Chapter 0632: Underworld River's Black Dragon Banner

The Resonant Art Pagoda was an important location of the college. Even with Mentor Chi Chan leading the way, Li Luo and the token provided by Vice Principal Su Xin were thoroughly inspected from head to toe before he was allowed access.

The Resonant Art Pagoda, as its name suggested, stored the resonance arts of the college since its inception. As a result, it possessed a far greater foundation compared to any other faction in the Xia Kingdom. House Luolan's library was a pale shadow in comparison to this.

The Resonant Art Pagoda was four stories high. The first level held ordinary resonance arts, the second held tiger-general resonance arts, and the third held dragon-general resonance arts. Students would trade school points to cultivate these arts, and they had to adhere to strict time limits. If the time was exceeded, they would have to compensate with even more school points.

Li Luo's aim was naturally not the third story.

Under the surprised gazes of certain students within the pagoda, Li Luo and Mentor Chi Chan made their way to the fourth and highest level.

Seeing them make their way further up only confounded the students who were studying the resonance arts within. They had never heard of a student being allowed to go to the fourth floor. Apparently, only Violet Vibrance mentors were allowed to do so. Even Gong Shenjun and the like did not have this privilege.

Still, they had an inkling why Li Luo had earned the right to do so. It was likely due to his contributions in retrieving the Dragon Bone Holy Grail. Although they remained envious, they understood the sheer difficulty of this achievement.

It was rumored that the fourth story held the mythical Duke Arts. Perhaps that was Li Luo's aim after all.

Perhaps he was overestimating himself and being overly ambitious. Let alone Li Luo, even a Seven Astral Pillar would have difficulty in successfully cultivating a Duke Art.

Under the envious gazes of the other students, the duo made their way up unobstructed.

Interestingly, the top floor was simply adorned. There was nothing majestic or regal about the place on first impressions. However, Li Luo could vaguely make out some mysterious patterns that squirmed like sentient worms throughout the four dimly lit walls that surrounded them. Things were definitely not as simple as they seemed.

Turning his attention to the middle of the room, Li Luo saw five ancient, mottled stone pillars that were roughly the height of an average individual. Atop each pillar was an intricately carved stone lotus whereby a barrier of light enshrouded them.

It seemed that within these translucent barriers were objects of some sort.

Blinking, Li Luo finally understood what he was seeing.

Mentor Chi Chan walked towards the five stone lotuses and indifferently explained, "Our college has five different Duke Arts that students with exemplary contributions are able to choose from. All of them are here, and they belong to the Communion-grade. Give it a try and see which one has an affinity with you."

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Excited, Li Luo strode forward and approached the first of the five lotuses. When he looked more intently, he could see a fiery-red carp swimming around inside the barrier! The carp gave off a mysterious feeling when one looked at it, as though it possessed a life of its own. Upon closer inspection, one could see that countless words were inscribed upon the red scales of the fiery carp.

At the same time, torrential and horrifying amounts of heat radiated from its very presence. Even with the assistance of the light barrier, Li Luo could feel a burning sensation upon his skin.

"This Duke Art is known as the Demonic Infernal Carp. If one is able to cultivate it, they will be able to summon a demonic flame that is unparalleled and tyrannic, capable of incinerating even the heavens. If a Duke casts it, a single wisp can disintegrate an entire mountain range," Mentor Chi Chan explained. “Legend has it that when one cultivates it to completion, the demonic flame will transform into a flaming carp that possesses true sentience. It is able to swim through the skies, turning the world we know it into a raging furnace."

Li Luo licked his lips upon hearing this. This was the sheer might of a Duke Art. It was able to give birth to sentience and spirituality, far surpassing dragon-general resonance arts.

However, Li Luo quickly rejected the Demonic Infernal Carp without much contemplation. He simply did not possess fire resonance power. Although it was possible to cultivate it with the aid of treasures with a fire affinity, the difficulty of learning it would only multiply. Considering the fact that his cultivation level was at the limit of learning such an art, coupled with the intense difficulty of learning it, why would he make life difficult for himself?

In conclusion, the answer was a resounding no.

Thus, he moved on to the second lotus.

Within this lotus was a small, palm-sized, azure sword. Although the small sword was stationary, extremely sharp sword energy could be felt from it. At the same time, one could even hear the whispers of the wind. Just looking at it caused one's eyes to feel a sharp, piercing pain, as though tears were about to fall.

