Three days later, at the entrance to the Dragon Bone Secret Realm.
Morning mist coiled around the green mountains like a milky white silk ribbon. The entrance to the secret realm was a natural stone crevice over a hundred zhang high, with ancient dragon totems carved on both sides of the stone walls. Dark blue glowing crystals inlaid in the dragon's eyes stared coldly at the young dragon heirs gathered below.
Yun Che clenched the blank bronze token, the cold touch seeping through his fingertips. He wore the academy's unified dark green trial robe, with a simple cloth bag slung at his waist, holding three things Master Qingyang had given him the night before: a vial of Dragon Source Rejuvenation Powder, a Void Escape Talisman that could teleport him out of the secret realm in mortal danger, and a palm-sized stone slab covered in intricate patterns—a map.
"Quit staring, rookie." Yan Xi's voice came from beside him. She had changed into a deep red tight-fitting robe, her long hair still tied in a high ponytail, with a red short blade hanging at her waist, faint dragon patterns swirling on the blade. "The token's just a key; the real thing is you."
As she spoke, her gaze swept the surroundings. Following her line of sight, Yun Che saw about thirty young dragon heirs gathered before the entrance, most of them the qualified ones from the Awakening Ritual. They exuded distinct dragon source auras in the air, like flames of different colors burning invisibly.
Yun Che closed his eyes and tried to stir the "Void" within him.
In an instant, the world transformed in his perception.
No longer human forms as seen by the naked eye, but more than thirty distinct dragon soul illusions: an earthen yellow earth dragon coiled like a mountain, a cyan wind dragon light as the breeze, a blue water dragon rippling with waves... Each emanated a unique "rhythm". Four stood out above the rest—
A blazing crimson like the core of molten lava, Yan Xi's Chixiao Flame Dragon.
A calm ice blue like a deep pool of cold, from a white-robed youth standing in the corner. Tall and straight, with a cold face, an ice crystal jade pendant hanging at his waist exuding a faint chill. Su Luo.
A heavy earth yellow like the bedrock of the earth, from a burly, honest-faced youth. He stood alone at the edge of the crowd, a huge stone shield almost as tall as himself slung on his back, faint dragon scale patterns visible on the shield's surface. Shi Yue.
And one more... hidden deep.
Yun Che's perception stretched out like invisible tentacles, finally "seeing" a purple-black dragon soul illusion in the shadow of an ancient tree at the farthest edge of the crowd. Unlike the others, it flickered constantly between solid and illusory, tiny lightning snakes coiling around it. Its master was hidden under a hood, only the outline of the lower half of their face and tightly pressed lips visible. Fan Tian.
"Feel that?" Yan Xi lowered her voice.
Yun Che opened his eyes and nodded. "Four special ones."
"Five with you." Yan Xi's lips curled up. "Two more, and the Seven Luminaries are complete."
Hardly had the words left her mouth when the crystals at the secret realm entrance blazed to life simultaneously. The dragon totems on the stone walls seemed to come alive, letting out a low hum. An elder in a black elder's robe descended slowly from the sky, treading on empty air, his robe fluttering without a breeze.
"Silence."
His voice was not loud, yet it reached every ear clearly, carrying an unquestionable authority. The noisy crowd fell silent in an instant.
"This old man is Mo Chen, the overseer of this secret realm trial." The elder's eyes, sharp as lightning, swept over every young person present. "The rules are simple: the secret realm shall remain open for three days. Within lie nine Dragon Crystal Stele. Find them and activate them with your dragon source to earn points. After three days, the top ten with the most points shall enter the inner sect. The top three shall receive additional rare rewards."
He paused, his tone turning stern. "But remember three things: First, the secret realm harbors real dangers—both native soul beasts and ancient traps and formations left by predecessors. Second, intentional harm to fellow disciples is forbidden; violators shall have their cultivation abolished and be expelled from the academy. Third—"
Mo Chen's gaze flicked over Yun Che intentionally or unintentionally. "At the deepest part of the secret realm lies the Resonance Stone. Those who wish to find a partner may venture there to try. But it is also the most dangerous area of the entire secret realm—know your limits."
With that, he flicked his sleeve. More than thirty tokens flew up simultaneously, transforming into streaks of light that sank into the barrier at the entrance. The barrier rippled like water, and the blurry scenery of the secret realm gradually cleared—it was an endless ancient forest, faint golden mist flowing between the branches of towering ancient trees.
