Yuanqing Courtyard.
Underground secret chamber.
"I have already organized everything for you, Master. I am just waiting for you to ask for it!"
The Black Dragon’s voice emanated from the Profound Yin Hanging Bead, and its Soul Body materialized before Yang Chan.
The Black Dragon was much smaller now, only about the size of a palm. This wasn’t because it was limited to this size, but because a larger Soul Body would drain more of its power.
It had now become the Artifact Spirit of the Profound Yin Hanging Bead, which would sometimes draw upon its power. Naturally, it had to conserve its strength; otherwise, it might be completely drained dry one day.
Its current Soul Body was the last repository of its power. If this Soul Body were to disappear, it too would dissipate and perish completely.
From Yang Chan, it had learned to be prudent. That’s why it was conserving its strength. In the past, it would never have acted this way.
With its life and death in someone else’s hands, it had to recognize its situation. Otherwise, it would be the one to suffer.
Along with the Black Dragon, three scrolls appeared.
The words "True Dragon Treasure Manual" were written on one of them. This was clearly the Black Dragon’s Cultivation Technique, a method of Cultivation unique to the Dragon Race.
Yang Chan opened it directly and examined its contents.
This was a Cultivation Technique for dragons in their Growth Stage. There wasn’t much recorded about Cultivation in the Body Tempering Stage. According to the manual, as long as a dragon neared adulthood, it would inevitably complete its Body Tempering. Then, it would open its Divine Acupoints, breaking the boundary between dragon and god. Only by completing this step could it be considered to have entered its Adulthood Stage.
For the Dragon Race, this was also a trial, which they called the Dragon Gate.
Only dragons that stepped into the Divine Acupoint Realm were qualified to become True Dragons. Those that failed to cross over were considered Mixed Dragons with impure bloodlines.
Yang Chan could read between the lines and see the Black Dragon’s utter contempt for these Mixed Dragons that failed to advance. No wonder it had been so high and mighty when it first looked at him.
It didn’t even give a second thought to dragons at the Peak of Body Tempering, let alone a member of the Human Race like him who hadn’t even completed the Body Tempering Stage. Naturally, he was even further beneath its notice.
If not for the fact that Yang Chan now controlled its life and death, and possessed the control Secret Technique left by the Profound Celestial Divine Monarch, the Black Dragon’s attitude would still be arrogant, not obedient like it was now.
"How long does it take for a member of the Dragon Race to reach the Peak of the Body Tempering Stage?"
Yang Chan asked as he looked at the True Dragon Treasure Manual.
’The Dragon Race truly lives up to its name as a uniquely blessed Longevity Species. Their starting point is already so high.’
According to the information provided by the Black Dragon, even the weakest dragons were equivalent to the Peak Martial Saint Realm. On the Taiyu Divine Continent, this was already considered a Top Level existence.
But in the Black Dragon’s eyes, these were merely Mixed Dragons with impure bloodlines.
"Under normal circumstances, it takes a thousand years for a dragon to go from hatching to the Peak of Body Tempering. If they encounter accidents, like their origin being damaged or being suppressed, it will take even longer!"
"But the longest it takes is only two thousand years."
The Black Dragon answered honestly.
"Two thousand years at most? Being suppressed or having a damaged origin doesn’t stop them? That’s quite impressive!"
Yang Chan was surprised to hear this.
’According to the Black Dragon, the Dragon Race is even stronger than I thought, with a higher baseline.’
"If they don’t break through within two thousand years, they die of old age!"
"The Lifespan of the Mixed-blood Dragon Race isn’t long. Two thousand years is basically their limit!"
The Black Dragon’s addendum made Yang Chan understand the true meaning.
It wasn’t that they were guaranteed to reach the Peak of the Body Tempering Stage, but rather that if they didn’t, their Lifespan would run out and they would die.
Still, it was a very long time in comparison, much longer than the Lifespan of a Human Race Martial Saint expert.
