Dragon Nation Arc: Chapter Twenty-Three - The Divine Dragon (Part II)

"Give it here, and return at once!" The Divine Dragon’s gaze was like a torch. With a mere glance, an indescribable divine power surged forth, pinning Nox firmly in place, leaving him unable to move.

The Divine Dragon shifted its body, flying before Nox with grace and majesty. Its voice was deep and resonant: "I am not a creature of bloodlust; to me, killing is but a last resort. Your petty schemes from the past—I have observed them all from the Nine Heavens, yet I chose not to expose them, wishing to avoid unnecessary slaughter. However, you have forgotten your origins. Not only have you butchered countless innocent lives of my kin, but you have dared to desecrate the statue of the Dragon Emperor and topple the Ancient Dao altars. How am I to answer to the Dragon Emperor for such atrocities?"

"I sever your wings today as a warning. Should there be a next time, your entire clan shall be annihilated."

With these words, the Divine Dragon extended its front claws and, with a savage motion, forcibly tore off the Demon Dragon King’s wings.

In a breathless instant, the thrilling duel escalated. The Divine Dragon extended its thick, mountain-like, and power-surging front claws, moving as fast as lightning to strike the Demon Dragon King!

A crisp, bone-shattering crack tore through the air. The Divine Dragon’s strike was peerless, forcibly ripping off the Demon Dragon King’s indestructible left wing! Instantly, a rain of blood fell. The Demon Dragon King let out a shrill, piercing wail that shook the clouds and echoed across the firmament, chilling the soul.

The Divine Dragon did not hesitate. Taking advantage of the momentum, its sharp claws shone with a cold light as it swung mercilessly toward the Demon Dragon King’s right wing. The sequence of movements was fluid and decisive, as if ordained by fate, allowing no obstruction.

Just as the Divine Dragon closed in, a surging wave of black and red energy erupted from within the Demon Dragon King’s body. Like a gale from the dark night, it blasted the Divine Dragon several yards away. This power was not only unstoppable but left an indelible scorched mark on the Divine Dragon’s left claw, as if kissed by the fires of the abyss. The Divine Dragon looked down at its injured limb, its eyes filled with disbelief.

"How could I not recognize this intensely dark aura? It should have been cowering in the darkest corners of the Endless Abyss, clinging to life. How dare it set foot upon the sacred soil of the Divine Dragon Continent?" A storm raged within the Divine Dragon’s mind.

"No, this cannot be allowed! The Demon Dragon King must fall. If he has truly formed an alliance with that unspeakable, bizarre power, it will be a catastrophic disaster, the consequences of which are beyond our reckoning." The Divine Dragon’s words were filled with unshakable resolve. It locked its gaze once more onto the dark-shrouded figure in the distance, preparing for a decisive battle that would determine the fate of the continent.

With that, the Divine Dragon raised its majestic claws and struck at the Demon Dragon King with overwhelming power. In an instant, the two earth-shattering energies clashed, erupting with a deafening roar as dust and shockwaves obscured the sky. Yet, after this staggering blow, the Divine Dragon staggered, forced back several meters by the backlash. As the dust settled, silence returned, leaving only the faint scent of smoke in the air to tell of the harrowing duel.

"It is exactly that power. At first, I was skeptical, thinking he was merely practicing some evil art, but I never imagined he had colluded with the Abyssal Beasts. If he is allowed to continue, the consequences will be unthinkable. The command the Dragon Emperor entrusted to us—I must fulfill it."

Suddenly, the Demon Dragon King spoke. His eyes were blood-red, and his tone had changed completely: "My old friend, do you still remember me? Hahahaha..."

"It has been over a thousand years since we parted at Mount Taihan. You are still you, yet the erosion of time has left you no longer young. Unlike me—I, like my King, no longer fear the passage of time. Eternal life has become the norm for my kin. Hahahaha..."

"Eternal life? Ridiculous. There is no such thing as eternal life in nature. There is only our supreme Dragon Emperor. He is a deity who existed since the dawn of the primordial era, the Sovereign of the Three Realms and Nine Provinces, the glory of humanity, and our Heavenly Emperor. He led us to conquer the Three Realms and attain godhood, piercing through the Nine Provinces and trampling the Six Great God Kings. He even single-handedly defied the Weirdness. If we are to speak of true eternal life, he is the first."

The Demon Dragon King smiled: "We have all witnessed the Dragon Emperor’s strength, but in terms of combat power, could he face the Five Great Weirdnesses alone? My Lord is one of them. Hahahaha..."

"When the Five Great Weirdnesses gather, even if all your Heavenly Emperors of the Three Realms unite, they will be helpless."

"My old friend, have you not realized that your Dragon Emperor has not returned to the Lingxiao Divine Palace for over ten thousand years? Do you still not understand?"

The Divine Dragon’s eyes, large as bronze bells, widened. Its scales stood on end, and it spewed raging flames from its maw, roaring in fury: "Audacious wretch! How dare you desecrate the Dragon Emperor! You deserve to die!"

The roar was like a thunderclap, deafening and echoing to the ends of the heavens.

For a time, the entire world was shaken by the sound; all was silent, save for the echoes of the Divine Dragon and the Demon Dragon King clashing across the firmament.

There was no doubt that this was destined to be a life-or-death struggle. It concerned not only the honor of two powerful beings but the future fate of the entire world. The outcome would decide the survival of all things.