"The trial begins!"
The crowd surged toward the entrance like water bursting a dam. Yun Che was about to follow when Yan Xi grabbed him by the arm.
"What's the hurry?" She raised an eyebrow. "Let them scout the way first."
Sure enough, the moment the first few youths rushed into the secret realm, the ground split open abruptly. Dozens of spiked vines burst out of the earth and coiled around them like lightning. Amid screams, three were dragged into the ground in an instant—only the glow of a Void Escape Talisman flickered, and they were gone, forcefully teleported out.
"Bloodthirsty Demon Vines." Yan Xi sneered. "A few fools eliminated at the first hurdle."
The remaining people froze in their tracks, their faces paling. Just then, the white-robed youth Su Luo moved. He walked slowly to the entrance, stretched out his right hand, and pressed his palm downward empty-handed.
Crack, crack, crack—
Centered on him, the ground within a ten zhang radius froze over with a layer of crystal clear ice. The demon vines, just breaking through the soil, were frozen stiff, their movements slowing to a crawl. Su Luo didn't even glance at them, stepping straight into the secret realm, ice crystals automatically paving a path beneath his feet.
"Control type, interesting." Yan Xi commented.
Next came the burly youth Shi Yue with the stone shield. He scratched his head awkwardly, then took a deep breath. An earth yellow glow spread around him, and the dragon patterns on the stone shield lit up. Raising the shield, he charged in like a mad bull—the Bloodthirsty Demon Vines lashed against the shield with dull thuds, yet failed to shake it an inch.
"Defense type, tough enough." Yan Xi continued her commentary.
Fan Tian in the shadows was even simpler: he transformed into an almost invisible purple-black bolt of lightning, flickering a few times through the gaps between the vine strikes, and vanished into the depths of the forest.
"Let's go too." Yun Che said.
Yan Xi nodded, flames blazing in her palms. "Stay close."
The moment the two stepped into the secret realm, the surrounding air seemed to grow thick and viscous. The light in the forest was far dimmer than outside, the faint golden mist flowing between the branches carrying an ancient, heavy aura. The ground was covered with a thick layer of humus, soft and silent underfoot.
Sensing the breath of living beings, the Bloodthirsty Demon Vines struck again from all directions. Yan Xi let out a cold snort, clapped her hands together, then flung them open violently—
"Blazing Flame Ring!"
A ring of scorching flames burst outward from her, turning the oncoming vines to cinders the moment they touched the fire. But Yun Che noticed that dark green sap oozed from the stumps of the burned vines, seeping into the soil the moment it hit the ground, and the surrounding vegetation withered at a visible speed.
"Poisonous." He warned.
"I know." Yan Xi frowned. "These vines are off. Normal Bloodthirsty Demon Vines shrivel up when destroyed; they don't secrete venom. Someone's tampered with them."
The two exchanged a glance, both thinking the same word: Soul Reavers.
Just then, the "Void" within Yun Che suddenly trembled violently—not a warning of danger, but a strange "call". It came from the depths of the forest, carrying a heavy, warm affection, like the embrace of the earth.
"That way." He pointed southeast.
"What do you sense?"
"I don't know, but... it feels familiar."
Yan Xi stared at him for a few seconds. "Then let's go see. The trial's just started anyway; the nine Dragon Crystal Stele are scattered everywhere. It doesn't matter which way we go."
The two advanced cautiously toward the southeast. The forest was deeper than imagined, the branches of towering ancient trees blocking almost the entire sky, only scattered spots of light filtering through the gaps. The farther they went, the thicker the dragon source aura in the air became, and the brighter the faint golden mist glowed, winding around the ancient tree trunks as if alive.
After walking for about half an hour, the sound of fighting came from ahead.
Yun Che and Yan Xi exchanged a glance and crept closer. Through the gaps in the dense bushes, they saw an open glade in the forest where Shi Yue was backed against a boulder, swinging his stone shield to fend off an attack from three soul beasts.
They were three Shadow Claw Leopards, jet black all over, only their eyes glowing with a eerie green. Their movements were as fast as ghosts, their claw blades glinting with a metallic sheen, each pounce leaving deep gashes on the stone shield. Worse still, the Shadow Claw Leopards could merge into the shadows for short moments, launching surprise attacks from unimaginable angles.
