Chapter 713: The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale’s Transformation and Fortunate Appearance!
by xennovel“Caw!”
Upon hearing the signal to attack, the Golden-Winged Roc immediately responded with an excited cry.
Its golden feathers shimmered like they were ablaze, bursting forth with a dazzling brilliance as it soared directly toward the Fourth-Tier Dragon King.
“Hong Lian!”
Lu Changsheng called out to Hong Lian again. The Nine Treasures Dao Bone in his chest surged, his magical energy rising rapidly. Gripping the Da Luo Sword Embryo, he charged directly at the Fourth-Tier Dragon King with the Yin-Yang Chart above his head.
The Brahma Demon True Form cast off the Beast Binding Lock that was tightly binding the approaching Fourth-Tier Whale King and tossed it far away, where it was caught by Hong Lian.
Like a divine phoenix, Hong Lian darted forward, her fair hand raised to grasp the Beast Binding Lock. She glared at the struggling Whale King, commanding, “Settle down!”
As she spoke, the Beast Taming Ancient Rune exploded with multicolored brilliance, rendering the creature unable to move.
The Three Treasure Incarnation also flew forward toward the battlefield, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror glowing on its head.
In an instant, the offensive and defensive positions flipped!
“Arrogant!”
The Fourth-Tier Dragon King, seeing the Golden-Winged Roc lead the charge, perceived itself as the prey and roared in fury, its cold eyes filled with murderous intent.
Multiple tornado storms mixed with arcs of lightning swept toward the Golden-Winged Roc.
Even a typical Third-Tier top-tier demon king wouldn’t be able to withstand such an assault for long.
But the Golden-Winged Roc, as a true spirit-grade bloodline beast, was exceptionally powerful, able to contend with Nascent Soul cultivators and Fourth-Tier demon kings on an even footing.
“Buzz!”
At that moment, Lu Changsheng arrived, his Da Luo Sword Embryo unleashing a transcendent sword light that pierced through the heavens and shattered all the tornado storms, while the Yin-Yang Chart above him aimed to obstruct the Fourth-Tier Dragon King.
“Human, don’t underestimate the demons!”
The Fourth-Tier Dragon King noticed Lu Changsheng and his companions were about to hunt it down. Its pupils turned cold and cruel, shimmering with a fearsome purple-golden hue as it growled lowly. Terrifying energy spread forth, causing the skies and seas to shift.
Although Lu Changsheng and the Golden-Winged Roc provoked it, the Dragon King did not wish for a fatal confrontation.
After all, the battles among demon kings in the Starry Sea were also intense. If it returned heavily injured, it could attract the attention of other demon kings and even Nascent Soul cultivators.
Yet all it received in response was a brilliant sword light and a faint yellow soul-capturing divine glow.
To prevent this Dragon King from escaping, Lu Changsheng wielded the Da Luo Sword Embryo, fully awakening his Fourth-Tier physique to engage in close combat.
“Roar!!!”
The Fourth-Tier Dragon King became utterly enraged, its body trembling as purple-blue arcs of lightning surged around it. A massive, menacing dragon head shimmered with a purple-golden ripple, indestructible.
“Great King Ming Light Aspect! Chaotic All-Things!”
Lu Changsheng realized that his robes and armor had been obliterated in the Mirage Domain. Even after breaking through to Fourth-Tier in body refinement, he couldn’t directly brawl with demon kings. He employed the supreme defensive divine ability of the True Saint Skill of Brahma and Demons, along with his innate physical abilities.
The Da Luo Sword Embryo clashed against the Dragon King’s horn, resulting in a fierce explosion that roared across the heavens.
Seizing this opportunity, the Brahma Demon True Form swung the Mountain Moving Whip down with sheer force.
At that moment, the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale joined the battlefield, its charred and shattered body rising like a dark sun, ignoring the terrifying fluctuations created by Lu Changsheng and the Fourth-Tier Dragon King as it descended with a thundering force.
The two dragon horns atop its head emitted a hazy glow, unleashing shockwaves that tore apart space.
The sky-splitting sound echoed, and sparks flew as the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s body was shredded by the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale. Blood splattered, and many scales fell off before it was sent hurtling into the depths of the sea.
