IMC Chapter 118

The dark clouds in the sky had thickened to the point of resembling black ink, with rolling flashes of lightning flickering within, making for a truly terrifying sight. The two Lan snakes in the pit finally realized that staying near Lan Qing would undoubtedly lead to their deaths. Struggling with their charred bodies, they began to crawl out of the pit with difficulty, heading toward the outskirts.

Shu Bao noticed the movements of the two “princes” and instructed the surrounding villagers to capture the snakes later. Many immediately pulled out magical beast cages in preparation.

The two snakes, laboriously crawling forward, froze when they saw the numerous cages waiting for them in the distance. However, when faced with the choice between losing their freedom or death, they ultimately bowed their heads and continued forward. At least this time, they could pick a cage that suited them.

And so, the two “princes” proactively crawled into separate cages, a thoroughly humiliating act. Fortunately, the attention of everyone present was soon drawn back to the terrifying anomaly in the sky.

Under the tense gaze of the crowd, the dark clouds finally reached a critical mass. A blinding lightning bolt plummeted rapidly from the black clouds, aimed directly at Lan Qing on the ground.

The onlookers gasped uncontrollably and cries of alarm broke out. When they turned to Lan Qing, they saw him, lacking any real understanding of tribulation lightning, instinctively shrink his neck and tuck his head under his body in a comically defensive posture.

Shu Bao: “…” He hadn’t witnessed many tribulation crossings, but this was the first time he’d ever seen someone—no, a dragon—attempting to endure heavenly tribulation in an ostrich-like fashion.

The first lightning bolt struck Lan Qing swiftly, and the deafening thunder caused the ground to tremble slightly. The crowd stared at him in horror, only to discover that he was unharmed.

Lan Qing, puzzled, lifted his head and glanced at the terrifying tribulation lightning in the sky again. Lowering his head to examine himself, he began to wonder, Is this what a tribulation is like? It doesn’t seem very harmful.

After the first bolt ended, the second and third bolts followed one after another in quick succession, leaving almost no time for Lan Qing to react.

From the sidelines, Shu Bao watched with bated breath. Isn’t this tribulation lightning a bit too merciless? Even the legendary Ancestral Dragon Tribulation shouldn’t look so intent on killing someone, right? Yet, when he glanced at Lan Qing, the dragon was standing there, chest out, meeting the tribulation head-on without moving an inch, seemingly untouched by the lightning.

Lan Qing’s composure baffled not only Shu Bao but also the two “princes”. They had already experienced the tribulation lightning firsthand, and the sheer destructive power of it still left their snake hearts trembling with fear. They even suspected their survival had been a fluke, that the lightning had shown them mercy. Yet, looking at Lan Qing in the distance, why did he seem as though he were basking in sunlight, even taking the time to adjust to a more comfortable posture?

The onlookers couldn’t make sense of the scene before them. They could only feel that the dark clouds and lightning were utterly terrifying, while Lan Qing, who remained unmoved after being struck, appeared even more formidable. In their minds, Lan Qing’s image was elevated to a new, awe-inspiring level.

In truth, Lan Qing wasn’t feeling the slightest bit of the fear Shu Bao described about the tribulation. Each of those fearsome bolts of lightning struck his body without causing any harm. Instead, they gave him a tingly, pleasant sensation.

Lan Qing: Perhaps this so-called tribulation is just an all-body massage SPA? Naturally, I should enjoy it for as long as I can.

The tribulation lasted for over half an hour, during which the crowd transitioned from being terrified to becoming numb. Only when the final bolt of lightning struck and the dark clouds began to dissipate did their minds start to function again.

When they turned to look at the aftermath, they saw a scorched wasteland surrounding the area where the lightning had fallen. Yet Lan Qing stood there, brimming with energy and entirely unscathed.

Just as the crowd was preparing to approach, Lan Qing suddenly soared into the sky. His body began to rapidly expand once more, and as he rolled and swam through the clouds, his form had already exceeded a kilometer in length. Despite being high above, his massive figure exerted a terrifying sense of oppression on everyone below.

This oppressive aura was different from the pressure felt when the dragon race first arrived. Lan Qing’s presence wasn’t just a display of physical strength and power; it carried an overwhelming sense of destiny—a reverence and inviolability that arose from the depths of the soul.

Accompanied by a resonant dragon’s roar, the world seemed to tremble in response. Gradually, shadows of magical beasts began to appear in the surroundings. Whether they were birds in the sky or beasts on the ground, all prostrated themselves toward Lan Qing’s direction, not daring to lift their heads for even a glance.

The people of Xia Wang City, witnessing this spectacle, clicked their tongues in amazement. Soon after, they nodded in agreement, thinking, As expected of Lord Lan Qing—even if he’s “painting legs on a snake”, he’s still incredibly impressive.

Having endured the tribulation lightning, Lan Qing had undergone a complete transformation. In the final moments of the tribulation, he finally understood its purpose. As the first divine dragon of this world, all his inheritances came from the heavens. The tribulation lightning not only spared him but also bestowed upon him the full inheritance of the divine dragon. Moreover, the lightning served as a source of energy, enabling him to truly transform into a dragon.

Lan Qing soared through the skies as countless beasts submitted on the ground below. The majestic scene quickly spread across the entire Fu Xia Star via the internet. Shu Bao also explained Lan Qing’s identity as a divine dragon, and people soon realized that a new form of dragon had been born!