Though Shi Yue's defense was formidable, he was clearly ill-suited to deal with such fast, agile attackers. His movements had slowed, sweat beading on his forehead, and the glow of the dragon patterns on his stone shield began to flicker.
"Should we help him?" Yun Che whispered.
Yan Xi was about to reply when she saw Yun Che's expression change—his pupils dilated slightly, and the silver dragon mark on his forehead flashed with a faint glow.
"What's wrong?"
"His dragon soul..." Yun Che's voice was filled with astonishment. "It's 'crying'."
"What?"
"Not literally. It's an emotion... sorrow, loneliness, and... a longing to be understood?" Yun Che couldn't put it into words; the perception was too vague, yet too real. The heavy earth yellow dragon soul within Shi Yue was exuding an indescribable wave of grief.
Just then, seizing the gap when Shi Yue turned, one Shadow Claw Leopard merged into the shadows, circled around the stone shield, and its sharp claws struck straight for his back!
Shi Yue noticed too late to turn fully, only able to twist his body awkwardly—
An ice wall condensed out of thin air, blocking the claw strike!
Crack! The ice wall shattered, but it bought Shi Yue a precious half breath. Roaring, he swung the stone shield backward, slamming the Shadow Claw Leopard flying.
Su Luo stepped out from the forest on the other side, his white robe standing out sharply in the dim light. He formed seals with both hands, and ice spikes shot up from the ground in an instant, restricting the movements of the other two Shadow Claw Leopards.
"Th-thank you!" Shi Yue panted, gratitude written all over his honest face.
Su Luo merely nodded coldly, his gaze falling on Shi Yue's stone shield. "Your shield... is it the pact artifact of the Rock Earth Dragon?"
Shi Yue froze. "How do you know?"
"The ripple of the dragon pattern." Su Luo said. "Among the earth dragon lineages, only the pact artifacts of the Rock Earth Dragon emit this kind of rhythm like the 'pulse of the earth'."
Listening in the dark, Yun Che's heart stirred. The "rhythm" Su Luo spoke of was exactly the dragon soul characteristic he had perceived through the "Void". This control-type youth also possessed an extraordinary perception.
"How long are you two going to watch from there?" Su Luo suddenly turned his head, looking toward the bushes where Yun Che and Yan Xi were hiding.
Yan Xi clicked her tongue and stepped out boldly. "Sharp senses, ice block."
Yun Che emerged as well. When Shi Yue saw them, especially Yan Xi, his eyes lit up. "Miss Yan of the Yan Clan! And... Brother Yun Che?"
"You know me?" Yun Che was somewhat surprised.
"I-I heard my father talk about Palace Master Yun." Shi Yue scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "My family lives in a small border village. Three years ago, there was a soul beast tide, and Palace Master Yun saved our entire village when he passed by. My father has always told me to remember this kindness."
Warmth welled up in Yun Che's heart, mixed with a trace of sadness. His father had been missing for three years, yet someone still remembered his kindness.
"We can catch up later." Su Luo interrupted, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. "These three Shadow Claw Leopards are not right. There are dark purple patterns in the depths of their pupils—traces of being controlled by external forces."
Yan Xi knelt down to examine the Shadow Claw Leopard stunned by Shi Yue, and sure enough, found a tiny black rune on its forehead, which was fading slowly. "Soul Control Talisman... the Soul Reavers' trick."
The atmosphere turned heavy in an instant.
"They've already made their move." Yun Che said in a low voice. "Is their target the people in the secret realm, or..."
He never finished his sentence. A deafening roar suddenly echoed from the depths of the forest!
The roar contained a terrifying dragon might, accompanied by a violent tremor of the earth. The four paled simultaneously—this level of pressure meant at least a fourth-order powerful soul beast, or even possibly...
"A dragon-type soul beast." Su Luo's face turned grave, a rare sight. "How could such a thing be in the secret realm?"
The roar came again, this time much closer. The forest resounded with the panicked scurrying of countless soul beasts, birds taking flight in alarm, beasts fleeing in terror.
"The sound is coming from... the direction of the Resonance Stone." The "call" within Yun Che grew so intense it was almost bursting out of his body.
Yan Xi made a decisive decision. "Let's go check it out."
Shi Yue hesitated. "But the elder said it's the most dangerous place there..."
"Precisely because it's dangerous, we have to go see." Su Luo agreed with Yan Xi, a rare occurrence. "If it really is a trap set by the Soul Reavers, leaving it unchecked will endanger everyone in the secret realm."