“Roar!!!”
The Fourth-Tier Dragon King roared in unwillingness, aware that the situation was against it. Its body began to radiate a deep blue glow, blood flowing back to staunch its wounds, and it exploited the currents to shoot toward the Starry Sea.
“Yin-Yang Qi Great Capture!”
Lu Changsheng had already foreseen that this Dragon King would attempt to flee. The Yin-Yang energies flowed above his head, and the intricate handprints intertwined with the Yin-Yang Chart fell down to firmly bind this Dragon King.
However, this Fourth-Tier Dragon King was no ordinary foe. With the ocean currents at its back, completely restraining it proved to be extremely challenging.
Luckily, Lu Changsheng’s magical energy was currently at its peak, reinforced by the Soul-Taking Beast. The Dragon King felt weighed down, as if trapped in a swamp, its movements sluggish.
Seeing this, the Brahma Demon True Form, Golden-Winged Roc, and Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale immediately charged toward the Fourth-Tier Dragon King.
“Roar!!!”
The Fourth-Tier Dragon King glared with fierce intent, seemingly going mad, as it bellowed toward the heavens, unleashing a relentless storm of thunderous fury directed at Lu Changsheng.
It had already seen that Lu Changsheng was the focal point of this battle.
If it did not deal with him, shaking off the Golden-Winged Roc and Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale would be nearly impossible.
“Hmph! Just waiting for you to make your move!”
Lu Changsheng’s Fourth-Tier physique erupted like an ancient volcano. The chaotic myriad of things above him intertwined with the Da Luo Sword Embryo as he struck at the Dragon King’s horn.
“Clang, clang, clang!!!”
As sparks flew, the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s body proved remarkably tough. As its scales trembled, arcs of lightning, like serpents, erupted to absorb Lu Changsheng’s sword energy and surged toward him.
Before a victor could be decided, the assaults from Brahma Demon True Form, Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, and Golden-Winged Roc came crashing down, leaving the Dragon King’s body battered and soaked in blood.
But at that moment, the Dragon King’s menacing head glimmered with murderous intent, its cold teeth snapping down toward Lu Changsheng.
Even at the cost of grievous injury, it aimed to devour him!
“Hmph!”
Lu Changsheng coldly huffed, the vitality and chaotic myriad energies of his Fourth-Tier body forming a miniaturized realm, stretching the void to prevent the Dragon King’s teeth from sinking down.
With the sound of dragon roars and resounding waves, the surrounding void began to collapse continuously.
“The Fourth-Tier demon king is certainly extraordinary.”
Engaging in this close combat proved a bit challenging even for Lu Changsheng, as cracks began to form in both the Great King Ming Light Aspect and chaotic myriad.
However, his vitality and magical energy surged mightily like a mighty river bursting forth, unending. Even if a section of the Great King Ming Light Aspect was shattered, it would immediately condense again, making him seem indestructible!
“Roar!”
The Soul-Taking Beast upon Lu Changsheng’s shoulder roared softly, shadowy figures swirling around it. Its body grew taller, transforming into a beast of judgment that entered combat status. In moments, it morphed from an endearing little creature into a grotesque gorilla exuding dark and eerie energy.
But this Dragon King was neither a transformed fiendish beast nor a ghostly corpse king; its capabilities were limited.
Even so, Lu Changsheng felt eased. The Da Luo Sword Embryo trembled violently in his hand as he slashed upward, aiming to cleave through its head and soul from within.
“Pfft!!!”
Blood gushed like rivers as the Fourth-Tier Dragon King emitted a spine-chilling cry of pain. Its body convulsed violently, creating massive tidal waves. Inside, storms of lightning converged, attempting to obliterate Lu Changsheng and the Soul-Taking Beast, but the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, Golden-Winged Roc, and Brahma Demon True Form charged in, ripping apart its scales and flesh.
The Dragon King roared in wrath, understandably feeling pent up.
In a one-on-one fight, either Lu Changsheng or the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale would have fought with confidence.
