Borrowing Dragon Blood from Iron Armor, a Baruch Transforms

The sun sank behind the western hills, and dusk lent the outline of the Wu Mountain range an ever vaster, hazier air. The cries of weary birds returning to the woods gradually faded into the evening breeze. Hogg clutched the box of Blue Heart Grass, his knuckles whitening slightly with the force of his grip. His steps were heavy, yet carried a burning anticipation. He glanced back at Hillman at the foot of the mountain, then lowered his gaze to the fluorescent Blue Heart Grass in the jade box against his chest. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily before he turned and headed back to Wushan Town first, leaving only Hillman and the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon facing each other.

The evening breeze swept past with scraps of grass and leaves, stirring a soft rustle. The Iron-Armored Dragon's enormous body shifted slightly, its dark golden scales gleaming softly in the last rays of sunset, a faint sharp glint along the edge of every scale. It lowered its blood-red eyes and gazed steadily at Hillman, a low rumble rising in its throat as though asking why he had stayed behind alone. Its nostrils fluttered gently, taking in the fresh scent of vegetation and Hillman's familiar scent lingering in the air.

Hillman walked slowly forward and reached out to stroke a relatively smooth scale on the side of the Iron-Armored Dragon's neck. Through his fingertips, he could distinctly feel the powerful pulse beneath it-the vigorous, pure draconic energy unique to a high-ranking dragon, so hot it seemed capable of burning his skin.

"Iron Armor," he said softly, yet with utter solemnity, his voice especially clear in the quiet mountain woods, "there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

The Iron-Armored Dragon tilted its head. A warm breath puffed from its enormous nostrils, stirring the loose hair over Hillman's forehead. It swished its spike-covered tail, sweeping the tip across the ground and scattering a few fallen leaves, giving him a response.

Hillman took a deep breath and crouched, bringing his gaze level with the Iron-Armored Dragon lying on the ground. He spoke each word distinctly. "You know I come from the Baruch Clan. We were descendants of Dragonblood Warriors, but as the years passed, our bloodline grew thinner, and we long ago lost our ancestors' power to overturn rivers and seas. Though the clan's fortunes have improved thanks to the caravans and the Logging Camp, on this continent filled with danger, everything is ultimately an illusion without sufficient strength. A single natural or man-made disaster could turn all our efforts to nothing."

He paused, raising a hand to pat the Iron-Armored Dragon's thick foreclaw. His tone grew more earnest, hope for the clan's future shining in his eyes. "The Blue Heart Grass I brought back from Mist Canyon can neutralize the overbearing power of dragon blood. Combined with your blood, which contains pure draconic power, it can awaken our dormant bloodline. Not just me-Hogg, my elder brother, and every descendant in the clan could use it to undergo dragon transformation, restore the Baruch Clan's glory, and never again be at the mercy of others."

The instant his words fell, the Iron-Armored Dragon's pupils contracted sharply, and its aura abruptly grew heavy. The overwhelming pressure of a high-ranking magical beast surged outward, bending the surrounding vegetation beneath its sudden force and instantly silencing the insects in the distance. It lashed its spike-covered tail and let out a somewhat agitated dragon cry, startling distant birds into panicked flight. The beating of their wings echoed through the mountain woods.

Dragons had always treasured their bloodline above all else. Every drop of dragon blood concerned their fundamental power, and even a request from a dearest friend inevitably stirred instinctive wariness. A sharp gleam flashed through the Iron-Armored Dragon's blood-red eyes as it stared fixedly at Hillman, as though weighing the advantages and disadvantages.

Hillman did not avert his gaze. He simply watched it quietly, his eyes filled with sincerity. He could feel the Iron-Armored Dragon's wariness, yet still did not back down. "I know that to dragons, dragon blood is a treasure never lightly given away, the dignity flowing through your very flesh and bones. I won't force you, much less take it by force. Over these years, we've fought ferocious beasts side by side in Mist Canyon, entrusting our lives to each other time and again. To save me, you held off an encirclement by three Crimson Flame Demon Tigers. To protect you, I ventured into a swamp filled with poisonous miasma to find medicine. You've long since become my most important companion, a friend I've faced death with. If it weren't for the clan's survival, if it weren't to keep the Baruch bloodline alive, I would never ask this of you."

He stood, stepped back, and bowed slightly to the Iron-Armored Dragon, his bearing sincere and resolute. "If you're unwilling, I won't press you. We'll still be companions who fight side by side, and I'll never mention today's request again. If you agree, every member of the Baruch Clan will remember this kindness in their hearts. Should the dragons ever face any danger in the future, we will brave fire and water without hesitation."

The Iron-Armored Dragon gazed steadily at him for a long time. Complex emotions flickered in its blood-red eyes: wariness, hesitation, and a trace of remembrance of their days fighting side by side-it remembered the tremendous beast tide in Mist Canyon, when Hillman had risked his life to protect it while it was injured, shielding it from a ferocious beast's claws with his own body; it remembered the campfire they had shared on a cold night, when Hillman had given it a share of his only roast meat; it remembered the trust they had offered each other in desperate circumstances, without a single betrayal.

