Chapter 2199: True Dragon

"You challenged so many people at once; it seems your strength is quite good!" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but comment, looking at the injured individuals lying on the ground as he walked.

Qi Yue, ranked sixth, was defeated. Could this person be aiming for an even higher rank? Zhang Xuan mused. However, it didn't really matter to him what rank the opponent achieved, as long as he could secure a spot for the Great Teleportation Array.

"Another one not afraid of death!" Ao Hua sneered, raising his head as he observed the newcomer, who showed no trace of fear and even seemed eager for a challenge. "What, do you want to fight me?"

"Hmm, what's your rank on the God King Potential List? If you're below thirty, I won't bother fighting; it would be a waste of time," Zhang Xuan replied.

Even though Qi Yue, ranked sixth, was lying on the ground, it wasn't certain if this person was responsible for his defeat. With no God King present to oversee the assessment, the validity of the ranks was questionable. It would be best to first confirm his opponent's rank, then defeat him to take his place.

Ao Hua's face twitched, his eyes turning cold. He hadn't expected someone so young to be even more arrogant than himself. "Ninth..." he stated.

"No wonder..." Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

It was no surprise he could defeat so many; this ninth-ranked individual must have encountered some opportunity, significantly boosting his strength, even making Qi Yue, ranked sixth, no match for him.

Seeing the resolute expression on the newcomer's face, who appeared utterly unfazed by his ninth-place ranking, Ao Hua was displeased. He was about to introduce himself, "I am..."

"There's no need to mention your current rank or if your challenge is valid. As long as you're in the top thirty, it's all the same to me..."

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow, radiating an aura of invincibility. He gestured forward with his right hand and said, "Make your move!"

"Kid... you're truly arrogant!"

Seeing that this person was even more arrogant than himself, Ao Hua knew that with such individuals, fists spoke louder than words. Without another word, he narrowed his eyes, stomped his foot, and unleashed his lightning-fast, almost teleporting speed once more.

Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

As expected of someone on the God King Potential List, his speed was considerably greater than that of an average peak-level Celestial God.

The likes of Ming Laixiang, whom he had met earlier, were simply no comparison.

Despite his inner surprise, Zhang Xuan didn't dodge; he stepped forward as well.

A direct physical collision was exactly what he wanted; his greatest fear was his opponent using a soul attack secret technique.

"Don't fight him head-on..."

Seeing the young man who had suddenly appeared intent on fighting Ao Hua, Shen Tufeng gritted his teeth against the pain and cried out.

This man was a powerhouse from Yunchi Heaven, renowned for his physical prowess. To not dodge and engage him in a direct clash—wasn't that simply inviting death?

Just as he thought the young man would surely be severely injured on impact, just like the rest of them, Ao Hua's expression suddenly shifted, and his pupils sharply constricted.

His seemingly indestructible body suffered a devastating blow, and he lost control, flying backward and crashing heavily onto the ground.

"What?"

Shen Tufeng and the many others lying injured on the ground all widened their eyes in disbelief.

That man had just used this exact move to defeat them, and now, unexpectedly, this newcomer had turned the tables, using the same technique to defeat him!

Defeated Yunchi Heaven's monster using only physical strength...

How was that possible?

Filled with disbelief, they all looked up to see the young man who had just knocked his opponent flying with a single shoulder bump. He stretched his neck, then looked at Ao Hua with eyes gleaming with excitement: "Your physical cultivation is really good... Come on, attack me again. Don't worry, I'll stand perfectly still and won't fight back..."

Since his physical body had leveled up, he hadn't found a suitable weapon to pierce his skin, making it impossible to test the effects of the golden threads within him. Now that someone with comparable physical strength had appeared, he couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"You..." Ao Hua was seething with rage.

Was this blatant disregard and confidence an intentional insult?

Yes, it was an insult!

A proud Dragon clan powerhouse, defeated by mere physical strength, and then humiliated like this...

Unforgivable!

He slammed his hand on the ground, shot to his feet, stomped his foot again, and charged forward with lightning speed.

*Creak! Creak!*

While still in mid-air, layers of scales erupted across his body.

This was a powerful defensive technique of the Yunchi clan, second only to their true form. In this state, their bodies would grow dragon scales, making them impervious to swords and spears.

His defense more than doubled.

When he collided with Zhang Xuan again, a dislocating pain coursed through his entire body, as if his bones were shattering. Ao Hua was sent flying backward once more.

"Hmm? You've gotten even stronger! Good, you can do it! Keep going! If you can manage to injure me, I can pay you, or even take you as my disciple!" Zhang Xuan's eyes gleamed.

To cultivate his physical body to a level that impressed Zhang Xuan, this young man was truly exceptional... and at such a young age! The God Realm truly harbored hidden talents and numerous experts.

This kind of genius was far more powerful than Zhuo Yan, whom he had met earlier; he was already qualified to become Zhang Xuan's student.

"Argh... you're asking for death!"

Ao Hua had arrived brimming with arrogance, having easily defeated Shen Tufeng, the top-ranked cultivator in Netherworld Heaven. He had assumed that everyone below the God King realm here was trash... He never dreamed such a person would appear!

Not only was this person's physical body incredibly powerful and seemingly invincible, but his arrogance was boundless...

Injure him, and get paid!

And be taken as a disciple...

