Chapter 59 - Eighth Draconic Stage

The Yang patriarch understood what Yang Xueqing meant.

He wanted to negotiate with the Bai family, but it was clear that neither party wanted to reconcile. Yang Xueqing, knowing that her family was on the verge of destruction, wanted to kill herself to save the situation. Her heart ached with regret when she thought back to how she had treated Long Chen.

“Xueqing! Stop! I have a method to deal with them, so don’t do stupid things!”

Yang Xueqing stopped when she heard the Yang patriarch.

Both Bai Li and Bai Sheng, who wanted to use her as a hostage, sighed in relief. But Yang Xueqing still smiled.

“Dad, don’t lie to me. I know what kind of assets the Yang family has, and we have nothing to offer here. Since these two worthless cowards from the Bai family want to use me as a hostage, I will just kill myself so they will have nothing left to bargain with you ...”

Yang Xueqing’s eyes were adamant when she looked at Long Chen one last time. But Long Chen’s strange demeanor caught her off guard and made her stop what she was doing.

Both Bai Sheng and Bai Li, and even the Yang patriarch, also looked at Long Chen.

Long Chen approached Xue Yuanzi’s corpse.

He knew that the Yang family would be done for if he didn’t do this. This was his only choice!

“Xue Yuanzi ... Ling Xi told me to not use Blood Transmutation on humans, but I’m afraid I have no choice.”

Staring at Xue Yuanzi’s corpse, a primal hunger crept up on him.

He knew that the Bai elders wouldn’t harm Yang Xueqing as long as he didn’t make a move here. She was their hostage, and no good would come from harming her.

Long Chen could use Blood Transmutation on Xue Yuanzi and improve his cultivation!

With a goal in mind, he acted. Even though he shouldn’t use Blood Transmutation on humans excessively, he needed to act now because he wasn’t strong enough.

Long Chen used Blood Transmutation, emanating the aura of bloodshed and massacre as he did so. The intense pressure he exuded made everyone take a deep breath.

They soon saw countless blood drops extracted from Xue Yuanzi’s skin. The drops almost looked sentient as they exited the corpse in a cheerful manner and integrated into Long Chen’s blood-red scales.

The Blood Transmutation technique slowly absorbed Xue Yuanzi’s Blood Essence. He was once an indomitable foe and also the strongest person Long Chen had ever fought. As a cultivator beyond the Ninth Draconic Stage, Xue Yuanzi’s Blood Essence contained ten times more power than Bai Zhanxiong’s!

Blood Transmutation expelled all the waste from Xue Yuanzi’s blood, leaving behind only the pure Blood Essence. It transformed into blood-red Qi after Long Chen absorbed it, which then condensed and collected in his dantian. As the amount of Qi grew, his dantian expanded. This went on until his dantian was about to rupture.

The Blood Essence from a Human Core Realm cultivator is immense!

The massive amount of blood-red Qi circulated within him like a roaring dragon. Long Chen felt like his body had been transformed into the home of billions of dragons, all of them roaring and absorbing the Qi.

Xue Yuanzi became a mummy when all of his Blood Essence had been drained. The bloody aura Long Chen was exuding magnified and the power within him rampaged, almost causing him to lose control of his body.

There’s too much Qi! It’s time to break into the Eight Draconic Stage!

Long Chen acted immediately.

But Bai Sheng and Bai Li thought Long Chen was being reckless yet brave.

Fortunately, Bai Li had suffered grave injuries. If he hadn’t, he would’ve been able to team up with his brother to take down the Yang patriarch and stop Long Chen from breaking through. The two Bai brothers were very wary of Long Chen, not knowing how much more strength he had.

“Brother, he’s already this strong, and yet he is advancing into the Eighth Draconic Stage ...”

“Don’t worry, Big Brother. As long as his mother is in our hands, there’s nothing he can do. The Yang family is done for once the Blood Saints receive the news. We will get the Ascension Fruits in the end!”

Bai Sheng nodded.

Even the Yang patriarch had not expected Long Chen to attempt a breakthrough here. Thankfully, the Bai brothers did not take action. Yang Cangqiong was relieved when he noticed this, and he was excited to see Long Chen become stronger.

Just then, two sounds were heard from the sky. Everyone looked up and saw that Yang Qingxuan and Yang Yuntian had arrived.

After escorting the youths of the Yang family to safety, they had rushed into the Desolate Mountains, but to think the situation had reached such a critical juncture in just fifteen minutes!

