First, attaching the Jiaolong arm required infusing Dragon Blood into the body. This blood is extremely potent and toxic, making this phase the most dangerous. The process was agonizing, lasting a full year, with one drop of dragon blood infused daily. If the blood exchange was successful, the person’s blood, flesh, and bones would be entirely changed—a process known as Marrow Cleansing Magic (T?y T?y Ma Pháp). This process boosted all stats, providing the benefits of dragon blood and making them more powerful than ordinary people (+5% to +15% all stats).
Next, the Jiaolong arm was grafted. The arm was covered in dragon scales, harder than steel, and finally granted the ability to control Water, Ice, Lightning, or Wind (the four main elements of the Water Dragon).
Within the Shadow Corps, four people succeeded, directly advancing to the Foundation Establishment (Trúc C?) realm. The luckiest and most successful was Phong Tr?n, who gained all three benefits at the highest level, but in return, he was limited: he could never cultivate higher, forced to stop at the Foundation Establishment stage. Those who successfully absorbed the dragon blood were also subjected to a curse: they had to obey the dragon's orders. They were also known as the Slaves of the Dragon (N? L? C?a R?ng).
At this moment, Phong Tr?n had returned to the underground city, where fire was raging everywhere, and saw H?u Thành Danh fleeing with the Three-Tailed Fire Fox. The elite guards of the Shadow Corps immediately moved to intercept.
Seeing the two, he immediately knew they had been hit by Black Fire (H?c H?a), as Ng?c Tr?n—his master—often used this spell to maximize damage. If not rescued in time, both would be burned to ash within a day. Phong Tr?n opened his glove, revealing the Jiaolong Arm, gathering the surrounding water into a large sphere and enveloping both of them. He added a type of medicine, dissolving it in the water. The Black Fire vanished. Phong Tr?n also carefully gave them both a Fire Resistance potion before departing.
Noe communicated with Phong Tr?n telepathically. His voice was filled with anxiety, as both the Fox and H?u Thành Danh were unreachable, having fallen into a deep sleep after taking the antidote:
"How are my students?"
Phong Tr?n replied: "They have been rescued and are safe, but one of the Fox’s legs was severely damaged by the Black Fire, almost irreparable."
Noe laughed and replied: "That's fine; being alive is good. We can find high-level healing magic to restore it later; severed limbs can regrow."
Phong Tr?n asked: "What is the current situation?"
Noe answered: "It is currently Plan C. Heavenly Master Tr??ng is running, wrestling with the Fire Wolf Flying Sword."
Phong Tr?n said: "Why didn't we use Plan A? Doanh Th??ng Quan has very high spiritual power (Wis = 300), enough to subdue the flying sword. Heavenly Master Tr??ng also has high spiritual power, but he wastes it, controlling thousands of talismans simultaneously—it looks impressive but is inefficient. You favor your student too much."
Noe sighed and said: "I do not. The Prince trusts Doanh Th??ng Quan too much and only wants to go with his teacher."
Phong Tr?n said with annoyance: "Fine, Plan C it is. Our most important mission is to eliminate the Fire Wolf General. I have brought the Black Fire antidote. The problem is your formation: is the Six Paths Six Harmonies Formation (L?c ??o L?c H?p Tr?n) strong enough to kill a powerful Golden Core like the Fire Wolf General? When the strongest of us are only at Foundation Establishment."
Noe said: "Of course. The Fire Wolf General's strength is his extremely high Vitality (Hp) and HP Regeneration (regen Hp), intended to prolong the fight for Black Fire to take effect, causing all his stats to continuously increase (currently +30% all stats). The antidote nullifies Black Fire, countering his stat increase ability. Although his vitality is high, his Mana (Mp) and Spiritual Power (Sp) are not high. The Six Harmonies Formation targets these two factors directly. Rest assured, I have calculated it many times."
Phong Tr?n sighed and said: "Alright, let's begin."
Noe said: "Go inspect the Six Paths Six Harmonies Formation before the Fire Wolf General arrives."
