"Back then, I perished before I could take a disciple. You are my only disciple, so the engagement naturally falls to you to fulfill."
Qin Xuan felt his head swell upon hearing this.
Was this what it meant to be betrothed by decree?
This master left behind a romantic entanglement for his disciple to clean up. Truly, this master was something else.
The towering image of Ying Long in Qin Xuan's mind instantly collapsed.
Since it was his master's dying wish, Qin Xuan couldn't refuse. He could only agree for now and see how things played out, as the final decision still rested with him.
After Ying Long finished explaining the first matter, he moved on to the second.
"As for the second matter, revenge, I've said too much for now, it won't help you. Everything you need to know is within the Dragon Pellet. When your strength is sufficient, you will naturally understand."
"Next, is the most important thing, the Dragon Pellet." Ying Long said, and Qin Xuan's heart began to race. The main topic had arrived.
Regarding the Dragon Pellet, Qin Xuan only knew the most basic cultivation methods and nothing else.
With a wave of Ying Long's hand, the two instantly vanished from their spot and reappeared in mid-air. Before them floated a golden sphere the size of a fist, the Dragon Pellet. Beneath their feet lay Qin Xuan's Sea of Consciousness.
Gazing at the familiar Dragon Pellet, a flicker of melancholy crossed Ying Long's eyes.
The Dragon Pellet seemed to sense Ying Long's presence, its body trembling slightly.
Ying Long glanced at Qin Xuan and said,
"The dragon shadow you manifested yesterday has a name: Hua Long!"
Ying Long's tone clearly deepened on the last two words. Qin Xuan naturally sensed their significance, and his heartbeat quickened.
"Hua Long, or what we dragons call Hua Xing, is to transform into human form," Ying Long continued.
"Humans are the finest beings in heaven and earth, the darlings of the land. Thus, any non-human species that cultivates to a higher realm will resemble humans more closely after transforming."
"In combat, human cultivators are agile and versatile, more suited for battle. However..."
At this point, Ying Long's expression turned serious.
"Dragons are different! A dragon's body is the most resilient existence in the world, especially its scales. Each scale contains immense power. Whether in human form or dragon form, dragons are inherently stronger than experts of the same level. They can adapt to different combat situations with different forms."
"And my disciple, you have inherited the Dragon Pellet. Upon perfect fusion with it, you become a half-dragon person. Your blood already carries half the dragon lineage. This is why you could manifest a dragon shadow, because you are now, in a sense, half a dragon."
"Therefore, yesterday, when you faced that situation, the Dragon Pellet sensed that your current state and consciousness were insufficient to cope, thus it transformed into a dragon to save your two little lovers."
Qin Xuan was greatly shocked. No wonder he had no idea what was happening back then; it turned out the Dragon Pellet could sense consciousness on its own.
"Then Master, how can I actively transform into a dragon?" Qin Xuan asked.
He had deeply experienced the power of this Hua Long transformation yesterday.
At that moment, he felt like an overlord in the world, looking down on all beings. If not for his dragon power running out, he would have certainly soared up and annihilated those mercenaries.
However, after yesterday, Qin Xuan had no idea how to manifest the dragon shadow again.
If he encountered an unbeatable enemy in the future, being able to actively transform into a dragon would definitely turn the tide.
Ying Long chuckled,
"What? Have you become infatuated with the feeling of being in dragon form?"
Qin Xuan scratched the back of his head, nodding somewhat sheepishly.
"Hahaha, you're still far from it. What you saw was merely a phantom. Once you cultivate all your dragon scales and can truly transform, you will be a genuine dragon. Then, the heavens and earth will bow to you alone, and all beings will be beneath your feet!"