Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Across the vast plains, hills rise and fall, the wind howls, the sky is like a canopy, and white clouds drift by.

The green grass is like a carpet, pointing its head to the sky. Its roots and stems are twisted and gnarled like dragon tendons. The edges of the leaves are decorated with dark golden patterns that vaguely resemble scales and claws. It looks thin, but it only sways gently in the strong wind, firmly rooted in the earth.

Amidst the gentle hills, a mountain range stretching for over ten miles rises abruptly from the ground.

The mountain is steep and precipitous, with cliffs that look as if they were carved by a knife and axe. Trees are difficult to climb on them, and a dark golden moss grows on them, dyeing the entire mountain range a dark golden color.

Deep in the mountains, atop a precipitous peak, stands a stone platform.

This platform is ten zhang high, square and heavy, hollow inside, resembling a giant cauldron.

On the surface of the stone platform, a layer of dark golden moss also clung, scattered and mottled, concealing the dark blue body of the platform.

Every fifteen minutes, a surge of primordial energy would erupt from the high platform, shooting straight into the sky with incredible speed.

At these times, the layer of moss covering the high platform undulates and opens and closes like the scales on the body of a fierce beast.

Only when the primordial energy dissipated, merging into the heavens and earth, transforming into a light mist that enveloped the mountain range, did the moss finally calm down.

At the foot of the mountain, there are scattered peculiar cone-shaped houses, all built from the green grass of the fields.

The fine, resilient blades of grass are woven together, standing firm against the howling wind. The dark golden veins reflect the sunlight, creating streaks of golden light that are quite beautiful.

Surrounded by thatched huts are several magnificent stone palaces, rugged and ancient, imposing and towering several meters higher than the huts.

In the middle of several palaces stands a lifelike statue, ten zhang tall, with antlers like a deer, head like a camel, eyes like a rabbit, neck like a snake, belly like a clam, scales like a fish, claws like an eagle, paws like a tiger, ears like a cow... It is indeed a legendary dragon.

At this moment, hundreds of people are gathered at the foot of the statue, with one hand on their chest, bowing to the statue in a solemn atmosphere.

These people were tall, about eight feet tall, and wore simple clothes made of animal skin that only covered their bodies, leaving their arms and legs bare. They held a long, iron-gray spear in their hands.

Their appearance was no different from that of human cultivators, but their eyes were pale gold and their bodies were covered with a layer of dark yellow scales, which made them somewhat similar to demons.

The farther away a person is from the dragon statue, the more robust their physique and the sparser their scales become.

More than half of the people had only their arms covered with a layer of scales, which were exceptionally large and dull in color, making them look ferocious and ugly.

The closer one gets to the dragon statue, the taller and more agile their body becomes.

The scales on its body surface became increasingly fine and smooth, with a dark gold color and a shimmering luster. They extended from its arms all the way to its neck, covering the well-defined muscles and exuding an elegant feel.

The leaders were not wearing animal skin dresses, but rather colorful silk garments, which were bright and luxurious.

Between the crowd and the dragon statue, a bonfire was lit, with firewood piled up underneath.

A colossal beast, several meters long, was placed over the campfire. Its skin had been peeled off, its head severed, and its internal organs emptied, as it endured the scorching heat of the flames.

At this moment, most of the giant beast's body had been roasted, and golden oil dripped down, emitting a fragrant aroma.

Two men stood on a wooden frame to the side, their bodies exceptionally muscular, struggling to turn the enormous spear that had passed through the beast's body. Their muscles bulged, and they were panting heavily.

Most of the spear was embedded in the giant beast's body, with the exposed part being fiery red. As the flames swept over it, the spear became even brighter, especially the spearhead, which was as clear and translucent as a fire jade.

A layer of red light also emerged from the pale golden scales covering the two people, and their hands were directly wrapped in flames to avoid being injured by the scorching spears.

Beside the campfire was a roughly three-foot-high stone platform, occupying a large area, upon which sat a ferocious beast head.

Its mouthful of fangs was as sharp as swords, and its wide-open eyes, like everyone else's, were a pale gold color. It died with its eyes wide open, still retaining a fierce look.

Standing at the forefront of the crowd was a middle-aged man who led the people behind him to bow and pay homage to the dragon statue through the scorching giant beast.

