War God Long Ao

"Long Ao, your growth has exceeded my expectations. I have to admit, you're really quite impressive."

Long Ao didn't have a very favorable impression of Long Yili.

'He's too calculating, the type who can kill without batting an eye, a dagger hidden behind a smile.'

"If you came to see me about something, just say it," Long Ao said, his tone neutral. He didn't consider Long Yili a friend.

Long Yili was well aware of this. He smiled and said, "Long Jing is dead, and my long-held grudge has been settled. I came to see you not only to thank you but also to ask you one thing: are you, or are you not, a Dragon Martial Artist?"

'A Dragon Martial Artist?'

The Long Clan had become one of the most powerful super-families on the Celestial Martial Continent entirely because of the Dragon Race. Every Dragon Martial Artist was an incredibly powerful being. However, the Long Clan had an explicit rule: disciples below the Third Level were forbidden from entering Dragon Valley.

Long Ao knew exactly what Long Yili was implying.

"What do you think?"

"I believe you are a Dragon Martial Artist."

Long Ao's silence instantly plunged the room into a stalemate.

Suddenly, Long Ao burst out laughing. "Long Yili, I'm genuinely curious. Why would an expert of your caliber ask me to kill Long Jing?"

In the past, Long Ao would have been completely unable to sense Long Yili's true strength. But things were different now. After successfully passing his Thunder Tribulation and becoming a Thunder Tribulation Martial Artist, Long Ao could clearly sense the powerful aura emanating from Long Yili, even though he was deliberately concealing it.

"Since you've already sensed it, there's no need for me to hide it any longer."

The moment he finished speaking, a terrifyingly oppressive momentum erupted from Long Yili. He had expected it to overwhelm Long Ao, but to his astonishment, Long Ao seemed completely unaffected.

Long Yili laughed, his voice filled with admiration. "You truly are the man who split a Thundercloud with a single strike. Long Ao, I'm really curious, are you a Dragon Martial Artist or not?"

Long Yili wouldn't give up, still fixated on this one question.

'Transformation Realm.'

'He hadn't been sure before, but when Long Yili unleashed his powerful momentum, Long Ao was finally certain. The Young Master of the Long Family standing before him was a bona fide Transformed Martial Artist.'

The Five Transformations, from lowest to highest, were the Thunder Tribulation Realm, the Transformation Realm, the Human King Realm, the Earth Emperor Realm, and the Taoist Ancestor Realm.

After successfully passing the Thunder Tribulation, a martial artist would use the residual power of the tribulation to refine their body until they underwent three qualitative changes.

In other words, the Transformation Realm had three levels: the First Transformation, the Second Transformation, and the Third Transformation. Long Ao still couldn't determine which level of Transformed Martial Artist Long Yili was.

Long Yili, the hedonistic disciple everyone mocked, was actually a Transformed Martial Artist who had hidden his talents. If word of this got out, no one would believe it.

"I'm also curious. Since you're a Transformed Martial Artist, why didn't you take revenge yourself?"

Long Ao was no fool. He knew that with Long Yili's power, killing Long Jing would have been effortless. He could have even done it so flawlessly that no one would have ever found out.

Long Yili smiled. "Because I wanted to test you. Consider it an opportunity I was giving you."

"What kind of opportunity?" Now Long Ao was even more intrigued. He and Long Yili had never met before this. 'Does this guy have some strange obsession?'

"Long Ao, I know all about you."

Long Yili picked up the wine cup from the table and took a gentle sip.

After a moment's thought, Long Yili continued, "Ten years ago, you were the top prodigy in Red Fire Town. For some unknown reason, you were unable to condense your Inner Strength and achieve an Endless Cycle. But a decade later, you suddenly rose to prominence. I believe you must have stumbled upon some great opportunity."

Long Ao remained silent, simply watching Long Yili.

"Long Ao, I don't care what kind of opportunity you found. What I truly value is your perseverance. To persist for ten whole years… even I couldn't have done that."

Long Ao waved his hand. "Long Yili, your own disguise is quite good. A hedonist on the surface, but in reality, a peerless prodigy. I'm baffled the Long Family hasn't taken better advantage of a genius like you."

CRACK.

Whether Long Ao's words had struck a nerve or not, Long Yili slammed his palm down, instantly smashing the stool beside him into splinters.

"Hmph. The Long Family. If I weren't one of them, I believe I would be much further along by now. Long Ao, I came to you because I want to cooperate."

'Cooperate?'

"Long Ao, let's be frank. I am a Dragon Martial Artist, and I believe you are one, too. If I weren't wary of the Long Clan, I would have left long ago to forge my own path. The fact that we are Dragon Martial Artists absolutely cannot be discovered by the clan. Otherwise, the consequences will be unthinkable."

'A Dragon Martial Artist?'

'Long Yili is a Dragon Martial Artist?'

Hearing that Long Yili was also a Dragon Martial Artist, Long Ao was utterly stunned. He never would have imagined that Long Yili had also gained the acknowledgment of a Giant Dragon.

'Could Long Yili have entered Dragon Valley as well?'

Long Ao was well aware that there were many entrances to Dragon Valley; otherwise, he himself would never have been able to enter and gain the little guy's acknowledgment. It seemed Long Yili had also been lucky enough to gain a Giant Dragon's acknowledgment and become a Dragon Martial Artist.

Long Yili didn't elaborate, and Long Ao didn't press the matter.

"Long Ao, a year ago, I stumbled upon a Treasure Map. It marks a location that holds two drops of Dragon God Blood. If we can obtain and consume them, I believe my strength will improve dramatically."

'Dragon God Blood?'

Long Ao had heard of the Dragon God. As the supreme and most powerful being in Dragon Valley, the Dragon God was the mightiest of all Giant Dragons. That was precisely why Long Ao was so surprised. Why would a place like this have two drops of Dragon God Blood?

As if reading Long Ao's mind, Long Yili pulled the Treasure Map from his robes and said, "See for yourself."

A single glance was all it took for Long Ao to see everything clearly. Though he was still filled with doubt, a temptation like this was impossible to resist. After all, he knew better than anyone what two drops of Dragon God Blood truly meant.

"Long Ao, I know about the feud between you and Ouyang Zhong. Forgive me for being blunt, but with your current strength, challenging the Thunder Empire is a near-impossible task. What's more, the Thunder Empire has the Thunder Sect backing it. So, Long Ao, there is only one thing you should be focused on right now: finding a way to increase your power."

Long Ao nodded. He had already given this matter a great deal of thought. 'If my Cultivation can break through to the Transformation Realm, then even if Ouyang Zhong recovers from his injuries, I won't have to worry anymore.' Still, Long Ao was curious. He asked, "Long Yili, I only have one question for you. Why did you choose me?"