FRGNM -Chapter 177 Sudden Change

The person who was about to flee was suddenly grabbed by Luo Mingyu, who lifted him with one hand and slammed him heavily onto the ground.

“Kid, standing before your elders, do you really think you still have another path to choose?”

Biting her lip, Ling Ruoxi no longer hesitated. All her tools were brought out at once. Afterimages flashed continuously as transparent tubes appeared on both men’s arms. Dark red blood flowed out simultaneously through the tubes.

“Let me go! I don’t need his filthy blood! Let go—let go of me!”
Roaring like a madman, Xiao Wu struggled fiercely. But Luo Mingyu’s Dou Qi bound him tightly; no matter how capable he was, he couldn’t break free.

The dark clouds in the sky grew heavier, swirling overhead. Bolts of lightning gathered power, ready to strike at any moment.

“It’s done.”
Sweat slid down her forehead as Ling Ruoxi exhaled deeply. She quickly released both of them, flung Xiao Wu aside, and grasped Yu Chou’s hand. At that moment, she didn’t know what to say.

The man who had kept a stiff expression all this time merely lifted the corner of his mouth into a faint, not particularly pleasant smile.

“I’m sorry. Although my old master ordered me to assist you, I can’t do it anymore. Xuan’er is gone, and I’m going to accompany her. We promised to meet on the other side of the sea.”

Slowly moving Ling Ruoxi’s hand away, the man gave a slight nod. With that cold indifference, he turned around and walked step by step toward the pond.

“You… you bastard…”
Lying weakly on the ground, Xiao Wu didn’t even have the strength to fight back. The blood exchange had drained both of them completely—body and soul exhausted, with no energy left for anything else.

Struggling to prop himself up, Xiao Wu looked at the lightning overhead.

“You think doing this will erase the guilt in my heart? I’m telling you—I’ll never forgive you! Even if you die, you must die by my hand!”

Stepping forward fiercely, he sprang to his feet, fists clenched, and hurled a punch forward. Even if he died, this man could only die by his hands!

Bang!

Just as his fist was about to strike Yu Chou, a burst of white light suddenly expanded, forcefully separating the two.

What was this?

Xiao Wu retreated quickly, staring in shock at the white barrier. He then looked up toward the sky.

The dark clouds churned, growing heavier and heavier. Countless bolts of lightning converged within them, firmly locking onto the person inside.

If the blood exchange hadn’t happened, the one trapped in there would have been him.

That terrifying aura was suffocating, making it impossible to breathe. Why did that man go in? Out of pity? He didn’t need that kind of pity!

“Remember this—you are the man my most beloved woman traded her life for. You must not die. Even if I gamble my own life, you cannot die!”

Flames burned fiercely in his eyes. Standing within the white circle, his tightly clenched fists trembled. In that instant, his eyes turned pitch black as he let out a roar toward the heavens.

The deafening sound seemed to shatter the world itself. His black clothes exploded apart, scales rapidly spreading across his body. His massive form materialized—an enormous tail extending outward, sharp five-clawed limbs slamming into the ground. A horn emerged from his forehead, and a pair of dragon eyes seemed capable of seeing through all things in heaven and earth.

“Is that… a dragon?” Ling Ruoxi sucked in a sharp breath. So Yu Chou’s true form wasn’t some lowly snake—but a dragon?

Luo Mingyu shook his head and pulled her into his arms. “Not a dragon. A half-dragon.”

“A half-dragon?” Ling Ruoxi looked at him in confusion.

Xiao Wu, however, stared trembling at Yu Chou.

“A half-dragon means he’s already passed the lightning tribulation. With only the step of forming a core left, he could become a true dragon. He’s a flood dragon—one who survived the tribulation. But why would he become like this? And how could a dragon ever love my mother?! My mother was a bird, not a dragon!”

Dragons lay dragon eggs—how could a bird come from that?!

“Think carefully. Recall that memory you sealed away long ago. Xuan’er has been waiting for me for a long time.”

The massive figure lay quietly within the white circle, making no attempt to resist. He panted weakly, his dragon head resting in the pond. With a flick of his tongue, a broken sword surfaced from the water.

The blade was entirely blue, like a sapphire, emitting a faint glow. A blue gem embedded in the hilt shimmered brightly. When the sword was lifted, the surrounding heat and cold vanished instantly. Even the dancing butterflies turned to dust.