Was this even human talk?

Who did he think he was?

"This..."

Shen Tufeng and the others also felt like they were going insane.

They had thought Ao Hua was arrogant, but this young man was even more so...

"It's him..."

Qi Yue, severely injured, clenched his fists, too intimidated to breathe or speak.

Others might not know, but Qi Yue had personally witnessed their ancestor kneeling before Zhang Xuan and addressing him as 'Emperor'!

How could someone like that possibly be defeated by a ninth-ranked individual from Yunchi Heaven?

"Die!"

Ao Hua charged forward again, this time holding nothing back. His hand transformed back into a hooved claw and he brought it down.

"You're... a divine beast in human form?"

Zhang Xuan frowned.

He had assumed it was just a regular spar and hadn't used his Eye of Insight or the Library of Heaven's Path. Seeing his opponent's hand transform like this, he realized that this individual was very likely a divine beast in human form.

"It's too late to beg for mercy now..."

With gritted teeth and a roar, Ao Hua's hooved claw slammed hard onto Zhang Xuan's shoulder, but the latter remained utterly motionless.

*Snap!*

A crisp sound, like bone cracking, echoed. Zhang Xuan looked down and saw his clothes on his shoulder torn open, revealing a deep white mark on his exposed skin. It seemed he had almost bled.

"This is great..." Zhang Xuan was filled with excitement. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the white mark vanish in the blink of an eye, as if it had never been there.

It seemed his regenerative abilities were too potent, and the marks left were simply too faint. Before he could even test their effect, they had already healed.

Filled with regret, he quickly looked up: "Your claw is excellent! Keep going... I'll stand right here. If I dodge, I lose..."

"Aghhh... I'm going to kill you!"

Ao Hua clutched his head in exasperation.

*Swish swish swish swish!*

His two clawed hands struck down relentlessly, like a furious windmill. Each strike was delivered with full force, quickly tearing Zhang Xuan's upper clothing to shreds. White marks appeared one after another on his body.

Yet, he still didn't bleed, and almost as soon as a white mark appeared, it healed completely, as if it were nothing more than an itch.

*Snap! Crack!*

A moment later, Ao Hua stopped striking. He looked down at his own clawed hands, and tears welled up in his eyes.

After his continuous assault, his claws were torn open, scales flew off, and blood dripped freely.

He looked up at the young man before him, who now appeared even more excited: "Keep going, faster, harder! I'm almost bleeding..."

Ao Hua's body swayed.

*Damn it, I'm trying to kill you! Can you not say things so ambiguously and suggestively?*

Dragons have dignity too!

"You've completely enraged me..."

He roared again, his clothes bursting apart as his body underwent a transformation. Instantly, a colossal dragon, hundreds of meters long, appeared before them, circling and soaring within the hall.

"You're... a true dragon?"

Zhang Xuan froze in place.

He had thought his opponent was just an ordinary divine beast, perhaps a little stronger than a regular person. He never dreamed he was actually from the Dragon clan!

He had heard of the Dragon clan since his time on the Master Teacher Continent, but they had always been of mixed bloodlines, mere pseudo-dragons even in the Firmament. Yet, this individual could transform and become so powerful, indicating that he had undoubtedly reached the True Dragon level!

"That's right! You've enraged a True Dragon; now await the Dragon clan's punishment!"

Having transformed into his true form, Ao Hua wouldn't allow his opponent to speak further. He unleashed a sudden burst of dragon's breath.

In an instant, scorching flames erupted, and the space within the room seemed to explode.

"It's over..."

Shen Tufeng, Qi Yue, and the others all turned pale.

Dragon's Breath was the Dragon clan's most potent attack, even more powerful than their claws. A top-tier divine dragon, having transformed into its true form and exhaling fiercely, could force even a God King to temporarily retreat.

He was too careless...

He should have known when to stop, simply defeating him would have been enough. Now that he had forced the opponent to reveal his true form, how could he possibly fight back?

No matter how strong his physical body was, it couldn't withstand that!

"Young Master Zhang..." Qi Ling'er also trembled uncontrollably.

She had just arrived and was still trying to understand what was happening when Young Master Zhang began fighting the other man. She had watched, seeing him maintain the upper hand, so she hadn't bothered to intervene or ask questions. But now, seeing the white-robed young man transform into a divine dragon, she realized they were in serious trouble.

A peak-level divine dragon, especially one ranked on the God King Potential List, was truly invincible among its peers; no one could withstand it!

Everyone was too stunned to speak, staring at the hovering colossal dragon. Zhang Xuan, however, was not nervous. Instead, he stroked his chin as a sudden thought popped into his head.

"The Eight Sounds of Heavenly Dragon are effective against pseudo-dragons and any life forms with Dragon clan bloodline below that level... I wonder if they'll work on a True Dragon?"

"Might as well try! It won't waste any time, anyway..."

With that thought, Zhang Xuan raised his head.

"Moo! Hong!"

Inside the room, the colossal dragon, mid-breath and ready to kill the young man, suddenly seemed to be struck by something. Its face went pale, and it dropped to the ground, its massive body convulsing like a snake struck by lightning.

"What happened?"

Shen Tufeng, Qi Yue, and the others were utterly dumbfounded and silent. They were pulling at their hair in disbelief, yet none of them had any idea what had just transpired...