Chapter Summaries

Hillman reunited with Hogg and told him about his growth and achievements over the past two years. Hogg described the Baruch Clan's prosperity and Linley's progress at the academy, leaving Hillman warmly reminiscing about home and his childhood friend.

• Hogg welcomed Hillman home and listened as Hillman recounted his battles in Mist Canyon, his mastery of the Profound Mysteries, and his achievement of External Godhood.
• Hillman asked about the Baruch Clan and Wushan Town, and Hogg explained how trade, logging, herb cultivation, and a martial hall had strengthened the community.
• Hogg told Hillman that the clan had renovated its old residence and honored him on a stele at Wushan Town's entrance.
• Hillman asked about Linley, and Hogg reported that Linley had become a Third-Level Mage and Fourth-Level Warrior while studying in the Inner Court.
• Hogg described Linley's friendship with Yale, George, and Reynolds, his stone carving, and his top-three finish in the academy's New Student Martial Arts Tournament.
• Hillman and Hogg laughed together as Hillman remembered practicing punches with Linley in Wushan Town.

Hillman and Hogg returned to Wushan Town, where Hillman introduced Hogg to Iron Armor and revealed a plan to awaken the Baruch Clan’s dormant dragon blood. Hogg agreed to be the first to try the medicinal liquid made from Iron Armor’s blood and Blue Heart Grass.

• Hillman and Hogg decided to return to Wushan Town to visit the clan and its new Martial Hall.
• Hillman called Iron Armor from the forest and introduced the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon to a stunned Hogg.
• Hillman and Hogg reached Wushan Town, where they greeted the clan members and visited the ancestral residence and Martial Hall.
• At the foot of the Wu Mountain Mountain Range, Hillman showed Hogg Blue Heart Grass and explained that it could be combined with Iron Armor’s blood to awaken the clan’s dragon blood.
• Hillman said Hogg had the best chance of undergoing Dragon Transformation, and Hogg agreed to try the medicinal liquid for the clan.

Hillman persuaded Iron Armor to give him dragon blood so the Baruch Clan could awaken its dormant bloodline. Hogg drank the blood with Blue Heart Grass and transformed into a dragon warrior, leaving the clan’s revival underway.

• Hogg returned to Wushan Town with the Blue Heart Grass while Hillman stayed behind with Iron Armor.
• Hillman explained the Baruch Clan’s need for strength and asked Iron Armor to share its blood, promising not to pressure it if it refused.
• Remembering their years of trust, Iron Armor exposed a blood vessel and let Hillman collect less than half a bottle of dragon blood.
• Hillman brought the blood back to the old residence, where Hogg chewed three stalks of Blue Heart Grass and drank it.
• Hogg endured the clashing powers, then grew over two and a half meters tall and developed dragon scales, horns, a tail, and claws.
• Hogg celebrated his transformation as Hillman watched, and the dragon cry startled the people of Wushan Town.

Hogg used dragon transformation to reach eighth-level strength temporarily, then studied the Dragonblood Secret Manual and trained to merge dragon blood with his Battle Qi. He broke through to the eighth level permanently and planned to stabilize his strength before helping younger clan members awaken their dragon blood.

• Hogg transformed into his dragon form and temporarily rose from the seventh-level peak to the eighth level.
• Hillman gave Hogg the Dragonblood Secret Manual and explained how its methods could merge dragon blood with Battle Qi.
• Hogg spent half a month training, gradually overcoming the pain and resistance as dragon blood fused with his Battle Qi.
• Hogg broke through to the eighth level without transforming and demonstrated his increased strength by blasting a deep impression into the courtyard wall.
• Hogg told Hillman that he would stabilize his new strength and then prepare to help younger members of the clan awaken their dragon blood.

Seven-year-old Wharton trained to become a Dragonblood Warrior and learned that his bloodline was exceptionally pure. After the Dragonblood Needle revealed his natural aptitude, his power began awakening in the Baruch Clan ancestral hall.

• Wharton practiced punching a wooden post and told Hillman he wanted to become strong enough to protect his family and Wushan Town.
• Hogg sensed that Wharton's bloodline was purer than his own had been and took him to the Baruch Clan ancestral hall.
• Hogg touched the Dragonblood Needle to Wharton's finger, and it shone brightly and formed a dragon-scale mark on his wrist.
• Hogg declared that Wharton could undergo Dragonform transformation without dragon blood or blue heart grass and vowed to guide him.
• Wharton's bloodline awakened as he touched an ancestral tablet, and Hogg urged him to concentrate and feel its power.