When Lan Qing’s transformation was complete, he slowly descended from the sky. His enormous form startled the crowd, causing them to hurriedly retreat. However, Lan Qing soon shrank his body back down, transforming once again into a pocket-sized dragon. The terrifying image vanished, replaced by an adorable form, stopping the residents of Xia Wang City in their tracks as they abandoned their plans to flee.

Even so, no one dared to approach Lan Qing disrespectfully. Instead, they opted to steal a touch of the divine lord while he wasn’t paying attention.

As Shu Bao was repeatedly petted: “…” Though being stroked felt nice, a mouse still had its dignity—especially now, when his once-snake teammate, now dragon teammate, was so awe-inspiring.

Just as Shu Bao was pondering how to refuse, he suddenly found himself lifted up. The next moment, he felt a familiar sensation as his fur was brushed backward. Shu Bao tilted his head and wasn’t surprised to see Fu Qing.

While brushing Shu Bao into a scruffy mess, Fu Qing sighed, “I never thought Lan Qing would actually transform into a dragon! This world’s Heavenly Dao can be considered merciful.”

Shu Bao pushed Fu Qing’s hand away with his paws. “When did you arrive?”

Fu Qing glanced down at Shu Bao, feigning some hurt. “Do you think just anyone could break the mental control of that snake? If it were so easy, how else could he wreak havoc across the interstellar realm?”

Shu Bao scratched his head, letting out a dry laugh. “Of course, the mouse thought of that. I just didn’t see you!”

“Of course, you didn’t see me. Remaining hidden is the key to efficiently subduing the enemy.” Taking advantage of Shu Bao’s awkwardness, Fu Qing brushed his fur backward again, successfully leaving Shu Bao bristling with static electricity.

As Shu Bao grumbled about the crackling noises emanating from his fur, the static electricity began to dissipate on its own, surging toward Lan Qing as he approached. Not only that, but the two Lan snakes inside their cages also began to emit a glow. Frantically, they slithered around their cages in panic, unable to control their bodies.

Soon, one by one, white glowing spirits with long tails escaped from their bodies and floated toward Lan Qing in the distance.

The two “princes” let out cries of unwillingness and terror, once again recalling Lan Qing’s terrifying presence. From the moment he was born, this Lan snake had been exceptional. Yet, strangely, he never displayed any obvious special talents.

People didn’t know whether those talents hadn’t been awakened or were simply hidden too well. Until one incident—when the eldest prince, who shared a close bond with Lan Qing, was attacked by the second and third princes. Just as the two were about to seize the eldest prince’s abilities, his talent unexpectedly transferred to Lan Qing, who stood not far away.

The Lan Snake family finally realized that Lan Qing possessed the ability to acquire another’s talent without killing them. As long as someone genuinely treated Lan Qing with sincerity, he could take their ability effortlessly.

This was an ability that countless Lan Snakes dreamed of possessing. After all, deception and manipulation were far safer and simpler than fighting for survival. Because of Lan Qing’s unique power, many cowardly Lan Snakes voluntarily pledged their loyalty to him, hoping that if he ever took their abilities, he would at least spare their lives.

Of course, this also led to an unprecedented level of vigilance toward Lan Qing within the family. No one would dare to trust someone who could seize their innate talent at any moment. Unable to reconcile with the guilt of having absorbed the eldest prince’s ability, Lan Qing remained melancholic for a long time before ultimately choosing to leave the Lan Snake family.

After leaving the family, Lan Qing quickly became the target of countless attacks from other Lan Snakes. After all, who wouldn’t want to obtain such a miraculous plundering ability?

And now, Lan Qing no longer even needed someone’s trust to plunder their talents. He had truly become the invincible figure foretold in the prophecies.

As the talent spirits—glowing white lights—left the two princes’ bodies one by one, they fell completely silent. They now fully understood that they could no longer defeat this freak of their family.

The glowing spirits, trailing long tails like meteors, gathered around Lan Qing, circling him. Then, to the astonishment of the second and third princes, Lan Qing shook his head, refusing to absorb them.

In an instant, the spirits seemed to have found freedom. They scattered in all directions, vanishing into the distant sky. At the same time, a single glow remained within Lan Qing’s body—a light that the two princes knew must be the talent spirit of the eldest prince, the only one Lan Qing had ever absorbed.

This lone spirit did not immediately leave after being refused by Lan Qing. Instead, it floated toward Shu Bao, circling him as though observing him. Shu Bao extended a paw to touch the spirit, which flinched away at first, but soon, it willingly approached and landed on his paw.

Shu Bao felt a faint surge of energy as fragments of memory entered his mind. At that moment, the mouse understood: the spirit was trying to share Lan Qing’s past with him.

After the transfer of memories, the spirit seemed to grow closer to Shu Bao, attempting to merge with his body. Its intent was clear—it wished to continue protecting Lan Qing’s friends. From afar, Lan Qing noticed this but did nothing to stop it, as it seemed to be the eldest prince’s own choice.

However, Shu Bao also shook his head and gently patted the spirit with his paw, signaling it to follow the other lights and pursue freedom.

The eldest prince’s spirit finally seemed completely at peace. It circled Shu Bao one last time before ascending to the sky, joining the other scattered lights.

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