CHAPTER 41: AGAINST THE DRAGON

"Falling Petal Severing Art—Sixth Form: Blooming Requiem!"

Dozens of black lotus petals formed a spiral in the air, then condensed into a single point on her blade. She struck downward.

CLANG!

The blow landed on the dragon’s horn. The shockwave cratered the icy ground and forced the beast’s massive head to dip.

But its tail whipped around like a frozen guillotine, slamming her mid-air.

Mu Qinxue grunted as she crashed through several jagged ice pillars, blood trailing behind her in a delicate arc.

She landed, rolling once, twice—before slamming her sword into the ground to stop herself.

"Tough bastard..." she muttered, wiping her lip.

The dragon descended, eyes now burning with killing intent.

"You will die here, arrogant mortal!"

Mu Qinxue exhaled.

Her spiritual energy surged—she activated the Thousandfold Origin Sutra.

Her body glowed white-blue, every vein illuminated as her power multiplied tenfold.

"Void Lotus—Fifth Form: Soul Seal—Blooming Grave."

Black lotuses bloomed around the battlefield, orbiting her like moons. The temperature dropped sharply. The air stilled.

Then—movement.

She blurred again, and this time, her strikes landed on the dragon’s joints—knees, shoulders, throat base—weak points.

The massive beast howled, trying to swipe her out of the air, but she was already gone, dancing between attacks like a falling petal.

The sealing petals began spinning faster. One. Two. Then dozens more.

The space around the dragon distorted.

The lotus symbols carved through space, wrapping around the beast’s colossal form.

"NO—WHAT ARE YOU—?!"

"Seal."

With that single word, the lotuses exploded inward.

Chains of violet-black sealing light pierced through the dragon’s limbs and spine, wrapping around it like divine chains. It roared in agony, shaking the skies—until, with one final pulse of Mu Qinxue’s spiritual energy—

BOOM—

The dragon’s form compressed, twisted, and then shrank, sucked into a single glowing lotus petal.

It hovered gently into her hand, warm and pulsing like a heartbeat.

Mu Qinxue exhaled slowly, her body trembling from exhaustion.

She looked at the petal, then smirked faintly.

"Not bad for a ’mere human,’ huh?"

Mu Qinxue looked down at the lotus-shaped seal in her hand. The powerful dragon was now nothing more than a sliver of divine energy, calmly resting within. Her breathing was soft but steady as she turned toward the large icy cavern behind the place where the dragon had once slept.

"Dragons..." she whispered. "They really do love to collect treasures."

She walked deeper into the cave, letting her divine sense sweep through the space. As she moved, her eyes sparkled with quiet surprise.

Everywhere she looked, there were shimmering spirit stones, ancient jade bottles filled with glowing liquids, herbs that still gave off warmth even after who knew how many years, and weapons with faint energy humming from them. Dozens of jade boxes lined the walls, each one containing rare materials, old roots, and even crystals formed from lightning and fire. It was a dragon’s hoard—rich, old, and full of mystery.

"He must’ve gathered all of this from other Cultivators," she said softly, a faint smile appearing on her lips as she tucked a golden bottle into her storage ring.

She continued walking until something caught her attention.

Something warm. Something alive.

At the far end of the cave, tucked beneath layers of frost and gentle spiritual mist, was a single egg. It was large, with a surface of pale blue and silver. Faint lines of light pulsed across its shell, like ancient runes. The air around it was even colder than the rest of the lair.

Mu Qinxue stepped closer, her expression calm.

She knelt down and gently placed her hand on the egg. A soft pulse came from within—strong, familiar, and proud.

Her eyes quietly widened.

"...It has the same bloodline," she said. "So... he wasn’t alone after all."

She wiped away the ice covering the nest, revealing layers of protective herbs and threads made from spiritual silk. Everything around the egg was carefully placed, as if it had been prepared long ago.

"This must be his child," she murmured, her gaze gentle.

She picked up the egg slowly, holding it with care.

A small breath left her lips, mixed with a quiet laugh. "I got another one."

With soft movements, she placed the egg safely inside her inner realm, surrounding it with protective layers of spirit energy. Then she turned, the cave behind her falling into silence again.

"Best to leave before this place falls apart."

And with that, Mu Qinxue stepped forward and disappeared like a drifting snowflake—graceful, silent, and gone.

Behind her, the dragon’s lair grew still once more.

***

Meanwhile, back in the Immortal Cave, Tian Lei sat in perfect stillness within his secluded cultivation chamber. But unlike most cultivators who surrounded themselves with spiritual Qi, the energy flowing around him now was something entirely different—something totally different and otherworldly.

It was Mana.

After studying the sect teachings from his beautiful master, Mu Qinxue, he had returned to his cave. But instead of continuing with normal cultivation, he made a choice. It was time to unravel the truth of the legacy he had inherited—the legacy of the Magus King.

The deeper he delved, the more astonished he became.

This wasn’t just another magical path—it was a completely different system. Unlike traditional mages who formed magical circles in their hearts to control Mana, the Magus King’s method was far more profound.

And Tian Lei right now is forging his first Soul Mark.

Instead of a circle, it was a microscopic engraving—an arcane symbol etched directly onto his soul. So small it was barely one-millionth the size of the soul itself. But the impact... was tremendous. With every single mark, his soul’s capacity to absorb, wield and Store Mana would double.

This was the terrifying secret behind the rise of the Magus King—the reason he once ruled not just a world, but entire universes.

Most mages could form only nine circles in a lifetime. Ten, if they were born once in an era genius. But Tian Lei’s path had no ceiling. As long as his soul could endure it, he could keep going—forming thousands... millions... even billions of Arcane Soul Marks.

A limitless path.