18 Dragon God's Trial Part 2

Once they passed through the gate what appeared before their eyes was a vast land with a seemingly unending scenery of grasslands and forests.

"Is this really… the next trial ground? It doesn't seem… to have any hint of danger. It appears too refreshing." Chu Yueli said softly observing the area around her.

It was also at this time that the Primordial Azure Dragon's voice sounded.

"Young humans, welcome. This place, is the Dragon God Trial's second trial ground. This trial ground has no limit, and also has no exit. You can only leave this place after you have successfully completed the trial. Or perhaps you would all be buried here before completing the trial."

"There are an innumerable amount of profound beasts here in this endless plain. The level of the profound beasts here have all been adjusted with your strength as the benchmark. Also, as a result of the three-fold difficulty level, every single profound beast here is not lower than the Spirit Profound Realm. As for some of the more powerful profound beasts, their strength far surpasses the Stone Dragon General that you had killed. Once the profound beasts here sense your aura, they would all immediately unleash an endless barrage of attacks. At the same time, under my soul's guidance, profound beasts near you would all be led in your direction. You would be hunted at all times by profound beasts and would never be able to sleep soundly or eat in peace. And your objective in clearing this second stage of the trial is also very easy. It is to kill ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine profound beasts, within eight months!"

Chu Yueli was speechless: "..."

Chu Yuechan immediately started looking around vigilantly once she heard the Dragon God's words.

Itachi obviously did not have much of a reaction to all of that except the time limit which he had already anticipated since the strength of the profound beasts appeared to be the same, the time limit was reduced due to three-fold difficulty.

Chu Yuechan really felt that this trial was really too impossible. No wonder no one had ever been able to complete this trial since forever. While being hunted by countless profound beasts, they had to kill ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine profound beasts, and these profound beasts' levels were all higher than their own. It was practically at a crazy and unreasonable stage.

As the Primordial Azure Dragon's visage started disappearing, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly turned gloomily as the howls of innumerable profound beasts sounded from far away. All around the group of three the auras of countless profound beasts started appearing, rapidly rushing towards them with their vicious intent to kill.

"It seems there's only one way." Chu Yuechan said calmly.

Chu Yueli asked a bit desperately, quite unlike her usual indifference, "Is there any 'way' sister?"

Inside the Sky Poison Pearl, Jasmine got angry listening to Chu Yueli's question, "Of course, it's to escape."

Chu Yuechan sighed before she replied: "Of course, we have to run away and plan, for now atleast."

Itachi nodded, silently acknowledging Chu Yuechan's state of mind even in such a hopeless situation: "Indeed, let's leave. However, I will create a little confusion first."

With that, Itachi performed the hand seals to create multiple shadow clones before dispersing them all around the plains.

Chu Yueli remarked as she watched twenty similar looking Itachi's dispersing all around: "Oh Right. This technique of yours really is a godly ability, especially for a situation like this."

Chu Yuechan nodded as she sensed the various auras pursuing them had already stopped abruptly as if confused before abruptly changing directions in multiple directions presumably following the various clones dispersed by Itachi.

"Let's get out of here."

Within the chaotic plains, the three of them rapidly ran, searching for a place to stay unnoticed for a while although the task was not too difficult.

…..........…

The time was around midnight, Itachi was sitting beneath a large tree with a small pond near it. Occasionally, his eyes became absent minded while gaining the memories of his dispersed clones. The task that the clones had been given was quite simple: distract as many profound beasts from their location as possible. And once, any clone was surrounded by too many, open the first gate of the Heretic God arts: Heretic Soul along with any large scale destruction Jutsu or profound technique to kill as many as possible beasts before dispersing.

Itachi felt slight movement beside himself, glancing beside he saw the snow white robes of Chu Yuechan rustling slightly in the wind as she sat at a stone a futaway from him while her sister sat beside her.

Chu Yuechan asked : "So, what are you going to do? It will hard to pass the trial with just sitting here"

Itachi glanced at her for a moment: "No, it might be the easiest way to pass the trial. We have already made some progress. I think they have managed to clear around 400 beasts already."

Chu Yueli frowned at Itachi's non-chalance: "Are you saying even mere clones are strong enough to kill Spirit level Profound beasts."

Itachi nodded: "In a direct confrontation they might be overwhelmed. However, with so many of them confusing the others, it is hard for too many beasts to gather in one place. And even if they do gather in a single place, the clones simply go all out to kill as many as they can before dispersing."

Chu Yueli was speechless: "Isn't this clone technique a bit too absurd?"

