Dragon Prince Yuan

Great Zhou royal palace, the fragrance pavillion.

Yaoyao sat with a straight back in front of a crystal mirror while Tuntun lazed on her lap. Her fine black hair was draped over her shoulders, reaching all the way down to her slim waist. The soul wrenchingly beautiful face reflected in the mirror wore a distant and emotionless look.

Behind Yaoyao, Qin Yu wore a gentle look as she helped comb Yaoyao’s long hair.

Ever since Yaoyao came to the royal palace, Qin Yu had become extremely fond of the former and practically treated her as a daughter.

Although Yaoyao was rather distant, she had grown much gentler in response to the sweet and warm-natured Qin Yu. Therefore, the two grown increasingly close.

“So pretty.”

Qin Yu tied Yaoyao’s long hair into a simple high ponytail, causing the usually distant girl to give off a slight aura of lively youthfulness. It was a sight that would take away one’s breath.

Yaoyao smiled faintly. “Thank you aunt Qin.”

Qin Yu smiled as she stroked the girl’s head. “No need to be courteous. If staying in the palace is boring, get Zhou Yuan to accompany you out for a stroll.”

Yaoyao gave a slight nod.

Tuntun suddenly opened its eyes at this moment and barked at the door. It transformed into black blur as it dashed forth, slamming into the stomach of the figure that had just entered.

“Hey, that hurt.”

The person who had just stepped through the door was Zhou Yuan. He was currently clutching his stomach with one hand, while the other supported Tuntun. The latter was currently biting and pulling his collar with a force so huge that Zhou Yuan was almost flipped over.

“Stop pulling, stop pulling!” Zhou Yuan cursed as a servant girl brought over a plate of meticulously marinated Genesis Beast dried meat from behind. Only then did Tuntun let go of Zhou Yuan’s collar and jump onto the silver plate, eyes narrowed as it started to savour the meal bite by bite.

“Does this little brute really take me as a meal ticket?” Zhou Yuan jaw was tightly clenched in anger as he looked at Tuntun. The little brute’s eyes practically turned green with anxiety whenever it saw him.

Zhou Yuan shook his head, ignoring Tuntun as he walked towards Qin Yu and greeted her.

“I shan’t disturb you children then.” Qin Yu grinned, tousling Zhou Yuan’s hair before leaving in an unhurried manner.

Yaoyao stroked her ponytail and tilted her head, causing the end of the ponytail to bounce a little as her eyes swept towards Zhou Yuan.

Zhou Yuan let out a chuckle as he fished out a scarlet red jade bottle from his sleeve and said in a somewhat miserable voice, “You’re becoming more and more picky. I spent a thousand Genesis crystals to buy this scarlet spirit wine.”

Yaoyao reached out, received the scarlet red jade bottle and took a small whiff, causing her eyes to brighten slightly. Soon after, she looked at Zhou Yuan and said, “One does not curry favor for no reason. Speak. What do you want?”

Zhou Yuan let out an awkward chuckle. Soon after, he earnestly replied, “Big sis Yaoyao, unblocking my seventh meridian channel is just around and corner and the eight meridian channel is likewise not far off. After unblocking all eight channels, I will be able to step into the Qi Nourishing stage and establish a Qi dwelling. When that happens, I should practice a Qi cultivation method.”

“So you want a Qi cultivation method.” A soft laughter escaped Yaoyao’s mouth. She propped up a cheek with a hand and continued, “Is your royal clan’s Flame-Thunder mantra not good enough for you?”

“The Flame-Thunder mantra can only cultivate grade 4 Genesis Qi. Even if I find a higher tier Qi cultivation method in future and change, much time will be wasted.” Zhou Yuan sighed. Grade 4 Genesis Qi was indeed top of the line in Great Zhou, but his eyes were looking at a much further place.

Yaoyao cocked her head and pondered. “I do have a few Qi cultivation methods.”

“However, it still depends on your choice.”

Zhou Yuan was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

Yaoyao pressed a hand onto her waist where an exquisite little cloth bag was hanging. It was a Universe bag that contained a pocket space. Such items were rather uncommon. At the very least, there were less than a handful in the royal treasury and the space within them spanned a dozen feet at most.

The Universe bag flashed and a black jade strip appeared in Yaoyao’s hand.

“This is grandpa Hei’s Qi cultivation method, the Heavenly Yuan Canon. It can cultivate grade 7 Genesis Qi.”

Zhou Yuan’s pupils tightened as he involuntarily cried out, “Grade 7 Genesis Qi?!”

Shock filled his face. Let alone someone like himself, not even his father had seen such high grade Genesis Qi.

Even the entire Great Zhou Empire could not be exchanged for such a high class Qi cultivation method!

Zhou Yuan’s breathing grew hurried as his eyes turned a little red. Fortunately, he had considerable mental fortitude and did not snatch it from Yaoyao. Instead, he took in a deep breath, looked at Yaoyao and said, “Are there other options?”

Since Yaoyao had mentioned a choice earlier, there were definitely other alternatives. Qi cultivation methods that could be placed alongside the Heavenly Yuan Canon were likely not ordinary, right?

Yaoyao grew silent for a while upon hearing this. With a gentle press of the Universe bag, a bone fragment appeared in her hand. The bone fragment was mottled with age and faint cracks could be seen on it. However, the moment it appeared, an indescribable pressure spread, causing the circulating Genesis Qi in Zhou Yuan’s body to turn sluggish.

Roar!

Behind them, the hairs of the slowly eating Tuntun abruptly stood up as it ferociously pounced in front of Zhou Yuan and let out a roar at the bone fragment. One could see a faint scarlet red glow emerge on its body.

Evidently, the bone fragment made Tuntun feel very threatened.