But now, facing the combined might of Lu Changsheng, Soul-Taking Beast, Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, and Golden-Winged Roc, it found itself utterly outmatched; it couldn’t even contemplate escaping.
Just as the battle raged on, Hong Lian and the Three Treasure Incarnation hurried over.
“Is this the little beast that my husband had before?”
Seeing the Soul-Taking Beast, Hong Lian appeared surprised.
However, she quickly noticed the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s signs of desperation and immediately summoned the Beast Taming Ancient Rune, unleashing a radiant spectrum toward the Fourth-Tier Dragon King.
Meanwhile, the Three Treasure Incarnation activated the Yin-Yang Qi Great Capture, merging with the Yin-Yang Chart in the sky to amplify the binding power.
Under this layered assault, the Fourth-Tier Dragon King completely lost its ability to retaliate, left to suffer a one-sided beating, stirring up waves of chaos.
Within moments, as thunder and lightning enveloped the scene, the dragon’s body, glistening with purple-blue hues, was riddled with wounds, a pitiful sight.
Even though the Fourth-Tier demon king had a tough physique and enduring vitality, it found it hard to hold on under the onslaught from Lu Changsheng and others.
But just as this was unfolding, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror released an alarm, indicating that another Fourth-Tier demon king was approaching.
“Trying to play the waiting game?”
Lu Changsheng’s Great King Ming Light Aspect flowed behind him, illuminating his extraordinarily handsome face with a dignified radiance.
With a slash of the Da Luo Sword Embryo, he leaped out alongside the Soul-Taking Beast from the Dragon King’s maw, his eyes shooting out golden beams as he gazed at the aspiring Fourth-Tier demon king in the distance, coldly declaring, “That is my prey. Come at me if you dare!”
“Roar!!!”
The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, Soul-Taking Beast, and Golden-Winged Roc roared in unison, radiating immense demonic energy.
This Fourth-Tier demon king gazed at the trio and the Whale King tightly bound by the Beast Binding Lock in Hong Lian’s hand, then glanced at its own nearly exhausted Fourth-Tier Dragon King, finally opting to retreat.
Though this prey was enticing, Lu Changsheng’s group was simply too overwhelming; it would be foolish for it to try to steal this prey.
“Husband, hurry and finish this! This demon king might call for help!”
Seeing this, Hong Lian quickly reminded him.
Demon kings at the Fourth-Tier transformation level typically gathered their forces, and many knew other demon kings.
“Hmm!”
Taking her words to heart, Lu Changsheng wasted no time throwing the Da Luo Sword Embryo to the Brahma Demon True Form, and in an instant appeared next to the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.
“Ah Wu, Yin-Yang Light!”
The mirror sparkled with vibrant beams, radiating a dreamlike pure white moonlight.
Following this, an eerie, cold, and bone-chilling Yin-Yang light poured down onto the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s body, instantly covering its battered form in frost, which was steadily gnawing at its vitality.
Amid this relentless assault, in less than a quarter of an hour, the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s convulsing body became still, its life force dwindling.
“Pfft!!!”
The Brahma Demon True Form swung the Da Luo Sword Embryo to sever the large, menacing dragon head, effectively terminating its existence.
“Phew, a Fourth-Tier demon king is truly difficult to kill.”
Seeing this, Lu Changsheng let out a long breath.
This battle appeared effortless, but close combat and the activation of Yin-Yang Light consumed considerable energy, making it hard to take on another one.
“The demon king’s physique is formidable and its vitality resilient. To slay one in these waters certainly is no easy task. The fact that my husband managed to do it without injury already surpasses countless Nascent Soul cultivators.”
Hong Lian chimed in, her voice gentle and melodic, brimming with affectionate warmth.
This wasn’t flattery but sincere praise.
Regardless of the realm, it was an arduous task for a cultivator to slay a demon beast at the same level.
Especially for demon kings beyond the Third Tier.
Even though Lu Changsheng’s group had strength in numbers, aside from the newly promoted Fourth-Tier Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, the Golden-Winged Roc and Soul-Taking Beast were both at the Third Tier.
In this scenario, the feat of slaying a Fourth-Tier transformed Dragon King unscathed would surely send shockwaves through the world.
