Chapter 4：Ancient memory
In the skies above the Enchanted Forest, a golden divine dragon emerged, stunning the entire realm. Its overwhelming aura forced countless magical beasts to prostrate themselves on the ground, trembling in fear.
At that moment, the entire Divine Martial Continent erupted with excitement as powerful divine senses surged from afar.
"What is that?!"
"Oh my! A divine dragon?!"
"Indeed, it is a divine dragon! How can this be?!"
...
Exclamations of astonishment echoed, but at that very moment, a more terrifying presence seeped forth from the depths of the forest, carrying with it an aura of annihilation and death.
A colossal black hand reached out from the center of the Enchanted Forest, heading directly for the dragon soaring above.
"What is that?!"
"It seems to be consuming my divine sense!"
"I sense an aura of destruction!"
"This is bad; retreat quickly!"
...
The brief exchange of divine awareness vanished into the sky, and in the face of this dire situation, Long Aotian's expression changed dramatically. Even the old national teacher felt the overwhelming danger, positioning himself to protect the others and readying for an immediate response.
At that moment, Tian Fan's perception was sharper than the others'. The instant the enormous demonic hand appeared, he felt a strange power stirring within him. It was perplexing; he had never practiced cultivation—how could such a force exist within his body?
This power seemed deeply wary of the hand above, and as the malevolent fog descended, it instinctively sought refuge within Tian Fan's flesh, completely masking his presence and clearly attempting to evade the destructive death mist.
"Eh?"
Long Aotian and the others stared in shock at the bizarre spectacle above, utterly unaware of the anomaly surrounding Tian Fan. Suddenly, the national teacher, who had been on guard against the demonic hand, sensed the absence of Tian Fan's aura. He cast a puzzled glance in Tian Fan's direction, but at that moment, the dragon's roar drew his attention back.
"Roar..."
The golden dragon was in dire straits. Its supreme dragon might resonated through the heavens, and with a powerful swing of its claws, it unleashed several dragon strikes against the approaching black hand. Yet, when the mighty dragon claw met the shadowy, fog-formed hand, it was as if the claw had plunged into an ocean—utterly absorbed, rendering it ineffective.
Wherever the hand passed, trees began to wither, indicating the corrosive nature of the malevolent mist.
With a thunderous roar that shook the very fabric of space, the golden dragon surged with white light, gathering immense dragon energy within its colossal maw. It compressed this energy until it formed a fist-sized white orb that hovered before its massive head. Though smaller in size, its power was formidable, far surpassing the national teacher's Mixed Yuan Sword.
As the monstrous hand drew closer, the dragon released the energy orb, transforming it into a dazzling beam that struck the black hand directly.
"Boom..."
The powerful dragon energy shattered the hand, dispersing black mist across the sky. Yet before the remnants could settle, the swirling fog reformed and struck the unprepared dragon with a brutal blow, sending it crashing to the ground.
"Bang..."
The enormous dragon body slammed into the earth, shaking the ground and leaving a massive crater in its wake. The golden dragon coughed up blood, its scales cracked. It struggled to rise but could not, gazing up helplessly at the descending hand.
After enduring countless tribulations and diligently cultivating, the dragon had finally awakened its ancient bloodline, destined for reverence across the realms. Yet now, in this moment of glory, a hand loomed to strike it down.
What was the origin of this hand? Its aura seemed capable of annihilating everything. As the hand descended, the old national teacher stepped forward, raising his hand to strike at the black appendage above, forming a mystical hand seal to counter the onslaught.
"Pu..."
The two colossal hands clashed, and in an instant, the elder was forced back, blood spilling from his mouth.
"What terrifying power! What on earth is this?!"
The elder was immensely powerful, undoubtedly among the pinnacle of beings on the Divine Martial Continent. Yet, he was sent reeling by the strange hand, which continued its descent towards the dragon without any indication of slowing down.
"Hmph..."
The elder snorted coldly, surrounded by azure light as mysterious runes swirled around him. He swiftly formed intricate seals with both hands, coalescing a golden net of light. As it appeared, the azure runes surrounding him surged towards the net, merging into one.
A blue-gold net emerged, inscribed with countless mystical spells.
"Seal the demon!"
The elder chanted, thrusting the glowing net towards the descending hand. The golden net, embodying a principle, countered the black hand, momentarily holding its ground. However, moments later, the strange hand proved stronger.
"Pu..."
The outcome was the same; the elder was once again thrust backward, blood spilling from his lips.
"This..."
His face reflected shock. His most powerful technique could not withstand the hand; merely the pressure from their confrontation had forced him back. What would happen if the hand struck him directly? Undoubtedly, it would obliterate him without a trace!
With this thought, he glanced back at the weakened dragon below. He had witnessed the dragon endure a direct hit from that hand, yet it had not perished!
Legends spoke of the dragon's unparalleled physique, with every aspect being an unparalleled treasure—indeed, they were true.
The hand showed no sign of hesitation as it reached for the dragon, ignoring the elder entirely, as if it recognized no one else's existence but the dragon's essence.
Long Aotian, aglow with golden light, prepared to rush forward but was stopped by the elder's firm grip.
"National Teacher?"
The old national teacher shook his head and turned to the dragon on the ground, speaking apologetically, "Dragon brother, I am truly sorry. We have done all we could."
Just two attempts were enough for him to understand that this strange hand was beyond their capacity to resist; the aura of death it exuded was far too terrifying.
The fallen dragon struggled to lift its massive head, casting a grateful gaze towards the elder, as if resigned to its fate. Yet, anyone could sense its profound unwillingness.
The dark hand descended at last, grasping the dragon and pulling it into the depths of the Enchanted Forest.
"Roar..."
A piercing scream filled with despair erupted from the dragon, its enormous head directed towards the onlookers. Its enormous eyes, as dull as soccer balls, reflected a hopelessness that shattered the hearts of all who beheld it.
The divine dragon was in despair!!
The old national teacher's expression turned helpless, while Long Yueying turned away, unable to bear the sight.
Tian Fan watched this scene unfold, an inexplicable sorrow welling up within him. Something within him stirred, as blood-soaked images flickered in his mind: the beheaded battle demon, the sightless fairy, the limbless deity, the dragon thrashing in agony, countless dismembered corpses plummeting from the heavens. The images raced through his mind before crystallizing on a beautiful, ethereal figure, her blood staining her pure white dress, crimson droplets sliding from her lips. That pale, extraordinary face turned towards him, offering a sorrowful smile, her radiant form slowly dissipating before his eyes, life extinguished!
"No!"
A heart-wrenching scream erupted from Tian Fan, tears streaming down his cheeks. His face was a mask of fury and sorrow as he took a decisive step forward.