TL: GoldenLung
The term quasi-spatial was used to describe one that didn't fully possess true spatial attributes. However, the Shadow Dragon could distort space to alter its form. Lan Xuanyu didnât underestimate his opponent in the slightest. Among so many Lower, Intermediate, and even Higher dragons, Lin Zexuanâs ability to stand out in the elimination rounds and advance into the round-robin stage was proof enough of his strength. Huang Yuanlang had once reminded Lan Xuanyu that, in many cases, Intermediate Dragons could be even more dangerous than weaker Higher ones.
Those Intermediate Dragons who made it into the round-robin had all fought their way there through sheer strength. Once they entered battle, they fought with desperate ferocityâoften more ruthless than Higher Dragons. And since they had emerged from the elimination rounds, each of them undoubtedly possessed some unique ability. Lin Zexuan gave Lan Xuanyu a slight nod, his gaze resolute, before stepping into the third battle zone.
Walking ahead, Lin Zexuan revealed a body still marked with unhealed wounds. Yet despite his somewhat lean frame, he stood as straight as a spear. Watching him, Lan Xuanyu couldnât help but think of Liu Feng. Among their group of seven, Liu Feng might have had the least talent, but he was undoubtedly the most relentless. To keep up with the others, he had poured in countless hours of effort. Lan Xuanyu had always known that Liu Feng was not the weakest among themâif anything, when pushed to the limit, he might unleash a terrifying level of combat power. After all, fighting spirit was itself a form of strength.
According to Huang Yuanlangâs assessment, among the ten participants in the third group, Lin Zexuan ranked near the bottom in terms of raw strength. But in terms of fighting will, he was anything but ordinary.
The two stepped into the arena and took their positions. By now, all ten battle zones had their first-round participants ready. Sweeping his gaze across the field and combining it with his spiritual perception, Lan Xuanyu nodded inwardly. The round-robin stage was completely different from the earlier elimination rounds. There was no longer a single contestant with a casual attitudeâeveryone faced their opponent with utmost seriousness.
This was a stage to showcase strength.
Dozens of god-level dragon experts observed from the sidelines. It could be said that this was the best opportunity for the contestants to display themselves. Even in defeat, they had to give everything they had and fully demonstrate their abilities. Only in this way could they fight for better opportunitiesâespecially the chance to become a Dragon Knight.
âFirst round, first matchâbegin!â
With the command of a god-level expert, the round-robin officially commenced.
Almost instantly, Lan Xuanyuâs opponent made his move. His massive wings beat powerfully, distorting the air around him and leaving behind a series of afterimages. His blue-gray dragon body shot into the sky.
Lin Zexuan knew his strengths wellâspeed and aerial combat. Only in the air could he fully unleash his power. Just as Huang Yuanlang had helped Lan Xuanyu and Bai Xiuxiu analyze their opponents, every contestant had carefully studied the others in their group. They were all well aware of Lan Xuanyuâs defining trait: overwhelming strength. He had even managed to block the frontal charge of a Blue Jade Elephant Dragonâhis power was not to be underestimated.
Moreover, up until now, Lan Xuanyu had never fought in full dragon formâhe had always battled in human form. Keeping distance and fighting in the airâthis was Lin Zexuanâs strategy.
No matter how strong you are, you have to hit me first. If you canât touch me, your strength means nothing.
The moment Lin Zexuan took to the air, Lan Xuanyu followed. With a powerful stomp of his left foot, he shot upward like a golden arrow. If he were able to unleash his full abilities, he could have directly manipulated spatial elements, completely suppressing his opponentâs pseudo-spatial powers. But for now, he could only rely on his Golden Dragon King bloodline and raw strength.
Boom!
The immense force triggered a thunderous explosion across the Ascension Platform. On ordinary rock, such force would have blasted out a massive craterâbut the platform remained completely unshaken, without even a crack.
Propelled by that force, Lan Xuanyu soared into the sky. The Divine Dragon Armor instantly enveloped him, channeling power from the Mountain Dragon King bone-crafted armor into his body. He didnât summon his dragon spearâinstead, he charged straight toward his opponent. A pair of golden dragon wings unfurled behind him.
Blue-gray light flickered. In an instant, Lin Zexuan paused brieflyâthen his body split into three. Three streaks of light shot toward Lan Xuanyu from different directions. Space itself seemed to tear apart, forming countless thin tearsâlike miniature dimensional slashesâcutting toward Lan Xuanyu from all sides.
So this was his aerial combat technique?
A faint smile tugged at Lan Xuanyuâs lipsâhidden completely beneath his faceplate.
You want to defeat me through speed and aerial skill? Fine. Iâll play along.
In the next instant, Lan Xuanyu released his Martial Soul Avatar. Yet it wasnât as massive as a True Dragonâonly about ten meters long, his entire body radiating golden light. With a single beat of his wings, he accelerated sharply.
The pace of the battle was blisteringly fast. Among all the first-round matches, this one drew the most attentionâunsurprisingly so. The title âGolden Dragon Princessâ carried immense weight, and Lan Xuanyu had even earned the recognition of Dragon Knight Luo Lan. Naturally, all the god-level experts were watching closely.
Lan Xuanyuâs speed was astonishing. Surrounded by Lin Zexuanâs three attacking forms, he forcefully broke through a web of spatial tears. To the spectators below, it looked as though he had simply powered his way through.
But the god-level observers saw it differently.
Even Dragon Knight Luo Lan and Holy Light Dragon Knight Huang Liangwei showed a hint of surprise.
Fastâtoo fast!
More importantly, even at such incredible speed, Lan Xuanyuâs aerial control was nothing short of masterful. With a twist and turn of his body, he accelerated again, slipping cleanly through the cracks in space.
The suction from those fragmented spatial tears seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever. The three converging attacks all missed.
In other words, Lan Xuanyu hadnât brute-forced his way outâhe had flown through the gaps with sheer technique.
No one had expected his aerial skill to be this refined.
What they didnât know was that this very individual, now locked in aerial combat, once held a prestigious title in the Douluo Federationâ
Ace Pilot, Rank 58.
Dragons might all be capable of flight, but how well they fly is another matter entirely. Lan Xuanyu hadnât originally known how to flyâbut he did know how to pilot a fighter jet.
His natural aptitude for flight was exceptionalâeven his notoriously demanding teacher, Tang Zhenhua, had praised him for it. With his Martial Soul Avatar, he could transform into a dragon. Flying as a dragon was fundamentally different from piloting a fighter jetâhis bodily awareness became sharper, his movements more fluid.
Anything a fighter jet could do, he could replicate through soul power output.
And some maneuvers that even a fighter jet couldnât performâhe could achieve with his dragon body.
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