“Heh.”
Lu Changsheng chuckled lightly, noticing that his group had already entered the Starry Sea region. He exclaimed, “Why didn’t I notice so many Fourth-Tier demon kings in the Starry Sea before?”
Previously, when he escorted his son, Lu Quanzhen, through this area, he had not encountered any Fourth-Tier transformed demon kings.
Yet as the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale underwent tribulation, unexpectedly two Fourth-Tier demon kings appeared. How outrageous!
“Da Hei’s tribulation process causes its blood to flow into the Starry Sea, creating an instinctive allure for these demon kings.”
“From this, it’s evident that the Starry Sea is much more prosperous than the Jiang Kingdom; otherwise, so many Third-Tier and Fourth-Tier demon kings wouldn’t exist.”
Hong Lian gazed toward the Starry Sea, noting that it was a land far more bountiful than the Jiang Kingdom.
“Yeah, once I wrap up matters at home, I’ll visit the Starry Sea.”
With the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale breaking through to Fourth-Tier, Lu Changsheng also intended to head to the Starry Sea to see if there were any chances for his own Nascent Soul.
However, as soon as he spoke, a spark of understanding filled him.
He began to calculate and, in that moment, it seemed as if his Nascent Soul opportunity lay within the Starry Sea.
“Hmm!?”
Seeing Lu Changsheng quietly deep in thought, Hong Lian raised her beautiful eyes in surprise.
What was happening?
When did her husband learn the divination art? She knew full well that Lu Changsheng had never practiced it before.
“It seems that my husband realized that a major power needs to have a fortune-teller present, hence through past preparations, he mastered the art of divination.”
Hong Lian had known from early on that Lu Changsheng was a reincarnated figure of great power and had made numerous arrangements.
Naturally, she guessed the situation immediately.
But even so, despite witnessing many unimaginable things from Lu Changsheng, she still felt a wave of astonishment.
After all, mastering the divination technique isn’t easy; without talent, entry is nearly impossible.
Forcing oneself to practice could adversely impact life longevity, even leading to madness.
Yet Lu Changsheng could effortlessly harness this elite skill through previous tricks—truly astounding and defying logic.
“No way.”
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes and shook his head; he hadn’t calculated his Nascent Soul opportunity.
For one, divination does not yield exceptionally detailed information.
Moreover, his divination skills were insufficient to achieve that level.
“Did my husband just perform divination?”
Upon seeing Lu Changsheng come back to himself, Hong Lian inquired.
“Yeah, I felt a sudden inspiration. It seems that my Nascent Soul opportunity is indeed within the Starry Sea.”
Lu Changsheng didn’t hide it, nodding, “But no matter my calculations, I can’t get detailed information.”
“The laws of heaven are ever-changing; no divination can capture it all. Since my husband sensed his Nascent Soul opportunity lies in the Starry Sea, visiting it will naturally reveal everything.”
Hong Lian maintained a radiant smile throughout her words, stating, “Breaking through from Core Formation to Nascent Soul requires favorable timing and conditions. Many late-stage Core Formation cultivators enjoy roaming extensively, hoping to encounter this sort of spiritual enlightenment, allowing them to find their Nascent Soul opportunity and boost their chances for a breakthrough.”
Although diviners can perform calculations to explore opportunities.
It is not uncommon for cultivators to have sudden realizations or spiritual feelings without learning the art of divination.
“Da Hei, how are you feeling? Are you better?”
Lu Changsheng asked the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.
Despite just having gone through a fierce battle, the creature’s battered body appeared in better shape than when it had just passed the tribulation; it was now feasting on the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s flesh.
Not just it, the Golden-Winged Roc was also munching eagerly on the Dragon King’s meat, while the Soul-Taking Beast seemed uninterested, returning to its usual lovable demeanor and yawning.
“I want to sleep.”
The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale replied.
“Now that you’ve passed the transformation tribulation, can you take on human form?”
Lu Changsheng asked eagerly.
Hearing his words, the gigantic whale-like body of the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale slowly began to shrink, eventually transforming into the form of a pale-faced girl of about eleven or twelve, with two curved dragon horns atop her head.
