Sunlight poured down from the sky, lighting up the destroyed battlefield. Everyone was now able to clearly see the titanic creature that had emerged from the light. It was a giant dragon that was tens of thousands of feet long. Its body was covered with a violet-gold radiance, its scales engraved with primordial runes. Just its gaze emanated an indescribable sense of pressure that made every Duke’s breath turn stagnant.
The dragon looked like the embodiment of perfection. Its winding body seemed as though it was made out of the spiritual energy that created the heavens and the earth, and yet it had an unmistakable archaic and noble aura, as though it was the king of all dragons.
What was most eye-catching was the fact that the dragon had nine claws. Each claw was extremely sharp, glinting with cold light. Even the void seemed to crack in their presence.
The outsiders merely felt taken aback by the sudden transformation, but the experts from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li felt as though they had been struck by a bolt from the blue. Their hearts were in turmoil and they stood up in shock. They could sense a pressure weighing down upon them from the very essence of their bloodline, causing them to feel as though they should prostrate themselves before it.
"Is that... a Nine-clawed Heavenly Dragon?" The words were blurted out a few moments later.
Those from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li couldn't believe their eyes as they looked at the living dragon before them. Most of them possessed dragon resonances and thus felt a close relationship with the Dragon Race. The dragon before them was clearly descended from the emperor of all dragons, the Heavenly Dragon Race!
Whether it was the sheer draconic might that it emanated, or the violet-gold radiance of the nine claws, all of it pointed to one thing—they were in the presence of a Heavenly Dragon.
However, they couldn't understand. This shouldn't have been possible.
After all, the Heavenly Dragon also gave off Li Luo's aura, which meant that it was a transformation of his!
How could Li Luo have transformed into an actual Heavenly Dragon?
"This is the Dragon's Blood Lineage's upper Destiny-grade Duke Art, the Dragon Blood Atavism Art!" someone suddenly shouted, breaking the tension. They were then reminded of the fact that few were able to successfully cultivate this.
The Dragon Blood Atavism Art pursued the power from one's origins. They sought to take the form of a dragon and wield the Heavenly Dragon's might.
This simple explanation was filled with a certain majesty and imposing awe. Anything that was related to the Heavenly Dragons was considered to be the best amongst the best within the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li. One had to know that an actual Heavenly Dragon was comparable to a King Stage powerhouse.
The Dragon Blood Atavism Art was supposedly passed down by Heavenly Emperor Li himself. It had always been regarded as the ultimate Duke Art of the Dragon's Blood Lineage. Who knew just how many talented prodigies with wild ambitions had attempted to master it? Alas, the ones who succeeded were just a drop in the ocean.
The requirements to cultivate it were extremely strict. Transforming into a Heavenly Dragon required one to have a sufficiently thick and pure Heavenly Dragon blood essence within their bodies. They would use a secret art to condense a Heavenly Dragon Seal within their bodies with the blood essence and fuse it into their flesh and bones. Only then could they transform into a true Heavenly Dragon.
There were few within the Dragon's Blood Lineage who had managed to cultivate this, but Li Luo had done it in just half a year. Thus, this revelation had a great impact on the experts present, especially the elders from the Dragon's Blood Lineage.
Li Luo was clearly from the Dragon's Fang Lineage, but the Heavenly Dragon blood essence within him was even purer than the members of the lineage that prided themselves on the purity of their blood. This thought left them with complicated looks on their faces.
On the highest viewing platform, Li Tianji was quietly observing the Nine-clawed Heavenly Dragon, and he sighed. "Li Luo's Heavenly Dragon blood essence is incredibly pure and thick. He should have the densest bloodline in the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li for the past few hundred years."
The corners of Tantai Lan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly into a smirk. Was the Heavenly Dragon bloodline even that great? Li Luo's body contained the Absolute Resonance Seed, a treasure crafted by the Sacred Void Resonance Sect. The Heavenly Dragon blood essence didn't count for much before it. Furthermore, during the Sacred Void Resonance Sect's prime, even an actual Heavenly Dragon could only bow respectfully towards them.
The entire area outside the platform was filled with unrest while the four Guardian Generals had horrified looks on their faces as they faced the behemoth. Just the pressure emanating from the Heavenly Dragon caused their blood to tremble in fear. They even felt like acquiescing directly and bowing in worship before it.
Li Zhihuo's gaze flickered as he observed the squirming droplets of blood that were covered with violet-gold light. A few moments later, he suddenly understood what was going on, and he hurriedly shouted, "He's planning to use the Dragon Blood Affliction Art! Hurry and stop him!"
He was even more anxious than when Li Luo had activated the Myriad Resonances Dragon Fang Sword Formation. This was because even though the Dragon Blood Affliction Art was only in the Soul Ascension-grade, it was the ultimate tool in quashing internal strife with the right conditions. Li Luo had once used it at the Heavenly Resonance Stage against the third-grade Duke Li Yuanshan and forced him to drop a single grade in strength.
Now that he had transformed into a Heavenly Dragon, his blood’s purity had risen to an unprecedented level. Therefore, if he were to use the Dragon Blood Affliction Art, just how many grades would they fall by?
Even a single grade would mean that they would no longer be able to put up any resistance against him.
Thus, they had to obstruct him at all costs.
The four Guardian Generals quickly activated their Mythic Armaments and almighty Duke Arts, launching an assault that covered the skies.
In response to their desperate counterattack, violet-gold light was emitted from the dragon's body, giving it astonishing defensive strength. Their attacks were unable to penetrate the barrier.
At the same time, the blood that was covered with violet-gold light began to condense.
Four little puppets that resembled them took form before their eyes.
A blood-red blade that was as thin as a cicada's wing formed between Li Luo's talons.
He then sliced across the four puppets without any hesitation.
Swoosh!
As the blade cut across the puppets...
The world around them seemed to rumble.
Li Zhihuo and the other three turned pale and looked up. They were dismayed to see that three of the five Duke Bergfrieds that floated above each of them had started to shatter.
Bang!
After which, the remnants of the Duke Bergfrieds transformed into spiritual light that was reabsorbed into their bodies.
A chill ran through Li Zhihuo's body as he could sense the resonant power within his body dissipating.
A single cut had caused him to drop three grades. All of them were now second-grade Dukes... Just... how were they even meant to fight now?