One could see lightning flowing through the surface of the small sword, occasionally creating booming thunder that combined with the whistling wind. The entire thing looked mysteriously enchanting.

"This is the Azure Wind Thunder Sword Art. It is most suitable for those who possess wind and thunder resonances. Cultivating it creates a Wind Thunder Sword manifestation. With a single flick of a finger, the sword manifestation can travel thousands of miles in a flash, invincible and unstoppable."

This caused Li Luo to gulp in greed. Despite the fact that he possessed a thunder resonance, he lacked a wind one.

Thus, this too was a no.

He proceeded to inspect the next two Duke Arts.

"This is the Nine Golden Bells Invincible Body. It's a body tempering Duke Art, and one requires metal resonant power for it. Once one cultivates this successfully, their physical body will be protected by nine golden bells. So long as the golden bells remain intact, the user’s body will never die.

"Nature's Son's Arboreal World. This is a sealing Duke Art that once successfully cultivated, it will allow the user to raise ten thousand trees to form a mini realm that can be condensed in the palm of one's hand. When facing off against an enemy, one can entrap the opponent into this arboreal world where the trees will suppress and seal them."

Li Luo finally saw a Duke Art that moved him—Nature's Son's Arboreal World. With his wood resonant power, he held a certain affinity towards it. The only issue now was the actual difficulty in cultivating it.

However, Li Luo was not the type of person who was afraid of mere hardship. He wouldn't be here otherwise. As a result, he began to contemplate further, all the while rooted right before the fourth stone lotus.

After another period of consideration, he finally decided to make his decision.

But right at the moment he was about to do so, he felt a strange calling from the depths of his heart, and his gaze turned towards the final stone lotus. He swore he had heard the roar of a dragon coming from it, riling up the dragon resonance within him. Very quickly, he turned and walked towards the last stone lotus, planning to see just what sort of Duke Art it was.

Within was an extremely old and mottled banner. The banner itself was dark red, and it was planted into a black pool of seawater. As the flag swayed and rattled, one could vaguely make out the trace of an enormous, stygian dragon. This massive dragon seemed to be wiggling slowly, as though breathing in a deep sleep. Simultaneously, a terrifying pressure could be felt bearing down on anything surrounding it, rousing stormy waves within the black pool.

As Li Luo remained enraptured by the coiled-up dragon sleeping within the dark-red banner, Mentor Chi Chan's voice rang out once again.

"This is the Underworld River's Black Dragon Banner. If we look at it as it is, it can be considered a Communion-grade Duke Art. One requires both water and dragon resonance power, along with the blood essence of a dragon to cultivate it. When cultivated completely, one is able to manifest both the Underworld River and the dragon. The dragon controls the river, able to liquefy anything and everything."

Li Luo nodded, keenly aware that Mentor Chi Chan was not explaining everything fully. "’As it is?’ What do you mean?"

She smiled upon hearing this question. "This resonance art was provided by the Academic Federation. Other colleges also similarly possess this in their respective libraries. The truth is that the Underworld River's Black Dragon Banner is merely one part of a higher grade Duke Art. This is why I said ‘as it is.’"

"A higher level Duke Art? Do you mean it's at the Soul Ascension grade?" A burning fervor ignited within Li Luo's eyes.

Mentor Chi Chan shook her head as she pensively explained, "The complete Duke Art is known as the Three Dragons’ Heavenly Banner Canon. It has been split into three parts, and our colleges only possess the first segment to it. The other two have been stashed away within the inner divine continent's ancient colleges. Individually, each segment possesses the strength of a Communion-grade Duke Art. However, when its cultivated to completion and the three parts are one, it belongs to the Destiny-grade of Duke Arts."

Li Luo sucked in a huge breath of air at this revelation.

Communion Ascends the Soul. One's Destiny, Transcendent!

There were the four grades of Duke Arts, and the Three Dragons’ Heavenly Banner Canon was actually a Destiny-grade art!

Only a handful of Duke Arts were at this level! Even if one took into consideration the inner divine continent!

Any Duke that knew of this would give up everything just to obtain it.

The Academic Federation was truly a terrifying organization with an unfathomable foundation, able to possess and share such a mighty Duke Art. Li Luo continued to gulp mouthful after mouthful of saliva as his mind went into overdrive trying to make a decision. Not long after, he made his final decision and pointed right at that banner before him.

"Mentor, I choose this Duke Art!"