The moment Long Tianyan stepped onto the circular platform at the heart of the ancient cave, the air around him shifted. Dense spiritual energy coiled through the cracks of the stone floor as glowing inscriptions lit up one by one, humming with forgotten power. The cave walls shimmered with runes from an era even Azureflame Dragon called ancient. This was no ordinary place.
"Tianyan," came the deep voice of the Azureflame Dragon in his mind, "you must endure three days and three nights of refinement. Once this begins, there is no stopping it. Are you prepared?"
"I am," Tianyan replied without hesitation, sitting cross-legged at the center of the formation. His robes fluttered as the spiritual energy grew more intense, wrapping around his body like invisible chains of fire.
"This formation cannot refine dragons like me," Azureflame had said before, "but in your case, it serves a far more important purpose. This is not about increasing strength—it is the key to unlocking what lies sealed in your blood. You are not just dragon-blooded, Tianyan. You carry the soul and body of a true Nine-Colored Dragon—one that has not walked this world for ten thousand years."
As the formation activated fully, a vortex of spiritual force descended from the ceiling, slamming into Tianyan's body with full force. The platform glowed brighter, releasing waves of pressure that made even the space tremble.
Pain surged through every part of him.
His skin cracked, muscles tore and mended, and his bones glowed from within. His blood boiled, glowing with streaks of nine different colors—azure, crimson, violet, gold, green, silver, obsidian, white, and deep star-blue. These were the marks of the nine primordial dragon flames.
Still, he did not cry out. He grit his teeth and endured.
Each passing hour reshaped his very existence. His flesh was tempered under the weight of ancient energy. His meridians expanded, his spirit sea widened, and even his soul core began to pulse in rhythm with the platform's beat.
On the second day, the pain intensified. The dragon blood within him churned as if something ancient had awakened. Azureflame Dragon's voice trembled slightly.
"The seal… it's cracking. Your true form—it's being released."
And then came the third day.
All at once, the platform erupted in a dazzling column of nine-colored light that surged through the roof of the cave. Runes lifted off the stone walls and danced in the air. From Tianyan's body, an enormous dragon silhouette rose—its scales glowing with all nine colors. Its horns coiled like rivers of starlight, and its wings stretched with an air of unmatched sovereignty.
The roar that followed shook the earth itself.
His cultivation surged—like a dam broken.
Second Layer of the Heavenly Passage Realm.
Third Layer. Fourth Layer.
His dantian now resembled a golden vortex.
Fifth. Sixth. Seventh Layer.
His bloodline flared with each surge.
Eighth Layer.
And finally—
Ninth Layer of the Heavenly Passage Realm.
When the light finally dimmed and silence returned to the cave, the inscriptions on the platform had all faded, their power spent. The formation cracked beneath him. The ritual had been completed.
Tianyan slowly stood, his robe in tatters, but his body untouched by wounds. His skin gleamed faintly with the reflection of dragon scales, and his back emitted a faint draconic glow. His aura had completely changed—regal, profound, and oppressively heavy.
He clenched his fist. His strength… it was completely different now. His bloodline pressure alone could crush those below Spirit Transformation Realm. He felt the density of his spiritual power—refined and furious, yet perfectly under control.
"Is this…" Tianyan murmured to himself, "the true Nine-Colored Dragon body?"
Azureflame Dragon, usually composed, sounded reverent.
"It is. Not even the Dragon Clans of the Upper Realm possess such purity anymore. You are not a hybrid. You are a true dragon—awakened and unchained."
Tianyan looked at his reflection in a pool beside the formation. His pupils had changed—now vertical slits surrounded by radiant color. His presence alone made the space feel heavier. A Sovereign presence.
"Is this what you meant by the Sovereign Veins?" he asked.
"Yes," Azureflame replied. "The body you possess is unique—only those born with imperial blood or who reach the Supreme Realm and refine their body through countless tribulations can awaken this form. You have done it now, ahead of your time."
Tianyan slowly walked toward the exit of the chamber, each step causing faint ripples in the ground beneath. The sensation of control was intoxicating—but he kept his emotions calm. His path was still long, and this was only one step toward the destiny that awaited.
He turned and looked at the collapsed formation. Its glow had faded, and the ancient runes that had once danced in the air now lay dull across the stone. But its purpose had been fulfilled.
"I have refined my body," Tianyan said softly. "Now… I will refine the world."