Chapter 492 - 425: Xiong Batian’s Transformation, Opening Spirit Veins, Awakening a Bloodline Talent, and Taking a Mount

The blood was like an ocean of flames, instantly seeping into Xiong Batian’s body and relentlessly tempering his muscles and bones. A unique burning sensation made him grimace, but he forced himself to endure it, feeling his body transform!

"ROAR—"

The furious roar echoed throughout a territory in the Primitive Ancient Forest. It blew the surrounding plants flat against the ground, and even the branches of thousand-foot-tall ancient trees trembled. The Flying Demon Clan in the sky were startled.

Jiang Qiu observed from the side, his eyes narrowed. With his sharp Dragon Eye, he could easily perceive the state of Xiong Batian’s body. Combined with his own keen sensitivity to the Heaven and Earth Spirit Charm, he could tell that Xiong Batian’s body was truly undergoing a transformation.

’Yes, Essence Blood Tempering Body really works.’ He was using the blood of Great Demons who had opened their Spirit Veins. Once absorbed, this unique blood—which contained traces of Spirit Charm—would attack the chaotic, jumbled bloodline within Xiong Batian’s body.

As this blood, suffused with Heaven and Earth Spirit Charm, washed away Xiong Batian’s original, impure bloodline, his body began to transform further. His bones seemed to be condensing, and his frame was no longer as large as it had been.

GRIND... CRUNCH...

A harsh, grating sound emanated from Xiong Batian’s body, as if a pair of great hammers were grinding his bones and sinews. One could only imagine the immense pressure he was under!

With just a one-third change in his blood’s composition, Xiong Batian’s body had already shrunk by half. He now resembled a colossal tiger. If Jiang Qiu were to ride him, he would still look tiny, but it would at least be a passable sight.

’Yes, Xiong Batian’s body is shrinking rapidly.’ Amidst this transformation, Jiang Qiu sensed that the bear was on the verge of a rare and fortuitous opportunity.

’This means that besides Opening Spirit Veins, Xiong Batian is also awakening something unique... something like a Talent!’

Awakening a Talent was no feat for an ordinary demon. He recalled his time in Gao Yuan City, where anyone possessing a Bloodline Talent was considered a genius. The same was surely true for the Demon Race.

’So, Xiong Batian is developing his own Bloodline Talent. If he succeeds, he’ll grow much faster in the future. It might not even be impossible for him to become a Dominator.’

After all, that giant wolf was so weak—seemingly without any Talent—that he’d died from a single punch. If Xiong Batian awakened a Talent, there was no reason he wouldn’t become powerful.

’Of course, I’m not sure just *how* powerful, but he could easily become a Dominator in this region, at least.’

’That giant wolf I killed with one punch was the Great Demon most likely to become the Dominator of this area. Once Xiong Batian awakens his Bloodline Talent, opens his Spirit Veins, and cultivates for a while, won’t becoming a Dominator be a piece of cake?’

However, becoming an even *greater* Dominator would be much more difficult. After all, from what the giant wolf had said, the strength of Dominators varied by region. A Dominator who seemed incredibly powerful and supreme in their own territory might just be easy prey in another’s.

Take the Tai Python of Tai Lake, for example. It supposedly devoured Dominators from other regions on a daily basis. Such was the nonchalance of the supremely strong; such was the overwhelming pressure a super Dominator exerted on an ordinary one.

’If Xiong Batian wants to reach that level, he has a very, very long road ahead of him. He’d need to encounter countless fortuitous opportunities.’

’But where would one find so many opportunities? Meeting me is already the greatest stroke of luck in Xiong Batian’s life. Otherwise, how could he possibly be attempting to open his Spirit Veins and awaken his own Bloodline Talent?’

As Jiang Qiu’s thoughts drifted, Xiong Batian’s body continued to condense. His fur grew sleeker, and a unique, oppressive aura began to emanate from him, much like a Great Demon who had opened their Spirit Veins. His every breath made nearby creatures tremble.

Yes, Xiong Batian’s transformation was nearly complete. His gaze grew increasingly sharp. He was now only a bit larger than the brown bears that had once lived on Blue Star. If Jiang Qiu were to ride him, he could at best straddle his neck; anywhere else would be unstable.

’Of course, sitting in his paw would be plenty spacious too.’

’Wait, that’s not right. Why do I keep thinking about sitting on him?’

Jiang Qiu scratched his head and smiled. "Well, if I want to roam this Ancient Forest and I can’t fly yet, wouldn’t I have to walk everywhere if I don’t find a mount?"

He suddenly remembered that the Primitive Ancient Forest was massive. If he couldn’t fly, it would be impossible to reach his destinations in a short amount of time.

Flying was a skill the Dragon Race should possess, but he was just a newborn and had not yet mastered such a uniquely powerful ability.

The reason flight was considered a powerful skill was that for the Dragon Race, it was different from ordinary flight. When a dragon took to the skies, the very Space-Time Law of the myriad realms would answer its call.

This was the intimidating power of the Dragon Race, the benefit of their bloodline. One could even say that the moment Jiang Qiu reached adulthood, he would be an invincible existence here. Even the so-called Chaos Bloodline would have to kneel before him.

The reason was simple: they were once the head of the Ten Peak Demon Clans. The Dragon Race was an unbelievably powerful race from an unknown era. In those days, while Transcendence wasn’t particularly easy, a great many powerful dragons still achieved it.

In other words, Transcendence, a state desperately coveted by other races, was not so difficult for the Dragon Race to achieve. The number of Transcenders to have emerged from the Great Demon Race of dragons alone was too great for historical records to even contain.

Of course, this could also be due to gaps in history. Each great cleansing of an epoch consumed the foundations of the various Peak Races that had once existed.

Still, Jiang Qiu had absolute faith in the power of the Dragon Race. After all, he was in the Dragon Emperor Secret Realm. If the most powerful being here wasn’t himself—a young dragon whose body might contain the Dragon Emperor’s Essence Blood—then who could it be?

Therefore, Jiang Qiu feared no one. He just wanted to quickly find a suitable mount to take him to Tai Lake. There, he would capture the so-called Tai Python, refine it, and use it to open his own Spirit Veins.

’Yes, I urgently need to open my Spirit Veins.’ He saw a unique path in what was happening to Xiong Batian. ’If using powerful bloodlines can temper one’s body, open Spirit Veins, and even awaken a Bloodline Talent, then I should be able to do it too.’

The main thing was that the Bloodline Talent Xiong Batian was awakening seemed to carry a trace of the giant wolf. His body still contained the wolf’s aura, and his entire form was shifting in that direction. His physique was becoming somewhat wolf-like!

Without a doubt, the Bloodline Talent Xiong Batian was awakening was related to speed. Jiang Qiu could keenly perceive the subtle shifts in the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spirit Charm, which allowed him to sense this change in Xiong Batian.

And it was precisely for the sake of speed that Xiong Batian’s body was continuously shrinking. Why else would his frame have been reduced so drastically?

To reduce wind resistance. His original body was too large; if it didn’t shrink, he would not only consume a great deal of energy, but running would also be difficult.

It was effortless, like being given a pillow just as you’re getting sleepy. Jiang Qiu really did need a fast mount.

"Xiong Batian, from now on, you are my mount. As long as you can carry me to Tai Lake and the depths of the Primitive Ancient Forest, I will guide your transformation!"