CHAPTER 43: FIRST BEAST

"I see," Mu Qinxue replied calmly. "Then the dragon is a wise choice. Among the four, it’s the strongest and most versatile."

Tian Lei offered a slight smile as he carefully picked up the lotus petal containing the sealed dragon.

"Do you need help?" Mu Qinxue asked, her tone soft but laced with curiosity.

Tian Lei hesitated for a moment. "Master, you can observe from the side. But... if it looks like I’m about to fail, please intervene."

Mu Qinxue nodded in quiet agreement.

Together, they walked toward an open courtyard within her garden—a wide, stone-paved platform designed for rituals and duels. Once there, Tian Lei turned to her and said, "Please release the beast, Master. But... keep the seal active for now."

Mu Qinxue gave a graceful nod. Holding the black lotus petal in her palm, she gently blew on it. Instantly, it blossomed with dark light, and a towering Ice Dragon manifested on the platform.

The dragon’s massive body was still restrained—encased in glistening black crystalline shackles that shimmered like chains made of obsidian.

It let out a low, guttural growl. Though its power was suppressed, its eyes burned with pride and raw intelligence.

"You may proceed however you like," Mu Qinxue said lightly. "It won’t be able to harm you in this sealed state."

Tian Lei nodded with composure. "Understood."

He walked forward without hesitation, stopping just before the bound dragon. Then, sitting cross-legged before the towering creature, he gently placed his palm on its cold, bluish-white scales—like frosted obsidian—and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed, becoming deep and controlled, as he began circulating the Art of Consuming the Soul.

From a short distance, Mu Qinxue watched in silence. Her expression remained calm—at first.

Then she noticed something unusual.

The dragon’s eyes began to dim.

Its soul presence flickered.

"...What did he do?" she murmured under her breath, quietly stepping closer. The dragon remained motionless. Tian Lei hadn’t moved an inch either—still as a statue, immersed in deep spiritual concentration.

What Mu Qinxue couldn’t see... was the true battle unfolding inside his Divine Sea.

Within Tian Lei’s Infinite Fortune Divine Sea—a vast golden realm that stretched endlessly—his soul form stood radiant and composed, face-to-face with the soul of the Majestic Ice Dragon. The massive beast loomed across the horizon of golden brilliance, confused and disoriented.

"...Where is this?" the dragon growled, its voice cracking like ancient ice. Its gaze sharpened as it locked eyes with him. "You... You were with that cursed woman who sealed me!"

Tian Lei didn’t flinch. His voice was calm. "Yes. And now, you’re inside my Divine Sea."

The dragon roared furiously. "You dare draw me into your Divine Sea?! Fool! I will devour your soul and take your body for myself. This will be your grave!"

It lunged forward, fury erupting like a frozen tempest.

Tian Lei raised a single hand. A golden sword, forged of pure soul energy, materialized beside him. In one swift motion, he cleaved through the dragon’s soul.

"Sorry," he said softly. "But I have an invincible soul. Anyone who enters it... is already at my mercy."

It wasn’t arrogance—it was truth. That was the power of the Infinite Fortune Emperor Soul.

The dragon’s soul, now defeated within the Divine Sea, began to dissolve into pure essence, ready to be absorbed into Tian Lei’s Primordial Spirit Node.

For most cultivators, this would have been the most perilous part of the Primordial Beast Celestial Heaven Art—a test of soul power where even the smallest mistake could lead to death or permanent damage.

But for Tian Lei... it was the simplest step.

He was born for this.

Or perhaps... this art was born for people like him—those with unmatched soul strength.

As the dragon’s soul broke apart, the glowing fragments drifted toward the white sphere at the center of Tian Lei’s form—his Spirit Root. This embryonic sphere, still developing into the Primordial Heaven Spirit Root (or simply, the Node), began to absorb the essence. The moment the first thread of soul touched it, the Node lit up, glowing with intensity.

Like divine silk being woven into an eternal tapestry, the dragon’s essence was drawn into the Node. It shifted and changed—morphing from a smooth sphere into the curled form of a sleeping beast. A bluish-white Ice Dragon, fetal and still, now lay dormant like an egg in slumber.

And just like that... Tian Lei’s first Primordial Beast Heaven Node was complete.

Then, another change occurred.

Near the base of the curled dragon form, a slender branch-like structure began to grow. At its tip, a faint white sphere emerged—still weak and undeveloped, but unmistakably alive. A second node had begun to take shape.

The completed Node pulsed once more, releasing icy-blue light that surged through his entire being. At the same time, a flood of information entered his mind—details about the Ice Dragon’s powers, its techniques, and how to access its full strength.

Outside, Tian Lei exhaled softly. His eyes fluttered open.

Mu Qinxue arched a brow as she approached him. "You’re finally done? It’s been more than a week."

"A... week?" Tian Lei echoed in surprise, blinking. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry, Master. I thought... only a few hours had passed."

Mu Qinxue rolled her eyes. "Of course you did."

She then turned her eyes toward the dragon’s lifeless body. The massive corpse lay cold and unmoving—its soul long departed.

"So," she said, folding her arms, "tell me, what exactly did you do? That dragon is completely dead."

Tian Lei shrugged with exaggerated innocence. "Nothing much, Master. I just consumed its soul, that’s all."

He said it as if he had just watched the dragon fall asleep—not completely overwhelmed its powerful soul and absorbed it into his own.

Mu Qinxue shot him a sideways glance, then looked back at the corpse—searching for some kind of residual clue. But there was nothing dramatic, no explosive aftermath. Just faint traces of spiritual energy fading quietly into the air.

"...It’s like watching a kid steal candy and pretend nothing happened," she muttered to herself.

She turned back to him, exasperated, and asked, "So? Are you really not going to tell me what you gained from this?"