If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The remains of the colossus are still cooling.

The sound of stones grinding together was ear-piercing, and scalding smoke filled the air. Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang stood amidst the chaos, facing the source of the pillar of light. It was a beam of light shining from the depths of the earth, straight and solid, like a pillar supporting the sky.

After the colossus fell, the entire pillar was revealed.

At the center of the beam of light, something was suspended.

Its entire body is a dark gold, covered with fine, ancient patterns. Each section is as thick as a log, interlocking with each other. It is neither stone nor metal. It is an indescribable material, solid and ancient, as if it has existed since the beginning of time.

Dragon's spine.

The real dragon spine.

It hovered silently, the pillar of light its very essence. Zhou Yang could sense the vast and boundless power, far surpassing anything he had ever encountered before. The three fragments were merely scales that had fallen from the complete dragon's spine.

"This is..." Qin Shuang's voice was a little hoarse. Her hand gripped the sickle tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

"Hmm," Zhou Yang responded, his gaze never leaving the dragon's spine.

He walked forward slowly.

The pebbles beneath his feet crunched under his feet. The closer he got, the heavier the ancient, desolate aura became. The air seemed to thicken, each breath carrying a subtle pressure. Streams of air rippled around the edge of the pillar of light, like invisible waves, pushing against his robes.

Qin Shuang followed a few steps behind him, her expression wary. She had no idea what would happen next. This power was too terrifying, beyond her comprehension.

Zhou Yang stopped three feet away from the beam of light.

He reached out, touching the light. The moment his fingertips touched the pillar of light, a sensation both warm and cold washed over him. It was contradictory. Like touching fire and ice simultaneously. The pillar of light had no physical obstruction; his hand passed right through it.

The energy inside is even more violent.

It felt like countless tiny electric snakes were crawling across his skin, causing a tingling, stinging sensation.

He withdrew his hand and looked at his fingertips. There was no injury on his skin, but the blood flow seemed to have quickened.

"What should we do?" Qin Shuang asked. She saw Zhou Yang standing in front of the pillar of light for a long time, neither moving nor speaking.

"Together as one." Zhou Yang took out the other two fragments from his pocket.

The three fragments of the dragon's spine each emitted a soft light. They seemed to sense something, trembling slightly in Zhou Yang's palm and emitting a low hum.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath. He didn't hesitate.

He threw all three fragments at the beam of light simultaneously.

The moment the fragments left his palm, they shone brightly. Instead of falling, they traced three parallel paths in the air, as if drawn by an invisible force, slowly flying towards the pillar of light.

Qin Shuang held her breath.

She saw the patterns on the pillar of light begin to change. The ancient, dark gold runes seemed to come alive, moving and rearranging themselves. On the surface of the pillar of light, three grooves that perfectly matched the shapes of the fragments gradually emerged.

Incredibly accurate.

The three fragments adjusted their angles and flew precisely into their respective grooves.

"Click."

The first fragment embedded itself in the groove with a crisp sound. A small beam of light spread along the patterns on the dragon's spine.

"Click."

The second fragment also embedded itself securely. The area of ​​the light spreading expanded even further.

"Click."

The last piece was put back in place.

Three crisp sounds, like the clarion call of some ancient ritual. The instant the third sound fell, the entire dragon spine shuddered violently!

"Buzz—"

A deafening roar didn't come from the outside world, but exploded deep within Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang's minds. The sound was loud and far-reaching, like a dragon's roar or a bell tolling, making their blood surge.

Qin Shuang grunted and took two steps back, using her sickle to brace herself on the ground. She looked at Zhou Yang again and found him still standing there, motionless, as if the loud noise in her mind had no effect on him whatsoever.

But his expression had become extremely solemn.

The beam of light began to shrink.

The light that had soared into the sky began to flow back into the dragon's spine. The massive, dark bone gradually shed its simplicity, becoming enveloped in a layer of flowing golden light. The pillar of light grew thinner and brighter until it vanished completely.

Instead, there is a complete, dazzling dragon spine.

It hovered in mid-air, all the runes lit up, like a golden stream rushing across its surface. The pressure was more than ten times stronger than before. The surrounding air was distorted, and the stone ground was pressed down inch by inch.

Zhou Yang looked up at it.

He knew this was the final step.

This thing was prepared for him from the very beginning. From the moment he obtained the first fragment, this thread had already led him here. There is no turning back.

Just as he was about to step forward, the dragon's spine began to move on its own.

It slowly rotated, aiming at Zhou Yang. The thickest segment at the front resembled a ferocious head, "looking" at him.

