressure in the chamber eased slightly, like a predator loosening its grip ever so slightly on its captured prey. "Surrender the spirit vein to me, and I shall grant you a favor. A significant one."
The dragon shifted, its massive azure body rippling with power. Molten light from the lava pool reflected off its scales, creating a mesmerizing, deadly dance of light and shadow. "I am the guardian beast of this sect," it declared, a hint of weariness creeping into its resonant voice. "In truth, I was the one who established it, twenty millennia ago, when I still possessed the ability to assume human form."
As the dragon spoke of its ancient past, a flicker of movement in the shadows caught Riu Xian's eye. His heart leaped into his throat. Spiders, each the size of a large dog, were pouring out from the cracks and crevices in the cavern walls. Their carapaces were a dull, almost tarnished gold, but their eyes... their eyes burned with a malevolent, internal fire. They moved with a terrifying, sinuous grace, their many legs clicking against the rock as they converged on him.
Riu Xian recoiled, his hand instinctively flying to the hilt of his sword. "By the heavens..." he breathed, his voice thick with dread.
He drew his blade, the crimson steel flashing in the fiery light. He activated the sword technique he had gleaned from the sect library, his body moving on instinct. It was a powerful technique, smooth and flowing, lacking any wasted movement. However, major portions of the technique were missing, limiting its full potential. Even so, the part he had learned was enough to deal with low-level cultivators up to the Core Formation realm—and more than sufficient to handle these spiders.
The first wave of spiders met a swift end. His blade sliced through their thick carapaces, severing limbs and sending bursts of foul-smelling ichor spraying across the rock. But for every spider that fell, two more took its place. Their fiery eyes burned with a relentless hunger, and their movements were unnervingly coordinated.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Riu Xian fought with a desperate energy, his sword a blur of motion. He was a whirlwind of steel and fury, but the spiders kept coming. He felt a sharp sting as one of the creatures managed to sink its fangs into his leg, injecting a searing venom. His healing factor kicked in, neutralizing the poison almost instantly, but the pain was a brutal reminder of his vulnerability.
Suddenly, a deafening roar, a sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the cavern, ripped through the air. It was the dragon, its voice a weapon in itself. The spiders froze, their fiery eyes dimming as if a switch had been flipped. Then, with a collective shudder, they retreated back into the shadows, their clicking legs a fading whisper in the sudden silence.
"They are my servants," the dragon explained, its voice now calm, almost serene. "They perceived you as a threat and acted accordingly. A natural response from creatures of their kind. However, I observed something of interest... you employed a draconic sword technique."
Riu Xian, his chest heaving, his body slick with sweat and spider ichor, slowly sheathed his sword. He felt drained, exhausted, but also strangely exhilarated. He had survived. For now. "Can... can dragons even wield swords?" he asked, the question escaping his lips before he could stop it. He immediately regretted it. It sounded foolish, disrespectful even, in the presence of this ancient, terrifying being.
The dragon chuckled, a low rumble that vibrated in Riu Xian's bones. "Indeed, little cultivator, when we are in human form. But the technique you used is incomplete, a mere fragment of its true potential. The Dragon Scale Sect absconded with the majority of its essence, a tale I shall share with you at a later time." The dragon's gaze intensified, its golden eyes burning into Riu Xian's. "For now, I propose an exchange. The complete sword technique, in return for the spirit vein concealed within your ring. This egg," it gestured with a massive claw towards the radiant golden orb nestled in the heart of the lava pool, "requires a substantial amount of spiritual energy to hatch. And I... I find myself in a weakened state, incapable of procuring the necessary resources. The sect provides a pittance, insufficient to meet the needs of either the egg or myself."
Riu Xian's mind raced. He was trapped, outmatched, and out of options. Could he trust this creature? Every instinct screamed that it was a trap, a ploy by this ancient, powerful being. But what choice did he have? He was a mouse caught in the gaze of a hawk.
He glanced at the glowing egg, then back at the dragon, its immense form radiating power. He thought of his own meager strength, his incomplete technique. He was utterly at the dragon's mercy. The dragon turned his head, and spat a stream of fire towards Riu Xian, but not directly. The Azure Dragon was testing Riu Xian's reaction and speed. Riu Xian quickly circulated his meager spiritual energy around him, forming a minor barrier to protect himself from the intense heat. However, the dragon’s fire was far more potent than he anticipated. The barrier held for a mere moment before shattering under the intense heat.
Without missing a beat, Riu Xian channeled his agility, a skill honed from years of avoiding countless attacks from the disciples of the Murim Alliance and his spiteful half-brother. He moved with a speed that surprised even himself, his body a blur as he dodged the incoming stream of fire, using the movement technique he had mastered in Murim. He felt the heat singe his hair and clothes, but he managed to avoid a direct hit.
The dragon, observing Riu Xian's movements, launched another, more precise attack. This time, instead of a wide stream, it was a concentrated blast of fire, aimed directly at Riu Xian. Reacting instantly, Riu Xian invoked his movement technique, shifting his position rapidly.
He twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the blast. The fire grazed his arm, leaving a burning sensation in its wake. Riu Xian gritted his teeth, his healing factor already working to mend the minor burn. He knew he couldn’t keep dodging forever. His stamina was not limitless, and the dragon showed no signs of tiring.
As the dragon prepared for another attack, Riu Xian decided to combine his movement technique with his sword technique. It was a risky move, as he hadn't mastered either technique fully, but he was running out of options. He drew his crimson blade, its surface reflecting the fiery glow of the cavern.
The dragon shot another blast of fire. This time, Riu Xian met it head-on. He swung his sword, channeling his meager spiritual power into the blade, and executed the incomplete draconic sword technique. A wave of crimson energy emanated from the sword, clashing with the dragon's fire.
The resulting collision created a shockwave, sending sparks and embers flying in all directions. Riu Xian was pushed back by the force, his feet skidding across the molten rock. But he had managed to deflect the dragon's attack, a small victory in this dire situation. He saw the surprise in the dragon's eyes.
"I... I'm not sure," he stammered, his voice hoarse. "Is this... is this some kind of trick?"
The dragon sighed, a sound like a tempest gathering over a mountain range. "I am at the end of my strength, little cultivator. I am offering you my technique. When we meet again, you had better have comprehended its intricacies and attained a degree of power. Then, I shall recount the history of this sect, and explain the treachery that led to the fragmentation of the technique, and how a significant portion of it fell into the hands of the Dragon Scale Sect.
The egg requires the spirit vein, and you require the complete technique. Is it not a fair exchange?"
Riu Xian swallowed, his throat still dry. He looked from the expectant dragon to the pulsating egg, then back again. His options had dwindled to nothing. He was backed into a corner, facing a power that dwarfed his own. He had to comply.