Chu Yuechan too remarked as she glanced at Itachi's visage: "No, what is even more absurd is the fact that those clones seemed to have the strength of just half step into the True Profound Realm yet they can still manage to kill Spirit Profound Realms Beasts somehow."

Itachi replied in an absent minded tone of voice: "Yes, I suppose the strength that I seem to possess may appear absurd, and yet, it is still nowhere near enough...."

Chu Yueli said: "It is more than enough. I have never seen a youngster as absurd as you. It really is laughable how, once not long ago, you were mocked as a cripple."

Chu Yuechan too said with her usual indifferent tone of voice: "As long as you don't die, I have no doubt you will reach at least become a throne or maybe, even beyond."

Itachi replied with a slight chuckle: "I will, ,I have no doubt about that. Anyways, the clones will be able to reduce the number of low level profound beasts which probably comprises the majority of the beasts in this phase while we will have to deal with the intermediate level ones ourselves. Let's begin by fighting each other to familiarize ourselves."

Chu Yuechan simply nodded indifferently while she stood up confidently, walking towards the open ground while Itachi followed suit.

Chu Yueli simply decided to oversee the duel while she said: "Begin!"

As soon as the voice sounded, Chu Yuechan immediately used her Frozen Cloud Domain as a frost aura rapidly expanded around her, trapping Itachi.

Itachi merely shrugged his shoulders feeling the slight suppression of the chilly domain, although a normal cultivator might have been heavily suppressed, he barely felt it. If Chu Yuechan used her domain as a half-step Emperor Profound Realm cultivator it would have been a different matter altogether.

Since Itachi wasn't attacking first, Chu Yuechan used Frozen Cloud Dance Steps as her speed accelerated before she appeared beside Itachi unleashing the profound technique -- Frozen Cloud Spear upon him as multiple spears made of ice materialized before converging towards him from different direction.

As soon as the spears reached the body, her eyes widened as she realized it was merely an after image that she had tried to pierce.

However, before she could retreat, she felt a presence directly behind her as a hand of fire appeared right beside her neck, the extreme heat from the flames, made her sweat a little as her white neck became slightly damp, glistening in the night light while she froze in her place.

Itachi retracted the Phoenix flames before stepping back: "Your domain is really strong."

Chu Yuechan felt a bit embarrassed while she tried to maintain her usual indifference. However, she had just lost to a junior in a matter of moments. Recovering herself after a few moments, she said with sigh: "You don't hold back in a fight. Do you….?"

Itachi said simply: "It depends on the situation, right now, there is simply no need to. You have observed for sometime now. You must already know, at the same level of profound strength, you can't win. Also, it's best if we know each other's power level well to pass this stage sooner."

At this time, Chu Yueli walked up to them from the side as she said: "It seems Qingyue might really lose miserably to you if you two ever get to have that promised fight."

Itachi could say nothing to that since it was true. With Yun Che's memories guiding him along with his own techniques, it was unfair to compare him with cultivators of the same generation as him. Then again, Qingyue had a kind of guide of her own.

After the three of them had practised for a while, they finally started actually hunting the Intermediate Spirit Profound Beasts. In the first day alone, they had managed to clear around 76 of them while the clones could easily kill more than 800 low level beasts per day, bringing the total to around 900 beasts per day. As more and more days went by, their efficiency slowly and steadily started increasing as the total went up to 1000 beasts. Gradually as the remaining beasts became lesser and lesser, the clones weren't enough to deal with the Upper level beasts, decreasing their efficiency again. However, they still followed the same routine day by day…..

Four months later….

It was the time of dusk and demonic black flames could be seen spreading wildly like a gigantic fire phoenix visiting from hell itself as it proceeded to swallow up an entire forest that had been filled priorly with countless profound beasts while figures of three silhouettes could be seen standing in the middle of this hellish scenery, completely untouched by the black flames around them.

Suddenly, the scene before their eyes abruptly distorted. The black flames seem to disappear becoming a field of a familiar dark instead. They had finally returned back to the place.

Suddenly, a pair of gigantic azure blue eyes slowly opened.

The Primordial Azure Dragon voiced reverberated: "You have passed this trial in half of the given time. As a mere human, you have really once again shocked me greatly, you truly are an extraordinary individual."

The Primordial Azure Dragon's voice was filled with emotion.

The two fairies didn't have the usual indifference on their face as they silently listened to his words reverently.

"And also, you have already passed the third stage of the trial." The Primordial Azure Dragon calmly stated.

