If a young Black Dragon were to fully mature, it would become a Sixth-Grade Beast-a treasure of unparalleled allure for any Aetherbinding cultivator.
News of the Black Dragon’s presence at Celestial Peaks spread like wildfire, and within hours, tens of thousands of cultivators gathered at its outskirts. Yet the vast expanse of Celestial Peaks rendered their numbers insignificant.
Though many searched for the Black Dragon, none could pinpoint its location.
When Chris heard about it, his heart raced with excitement. For him, increasing his strength was paramount. The Black Dragon, a being whose entire body was a treasure, presented an opportunity too tempting to ignore.
Turning to Mara Wainwright, Chris said, “Wait here for now. I’m going to find the Black Dragon.”
With that, he left, taking Stripes along.
As night began to fall, news of the Black Dragon finally emerged. Without hesitation, Chris and Stripes raced toward the source. The information spread rapidly, drawing nearly every cultivator in the area to the scene.
In a secluded valley, tens of thousands of Aetherbinding cultivators had already gathered. This valley was said to be the nesting ground of the Black Dragon.
Among the crowd, most were of the Aether stage-too weak to even dream of obtaining the Black Dragon’s eggs. They were merely opportunists, hoping to claim scraps left behind by the truly powerful.
Chris scanned the massive crowd in surprise, marveling at the sheer allure of the Black Dragon’s eggs. Yet he knew that the presence of so many cultivators meant formidable opponents were likely among them.
To seize the Black Dragon’s egg from such an assembly was akin to chasing a foolish dream. But Chris was undeterred; cultivation itself was an act of defying the heavens. Without risk, how could one gain true power?
Suddenly, a deep, resonant roar echoed from the depths of the valley.
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
The sound stirred the crowd into a frenzy. There was no mistaking it-the Black Dragon had revealed itself.
“Let’s go!” someone shouted, and the entire crowd surged into the valley depths.
There, Chris finally saw it-a massive Black Dragon, its scales gleaming ominously in the dim light.
Despite their numbers, no one dared to approach. The Black Dragon was a Sixth-Grade Beast, equivalent to the power of the Solstice stage. Confronting it head-on was a daunting prospect, even for the strongest among them.
“Roar!”
The Black Dragon’s furious roars sent shivers through the crowd, its warning clear: stay back.
No one dared to make the first move. Time passed, and impatience began to brew.
“Let’s join forces and kill it together!” someone shouted.
“Once it’s dead, we’ll divide the spoils!”
“There’s no point wasting time like this!”
The suggestion quickly gained traction, and in an instant, thousands of cultivators charged toward the Black Dragon.
What followed was a ferocious battle.
“Ah!”
“Ah!”
“Ah!”
The Black Dragon’s immense strength was on full display, cutting down countless Aetherbinding cultivators with ease. Yet despite its power, the sheer number of attackers began to take its toll.
“Arrogant beast! You dare act so brazenly? You’re courting death!”
Two Solstice-stage cultivators suddenly joined the fray, launching a relentless assault on the Black Dragon.
Even a creature as mighty as the Black Dragon struggled against their combined strength. Gradually, its movements grew sluggish.
Watching from the sidelines, Chris saw his chance.
“Stripes,” he whispered, “get into the Black Dragon’s cave and steal its egg.”
Without a sound, Stripes nodded and vanished into the chaos.
Amid the intense battle outside, no one noticed Stripes slipping into the Black Dragon’s lair. Chris exhaled in relief as his companion disappeared from view.
Meanwhile, the battle raged on, reaching its peak. Though the Black Dragon had slain nearly ten thousand cultivators, the overwhelming numbers left it vulnerable.
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the Black Dragon’s massive body fell from the sky, battered and exhausted.
The crowd erupted into a frenzy, launching a final, merciless assault.
Chris shook his head at the sight. In his eyes, the Black Dragon’s death was inevitable.
“Roar!”
With one last, mournful cry, the Black Dragon succumbed to its wounds, felled by the relentless onslaught.
It was clear to all that the Black Dragon had been in a weakened state. Had it been at full strength, even the combined efforts of everyone present wouldn’t have been enough to defeat it.
As the dragon’s lifeless body lay before them, the crowd’s focus shifted.
The most coveted prize of all-the Black Dragon’s Heartstone-was now within reach.
The Heartstone, a treasure of immense value, was singular in nature. Yet tens of thousands of cultivators stood ready to claim it.
“The Heartstone is mine!”
“No, it belongs to me!”
“Don’t even think about challenging me for it!”
The shouts quickly escalated into another brutal conflict.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The fight for the Heartstone was far more savage than the battle with the Black Dragon itself. Its immense value had plunged the crowd into chaos.
Eventually, one of the Solstice-stage cultivators managed to carve the Heartstone from the Black Dragon’s chest.
“Ha! The Black Dragon’s Heartstone is mine!” he proclaimed, his voice dripping with triumph.
But before he could savor his victory, a shadow darted past him.
Whoosh!
The movement was so swift that, in the blink of an eye, the Heartstone vanished from the Solstice cultivator’s grasp.
“Damn it!” he roared. “Who dares steal my Heartstone? I’ll kill you!”
His fist struck out in rage, but the shadow was already gone, too fast to catch.
The crowd stood frozen, exchanging bewildered glances. No one had seen who-or what-had taken the Heartstone.
In the distance, Chris watched in stunned disbelief.
The one who had stolen the Black Dragon’s Heartstone wasn’t a rival cultivator.
It was his own companion-Stripes!