Eastern Sea, Dragon Palace.
This was the Heavenly Sea at the heart of Dragonkind, boundless and immeasurably vast. Blue-black waves rose and fell, and enormous Scale Beasts could occasionally be seen leaping through them.
In one corner of the Heavenly Sea.
A white-robed youth with dragon horns stood upon the sea, his gaze cold and fierce, facing a dark ocean abyss.
This was Dongfang Guanji of the Spirit Thunder dragon lineage, now a cultivator with three divine abilities.
He extended a hand, and crimson lightning instantly formed a chain that plunged straight down. It seemed to hook something, releasing a thunderous rumble that dragged his hand down slightly.
The chain swiftly flew back, hauling a golden mountain up from the seabed. Dark flesh was faintly visible on its surface, as though some enormous aberration lay hidden within. Dongfang Guanji took out a dark-red ding fire talisman and slapped it onto the mountain. The supremely pure golden mountain began to crumble, and the thing inside gradually revealed its true form.
It was a snake.
The snake was black from head to tail, its scales gleaming. It had nine heads and radiated ferocity. Slowly awakening, it fixed all eighteen golden eyes on Dongfang Guanji before it.
"Lord Xi."
Dongfang Guanji looked exceedingly respectful as he said:
"The Dragon Palace has released you into the world."
The mountain-sized nine-headed snake gave a cold laugh. A thin layer of frost immediately formed over the seawater, and the snake spoke in a sinister voice:
"You actually dare let me out?"
"My lord said that you possess dragon blood. Henceforth, you may become a member of our Dragon Palace."
"As if I care to join your Dragon Palace!"
All nine heads spoke together, their voices overlapping like muffled thunder:
"Long ago, the True Dragon coupled with