“I’ve kept you waiting, Bai Lie.” The giant dragon chuckled softly, his eyes fixed on the person ahead. There was no regret, no pain of parting. For him, perhaps leaving was the best choice.

The formation had inflicted him with too much suffering. He didn’t want to pass that pain on—so he chose to take it all away himself. Let this be the last thing he did for him.

“Bai Lie…”

Something stabbed sharply into Xiao Wu’s mind. His chest felt as if it were being carved by a dagger. The next moment, he shot forward, reaching out desperately.

“No!”

Boom!

A thunderclap crashed down from the sky, striking directly onto the dragon’s head. There was no gruesome carnage—the lightning illuminated the massive dragon body completely. His form grew increasingly transparent, but his eyes remained fixed on the figure running toward him. A faint smile curved his lips.

“I’m sorry… Xiao Wu…”

Buzz!

The blue broken sword shot out and embedded itself deeply into the ground. Xiao Wu’s outstretched hand grasped only the last trace of illusion—leaving nothing behind.

“No—!”

He roared toward the heavens like a madman, pounding the ground with fist after fist. Tears poured from his eyes.

Why… why did it have to turn out like this?!

“Brother Yu Chou… Sister Xuan’er… why did you do this?! Why?!” Kneeling on the ground, his body trembling, he smashed his fist down again. Why hadn’t he remembered earlier? Why did he cause them all to die—why?!

The breeze stirred as a figure in green rushed over. The storm clouds slowly dispersed, leaving nothing behind—not even the pond, which had been obliterated by lightning.

Was he… still too late?

“So this is fate. In the end, it can’t be escaped.” Holding a brocade pouch, Qingyi smiled bitterly and stepped toward Xiao Wu, gently rubbing his head.

“Fate?” Xiao Wu sneered, slamming his fist into the ground. His body shook violently, lips bitten bloody—yet completely helpless.

Ling Ruoxi stood there, utterly confused. The Xiao Wu who had fiercely resisted Yu Chou now looked like this. Had she missed something—or was there a secret between them she didn’t know?

The vanished figure was gone forever.

The clouds scattered, revealing the gray light of dawn. The massive crater still radiated the residual heat of lightning.

“Qingyi, what exactly is going on? Why are you here?” Ling Ruoxi asked. “Weren’t you supposed to be with the people of Evil King Island?”

Qingyi sighed and shook his head. “It was all for Yu Chou. I arrived too late… and this happened. Yu Chou didn’t have to die.”

He opened the brocade pouch in his hand. Inside lay a broken sword blade.

Ling Ruoxi instinctively turned to look behind her—the broken sword still stood embedded in the grass.

“This is the Dragon-Slaying Dagger. If it’s stabbed into Xiao Wu, he would revert to his infant form and wouldn’t need to undergo the lightning tribulation.”

He was simply too late—and Yu Chou paid with his life.

Picking up the dagger from the ground, Xiao Wu held the broken blade tightly in his arms. Tears shimmered in his eyes as he fought back sobs.

If only he had remembered sooner… none of this would have happened. Never.

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” Ling Ruoxi sighed, placing a hand on Xiao Wu’s head.

“Yu Chou was already severely injured by the formation. His body functions had long stopped. Even without the lightning tribulation, he wouldn’t have lived more than a month.”

“A formation?” Qingyi froze, then suddenly laughed.

“So that’s it. No wonder he insisted on coming early and facing the tribulation. Xiao Wu, give me the broken sword.”

“What are you planning to do?!” Xiao Wu snapped, backing away warily.

“If you still want to see Yu Chou, give it to me.”

His smile remained calm—but utterly cold.

You can see Yu Chou?!

Xiao Wu trembled violently. Gritting his teeth, he handed the broken sword to Qingyi.

Purple light wrapped around the dagger. The broken blade and hilt resonated, humming as they were drawn toward each other. Deep violet light flickered at the fracture point as if magnetized, pulling together.

Closer… closer…

Zzz!

At the instant they touched, even Ling Ruoxi felt her ears ring, as if all sound vanished.

A blinding flash erupted. Everyone shut their eyes. When the white light faded, they slowly opened them again.

Ling Ruoxi gasped.

Suspended in midair was a long purple sword, humming softly—like it had gathered all the power of heaven and earth.