The alarm blared, alerting Allen.
The temple is in dire straits, desperate for support!
Alan frowned slightly, then transformed into a roc, soaring into the air and flying towards the temple.
While flying, he received letters from Tanya and Pamela.
The contents were identical.
Those Dragon Vein Warlocks, fellow Trialists, had somehow managed to circumvent the heavily guarded defenses and infiltrate the temple!
They were attempting to attack the temple's core and destroy the Titan statue!
If they succeeded, Allen would have no hope of obtaining the Titan bloodline.
Swish!
The roc in the sky erupted with magical brilliance and then vanished.
Thousand Miles of Leisure!
In an instant, Allen was teleported directly outside the temple's gates.
He folded his wings, descended, and transformed into a giant beast.
In the courtyard, the temple guards were engaged in a fierce battle with the invading dragons.
Alan glanced over and spotted several familiar figures.
Tanya, Pamela, Am, Phil, and Sean had all returned to the scene in response to the alarm.
The five of them were facing none other than the green dragon Cohen, the blue dragon Aslan, the black dragon Dudar, the white dragon Penny, and the red dragon Lida.
Five against five, both at the same level and each having activated their atavistic forms, the fight was intense, and the outcome was difficult to determine.
Phoebus was nowhere to be seen in the chaotic battlefield.
Throughout the temple gates, Alan could hear flashes of lightning and thunder, and occasional bursts of flames.
All signs indicated that the invaders had already entered the temple.
Alan didn't pause, charging straight through the gates.
Bang! !
A fiery dragon claw struck hard at the chest.
The protective spell cast upon the Storm Giant priestess shattered instantly, sending her flying backwards and crashing into the wall.
Puff!
The priestess clutched her chest, spitting blood.
Bearing back the pain, she pointed at the ferocious red dragon across from her and unleashed a "Chain Lightning"!
The lightning struck the red dragon, instantly annihilating it.
"Foolish giantess! I've long known that you Storm Giants are skilled in lightning magic. How could you possibly barge in unguarded?"
Phoebus, the throwback, sneered.
Before entering the temple, he had taken the magic potion he'd purchased from Miri, the castle's steward.
That profiteer's price was high, but it was worth it.
After taking the medicine, Phoebus was protected by a barrier, rendering him immune to electricity and lightning spells up to level 7 for one hour.
The priestess's "Chain Lightning" proved ineffective against him.
"Evil dragon, you're too proud!"
The priestess rose to her feet and executed a series of spellcasting gestures, attempting to dispel Phoebus's anti-electric barrier.
With a swish, a green curtain of light swept towards Phoebus.
The atavistic Phoebus raised its dragon claws, and green light surged forth.
"Excuse me, I know that spell, too!"
After successfully countering the priestess's "Greater Dispel," a red vortex appeared on Phoebus's palm.
A powerful gravitational pull, accompanied by blazing magic, gripped the priestess tightly, pulling her away from the wall.
This move, the "Red Dragon Claw," was Phoebus's original creation, based on the "Vortex Dragon Claw" and incorporating the unique fire magic of the red dragon!
The priestess was snatched up through the air, struggling desperately to escape.
She felt as if she were in a furnace, her entire body burning with pain, and smoke billowed from her clothes and hair.
If this continued, she would either burn to death or be forcibly sucked toward Phoebus, facing the tragic fate of having her heart ripped out by the dragon's claws.
Snap!
A crisp snap of fingers echoed from the hall's entrance.
"Huh?!"
The sudden, violent surge of magic gave Phoebus a warning, and without hesitation, he reversed the direction of gravity.
He grabbed the priestess through the air and placed her between himself and the door, acting as a human shield.
The next second, thunder roared!
The magnificent temple trembled violently in the thunder, as if on the verge of collapse. Amidst the dust, a red dragon rose to its feet, its face brimming with fury!
Blood slowly flowed from its ears, resembling two small red snakes.
The resistance potion he had taken beforehand offset most of the damage, but it also disrupted his gravitational field.
