Chapter 460: The First Profound Aperture, Ancestral Dragon Scale Armor (Two-in-One Chapter)

【Spirit Beast Name】: Flood Dragon (Mature Stage, Demi-God Beast)

【Spirit Beast Realm】: Demon Saint 9th Rank

【Spirit Beast Race】: Intermediate Sovereign

【Spirit Beast Quality】: Top-tier

【Spirit Beast Bloodline】: Five-Clawed Golden Dragon (Robust)

【Spirit Beast Attribute】: Gold + Water

【Spirit Beast Status】: Healthy

【Spirit Beast Weakness】: Earth, Fire

It was also Li Changsheng's first time seeing a Demi-God Beast; just like Top-tier Exotic Beasts, the hallmark of a Demi-God Beast is not only a higher race, but that it can smoothly reach the Demon King level as long as it reaches adulthood.

As the Dark Night King's main Demon Beast, this Flood Dragon naturally received meticulous cultivation and a bias in resources, which allowed it to go a step further and become a Saint Grade Spirit Pet.

At the same time, this was also Li Changsheng's first time seeing a Robust bloodline; if this Flood Dragon's bloodline concentration could advance further, it could successfully transform into a dragon and become a true Divine Beast.

However, this step is incredibly difficult; how many Flood Dragons, Qiu Dragons, Hui Dragons, and Dragon Turtles have been stuck at this very step.

At this moment, the Flood Dragon's tightly closed eyes opened slightly, its golden pupils containing immense majesty as it glanced in this direction; it had no intention of paying any heed, then immediately closed its eyes again, continuing to appear as if in a deep slumber.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man wearing profound iron battle armor and a blood-colored cloak appeared abruptly in the sky, Flying Through the Void, accompanied by a powerful Pressure that felt like a mountain collapsing.

"A Pseudo-King!" Li Changsheng's heart tightened; although a Pseudo-King is also considered a Sixth-Rank Expert, due to their Demon Beast, the Pressure of a Pseudo-King is different from that of a Sixth-Rank Expert, possessing more or less a point or two of a King's might.

The middle-aged man landed on the ground and said to the more than five hundred people who had come to reinforce from the Pengcheng Academy District: "I am Xiao Qing, the Vice Governor in charge of Li City Fortress. I am very grateful to everyone for supporting the front line. However, I will say the ugly words first: this is a militarily controlled fortress. Regardless of whether you possess noble status or position, remember, do not violate the regulations of Li City Fortress; those who violate the order—will be executed!"

Xiao Qing's expression was solemn, his tone severe, and he carried a strong murderous aura on his body, giving people a feeling of iron-bloodedness that made one feel terrified from the bottom of their heart.

The three fortresses are each controlled by one Governor and two Vice Governors; it is worth mentioning that they are all Pseudo-Kings.

At this time, even Instructor Qian Yuanfei did not dare to disobey, because he knew very well that Xiao Qing meant what he said.

Under these circumstances, everyone was as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Li Changsheng's mind raced; there were fewer than thirty Pseudo-Kings in the Langya Kingdom, so he had naturally read the files on Governor Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing came from a poor family and became a Pseudo-King at less than fifty years of age, ranking 18th on the Langya Kingdom Combat Power Ranking; to reach this point, opportunity, luck, wisdom, and perseverance were indispensable.

"I still have matters to attend to; several officers below will arrange for you to register!"

After Vice Governor Xiao Qing finished speaking, he disappeared abruptly again, and no one knew where he had gone.

Everyone subconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

This Vice Governor's Pressure was too strong, giving them a feeling of being unable to breathe.

"Everyone, please follow me!"

Led by several officers, Li Changsheng and the others arrived at the Steward Department located in the center of the fortress to register, received military uniforms, bedding, washbasins, regulation manuals, and other items, and were finally assigned together to a military camp.

Anyone who came from the Pengcheng Academy District would be concentrated in this military camp, which would also facilitate management.

According to their different strengths, the five hundred plus people were assigned to different dormitories; those of the First, Second, and Third Rank lived in four-person dormitories, and only those of the Fourth and Fifth Rank had the privilege of living in single rooms.

As long as one is a Stronger, one will have preferential treatment no matter where they are.

Due to the special nature of this military camp, it was managed by a general named Yu Yuan, whose strength had reached the Fifth Rank.

After all, Li Changsheng and the others were not soldiers, so the rules here were naturally relatively relaxed; they could stroll around the fortress during the day, but they could not leave Li City Fortress without permission, and military control was implemented at night; without authorization, they were not allowed to leave the military camp.

The dormitory Li Changsheng was assigned to was about twenty or thirty square meters, and this would be his place of residence for the foreseeable future.

The accommodation conditions here were limited and naturally could not compare to Yuanling Xue.

Li Changsheng flicked his sleeve, and a gust of clear wind swept through, gathering the dust and mosquitoes in the room into a ball the size of a baby's fist, which he blew straight out of the room, landing in a pond not far away.

After tidying up the dormitory, Li Changsheng took out some materials and set up warning, Breath Concealment, and Defense Restriction, wrapping the entire dormitory.

