A Night Passed.
Dragon Girl and Thunder Spirit sat on the cliff edge, their mood darkened by the previous night's losses. They both stared into the distance, frustration etched on their faces.
"I'll reclaim every last treasure he stole from me," Dragon Girl vowed silently.
Never before in her life had she suffered such a humiliating defeat. She was always the one doing the robbing. But this time, everything had been swept away—by none other than Chu Wuchen.
The bag of treasures she carried, normally hidden and protected with layers of enchantments, had only been carelessly left out because she'd just finished a looting spree. She hadn't even had a chance to secure her spoils when Chu Wuchen had appeared. And in the blink of an eye, it was all over.
She clenched her fists. She had been careless.
"But we… we can't defeat him," Thunder Spirit muttered, slumping on the ground.
His usually electric energy had dwindled to almost nothing. "Even if you evolved again, you still wouldn't stand a chance against him."
"Ah!!!" Dragon Girl groaned, nearly tearing at her hair at the mere mention of "evolution."
She had spent so long gathering every artifact and relic she needed to reach the next level. She had endured countless battles and hoarded treasures, sacrificing comfort for strength.
Then… Chu Wuchen had taken everything.
"Maybe we should go back to the Three Thousand Dao States for reinforcements," Thunder Spirit suggested cautiously, his voice tinged with shame.
Saying such a thing wounded his pride, but there were limits to recklessness.
"No, I refuse to go back!" Dragon Girl retorted sharply. "Even if I starve, get beaten to death, or have to throw myself off this cliff—I, a true dragon, will never go back!"
Thunder Spirit gazed up at her, his small eyes blinking with both admiration and worry. He could sense the fierce determination that burned within her.
"I have to take the next step!" she declared.
Thunder Spirit was taken aback. "Are you out of your mind?"
"No, I'm perfectly sane!"
...
The scene shifts to Chu Wuchen, riding upon the magnificent white jade chariot drawn by nine dragons. High above the clouds, his gaze was distant, thoughtful.
Within the chariot, two items floated before him: a spiked wolf-tooth mace and a dragon horn.
Chu Wuchen scrutinized the wolf-tooth mace, marveling at its ancient, sturdy craftsmanship. It bore no spells or formations, no hint of any aura. Clean, pure, and deceptively simple. But it was nearly indestructible, withstanding even his full strength, defying any attempts to break it. It had clearly bested powerful warriors before, leaving its victims battered and defeated.
An amusing weapon, Chu Wuchen thought, but ultimately pointless. It was "like eating tasteless food—no pleasure, yet too much effort to throw away."
As for the dragon horn… he regarded it with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
This horn gleamed, pure and translucent, as if newly created. The innocence of youth clung to it, yet it radiated an aura of ancient heritage, as if carrying the breath of the original True Dragon.
"A descendant of the True Dragon?"
His theory felt more certain as he studied the dragon horn's intricate ridges and elegant curves. A blood drop lay upon it, preserved through ages untold. He felt as though, just by looking, he could peer through time to see the ancient True Dragon itself standing defiantly between heaven and earth.
In his mind, images of a bygone era formed—a time of chaotic strife, a primordial age where races emerged and vied for supremacy. Brilliant beings arose, seizing their destinies in a frenzied struggle for power, unleashing a constant clash of wills and weapons. An era of unfathomable brilliance and endless stories.
And in this age, legends like the True Dragon had carved their paths, leaving echoes of their triumphs.
Examining the horn, Chu Wuchen's lips curved into a slight smile. Clearly, this relic was of immense importance to Dragon Girl. And not just her—it was priceless to any who bore the True Dragon's bloodline. The blood of a True Dragon was a matchless treasure.
"Quite the little treasure trove," he mused with a smirk. "But I'd prefer to call her my 'wealth-bringer.'"
He carefully stowed the horn within his pouch. To him, it held substantial value too; if refined, it would benefit his own body, allowing him to absorb a trace of the True Dragon's essence. With a blend of immortal medicines, it could even form the foundation of an ancient elixir, rich with power.
As he secured the horn, a powerful presence swept over his chariot, punctuated by a deep rumbling in the distance.
Chu Wuchen glanced outside, a knowing smirk appearing on his lips. It seemed someone had arrived to present themselves as fresh quarry.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of figures descended from the sky, their power palpable, their killing intent undeniable. They were poised for the hunt.
"Chu Wuchen, come out!" a cold, taunting voice echoed into the chariot, like a predator luring prey.
"Those men—it's the Ancient Peng Mountain clan," remarked Chu Linger, her brows drawn tight. Her usually calm, enchanting eyes now glinted with gravity. The Peng clan and the Chu family had been bitter rivals through ages, fighting across generations in three immortal wars, each time pitted against one another.
Chu Wuchen's response was a calm chuckle. "Just a group of fools courting death."
He had been feeling restless, hoping for some entertainment. His last skirmish with Dragon Girl had been nothing more than a warm-up.
The moment he rose from his seat, the very air around him trembled. Space seemed to ripple outward, as if recognizing his intent to unleash his full power.
Outside, the nine mighty warriors, each one a celebrated prodigy, felt an instinctive flicker of fear as they observed Chu Wuchen's approach.
There he stood—a figure of flawless beauty and serene power, bathed in a soft, radiant light. His eyes held a piercing intensity that spoke of unfathomable depth, an undeniable mark of a "double-pupil prodigy."
The nine prodigies each let out a slow, appreciative grin, one by one. They were here to hunt the most formidable of prey, for the thrill of conquering such a foe.
This was no ordinary encounter—it was a pursuit of glory.
They had prepared thoroughly, with no illusions about the challenge before them. It had taken all nine of them to bring down this living legend. The sight of Chu Wuchen, a prized warrior of the Long-Life Chu clan, riding a nine-dragon chariot, was precisely the kind of scene they had awaited, the pinnacle of achievement.
In their eyes, this would be the most satisfying strike against the Chu clan, a blow to resonate across the immortal realms.
They could already envision the humiliation for the Chu elders. How could they endure such a public disgrace?
They sneered, laughing aloud.
But deep down, they were well aware: a prodigy like Chu Wuchen, pampered and shielded by his clan, was never truly vulnerable. His family surely had contingency plans in place, safety measures to preserve his life in case of danger.
Yet, their thrill lay in the attempt. For even if Chu Wuchen managed to flee, it would still mar his reputation, a strike to his pride.
In their minds, they could already see it: this prodigy, fleeing in his first encounter, forced to abandon his first battle.
The image was too delicious not to savor. The idea of witnessing the Chu elders' embarrassment only heightened their amusement.
But for them, the real victory would be found in slaying Chu Wuchen outright. They had slain many legends in their time, for the right strike at the right moment could sever even the most elaborate defenses. This was no different.
They steeled themselves for the thrill, drawing upon their collected powers, waiting for the moment to end this duel in a single decisive blow.