“What is it?” Zhou Yuan was similarly frightened by the pressure from the mysterious bone fragment.

Yaoyao’s red lips parted slightly as she answered, “A Qi cultivation method is recorded in this bone fragment. It is called.. the Ancestral Dragon Scripture.” 

“Legend speaks of a certain creature that was born when the world was created, a creature known as the Ancestral Dragon. It is said to be capable of devouring the heavens and destroying the land, an existence that towers even over the apex. It was from the body of the Ancestral Dragon that all living beings eventually emerged and from then on, numerous life forms appeared in the world.”

Zhou Yuan asked, “More powerful than the Heavenly Yuan Canon?” 

Yaoyao slowly said, “In the beginning, it will only be able to cultivate grade 5 Genesis Qi.”

“Grade 5 Genesis Qi?” Zhou Yuan’s eyebrows furrowed.

“There are four levels to the Ancestral Dragon Scripture. The first is the Omni Python Qi, a grade 5 Genesis Qi, the second is the World Subduing Heavenly Serpent Qi, a grade 7 Genesis Qi, and the third is the Galaxy Sacred Dragon Qi, a grade 9 Genesis Qi.”

Yaoyao’s soft voice felt like thunder in Zhou Yuan’s ears, causing his entire scalp to turn numb as his body trembled.

“Grade 9 Genesis Qi?!”

Zhou Yuan’s shaky voice rang out. In this world, grade 9 Genesis Qi was already the apex. Who could imagine just how powerful someone who cultivated it would be.

“Wait!” Alarm washed over Zhou Yuan as he looked at Yaoyao. “Did you not say there were four levels?”

If the third level was already grade 9, then what could the fourth level be?

Yaoyao’s beautiful eyes seemed to turn as deep as the night at this moment as she nodded, before her airy voice sounded out once again, “The fourth level is the true Ancestral Dragon Qi and it surpasses grade 9.” 

Zhou Yuan fell butt first onto the chair behind him, his eyes almost popping from their sockets while his mouth hung wide open. “There are Qi cultivation methods in this world that exceed grade 9?!”

This Qi cultivation method had already went beyond Zhou Yuan’s common sense. He even doubted the existence of such a heaven defying Qi cultivation method.

Could this Qi cultivation method be the reason why master Cang Yuan and Yaoyao were pursued by their mysterious enemy, forcing them to hide constantly?

Yaoyao slowly said, “There are many mysteries in this world. 9 grades of Qi cultivation methods is just one way of thinking. If you never heard of something, it does not mean that it does not exist.”

“However, although the Ancestral Dragon Scripture is powerful, practicing it is difficult and practically unprecedented. In addition, once you begin practicing the Ancestral Dragon Scripture, you will be unable to change to other Qi cultivation methods, or you will be devoured by it.”

“What a tyrannical Qi cultivation method!”

It was at this point that Zhou Yuan’s expression could not help but change. If that was true, it meant that every other road would be closed to him. The only option was to continuing advancing on the path of the Ancestral Dragon Scripture.

Yaoyao gave a light nod. “Besides this, there is another condition you must fulfill in order to practice this Qi cultivation method.”

Zhou Yuan immediately cut in, “What condition?”

Yaoyao glanced at Zhou Yuan. “You must carry a dragon type blessing.”

“Dragon type blessing?”

“It is said that the Ancestral Dragon’s body transformed into all living things. Amongst them are some who are born with great luck. Strange signs appear at their births, seeming to take the shapes of carps, snakes, pythons, serpents… all of these can be considered dragon type blessings. It means that there is a sliver of Ancestral Dragon Qi in their bodies, allowing them to possess talent that surpasses the masses.”

“To begin practice of the Ancestral Dragon Scripture, this sliver of Ancestral Dragon Qi must be used as a primer.”

“However, even if one fulfills the requirements, very very few people will be able to truly master this Qi cultivation method. Let’s not even mention the fourth level, I’m afraid that since time immemorial, only one individual has been able to reach the third level.”

Yaoyao stared at Zhou Yuan as she continued, “As for you, you were born with the sacred dragon blessing, and the Ancestral Dragon Qi in your body was even greater than other dragon type blessings. Hence, you might even have a ten percent chance of getting through the first stage of beginning the Ancestral Dragon Scripture, but it’s still hard to say how many levels you will ultimately master.”

“Unfortunately, your sacred dragon blessing was stolen and the majority of it was obtained by Great Wu’s python and sparrow.”

Zhou Yuan’s fists involuntarily clenched tightly as he bitterly laughed. “So I am fated to never learn the Ancestral Dragon Scripture.”

He could not help but become a little dejected. After all, anyone who watched such an amazing heaven defying Qi cultivation method slip away would not be able to remain unaffected.

However, Yaoyao shook her head. She reached out and grabbed Zhou Yuan’s hand as she faintly said, “That may not be so.”

Zhou Yuan looked at her in confusion.

Yaoyao slowly opened Zhou Yuan’s hand, revealing the blood-red lump at the center of his palm. Malicious resentment spread from it, causing one’s heart to shiver.

Yaoyao pointed at the blood-red lump and said in a soft voice, “The ignorant king Wu believed that sealing the sacred dragon’s resentment into your body will suppress you forever, but he did not know… that this Dragon’s Resentment Poison is actually also a sliver of Ancestral Dragon Qi!”

Zhou Yuan’s pupils shrank. “You mean?”

Yaoyao nodded. “You may use the Dragon’s Resentment Poison as a catalyst to initiate the Ancestral Dragon Scripture. Thus, you will also be able to practice it.”

Yaoyao’s bright eyes silently stared at Zhou Yuan as her airy voice echoed, “So… what is your decision?”