In a flash, the Demon Dragon King struck first, opening his maw and unleashing a surging wave of black energy that bolted toward the Divine Dragon like a wild horse. Facing the fierce attack, the Divine Dragon showed no fear, opening its own mouth to retaliate with a dazzling wave of golden energy.

The two energy waves collided, creating thousands of waves and blinding light. The two behemoths then engaged in a fierce struggle across the vast sky, spiraling upward and diving downward, releasing world-shattering energy waves with every clash. Each impact caused mountains to crumble and the winds to change.

After countless exchanges, the Divine Dragon began to feel fatigued, its body trembling slightly. However, thinking of the sacred duty to maintain world peace, it gritted its teeth, pulled itself together, and summoned all its remaining strength to face the Demon Dragon King.

The massive Divine Dragon leaped, its body shining with dazzling golden light under the sun, like a majestic god of war descending upon the world. The Demon Dragon King unleashed a violent wave attack, but the Divine Dragon did not flinch. With a wave of its powerful front claw, it tore the very void! With this shocking strike, the surging energy waves were shattered like straw, vanishing into nothingness.

Yet, would the Demon Dragon King accept defeat? He roared, eyes wide, and swung his knife-sharp claws, unleashing a violent gale. The wind howled with world-destroying force, threatening to swallow everything.

But then, the Divine Dragon opened its maw and let out a deafening roar. The sound shook the heavens, filled with infinite majesty. Amazingly, the terrifying gale, upon meeting the roar, became as fragile as paper, instantly scattered without a trace.

At this moment, the world seemed to fall into a dead silence, as if time had frozen. Only the golden figure of the Divine Dragon shone in the brilliant sun, appearing like a towering mountain of gold. The air was filled with a tense, stimulating energy that seemed to pierce the soul, making everyone’s heart race. They watched the battle, silently cheering for the Divine Dragon. The Divine Dragon, sensing this support, grew more resolute—today, it would utterly defeat the wretched Demon Dragon King!

In this critical moment, the Demon Dragon King’s mountain-like body trembled, and he let out another thunderous roar! It sounded like a lightning strike, shocking all who heard it. He opened his maw, sharp fangs glinting, and lunged directly at the Divine Dragon with infinite murderous intent!

Facing such a fierce offensive, the Divine Dragon felt no fear. Its lithe, agile body flashed like golden lightning, instantly dodging the attack. Then, it launched a counterattack with lightning speed! It raised its golden-glowing dragon claw and slammed it onto the Demon Dragon King with the force of a falling mountain!

With a loud "boom," the Demon Dragon King let out a shrill cry! His indestructible scales cracked under the immense force, and his body was sent flying, crashing heavily into a distant mountain. The earth shook, and rocks shattered.

The Divine Dragon did not stop. It pursued, its movements as fast as the wind. Every strike of its claws unleashed a violent gust. The Demon Dragon King suffered, covered in wounds. Yet, the Divine Dragon fought with increasing fervor, its internal power flowing endlessly, as if it intended to show its full strength without reservation.

The Dragon Emperor looked at Nox, a complex emotion stirring within him. He knew that while these creatures were ignorant, their courage and conviction were worthy of respect. However, they had to pay the price for their actions: those who collude with the Weirdness shall be executed!

The Divine Dragon slowly raised its dragon horns, preparing to deliver the final judgment upon Nox.

"A dragon has a reverse scale; touch it, and you shall surely die."

As the horns rose, the world fell into silence, awaiting the final verdict.

The black ring and the golden lightning collided! It was as if two massive stars had crashed in the deep, vast universe, erupting with a thunderous, heaven-shaking roar. The sound reached the ends of the earth, causing the very ground to tremble as if it were being torn in two. The shockwave was unstoppable, making everything else seem insignificant.

For a moment, even the Divine Dragon stood stunned, for the collision had exposed a familiar aura.

The Divine Dragon spoke slowly: "Austin Hardy, I know it is you."

"With such a dense aura of the Weirdness, who else could it be? Come out and fight like a man. What is the point of being a coward?"

Hardy: "Oh, you saw through it. But I have had my fun. You can clean up the rest of the mess!"

However, at this critical moment, a power seemed to awaken within Nox. A black and red energy mass surged forth like an angry dragon breaking its chains from the abyss. It rolled through the void, expanding until it formed a black sphere that blotted out the sky, wrapping Nox within it like a strange star in the dark night.

Hardy snorted, his tone full of regret: "It is a pity that this vessel is too weak. If it were only half as resilient, even you, Ji Xuanhua, would have paid a heavy price in this contest!"

The Divine Dragon laughed heartily, the sound echoing like thunder: "Is the truth you believe in truly an unshakable fact? You likely still harbor some contempt for me! Not capturing you in the past is indeed a great regret of mine. But time has passed, and a millennium has gone by in a blink. Have the flames of revenge in your heart truly extinguished? Or have you truly forgotten who took your right eye? And your own flesh and blood—your brother?"

At the mention of "brother," Hardy’s face turned ashen, anger and pain swirling in his eyes. He roared uncontrollably: "Shut up!" But before he finished, he realized he had lost his composure. Recalling how he had underestimated and toyed with Ji Xuanhua, only to be tricked in return, the memory stung like a blade.

Hardy took a deep breath, suppressing his inner turmoil. His hands moved to form a complex seal, and a mysterious formation unfolded at his feet, glowing with a deep blue light. Once the formation was complete, he vanished like a streak of light, leaving only a lingering remark: "The humiliation of today shall be repaid tenfold in the future."

Ji Xuanhua sneered: "That wretched guy. He is the only one who would remote-control a meat-bomb like that!"