Di Tian's Reward!

Shui Yue'er picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea.

The moment the tea touched her lips, she frowned.

"Too bitter."

Shui Bing'er glanced at her.

"The dean's tea never has sugar in it."

Shui Yue'er picked up the fruit wine beside the table.

She examined the wine jug, then looked at Long Yao.

"Then I'll have some fruit wine."

"Only one cup today."

Shui Yue'er stopped.

"Why?"

"You still have to go to the Heavy Water Formation this afternoon."

Long Yao pointed toward the True Dragon Tower.

"If you drink too much, you won't be able to control your soul power."

Shui Yue'er could only pour herself half a cup.

She set the wine cup on the table and looked back at the Golden Ranking.

"Now that Di Tian is on the ranking, what will the reward for third place be?"

"It should have something to do with the Dragon Clan's bloodline."

Shui Bing'er said:

"His Dragon God origin has already shattered."

"If the Golden Ranking rewards him with origin power, Di Tian's strength will increase again."

Long Yao watched the ranking.

"What Di Tian lacks isn't ordinary cultivation."

"The injuries left by the Dragon God War are the root of what holds his strength back."

Shui Yuerou's expression shifted slightly.

"Will the Golden Ranking repair his origin?"

"Not necessarily."

Long Yao answered:

"The reward has to suit the person on the ranking."

"Di Tian was once the Dragon God Guards Captain."

"The reward the Golden Ranking gives him will surely strengthen his bloodline and his Dragon God inheritance."

Shui Yue'er nodded lightly.

"Then, once Di Tian receives his reward, will he surpass Qian Daoliu?"

"He already has."

Long Yao looked in the direction where Qian Daoliu was.

"After receiving his reward, Qian Daoliu's combat strength reached the limit below god level."

"Di Tian ranking ahead of him means the Golden Ranking recognizes Di Tian's overall strength."

"In Spirit City, Qian Daoliu can draw upon angel divine power."

"In the Star Dou Great Forest, Di Tian can draw upon the Dragon Clan's origin."

Shui Bing'er asked:

"What if they leave their own territories to fight?"

"Di Tian's body is stronger."

"Qian Daoliu has greater speed and stronger sacred power."

Long Yao looked at her.

"Until they actually fight, we can't judge the winner by their rankings alone."

Shui Bing'er nodded lightly.

She had already grown accustomed to Long Yao's assessments.

The Golden Ranking could compare overall strength, but it could not decide the outcome of every battle.

Shui Yue'er propped up her chin.

"If Di Tian is third, who will be ahead of him?"

Shui Yuerou looked at Long Yao.

"One of them should be the dean."

"There's no doubt about that."

Shui Yue'er immediately nodded.

"The dean will definitely be in the top two."

Long Yao did not deny it.

He raised his head to look at the very top of the Golden Ranking.

The positions for second and first place had already begun glowing gold.

"The other person should still be in the Star Dou Great Forest."

Shui Bing'er followed his gaze.

"Gu Yuena?"

"She'll most likely take one of those places."

Long Yao said:

"But the Golden Ranking compares current combat strength."

"Gu Yuena's origin has yet to recover."

"Whether she ranks ahead of Di Tian will depend on how the Golden Ranking assesses her."

Shui Yue'er picked up her half cup of fruit wine.

"Will you be first, Dean?"

"I don't care about rankings."

Long Yao lifted his teacup.

"How the Golden Ranking orders us is Heaven's judgment."

"I look only to my own path."

Shui Bing'er watched Long Yao.

She asked no further questions.

To this day, no one had ever truly fathomed the dean's strength.

Even if Long Yao ranked second, no one would believe his strength was merely second-best.

On the lake, a fallen leaf drifted slowly with the ripples.

Shui Yue'er noticed the leaf, rose, and walked to the lakeshore.

She raised her hand.

A stream of water rose from the lake, cradled the fallen leaf, and carried it slowly toward the shore.

The stream curved around the stone steps without wetting the leaf.

Only after delivering the leaf beneath a tree did Shui Yue'er withdraw her soul power.

"Dean, how was my control?"

"Better than yesterday."

Long Yao said:

"But the stream turned too sharply."

Shui Yue'er glanced at the lake.

"I already slowed it down."

"You slowed your soul power, but not your thoughts."

Shui Yue'er sat back down beside the stone table.

After thinking for a moment, she looked at the lake again.

"To control the water element, do even my thoughts have to stay calm?"

"The water follows your soul power, but it also follows your will."

Long Yao said:

"If you want it to change direction quickly, the water will fluctuate."

"If you want the stream to remain steady, you must first keep your own judgment steady."

Shui Yue'er lowered her gaze to the wine in her cup.

The wine swayed with her movements.

She set the cup down, extended a finger, and gently touched its rim.

The wine inside slowly grew still.

"I understand."

Shui Bing'er looked at her younger sister.