No more words were needed. The four hurried toward the direction of the roar. The closer they got, the heavier the dragon might in the air became, like an invisible boulder pressing down on their chests. The surrounding vegetation began to show abnormalities—the trees twisted and grew, their branches taking on an unnatural deep red, and thick black liquid seeped from the ground.
Finally, they passed through a grove of eerie blood-red trees, and the view suddenly opened up.
It was a huge circular clearing, with a three-zhang-tall milky white crystal standing in the center—the Resonance Stone. Colorful radiance swirled on its surface, breathtakingly beautiful.
But at that moment, no one had the heart to admire the beauty.
Because before the Resonance Stone coiled a colossal beast.
It was over ten zhang long, its body covered in dark golden scales, its head part dragon, part lizard, a single horn growing from its forehead, a row of bony spines along its back, and a hammer-like bony node at the end of its thick tail. Most terrifying were its eyes—one gold, one silver, with strange runes swirling in the depths of its pupils.
"Is this... an 'Earth Dragon Lizard'?" Shi Yue's voice trembled. "But the ancient texts record that the largest Earth Dragon Lizard is no more than five zhang long, with earth yellow scales and brown eyes. This one..."
"A mutant." Su Luo analyzed calmly. "And one forcefully catalyzed to mutate. Look at its forehead."
Yun Che focused his gaze, and sure enough, saw a black rune on the center of the Earth Dragon Lizard's forehead—similar to the one on the Shadow Claw Leopard's, but ten times more complex. Faint purple-black lightning swirled deep within the rune.
"The Soul Reavers used a Soul Control Talisman to catalyze it, and even infused it with some kind of external force." Yan Xi gritted her teeth. "These maniacs, what do they plan to do with this monster?"
The answer came soon.
Seeming to sense their arrival, the Earth Dragon Lizard slowly turned its head, its gold and silver pupils locking onto the four. It did not attack immediately, but opened its huge maw and let out a low roar.
The Resonance Stone suddenly blazed with brilliant light!
Colorful radiance poured down like a waterfall, condensing into an intricate light array on the ground. Within the array, seven nodes were faintly visible, three of which were already glowing slightly—corresponding to Yan Xi's crimson, Su Luo's ice blue, and Shi Yue's earth yellow.
"It's... testing the resonance?" A flash of inspiration crossed Yun Che's mind. "The Soul Reavers want to see what combination of dragon souls can trigger the maximum reaction from the Resonance Stone!"
"So they catalyzed this monster with a Soul Control Talisman, forcing the people who entered the secret realm to join forces to fight it, thus observing the resonance effect of different dragon souls." Su Luo took up the thought, his voice cold as ice. "What a vicious scheme."
Seeming to have completed its "detection", satisfaction flashed in the Earth Dragon Lizard's gold and silver pupils. Then it moved.
Without the slightest warning, its thick tail swept across like a battering ram! So fast it let out a shrill whistling sound as it cut through the air.
"Scatter!" Yan Xi shouted sharply.
The four leaped away in different directions simultaneously. The giant tail smashed into the ground, blasting a deep crater, gravel flying in all directions.
"Flame Dragon's Breath!" Yan Xi spun in mid-air, pushing both hands forward. A scorching pillar of fire erupted, slamming into the Earth Dragon Lizard's flank.
Ripple-like undulations spread across the dark golden scales, and the fire pillar was shattered by the force! Only a faint scorch mark remained.
"The scales have anti-magic properties!" Su Luo judged, pressing both hands to the ground at the same time. "Profound Ice Cage!"
Thick ice pillars burst out of the ground in an instant, crisscrossing in an attempt to trap the Earth Dragon Lizard. But the monster merely strained, and the ice pillars shattered one after another.
Shi Yue roared and charged forward, slamming his stone shield hard into the Earth Dragon Lizard's forelimb. "Boom!" Amid the deafening crash, Shi Yue was sent flying, skidding a long furrow across the ground, the dragon patterns on his stone shield dimming by half.
"It's no use, the power gap is too great!" Shi Yue climbed to his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Seemingly enraged, both the Earth Dragon Lizard's gold and silver pupils blazed to life. A scorching beam shot from the golden pupil, and a bone-chilling cold current gushed from the silver pupil—a dual ice and fire attack!
