Seventy-two Transformations, the Changing Howl of the Dragon

"So this is basically a no-fap diary."

Li Mo had nearly flipped through the entire journal but found nothing substantial in its contents.

Just as he shook his head and prepared to tuck the diary back, a notification flashed in his mind.

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully invested in 'Murong Xiao,' aiding his early awakening.]

[Investment Reward: Howling Wyrm’s Heartblood.]

[Howling Wyrm’s Heartblood]: "The core blood essence of a fifth-grade Howling Wyrm. Assists in cultivation and strengthens the physique. However, its demonic nature is volatile—handle with caution."

"Awake already?"

Young Li Mo was taken aback.

He glanced up, only to see Murong Xiao still lying there with eyes shut tight, like a lifeless statue of Buddha.

Well, at first glance, he certainly didn’t seem awake.

Unless one ignored the beads of sweat dripping from his forehead...

"Ah, forget it. I won’t read this diary anymore."

"I’ll just ask Brother Murong directly once he wakes up."

With practiced nonchalance, Li Mo slipped the journal back into Murong Xiao’s robes.

Then, shaking his head, he retreated to the backyard.

"Huff..."

The "Buddha statue" exhaled a barely audible sigh of relief.

......

"Brother Murong will probably take his time."

In the backyard, Li Mo refused to waste even a moment.

He unfurled the Monkey Seeks the Dao scroll, sinking his spiritual intent into quiet contemplation.

Within his dantian, the stone monkey sigils on the miniature figure flickered like stars, linking his consciousness to the divine diagram. A torrent of profound insights flooded his mind—each a legacy of mystical arts contained within the scroll.

"Mastering all of this at once is still beyond me."

Countless techniques flashed through his thoughts, yet much remained incomprehensible.

He couldn’t even imagine what heights this diagram might reach once refined into a Great Dao Divine Form.

To achieve the Great Dao Divine Form, the Gilded Creation Seal was required.

But speaking of the Gilded Creation Seal...

"Focus. Meditation demands absolute concentration."

Li Mo took a deep breath, willing himself into calm.

Yet...

Moments later.

"Ice Block, lend me your..."

Eyes still closed, Li Mo trailed off mid-sentence, lost in thought.

The "Ice Block" had helped him immensely in cultivation.

Not just during his breakthrough—even afterward, their dual cultivation sessions had taught him countless tricks of the Observation Divine Realm.

She’d guided him hands-on.

Sometimes, when his wild, impractical ideas annoyed her, she’d roll her eyes in a way that was oddly mesmerizing.

Li Mo peeked through half-lidded eyes at the red string on his wrist.

Empty...

The moment the thought arose, a ripple echoed from his World Seed.

The Moon rose, its silver radiance enveloping him in serene light, carrying whispers on the wind—as if urging him to focus.

The stone monkey sigils on the miniature figure brightened under the moonlight, their connection to the divine diagram intensifying to its peak.

Just like during their dual cultivation.

The moon remained, as though she’d never left.

"Earthly Fiend... Seventy-Two Transformations..."

In this clarity, even the once-obscure legacies now unfolded with startling lucidity.

Where moonlight touched, enlightenment blossomed.

Snapping out of his daze, Li Mo immersed himself fully in deciphering the divine diagram.

From its depths, a sprightly monkey in Taoist robes leaped forth.

Bathed in spiritual light, its acupoints and meridians shimmered, circulating energy along precise pathways.

Suddenly, the monkey stepped forward, shaking its body—

In an instant, it morphed into a spiny-backed tortoise, radiating ferocity.

Every detail—bloodline, aura, appearance—mirrored a true beast, surpassing even Yin Mianmian’s demonic illusions in realism.

No, this was reality.

Then it shifted again.

Black-striped tiger... Howling Moon wolf... Winged serpent... Golden eagle...

Beasts of land and sky cycled vividly through Li Mo’s mind.

"To transform into something, one must understand it deeply."

"From the power in its blood to the essence of its spirit..."

Every transformation he’d witnessed involved creatures he knew intimately.

After all, he’d eaten plenty of them...

At that moment—

"Brother Li?"

Murong Xiao’s tentative voice sounded beside him.

"Brother Murong! You’re awake already? I thought you’d need more time!"

Li Mo opened his eyes, feigning surprise.

Murong Xiao’s face burned crimson as he nodded awkwardly.

Ah, the perks of having a performative personality—another awkward moment deftly avoided.