"Already passed?" Chu Yueli asked, a bit surprised.

"Since you have went through the Phoenix Trial, you must have passed a trial of character since we would never let our bloodline be passed onto a human of inferior morals. Thus, there is no need to carry out the third stage of the trial, for you have already passed. Congratulations young human, you have become this land's sole person who has passed the Dragon God's Trial."

"Also, you two human women, since you have also passed this trial along with him I won't let you leave without a reward, take this cultivation pellet and meditate to absorb it , it will allow you to reach the Emperor Profound Realm with certainty. Further advancement will depend upon your comprehension."

Itachi glanced at the Dragon in slight surprise about why he hadn't given Yun Che this reward but soon he realized, it would have damaged his foundation with how low his cultivation level was at the moment. But for a half step Emperor Profound Realm cultivator, it would merely grant an easy breakthrough without any damage to the foundation.

Although, the fairies hadn't expected to get any reward from the trial since they were merely assisting Itachi to repay a favor, there was no reason to not accept it.

"Thank you, Revered Dragon God." Both of them replied with gratitude as they chose a place away from Itachi to cultivate.

"Challengers who have passed the Dragon God Trial could obtain three drops of the Dragon God's blood. And since you have entered it with three-fold difficulty, I will grant all nine drops of Dragon God blood to you. I will give you ten days to completely fuse with these nine drops of Dragon God blood. At the same time, within those seven days, you have to stabilize the profound strength breakthroughs that you had been suppressing for a while as well."

As the Primordial Azure Dragon's voice fell, a speck of azure blue light suddenly came flying, accurately touching the spot between Itachi's eyebrows, entering the space between his brows.

Nine drops of the Dragon God's blood entered his body, causing Itachi to instantly feel overwhelmed.

Itachi immediately calmed himself as he sat down as his profound energy released while he began the slow process of fusing with the Dragon God's Blood.

Some distance away from him, Chu Yuechan and Chu Yueli were also cultivating enveloped by a hazy aura.

——————————————

Under Itachi's steady cultivation, he made rapid breakthroughs.

In a single day, he broke through four levels, and arriving at the ninth level of the True Profound Realm.

After fusing with the first three drops of the Dragon God's blood, he had broken through to the peak of the True Profound Realm, and after fusing with six drops of the Dragon God's blood, it was raised to the third level of the Spirit Profound Realm. After the fusion of all nine drops of the Dragon God's blood, Itachi's profound energy climbed to the fifth level of the Spirit Profound Realm.

Nine days later, Itachi finally opened his eyes. His profound veins had expanded by several times, and an unbelievably strong force was surging through every drop of blood and every cell within his body stemming from the Dragon God's bloodline.

The two fairies still seemed to be cultivating. Hence, Itachi simply decided to wait.

"Young human, you have awakened. It is remarkable how thoroughly you have finished the fusion. I can detect the bloodline of the flames of the Phoenix, and the aura of the Evil God. Aside from that, your body also has the aura of the divine power of the Rage God and of Sirius the Sky Wolf. Your situation makes me sigh in amazement, and also makes me, for the first time, desire to see what a human's future is. If you feel grateful for what you have gained, then can you agree to a request of mine?"

The voice of the Primordial Azure Dragon was filled with deep regret and emotion.

Being aware of the request already, Itachi replied without hesitant: "I promise to give my utmost effort to fulfill this request. As long as it is within my powers, I promise to do everything I can."

"It is enough for you to answer with such conviction. It might indeed be too difficult for you. You might even die without ever becoming eligible to even fulfill this request, but there is something in your eyes that reflects your indomitable will which I never seen before in any human, as such, I can't stop myself from hoping… that maybe you will be able to find that sword."

Itachi didn't say anything to that.

The Primordial Azure Dragon continued slowly, "Have you heard of the place known as the 'Realm of the Gods'?"

"I have. It is where Jasmine is from." Itachi replied.

The Primordial Azure Dragon said in a surprised voice: "You seem to know that I conversed with her. Anyways, if you know, it makes it rather easier to explain. That place also has the lineage that I left behind........"

Then, the Primordial Azure Dragon went into a long explanation regarding the divine realm until he finally reached the conclusion.

"…....…That sword's name is the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword. You possess one of the Seven Heavenly Profound Treasures, the Sky Poison Pearl. Naturally, you should understand what it means to be in possession of one of the Seven Heavenly Profound Treasures. As for that Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword, it is ranked as number one amongst the Seven Heavenly Profound Treasures! According to legend, its power is enough to annihilate everything. My daughter is sealed within the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword! Her body and her spirit are both sealed within that sword!"