"We can't dodge!" Yan Xi turned pale. The attack covered too wide an area; the four were scattered across the clearing, unable to avoid it all at once.
At the critical moment, the "Void" within Yun Che suddenly boiled.
It was not he who activated it on his own, but the simultaneous impact of three powerful dragon soul auras—Yan Xi's blazing heat, Su Luo's icy cold, and Shi Yue's heavy steadfastness—on his perception. The empty void within him instinctively began to "imitate".
He stretched out both hands, a crimson dragon mark emerging on his left palm, an ice blue dragon mark condensing on his right, and a halo of earth yellow spreading from his chest.
Then he made a move he himself could not understand: he crossed his hands in front of his chest, then pushed them forward violently.
"Triple... Dragon Pact?"
Crimson, ice blue, and earth yellow radiance burst forth from Yun Che's body, intertwining in the air to form a three-colored light shield that blocked the four.
Boom---!!!
The dual ice and fire attack slammed into the light shield. A terrifying shockwave spread outward, felling entire groves of trees around them. The light shield trembled violently, countless cracks spreading across its surface, yet it did not shatter in the end.
Three breaths later, the attack dissipated. The light shield crumbled as well, turning into countless glowing specks.
Yun Che dropped to one knee, his face as pale as paper, blood seeping from all seven orifices. He felt his consciousness being torn into three parts, Yan Xi's violence, Su Luo's calm, and Shi Yue's perseverance—three completely different "memories" and "wills" colliding madly in his mind.
"Yun Che!" Yan Xi rushed over to support him.
Su Luo and Shi Yue gathered around as well, the three staring at Yun Che with undisguised disbelief.
"You just... copied our abilities?" Su Luo's voice wavered for the first time.
Yun Che nodded with great difficulty, every word a struggle. "Only... a few breaths... the cost is great..."
"Forget that for now." Yan Xi looked up, her face changing drastically. "It's coming again!"
Clearly not expecting its attack to be blocked, the runes in the Earth Dragon Lizard's gold and silver pupils spun faster. It raised its head and let out a sky-shaking roar, all its dark golden scales standing on end, purple-black lightning seeping from the gaps between the scales—the power of the Soul Control Talisman was fully activated!
"It's going all out!" Shi Yue raised his stone shield, though its surface was already covered in cracks.
Su Luo formed seals with both hands so fast his hands blurred, the temperature plummeting all around, countless ice crystals condensing from the moisture in the air.
Yan Xi gritted her teeth, the flames in her hands shifting from crimson to dark red—she was overdraining the power of her dragon soul.
Yun Che struggled to his feet, his consciousness still reeling from the impact of the three memories. He stared at the Earth Dragon Lizard, at the spinning black rune on its forehead, and suddenly a fragmented image flashed through his mind—
A shard of his father's memory. Three years ago, in the Dragon Bone Abyss, the same black rune spinning in the palm of a black-robed figure. On the figure's sleeve was embroidered a small silver dragon mark, its design... identical to the imprint next to the bloodstained characters on the corner of his father's robe that Master Qingyang had shown him.
"The real enemy may not be in the shadows..."
His father's words echoed in his ears.
At the moment the Earth Dragon Lizard finished gathering its power and was about to launch a fatal strike—
A purple-black bolt of lightning streaked down from the sky, striking the rune on the Earth Dragon Lizard's forehead with pinpoint accuracy!
Crack!
A fissure split the rune.
The Earth Dragon Lizard's movements froze, the light in its gold and silver pupils flickering erratically.
From the shadows, the black-robed youth Fan Tian stepped out slowly. He still wore his hood, only the lower half of his face and a faint smile on his lips visible.
"The core of the Soul Control Talisman is three cun below the center of the rune." His voice was calm, unlike someone on a battlefield. "Destroy it, and this monster will lose control."
"Who are you?" Yan Xi stared at him warily.
"Someone with the same goal as you for now." Fan Tian said, raising his hand and summoning another purple-black lightning bolt, this one striking straight at the center of the rune.
The Earth Dragon Lizard let out a pained roar, thrashing madly.
"Attack!" Su Luo shouted.
The four hesitated no more, unleashing their strongest attacks at the same time—
"Chixiao · Flame Dragon Break!" Yan Xi transformed herself into a meteor of flame.
"Xuanming · Age of Freezing!" Su Luo clapped his hands together, a realm of extreme cold enveloping the Earth Dragon Lizard's lower body.