A flash of lightning flashed before Phoebus's eyes.
The moment it landed, it transformed into a giant blue beast.
Its exaggerated claws lifted the dying priestess and placed her at the feet of the Titan.
The beast resembled a giant, slightly hunched blue ape.
Its face was hideous, its fangs bared!
Its arms, reaching past its knees, were overdeveloped with muscles, appearing somewhat deformed.
Its long, sharp claws shone with a chilling, cold light.
If he straightened his back, he would be almost as tall as the majestic Titan statue behind him!
"Are you... Alan Panthers?"
Throwing back to his roots, Phoebus recognized the beast's gaze.
A gaze that had once traumatized him and deeply wounded his pride!
Alan, the beast, nodded gently, his face expressionless.
Hatred and jealousy fueled the fire in Phoebus's heart.
A pair of dragon claws erupted, sending out two fiery vortices.
Alan similarly extended his palm through the air, a crimson lotus blossoming from his palm.
Red Dragon Claw!
Flame Dragon Claw!
Two martial arts, similar in attributes and rank, clashed in mid-air.
Two gravitational fields pulled the red dragon and the beast toward each other.
At the moment of collision, both sides simultaneously switched the direction of their force fields.
Transforming gravity into repulsion, they fiercely pushed each other away!
BANG!
The two massive figures separated upon contact.
The temple walls, though reinforced with barriers, couldn't withstand the onslaught of the dragon and the beast, leaving two massive holes.
A rustling sound filled the rubble.
The giant beast, Alan, was the first to rise.
His expression was calm, his fur showing signs of scorching.
Phoebus's Red Dragon Claw, encompassing both its "force field" and "flame" lethality, was at level six!
The former wasn't enough to penetrate Alan's defenses, while the latter breached his fire resistance, causing minor burns.
In the ruins across from him, the red dragon Phoebus slowly rose.
From chest to abdomen, a large section of dragon scales shattered.
Hot blood oozed out, hissing and smoking.
His situation was the exact opposite of Allen's.
As a sixth-level atavistic red dragon, his fire resistance was sufficient to inoculate him against the burning damage of the "Flame Dragon Claw."
However, Allen was physically stronger than him!
The destructive power of the Flame Dragon Claw primarily depended on physical attributes.
In this head-on collision, Phoebus suffered a strength disadvantage.
Dragon scale armor, instantly shattered!
"úré!"
Phoebus roared a spell, raising his arms, and the air in the temple erupted in a turmoil.
Boom!
A massive pillar of fire rose from the ground, rapidly spinning, engulfing Allen.
Sixth-level magic—Fire Tornado!
"In a pure contest of strength, I'm inferior to you."
"But I'm not just a brute force!"
Phoebus controlled the "Fire Tornado" remotely, his eyes blazing.
The tornado bound the behemoth, Allen, and the fire, fueled by the wind, burned fiercely.
During their previous exchange, Phoebus had already seen that Allen had some fire resistance, but not much.
A sixth-ring "Fire Tornado" was enough to penetrate his resistance, scorching him in seconds.
Phoebus also knew that Allen wouldn't truly die here.
The ring worn by the trialist automatically activated in the moment of death, escorting the owner away from the battlefield and teleporting them back to Origin Castle.
It was a pity that he couldn't completely kill his rival, but it was enough to kick Allen, a formidable foe, out of the trial space.
Without Allen's obstruction, Phoebus could free himself to calmly destroy the Titan and complete the reward mission.
He had already collected enough Soul Jades. Returning to the Dragon Palace would allow him to comprehensively improve his attributes and strengthen his dragon-scale armor.
If he could destroy the Titan, he would also receive a bonus Level 3 Anti-Aging Potion, extending his lifespan by a hundred years!
Of all the trialists, Phoebus had the oldest biological age.
Age was a hidden pain in his heart.
He had already taken both the Level 1 and Level 2 Anti-Aging Potion.
However, other trialists could also exchange these two potions from the steward.
