Facing the scorching dragon breath, Su Yu did not panic; instead, he laughed. "Right on time! Let me show you what I’m made of!" With lightning speed, he retreated several yards, narrowly avoiding the direct impact of the flames. Simultaneously, his internal spiritual energy surged, gathering in his right palm. A phantom golden dragon flickered to life within the glowing light—it was the first move of the peerless Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms: "Dragon Subduing Repentance."
"Go!" Su Yu struck out, and the golden dragon roared as it burst from his palm, carrying a momentum like a landslide, slamming head-on into the raging dragon breath. In an instant, the entire island trembled, blinding light flared, and shockwaves billowed outward. The collision between the breath and the golden dragon erupted in a deafening roar, sending sparks of spiritual energy flying like brilliant fireworks.
The Dragon Clan leader’s eyes flashed with surprise, quickly replaced by rage. He spun, chanting a spell as the scales on his body glowed brilliantly. One by one, they fell away, rapidly condensing into hundreds of sharp dragon-scale swords in the air. These blades shimmered with a cold light, swathed in dense water-attribute spiritual energy, darting toward Su Yu like a school of agile fish as if to pierce him through a thousand times over.
"Hmph, cheap tricks!" Su Yu scoffed. He changed his hand seals, and the Human-Creating Whip appeared in his hand. As a primal treasure imbued with Merit, the whip’s runes pulsed with a soft, mysterious light. Su Yu swung it, the whip’s shadow creating an impenetrable web of defense before him.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!* The dragon-scale swords struck the web and fell away, unable to pierce it by even a fraction. Every impact sent sparks of spiritual energy flying, causing the web to flicker. Seizing the moment the Dragon Clan’s attack was stalled, Su Yu moved like a ghost, closing the distance to the leader.
"Watch the palm!" Su Yu shouted, unleashing the second move of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms: "Flying Dragon in the Sky." He soared into the air, tracing a golden arc; his right palm held high, the golden dragon within it baring its claws, looking startlingly lifelike. He slammed down with immense power toward the leader.
The leader’s face grew grave, knowing he could not underestimate this blow. He stomped his foot, causing the ground beneath him to crack. Seawater surged from the fissures, forming a massive water curtain before him. It was as transparent as crystal but as sturdy as rock, imbued with powerful defensive strength.
The golden dragon collided with the water curtain with a dull boom. The curtain shuddered violently, spider-webbing with cracks, but ultimately held. Yet, Su Yu’s assault had only just begun. He flipped in mid-air, plummeting like a meteor, and struck out with his left palm—the third move: "Dragon Seen in the Fields."
A beam of golden light shot from his palm like lightning, striking the curtain. Under the weight of this tremendous force, the water curtain finally shattered. The leader turned pale with shock, trying to dodge, but it was too late. The light struck his chest, sending him flying dozens of yards until he slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Cough, cough..." The leader struggled to rise, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock and fury. He had never imagined that a mere Taiyi Golden Immortal could possess such terrifying strength.
"What are you standing there for? Attack him together! Kill him!" the leader roared.
The other members of the Dragon Clan lunged forward, unleashing their innate abilities. Some spat corrosive black dragon breath, turning the ground beneath into deep pits; others swiped with massive claws that tore through the very air; still others spat out dragon pearls saturated with intense spiritual energy, firing them like cannonballs.
Encircled, Su Yu remained unfazed. He wielded the Human-Creating Whip, its shadows lashing out to deflect every attack. His eyes, sharp as lightning, scanned the group for a flaw.
"Found you!" Su Yu’s gaze sharpened. He spotted an opening in one of the dragons. With a flash, he appeared before the dragon, his right hand chopping down like a blade. The force was so great the air hissed.
The dragon failed to dodge and took the strike to the shoulder, letting out a pained scream as blood sprayed and his right arm hung limp.
"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Su Yu shadowed him instantly. He unleashed the fourth move: "Dragon Soaring to the Land."
His palms struck in rapid succession, waves of energy cascading toward his opponent like a surging tide. Each blow carried such overwhelming force that the dragon, unable to withstand the relentless barrage, was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing to the ground, life hanging in the balance.
The other dragons hesitated, their momentum broken. Seizing the opportunity, Su Yu countered. He swung the Human-Creating Whip, the runes on its body blazing with light, releasing a surge of Merit energy that saturated the battlefield.
Under the influence of this Merit, the dragons grew sluggish, their abilities diminished. Su Yu moved among them like a phantom, every strike accompanied by a cry of pain. In moments, two more had fallen.
Only the leader and one other remained. The leader was consumed by fear, but he knew that if he didn't fight to the death now, he would surely perish. Gritting his teeth, he pulled a black orb from his robes. It pulsed with an eerie aura, its surface covered in cryptic, shifting runes.
"Hmph, boy! Today, I’ll show you the power of my life-bound Dragon Pearl!" the leader roared, hurling the orb at Su Yu.
The pearl expanded rapidly in the air, becoming a massive black sphere that radiated a destructive aura. The space around it began to distort, unable to bear its weight.
Su Yu’s expression turned grim. He knew the power of this pearl was no small matter; to be struck by it, even with the protection of the Human-Creating Whip, would mean grievous injury. He pushed the Chaos Astral Formula to its limit, his spiritual energy surging like a tidal wave into his palms.
"Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms: Tail-Whipping Dragon!" Su Yu bellowed, unleashing a massive golden dragon from his palms to collide with the pearl.
The two forces met in mid-air, erupting with world-shaking power. The brilliance was blinding, the roar deafening; the entire island shuddered as if it might sink into the sea.
Amid the glare, Su Yu looked small, but his expression was firm. He clenched his teeth, holding his ground against the pressure. The leader and the remaining dragon were blown back by the shockwave, crashing to the earth, their fates unknown.
Long moments later, the light faded. Su Yu opened his eyes to see the Dragon Pearl shattered into countless fragments. He had a few scrapes, but he was otherwise unharmed.
"Phew..." Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief and put away the Human-Creating Whip. Looking at the wreckage of the battlefield, he felt a wave of emotion. It had been a narrow escape, but through his strength and resolve, he had won.
"Hmph. Coveting my treasures—this is the price," Su Yu scoffed, turning to walk off the island.
Inside the Four Seas Dragon Palace, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy. The leaders of the Four Seas Dragon Clan were gathered together. Beneath the dome of the crystal palace, night-luminescent pearls cast a cold light that failed to dispel the burning rage within.
Ao Xu, the East Sea Dragon King, slammed his palm onto the armrest of his throne, roaring, "They go too far! A mere Human Race boy dares to run wild in my East Sea and wound my clansmen? This humiliation is something I, Ao Xu, cannot swallow!" His dragon whiskers trembled violently, and his eyes blazed with fire.
Ao Li, the South Sea Dragon King, stood up abruptly, fists clenched, fuming. "My brother is right! Our Dragon Clan has been renowned throughout the Primordial World; when have we ever suffered such insult? That human must be made to understand the terrible consequences of provoking us!"
Ao Su, the West Sea Dragon King, frowned, deep in thought. "However, I hear this Su Yu is no simpleton. To defeat a Taiyi Golden Immortal of our clan, he must have some skill. We must not take him lightly."
Ao Wei, the North Sea Dragon King, scoffed with disdain. "So what if he has some ability? When we four seas unite, are we really going to fear one insignificant human?"
After some deliberation, the dragon kings decided to lead the army themselves to the human territory to demand an explanation. In an instant, the Four Seas churned, and countless dragon warriors surged from the depths of the ocean, marching toward the edge of the East Sea where the humans resided.