"Rock Solid · Earth Pulse Shock!" Shi Yue drove his stone shield hard into the ground, the earth surging like waves.
Yun Che gritted his teeth and stirred the "Void" within him once more. This time, instead of trying to copy the three abilities, he focused his perception to the extreme, like an invisible needle, striking at the fissure in the rune on the Earth Dragon Lizard's forehead—
"Break!"
An invisible shockwave swept across.
The rune shattered completely.
The Earth Dragon Lizard's colossal body stiffened abruptly, the light in its gold and silver pupils fading rapidly. It let out a whimper, a hint of relief in its voice, then slowly collapsed to the ground, dissolving into countless glowing specks—its forcefully catalyzed body could not sustain its existence after the Soul Control Talisman shattered.
A brief silence fell over the clearing.
The five stood where they were, gasping for breath, eyeing each other warily.
In the end, Fan Tian spoke first. "The Resonance Stone is right there. Aren't you going to try it?"
He pointed to the milky white crystal in the center.
Yan Xi looked at Yun Che. "Can you hold on?"
Yun Che wiped the blood from his face and nodded. In truth, his body was in complete disarray, but the intense "call" grew clearer by the second—not only from the Resonance Stone, but also from the four people before him.
The five walked toward the Resonance Stone. The moment their hands pressed against the crystal's surface simultaneously—
Hum!!!
Colorful radiance soared into the sky, intertwining into a magnificent pillar of light. Within the pillar, five dragon soul illusions emerged: the Chixiao Flame Dragon, the Xuanming Frost Dragon, the Rock Earth Dragon, the Thunder Illusion Dragon, and in the center, an invisible, transparent Void Dragon Soul.
The five dragon souls circled and resonated with each other, letting out a soul-shaking dragon's roar.
On the surface of the Resonance Stone, a line of ancient writing appeared:
"The Five Luminaries gather for the first time, the destiny stirs. Yet the Seven Luminaries are incomplete, the pact unformed. On the day the Twin Stars return, the dragon souls shall resound, and the truth of the Night of Annihilation shall be revealed."
The writing flickered for three breaths, then faded away.
The five withdrew their hands and looked at each other. In the resonance just now, they had all "seen" fragments—snippets of each other's memories, whispers of the dragon souls, and a shared, distant call.
"Two more to go." Yun Che said softly.
"The Sun and Moon Twin Stars." Su Luo added. "The 'Sun Luminary' and 'Moon Luminary' in the prophecy."
Fan Tian suddenly looked up toward the depths of the forest. "Someone's coming. A lot of people."
Sure enough, the noisy sound of human voices and footsteps came from the distance. Clearly, the commotion from the battle had been too great, attracting other trial-takers in the secret realm.
"Let's leave here first." Yan Xi said decisively. "That resonance pillar was too conspicuous; people will come to investigate soon."
The five left the clearing quickly, vanishing into the depths of the blood-red forest. Less than half an incense stick's time after they left, more than a dozen young dragon heirs arrived at the clearing, only to see the aftermath of the battle and the Resonance Stone standing quietly in the center.
And no one noticed a fist-sized crow with pure black eyes perched on an ancient tree at the edge of the clearing. Its eyes reflected the direction the five had left, then it flapped its wings and flew away, dissolving into black smoke.
At the same time, in a dark cave somewhere outside the secret realm, a figure cloaked in black slowly opened its eyes. In the crystal ball before it, the scene of the five dragons resonating before the Resonance Stone was reflected.
"The Void Dragon Heir... Chixiao, Xuanming, Rock Earth, Thunder..." the black-robed figure muttered, its voice hoarse like sandpaper rubbing together. "The Five Luminaries have gathered, faster than expected."
A second voice sounded behind him. "Master, shall we activate the plan ahead of schedule?"
"No." The black-robed figure raised its hand, a complex black rune emerging in its palm, a faint silver dragon mark visible at the center of the rune. "Let them gather, let them grow stronger. The day the Seven Luminaries assemble is the perfect time to reap the harvest. After all—"
He paused, a cold smile tingeing his voice.
"The sweetest fruit is always picked when it is fully ripe."
The image in the crystal ball blurred gradually, finally freezing on the faint silver dragon mark on Yun Che's forehead.
From the depths of the cave, a low, eerie dragon's roar echoed.
There was no majesty, no holiness in that sound—only endless greed and longing.