Only by obtaining the unique Level 3 Anti-Aging Potion could he completely remedy this deficiency.
A bright future seemed just around the corner.
But it was shattered by a sudden flash of lightning!
Trapped in the fire tornado, Alan, struggling, suddenly activated "Lightning Control" and escaped!
The Level 7 secret technique "Lightning Control" included "Freedom of Movement," freeing him from all restraints. Alan had only just used this move, precisely to paralyze Phoebus.
Just when he thought he had secured victory, he gave him a "surprise."
Racing through the air with lightning speed beyond description!
Phoebus felt a flash before his eyes, and the terrifying behemoth had already slammed into him.
Bang!
Phoebus was sent flying again.
Blood gushed out!
This time, Alan chased after him without waiting for him to rise.
He plucked the blood-spitting red dragon from the rubble.
The sharp claws were coated with a layer of frost.
The Sky Behemoth's armor-piercing lightning claws, combined with the Ice Soul Palm, doubled the damage to the fire-type red dragon!
Bang!
With one powerful blow, Phoebus was completely blasted to pieces!
Unfortunately, just as the beast's claws were about to plunge into his heart, Phoebus's "Trial Ring" automatically activated.
Swoosh!
The blood-soaked red dragon, transformed into a streak of light, escaped from the beast's clutches and teleported back to Origin Castle.
Allen casually shook off the remaining blood from his fingertips and turned toward the temple's entrance.
Standing there alone, he looked like a gate god.
The dragons outside, seeing the behemoth from afar, thought the Titan had come alive and fled in terror.
Aslan and the others sensed Phoebus's escape from the trial space.
Seeing the behemoth's bloody claws, it was easy to guess what kind of devastation Phoebus had just endured.
At this point, breaking into the temple was impossible.
The five dragon vein sorcerers exchanged glances.
They collectively cast a teleportation spell, leaving the battlefield.
Tanya, Pamela, and the others didn't try to pursue.
It would be more economical to slay a few more dragons and refine soul jades while they still had time.
With this, the battle between dragons and giants came to a close.
As night fell, the dragons retreated, and the temple returned to peace.
Six trialists, including Alan, were invited into the temple to be rewarded according to their merits.
Under the guidance of the priestess, everyone took out their collected soul jades and placed them on the altar.
Alan had the most soul jades, a full ten.
Tanya and Pamela each had five, also containing all five colors of dragon soul.
Am, Phil, and Sean, due to their limited abilities, only collected one or two soul jades.
One Soul Jade can be exchanged for one Bloodline Essence each of a Stone Giant, Frost Giant, and Fire Giant, and also grants advancement qualification.
Two Soul Jades can be exchanged for Cloud Giant Bloodline Essence.
Three Soul Jades can be exchanged for Storm Giant Bloodline Essence.
Five Soul Jades can be exchanged for Bronze Titan Bloodline Essence.
Five different types of Dragon Soul Jades can be exchanged for Silver Titan Bloodline Essence!
Ten Soul Jades, and all five colors of Dragon Soul...
That's right, you can exchange for the most precious Gold Titan Bloodline Essence!
"Handsome boy, you can exchange for Gold Titan Bloodline Essence, but I don't recommend it."
The priestess, grateful for saving Allen's life, gave him special instructions.
"Advancing to a Gold Titan is too high a barrier for you; it's unrealistic."
"Don't even think about it until you reach the late seventh stage."
"It's better to choose the lower-tier Silver Titan bloodline. It can be utilized more quickly and improve your combat effectiveness."
"Wait until you reach the seventh or even eighth stage, and then purify your bloodline. Evolving into a Gold Titan isn't impossible."
The priestess's suggestion was pragmatic.
However, Allen declined her advice.
Insisting on choosing the Gold Titan bloodline essence!
"Gold Titans and Silver Titans not only differ in strength, but also in growth potential. The sooner you awaken the Gold Titan bloodline, the greater the benefits."
Alan's response was unconvincing.
