Nine-Colored Dragon God Claw!

What is the Dragon God Claw? Legend has it that the Black Dragon Clan were originally the Dragon God's personal guards. Later, when the Dragon God split into the Golden Dragon King and the Silver Dragon King, the Black Dragon Clan remained steadfast in protecting these two avatars. Even the nine Dragon Sons of the Dragon God dared not lightly provoke the Black Dragon Clan, for the Dragon God, grateful for their loyalty, not only granted the Black Dragon Clan's patriarch the title of "Dragon King" but also passed down the Dragon God Claw to them. This supreme innate technique could only be inherited by successive patriarchs of the Black Dragon Clan.

To humans, the Dragon God Claw was not much different from other powerful soul skills, but to soul beasts, it was a world apart. The Dragon God Claw carried a trace of the Dragon God's aura. Once unleashed, unless a soul beast was also protected by Divine Protection, it would either bow in submission or be utterly annihilated—body and soul—if struck by the claw.

Lin Yuan looked at Di Tian, who was kneeling on one knee, his small face full of seriousness. Though he knew the fearsome reputation of the Dragon God Claw, he also understood how domineering this combat technique was. Even the Black Dragon Clan could only pass it down under the condition of the patriarch's position, which showed how harsh its requirements were for bloodline and power.

"Uncle Di Tian, will cultivating the Dragon God Claw be very difficult?" Lin Yuan's soft, milky voice carried a hint of curiosity.

Di Tian abruptly lifted his head, his golden eyes blazing with fervor, his voice louder than usual: "To others, the Dragon God Claw is a peerless combat technique that requires a hundred years just to begin mastering. But to you, Xiao Yuan, it's merely an instinct in your bloodline! You are the orthodox Dragon God; this technique was meant for you. Cultivating it will only come naturally!"

Lin Yuan nodded, half-understanding. Though he knew he carried the Dragon God's bloodline, the word "instinct" sounded too mysterious, leaving him somewhat uncertain inside.

Gu Yue Na noticed Lin Yuan's hesitation. She reached out and ruffled his silver hair, saying softly, "Di Tian is right. Don't rush for results. Starting tomorrow, first follow Di Tian to feel the force transmission method of the Dragon God Claw. Your bloodline will help you find the most suitable cultivation rhythm."

As her words fell, Bi Ji walked over carrying a white jade tray. On the tray lay a glossy green fruit—the same Golden Jade Fruit Lin Yuan had eaten before—alongside a small bowl of warm, glowing Soul Condensing Dew. She handed the tray to Lin Yuan and said gently, "Xiao Yuan, you've expended too much today. Eat these first to replenish yourself."

Lin Yuan took the Golden Jade Fruit and swallowed it in a few bites. The sweet yet slightly astringent flesh slid down his throat, and a gentle warmth immediately spread through his dantian. The fatigue from earlier, caused by activating his authority and domain, dissipated by more than half. He then picked up the Soul Condensing Dew and took small sips. The warm liquid flowed down his esophagus, intertwining with the energy of the Golden Jade Fruit, transforming into a finer, warmer current that slowly nourished his meridians.

"Sister Bi Ji, thank you." Lin Yuan set down the empty bowl, his soft voice full of gratitude. Since coming to the Star Dou Great Forest, Bi Ji had always silently prepared clothes and tonics for him. This delicate care reminded him of how his mother used to look after him.

Bi Ji smiled faintly without speaking, simply reaching out to gently wipe away the traces of Soul Condensing Dew at the corner of Lin Yuan's mouth. "Don't be so polite with your sister. As long as you can grow well, that's what matters most." As she spoke, her gaze fell on the faint cyan pattern on Lin Yuan's forehead. "The power of the Living Being Gold has already begun to fuse with your body. From now on, I'll bring you the Golden Jade Fruit and Soul Condensing Dew every day on time to help you stabilize this fortune."

Lin Yuan nodded firmly. Suddenly remembering something, he looked up at Bi Ji: "Sister Bi Ji, could you make me a hair tie? Mine just broke. I'd like a silver-white one to match my current hair color. Nothing too complicated—just something simple to tie my hair back so it won't get in the way during training." As he spoke, he raised a hand to brush the silver hair hanging over his shoulder, his soft voice tinged with a hint of shyness. "If you're busy, a few days later is fine too."

Seeing the anticipation hidden in Lin Yuan's eyes, Bi Ji smiled warmly: "I'm not busy. I'll go make it for you right now. I promise you'll have it by tomorrow morning." As she spoke, her gaze fell on Lin Yuan's silver hair, a softness flickering in her eyes. "A silver-white hair tie will definitely look good with your hair."

