The Dragon Realm had never been this still.
From the molten peaks of the Fire Territory to the frozen rivers of the North, dragons sensed something vast pressing down from the heavens.
In the Azure Crystal Palace, Lu Tian sat upon the throne of scales and light.
Before him floated a map of starlit runes — the entire realm seen through his Bloodline Vision.
Every clan, every child, every spark of dragon essence pulsed like a heartbeat in his mind.
[System Notice : Inter-realm rifts forming. Source : Divine Court Expeditionary Army.]
[Recommendation : Fortify borders. Power reward available upon successful defense.]
Lu Tian leaned back, calm as the eye of a storm. "They finally move."
Princess Qingya, radiant in her azure robe, bowed beside him.
"The elders say the Court gathers three legions. Should we recall the outer clans?"
"Let them stay," he said. "Fear will forge nothing. Confidence will."
He rose, spreading his hands. Golden runes burst outward, shaping a circle of light that enveloped the hall.
[Dragon Command : Domain Synchronization — Active.]
Instantly, his will spread through the veins of the world. Volcanoes dimmed, glaciers pulsed, seas churned; all obeyed one heartbeat.
Outside, every dragon — from fledgling wyrmling to ancient lord — felt their power double.
-
-
The clouds above split with silver radiance.
A single figure descended, clad in armor woven from constellations. Her wings were made of starlight, and each step left motes of cosmic dust behind.
"Lord of Dragons," she said, voice melodic yet edged with command. "I am General Seraphina of the Divine Court. I come to speak before war begins."
Whispers rippled through the palace.
A Celestial envoy — walking unscathed within the Dragon King's domain.
Lu Tian waved his guards away. "Speak, then. The heavens send their general instead of their god — perhaps they still remember fear."
Seraphina's eyes narrowed slightly, but she smiled. "The Court remembers balance. Your existence distorts it. Dragons once ruled and fell. Rebirth invites ruin again."
"Balance?" Lu Tian laughed quietly. "Balance is merely the cowardice of those afraid to rise higher."
"Then you will not yield?
"Yielding was never in a dragon's dictionary."
The envoy exhaled. "So be it. When the Heavenly Spears descend, I hope your pride shields your brood."
She turned to leave — then hesitated, glancing back. "Yet I see something different in you… creation, not greed. Were fate kinder, I might have stood beside you."
For the first time, Lu Tian's expression softened. "Fate changes hands as easily as I breathe. Remember that."
She vanished into starlight, leaving the faint scent of celestial wind behind.
[System Observation : Potential ally detected — Celestial Race. Probability 12 %. Tracking enabled.]
Lu Tian chuckled. "Even heaven's generals hesitate. The Court rots from within."
-
Days passed.
Under Lu Tian's orders, the Dragon Realm became a fortress.
Rivers turned into channels of spirit energy; mountains became slumbering sentinels.
Within the Sanctum, he personally trained a group of young dragons — children of his early followers and his own firstborn with Qingya.
Each of them possessed terrifying potential; flames, ice, lightning, and shadow intertwined under his guidance.
He walked among them, correcting a stance here, a breathing pattern there, every motion carrying divine precision.
"Strength," he said, "is not the power to destroy. It's the power to decide what endures."
The young dragons bowed, their roars shaking the air.
[Mini-mission complete : Form the First Dragon Guard.]
[Reward : Dragon Vein Expansion + 5 %, Cultivation Speed + 10 %.]
A faint hum spread through his body as golden scales shimmered across his hands. He felt the world's essence flow faster, responding eagerly.
-
On the seventh day, a cold wind swept through the palace.
Ice crystals drifted in the air as a woman appeared, her steps leaving trails of frost.
"Empress Xue Lan of the Frost Spirits greets the Dragon King," she said with serene grace.
Lu Tian regarded her carefully. Her aura was the opposite of the Flame Empress's — quiet, steady, the stillness of endless winter.
"What brings the queen of frost to the domain of fire and thunder?"
"I bring a proposal," she said. "The Divine Court seeks to claim the Northern Gate. My people dwell there. Allow us under your banner, and I shall lend the might of winter to your defense."
"Why trust me?"
"Because the Court would burn my seas. You might freeze them, but you would not salt them."
Lu Tian laughed softly. "Honesty. I appreciate that."
He extended his hand. "Then by dragon oath, your people are mine to protect — and your frost, mine to wield."
When their palms touched, frost and flame spiraled together, birthing misty light.
[System Alert : Alliance established — Frost Spirit Clan (High Affinity 98 %).]
[Potential Heir Type : Frostflame Dragon Variant — Dormant.]
A tremor of destiny brushed his senses, hinting that somewhere beyond time, a second child awaited birth.
That night, thunder rolled across the firmament.
From the void above descended spears of pure light — heralds of the Divine Court's advance.
Lu Tian stood on the palace terrace, gazing up at the cracks forming between stars.
"Three days," he murmured. "They will be here in three days."
Princess Qingya joined him. "Do you fear them?"
"Fear?" He smiled faintly. "No. But I respect the storm that tests my wings."
She looked at him quietly. "Then we'll face it together."
"Together," he agreed.
[System Mission Update : War Imminent — Prepare for Celestial Invasion.]
[Progress : 90 % readiness.]
Lightning illuminated his face, and for an instant, the entire Dragon Realm seemed to glow with golden light.
In the final hours before dawn, Lu Tian meditated alone atop the sacred mountain.
The system's hum faded until only his heartbeat remained.
Within that rhythm, he sensed countless lives — children not yet born, dragons not yet awakened, worlds not yet created.
Each pulse whispered: Grow. Multiply. Endure.
He opened his eyes. "So this is what it means to be the source."
[System Evolution Trigger : Seed of Creation forming.]
A small orb of golden essence appeared before him, swirling with fragments of every race he had touched — dragon, phoenix, merfolk, frost spirit.
He clasped it gently, feeling the immense potential coiled within.
"This," he said softly, "will be the heart of the Dragon Dynasty."
Far away, on the horizon, the first lances of divine light pierced the clouds — the signal of the coming war.
Lu Tian rose, wings of golden aura unfurling behind him.
"Let the heavens descend," he whispered. "They will not find prey — only a dragon that births worlds."