After nine repetitions, the middle-aged man finally turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his pale golden pupils filled with majesty.

The crowd seemed afraid to meet his gaze, slowly lowering their heads, including Nie Yao in the crowd.

He lowered his head deeply, avoiding the patriarch's stern gaze, gripped the spear tightly in his hand, his face full of tension, and even felt a sense of fear and submission from the bottom of his heart.

Nie Yao is only seventy-three years old this year. Two months ago, he hunted down a dragon beast equivalent to the Hidden Scale Realm with his own strength, passed the coming-of-age ceremony, and became a true warrior.

But compared to the other warriors in the Qiu Cao tribe, his strength was nothing.

Although they were able to participate in the ceremony, they could only stand at the very end of the crowd, feeling the majesty of the true dragon from a great distance.

As the wind blew, the fragrance of the Manifestation Realm dragon beast wafted out, reaching Nie Yao's nose, causing him to involuntarily swallow and his Adam's apple to bob twice.

He had just left the Dragon Breath Realm, and his father had only been a Hidden Scale Realm warrior in the past, who could only eat Hidden Scale Realm dragon beasts on a regular basis.

Sometimes, when the hunt goes poorly, they can only eat the lowest-level dragon beasts in the Dragon Breath Realm, which are dry and tough.

Most importantly, the dragon energy is insufficient, making it tasteless and only able to satisfy hunger, offering no benefit whatsoever to cultivation growth.

As for the flesh and blood of even more powerful dragon beasts, only warriors at the Blood Coagulation Realm and elders at the Manifestation Realm, as well as their children, can enjoy it.

The Qiucao tribe is still too weak. It is said that in those powerful tribes, only young children eat dragon beasts at the Zhelin realm, while boys over thirty years old can be given dragon beasts at the Condensation realm.

Those with exceptional talent can even frequently consume the flesh of manifested dragon beasts, and also have dragon energy stones available for cultivation.

Over time, the dragon energy within them became pure and abundant, and their cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.

Before the age of one hundred, one can cultivate to the peak of the Blood Condensation Realm, enter the Dragon Breath Platform, draw dragon energy into the body, break through to the Manifestation Realm, and even have the opportunity to cultivate to the Cloud Soaring Realm in the future, becoming a renowned powerhouse.

Nie Yao dared not have such extravagant hopes. He only hoped that the clan leader would hold more sacrificial ceremonies like today's, so that he could get a few pieces of flesh from the Manifestation Realm dragon beasts, carefully refine the dragon energy within, and improve his cultivation level.

The risk will be reduced a bit when hunting dragons again.

Even though every sacrificial ceremony ended with battles with other tribes and the constant threat of death, Nie Yao remained fearless.

His greatest wish is to cultivate to the Manifestation Realm, become an elder of the Qiongcao Tribe, and never have to hunt in the wilderness again.

To reach this level of cultivation, one needs to absorb a large amount of dragon energy; relying solely on devouring dragon beasts at the Blood Condensation Realm will never lead to this achievement.

Only by achieving merit on the battlefield will the tribe bestow upon you more powerful dragon beast flesh and blood, and even invaluable dragon energy stones, to rapidly enhance your cultivation.

Only the bravest warriors are qualified to enter the Dragon Breath Platform when the Dragon Qi tide erupts, draw in the Dragon Qi to their bodies, break through to the Manifestation Realm, become elders of the Qiongcao Tribe, and command dozens of warriors, standing majestically.

Only elders of the Manifestation Realm can wear silk robes woven from python silkworm silk, receive a mustard seed ring, wield a Ruyi divine weapon, and even have the opportunity to enter the bustling Tushan City and enjoy themselves at Cuiyixuan.

Nie Yao didn't know what Cuiyixuan was, but his father was a confidant of Pang Feng, an elder in the tribe. Once, he had made a meritorious contribution and was rewarded by Elder Pang, who then took Nie Yao to a banquet.

At that banquet, Elder Pang was very happy and drank heartily. After getting drunk, he said more than once that Cuiyixuan was a place of ultimate bliss.

However, entering Cuiyixuan requires precious Dragon Qi Stones, and he has only been there twice, his words filled with regret.