For instance, the Grand Ancestor of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty, a Martial Saint expert, lived for over five hundred years. He probably consumed many life-extending Elixirs, but his Lifespan was still approaching its end, forcing him to risk everything.
Clearly, the Grand Ancestor of Great Zhou, Yang Sheng, had failed in his gamble. However, the Great Zhou Imperial Family had succeeded.
At the very least, the Old Emperor, Yang Yu, had broken through to the National Guardian Martial Saint Realm. He could now watch over the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty and provide some stability.
Even if the Major Sects were dissatisfied with the Great Zhou Imperial Family’s actions, with a National Guardian Martial Saint presiding over the Imperial Family, they could only obtain some compensation to cover their losses.
Otherwise, if the Great Zhou Imperial Family didn’t have a National Guardian Martial Saint expert watching over them, the Major Sects would have likely joined forces to attack them.
The Great Zhou Imperial Family possessed numerous Cultivation Resources, things the Major Sects coveted greatly. In the past, many of these resources had even been offered up by the Major Sects themselves—though of course, it was called "distribution," not "tribute."
A portion of the Cultivation Resources from each province fell into the hands of the Major Sects, and the Court naturally took a slice of the pie as well, obtaining their desired share. This created a relative balance between the Major Sects and the Imperial Family.
The Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty had managed to cultivate so many experts precisely because of this vast accumulation of Cultivation Resources. It was only natural that the Major Sects had their eyes on them.
The Major Sects were now uniting to demand an explanation from the Great Zhou Imperial Family and compensation for their losses, all with their eyes on these Cultivation Resources.
With the Great Zhou Imperial Family having a National Guardian Martial Saint, they certainly couldn’t take everything, but getting a portion of it would be more than enough.
Furthermore, after so many years of accumulation, the Great Zhou Imperial Family also controlled Secret Realms, along with extremely rare Cultivation Resources and various Spirit Medicines.
If the Major Sects could get their hands on these, they would naturally gain significant benefits. They could use them for Alchemy to enhance their Martial Arts Cultivation.
The Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty had gone to such great lengths just to help the Old Emperor break through to the National Guardian Martial Saint Realm. Yet for the Dragon Race, they only needed to grow normally to reach this stage, and could even go much further.
"Then, after a dragon crosses the Dragon Vein and breaks through to the Divine Acupoint Realm, what is their Lifespan?"
Yang Chan asked with great curiosity.
’With such a long Lifespan, if they can keep improving, their potential is truly immense.’
’Two thousand years of Lifespan just at the Body Tempering stage. They truly are a Longevity Species.’
"Below the True God Realm, all living beings who can walk the Great Dao are subject to a limitation. A maximum of ten thousand eight hundred years."
"If I hadn’t become an Artifact Spirit, I would have faced the end of my Lifespan in just a few hundred years!"
The Black Dragon was extremely emotional as it spoke.
All living beings in the world chase after long life. As a member of the exceedingly proud Dragon Race, even when facing the great calamity of his Lifespan’s end, he would have tried to break through to the True God Realm rather than consider other paths, to say nothing of becoming an Artifact Spirit—a path that makes it difficult to walk the Great Dao.
"Is this a restriction of the rules between heaven and earth?"
A glint flashed in Yang Chan’s eyes upon hearing this.
’I have the Health Cultivation Technique, which can extend my life. One day, my Lifespan might even exceed ten thousand eight hundred years. If there’s a universal rule limiting it, I wonder if I’ll be affected.’
’Does the panel have the ability to break this kind of restriction?’
"It’s not a restriction of heaven and earth’s rules, but a restriction on living beings themselves. It’s like a Longevity Lock. Before it’s opened, that is the limit."
"Only by opening the Longevity Lock and advancing to the True God Realm can one shatter these shackles!"
The Black Dragon shook its head upon hearing this.
The Power of Rules between heaven and earth is immense, but that isn’t the chain that restrains living beings. The true chain is within the physical body, an imprint carved into the very being of a creature.