As night deepened, the wooden cabin by the Lake of Life glowed with warm yellow lamplight. Lin Yuan leaned by the window, replaying the scene of fusing with the authority earlier that day in his mind. Gu Yue Na sat nearby, wiping a gleaming white soul crystal with a handkerchief, occasionally glancing at him. Seeing the sparkle in his eyes, she knew he was still pondering cultivation matters.

"Don't keep thinking about cultivation. You've just fused with the Living Being Gold; your body still needs to adapt." Gu Yue Na put down the soul crystal, reached out, and pulled Lin Yuan to her side, letting him lean against her shoulder. "Rest well today. If you're going to practice the Dragon God Claw with Di Tian tomorrow, you'll need the strength to endure it."

Lin Yuan obediently nodded. Looking up at the moonlight outside the window, he suddenly whispered, "Sister Nana, when do you think I'll be as strong as you?"

"Soon." Gu Yue Na gently ruffled Lin Yuan's silver hair, her voice tender. "You're luckier than all of us. You were born holding the most complete Dragon God inheritance. As long as you take steady steps, in the future, not even the Douluo Continent, let alone the Divine Realm, will be able to stop you."

As her words fell, the cabin door was gently pushed open, and Bi Ji walked in carrying a wooden tray. On the tray lay a brand-new silver-white hair tie, its edges embroidered with fine, light cyan dragon patterns that shimmered faintly under the lamplight.

Bi Ji placed the wooden tray gently on the low table and looked at Lin Yuan, speaking softly: "I made it overnight. The stitching might not be very fine, but it's sturdy. It won't break easily even when pulled during training." As she spoke, she picked up the hair tie, walked behind Lin Yuan, and gently gathered his loose silver hair. "I purposely left some extra length so you can still use it when you grow taller."

Lin Yuan could clearly feel the sensation of the hair tie wrapping around his strands—soft yet resilient. He raised a hand to gently touch the knot, his soft voice full of joy: "It's perfect! Much more comfortable than my old one. Thank you, Sister Bi Ji."

Bi Ji adjusted the tightness of the hair tie for Lin Yuan, then shook her head with a smile: "I'm glad you like it. It's getting late; you two should rest. You'll need to get up early tomorrow to practice the Dragon God Claw." With that, she turned and quietly left, gently closing the cabin door behind her.

Moonlight streamed through the cabin window, casting a silvery glow on the floor. Lin Yuan touched the soft silver hair tie on his head, unable to hide the smile on his lips. Gu Yue Na watched his satisfied expression, pulled him closer into her arms, and said softly, "It's late. Time to sleep. Di Tian will definitely be waiting for you by the lake early tomorrow."

Lin Yuan obediently nodded and let Gu Yue Na lead him to the bed. As soon as he lay down, he instinctively snuggled closer to her, resting his little head on her shoulder, breathing in her familiar, crisp fragrance. Soon, steady breathing filled the room. His purple eyes were tightly shut, long eyelashes casting faint shadows under his lids, even his brow relaxed—he had completely let go of his mind.

Gu Yue Na gently patted Lin Yuan's back, her eyes full of tenderness. She could sense that the power of the Living Being Gold was still slowly circulating within Lin Yuan's body, continuously fusing with the Dragon God Bloodline and the Dragon God Bone. This fortune would be enough to save him countless detours on his future cultivation path.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, footsteps sounded outside the cabin. Di Tian didn't rashly knock; he simply stood silently outside the door, his eyes full of anticipation, even deliberately restraining his aura. Being able to personally teach the Dragon God Claw to the orthodox Dragon God was something he had dreamed of for tens of thousands of years.

Lin Yuan was woken by the chirping of birds outside the window. He rubbed his sleepy purple eyes and sat up, only to see Gu Yue Na already fully dressed, holding out his clothes: "Hurry up and wash up. Di Tian has been waiting outside."

Lin Yuan quickly put on his clothes, touched the silver hair tie on his head to make sure it wasn't loose, and then followed Gu Yue Na out of the cabin.

The early morning Star Dou Great Forest was still wrapped in a thin layer of mist. The humid air was mixed with the fragrance of grass, trees, and morning dew. When Di Tian saw Lin Yuan come out, his eyes brightened instantly, but he deliberately slowed his pace to avoid letting his oppressive aura startle the still-young body.

"Uncle Di Tian, first unleash the Dragon God Claw at me once. Let me feel its power, so I can at least have a general idea. Powerful combat techniques all emphasize intent before form. I want to first grasp the 'intent' of this technique, so I can take fewer wrong paths when I start practicing later."

With that, Lin Yuan stepped back two paces, his purple eyes full of seriousness. He knew Di Tian's strength was unfathomable; even just demonstrating the Dragon God Claw would inevitably carry terrifying pressure. But he didn't flinch at all. If he was going to learn, he had to first see the full picture of this combat technique. Without even the courage to face it head-on, how could he talk about mastering it?