While devouring the meat of a dragon beast at the Blood Condensation Realm and sipping the fragrant wine imbued with a faint dragon aura, Nie Yao firmly memorized the name Cui Yixuan.

He secretly resolved that one day he would definitely go to this paradise to enjoy himself, so that he would not have lived in vain.

Nie Yao inhaled the faint fragrance carried on the wind, his thoughts churning as he tried to dispel the tension of his impending battle. Suddenly, the tribal chief's authoritative voice reached his ears: "Our Qiucao tribe has always been benevolent, guarding Minwei Mountain carefully, and rarely fighting with other tribes."

"But the Qiushi tribe thought we were weak and easy to bully. Over the past few years, they have repeatedly invaded the hunting grounds of our Qiucao tribe, robbed dragon beasts, and injured warriors from more than a dozen tribes."

"This time, they went even further, demanding a spot to enter the Dragon Breath Platform before the Dragon Qi Tide erupted!"

The chieftain's voice suddenly rose: "Who doesn't know that the Dragon's Breath Platform is the foundation of every tribe?"

"Only by drawing dragon energy into the body during the dragon energy tide can one have a chance to break through to the Manifestation Realm, withstand the impact of the dragon beast tide on the Dragon Breath Platform, and ensure the survival of the tribe."

"The Qiushi tribe is now demanding a spot to enter the Dragon's Breath Platform, or they will attack with their entire tribe. Will you agree? Are you afraid?"

"no way!"

"The Qiushi tribe is going too far! Let's fight them!"

"This is undermining the foundation of our Qiucao tribe! This time, the Qiushi tribe is asking for a spot, but what about ten years from now? Twenty years from now? We absolutely cannot agree to this!"

"Elder Pang is right. We would rather fight the Qiushi tribe to the death than submit to them!"

As soon as the clan leader finished speaking, many people answered loudly, including elders and warriors at the Blood Condensation Realm.

Nie Yao brandished his spear and shouted, "Let's fight the Qiushi tribe to the death!"

Even the young children of the Qiu Cao tribe know that the Dragon Breath Platform is the foundation of the tribe and its greatest asset for survival.

Anyone who tries to seize the Dragon's Breath Platform is the greatest enemy of the Qiu Cao tribe.

In an instant, the crowd was agitated, and almost all the soldiers raised their spears, their faces red, and shouted curses at the Qiushi tribe.

The clan chief looked around, nodded in satisfaction, and said loudly, "That's right! My Qiucao tribe must never submit to the Qiushi tribe, otherwise we will only bring about our own destruction."

"Over the past few thousand years, we have fought against the Qiushi tribe, and the battles have always been evenly matched."

"This time, they won't be able to take the Dragon's Breath Platform spot from us."

"Today we offer sacrifices to the true dragon, and we will surely receive its protection and defeat the Qiushi tribe."

"The same rules apply: whoever kills a warrior of the Hidden Scale Realm from the Qiushi Tribe will receive a low-grade Dragon Qi Stone!"

"Whoever kills a Blood Condensation Realm warrior from the Qiushi Tribe will receive ten low-grade Dragon Qi Stones!"

"Whoever slays a Manifestation Realm elder of the Qiushi Tribe will be rewarded with a thousand catties of dragon beast meat of the same realm and a mid-grade dragon energy stone!"

"If you can kill Li Chongshan, the chieftain of the Qiushi tribe, you will be rewarded with ten thousand catties of dragon beast meat of the same realm, three mid-grade dragon energy stones, and a Ruyi divine weapon!"

These words immediately ignited everyone's fighting spirit.

"If the Qiushi tribe dares to invade, we will make sure they never return!"

"Slaughter all the bastards of the Qiushi tribe and spread the might of my Qiucao tribe!"

"I'm going to cut off Li Chongshan's head and offer it to the true dragon!"

Nie Yao was also deeply moved, gripping his spear tightly, his whole body trembling, wishing he could rush towards the warriors of the Qiushi tribe and start a massacre.

Although he had only just broken through the bottleneck and his cultivation was only at the early stage of the Hidden Scale Realm, warriors at this level still had a relatively rudimentary understanding of dragon energy and their physical bodies were not particularly strong. However, their combat skills were quite effective, and they often managed to defeat stronger opponents.

