Chapter 618 - 259: Riding the Dragon Through the Skies, Changing Generals Before Battle

Chen Ping stood at the peak, feeling his divine sense expand outward suddenly, becoming more agile and resilient, like tentacles reaching out.

At the same time, the massive Stinging Dragon Dharma Body struggled to roll over, scales exploding across its seemingly ethereal dragon-shaped form, followed by tendons and bones, all humming, shattering, and reassembling.

The originally pure white dragon body, with each breath, absorbed endless water vapors, countless green-black specks gathered from all directions, and within his mind, a sudden surge of insights emerged from seemingly nowhere, understanding how to transform to better exert power, to be closer to Heaven and Earth, to manipulate Vitality.

Compared to the dragon body’s ethereal yet real transformation.

Within his introspective divine sense, Chen Ping noticed that the vast Dragon Essence Magical Power he cultivated, like a lake, was collapsing and condensing akin to a chain reaction.

Soon, two-thirds of the Dragon Essence Magical Power within the dragon body was gone, and in his conscious perception, the entire body felt empty, a frantic hunger emerged, desiring to devour Heaven and Earth.

Simultaneously, within the depths of his soul, two opposing sensations of immense heaviness and lightness emerged in his heart.

Involuntarily, his body floated a hundred feet in mid-air.

Clouds and fog formed around him, water vapor condensed.

"This..."

Chen Ping looked down to see his Dharma Body had greatly changed.

From previously over thirty feet long, it became a hundred feet long, its color changed from white to cyan, the entire Dharma form spiraled and twisted, roaming mid-air like a mountain ridge.

With a slight movement of his thoughts, scenery transformed, already moving from the high Jade Forest Peak to the plains above, before him lay vast fields, a city nestled in the distance.

Inside and outside the city, there came waves of exclamations.

Evidently, the army camp outside and the citizens inside the city had already noticed the massive cyan object floating mid-air.

"This is the Chang Cyan Dragon Dharma Body, although only Divine Martial Fourth Layer, it’s considered to have broken through from the Initial Realm to the Mid-Stage, yet it’s a breakthrough from Stinging Dragon to True Dragon. At this moment, it’s fit for both attack and defense."

Chen Ping, in high spirits, let out a long roar to the sky, his True Dragon Dharma Body beneath him also let out a clear dragon chant, startling miles around.

At the same time, his figure moved, stirring gale winds, flying rapidly around the city, his speed easily three times faster than when in the Divine Martial Initial Realm.

Continuously dispelling clouds with Qi manipulation, black clouds gathered around, pouring down heavy rain.

Amidst the dragon’s chant.

Lightning burst and flashed, a cyan shadow and a human figure standing above it came into everyone’s view.

"That’s King Ping, King Ping flying with the dragon, it’s a True Dragon..."

The knowledgeable ones exclaimed aloud at this moment.

Immediately, amidst tens of thousands, waves of cheers arose.

The rain or not was hardly a big deal, the key was, they were currently marching north. Although Chen Ping declared under the title of Celestial South King with slogans like "Overthrow the tyrant for the people’s welfare", ultimately it was considered rebellion, lacking in moral grounds.

The civil and military officials below, as well as the Celestial South citizens, either boarded the ship and decided to go all the way, hoping for the glory of following the dragon.

Or they felt following King Ping’s rebellion indeed offered a better life, more freedom and comfort compared to living under the Great Li’s rule.

Somewhat offsetting their inner anxiety.

Yet, in this era of divine-right monarchy, the Emperor claimed to be the Son of Heaven, governing in the name of the Celestial Emperor, so even with Great Li’s unethical rule, there wasn’t the ease to overthrow it, fearing divine retribution.

Chen Ping was actually aware of these sentiments.

In later generations, when the people became wise, such absurd thoughts naturally wouldn’t occur.

Mostly pondering "If the ruler views ministers as arms and legs, ministers would see the ruler as a friend; if viewed as dogs and horses, ministers see as a fellow countryman", seeking self-recognition.

But the times were different; until the point of starvation, one wouldn’t shout "The old heaven is dead, the yellow heaven shall rise".

Even if shouted, deep down, there was constant self-doubt, self-denial.

And now, seeing this cyan True Dragon flying around the city, accompanied by lightning and rain, instantly, everyone’s hearts surged with extreme acceptance, thinking themselves as the legitimate ones.

The Son of Heaven’s lack of virtue means it’s not sinful to overthrow.

That was the general idea.

Otherwise, why could King Ping also rule the world, ride the dragon and ascend?

Perhaps he was favored by Heaven and Earth, relieving the people of their suffering, a true sovereign.

The change in people’s hearts happened in an instant.

Chen Ping suddenly felt, from an unknown passage, a massive force coming through, ignoring Dharma Body defenses, directly merging into Dragon Essence Magical Power.

With each breath, the already hollow True Dragon Dharma Body shook wildly, the vast Dragon Essence Magical Power filled it, feedback onto the true body, translating to greater strength, heightened spirit, divine sense stirring Heaven and Earth Spiritual Essence, and intensified wind and rain.

"Qi number surges greatly."

Without much investigation, Chen Ping knew what the sudden influx of power was.

It was actually the Power of Destiny.

This time, with Dharma Body transforming into True Dragon, commanding wind and rain, directly influenced the Southern Region’s four hundred and twenty-three cities.

Though this news hadn’t spread yet, Heaven and Earth responded directly, representing their forces, Southern territories, immediately causing a surge in Qi number, directly replenishing the breakthrough’s deficiency, indirectly causing Bingli Island’s fate to tilt several degrees towards him.