The surface of the spiritual river shimmered as Long Tianyan dipped his hands into the crystalline waters. The moment the cool liquid touched his lips, a sharp jolt ran through his veins.
BOOM!
A burst of Azure-blue flames erupted from his body, wrapping around him like a divine cocoon. The Azureflame Dragon within stirred violently, its spiritual form roaring in triumph.
"This is the river of origin…! So much pure elemental essence… my strength—!"
Tianyan's heart thundered. His body was heating up, but it was not pain—it was transcendence. The Azureflame Dragon Soul surged, absorbing vast quantities of ancient essence from the river. Its power, once slumbering, now seethed with newfound vitality.
But then, something deeper stirred.
A shadow beneath his soul. A second presence—silent until now—awakened.
Crack—!
Within his spiritual sea, another dragon opened its eyes.
Dark crimson scales with hints of deep gold, a mane of smoky embers, and eyes like molten suns.
"You've finally stepped onto the path," the second dragon said, its voice ancient and proud. "I am the Crimson Abyss Dragon. The second soul bound to your bloodline. I have waited long enough."
Tianyan gasped as his soul trembled. The Crimson Abyss Dragon opened its maw and spat out a scroll made of burning soulflame.
**"Take this—the second part of the Nine-Heaven Ascension Scripture. With this, your marrow will shed its limits."
The scroll unfurled within his spiritual sea, and instantly, endless runes of ancient dragon language etched themselves across his meridians and bones. The power of the Azureflame roared to accommodate the change. His very skeleton began to glow.
He sat cross-legged beside the river, drawing in its essence, and began cultivating.
Day turned to night.
Night bled into dawn.
Seven days passed like flickers of thought.
On the seventh day, his body cracked and then glowed with new brilliance. His meridians were no longer the same. His marrow, blood, and bones pulsed with overwhelming spirit energy.
9th Layer of the Marrow Washing Realm.
But it wasn't over.
The Crimson Abyss Dragon spoke again.
"You are ready now. Here—take this."
From within the dragon's claw, another flaming construct emerged. A sword—no, a scroll in the shape of a sword—burned crimson gold. It hovered in front of Tianyan's soul, then merged into his spiritual sea.
The second part of the Primordial Dragonflame Sword.
And with it came agony—and strength.
Tianyan felt his spirit ignite once more. The second dragon soul now joined the first. Both Azureflame and Crimson Abyss roared in unison, unleashing torrents of energy that surged through every corner of his body.
Day one.
He trembled and convulsed as his bones shifted and reformed to house the sword's second path.
Day two.
His dantian trembled. A gate opened—the Heavenly Passage.
Day three.
A final burst of light erupted from his chest, and his aura rose like a dragon lifting its head to the heavens.
1st Layer of the Heavenly Passage Realm.
Tianyan opened his eyes.
His robes were torn from the repeated waves of transformation. His hair, longer now, swayed gently in the breathless air.
But then—he noticed the silence.
The radiant herbs once glowing near the tomb's edge? Gone.
The piles of rare treasures? Vanished.
Even the sparkling river that once flowed through the chamber?
Dry.
Only the two dragon souls remained—one coiling in blue flame, the other resting in a mist of crimson and gold.
He blinked. "What… happened?"
The Azureflame Dragon gave a sheepish growl. "Well… we needed the energy."
The Crimson Abyss Dragon chuckled. "You weren't the only one cultivating, boy. You have no idea how long we've waited to be awakened. We needed to restore ourselves."
Tianyan stood, stunned, as he looked around the now barren tomb.
The weapons—absorbed into their souls.
The herbs—devoured for essence.
The spiritual river—used to refine their might.
He felt a faint pulse within his body. Though he had lost access to the outer materials, their energies now lived within him—refined, pure, and absolute.
"You both…" he muttered. "…emptied the tomb."
The Azureflame Dragon gave a rumbling laugh. "What's a tomb for, if not to nourish the future?"
The Crimson Abyss Dragon's voice deepened. "Now that you've inherited two souls, your next step must be chosen carefully. Each flame, each soul, each layer of the scripture will pull you closer to a path that defies heaven itself. From now on… enemies will sense your bloodline and tremble. Or… they will try to kill you before the ninth awakens."
Tianyan's eyes sharpened. His spiritual sea now housed two Primordial Dragon Souls, both awake and bound to his cultivation.
Their presence was too overwhelming to hide forever.
He would need to grow stronger. Faster.
Soon.
With one final look at the now-empty tomb, Tianyan stepped toward the ancient stone door.
His eyes shone like twin stars—Azure and Crimson.
And behind him, the shadows of two dragons followed quietly, their power pulsing like silent thunder.