Itachi remained silent throughout the explanation.

Jasmine who had been listening the conversation was also shocked.

"If the person who obtains the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword is greedy and evil, after he unseals the sword, my daughter will become that person's tool... After all, my daughter has the pure lineage of the Dragon God. I believe in your character. You are a trustworthy person. If that sword is in your hands, I believe that my daughter can be saved."

Itachi couldn't help himself from asking the Primordial Azure Dragon once he had heard the entire explanation , "Primordial Azure Dragon, this may seem a bit inappropriate but can you answer a question of mine?"

The Primordial Azure Dragon was confused but he still replied: "I am the one who has made an inappropriate request. Go on, ask whatever you want to."

With a fixed stare deep into the eyes of the Primordial Azure Dragon God, Itachi asked : "If you could choose once again, will you pick your daughter over your duty towards your clan or will it be the same?"

The Primordial Azure Dragon was surprised to hear the question. However, he still replied with conviction: "Those with power must be capable of making harsh decisions. I think regardless of whichever choice I made, I would have come to regret it later. If I had chosen my daughter above everything else, I would have then regretted the consequence of that choice : the eventual fall of the Gods even if my choice wouldn't have any difference. However, knowing what I know now that regardless of what I did, the Myriad Tribulations Poison would still have ended the era of Gods and Devils, I suppose I should have chosen my daughter instead and that is indeed something I regret. But time doesn't allow second chances, even the Primordial God of time couldn't do that. "

Listening to the Primordial Azure Dragon's sincere words, Itachi could sense the feelings and emotions of deep sorrow, regret, helplessness within his voice.

Itachi had also lived his entire life constantly facing the same dilemma of making difficult choices. The Primordial Azure Dragon was right, even if we come to regret the consequences of our choices. Being able to make a different choice would still leave us with regrets, of a different kind maybe. It was the same with Yun Che as well as Itachi himself. Finally, a constant question that had been plagued his mind since the moment he met Yun Che's apparition again in that cave had been answered. Itachi knew what he had to do to overcome the upcoming unavoidable confrontation. Having made up his mind Itachi said to the Primordial Azure Dragon: "Primordial Azure Dragon, your words have provided me with a certain relief for the ordeals that lie ahead for me. Earlier, when you spoke about the fact that I possessed one Heavenly Profound Treasure, you were not completely correct. "

The Primordial Azure Dragon said with a confused voice: "What do you mean?"

Itachi continued: "Along with the Sky Poison Pearl, I am also in possession of another Heavenly Profound Treasure, ranked seventh in terms of strength. However, the most mysterious of them all: the Mirror of Samsara."

Jasmine who had been watching from inside the Sky Poison Pearl came out at this time exclaiming with an indignant voice: "You didn't tell this princess that you are in possession of another Heavenly Profound Treasure!!"

The Primordial Azure Dragon remained silent for a while merely listening to the Star God's rant as he tried to understand the intent behind Itachi's reveal at this time before he said: "You have really shocked this old one. However, I still fail to understand why you would reveal this information to me at this time."

Itachi's expression became serene quiet unlike his usual indifference: "The Mirror of Samsara is special among all the Heavenly Profound Treasures. I barely understand it's power. However, I can definitely say that it has the power to traverse through fate itself. I was recently shown how the future that I had always wished for someone had finally come to fruition. It provided me with a certain sense of relief which is incomparable to anything else in this world. Allow me to do the same for you. Let me show you the future that you so desperately wish for if you don't resist. "

The Primordial Azure Dragon wouldn't have agreed to such a request from any other person. However, for some reason, seeing the extremely pure sincerity in his successor's eyes compelled him to agree: "Very well, show me."

Itachi's Sharingan started spinning as he looked straight into the eyes of the Primordial Azure Dragon before uttering: "Tsukuyomi!!"

Jasmine became extremely confused as Itachi explained about the ability of the Mirror of Samsara. However, before she could ask him more. She saw Itachi's eyes morphed into the pin-wheel blood red pattern which appeared a bit different than usual as it started spinning before she heard Itachi's words.

The dark place became silent for a full three seconds before abrupt panting sounds appeared from the Primordial Azure Dragon, completely stupefying Jasmine.

The Primordial Azure Dragon couldn't care less about his image right now. What he had been shown had made him realize how right he had been in choosing the young man before him as his successor. It tool him entire minute to calm his mind before he said in a joyful voice: "HAHAHA! This king is really blessed to find a successor like you in this life. I will be eternally grateful to you for showing me her visage to me. To think that the Mirror of Samsara had such a powerful ability."

