Soul Emperor Awakening

With the perfect Golden Dragon Body, fine Dragon Scales emerged from within him. They were constructed from Elemental Power, forming a layer of Armor. This layer sprouted from his very bones and had an effect equivalent to real Dragon Scales, but they weren’t the genuine article. After all, Lin Xuan was not a true Golden Dragon.

Even after tempering his bones, he couldn’t produce even a single drop of Dragon Blood; they were simply strengthened to a great degree. The process had been extremely painful and by no means easy, but the results were astonishing. He had caught his opponent’s terrifying strike with his bare hand, receiving only a minor injury to his palm.

This would have been unimaginable before. Of course, it was only by coordinating with the Golden Dragon King’s soul that he could unleash his body’s full potential. It made Lin Xuan feel that his compatibility with the Golden Dragon King’s soul had reached a new level.

If the body couldn’t keep up with a Divine Beast Level soul, it would be impossible to exert much of its power. This was why neither the Phoenix’s nor the Golden Dragon King’s soul had ever been fully unleashed. Now that his bones were akin to Dragon Bone, he could achieve an ultimate explosive power and a more perfect compatibility.

’The Bone Forging Pool really does strengthen the body immensely. Even without the Golden Dragon King’s possession, my injuries would have just been a bit more severe at worst.’ Lin Xuan was very satisfied with the outcome. He wasn’t one to be overconfident, which was why he had allowed the Golden Dragon King to possess him. If his palm had really been cleaved in two, who could he have run crying to?

He hadn’t expected that with the possession, his body’s hardness would rise to a new level, almost comparable to a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact. The Golden Dragon King’s body was already comparable to a Spiritual Artifact on its own; with a higher Cultivation, it could even match a Divine Artifact!

This was no exaggeration. The greatest difference between Demon Beasts and humans was that a Demon Beast’s body was far tougher and its power far more savage, almost completely surpassing humans. Humanity’s greatest advantage was its adaptability, allowing for self-strengthening. Through relentless Cultivation, humans could surpass even Divine Beasts.

This process was inevitably arduous; the outside world called it a Heaven-Defying change of fate!

Lin Xuan glanced forward and saw nothing but stunned expressions. Everyone was shocked by his performance. A perfect Golden Dragon Body was something they wouldn’t even dare to dream of. Tong Yulong had, at most, only achieved a partial transformation, a far cry from perfection.

"A perfect Golden Dragon Body... He... he really absorbed it all and completely tempered his body."

"So Heaven-Defying! He’s even stronger than the Child Demon. He’s a bigger monster than the monster himself!"

"Is this a sign of the Inner Hall Sect’s comeback?"

...

Once they snapped out of their daze, a shocked uproar erupted. Their prior disbelief had transformed into unshakable conviction. His power could only be described as terrifying.

Tong Yulong had already worked a miracle, but Lin Xuan had created a miracle within a miracle!

Qing Piaoyun’s expression was complicated. He already knew Lin Xuan had achieved perfection; with all the Spiritual Liquid in the Bone Forging Pool absorbed, reaching that state was a certainty. What he hadn’t expected was the level of power Lin Xuan was now displaying. It far exceeded his imagination.

’Will he become the next Qing Liuyun...?’ Qing Piaoyun’s eyes flickered. In terms of current Cultivation, Lin Xuan had already surpassed the Qing Liuyun of that time, but there was one thing he had yet to match: creation!

The measure of a person’s legendary talent was creation, not imitation. At a young age, Qing Liuyun was able to create a Celestial Level Martial Art, the Cyan Cloud Step. That was the key that allowed him to ascend to the position of Grand Elder in one fell swoop.

’Can Lin Xuan create something of his own?’

"He really achieved the perfect Golden Dragon Body... How is that possible...?" Xiao Qian stared at Lin Xuan, his jaw hanging open. The shock was too much for him; it was like a nightmare.

"Nothing is impossible. Just because you think you can’t do something doesn’t mean others can’t," Lin Xuan said calmly. "Now, I believe it’s your turn to take a blow from me?"

Xiao Qian’s face flushed with anger. He held his greatsword horizontally in front of him and said coldly, "Bring it on! I can take a blow from you, too. Draw your Weapon!"

"Weapon? I don’t need a Weapon." Lin Xuan casually shook his hand, and golden Dragon Scales materialized on his arm. The shimmering golden light was far more subdued than the aura Xiao Qian had displayed earlier, but no one doubted the power contained within that fist.

Xiao Qian’s heart went cold. He had a feeling this punch would be terrifyingly strong, and his heart began to tremble. ’Can it be? Can I not even take a single punch from him?’

"Cyan Cloud Step!"

With a light tap of his foot, Lin Xuan vanished into a wisp of cyan smoke. He reappeared in an instant in front of Xiao Qian, using the momentum of his dash to slam his fist viciously into Xiao Qian’s chest. A tyrannical aura flashed from his fist as the Dragon Scales all bristled, making it seem as if a Golden Dragon was coiling around his arm.

Xiao Qian didn’t dare try to catch the punch with his bare hands. Instead, he hastily blocked his chest with the flat of his blade. But Lin Xuan struck it without hesitation.

"BOOM!"

The heavy fist smashed down. CLANG! It sounded like two metal weapons colliding. The force of Lin Xuan’s punch was immense, backed by well over a hundred thousand jin of power—enough to shatter mountains and rivers. How could Xiao Qian possibly withstand such terrifying strength? His greatsword, braced for the attack, was slammed downward. The arm gripping his Weapon went limp, unable to bear the pressure.

"BANG!"

Lin Xuan followed through with his swing, sending both man and sword flying. As Xiao Qian sailed through the air, his eyes rolled back in his head and blood streamed from the corner of his mouth, spattering in mid-air.

"THUD!"

Xiao Qian finally crashed to the ground. His Weapon flew off to one side as he tumbled several times before landing flat on his back. His head lolled to the side, and he passed out, completely unable to get up. A deep fist-shaped indentation was clearly visible on his chest, punched right through the Spiritual Artifact he had used to block.

The tyrannical power had penetrated the Weapon and struck his body directly. It was unstoppable!

With just one punch, he had defeated Xiao Qian, a Cultivator at the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage. This tyrannical power sent a chill through the hearts of every disciple present! Someone at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Refining Stage had just one-shot a Cultivator at the Second Layer of the Essence Pill Stage. If he were to break through to the Essence Pill Stage himself, what level of power would he reach?

The thought alone was terrifying, beyond their imagination. But by achieving the perfect Golden Dragon Body, it was fated that his Physique would not be weak. Even his ordinary attacks could now unleash ultimate power.

The sheer strength of his body granted a massive bonus to all his attacks. An explosive force of over a hundred thousand jin was something that even a Cultivator at the Third Layer of the Essence Pill Stage, let alone the Second Layer, would find difficult to match. He was practically a humanoid Giant Beast, his strength irresistible.

’So this is the power of the perfect Golden Dragon Body... And it seems this isn’t even my limit.’ A smirk played on Lin Xuan’s lips. He had only used a fraction of his strength; most of it had yet to be unleashed.

This was the advantage that came with the power of a Divine Beast. At the same Cultivation level, it was difficult for a human to contend with a Divine Beast. Whether in Defense Power or raw strength, the beast would far surpass the human. That was why it was common for powerful humans to fight opponents of a higher level. But for a human to try and fight a Divine Beast of a higher level? Unless that person was truly Heaven-Defying, it was simply suicide.