"Control your own soul power first, then control the water."

"You're right, Sister."

Shui Yue'er walked toward the lake again.

She did not use a soul skill.

A slender stream rose from the center of the lake and slowly circled her wrist.

This time, the stream did not immediately change direction.

It followed its original course, maintaining the same speed throughout.

Long Yao sat beneath the tree without offering further guidance.

Shui Bing'er also returned to the Ice Lotus.

The Ice Phoenix martial soul appeared behind her.

Tiny ice crystals gathered above the lake, arranging themselves into a neat ring of ice flowers.

She raised her hand and drew one of them back.

The ice crystal landed in her palm without leaving any trace of cold.

Shui Yuerou stood nearby, leafing through the roster in her hands.

"Dean, preparations for the admissions assessment have begun."

"The first group of applicants will arrive at the academy tomorrow."

"Follow the original rules."

Long Yao looked at the roster.

"Give priority to water-attribute and ice-attribute martial souls."

"Make elemental affinity the first test."

Shui Yuerou nodded.

"The temperament assessment has also been arranged."

"Have them choose between the lake's surface and the waves, then explain their reasons."

"That will do."

Long Yao looked back at the lake.

"Talent determines their starting point."

"Temperament determines how far they can go."

Shui Yuerou put away the roster.

"I'll oversee the assessment myself."

She turned and left the platform.

Shui Yue'er was still practicing her control of the water.

Shui Bing'er's ice flowers gradually took shape as well.

Around the True Dragon Tower, elemental power slowly gathered as the two cultivated.

Long Yao sat beneath the tree, drinking tea.

On the Golden Ranking, the words for third place finally began to dissipate.

Di Tian's name did not disappear.

But the scenes belonging to him had completely ended.

The two positions at the very top simultaneously released even more dazzling golden light.

The pressure emanating from deep within the ranking descended upon the entire continent.

The lake's surface abruptly sank.

Inside the True Dragon Tower, dragon patterns that had long lain dormant lit up one after another.

Shui Yue'er stopped cultivating and raised her head toward the heavens.

Shui Bing'er also withdrew her Ice Phoenix martial soul.

Long Yao set down his teacup.

He watched the center of the Golden Ranking, his expression as calm as ever.

New scenes were about to appear.

The golden words belonging to second and first place were slowly taking shape.

High above in the heavens.

Di Tian's name remained in third place.

The phantom of the black dragon did not immediately disperse.

Its dark golden scales lit up one by one.

Dragon God markings stretched from its head to its tail before finally converging at its chest.

Di Tian's body stilled in response.

Beneath those dragon scales lay an extremely fine crack.

The crack ran through his Dragon God Origin.

From the end of the Dragon God War until now, that injury had never truly disappeared.

Words appeared on the Golden Ranking once again.

[Even after Di Tian's origin reformed, the origin fracture left by the Dragon God War remained.]

[Though his divine body has recovered, his Dragon God Bloodline remains incomplete.]

[His origins of darkness and strength fuse together to sustain his combat power.]

[The legacy of the Dragon God Guards has always remained deep within his divine soul.]

[If his origin fracture heals completely, Di Tian will regain part of his combat power from ancient times.]

In the Star Dou Great Forest.

Di Tian raised his hand.

Black dragon scales emerged between his fingers.

A wisp of dark golden light flowed through his palm.

The moment the light approached his chest, another surge of nine-colored power blocked it.

Di Tian withdrew his hand.

He knew his own condition all too well.

After all these years, his cultivation had recovered to eight hundred and ninety thousand years.

Yet the injury left by the Dragon God War still restricted his bloodline.

He possessed the Dragon God Claw.

He possessed the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King Bloodline.

He also possessed the combat experience of someone who had once commanded the Dragon God Guards.

But his origin still could not bear the power he had wielded at his peak.

Xiong Jun looked at Di Tian.

"Your injury still hasn't healed?"

Di Tian did not hide it.

"The power left by the Dragon God War has already merged into my origin."

"Unless my origin becomes whole again, it cannot be completely eliminated."

The Scarlet King raised his three heads.

"Then will the Golden Ranking repair your origin?"

Di Tian looked toward the sky.

"If the Heavenly Dao is willing to bestow that gift, it can be repaired."

"If it isn't, I will continue cultivating."

Di Tian's gaze fell upon the Lake of Life.

"As long as our lord remains, the Dragon Clan has a future."

Gu Yuena stood at the center of the lake's surface.

Her purple eyes watched the curtain of sky.

The Golden Ranking had already revealed Di Tian's former identity.

It had also revealed his present flaws.

Every faction on the continent now knew what bloodline Di Tian possessed, and what grievous injuries he had once suffered.

But no one knew.

Just how much power the origin left by the Dragon God still held.

Gu Yuena raised her hand.

A streak of silver light rose from the bottom of the lake.

It passed through the water's surface and came to rest before Di Tian.

Di Tian bowed his head.

