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Xu Yuan, Long Yue, and a fragmented dragon soul.
For a moment, the three consciousnesses formed a silent tableau.
Xu Yuan was the first to break the silence.
"Long Yue, this dragon soul must have originated from the Dragon Valley, correct?"
Long Yue's eyes widened in shock as he turned to Xu Yuan, his gaze tinged with caution.
"The Dragon Valley is a closely guarded secret of the Tang Sect. How do you know about it?"
Long Yue was baffled.
Even if Xu Yuan were part of the Tang Sect, he shouldn't know about it. After all, the Dragon Valley was one of the Star Luo Continent Tang Sect branch's greatest secrets, classified even from most members. Even if higher-ups intended for him to enter for training, he should only learn about it afterward.
However, Xu Yuan was neither a disciple of the Tang Sect nor had he ever entered the Dragon Valley.
How did he know of its existence?
And how could he directly deduce that this dragon soul came from the Dragon Valley?
Long Yue was stunned, but Xu Yuan's expression remained calm.
"There's no need to be so shocked. So-called secrets are known to those at a certain level. I'll also be participating in this journey to the Dragon Valley soon."
Long Yue was deeply shaken.
Xu Yuan wasn't a disciple of the Tang Sect, yet he could enter the Dragon Valley?
What made him worthy?
No, wait.
He was worthy.
Thinking of Xu Yuan's incredible talent, Long Yue fell silent.
Though the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy were separate entities, their relationship was undeniably close. As the leading figure of Shrek Academy, Xu Yuan likely had the backing of Shrek to gain entry into the Dragon Valley.
But why was he telling him all this?
Long Yue looked at Xu Yuan, puzzled.
"This dragon soul has both benefits and drawbacks for you, but currently, it's mostly a hindrance. Today, I'll take this dragon soul. As for you, Brother Long, you can stay here in my dreamscape for now."
With that, Xu Yuan and the dragon soul vanished from Long Yue's sight.
Long Yue mobilized his mental power, struggling with all his might, but he couldn't break free from the constraints of the dreamscape. His consciousness was trapped, unable to return to his body.
Such terrifying illusion skills!
Long Yue's heart grew heavy.
He had already experienced this technique during the individual battle a few days ago. But after entering again and trying all the methods and tricks he'd thought of over the past few days, he still felt a sense of despair.
It was overwhelming.
So Xu Yuan's true monstrosity lay in his mental power and illusion abilities.
Xu Yuan paid no heed to Long Yue's struggles.
His dreamscape was, in essence, a prison. As his understanding of the transition between reality and illusion deepened, the dreamscape became increasingly realistic, making it nearly impossible to break. Without Spirit Domain-level mental power, there was no way to shatter the dreamscape.
Of course, the dreamscape wasn't without flaws.
If one carefully sensed their physical body, they would find they could still exert some influence.
The dreamscape had grown closer to reality, and similarly, the consciousness trapped within could maintain a certain level of awareness with their physical body.
As for the confinement capability, it had gradually weakened as the dreamscape became more realistic.
It was a trade-off.
Xu Yuan's dreamscape was now top-tier in terms of imprisonment, but its ability to isolate the consciousness from the physical body had declined.
No, not declined—it was deliberately sacrificed.
The isolation of consciousness from the body originally relied on the gap between reality and illusion. Now that Xu Yuan was developing the dreamscape toward a more tangible form, this ability naturally weakened.
Of course, once Xu Yuan could freely transition between reality and illusion, such sacrifices would no longer occur.
At this moment, in another region of the dreamscape.
Xu Yuan stood facing the dragon soul.
"You should possess your own consciousness. My dreamscape is helping stabilize your mind. You can speak," Xu Yuan said.
Sure enough, as Xu Yuan spoke, the fragmented dragon soul, which had been instinctively floating in the air with lifeless dragon eyes, began to show a glimmer of vitality.
"You… are extraordinary," the dragon soul said.
"I'm merely skilled in this area," Xu Yuan replied humbly, without boasting or exchanging pleasantries. He steered the conversation to his rhythm: "You must have heard what I just said to Long Yue. I'll be entering the Dragon Valley soon."
"What does that have to do with me?"
Are you telling me you separated me from Long Yue just to send me back there?
Are you a devil?
"Lord Mountain Dragon King, surely you don't want the countless dragon souls in the Dragon Valley to continue aimlessly wandering in that graveyard, do you?"
The dragon soul fell silent.
He had been the least patient of them all. After finding Long Yue, a suitable soul master, he passed on his inheritance and left the Dragon Valley with him.
Of course, he was now just a residual soul. As Long Yue fully integrated his bloodline, this dragon soul would eventually disappear.
He was the Mountain Dragon King, the most patient of dragons, yet even he couldn't endure the long years spent in the dragon graveyard.
The other dragon souls could only be imagined.
If given the chance, they would naturally want to resolve their lingering attachments, emerge to see the world, and then dissipate into the heavens and earth.
"I have an idea, Lord Mountain Dragon King. Please hear me out. If you find it reasonable, you can relay my thoughts to the many dragon souls in the Dragon Valley when the time comes."
Xu Yuan didn't bother observing the dragon soul's reaction and continued speaking his thoughts.
"You should be aware of the current development of the soul master world. The technology for spirit souls is now highly advanced. For residual souls like yours, with cooperation and some remnants of your former bloodline, there's a chance to be transformed into a spirit soul."
"My idea is to help the many dragon souls in the Dragon Valley reconstruct spirit bodies, allowing them to remain in this plane."
After finishing, Xu Yuan quietly observed the dragon soul, waiting for the Mountain Dragon King's response.
"After being transformed into a spirit soul, what then? To be fused by your human soul masters? To become subservient to humans?" The dragon soul's tone dripped with disdain.
Proud dragons, even if they died silently, would never willingly become a soul master's spirit soul.
Even this Mountain Dragon King hadn't become Long Yue's spirit soul. Instead, he had passed on his strength to Long Yue, essentially continuing his bloodline in an alternative way.
"That wouldn't be the case. Spirit souls don't necessarily have to be fused by soul masters. This could also serve as a form of survival for soul beasts. Moreover, transforming into a spirit soul is itself a method of preserving bloodlines. If technology advances enough, perhaps we could recreate the bloodlines of spirit souls."
Even if a certain type of soul beast went extinct, if its spirit soul still existed, might there be a chance to replicate that soul beast?
Theoretically, it was possible.
"Lord Mountain Dragon King, please consider this carefully."
Xu Yuan remained calm and composed.
"The dragon race has already perished. Even though traces of dragon bloodlines remain on the continent today, how many pure-blooded true dragons are left? No matter how pure a soul master's bloodline is, they are still soul masters, not soul beasts, and certainly not dragons."
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