One of Phong Tr?n's commanders, named Liên Tr?n (who also had a Jiaolong Arm), used Wind magic and said: "Blessing of the Wind God!" The group's speed immediately increased, and they rushed to the site of the Six Paths Six Harmonies Formation, which had six gates:
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Heaven Path (Thiên ??o - Yang Energy): Light
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Asura Path (A Tu La ??o - Yang Energy): Fire, Metal
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Human Path (Nhan ??o - Yin-Yang Balance/Spiritual Energy): Earth, Lightning
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Beast Path (Súc Sinh ??o - Yin-Yang Balance/Spiritual Energy): Water, Wood
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Hungry Ghost Path (Ng? Qu? ??o - Yin Energy): Wind, Ice
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Hell Path (??a Ng?c ??o - Yin Energy): Yin, Dark
Phong Tr?n stood at the position of the Beast Path Gate, holding the Azure Dragon Flag, the Lord among beasts. Five other commanders stood at the other gates, holding the Heavenly Lord Flag, Asura Slaughter Lord Flag, Human Emperor Flag , Demon Lord Flag (Lord of hungry ghosts), and Ghost Lord Flag (Lord of Hell).
Heavenly Master Tr??ng and the White Tiger continuously ran in circles within the narrow maze of the underground city, forcing the Fire Wolf General to revert to his normal shape to easily squeeze through.
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Heavenly Master Tr??ng flew while using Explosion Talismans (Phù N?), collapsing parts of the tunnel to block the advance of the Fire Wolf General and his army. The Fire Wolf Flying Sword struggled, growing stronger as its master approached. The White Tiger used its roar, filled with Yang Energy, to dispel the opponent's Killing Intent, causing rocks to vibrate and fill the path.
After a distance, Liên Tr?n proposed holding the Fire Wolf Flying Sword. At that moment, Noe transmitted telepathically:
"Switch to Plan D. The Shadow Corps will take the Flying Sword. They slightly underestimate you; they only acknowledge your ability to dispel demons and ghosts. Just hand the Flying Sword over to them, and use your free hands to demonstrate your strength."
Heavenly Master Tr??ng laughed and transmitted a reply: "Haha, underestimating the Heavenly Master's successor? I will show them how strong or weak a Heavenly Master is." Liên Tr?n received the talisman-wrapped Flying Sword and ran towards the prepared Formation.
Heavenly Master Tr??ng could have retreated, but because of Noe's provocation, he found a safe, narrow corner, recalled all his talismans, and asked the White Tiger to guard him while he cast his spell. He sat down and reminisced about his training with the village elder. He once asked:
"Why is using a sword mandatory? We can use anything to kill demons and ghosts."
The elder said: "We Heavenly Masters have a complete cultivation system, including Body Cultivation (Th? tu), Immortal Cultivation (Tiên tu), and most importantly, Divine Cultivation (Th?n tu). We worship a god called the 'Demon-Sweeping Heavenly Lord' (??ng: sweeping clean, Ma: demon, Heavenly Lord: sovereign in heaven). We don't know his name, but we refer to him by his job title. His habit is to use a sword. If you don't use a sword, you cannot summon him."
Ending his train of thought, Heavenly Master Tr??ng plunged the 5{m} Profound Iron Sword (Huy?n Thi?t Ki?m) into the ground and chanted continuous ancient phrases, the language of angels and demons. Heavenly Master Tr??ng's Divine Soul (Th?n H?n) emerged in the shape of a colossal spirit, radiating brilliant golden light, with blazing eyes. Fully clad in armor, visible to everyone. He reached out and pulled out the sword. Each step was like a giant kicking away the Fire Wolf soldiers. His Soul Power (H?n l?c/Sp) drained extremely fast. Every second he maintained the Heavenly Lord , Heavenly Master Tr??ng's bones felt like they were being crushed, his soul power like a broken dam
The Heavenly Lord struck the Fire Wolf General’s head too quickly. The colossal power slammed down, like a hammer driving a nail. The Fire Wolf General was sunk deep into the ground, with only his head sticking out. The Heavenly Lord channeled power into the Profound Iron Sword, making it shine intensely, aiming to strike the Fire Wolf General's neck, creating a terrifying pressure that felt instantly fatal.
But Heavenly Master Tr??ng ran out of Soul Power (Sp). The Heavenly Master vanished, and the Profound Iron Sword fell right next to the Fire Wolf General. The General was trembling and drenched in sweat. He transformed back into the Gigantic Three-Headed Dog and created Black Fire to increase his stats and restore his vitality. After a moment of shock and dread, he couldn't believe this was real—a being of unparalleled power completely overwhelming him—so he dared not advance further. The Fire Wolf Flying Sword transmitted a signal from a different direction, so he changed course, avoiding this area and continuing to search for his important weapon.
The White Tiger transformed into the enormous White Tiger King. He used his roar and massive strength to collapse a corner of the tunnel, allowing Heavenly Master Tr??ng to escape. Tr??ng Thiên S? was exhausted and extremely sleepy, his eyes barely able to stay open, but he still managed to ask:
"Well, did they see? What was their attitude?"