Though petite, the girl wore striking black and gold armor, with one shoulder depicting a lifelike whale head and the other a fierce dragon head, exuding an intimidating aura.
“Master, is this alright?”
The girl asked Lu Changsheng in a melodic voice, seeming completely oblivious to her identity as a Fourth-Tier transformed demon king.
“???”
Lu Changsheng stared at the transformed Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, taken aback.
He then helplessly remarked, “I didn’t anticipate you’d look so young. So, I’ve been using child labor these years?”
In the past, he had encountered fox maidens, cat maidens, and had seen Xu Ruoyin combined with the Celestial Phoenix, so he held high expectations for transformed demon kings.
Little did he expect that his first transformed demon king would turn out to be a little girl.
Although quite cute, “The age of demon beasts differs from that of our human cultivators, so their transformation form is influenced by age. Yet, the younger they are, the higher their talent and potential.”
Hong Lian observed the young Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale and spoke up.
Lu Changsheng understood this principle as well but was surprised and looked toward the Golden-Winged Roc and the Soul-Taking Beast, asking, “You both aren’t also child labor, are you?”
The two beasts didn’t comprehend the term ‘child labor.’
However, knowing they were in their youth according to their species’ lifespans, they nodded in agreement.
“Sigh, now I can’t exploit you more.”
Lu Changsheng sighed, looking at the vivid short-haired girl standing gracefully with her big, black eyes fixated on him, stroking his chin, he muttered, “Since you’ve transformed, ‘Da Hei’ seems a bit casual. Do you have any suggestions for your name?”
“I’ll listen to my master.”
The youthful Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale, despite her charming stance, emanated a playful vibe that gave Lu Changsheng a sense of adorableness.
“How about Black Whale Queen? Dragon Whale Girl? Heir of Black Loulan? Jin Yu?”
Lu Changsheng thought of several names but found them all unsuitable. Finally, losing interest, he declared, “Forget it, from now on, you’ll be known as Lu Lingjing.”
“Thank you, Master.”
The pale-faced girl beamed with delight.
Compared to ‘Da Hei,’ this name sounded way better.
“And don’t call me master anymore. Call me ‘lord.’”
If she were in her beast form, Lu Changsheng could still consider her a spirit pet.
But now that she had taken on human form, it felt odd to have her calling him master.
He was reminded of the many child assistants beside divine figures in mythologies of his past life, who addressed them as ‘lord.’
““Yes, lord.”
The Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale responded daintily.
However, this appearance hardly resembled that of a servant girl.
“You should eat your fill before returning to your normal form.”
Lu Changsheng still felt a bit unaccustomed to the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale’s current form.
Furthermore, she hadn’t fully recovered from her injuries; taking human form could affect her condition.
Hearing this, the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale instantly reverted to her colossal whale form to feast on the Fourth-Tier Dragon King’s flesh.
With the fresh new vitality and the blessings of the Dao obtained after passing the tribulation, she quickly restored her health with all the essence she consumed.
Once she had her fill, Lu Changsheng tossed the Dragon King’s demon core to the Golden-Winged Roc and then fully cast the Yin-Yang Qi Great Capture, using immense magical energy to retrieve the remnants of the dragon’s body, signaling the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale to head back.
As for the bound Fourth-Tier Whale King, Lu Changsheng intended to keep it for Lu Lingjing to replenish her strength. But after giving it some thought, he decided to take it back to the Immortal City of Damengze for captive breeding.
As the lord of Dameng City, it would be entirely normal for him to hunt a Fourth-Tier Whale King.
“Splash—”
With the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale leveling up to Fourth-Tier, Lu Changsheng and Hong Lian stood side by side on its back, watching it navigate through the waves with newfound grace, filling him with a fresh feeling.
A few days later, Lu Changsheng suddenly noticed boundless radiance emerging from the direction of the Immortal City of Damengze.
Even from thousands of miles away, one could see a azure divine light stirring in the distance.
“Is a treasure about to appear?”
Lu Changsheng raised a brow.
“It resembles the emergence of a secret realm.”
Hong Lian gazed toward the divine light, contemplating for a moment before speaking.