In the ancient hall, a cyan-gold dragon's shadow hovered in midair, its twin pupils like two eternal stars, cold and fathomless.A faint trace of draconic might radiated from it—enough to crush the will of all living beings—forcing Lin Tian and Zidian's hearts to race and their breaths to quicken.
They exchanged a glance, and in each other's eyes saw the same emotions—hesitation and guarded vigilance.
True Dragon Inheritance—these four words alone were enough to drive countless cultivators to fight to the death.Yet behind this opportunity lay an abyss of unknown peril; one misstep would mean utter annihilation.
The dragon's shadow seemed to see through their thoughts. Its deep voice rumbled through the hall:
"Do you know? The most precious thing in this world is not treasure, but opportunity. Lose a treasure, and you may find another. Miss an opportunity, and you may never see it again.The inheritance of the Dragon Clan is your only chance to transcend fate."
A gleam flickered within Zidian's vertical pupils. Its bloodline yearned to evolve into that of a true dragon—but it also knew this path would be filled with thorns. Especially with the phantom before them—one that brought not only hope, but also chains and shackles.
Lin Tian, however, countered,
"If the True Dragon Inheritance is so precious, then why have you fallen to such a state? And who forced you into clinging to existence as nothing but a remnant shadow?"
The dragon's pupils suddenly contracted, a tidal wave of hatred surging in their depths. Its voice trembled, low and icy:
"Because that being… does not belong to the Three Realms or the Four Domains!He comes from a higher dimension—one that even the Ancestral Dragon God could not fully glimpse.By the time we sensed his presence, it was already too late—He sealed the Ancestral Dragon God with irresistible power, destroyed our royal court, and slaughtered the mightiest bloodlines of the Dragon Clan."
Lin Tian's heart trembled.A higher dimension?
That meant that even beyond the Shattering Void Realm—beyond the realm where myths walk—there might still be heights yet unreached.An enemy like that could, with a single glance, plunge the entire continent into ruin.
He said nothing, simply gazing at the dragon's shadow, a faint glimmer passing through his eyes.He had already understood—this so-called "inheritance of vengeance" would never be given freely. The Dragon Clan wanted a pawn—one that could cross reincarnations and become their blade of revenge.
Perhaps fearing his refusal, the dragon's tone suddenly sharpened:
"Swear a Great Oath of Reincarnation. Take your memories and leave this place, and you will receive the highest gift of the Dragon Clan.Break that oath, and your soul will be annihilated, cast into the endless void forever."
Lin Tian's fingers trembled slightly.The Great Oath of Reincarnation meant binding one's fate to the laws of cause and effect—should he break it, even the heavens and earth themselves would become his executioners.
Zidian's voice rang in his mind, urgent:
"Lin Tian… don't agree! This is no inheritance—it's a curse!I can feel it—his baleful qi will merge into our very essence. Once it's triggered, we will lose ourselves entirely and become nothing but the Dragon Clan's tools for vengeance!"
A spark lit in Lin Tian's eyes, but his lips curled into what seemed like a compromising smile.
"Very well… I agree."
The dragon's shadow showed clear satisfaction. Its massive horns flared with golden rings of light, which slowly descended over Lin Tian and Zidian.
In an instant, the laws contained within the golden radiance surged into their seas of consciousness, forcibly branding the mark of the Great Oath of Reincarnation.
Yet at that moment, deep within Lin Tian's mind-sea, a wisp of chaotic spiritual light quietly stirred—the Void Severance of Thought he had comprehended within the Five Elements Primordial Spirit Pearl. Like an unseen blade, it silently cut a hidden fracture into the law's bindings, leaving behind a secret flaw in the oath.
Outwardly, his expression remained unchanged, as though completely bound—yet he had left himself one final lifeline.
The dragon's shadow detected no anomaly, its voice filled with cruel satisfaction:
"Good. From this day forth, you are the inheritors of my clan.Go—bring the truth to the Ancestral Dragon God, and make that man… pay in blood!"
With the final word, the great hall roared. Dragon bones, dragon blood, and dragon scales shattered all around, dissolving into countless streams of dazzling light that surged violently into Lin Tian and Zidian's bodies.
The sensation was a fusion of ice and fire—pain intertwined with power. It was as if their bones were being reforged, their blood boiling, their meridians torn apart and then sewn back together.
Lin Tian let out a muffled groan, nearly collapsing to his knees. Yet in his eyes burned a light fiercer than dragon's blood:
"The inheritance… I will take it. But my life… will never belong to any race."
The phantom blurred within the radiance, finally dissipating into nothingness, though the baleful qi was sealed tightly into their bloodlines like a slumbering seed, ready to awaken at any moment.
Cracks split the hall's walls.Above, the dome tore apart under an unseen force, revealing a swirling spatial vortex that drew all things into its depths.
Lin Tian looked up, his expression solemn.He could feel it—next, they would be thrown into a place even more perilous.And perhaps… this was exactly the first step the mysterious higher-dimensional being had been waiting for.