Ao Qing paid no heed to the shocked reactions of Prime Minister Turtle and the others. Instead, the corners of his lips curved slightly as he cautiously approached Pangu's Heart. At the same time, his hands formed a defensive hand seal, maintaining full alert to any possible danger.
After all, no one could guarantee what might happen when approaching Pangu's Heart. It was best to stay careful.
Behind him, the others likewise grew wary—drawing weapons or subtly shifting their positions to stand closer to Ao Qing.
Not out of fear, but out of unwavering loyalty—if anything went wrong, they could act as shields for the Dragon King.
For he was their hope. The hope of the entire Eastern Sea Dragon Clan!
Thump, thump, thump!
Pangu's Heart continued to pulse, its beats slow but mighty—like the heart of a colossal titan still beating after countless eons.
Even after all this time since Pangu split heaven and earth during the Great Desolation, his heart still beat.
Just the thought made Ao Qing shiver—how unimaginably powerful must Pangu have been in his prime?
As Ao Qing pondered this, he finally arrived at the heart.
What lay before him was an enormous heart, and each throbbing artery was as thick as a grown man's torso—a breathtaking, awe-inspiring sight.
Then, Ao Qing's eyes narrowed.
Inside Pangu's Heart, he could faintly see a thread of golden radiance, as though some kind of divine energy flowed within.
"Pangu's Essence? The core essence of the heart itself!?"
He instantly recognized it—and his breath hitched.
If he could absorb this essence... how much would his strength grow?
This was the true reason he had come to Mount Shu.
With extreme care, Ao Qing extended a hand toward the golden essence. At first, he felt nothing unusual—but soon, a cool current began flowing through his palm.
The moment that energy touched him, it surged through his limbs and bones like a flood, infusing his entire being with immense power. He could feel every cell, every bone, every drop of blood undergoing a violent, glorious transformation.
"Ding! You have obtained Pangu's Essence. Would you like to absorb it all?"
The system's crisp prompt sounded again.
Ao Qing was briefly stunned, but then broke into a wide grin.
"So it really is the core essence of Pangu's Heart!"
Without hesitation, he selected "Yes."
And the moment he confirmed, the golden brilliance intensified—his body trembled as torrents of ancient power coursed through him.
The divine radiance inside Pangu's Heart dimmed rapidly, fading away as though being drained dry.
Ao Qing couldn't help it—he closed his eyes in satisfaction and sat down cross-legged, entering a deep meditative state.
In this state, he could clearly feel it:
His bones, veins, bloodline—even his soul—were being completely reborn.
It was a metamorphosis unlike anything before.
He knew—if he transformed into dragon form now, the changes would be far more drastic than ever before!
No one knew how much time passed.
When Ao Qing finally opened his eyes, the once radiant core of Pangu's Heart had withered completely.
It looked as if it had never held anything at all.
His body, however, now bore a strange transformation.
Veins of deep blue and purple ran along his arms, crisscrossing over his skin like celestial markings, forming intricate patterns that shimmered faintly.
Though Pangu's Heart still pulsed, its rhythm had clearly slowed—it was much more subdued than before.
"So this… is the power of Pangu's Essence?"
Ao Qing tested his breath and strength. His body felt far stronger than before, though he couldn't yet quantify it.
But while Ao Qing remained unsure, the elders behind him could clearly feel the difference.
"This… this aura… Has the Dragon King evolved into a Mutated Eight-Clawed Dragon?!"
Elder Ao Guang's expression twisted in shock as he stared at Ao Qing.
"Mutated?"
"But isn't the highest rank among eight-clawed dragons the Thunder Calamity Dragon?"
The elders of the Dragon Clan broke into commotion.
They had never even heard of such a thing—a mutated golden dragon?
Ao Guang took a deep breath and calmly explained:
"At first I wasn't sure... but now I'm almost certain. This aura doesn't belong to a regular eight-clawed golden dragon—it's something beyond."
"In ancient times, there were rare cases during evolution where certain dragons would undergo a 'mutation,' creating a class even stronger than standard golden dragons. These dragons were known as mutated dragons."
"According to ancient records, one such creature—an Eleven-Clawed Mutated Dragon—once rivaled the legendary Twelve-Clawed Progenitor Dragon himself!"
The air grew heavy.
Everyone present fell silent, their gazes locked onto Ao Qing with burning awe.
Could it be true?
Had their Dragon King now surpassed even the apex of golden dragon bloodlines?
"That's right," Ao Qing said quietly, his tone steady. "I can feel it. I've already evolved into a Mutated Eight-Clawed Dragon. Compared to before... I'm on a whole new level."
He took a deep breath.
Even now, he hadn't absorbed all of Pangu's Essence—only a fraction. The rest had been sealed within his body, waiting to be unlocked as he grew even stronger.
"The system didn't even ask for a second evolution point," Ao Qing marveled.
"This alone… is enough to change everything."
Just then, a panicked shrimp soldier rushed in.
"Dragon King! Bad news! Our movements here have alarmed the nearby mountain gods and land deities. Many powerful divine generals are rushing this way with heavenly troops, trying to surround and crush us!"
Ao Qing raised an eyebrow—but instead of fear, his expression was calm and even... excited.
"Perfect."
"Let's test this new dragon form of mine, and see just how terrifying a Mutated Eight-Clawed Dragon really is."
Even Ao Qing hadn't expected that the surrounding sacred mountains had so many deities guarding them—and that they would rally so quickly once they sensed danger.
"Worthy of being one of the Celestial Blessed Lands," he muttered.
"If this had been some random mountain, they'd never have responded this fast…"
He clenched his fists, and the power of Pangu's Essence surged silently within his veins.
"Let them come."
"Today, the heavens will tremble beneath the roar of the Dragon Clan!"
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