"Brother Murong, a master chanted sutras for you. That’s likely why you woke so quickly. Any discomfort?"

"None."

Murong Xiao shook his head.

"I feel the wyrm bloodline in me is now balanced by Buddhist energy."

He clenched a fist, declaring with unusual conviction:

"Today, I will conquer lust!"

"......"

Li Mo suspected he’d already failed once.

Otherwise, why such bravado now?

Not that Murong Xiao was entirely to blame. Rumor had it all male wyrmkin were... problematic in that regard, born with overwhelming desires. Females, meanwhile, remained chaste for life.

Thus, the male dragon often found itself insatiable, sowing its seeds far and wide...

A truly outstanding contribution to the biodiversity of the demon race.

"By the way, Brother Murong, why have you suddenly decided to visit relatives in the Southern Border?"

"That’s a long story."

Murong Xiao rubbed his bald head and said,

"My parents suddenly sent a letter, saying a divine miracle is about to appear in the Southern Border—a tremendous opportunity..."

As it turned out, not long ago, the major clans of demonic beasts in the Southern Border had all received the same news.

A divine miracle was about to manifest there.

Here, "divine" referred to the Demon God—a legendary existence among the demon race that had broken through the Ninth Realm.

Whether such a being had ever truly existed in the demon race remained unknown.

But once the divine miracle descended, any demon who received its blessing would experience a surge in bloodline power, even achieving ancestral reversion.

"The Demon-Calling Sect... the Divine Child... the divine miracle..."

"The Jade Phoenix God?"

Little Li muttered to himself, gears turning in his mind.

He recalled the meteor that had streaked toward the Southern Border, and the information his Heavenly Eye had glimpsed from the "ice block."

Could it be...

That the Jade Phoenix God was the so-called divine miracle?

Obtaining the Jade Phoenix God = the ice block grows stronger.

Greater strength = peace, joy, and tranquil days.

He couldn’t help but remember the softness in the ice block’s eyes when she promised to retrieve the shooting star he’d wished upon.

"So that’s it... eighty percent chance, this must be it..."

Little Li had an epiphany. Sitting at the stone table, his expression grew pensive.

So those words hadn’t been a joke after all.

Her tone had been so light, yet carried such weight.

Li Mo exhaled and asked,

"Brother Murong, can you freely control the bloodline power within you now?"

"Of course. Would you like to see, Brother Li?"

Murong Xiao nodded.

Before he could finish speaking, his voice grew rough.

A faint crimson hue surfaced in his eyes, while scales—barely visible—emerged across his skin, creeping from his neck to his jaw. His fingers sharpened, membranes faintly forming between them.

His monk robes strained against his frame, likely from other draconic features sprouting within.

Most strikingly, the shadow of a dragon loomed behind him, as if roaring in defiance.

There was a trace of the divine aura found in the Observation Divine Realm.

From the looks of it, the dragon bloodline within Murong Xiao was even more potent than his current cultivation realm. If not for his Buddhist practice, he might have already lost control.

"Brother Li... maintaining my sanity is... difficult. What did you...?" Murong Xiao struggled to speak.

"Hold on a little longer!"

Li Mo produced a jade vial from his palm and downed its contents without hesitation.

Dragon essence blood.

"Brother Li, you—?!" Murong Xiao’s eyes widened.

Li Mo, however, fixed his gaze on Murong Xiao and the draconic shadow behind him.

Every trait of the dragon—its movements, the pulse of its bloodline, its divine essence and aura—flowed through his mind.

The savagery within the demon blood relentlessly assailed his nerves.

Fortunately, the Moonlight’s Radiance shielded him, minimizing its influence.

Gradually, the form of a dragon took shape in Li Mo’s heart.

He attempted to merge it with himself...

Whoosh—

His body twisted, transforming in an instant!

"Eh?!"

Murong Xiao stared at the sudden metamorphosis before him, his expression frozen in shock.

What in the world?!

...

The two still had grand scenes ahead—many grand scenes—the embodiment of emotions this little hack had pondered for ages, the very essence he’d longed to write.

But before that, the characters must grow. Little Li could retain his youthful spirit, but he couldn’t remain forever a boy who never matured.

The world must expand too, providing a stage for different tales and emotional evolutions.

Thank you, dear readers, for staying this far and tolerating this little hack who churns out a mere eight hundred words an hour. Truly touched. Mwah!

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