Itachi nodded sincerely: " Now, you can leave with eternal relief and remember that I will find a way to break that seal and allow your daughter to see the light of day forever after."

"...Your voice is genuinely sincere and your soul does not have the slightest of tremors. It is clear I have chosen the right person. Thank you for your promise….." The Primordial Azure Dragon said in a gratified manner. "This residual soul of mine is attached to some remaining Dragon God blood. This is also my last remaining soul. Knowing what I know now, I believe I don't need to wait for you to reach the Earth Profound realm to. I will bequeath you the last of my 'Dragon God Marrow' and 'Dragon God Soul'!"

Jasmine became even more stupefied now. Since she had already seen Itachi use his Sharingan to cast illusions as well as show memories before, she had already guessed that he must have shown something to the Old Dragon. However, what could make the king of all Primordial Beasts this excited that he would pass on the Dragon God Marrow, Dragon God Soul. Hence, giving up everything that he had left to a human soul. Although, Jasmine was really tempted to ask Itachi what he had shown to the Old Dragon. However, Itachi's increase in strength was equivalent to her own. As such, she simply went inside the Sky Poison Pearl quietly observing further developments.

Although a bit unexpected, Itachi still replied with certainty: "Alright."

"Haha, good… Good. Now, I will grant them to you… Please close your eyes, and let go of all your mental and physical defenses."

As the Primordial Azure Dragon's voice fell, a fist sized crystal that emitted a starlike radiance suddenly appeared above Itachi. The crystal slowly descended, and floated in front of Itachi's forehead.

"The Dragon God's Marrow, can make your bones like fine steel, and your marrow like an impregnable fortress. The Dragon God's Soul, will refine your spirit and soul, giving you powerful mental strength far surpassing that of ordinary humans. Your soul, will also gain the attribute of the Dragon God from this!"

The crystal that was like the night sky suddenly cracked open in front of Itachi, and a wave of powerful, ethereal, and vast energy aura dispersed outward as a faintly discernable silhouette floated in front of him… the Primordial Azure Dragon. This power slowly moved towards Itachi, rippling across space.

Itachi had been ready as it had suddenly turned into a flash of light and rushed toward the space between his eyebrows. Suddenly, he felt incomparable pain as well as power surging through his physical body as well as soul, his meridians crazily twisted, as though they were all about to burst. In the depths of his soul, a burst of an indescribably powerful will broke in like a tremendous wave. The Dragon God's Blood and Phoenix's Blood within Itachi's body awakened, and simultaneously suppressed the Dragon God's Marrow, trying to integrate it into his body.

Within Itachi's mind, a boundlessly vast starry sky appeared… At this time, a dragon cry that shook the universe came, and between the ethereal starry sky, a completely azure colored dragon's silhouette appeared. That's...

Itachi muttered in his mind : ' So, that's the Primordial Azure Dragon! However, this is my soul'

With his low shout, a humanoid being slowly appeared bearing the crimson color of his phoenix flames as it slowly started turning pure black reflecting the black flames of Amaterasu. Carrying a simple heavy sword in it's hand along with a silver pagoda above it's head, the humanoid being started growing in size before dwarfing even the Azure Dragon's soul as it smashed it's heavy sword upon the foreign soul form.

For a moment, the entire starry sky seemed to stop with the swing of the Susanoo's sword as the swing of his sword generated a storm of terrifying power all across this universe while smashing the Primordial Azure Dragon . The pressure that would seemingly turn the world upside down caged the soul of the Dragon God.

In actuality, even though the Dragon God's Soul was powerful, it could quickly and easily integrate with Itachi's soul with just the last of Primordial Azure Dragon's will to guide and control it. But the Primordial Azure Dragon's will instead gave him a trial… to fuse this wisp of Dragon God's Soul using his own mental strength. But if he uses his own soul's willpower to fuse with the Dragon God's Soul, not only would he strengthen his own soul even more, his control over the Dragon God's Soul would also reach a perfect one hundred percent!

The vast universe, was precisely the ocean of Itachi's own soul and he already reached perfect control over it as Itachi said with a sense of finality: "This is my world… here, you'll have to obediently submit to me!!"

The Susanoo' hand vastly expanded, completely swallowing up the gigantic body of the Azure Dragon's silhouette...it's silhouette suddenly shattered turning into blue colored stars that fluttered throughout the starry sky...

Itachi's body fell onto the ground at once, as his consciousness sunk into silence.