Hogg guided Wharton through his Dragonblood awakening, and their bloodline resonance helped the boy survive the painful transformation. Wharton emerged as a Dragonblood Warrior with an exceptionally pure bloodline, beginning his path under Hogg’s care.

• Hogg helped Wharton sense and guide the power awakened by the Dragonblood Needle.
• Wharton’s bloodline power became painfully hot and surged out of control, while Hogg’s dragonblood responded in resonance.
• Hogg used his Dragonblood Battle Qi to stabilize Wharton’s power and guided it through the route in the Dragonblood Secret Manual.
• Wharton roared and transformed, growing blue-gold scales, dragon horns, and a tail.
• Hogg praised Wharton for awakening dragon transformation without dragon blood or blue heart grass, and Hillman said he could learn to control his forms with training.

Wharton struggled to control his newly acquired dragon-transformed body in the ancestral hall, accidentally breaking several objects before learning to manage his tail. Hogg suggested they test Wharton's strength in the courtyard, but Wharton hit his horns on the doorway as he rushed out.

• Wharton accidentally knocked over a candlestick and broke a porcelain offering bowl while learning to use his tail.
• Hogg forgave Wharton and reassured him that he would learn to control his tail with practice.
• Wharton's tail hooked Hillman's hem and knocked over a broom before Wharton finally learned to control it.
• Hogg praised Wharton and proposed that he try smashing a wooden post in the courtyard with his dragon-transformed strength.
• Wharton hurried toward the doorway and struck his horns on the doorframe, making Hogg and Hillman laugh.

Two years after entering the Ernst Magic Academy, Linley had become a gifted mage with Doehring Cowart’s guidance, and the Baruch Clan had grown prosperous after Hogg awakened his Dragonblood power. After gaining permission to enter the academy’s ancient texts section, Linley decided to visit his family before pursuing its books.

• Linley studied earth magic in the library while Doehring Cowart urged him to attempt an advanced spell using elemental compression.
• Yale brought Linley roasted magical rabbit and invited him to watch Reynolds and George spar, but Linley remained focused on developing a new earth attack spell.
• Yale told Linley that the intermediate mage assessment was next month, and Linley said he planned to create an earth attack spell during it.
• The librarian informed Linley that the instructors had upgraded his borrowing privileges, allowing him to enter the ancient texts section on the fourth floor.
• Doehring Cowart urged Linley to search there for the lost earth spell Earth Pulsation, but Linley chose to go home the next day to visit Hogg and Wharton first.

Linley returned to Wushan Town after learning that Hogg, Wharton, and Hillman were waiting for him at the old Baruch residence. He reunited with his family and learned that Wharton could transform into a Dragonblood Warrior without dragon blood or Blue Heart Grass, leaving Linley wondering how he had awakened.

• Linley found Hiri’s letter at the Baruch family residence in Fenlai City and learned that Hogg, Wharton, and Hillman had gone to Wushan Town to await him.
• Linley rented a fast horse and rode to Wushan Town, thinking about his family and the disputed need for Blue Heart Grass to awaken a Dragonblood Warrior.
• Linley arrived at the repaired old Baruch residence and embraced Hogg and Hillman before Wharton hugged his legs.
• Wharton told Linley that he could transform into a Dragonblood Warrior without drinking dragon blood or eating Blue Heart Grass.
• Linley congratulated Wharton but wondered how Hogg had awakened him, then joined his family as Hiri welcomed him home.

Linley asked Hogg how he had obtained the dragon blood needed to awaken his bloodline, and Hogg explained that Hillman had risked his life in the Magical Beast Forest to secure it. Linley learned the full extent of Hillman’s sacrifices and ended the night with renewed gratitude toward his uncle.

• Linley asked Hogg where he had gotten the dragon blood for his bloodline awakening.
• Hogg told Linley that Hillman had entered the Magical Beast Forest after Linley left for the Ernst Institute, determined to help the family.
• Hogg revealed that Hillman returned half a month earlier as a Saint-level warrior after befriending a level nine Back-Spined Iron-Armored Dragon in Mist Canyon.
• Hogg explained that the dragon gave Hillman essence blood and that Hillman also found a large supply of blue heart grass.
• Hogg told Linley that blue heart grass had neutralized the dragon blood’s dangerous power, allowing him to awaken safely.
• Linley accepted Hogg’s reminder to honor Hillman’s sacrifices, while Doehring Cowart praised Hillman’s courage and loyalty.