"The problem is, you haven't reached the threshold for advancement yet, so even if you have the Gold Titan bloodline, you won't be able to use it..."
The priestess was disappointed with Allen's stubbornness.
If she knew Alan intended to fuse the blood of the Gold Titan instead of advancing, she wouldn't just be disappointed; she'd probably call him a lunatic!
However, as a matter of duty, she gave Alan what he wanted.
As for how Alan used it, that was not her concern.
Pamela and Tanya naturally chose the blood of the Silver Titan.
They didn't publicly criticize Alan for his unrealistic ambitions and wasted opportunities.
But their eyes, as they looked at Alan, couldn't help but reveal their worry.
…
Two days later.
Origin City, Hermitage Villa.
Alan finally received the long-awaited system notification.
Ding Ding—
"Golden Titan Bloodline Essence Analysis Completed!"
Advancement/Fusion Prerequisites are as follows:
· Possessing Titan Bloodline (minimum 7%)
· Physical Attributes ≥ 70, Mental Attributes ≥ 70
· Mastering at least one 7th-tier Lightning Skill
· Warlock Rank ≥ Late 7th-tier
…
These conditions weren't beyond Allen's expectations.
He already possessed Titan Bloodline.
He also possessed the Lightning Skills "Lightning Control" and "Finger Thunder."
His Physical and Mental Attributes, including the atavism bonus, were more than adequate.
The gap in rank was too great, and he could only compensate by forcing himself to increase his potential.
"System, calculate the total potential required to fuse the Golden Titan bloodline risk-free?"
Ding Ding—
"The Sky Behemoth and the Golden Titan have conflicting bloodlines!"
"Forced fusion of the two will require a significant additional potential expenditure!"
Alan's heart sank!
Bloodline conflict?
This was troublesome!
He had never encountered this situation himself, but it was not unfamiliar to him.
He had previously attempted to fuse his junior sister, Ella, with the bloodline of an ogre wizard, but failed.
Ella's cat-eared bee maiden bloodline was incompatible with the ogre wizard's. The potential expenditure required to force a fusion was beyond his ability to bear at the time, so he had to give up.
Unexpectedly, he now faced the same dilemma Ella faced.
Time passed slowly, and Alan's mood grew increasingly tense.
The system's final calculations left him feeling a bit disappointed.
"120 points?!"
Alan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
"System! Is there any way to reduce potential consumption?"
The Gluttony system immediately began to calculate.
After a moment, it offered a compromise.
Spending 60 potential points allows for a partial fusion of the Titan bloodline!
The so-called "partial fusion" meant that Alan could possess both the atavistic forms of the Sky Behemoth and the Golden Titan at the same time.
Both Neither incompatible nor mutually exclusive.
Alan could transform into a Sky Behemoth first, then switch to a Golden Titan the next moment.
When leveling up, the growth of the two bloodlines would be averaged.
Simply put, the growth rates of each attribute would be added together and divided by two.
Of course, the result of this compromise wouldn't be as good as a perfect fusion that leveraged both strengths and counteracted both weaknesses.
But at least Alan could experience the power of the Golden Titan in advance.
It's like a game: having a "trial version" to play is always better than seeing but not being able to experience it.
When he reaches level seven in the future, he can spend some potential to fully fuse the Sky Behemoth and Golden Titan bloodlines.
Alan was happy to accept the system's compromise.
The problem was, 60 potential points wasn't a small number.
He only had 49 potential points right now, which was still a long way off.
How could he quickly accumulate the required potential? Alan pondered.
An idea gradually surfaced.
Recovering from his thoughts, Alan retrieved a trace of Forget-Me-Not spores and sent a message to Aslan.
"Brother Aslan, what are you busy with? May I interrupt you?"
Not long after, he received a reply from the Young Master of the Blue Dragon.
"Just returned from the Dragon Palace. I exchanged the Giant Soul Jade for the Dragon Blood Growth Agent and plan to practice in seclusion."