The White Tiger laughed loudly and said: "Both our side and the enemy were astonished; no one expected that colossal power to be so terrifying. No one will dare look down on you again."
Heavenly Master Tr??ng whispered weakly: "It doesn't matter; my reputation is not important. I only want my Heavenly Master school to spread and for more people to learn. I don't want it to be lost in my hands."
The White Tiger smiled and said: "I see. Now sleep." Tr??ng Thiên S? closed his eyes and began to snore.
The White Tiger transmitted a message to Noe: "Our duty is complete. Can I leave now?" Noe replied: "Yes."
Thus, the Fire Wolf General gradually walked into the trap that had been prepared from the start. The Fire Wolf General and his army fell into a vast grand formation without realizing when.
When the six flags were raised, the entire space changed abruptly. The Spiritual Energy (Linh khí) of the area was sucked away, stunning the Golden Core General, making him feel energy-deprived, like a person suffocating from lack of air, but the Fire Wolf soldiers felt nothing. Next, roaring wind and powerful swirling spiritual energy made the Fire Wolf General shudder. Illusory images of the rulers of the realms appeared and attacked (Heavenly Lord, Asura Lord, Human Lord, Dragon Lord, Demon Lord, Ghost Lord), emitting a suffocating and overwhelming aura.
This was the Illusion Starter Formation (?o ?nh Kh?i Tr?n), striking the spirit with countless terrifying illusions, confining the opponent. Horrifying images and terrifying sounds continuously bombarded the minds of the Fire Wolf General and the Fire Wolf Army, making it impossible for him to distinguish reality.
Next was the Central Formation (Trung Tr?n): Shadow Corps members split into six groups, appearing and disappearing in the dim space. They used the element corresponding to each illusion, creating a physical sensation on the skin. The heat of fire scorched the face, the biting cold of ice permeated the bones, thunder boomed in the ears, and dazzling light struck the eyesight, causing the Fire Wolf General and his soldiers to scream in vain.
Finally, the Illusory Heart of the Demon (?o ?nh Ma Tam), suppressing him with his greatest fears: images of the people he and his soldiers had killed, the victims' faces vividly clear. And finally, images of disappointment from his family, friends, master, and even his deities, causing him to lose the will to live, binding him and his soldiers there, leaving him almost immobile.
The entire Shadow Corps attacked together; arrows and spells rained down. Finally, the close-combat Shadow Corps group charged in, led by Phong Tr?n and 3 commanders, to eliminate him.
He saw them as the entities of the underworld, appearing to drag him to hell for his countless sins. But a glimmer of hope and survival instinct remained: his wife and other children. He resisted fiercely, collapsing a large section of the wall and creating an error in the formation. This slight error allowed the Fire Wolf General to fight back in a frenzy. His roar tore through the maze.
Phong Tran clearly sensed the explosive surge of Vitality emanating from the enemy, a force the Dark Fire antidote could not fully suppress. He watched as the surrounding members of the Shadow Division—those who had also risked their lives to receive the Dragon Implantation—began to collapse. He saw Lien Tran, who had just blessed the group with speed, have his armor torn apart by the Fire Wolf General's claws, his fresh blood dyeing the stone wall crimson. They were the ones who had accepted the grim title of "Slaves of the Dragon" just to gain this power, and now they fell because of it.
It took the deaths of more than half the Shadow Division Army to finally bring the General down, leaving it sprawled lifelessly in a pool of blood. A mixture of ragged breaths and the pungent smell of fresh blood choked the battlefield. Most commanders were dead; Lien Tran, due to his speed, had narrowly escaped. Phong Tran himself was left with half his face severely burned, and his leg was completely severed at the ankle.
Phong Tran fell to his knees beside the shattered remains of the Fire Wolf General. The thick, metallic scent of fresh blood, the smell of scorched flesh, and scattered spiritual energy permeated the area. He raised a hand to touch the burned half of his face, feeling the raw texture of his skin. He looked down at his right leg, where the foot had been cleanly bitten off, leaving only bone and gore. The sheer pain and the weight of death made him weep uncontrollably. Though he had been trained since childhood to suppress his emotions, now he could not. "It's over," he whispered bitterly in his heart.
Later, he would replace his lost foot with an iron prosthetic. Though a complete cure was possible, he refused. He wanted to keep this scar—this wound—as a permanent memorial to this painful moment. It would serve as a constant reminder: "I must be far more careful," but more profoundly, it would be a solemn vow never to forget the sacrifices of those who fell in that final battle.