After a long while, the Iron-Armored Dragon slowly lowered its head, a gentle growl rising in its throat, as though it had dropped all its defenses. It slowly moved aside a thick scale on its neck, revealing the blue-gray skin beneath. The blood vessels there were clearly visible, pulsing with dragon blood that held immense power and faintly shone with a dark golden halo. A potent Dragon's Might quietly spread, making even the air seem viscous.

It gently swished its tail toward Hillman, brushing the tip against the back of his hand to signal him forward.

Hillman's eyes instantly grew hot, and warmth surged from the depths of his heart through his entire body. He hurried forward, took the lustrous white jade bottle he had prepared from his pack, and carefully brought it close to the Iron-Armored Dragon's exposed blood vessel.

Dragon blood slowly seeped out, falling into the jade bottle like a silver thread. The instant it touched the bottle's inner wall, a fine layer of flowing golden light actually shimmered into being. Potent Dragon's Might quietly spread, making the surrounding air tremble slightly. Small beasts throughout the mountain woods hid in their burrows, not daring to make a sound. The Iron-Armored Dragon remained steady, neither resisting nor urging him on. It simply lay quietly, its gentle gaze resting on Hillman, its blood-red eyes filled with trust.

Hillman was not greedy, stopping after taking just under half a bottle of dragon blood. As soon as the jade bottle was filled, the Iron-Armored Dragon swiftly closed its scale over the wound. The aura of dragon blood instantly withdrew, as though nothing had happened.

"Thank you, Iron Armor." Hillman tightened his grip on the jade bottle, his voice carrying excitement he could not hide. "The Baruch Clan won't let your gift go to waste. One day, our descendants will be like our ancestors, clad in dragon scales and wielding sharp blades, becoming the dragons' most dependable allies."

The Iron-Armored Dragon gave a low growl, as though replying, "I believe you." It rubbed its enormous head against Hillman's cheek, its rough scales brushing his skin with a slight tickle, yet a warmth that put him at ease.

Night deepened, and moonlight climbed the ridges of the Wu Mountain range, spilling clear radiance across the ground. Hillman carefully put away the jade bottle and, holding the Iron-Armored Dragon's claw, walked slowly deeper into the mountains-there lay a secluded, safe spot with a clear stream and lush vegetation, which he had chosen as the Iron-Armored Dragon's temporary home.

After settling the Iron-Armored Dragon in, Hillman hurried back to Wushan Town that same night. The moment he stepped through the old residence's courtyard gate, he saw Hogg pacing anxiously in the courtyard, tightly clutching the box of Blue Heart Grass, his eyes filled with barely contained urgency.

"Brother, it worked." Hillman raised the jade bottle in his hand, his voice full of joy.

Hogg's eyes abruptly lit up. He hurried forward, staring fixedly at the golden-glimmering dragon blood in the jade bottle, his breathing growing rapid. Without the slightest hesitation, he took the jade bottle from Hillman, opened the jade box of Blue Heart Grass against his chest, and pulled out the three freshest, most tender stalks. He stuffed them into his mouth and chewed hard. The raw, astringent juice spread through his mouth, and a cool sensation instantly flowed through his entire body.

Then he tipped his head back and drained the dragon blood from the jade bottle in one gulp!

As the dragon blood entered his throat, searing power instantly erupted, as though a raging fire were burning through his internal organs. Hogg let out a pained roar, his body abruptly doubling over, veins bulging all over him. His skin reddened at a visible rate, and faint traces of blood even began seeping out. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms, blood dripping between his fingers, yet he could not feel that pain at all-the overbearing power of dragon blood was far more turbulent than he had imagined!

Just then, the cooling power of the Blue Heart Grass began to take effect. Threads of coolness traveled through his limbs and body, neutralizing the scorching heat of the dragon blood. The two powers intertwined and collided within him, sending such pain through Hogg that his whole body convulsed, and he collapsed to the ground in a curled-up heap.

Hillman stood tensely beside him, ready to help at any moment, his gaze fixed on the changes in Hogg's body.

After an unknown length of time, Hogg's body began trembling violently. His bones crackled, and his frame abruptly shot upward, instantly surpassing two and a half meters. Blue-gold dragon scales emerged from beneath his skin, covering his limbs and torso. A pair of fearsome dragon horns grew from his forehead, a long, spike-covered tail lashed out behind him, and his hands became sharp dragon claws that gleamed coldly.

A powerful aura erupted from him, more than several times stronger than before!

Hogg slowly opened his eyes, a trace of a dragon's sharpness flashing within them. He clenched his fists, feeling the power surging through his body, then threw back his head and let out a deafening dragon cry. The sound swept across all of Wushan Town, startling the townspeople into poking their heads out, only for the pressure to frighten them into silence.

"It worked... we did it!" Hogg's voice was somewhat hoarse, yet filled with wild joy. He looked down at his hands, covered in blue-gold dragon scales, and tears spilled uncontrollably from his eyes.

Hillman gazed at his dragon-transformed appearance, a gratified smile lifting the corners of his mouth. Moonlight fell over the two of them, illuminating the flames of hope in their eyes.

The road ahead was long, and the journey of Bloodline Awakening had only just begun. Yet now, with a companion's trust, the clan's hopes, and awakened power, the glory of the Baruch Clan had quietly begun to revive in the night.