TRIAL OF THE FIRST DRAGON EMPEROR
1013 Words
The ancient stone gates closed with a thunderous rumble behind Li Chen (**), sealing him inside the Dragon Emperor Tomb. The darkness was absolute, yet he felt no fear. Instead, an ancient and familiar aura surrounded him, as though the tomb itself recognized the Dragon Emperor Bloodline (****) flowing through his veins.
Golden light suddenly spread across the walls. Thousands of dragon-shaped carvings illuminated one after another, revealing a vast underground palace. Massive stone pillars supported the ceiling, each engraved with ancient runes that pulsed with spiritual energy.
Li Chen took a slow breath.
"So this is the Dragon Emperor Tomb."
Inside the Dragon Emperor Ring (***), Li Tianlong (***) smiled faintly.
"It has remained untouched for thousands of years."
"But remember..."
"The tomb rewards the worthy."
"It also destroys the unworthy."
As Li Chen walked deeper into the palace, he noticed countless stone statues standing in two perfect rows. Every statue wore ancient dragon armor and carried a different weapon.
They looked like guardians waiting for their king.
At the center of the hall stood a black stone platform.
Resting upon it was a single golden crystal.
The moment Li Chen stepped within ten meters of the platform, the crystal erupted with dazzling light.
A majestic voice echoed throughout the palace.
"Dragon Emperor Bloodline confirmed."
"First Trial initiated."
The ground shook violently.
One of the stone guardians slowly opened its eyes.
Its body cracked as centuries of dust fell away.
The guardian stood nearly three meters tall, carrying a massive bronze spear.
Golden flames burned inside its eyes.
Li Tianlong's voice immediately became serious.
"This is the Tomb Guardian."
"It possesses the strength of a Peak Foundation Realm cultivator."
Li Chen tightened his fists.
"So I must defeat it."
"No."
"You must prove yourself worthy."
Without warning, the guardian charged.
Boom!
Its spear struck the ground where Li Chen had stood only a heartbeat earlier.
Stone shattered in every direction.
Li Chen activated Dragon Shadow Step (***), appearing behind the guardian.
He launched a powerful Dragon Emperor Fist (***) toward its back.
Bang!
The punch landed squarely.
To Li Chen's surprise, the guardian barely moved.
It turned around and swung its spear in a wide arc.
Li Chen crossed his arms to block.
The impact sent him sliding several meters across the stone floor.
His arms throbbed from the force.
"So strong..."
Li Tianlong nodded.
"The guardian isn't testing your strength."
"It's testing your judgment."
Li Chen observed carefully.
The guardian attacked with overwhelming power, yet every movement followed a precise rhythm.
Each strike was direct.
Each step was deliberate.
There were no wasted movements.
Li Chen suddenly realized something.
"It isn't trying to kill me."
"It wants to teach me."
The guardian attacked again.
This time, Li Chen did not rush to counterattack.
Instead, he calmly avoided each strike, studying the guardian's movements.
Minutes passed.
The battle became almost like a dance.
The guardian's spear moved with incredible precision.
Every attack flowed naturally into the next.
Gradually, Li Chen began predicting its movements before they happened.
Li Tianlong smiled.
"You understand now."
"The Dragon Emperor does not rely solely on power."
"He understands his opponent."
The guardian thrust its spear once more.
Instead of dodging backward, Li Chen stepped forward.
He slipped inside the guardian's attack and placed one palm gently against its chest.
Dragon Emperor Qi flowed from his palm.
"I see your opening."
Crack!
A golden symbol appeared on the guardian's armor.
The giant warrior froze.
The light in its eyes flickered.
Then it slowly lowered its spear.
The majestic voice echoed once again.
"First Trial completed."
"Assessment: Excellent."
The guardian knelt before Li Chen.
Its enormous body dissolved into countless particles of golden light.
Those lights entered Li Chen's body one after another.
Warm spiritual energy surged through every meridian.
His cultivation advanced rapidly.
With a loud burst of spiritual energy, Li Chen broke through to the Middle Foundation Realm.
His aura became significantly stronger.
Li Tianlong laughed.
"Excellent."
"The tomb itself has acknowledged you."
The black stone platform slowly opened.
Inside lay an ancient jade scroll.
Li Chen carefully picked it up.
The moment he touched it, countless ancient characters flowed into his mind.
Dragon Spirit Breathing Technique (*****).
Li Tianlong's eyes widened with surprise.
"I never expected the first reward to be this technique."
"What is it?"
"It allows you to absorb spiritual energy several times faster than ordinary cultivators."
"It was one of the Dragon Emperor Clan's greatest cultivation arts."
Li Chen immediately memorized every word.
He could already feel the technique harmonizing perfectly with his bloodline.
Suddenly, the palace trembled again.
A loud cracking sound echoed through the hall.
Li Chen looked ahead.
A second stone gate slowly rose from the ground.
Cold wind rushed through the opening.
Beyond it stretched a narrow passage illuminated by faint blue flames.
At the far end stood another enormous door.
Unlike the first gate, this one was covered with countless claw marks.
Ancient blood stains still remained on its surface.
Li Tianlong's expression became grave.
"The second trial..."
"...begins beyond that door."
Li Chen nodded calmly.
Without hesitation, he walked toward the passage.
Unknown to him, far above the tomb, the Holy Maiden stood silently beneath the moonlight.
She looked toward the ancient warehouse as a faint smile appeared on her face.
"The first trial is over."
She slowly turned to the crimson-robed elders behind her.
"Everything is proceeding exactly as planned."
One elder hesitated.
"Holy Maiden..."
"Should we stop him before he reaches the inner chamber?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"The deeper he goes..."
"...the closer he comes to delivering the Dragon Emperor's greatest inheritance into our hands."
Her cold laughter echoed through the silent docks.
Deep within the tomb, Li Chen reached the second gate and placed his hand upon the ancient stone.
The massive doors slowly began to open.
Behind them...
Something awakened.
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