"Brother Alan, you successfully defended the Giant Temple. I'm sure you've obtained the Titan Bloodline Essence. Although I'm a little depressed, I must admit that I'm defeated wholeheartedly. Congratulations."
Alan admired Aslan's open-mindedness.
Since he didn't bear a grudge against him, things would be easier.
"Brother Aslan, I have five-colored dragon blood essence. I'd like to exchange it with you for the blood essence of the giants. How about that?"
Not long after, Aslan replied:
"Five-colored dragon blood in exchange for the blood essence of five types of giants? That's fair!"
"However, it's not convenient for me to meet you publicly right now."
"After all, it was all because of you that our dragon lineage failed in its mission to destroy the Titan."
"I only complained a few words; I won't bear a grudge against you. But I can't say the same about my friends."
"Especially Phoebus. You severely injured him and ruined his hopes of obtaining the third-level anti-aging agent. I hate you so much!"
"I heard from Spenza that you stole his girlfriend?"
"Just a secret, you did a great job!"
"Brother Alan, don't tell Spenza I said that!"
"Phoebus has spread the word that the day the trial ends is the day you die."
"Of course you're not afraid of this mad dog's revenge, but I'm afraid he'll bite..."
"So, it's best if our transaction isn't public."
"I'll leave the items with the butler. When you pick them up, please also leave the items I need with him."
Alan read Aslan's reply and couldn't help laughing.
This young master of the Blue Dragon, while seemingly serious, is actually quite humorous in private.
My sister-in-law has a pretty good eye for men!
At lunch, Alan went to the bar and ordered a cocktail.
He took the opportunity to retrieve the potion box that Aslan had left behind from the butler, and also deposited a box of potions at the bar.
He reminded the butler that only Aslan himself could claim them.
After taking the items, he turned to leave, but was stopped by the butler.
"Mr. Miri, what are you doing?" Allen asked in surprise.
The butler smiled silently, his right thumb and index finger forming a counting gesture.
Okay, I get it.
After extorting a hefty tip from Allen, the butler finally let him go.
Returning to the bedroom, Allen opened the potion box and pulled out five different colored blood essences.
Stone Giant, Frost Giant, Fire Giant, Cloud Giant, and Storm Giant—all present.
They all exuded the scent of exotic ingredients!
Alan extended his left hand, and a bone spur popped out from his palm.
Absorbing the essence of the five giant bloodlines one by one.
A series of beautiful system prompts followed.
"Consume special ingredient: Stone Giant Blood!"
"Potential +2!"
"Spirit +1!"
"Consume special ingredient: Frost Giant Blood!"
"Potential +2!"
"Physique +1!"
"Consume special ingredient: Fire Giant Blood!"
"Potential +2!"
"Physique +1!"
"Consume special ingredient: Cloud Giant Blood!"
"Potential +3!"
"Agility +1!"
"Consume special ingredient: Storm Giant Blood!"
"Potential +4!"
"Spirit +1!"
...
Alan smiled with satisfaction and pulled out a reagent bottle emitting a faint golden glow from his storage bag.
Using the bone spur as a straw, he carefully sipped a drop.
Drop by drop—
"Consume special ingredient: Golden Titan Blood!"
"Potential +5!"
"Physique +1!"
"Spirit +1!"
This last system prompt surprised Alan.
The Golden Titan's blood actually boosts both physical and mental attributes!
Alan had consumed no fewer than a hundred special ingredients, but this was the first time he had seen two attributes improved at once.
This showed just how incredible the Golden Titan was!
Opening the system panel, he checked the attribute and potential data.
...
Current Attributes: Constitution 71, Agility 61, Spirit 68
Current Resistances: Virus Level 8 / Electricity Level 7 / Sonic Level 7 / Cold Level 5 / Acid Level 6 / Fire Resistance Level 5 / Negative Energy Level 7
Potential Reserve: 67 points
...
The potential points required for the initial fusion of the Golden Titan bloodline have been accumulated.
Alan put away the potion box and sent a message to Fengyue.
It was time to return to the riverside cabin and practice in seclusion once again.