Bai Sheng and Bai Li were still holding Yang Xueqing hostage while they stared at the iridescent Ascension Fruits. The tree’s leaves had dried up, a sign that the fruits were almost completely matured. Both the Yang patriarch and the Bai brothers were locked in a stalemate while Long Chen was cultivating further back. Both Yang Qingxuan and Yang Yuntian were surprised to see Long Chen cultivating at this point.

There was a dried-up body on the ground, but neither of them knew who it was. The situation they were met with was very different from what they had imagined.

Both of them had come here to fight to their deaths, but the battle had completely stopped.

Yang Yuntian and Yang Qingxuan shook their heads when they saw Long Chen cultivating.

“Bai Li is hurt, must’ve been our father who did it. Thankfully, Chen’er is still alright. Let’s protect him and send him away with the rest of the Yang family’s youths!”

They approached their father, but the Yang patriarch glared at them. “What are you doing here? What happened with the rest of the family?”

Yang Qingxuan explained, “We asked Wu’er to lead them to safety. We are here to help Long Chen escape so that our family can rise again one day!”

The Yang patriarch first nodded and then shook his head. “I knew you would do this, but you’re underestimating Long Chen ...”

Both Yang Qingxuan and Yang Yuntian were shocked as they stared at Long Chen cultivating. “Father, do you mean he was the one who injured Bai Li?”

The Yang patriarch nodded. “Help me think of a strategy, you two. Yang Xueqing is still in their hands. It will be difficult to leave without suffering losses, especially if we want the Ascension Fruits.”

Yang Qingxuan and Yang Yuntian were still shocked by the fact that Long Chen had defeated Bai Li when their faces turned into anger after seeing their sister being held hostage.

“You accursed Bai family! Release my sister! Name your price!”

Bai Sheng scoffed at him. “So the Yang family values their people more than money. Such a heartwarming family. If you don’t do as I say, I will make sure you will suffer through what I’ve been suffering!”

Yang Qingxuan’s face was gloomy. “What is your condition?”

Bai Sheng smiled cruelly. “I’ve already told your father. Two Ascension Fruits. Once we enter the Human Core Realm, we will return Yang Xueqing.”

The Yang family would be destroyed if they entered the Human Core Realm. Hearing his absurd proposition made Yang Qingxuan angrier.

“Still hesitant? Yang Cangqiong, you might have the time, but I don’t. If you don’t agree, we will just retaliate! I’ve already lost two sons, so I don’t care anymore!”

The three people from the Yang family had no way to deal with his threats. However, almost everyone had forgotten about Long Chen entering the Eighth Draconic Stage.

Only Yang Xueqing was staring at him.

She had decided to commit suicide, but she saw a sliver of hope when she noticed Long Chen making a breakthrough.

Yang Qingxuan whispered to his father, “Dad, we have no choice. Bai Li might be hurt, but he is slowly recovering. Once he does, no one here will be able to stop him ...”

Just as Yang Qingxuan and Yang Yuntian were hesitating and Yang Xueqing was slowly slipping into despair, a thunderous roar rang out!

A powerful aura blanketed the region, and even Yang Qingxuan and Yang Yuntian had difficulty standing. Everyone turned and saw that Long Chen had stood up. He was at the Eighth Draconic Stage!

The blood-red scales and spikes all over his body were menacing, but his aura was downright terrifying. He opened his eyes, his red pupils striking fear into everyone’s hearts.

Long Chen smiled when he felt the power rumbling inside him.

I’m stronger than a regular Eighth Draconic Stage cultivator when I’m in my dragon form ...

With Qi ten times stronger than regular Qi, and having a powerful physical form, Long Chen was stronger than his peers.

Long Chen had two powerful techniques, Blood Transmutation and Dragon Soul Transformation. Both of these came from the Dragon Jade Pendant and the Inherited Blood Essence, two powerful relics shrouded in mystery.

Long Chen glared at Bai Li, the one holding Yang Xueqing.

The Bai brothers felt their scalps tingling when they sensed Long Chen’s aura.

“You might’ve become strong, you brat, but it’s best if you don’t move, or I can’t guarantee Yang Xueqing’s life ...”

Bai Li fumbled with his words when he saw Long Chen closing in.

Bai Sheng’s eyes started trembling when he saw Long Chen’s dragon form.

“You two animals ...”

Long Chen was like a powerful beast from ancient times. He closed in on them one step at a time before completely disappearing when his anger reached the breaking point. In the next instant, Bai Li felt his back go cold.

Splurt.

A bony spine pierced his heart.