Hearing this, Di Tian slowly raised his left hand. As his hand rose, it gradually transformed, the human palm slowly turning into a pitch-black dragon claw. But in Lin Yuan's eyes, this dragon claw carried a sense of ethereality, and at the same time, a shudder rose from the depths of his heart. He could clearly feel that this was a terrifying existence capable of directly taking his life!

The pitch-black dragon claw hung in midair. Though it was a solid form, in Lin Yuan's eyes, it seemed shrouded in a halo of nothingness, as if in the next second it would pierce through space and strike a vital point. The shudder originating from the depths of his bloodline shot up his spine, causing his body to tense slightly. But he still clenched his fists tightly, refusing to look away. He had to remember this pressure, remember the "intent" contained within this claw.

A low dragon roar rumbled from Di Tian's throat, and the pitch-black dragon claw suddenly thrust forward. There was no earth-shattering sound, not even a violent disturbance in the airflow. But Lin Yuan clearly saw that where the dragon claw passed, space rippled with fine creases. The surrounding vegetation instantly lost its vitality, leaves visibly yellowing and curling, as if drained of all life force by an invisible power.

"This is the Dragon God Claw." Di Tian's voice carried the unique majesty of the dragon race. As he slowly withdrew his claw, the pitch-black scales on his palm gradually faded, reverting to the form of a human hand. "It is absolute destruction for the enemy, ignoring defenses and striking directly at the source. It is a bloodline suppression for soul beasts, forcing submission from the depths of their souls, preventing even the thought of resistance from arising. Xiao Yuan, try to sense the residual aura from my claw just now."

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and carefully sensed the remaining dragon might in the air. The next second, a scene flashed through his mind: a pitch-black dragon claw tearing through clouds, countless soul beasts prostrate on the ground below, not even the fiercest Fierce Beasts daring to raise their heads—it was absolute dominance over all beasts.

Thinking of this scene, he slowly raised his right hand. A faint Nine-Colored Flowing Light first appeared at his fingertips. This light spread through the gaps between his fingers, and the moment it covered his palm, a faint "crackling" sound came from his bones, as if some power was awakening from the depths of his bloodline.

His originally delicate, fair hand gradually transformed within the flowing light. The outlines of dragon scales faintly appeared beneath the skin, and the tips of his fingers took on a lustrous sheen, slowly lengthening and sharpening, radiating a Nine-Colored sharpness completely different from Di Tian's.

Without deliberate imitation, purely guided by the instinct of his bloodline, his hand completely transformed into a dragon claw form within the Nine-Colored halo. The five claws were long and tough, the back of his hand covered in dense Nine-Colored scales, the edges of the scales interwoven with pale golden patterns, each one exuding sanctity and majesty. Compared to Di Tian's pitch-black dragon claw, this claw had less ferocity and more of the Dragon God's dignity.

"Dragon God Claw!" Lin Yuan let out a low shout. The five claws closed simultaneously, and Nine-Colored Flowing Light surged from his palm like a tidal wave. He didn't try to imitate Di Tian's trajectory; instead, he let his bloodline instinct guide him. With a slight curl of his fingers, space rippled like an invisible hand had stirred it.

The next instant, the claw shadow flickered and vanished.

There was no earth-shattering roar, only an extremely soft "pop." On the open ground several zhang ahead, a long, thin crack split open, its edges as smooth as a mirror, as if even the wind had been cut in two. Even more astonishing was that the ground beneath the crack had its vitality instantly drained. The green grass turned to fine ash and scattered in the wind.

Di Tian's pupils contracted sharply. He could hardly believe his eyes: "This... this is instinct?!"

Gu Yue Na's eyes brightened slightly, and she nodded with satisfaction.

Lin Yuan himself was a bit stunned. He looked down at his hand. The claw shadow had dissipated, the Nine-Colored Flowing Light had withdrawn, and his palm had returned to its fair, delicate appearance, as if the shocking strike just now had been an illusion. But the trace of severed space before him silently testified to what had just happened.

Di Tian was so excited he almost knelt, his golden eyes blazing with fervor: "Born with the ability to use the Dragon God Claw—this is the talent of the orthodox Dragon God!"

Lin Yuan scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "I just moved my hand following the feeling. I didn't expect it to turn out like this..."

Gu Yue Na stepped forward and gently ruffled Lin Yuan's hair: "Let's stop here for today. After this attempt, Xiao Yuan's grasp of the Dragon God Claw has already far exceeded expectations. What remains is just day-by-day refinement."

Only then did Di Tian suppress his excitement, earnestly instructing: "Xiao Yuan, you have extraordinary talent, but remember, the highest realm of the Dragon God Claw lies in arriving with a single thought. Let the claw's intent reach before its form, and only then can you truly ignore defenses and strike directly at the source."

"Arriving with a single thought? I will definitely achieve it!"