Li Changsheng did not rest immediately, but instead set up a simple experimental bench, preparing to purify the Basalt Essence Blood.

Li Changsheng quickly cleaned the shells, claws, and teeth of three Blade-Giant Turtles, placed the remaining flesh and several turtle eggs on the experimental bench, and began the Smelting Restriction.

A burst of hazy blood-colored brilliance emerged, and the flesh and turtle eggs of the Blade-Giant Turtles began to flicker with starry, fiery-red brilliance, turning into streams of blue and red liquid.

Ten minutes later, the corpses and turtle eggs of the Blade-Giant Turtles had disappeared, and under the control of his Mental Power, this pool of liquid fell into a stone vat.

Li Changsheng poured the Melting Potion in and began further purification.

After clearing away the water and impurities, half a bucket of viscous Blood Essence remained, and after the cleaning was finished, a water-blue brilliance began to emerge on top.

When Li Changsheng took the Vision Potion, his heart sank a little, fearing that the Blade-Giant Turtles possessed a high-level bloodline.

"Phew, no extra high-level bloodline!"

Upon seeing the Bloodline Imprint within the Bloodline Essence, Li Changsheng breathed a clear sigh of relief; if the blood of the Blade-Giant Turtles contained a high-level Bloodline Imprint, that would be troublesome.

Without hesitation, Li Changsheng took out a vial of Primary Dissolving Agent and poured it into the blue-red viscous blood.

The Primary Dissolving Agent quickly took effect, wrapping up all the low-level Bloodline Imprints; the primary Bloodline Imprints quickly collapsed and dissolved, turning into solid impurities that sank to the bottom of the stone vat.

After pouring in another vial of Intermediate Dissolving Agent, Li Changsheng obtained two bowls of water-blue Basalt Essence Blood; if he added his previous accumulation, it totaled a little over one jar of Basalt Essence Blood, which finally met the requirements of the Xuanji Nine Transformations.

Li Changsheng did not immediately refine the Basalt Essence Blood; purifying the essence blood had consumed some of his energy, and he had to restore his state to its peak.

After about an hour, Li Changsheng opened his eyes and took off all the clothes on his body.

Without hesitation, he opened the Jade Ceramic Jar, and the Basalt Essence Blood inside flew out, turning into a blue Blood Ball that hovered quietly in front of him.

The next moment, Li Changsheng moved his mind, and a blood thread like a fine silk separated from the blue Blood Ball, landing on his abdominal dantian position.

During this process, Li Changsheng formed hand seals, and his Mental Power circulated according to the unique method of the Xuanji Nine Transformations.

In the blink of an eye, a Basalt pattern looking up at the sky appeared on Li Changsheng's stomach; its limbs were thick and sturdy, its eyes slightly closed, and a large snake was coiled around its body, looking vivid and lifelike, just like the real thing.

The "Xuanji Nine Transformations" is a top-tier auxiliary monster taming art that requires using a special method to incorporate Divine Beast Essence Blood into the body to open profound apertures, which not only greatly increases physical strength but also grants the ability to briefly transform into that Divine Beast.

However, although it has many benefits, the entire process is not pleasant; incorporating Divine Beast Essence Blood into the body is undoubtedly an incredibly painful process, and only those with a firm will can persist.

In this regard, Li Changsheng naturally met the criteria; practicing the "Four Symbols Star Monster Taming Art" had greatly increased his resistance to pain.

Additionally, incorporating Divine Beast Essence Blood into the body is not something that can be achieved in one go; it can be done in multiple sessions, which is also a gradual process.

The moment the Basalt pattern formed, the Basalt Essence Blood began to slowly seep through his skin.

The moment the Basalt Essence Blood entered his body, Li Zhangsheng furrowed his brows tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably, and he could not help but let out a painful groan.

The flesh and blood on his abdomen were tearing apart, rapidly infiltrating his limbs and bones, and rampaging through his body; this pain that penetrated to the marrow was something one would never forget for a lifetime.

During this process, Li Zhangsheng gritted his teeth, his face turning pale, desperately enduring this pain; the agony of absorbing the Basalt Essence Blood was even beyond his expectations.

If it were ordinary Divine Beast Essence Blood, such as that of a Water-Avoiding Golden-Eyed Beast, a Four-Clawed White Dragon, or an Ancestral Black Dragon, it naturally would not be this painful.

This was mainly related to the grade of the Divine Beast; as a top-tier Divine Beast, the power contained within the Basalt's essence blood far exceeded that of ordinary Divine Beasts, so the refining process was naturally more painful.

Li Zhangsheng barely endured the severe pain, his Mental Power continuing to operate the method of the "Xuanji Nine Transformations," striving to guide the Basalt Essence Blood to open the mysterious aperture at his navel.

The entire process was extremely painful, practically like seeking abuse, even worse than when he used Starlight Power for body tempering.

Li Zhangsheng was in pain yet happy; he could clearly feel his physical strength beginning to increase slowly, many times faster than Starlight Body Tempering, which lifted his spirits and made him cultivate even harder.

