The crystalline path, suspended within the boundless void, resembled a fragile ribbon of silk—it was the sole path of survival leading to the great dragon mountain. And upon that ribbon of silk, a bizarre scene was unfolding.
Five tiny figures, enveloped by a warm, golden halo, were slowly advancing forward, step by step. That halo was not dazzling, yet it was incredibly resolute, like a beacon amidst a stormy sea.
Surrounding them, within the pitch-black abyss and hovering in the air, were hundreds upon thousands of Chaos Beasts. They growled incessantly, baring fangs and claws forged from shadows, their bloodshot eyes glaring at the halo with extreme craving and hatred. Yet, not a single one dared to cross the invisible boundary of light.
The upright and luminous aura radiating from the Solar Essence Guardian, amplified by Tran Kien's Primordial Qi, was the absolute nemesis of these creatures born of chaos and resentment.
"Keep walking straight," Tran Kien said, his voice somewhat weak, his forehead dotted with sweat. "Do not stop."
He was enduring a terrifying pressure. Maintaining this "Guardian" halo consumed his Primordial Qi and mental energy at a horrifying rate. He felt the Qi within his body acting like a dam struggling against floodwaters, constantly being eroded away. If not for the beating of the "Heart of the Dragon" in the distance continuously radiating pure life energy to help him replenish a portion of it, he would have likely collapsed long ago.
Uncle Kiem walked right beside him, the wooden sword in his hand held in a ready stance. He didn't look at the horde of Chaos Beasts, but at Tran Kien. Within his deep eyes, aside from vigilance, lay undisguised astonishment. This brat, what terrifying willpower. To maintain the halo so stably without the slightest fluctuation under such immense pressure. His future is truly unfathomable.
Ly Tin and Trinh Cong walked on either side, back to back, forming two defensive wings to protect Lam Vy in the center. They could do nothing against the horde of Chaos Beasts, but remained ever vigilant against other dangers that might appear. Lam Vy, however, was no longer afraid. She looked at Tran Kien's broad, steadfast back ahead, a complex emotion swelling in her heart. Gratitude, admiration, and a trace of heartache upon seeing him shoulder such a heavy burden alone.
The crystalline path seemed endless. They had been walking for nearly half a shichen. The dragon mountain ahead looked a bit closer, but was still very far away.
The horde of Chaos Beasts, after realizing they couldn't attack directly, began to change their tactics.
"ROAARRR!"
A Chaos Beast shaped like a massive bat suddenly opened its shadowy maw, spewing out an ash-gray orb of chaotic energy—not aimed at Tran Kien's group, but directly at the crystalline path ahead of them!
"Careful!" Uncle Kiem shouted loudly.
"BOOM!"
The energy orb exploded, but the crystalline path was unusually sturdy. It only trembled slightly, a few small cracks appearing on its surface before rapidly healing to its original state.
"This path is protected by the dragon aura of the 'Heart of the Dragon', they cannot destroy it!" Trinh Cong said joyfully; the old man had read of this detail in an ancient unofficial text.
But Tran Kien did not feel relieved at all. "That's not it," he said, his breathing somewhat ragged. "Their target isn't the path!"
At that very moment, dozens of other Chaos Beasts also launched their attacks. But they didn't attack the path. They attacked... the empty void!
The orbs of chaotic energy detonated in the endless space, creating ripples of chaotic energy that swept toward them. These ripples lacked physical destructive power, but carried a pure aura of chaos.
When those ripples crashed against Tran Kien's "Guardian" halo, the halo immediately and violently fluctuated like the surface of a lake struck by stones. Tran Kien's face instantly paled by several fractions.
He felt as if thousands of ravenous leeches were frantically sucking away his Primordial Qi. They were using the chaotic energy to corrupt and erode his energy of order!
"Dammit! These beasts actually possess intelligence!" Ly Tin roared in fury.
"Tran Kien, can you hold on?" Uncle Kiem asked anxiously.
"I still... still can!" Tran Kien gritted his teeth, the Primordial Qi within his body circulating madly. The shard of the Solar Essence Guardian in his chest also sensed the danger; it flared with an even more brilliant light, struggling to stabilize the halo.
But continuing like this was not a solution. His strength was limited, while the horde of Chaos Beasts was as numerous as ants.
Just when Tran Kien felt he was about to collapse, the beating of the "Heart of the Dragon" in the distance suddenly changed.
"Thump... THUMP... THUMP!!!"
Its heartbeat grew faster, more powerful. A crimson ring of life energy, far purer and more majestic than before, rippled out from that crystal mass, sweeping across the entire void.
When that ring of energy swept through the horde of Chaos Beasts, they uniformly let out miserable shrieks as if burned by fire. Many of the weaker ones were purified by that pure life force, dissipating into gray smoke. The entire horde of beasts, as if encountering their natural predator, retreated deep into the abyss in panic, not daring to approach any further.
And when the ring of energy swept over Tran Kien's group, an unprecedented warmth and comfort spread throughout their bodies. Tran Kien's exhausted Primordial Qi was replenished in the blink of an eye, even becoming a bit purer. The wounds on Trinh Cong and Ly Tin tingled, closing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The danger was temporarily resolved.
"It's the 'Heart of the Dragon' that helped us!" Lam Vy said joyfully.
"Not necessarily," Uncle Kiem shook his head, his gaze grave as he looked toward the dragon mountain. "It isn't helping us. It's protecting itself. Something... even more dangerous than the Chaos Beasts... has awakened."
Right at that moment, from the peak of the dragon mountain, a roar echoed throughout the entire space. This roar was not ferocious, but carried an ancient, majestic aura, like a thunderclap echoing from the Nine Heavens.
Then, a massive silhouette slowly rose from the mountain peak, blotting out even the rivers of light in the sky. It wasn't a Chaos Beast. It had a distinct physical form.
It was a dragon. A true Western dragon, with a body as massive as a hill, its entire form covered in jet-black scales like obsidian. It had giant leathery wings, a long neck, and a ferocious head. But bizarrely, on its forehead, there was a pair of long, curving horns like those of a stag, bearing the distinct divine aura of the East.
And within its massive golden eyes, there was no chaos, but an intelligence—the vicissitudes of a being who had lived for tens of thousands of years.
It didn't look at anyone else. It stared fixedly at Tran Kien.
Then, an ancient, profound voice echoed directly in everyone's minds.
"Descendants of Lac Viet... you have finally arrived."
"I have been here... waiting for you... for a very long time."