"My lord."

"The Golden Ranking is filling in your past for you."

Gu Yuena looked toward the sky.

"Perhaps it will give you an opportunity."

Di Tian did not answer.

He merely raised his head again and looked at the two rankings that had yet to be revealed.

The past of the Dragon God Guards Captain had come to an end.

Next came the rewards the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking would grant him.

High in the sky.

The black dragon phantom in third place slowly drew inward.

A deep dragon roar rang out from the Golden Ranking.

The ancient trees of the Star Dou Great Forest all leaned outward at once.

Nine-colored ripples spread across the Lake of Life.

Di Tian's name lit up again.

Three golden spheres of light descended from the ranking.

The first sphere was the largest.

It did not immediately take physical form.

Within the golden sphere, nine colors flowed ceaselessly.

Flame, earth, lightning, ice, storm, light, darkness, space, and destruction appeared one after another.

The nine elements intermingled.

At last, they condensed into a single drop of nine-colored dragon blood.

The drop hovered above the Lake of Life.

The surrounding space twisted continuously.

Di Tian looked up at the dragon blood.

For the first time, a distinct change appeared in his golden eyes.

Words slowly appeared on the Golden Ranking.

[Third place on the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking.]

[Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Di Tian.]

[Reward: Dragon God Origin Dragon Blood.]

[Repairs the origin fracture.]

[Completes the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King Bloodline.]

The first reward descended.

The nine-colored dragon blood passed through the sky and entered Di Tian's body directly.

Boom!

Di Tian's body abruptly swelled.

Black dragon scales emerged beneath his robes.

Golden light covered the edges of the scales.

The power of nine elements entered his origin simultaneously.

The Dragon God Mark, dormant for so many years, suddenly blazed to life.

Di Tian raised his head.

A nine-colored dragon phantom appeared behind him.

The nine-colored dragon phantom did not reveal its entire body.

Yet the instant it appeared, every Soul Beast in the Star Dou Great Forest prostrated itself.

Even Xiong Jun reined in his aura.

At Di Tian's chest, a dark golden crack was slowly closing.

The origin on either side of the crack began reconnecting.

With every bit that healed, Dragon God power flowed out from within.

Di Tian's black dragon body kept changing.

His dark golden dragon scales grew thicker and heavier.

Nine-colored markings appeared along the edges of his wings.

His aura climbed continuously.

His eight hundred and ninety thousand years of cultivation remained unchanged.

Yet the power rising from the depths of his bloodline had already surpassed its former level.

Words appeared on the Golden Ranking in succession.

[Fusion with the Dragon God Origin Dragon Blood has begun.]

[Di Tian's origin fracture is being repaired.]

[Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King Bloodline enhanced.]

[Dragon God's Power reenters the physical body.]

[Physical body's capacity to bear power increased.]

Di Tian closed his eyes.

For the first time since the Dragon God War, he felt whole, complete power flowing through his body.

This was not a change brought about by increased cultivation.

Instead, the origin slumbering deep within his divine soul had answered his will once more.

A long while later.

Di Tian opened his eyes.

A flash of nine-colored light swept through their depths.

"So this is the Dragon God Origin."

He raised his right hand.

In his palm, the origins of darkness and strength condensed together.

The two origins no longer repelled each other.

Nine-colored Dragon God's Power ran through them.

Di Tian closed his fingers.

Dense cracks immediately appeared in the surrounding space.

Watching this, Xiong Jun's gaze fell upon Di Tian's chest.

The origin fracture had disappeared.

"Your injury has healed."

Di Tian lowered his head and glanced at his chest.

"It hasn't healed completely yet."

"But the Dragon God Origin has reconnected."

"As long as I keep refining it, I can make this body bear more power."

Gu Yuena watched Di Tian.

She could sense the Dragon God power within him growing once more.

This time, he did not need to begin by increasing his cultivation.

He only needed to let the origin power he had once lost return to his body, little by little.

The second golden sphere of light descended.

Within it was a dark golden token.

The Nine-Colored Dragon Pattern was engraved on the front.

A dragon banner was engraved on the back.

Countless tiny characters of the Dragon Clan lined the token's edges.

The instant Di Tian saw the token, he recognized its origins.

It was the command token of the Dragon God Guards.

Words appeared on the Golden Ranking.

[Reward: Dragon God Guards Commander Seal.]

[Proof of command personally bestowed by the Dragon God.]

[Can command the surviving Dragon Clan bloodlines.]

[Can manifest phantoms of the Dragon God Guards.]

[The stronger the Dragon Clan origin, the greater the Commander Seal's power.]

The dark golden token descended before Di Tian.

Di Tian reached out.

Upon touching his palm, the token immediately transformed into a streak of dark golden light and entered the space between his brows.

A Nine-Colored Dragon Pattern appeared in its wake.

At the center of the pattern was a black dragon silhouette.

It was the mark of the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King.