Under his father's guidance, he diligently cultivated himself, refining the dragon energy within his body day after day.

Even when he was still in the early stage of the Dragon Breath Realm, he fought desperately against dragon beasts in the middle stage of the Dragon Breath Realm to hone his combat skills.

After breaking through to the Hidden Scale Realm, he also sparred with warriors of the same rank in the tribe twice, and was able to hold his own on both occasions.

Nie Yao believed that even if he encountered a warrior at the mid-stage of the Hidden Scale Realm, he could still use his skillful combat techniques honed in life-and-death situations to cut off his head and obtain a precious low-grade dragon energy stone.

If he's lucky, he can kill two or three more warriors in the Hidden Scale Realm and obtain a few low-grade dragon energy stones, enough for him to cultivate to the mid-stage of the Hidden Scale Realm.

If one were to bury oneself in arduous cultivation, it would take at least several hundred years and consume the flesh of dozens of dragon beasts at the Hidden Scale Realm before one could break through the bottleneck.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we absolutely cannot miss.

The clan chief was very satisfied to see that the crowd was in good spirits and immediately ordered his men to take down the giant beast that had already been roasted.

He personally took out the spear that had pierced through the giant beast, shrunk it to about ten feet in length, and used the sharp spearhead to slice off pieces of roasted meat from the beast's body, which he then distributed to everyone.

For the Qiucao tribe, every Manifestation Realm dragon beast is extremely precious, and even offerings to true dragons must not be wasted.

Nie Yao received a few pieces of roasted meat and swallowed them impatiently. Before he could even savor the delicious taste of the Manifestation Realm dragon beast meat, he immediately returned to his thatched hut, closed the door, and began to refine the dragon energy.

After breaking through to the Hidden Scale Realm, he was allocated a thatched hut according to the tribe's rules.

It was much smaller than the original dwelling, with very few furnishings, except for a dim piece of fluorite that emitted a faint light.

But Nie Yao didn't care. He was still young and not in a hurry to get married and have children. It didn't matter if the thatched hut was a little simple.

Once he breaks through to the Blood Condensation Realm and becomes a high-ranking warrior in the tribe, he will be allocated the best thatched hut.

Three days later, just as Nie Yao had refined all the dragon energy, a sharp whistle rang in his ears, startling him from his cultivation.

He immediately grabbed the spear from the wall, rushed out of the thatched hut, and looked up to see billowing smoke and dust in the distance, with hundreds of people wielding spears rushing towards him.

The Qiushi tribe is attacking!

The clan chief sternly summoned all the warriors in the clan and ordered the old, weak, women and children to enter the main hall next to the dragon statue and block the hall door with huge stones to prevent the Qiushi tribe warriors from rushing in.

Nie Yao's father, Nie Chong, came to his side with a very solemn expression and said in a low voice, "Among all the tribes within a radius of ten thousand miles, the warriors of the Qiushi tribe are the most ferocious."

"When the battle begins, be extremely careful and absolutely do not engage them in direct combat!"

Nie Yao verbally agreed, but in his heart he didn't care. He was only thinking about killing more Qiushi warriors, making merit, and exchanging them for low-grade dragon energy stones.

What about the warriors of the Qiushi tribe?

He killed dozens of dragon beasts, all of which were only at the Dragon Breath Realm level, but they were all extremely ferocious.

The combat skills he honed on these dragon beasts will surely surprise the warriors of the Qiushi tribe.

The warriors of the Qiu Cao tribe lined up to meet the attack, while Nie Yao, with his low cultivation level, was positioned at the rear of the formation.

Nie Chong, a mid-stage warrior of the Hidden Scale Realm, separated from Nie Yao only behind the Blood Condensation Realm warrior. He turned back and glanced at her worriedly before having to turn away again.

The warriors of the Qiushi tribe moved with incredible speed, covering over a hundred miles in less than a quarter of an hour, and arrived before the warriors of the Qiucao tribe.

The clan chief stepped forward, brandishing a fiery red spear, pointing it at the opposite side, and shouted, "Li Chongshan, my Qiucao tribe will never relinquish our Dragon Breath Platform spot! Do you dare to come out and fight me, Zhang?" (End of Chapter)