Nine Star Hegemon Body Arts

Chapter 5512 Opening Sovereign Dragon Valley

The barrier and martial stage vanished, replaced by an open gate leading to a resplendent, ancient palace hall.

The interior was empty except for a single dragon bone resting at the very center. The dragon bone sparkled like jade, with an intricate dragon-shaped rune etched onto its surface.

“Heavenly Dragon Rainmaker? What is this?”

Guo Ran read the characters carved into the stone beside the dragon bone and felt a pang of disappointment. According to the inscription, this was a divine ability of the dragon race, yet its name lacked the majesty he had hoped for. It seemed unimpressive.

Long Chen and the others entered the hall. Examining the rune on the dragon bone, Long Chen remarked, “This should be the palm attack that senior unleashed just now.”

“Really?”

Guo Ran shuddered at the memory of the Dragon Emperor’s overwhelming strike. That attack had nearly crushed him despite his best defenses.

“It should be,” Long Chen confirmed. “When he unleashed that move, you could see raindrops faintly shimmering within his manifestation.”

Long Chen’s observation was sharp—he had scrutinized every detail of the battle. Despite the terrifying attack, Guo Ran had endured and blocked it.

However, Long Chen guessed that Guo Ran had paid quite a price to do so. It seemed that throughout the entire Dragonblood Legion, only he and Guo Ran could withstand an attack of that caliber head-on.

Long Chen clapped him on the shoulder. “Your performance today was remarkable.”

Guo Ran broke into a laugh. “Haha, no need to praise me, Boss! Compared to you, I’m just scratching the surface. Still, I’m ever so slightly amazing, hahaha!”

Even though Guo Ran tried to act humble, he couldn’t change his expression, leaving everyone speechless.

However, his power was the real deal. No matter how he messed around or acted arrogant, that was alright as long as he had the power to back it up.

The white dragon race’s patriarch stepped forward, his expression serious as he examined the rune. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “This technique... it’s a race skill. That means all of us can cultivate it!”

A race skill meant that the skill wasn’t restricted by bloodline, and any dragon-blooded individual could learn it. Hearing this, all the Dragon Domain’s experts were overjoyed. They could all improve thanks to this.

Guo Ran had not only proven his mettle but also paved the way for the dragon race to advance, letting them see hope. Then it was Gu Yang, Li Qi, Song Mingyuan, Bai Shishi, and Bai Xiaole’s turn to start their challenges.

Li Qi, Song Mingyuan, and Bai Shishi held their own for a full hour before being defeated.

As for Gu Yang, thanks to his ferocious will, he could exhaust his opponent’s energy after fighting for four hours. In the end, he won.

It was Bai Xiaole who shocked everyone. Entering alongside the Violet Pupil Nine-Tail Fox, he found that the formation didn’t restrict his companion from joining the fight. So, they overwhelmed their opponent with explosive pupil arts, defeating the gatekeeper in mere moments.

In truth, the gatekeeper who had just faced Bai Xiaole and Guo Ran was unlucky. They lacked experience dealing with opponents as unconventional as these two.

As dead heroic spirits, their techniques and combat patterns were set, leaving them vulnerable to unorthodox strategies. This inflexibility gave Bai Xiaole and Guo Ran the edge they needed to claim victory.

These three victories revealed certain weaknesses in these gatekeepers. The Dragonblood warriors noticed them as well, yet none exploited these flaws. Instead, they silently vowed not to rely on such loopholes to achieve their victories.

They aimed to defeat these formidable opponents in their strongest areas, honing their own skills in the process. After all, enemies like these gatekeepers were rare, and the Dragonblood warriors treasured the chance to temper themselves. If they didn’t squeeze out every bit of value from these opponents, it would be too wasteful.

More than acquiring powerful new magical arts or divine abilities, they valued the opportunity to battle such peerless opponents.

“Boss, why don’t you try it too?” suggested Guo Ran.

Guo Ran’s suggestion was met with a chorus of eager anticipation from the Dragon Domain's experts. However, Long Chen shook his head.

Long Chen said, “I’ve not recovered from the last battle. I’d only embarrass myself.”

Disappointment rippled through the crowd. Yet, recalling how Long Chen had faced the strongest enemies in their last battle, they understood. His internal wounds likely still lingered, and it would take him some time to recover.

“Then Zifeng...” said Guo Ran, turning to Yue Zifeng

However, he then realized that Yue Zifeng had neither dragon blood nor a dragon soul’s blessing. He couldn’t challenge the gatekeepers here.

