The corpse of the Abyssal Venommaw Beast collapsed to the ground with a final thud, dark purple blood leaking into the soil. Tianyan stood above it, his breathing ragged, his robes torn and soaked in sweat. His arm hung limp, shoulder dislocated, but his eyes were still calm—victory was his.
The others behind, still battling their own opponents, looked up in disbelief as they saw the monstrous beast collapse under Tianyan's foot. But before anyone could speak or rush to him, Tianyan's gaze was drawn to a large crack in the mountain wall behind where the beast had emerged.
A tunnel.
Without waiting, Tianyan leaped into the dark passageway.
"Wait! Tianyan!" Chen Yixuan's voice called from behind, but it was too late. His figure vanished into the shadowed mouth of the tunnel, leaving the others in stunned silence.
Inside the tunnel, the air was heavy with a strange heat. The path descended steeply, and after several turns, it opened into a vast underground cave lit by flickering fire-essence crystals embedded in the walls. Ancient carvings glowed faintly along the stone, depicting beasts in various states of transformation. At the center was a massive circular platform inscribed with archaic runes, each glowing dimly as if waiting to be awakened.
Tianyan slowly stepped closer.
"Azureflame, what is this place?" he asked aloud.
The voice of the Azureflame Dragon echoed in his mind, calm and deep.
"This is an ancient body-refining platform, created in the early age by beast kings and monarch-class spirit beasts. It was used to temper their bodies and increase their strength."
Tianyan frowned. "Then why did you urge me to enter?"
The dragon's chuckle rumbled through his soul.
"Because you are not just human anymore. You possess the imperial bloodline of the Primordial Dragons. This platform may be ineffective for pure dragons, but for one with your potential… it can be used to awaken your first form."
Tianyan raised an eyebrow. "First form?"
"Indeed. Dragons have three true forms," Azureflame explained, his tone becoming solemn.
"The first—Dragon Form—is the form dragons are born with. That is our original state, our truest shape.
The second—Human Form—is achieved only after refining the body to perfection. It allows dragons to walk among mortals without suppression or collapse.
And finally, the third—Sovereign Form—a battle form reserved for those who possess imperial bloodlines or reach realms such as the Supreme or Emperor Realm. A Sovereign Form dragon is a calamity incarnate."
Tianyan remained still, processing it.
"But my dragon form is sealed, isn't it?"
"Yes. Your dragon form was sealed long ago by a powerful being to protect your soul when you were still an infant. That seal has kept your true power dormant—until now. This platform can help you break that first layer of restriction. Once awakened, your dragon form will greatly enhance your strength—even among higher-realm cultivators."
Tianyan looked toward the ancient platform again. Heat radiated from its core, and as he approached, the runes began to glow more brightly, reacting to his bloodline.
"Alright," Tianyan said quietly. "Then let's begin."
He stepped onto the platform. The runes flared to life, lines of golden energy swirling around his feet and spiraling upward. His body trembled the moment the formation recognized his bloodline. His Azureflame aura surged, and in response, the carvings on the cave walls shone like stars igniting one by one.
The platform grew hot—searingly hot. A grinding pain raced through Tianyan's body as if every bone and muscle was being broken and reforged. He gritted his teeth, refusing to scream.
Flames burst from the platform, wrapping around him in waves. It wasn't just fire—it was pressure, density, essence… the essence of ancient beast strength being injected into his blood and marrow.
In the depths of his soul, the Azureflame Dragon's voice echoed again:
"Embrace it. The body of a dragon is not forged from comfort. It is born in chaos, refined in battle, and awakened through pain."
Tianyan fell to one knee, his arms trembling. Veins bulged under his skin. Cracks ran across his body like porcelain under pressure. He could feel something inside him stir—an ancient seal unraveling.
Then came the roar.
It wasn't from the outside. It came from within him.
The soul-seal on his dragon form—cracked.
From behind his back, faint outlines of a draconic spine flared in golden light. His nails elongated slightly, his muscles swelled. His pupils narrowed into vertical slits for a moment, and a faint dragon scale pattern shimmered beneath his skin.
Boom!
The platform pulsed once more, and a dragon glyph appeared on his chest—faint, like a birthmark.
Tianyan collapsed to the ground as the light of the formation dimmed.
He was breathing hard, eyes glazed in exhaustion.
But inside, the change was clear.
The first layer of his sealed Dragon Form had been unsealed. His physical body was denser, stronger—perhaps even enough to fight ordinary Spirit Transformation cultivators head-on in pure strength.
"Congratulations," Azureflame said, pleased.
"This is only the beginning. Your Sovereign Form is still far away, but now… now you are walking the path of a true dragon."
Tianyan rose slowly. His wounds had stopped bleeding. His body, despite the fatigue, pulsed with newfound power.
He clenched his fists. He could feel it—the strength in his bones, the fire in his blood.