Although it had no eyes, Zhou Yang sensed a scrutinizing aura emanating from it.

He did not back down, but stepped forward to meet the oppressive force.

That's the action.

The dragon's spine trembled violently. The next second, it transformed into a golden stream of light, losing its physical form, and shot towards Zhou Yang like a liquid lightning bolt.

too fast.

It happened so fast that Qin Shuang had no time to react. She could only watch helplessly as the stream of light, containing world-destroying power, entered Zhou Yang's body.

They rushed in from his back, along his spine.

Zhou Yang's body arched violently.

He felt as if he had been struck head-on by an invisible giant hammer; his feet left the ground, and he flew backward. Qin Shuang rushed forward to catch him.

Zhou Yang fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He braced himself on the ground with his hands, letting out a beast-like roar. It wasn't a cry of pain, but more like a struggle during a metamorphosis. On his skin, veins bulged, clearly visible. Blood flowed through them, at a frightening speed.

His clothes were torn to shreds, revealing his muscular body.

Just then, another mutation occurred.

A golden-red halo spread out from him without warning.

The halo clung to the ground, rapidly spreading outwards. Its color was peculiar, half a molten lava-like crimson, half a blood-like dark red. The two colors intertwined, forming an eerie, flowing texture. Wherever the halo swept across, the hard bluestone slabs on the ground seemed to have been sculpted by an invisible chisel, instantly revealing ancient runes identical to those on a dragon's spine.

The halo spread to a radius of ten zhang before slowly coming to a stop.

Zhou Yang was enveloped in the center of this golden-red light and shadow. He remained in the same bent-over, supportive posture, his body trembling violently. Sweat seeped from his forehead, dripping onto the ground and instantly evaporating into a wisp of white smoke.

He could clearly feel the changes in himself.

The dragon's spine did not disappear. It was undergoing a slow but resolute fusion with its backbone.

A bone-chilling cold. A chill that could freeze the soul traveled up his spine, straight to the top of his head. His consciousness seemed to be solidified by this cold.

Immediately following was the scorching heat that consumed everything.

Two extreme sensations clashed alternately within him, as if trying to tear his body apart and then reassemble it.

His bones are groaning.

His blood was burning.

He could even "hear" a faint crackling sound coming from deep within his bone marrow—the patterns of the dragon's spine, being imprinted into his bones. This process was painful, yet it also carried a hint of indescribable pleasure.

Power. An unprecedented power, originating from the very source of life, is awakening within his limbs and bones.

He slowly raised his head.

His eyes were no longer a deep black. His pupils had turned into pure crimson gold, like two burning suns, radiating a terrifying light.

Zhou Yang slowly straightened up.

He tried to reach out his hand, fingers spread wide. A wisp of golden-red flame spontaneously ignited at his fingertips. The flame had no temperature, yet it caused the surrounding void to distort slightly.

He clenched his fist.

The flames went out.

He could feel that this entire space was under his control. With just a thought, the runes beneath his feet could unleash earth-shattering power. He even felt that he could punch through the ground beneath his feet and reach the very core of the earth.

This is the power of a complete dragon spine.

No, this is no longer just the power of the dragon's spine. This is his power, Zhou Yang's power.

The restlessness and pain in his chest gradually subsided. The alternation of hot and cold within his body also ceased. In its place came an unprecedented sense of fullness and power.

He looked down at his hands. His skin was still the same color, but he knew that his inner self had undergone a complete transformation.

"Zhou Yang!" Qin Shuang's footsteps sounded behind him. She had been forced back by the shockwave he had unleashed, and was only now rushing over.

She stood at the edge of that golden-red halo, not daring to rush in. She looked at Zhou Yang, her eyes filled with shock and worry.

Zhou Yang turned around.

His crimson-gold eyes looked at her, but he didn't say anything.

Qin Shuang's heart skipped a beat when she saw his eyes. Those eyes were so unfamiliar, filled with divinity and majesty, devoid of any human emotion.

"How are you...?" she asked tentatively.

Zhou Yang blinked.

The divine light in those crimson-gold pupils slowly faded, returning to a deep black. The overwhelming pressure emanating from him, which seemed to transcend all things, also subsided.

He returned to his usual self.

However, he looked very unwell, his face as pale as paper. The fusion he had just completed had exhausted his energy and mental strength.

"What else could it be?" Zhou Yang forced a smile, but it aggravated a muscle injury, causing him to wince in pain. "I almost had to take it apart and reassemble it."

He looked down at his tattered clothes and frowned.

"This is a huge loss. The clothes are gone again."