Essence of the Dragon

Xiao Yi's gaze turned cold. He could clearly sense that although the middle-aged man in the green robe spoke in a calm tone, the inherent superiority in his demeanor was undeniable. Yes, Xiao Yi was but a mere mortal, a speck of dust compared to these four figures. Were it not for the golden-red barrier separating them, they would not even deign to notice him.

The benefits they promised were undoubtedly immense—titles and power, things beyond his comprehension—but what did any of it matter to him? What he wanted was simple. He wanted nothing but to go home.

As Xiao Yi's expression shifted, the eyes of the four figures in front of him darkened with fury. They were kings among men, and their might was absolute. A single drop of their royal blood could lay waste to miles of land, their very presence enough to command the world. And yet, a mere mortal dared look upon them with such defiance. If not for the divine prohibition that kept them separated, Xiao Yi would have been crushed to dust under their gaze alone.

Even as the golden-red barrier trembled slightly, influenced by the overwhelming energy of the four, Xiao Yi remained unmoved. What did it matter if they could take his life? He had no ties in this world. He had once hesitated, once feared, because he had a family—because reckless choices had consequences. But that was a past life, a different world. Here, in this place, nothing bound him.

The looks these four gave him burned into his memory. Even if time and space changed, he would never forget them.

"Can you control time and space?" he asked suddenly.

The young man in white furrowed his brows, a fleeting silver light flashing in his eyes. He looked surprised. "You know of time and space? Interesting. You do not seem like an ordinary wanderer. But what intrigues me more is how you managed to evade our senses and enter this dragon cave."

Xiao Yi did not answer. He merely stared at the young man, his gaze steady and unwavering.

The young man sighed and shook his head. "You are naive. Even the mightiest of emperors cannot control time. A ruler may hold dominion over life and death, but even kings must eventually perish. If one could truly master time, they would have achieved immortality. They would never fade."

So it was impossible. Xiao Yi had held onto a faint hope, but hearing this final confirmation, he could only let out a bitter laugh. There was no way back. He had no time to waste here. Even if he could afford to linger, his family could not.

Perhaps, centuries later, long after his bones had turned to dust, archeologists on Earth would unearth a fossil buried deep within the ground—and it would be his.

"Leave," he said, shaking his head. Without another word, he turned and walked deeper into the cave, his heart cold and indifferent.

"Insolence!" Thundered the King of the Battle Axe. His eyes flashed with cold lightning, but the divine prohibition kept his power at bay. He could do nothing.

Midnight

A thick white mist filled the dragon's cave, its luminescent stones casting a soft glow, turning night into day. The cave pulsed with an aura both ancient and enigmatic. Xiao Yi felt no fatigue, nor even hunger. He had ventured to the cave's entrance once—outside, the moon loomed impossibly large, its silver radiance cascading like liquid silk.

Yet the four figures remained seated at the cave's mouth, waiting, unwavering. It was clear that they intended to stay there until he emerged.

Dawn.

The golden sun broke over the horizon, its red-gold light piercing through the sky. Deep within the ancient cave, Xiao Yi stirred, his thoughts clearing as he lifted his head. Before him, buried among scattered stones, lay an egg—an ancient fossil of a dragon's egg, shimmering like polished jade, radiating vitality.

His eyes flickered with determination.

The egg was not large—only half a meter tall—but its weight was substantial. Xiao Yi struggled to pull it from the rubble, estimating it to be nearly two hundred pounds. He knocked against its shell with his knuckles. A metallic sound rang out. Steeling himself, he struck it with his fist. The egg remained unscathed—his hand, however, throbbed in pain.

Clearly, this was no place for humans.

Grinding his teeth, Xiao Yi searched the cavern and found a broken black spear—seven feet long, its tip missing the last inch. The shaft, though fractured, was still sharp, and when he grasped it, a chilling sensation pierced his palm. The spear itself weighed close to forty pounds—one of the lightest among the scattered weapons in the tunnel. Many of the other relics emanated an aura so overwhelming that approaching them alone sent bolts of pain through his body.

It took half an hour of effort to roll the dragon egg closer to the cave entrance. Xiao Yi gasped for breath, leaning on the spear for support as he looked outside.

The moment they saw the egg, the four figures sprang to their feet. Their gazes burned with intensity, divine lightning crackling in their eyes. The egg had rolled through dirt and stone, yet not a single speck of dust clung to it. Its surface gleamed, emanating an ancient, noble aura.

"Boy, what do you intend to do?!" The Sword King in green demanded coldly.

They had endured countless trials and tribulations, survived endless calamities, yet never had they faced such a maddening sight. The boy was not planning to surrender the egg.

The King of the Battle Axe spoke in a low voice. "Do not make a foolish mistake."

The young man in white observed carefully. His sharp black eyes darkened, two beams of divine light shooting from them, creating ripples against the golden-red barrier.

And then, as if confirming his worst fears, Xiao Yi raised the broken spear high.

The cold steel gleamed, and with a powerful thrust, he drove the spear into the dragon egg's shell.

"You beast! Do you even realize what you've done?!" The King of the Battle Axe roared.

Xiao Yi only raised an eyebrow, looking at him mockingly. "If denying you makes me a beast, then what of the four of you? Are you not the same?"

Nothing bound him here. No ties. No fears. Nothing left to lose.

Outside the cave, the earth trembled. Miles away, mountains crumbled, sending debris tumbling down. The sky split open, clouds scattering as four waves of royal power surged outward, shaking the heavens.

Yet Xiao Yi did not care. He pulled out the spear. A golden liquid seeped from the punctured shell—a fluid rich as molten jade, carrying an intoxicating fragrance.

His throat burned with thirst. Without hesitation, he brought his lips to the wound and drank.

The golden liquid was cool, sweet, and invigorating. Outside, the expressions of the four kings shifted.

The young man in white let out a long sigh and turned away.

The blood of an ancient dragon was no ordinary essence. Even an emperor could not absorb it instantly; it had to be refined slowly. To anyone below their level, its power was too pure, too overwhelming. Even consuming a fraction required utmost caution.

A moment later, Xiao Yi felt it—an eruption of heat from within, as if a volcano had ignited in his core. His breath hitched. The world blurred. His body was no longer his own.

The Sword King watched impassively. "A mortal body cannot contain a dragon's essence. He will burst apart within seconds."

Xiao Yi's vision faded.

A smile touched his lips.

At last, an end. No more pain. No more struggle.

And yet, as the kings turned away, a golden light flared in the cave—bright, untamed, eternal.