While Bai Xiaole and Bai Shishi didn’t possess dragon blood either, they did have the blessing of dragon souls. That was why they could challenge the gatekeepers here.

However, Yue Zifeng was different. He was a pure human in every sense. Although he had borrowed the power of dragon blood to cultivate, his body did not contain any of it anymore.

“Sovereign Dragon Valley is vast,” Long Chen interjected. “It holds the sovereign dragon race’s resting grounds, mining areas, cultivation regions, and more. Use the resources you have here to cultivate hard. Don’t waste your precious time. We have an irreconcilable enmity with Lord Brahma, and now even the Nether Emperor. Since our opponents are frighteningly strong, we cannot waste any time.”

“Boss, do you plan to leave Sovereign Dragon Valley? Are we leaving soon?” asked Guo Ran.

Guo Ran and the others were familiar with Long Chen, so they weren’t alarmed by his tone.

However, the Dragon Domain’s experts jumped in shock when they heard that. They stared at Long Chen in disbelief.

“No. We are not all leaving,” Long Chen clarified. “It will just be me and Zifeng.”

“Why?” asked Guo Ran.

“You can raise your power by challenging the gatekeepers here. But for Zifeng, it would be a waste of time. He lacks the dragon blood or dragon soul support necessary to make progress in this place. As for myself, I have more pressing matters to attend to. I’m leaving this area in your hands,” Long Chen explained calmly.

“Long Chen, you can’t leave! You’re our leader. If you leave, we’ll become a group of headless dragons once again,” said the white dragon race’s patriarch.

“That’s right!” echoed the other patriarchs. “You’re the only one who can unify the Dragon Domain. Without you, chaos could easily erupt. The last time the Dragon Domain fell into turmoil, we barely managed to hold on. We can’t afford to go through that again.”

After enduring the previous upheaval, the patriarchs were terrified of a repeat. They had barely managed to survive the last time. Moreover, no one else in the Dragon Domain could win everyone over like Long Chen.

Long Chen smiled. “There’s no need to worry. The current Dragon Domain has been forged in the fires of battle. Everyone here understands the importance of unity, and no one harbors selfish intentions anymore. Besides, the activation of the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest will demand all of your focus. There won’t be any room for chaos.”

Turning to the patriarchs, Long Chen added, “Patriarchs, the Sovereign Dragon Valley’s resources hold incredible restorative power. They can replenish your lost longevity and blood soul energy. The day you return to your peak condition isn’t far off.”

“Really?” The patriarchs were stunned, their disbelief plain on their faces.

The last battle had made them feel like old relics, and they couldn’t help but feel a bit worthless. Many had even entertained thoughts of fighting one last battle to make a final contribution to the Dragon Domain.

However, hearing that they could recover to their peak, they couldn’t believe it. They were overjoyed.

“Yes,” Long Chen affirmed with a nod. “Sovereign Dragon Valley is vast and filled with opportunities. However, I won’t be accompanying you as you explore it. That’s something you must do yourselves.”

Long Chen turned to Bai Shishi after addressing everyone. Her expression was calm, but her reddened eyes betrayed her emotions.

They had only just reunited, yet now they had to part ways again. There hadn’t been time to exchange more than a few heartfelt words, leaving her filled with reluctance and sorrow.

Seeing her expression, Long Chen felt a surge of emotions well up in his heart. However, he knew he couldn’t waver. Forcing himself to remain resolute, he steeled his heart and said his goodbyes to everyone.

Long Chen ordered them to stay in the Ten Thousand Dragon Nest and not send him off. It would only make it harder for him to leave.

After leaving the enormous Ten Thousand Dragon Nest with Yue Zifeng, Long Chen went to the plaza.

Once there, Long Chen walked to the center and placed his palm on the ground. Instantly, the intricate runes inscribed on the millions of bricks covering the plaza started to light up. They pulsed like flowing streams of energy, converging toward his hand.

A radiant rune formed in Long Chen’s palm, exuding a mysterious and ancient aura. The moment it fully condensed, Long Chen’s divine sense expanded outward, enveloping all of Sovereign Dragon Valley. Every detail of the valley was reflected in his mind, as if it were an extension of his own body.

This rune was the command talisman of Sovereign Dragon Valley, a symbol of ultimate authority. With it, Long Chen could control every aspect of the valley.

BOOM!

Long Chen slammed his palm at the void, revealing a spatial portal. Without hesitation, he and Yue Zifeng stepped into the portal, disappearing from sight.