The cruel glint in the Supreme Elder's eyes, the last vestige of the forced memory, finally faded as the dragon's presence withdrew. The torrent of knowledge, the draconic sword technique, ceased its relentless flow, leaving Riu Xian mentally and physically drained. He felt as though he'd run a thousand miles, fought a hundred battles, yet his body hadn't moved an inch. A dull throb pulsed behind his eyes, a painful souvenir from the technique that had been seared into his very being. But beneath the pain, relief bloomed, fragile yet potent. She hadn't delved deeper. She hadn't unearthed his greatest secret - his reincarnation from Murim.

The probing sensation vanished, leaving him feeling strangely empty, yet also immensely relieved. The vast expanse of his sea of consciousness solidified, morphing back into the fiery cavern.

The dragon woman's beautiful, sorrowful face materialized before him, her golden eyes regarding him intently, filled with a knowing sadness that mirrored his own turmoil. She had seen his memories, at least partially, but how much did she understand?

"You..." She began, her voice softer than he expected, devoid of its earlier teasing tone. "That memory... the cruelty you endured..." Her voice trailed off, as if she was carefully choosing her next words.

Riu Xian swallowed, his throat tight. He could only nod, the memory of the underground cave, the Supreme Elder's chilling words, still fresh and raw. He couldn't speak, not yet, the emotions were too close to the surface. The horrifying truth of his origins, orchestrated by the very man he had just been forced to think about, echoed in his mind. Kidnapped mother, a pregnancy lasting centuries, a forced infusion of dragon essence - it was a nightmare made real.

The dragon woman sighed, a sound like the rustling of ancient leaves, a sound full of weariness and a hint of anger. "I sensed the truth in it," she said, her gaze unwavering. "The dragon essence within you... it was forcibly infused, was it not? By that... man, that 'Supreme Elder'?"

The dragon woman sighed, a sound like the rustling of ancient leaves, a sound full of weariness and a hint of anger. "I sensed the truth in it," she said, her gaze unwavering. "The dragon essence within you... it was forcibly infused, was it not? By that... man, that 'Supreme Elder'?"

He simply nodded again, his silence a confirmation. He couldn't deny what she had already seen. And what was the point, anyway? His connection to the Supreme Elder was now laid bare.

A profound sadness filled her eyes, a sadness that mirrored the sorrow he had glimpsed earlier when she spoke of her betrayal. "To use a child so... for his own twisted ambitions. It is an abomination." She looked away, towards the glowing egg nestled in the lava pool, her usually vibrant form seeming to dim for a moment. When she turned back to him, her gaze was piercing, yet there was a flicker of something else in their depths - understanding, perhaps, or even empathy.

"There was something else," she stated, her voice low. "Something you were trying to hide, behind that projected memory. But your memories about the dragon essence, those were laid bare, up to the point you blocked me. I saw the truth of the infusion, the Supreme Elder's involvement, but nothing beyond that, only the image of the one who did this to you."

Riu Xian held his breath, his heart pounding against his ribs. She had seen. But how much? "It was... as you saw it," he managed to say, his voice strained. "He... he was a monster, obsessed with power. My... my existence, the dragon essence, it was all for his plan. I wasn't even born..." His words died in his throat, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. He couldn't risk revealing his past life, not now, not ever.

The last image burned into his mind, the cruel glint in the Supreme Elder's eyes, faded as the dragon's mental presence withdrew. The torrent of knowledge that had been the draconic sword technique ceased, leaving Riu Xian mentally and physically drained. He felt like he had run a thousand miles, fought a hundred battles, yet his body hadn't moved an inch. A dull throb pulsed behind his eyes, a painful souvenir from the technique that had been seared into his very being. But beneath the pain, a fragile sense of relief bloomed. She hadn't delved deeper. She hadn't unearthed his greatest secret - his reincarnation from Murim.

The dragon's presence, which had been sifting through his memories, suddenly withdrew. The probing sensation vanished, leaving him feeling strangely empty, yet also immensely relieved.

Then, the vast expanse of his sea of consciousness began to shift, the familiar landscape of his mindscape dissolving like mist. The beautiful, sorrowful face of the dragon woman, which had been floating in the void, began to shimmer and distort. Her form flickered, the azure and crimson robes swirling, the golden glow of her skin intensifying.

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For a moment, he saw a glimpse of the majestic azure dragon, its immense form superimposed over the woman's. Then, with a final, blinding flash of golden light, the woman was gone, and the colossal form of the Azure Dragon filled his inner world.

He opened his eyes, or rather, became aware of his surroundings again. He was back in the physical world, the oppressive heat of the cavern a stark contrast to the cool stillness of his mindscape. The dragon's massive head was close, its molten gold eyes, filled with a knowing sadness, regarding him intently.

