Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)

“This is…”

Gu Yang and the others were shocked. Merely setting foot in this place felt akin to being struck by a heavy hammer.

Bai Shishi, Bai Xiaole, Yu Qingxuan, and Yue Zifeng fared slightly better, with only a trace of blood trickling from the corners of their mouths. However, the Dragonblood warriors were pale as paper.

“Don’t worry. This is the Sovereign clan’s Ten Thousand Dragon Nest. Its laws prohibit the entry of low-level dragons to preserve the sanctity of this sacred ground. Follow me,” assured Long Chen, taking the lead.

Passing through a gate, they entered a world veiled in blood-colored magma. Unlike Long Chen, who could walk atop the magma effortlessly, Gu Yang and the others found themselves sinking into it.

“Ouch…”

As the magma rose to their ankles, the Dragonblood warriors grimaced in agony, feeling the searing heat penetrate their bodies. The intense pain caused Guo Ran to let out a piercing scream and attempt to flee.

Yet, the moment he turned to run, a hand seized his neck, lifting him up as easily as one would a chicken.

“I knew that you wouldn’t have the courage to enter. Let me help you!”

Long Chen had long since been prepared. Just as Guo Ran was about to run, Long Chen threw him deep into the magma.

Before Guo Ran could even let out a scream, he plunged into the magma. Thrashing about like a drowning man, he found no buoyancy in the molten liquid and was swiftly submerged.

“Don’t worry, this magma is made of the blood of tens of thousands of dragons. I’ve finished their baptism, and I’m sure there’s no threat to your lives. However, the extent to which you can absorb this blood, endure the dragon's might, and reap the benefits will all depend on your individual capabilities,” reassured Long Chen.

If there was no threat to their lives, there was nothing to worry about. They quickly started to submerge themselves in the magma, drawing its power into their bodies.

Bai Xiaole, Bai Shishi, Yu Qingxuan, and Yue Zifeng sat atop the magma, sending the dragon soul power crashing into them. They tried to incorporate this will into their own.

However, the Dragonblood warriors didn’t have it so comfortable. The excruciating pain of the magma was unbearable, even for warriors with their resolute wills. They could only endure for a short time before retreating to the shore to rest.

Gu Yang, Li Qi, and Song Mingyuan pressed on, swimming deeper into the magma. As they ventured further, the intensity of the pain heightened, but so too did the speed of their tempering.

“Boss, are you accompanying us here?” asked one of the healing warriors. She climbed out of the magma and saw Long Chen still standing there.

Long Chen smiled. “I just want to keep an eye on everyone at the beginning to avoid any accidents. But if all of you are able to endure this, the others should be fine.”

After all, the healing warriors only had the little dragon blood from the Martial Heaven Continent, which meant that their Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art was in its most basic form. They had the weakest bodies of all the Dragonblood warriors. If they could endure it, so could the others.

When Long Chen underwent his baptism here, he felt a kind of closeness to this Ten Thousand Dragon Nest, as if it had his spiritual seal on it. That was why he dared to bring them here for the tempering, but just to be sure, he kept a close eye on things.

Seeing that the healing warriors were able to endure this, Long Chen felt his worries fade away.

“If you encounter some kind of powerful current, don’t force yourself. Use the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art that I taught you to resist it. If you can’t, just fall back, rest, and try again. This Dragon Soul Body Forging Art has countless variations, so every person’s path is different. You will need to rely on yourselves to find your own paths. Don’t rush and end up on the wrong path,” warned Long Chen.

Long Chen had taught the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art to everyone in the Yan Xu World. However, his rendition of the technique differed significantly from the one imparted to him by the mysterious dragon expert.

Back then, Long Chen meticulously analyzed the underlying principles of the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art, pondering over how to adapt it into a technique suitable for all the Dragonblood warriors.

Unfortunately, he encountered a roadblock there and found himself unable to accomplish this task. In the end, he had to give up on it, as it was simply too difficult.

However, following his fight against the nine star heir and his profound understanding of the Nirvana Scripture, Long Chen had a stroke of inspiration. He actually developed the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art based on the same principles as those of the Nirvana Scripture.

If ten thousand people cultivated the Nirvana Scripture, they would produce ten thousand different styles. In Long Chen’s opinion, the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art could also be trained in the same way.

After all, Long Chen’s Dragon Soul Body Forging Art was already different compared to the original version taught by the dragon expert. Additionally, Long Chen was a nine star heir, but his path diverged from that of other heirs.

It was this divergence that prompted Long Chen to think of this idea. He transmitted the fundamental framework of the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art to everyone but allowed them the autonomy to cultivate it according to their individual paths.

It was like setting up goalposts and letting them decide how they would get there. They had the option to walk, crawl, take detours, or even shortcuts. The goals were there, and it was up to them to get there.

Essentially, he had given the Dragonblood warriors endless space to imagine and develop themselves. Furthermore, he felt that comprehending the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art while undergoing the baptism of the Sovereign clan’s dragon nest was an incredible opportunity, so he had everyone try it.

Long Chen walked further over the magma, noticing that Gu Yang, Li Qi, and Song Mingyuan had already progressed several miles ahead. They were incredibly powerful and already had a firm foundation in the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art. Cultivating it like this was a bit easier for them.

As Long Chen approached them, his expression suddenly changed. He realized that Guo Ran was nowhere to be found.

Long Chen jumped in fright. He had cast Guo Ran into the magma to force him to exert himself to the fullest. However, Guo Ran's absence now instilled a sense of panic within Long Chen.

If this fellow had gone in the wrong direction and ventured deeper into the magma in panic, the situation could indeed become dangerous.

“Hahaha, boss, are you looking for me?”

Just as Long Chen was looking around worriedly, Guo Ran’s mischievous laughter rang out. Startled, Long Chen turned toward the source of the sound, only to be taken aback once again.