As time slowly passed, the frequency of Li Zhangsheng's trembling became more frequent, and his complexion was turning ghastly pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.

However, the first mysterious aperture still had not opened.

Li Zhangsheng persisted with effort, his whole person becoming groggy, gritting his teeth to hold on; he knew very well that if he failed, he would be forced to expel the Basalt Essence Blood he had taken into his body.

As a price, this Basalt Essence Blood would be dissipated between heaven and earth.

Dong, dong, dong~

Just as Li Zhangsheng's will was sinking into a stupor, the Heart-Clearing and Spirit-Calming Bell in his Consciousness Sea suddenly moved, emitting a crisp and melodious bell sound.

Under the influence of this bell sound, Li Zhangsheng's spirit was invigorated, temporarily dispelling the grogginess of his consciousness, and he continued to guide the Basalt Essence Blood to open the mysterious aperture.

Hum~

After about a quarter of an hour, Li Zhangsheng's body trembled violently, and a sound like the creation of the world seemed to ring out within his body, his mind instantly going blank.

In an instant, a point of light suddenly bloomed at his navel.

This was the mysterious aperture!

The mysterious aperture was similar to a Star Aperture, yet it had essential differences; compared to the relatively illusory Star Aperture, the mysterious aperture was equivalent to opening a special space on his body.

The moment he regained clarity, Li Zhangsheng immediately performed hand seals at the fastest speed possible; his speed was extremely fast, accompanied by a massive consumption of Mental Power, utilizing the special method of the "Xuanji Nine Transformations" to manifest strange runes one after another, which slowly seeped into the mysterious aperture, causing it to undergo certain changes.

When the changes in the mysterious aperture vanished, Li Zhangsheng finally let out a sigh of relief; under his control, a powerful suction force emerged from the mysterious aperture, like a long whale drinking water, devouring all the Basalt Essence Blood he had taken into his body.

It was also at this time that Li Zhangsheng's muscles and bones faintly glowed with a water-blue light.

At the same time, above Li Zhangsheng's head, a blurry phantom of a Basalt faintly emerged, accompanied by a heavy Pressure; as he absorbed more Basalt Essence Blood, the Basalt phantom became clearer.

With the help of the Breath Concealment Restriction, these phenomena were naturally not noticed by outsiders.

Soon, Li Zhangsheng's whole body trembled violently like a winnowing sieve; this was a sign that his body was nearing its limit.

If he continued, it would affect his foundation.

Without any forcing, Li Zhangsheng hurriedly stopped his cultivation; the mysterious aperture gradually fell silent, and the Basalt phantom above his head dove straight into Li Zhangsheng's body and disappeared.

Li Zhangsheng opened his eyes, a weak smile appearing on his face, and he subconsciously looked at the Jade Ceramic Jar.

Compared to before, the Basalt Essence Blood in the Jade Ceramic Jar had decreased by about 1/10, which also increased his physical strength significantly.

At this rate, he would be able to absorb all the Basalt Essence Blood in the Jade Ceramic Jar in ten days and gain the ability to transform into a Basalt.

Even so, Li Zhangsheng was still full of weakness, hurriedly taking out a bottle of Life Water, and with a clanking sound, he drank it all in one breath.

The Life Water quickly repaired the injuries in Li Zhangsheng's body that had not yet recovered; the feeling of weakness quickly receded, and Li Zhangsheng let out a light breath, feeling much better.

After cleaning himself up, Li Zhangsheng lay on the bed, dizzy, and fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up, it was already the next morning, and he had been awakened by the sound of gongs and drums.

For the sake of safety, Li Zhangsheng first put on the Gold Silk Soft Armor, then took out a mighty suit of battle armor; this armor was made from the Dragon Scales, Dragon Skin, and Dragon Tendon of an Ancestral Black Dragon, and it was engraved with some runes, not only possessing astonishing defensive power but also being able to be stored in the Consciousness Sea.

He had made two sets of Ancestral Dragon Scale Armor in total, and he had given the other set to Ning Bizhen.

Gold Silk Soft Armor + Ancestral Dragon Scale Armor + Starlight Body Protection + Third-Grade Star Palace Lotus Platform + Purple Flame Corpse-Hiding Coffin; this was Li Zhangsheng's life-saving combination, which was truly outrageous.

Once he gained the ability to transform into a Basalt, even if he encountered a top-tier demon, he would have the confidence to block a few hits and not be killed instantly.

Over the Ancestral Dragon Scale Armor, Li Zhangsheng also draped a wide black robe, completely covering the Ancestral Dragon Scale Armor.

Only, in this way, Li Zhangsheng's originally well-proportioned figure became bloated, but for the sake of safety, what did it matter if it looked a bit ugly.

Not long after, the sound of gongs and drums also rang out in Li Zhangsheng's military camp.

He had already read the regulations here by heart; the dense sound of gongs and drums in the military camp meant a summons.

Li Zhangsheng immediately left the room and came to the drill ground of this military camp to assemble; if he could not arrive within a quarter of an hour, he would be punished according to military law.

(End of this chapter)