"You..." The dragon's voice, now a deep, resonant rumble that echoed through the cavern, startled him. "That memory... the cruelty you endured..." The voice trailed off, as if choosing its words carefully.

Riu Xian swallowed, his throat tight with the lingering pain of the mental intrusion and the weight of the dragon's words. He could only nod, the memory of the underground cave, the Supreme Elder's chilling words, still fresh and raw. He couldn't speak, not yet, the emotions were too close to the surface.

The dragon sighed, a sound like the rustling of ancient leaves, a sound full of weariness and a hint of anger. "I sensed the truth in it," the dragon rumbled, its gaze unwavering. "The dragon essence within you... it was forcibly infused, was it not? By that... man, that 'Supreme Elder'?"

He simply nodded again, his silence a confirmation. He couldn't deny what she had already seen.

A profound sadness filled the dragon's eyes, the golden light within them dimming slightly. "To use a child so... for his own twisted ambitions. It is an abomination." The dragon looked away, towards the glowing egg nestled in the lava pool, its usually vibrant form seeming to dim for a moment. When it turned back to him, its gaze was piercing, yet there was a flicker of something else in their depths - understanding, perhaps, or even empathy.

"There was something else," the dragon stated, its voice low and rumbling. "Something you were trying to hide, behind that projected memory. But your memories about the dragon essence, those were laid bare, up to the point you blocked me. I saw the truth of the infusion, the Supreme Elder's involvement, but nothing beyond that, only the image of the one who did this to you."

Riu Xian held his breath, his heart pounding against his ribs. She had seen. But how much? "It was... as you saw it," he managed to say, his voice strained. "He... he was a monster, obsessed with power. My... my existence, the dragon essence, it was all for his plan. I wasn't even born..." His voice cracked, and he said no more, feeling the familiar sting of a carefully constructed half-truth, but it was necessary. He couldn't risk revealing his past life, not now, not ever.

"Perhaps," the dragon finally rumbled, a hint of doubt coloring its tone. But then, to Riu Xian's surprise, it dipped its massive head slightly, a gesture that seemed almost like a nod of understanding. "But know this, young cultivator. Anyone sufficiently powerful can potentially breach your mind's defenses, as I have just done, though I hadn't looked at your memory without your consent." The dragon paused, its golden eyes boring into his. "You must learn to guard your sea of consciousness. Secrets are precious, and dangerous, things."

Relief washed over Riu Xian, a wave so potent it almost buckled his knees. She hadn't seen his past life. She hadn't discovered his reincarnation. He offered a silent prayer of thanks to whatever luck had protected him. But the dragon's words also served as a stark warning, a chilling reminder of his vulnerability.

"To that end," the dragon continued, its voice regaining its strength, its golden eyes gleaming with a sudden intensity, "I shall bestow upon you another gift. A technique of the Azure Dragon Clan, a rare and powerful art, even in the Immortal Realm. It is a method of mental defense, a way to fortify your mind against intrusion." The dragon smiled wryly. "Consider it compensation for my... unintentional intrusion. And perhaps a way to ensure your continued survival. A dead cultivator is of no use to me, after all. And this technique is considered a top-tier technique in all the lower realms under the Immortal Realm. Haha!"

Riu Xian was stunned. Another technique? After the sheer agony of absorbing the sword technique? He opened his mouth to protest, to explain his depleted state, but the dragon continued, its voice brooking no argument.

"This transfer will be different," the dragon assured him, as if reading his thoughts. "It requires not your spiritual energy, but mine." The dragon lifted its massive right paw, and a warm, golden light began to emanate from it, pulsing softly. A sense of anticipation, tinged with fear, tightened Riu Xian's chest.

From its paw, a jade slip materialized, its surface shimmering with an ethereal, blue light. It seemed to hum faintly, resonating with a power that made Riu Xian's skin tingle, a stark contrast to the raw, overwhelming power of the sword technique.

"This," the dragon rumbled, its voice soft yet commanding, "contains the Azure Dragon Mental Defense Technique. I have imprinted it upon this jade slip. Once you have learned it, the slip will self-destruct. This is to ensure the technique's secrecy, and your own safety."

The dragon extended its paw, offering the jade slip to him. Riu Xian reached out, his fingers trembling slightly as he took it. The jade felt cool to the touch, smooth and comforting, yet it pulsed with a subtle energy that seemed to sync with his own, a gentle hum against his palm.

"Thank you, Senior," he said, bowing his head, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. "I am deeply grateful for your generosity." He paused, a thought striking him. "Senior, I... I arrived here by accident. Is there a way for me to return to the sect?"

"Of course," the dragon replied, its massive head bobbing. "You may use one of the teleportation talismans to ascend. They are activated by a simple injection of spiritual energy."