The guest hall gradually returned to silence after Lily Frost departed.
Tony stood alone beneath the flickering lanterns, quietly watching the courtyard where her figure had disappeared into the night.
Whether she chose to leave forever or continue walking beside him was no longer something he intended to force.
"Sometimes... knowing the truth creates even more problems than hiding it." Tony muttered while looking toward the moon.
He slowly exhaled before turning around and walking back toward his private courtyard.
The moment Tony entered his room again, he immediately noticed Elsa exactly where he had left her. The Demonic Sea Tribe princess remained tightly restrained upon the large wooden bed, her beautiful eyes glaring murderously the instant she saw him return.
Judging from her furious expression alone, Tony could already imagine the countless curses she wished to throw at him.
Tony removed the cloth in her mouth.
Elsa immediately inhaled deeply before shouting, "Tony Clark! Release me immediately! My master will tear your Clark Family apart if anything happens to me!"
Tony calmly raised one finger. "Finished?"
Elsa bit her lips before continuing angrily, "Do you think these childish tricks can imprison me forever? The moment I escape, I swear I’ll personally cut off your head."
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Good... I was worried you might lose your fighting spirit. Seeing you threaten me again means you’re recovering well."
Elsa almost choked with anger. She had never met someone capable of turning every conversation into mockery.
Tony ignored her furious stare completely before slowly walking toward the cultivation platform situated in the center of the room.
He gently sat down in the lotus position as countless jade lamps surrounding the platform automatically lit one after another.
The entire room gradually became illuminated by a faint golden glow.
Tony slowly closed his eyes before taking out the crystal vial containing the Dragon Bone Essence rewarded by the Fated Villain System.
Even Elsa, despite her anger, instinctively stopped speaking the moment she sensed the terrifying aura filling the room.
Her pupils slowly contracted. "Dragon..." she whispered subconsciously.
Tony uncorked the vial without answering. Instantly, all thirty drops floated into the air like tiny golden stars before surrounding his body in a perfect circle.
At the same time another ancient manual appeared inside his hands. Dragon Physique Manual... Second Evolution. The familiar golden letters slowly dissolved into countless streams of light before entering Tony’s forehead.
An enormous amount of information exploded inside his consciousness. Every circulation route, every bone refinement method, every transformation sequence engraved itself deeply within his memory as though he had studied the technique for decades.
Tony slowly circulated the Heaven Devouring Origin Scripture.
A gigantic vortex of life energy gathered above the cultivation platform before rushing violently toward his body.
Every drop of Dragon Bone Essence instantly shattered into countless streams of liquid golden light before entering his skin through every pore.
The moment the first stream entered his body, Tony’s muscles tightened violently. His bones emitted deafening cracking sounds.
Every meridian expanded under unimaginable pressure while burning pain spread throughout every inch of his body. Tony calmly continued guiding the violent dragon essence according to the circulation paths described inside the manual.
Golden scales slowly emerged beneath his skin before disappearing again. Ancient dragon runes gradually appeared across both arms, spreading toward his shoulders and chest like living tattoos forged from molten gold.
Elsa silently watched the transformation with growing disbelief. Even without moving, she could clearly sense the terrifying draconic pressure continuously increasing inside the room.
The wooden furniture began trembling. Tiny cracks spread across the marble floor surrounding the cultivation platform. Every breath Tony exhaled carried faint dragon roars.
Suddenly his spine emitted a series of explosive cracking sounds before countless golden dragon patterns spread across his back. His shoulders widened slightly while every muscle compressed into a far denser state.
The aura surrounding him no longer resembled that of an ordinary human martial artist. It felt ancient. Tyrannical. Dominating. As though an ancient dragon had quietly awakened beneath human flesh. Golden light erupted from beneath his closed eyelids before gradually subsiding. Hours slowly passed while the night grew deeper.
The violent dragon aura eventually stabilized as every golden rune slowly sank beneath his skin. Only a pair of faint dragon-shaped pupils briefly appeared within Tony’s closed eyes before disappearing completely.
A low rumbling echoed from deep inside his body.
Boom!
Tony slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing visible within those pupils was a pair of ancient golden dragon shadows quietly circling before fading away.
He lowered his head and slowly clenched his right fist. A simple movement... Yet the surrounding air distorted.
His bones produced a deep metallic resonance resembling the collision of ancient divine weapons.
The second evolution... Had finally been completed.
Tony slowly stood up from the cultivation platform before gently stretching his body. Every movement now felt incomparably lighter, yet every strand of muscle contained explosive strength several times greater than before.
He quietly smiled to himself. "Dragon Physique..." he murmured. "...Second Evolution... complete."
Even without testing his strength, he could already tell that his physical body alone had reached an entirely new level. If he encountered Mark Smith again, he doubted the fellow could survive even a single direct punch without relying upon external treasures.
Elsa quietly stared at Tony without saying a word. The confidence she had displayed earlier gradually gave way to caution.
For the first time since meeting Tony Clark, she truly understood why even Luka had repeatedly warned the Demonic Sea Tribe not to underestimate this seemingly lazy young master.
The monster standing before her was still growing... and frighteningly fast.
- - -
Ancestor Kent Clark, who had been peacefully enjoying his midnight tea beneath the ancient maple tree, suddenly paused midway through lifting the teacup.
His aged eyes slowly narrowed as an ancient and overbearing aura quietly swept across the entire manor before disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared.
The old ancestor gently placed the cup back onto the stone table and turned his gaze toward Tony’s courtyard.
A faint smile gradually appeared beneath his white beard. "That brat..." he muttered softly. "He has finally begun walking the path of the Tyrant Dragon."
He closed his eyes for a brief moment before nodding with satisfaction.
-
Greed brings Grief, Right?!!!