Chapter 22: The Responding Dragon Lifts the Curse

Within the Youxiong Tribe, Mu Changge and Athena sought out Tianyuan Yinglong.

This was Mu Changge’s first time seeing Tianyuan Yinglong up close—the most powerful deity in ancient Chinese mythology.

The vastness of the dragon’s body inspired a sense of supreme awe, stirring a deep-seated realization that "this is what a god should truly be." The divine radiance emanating from its form made Tianyuan Yinglong appear like a miniature sun—sacred, inviolable, great, and sublime.

Even Athena, the well-traveled Goddess of Wisdom from the Greek pantheon, found herself instinctively wanting to kneel in respect as she gazed upon the dragon’s might. She thought to herself that it was no wonder this being was the progenitor of all true dragons, phoenixes, and qilin in Chinese myth. Faced with such a powerful existence, resistance was impossible, and even submission felt like a natural, logical response.

"Lord Tianyuan Yinglong, greetings. I am Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and one of the Twelve Olympians of Greek mythology."

"Lord Tianyuan Yinglong, greetings. I am Mu Changge, Athena’s divine envoy."

Athena and Mu Changge introduced themselves with profound respect.

Tianyuan Yinglong’s dragon eyes merely swept over them, and in an instant, it knew their origins. "Descendants of Yan and Huang from the future, and a Greek goddess from the future—what brings you to seek me out?"

"Lord Tianyuan Yinglong, my student has been afflicted by the curse of the Beast of the End, which has sealed his path to godhood. I once sought counsel from the Celestial Emperor, who told me I must wait for the appearance of the 'key'."

"I see. Fuxi—no, it should be Di Jun now—that boy has branded me as the key, has he?"

Athena and Mu Changge were startled, remaining silent out of caution.

Observing their hesitation, Tianyuan Yinglong spoke: "I do not mind; you need not be so tense. While my strength is perhaps slightly superior, I am not one to lose my temper over such trifles."

"Lord Tianyuan Yinglong is truly magnanimous," Athena replied respectfully.

Tianyuan Yinglong looked at Mu Changge and said, "You are Mu Changge, correct? You have two choices. First, I can lift the curse for you, but you must defeat the Beast of the End. If you fail, the price will be different. Second, you may wait for the next opportunity that could break your curse."

"Lord Tianyuan Yinglong, what do you mean by the 'next opportunity'?"

"Exactly what I said. While that boy Di Jun can see the future, compared to me, he is merely wielding an axe before a master carpenter. The future I see is clearer, more distant, and more accurate than his." Tianyuan Yinglong did not elaborate further.

Mu Changge pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and replied, "Lord Tianyuan Yinglong, I choose the first option!"

"Are you certain?"

"I am!"

"Very well." With that, Tianyuan Yinglong blew a gentle breath toward Mu Changge.

Like a cool breeze or morning dew touching his skin, Mu Changge felt something lift from him, leaving him feeling refreshed and clear-headed. Perhaps, he thought, it was merely psychological.

Athena immediately used her divine power to examine him and discovered that the mist surrounding Mu Changge had vanished, replaced by a dazzling nine-colored light.

Sensing Athena’s doubt, Tianyuan Yinglong spoke: "I have bestowed a blessing upon him. While it cannot prevent all observation, it will ensure his true essence cannot be seen through or exploited."

Mu Changge and Athena offered their thanks. After a moment, Tianyuan Yinglong added, "I have long since agreed with others to cease observing the future. Mu Changge, remember this: once a covenant is sworn, there is no going back."

Mu Changge nodded and immediately swore the covenant with Tianyuan Yinglong.

Once the pact was sealed, Tianyuan Yinglong shed a single scale from its body and handed it to Mu Changge.

"This is one of my dragon scales. Wait until the era of the Ancient Gods has ended, then reshape it into whatever form you desire. Until then, this scale will assist you in a matter of utmost importance. Remember this well!"

"Thank you, Lord Tianyuan Yinglong! I shall keep this in mind."

Mu Changge guessed that this "matter of utmost importance" was likely the next opportunity to break his curse that the dragon had mentioned. After all, the source of his curse was the Beast of the End, a creature capable of bringing the cosmos to its finality. Naturally, the entity capable of lifting such a curse could not be ordinary. Even the Celestial Emperor Di Jun could only perceive the nature of the curse, whereas Tianyuan Yinglong had dismissed it with a single breath. In the parlance of cultivation, this was a great stroke of fortune—a destiny-altering opportunity.

Athena, realizing this as well, began to scan the events of ancient Chinese mythology in her mind, calculating the probability of various incidents being the "next opportunity" the dragon alluded to.

Having successfully broken his shackles, Mu Changge and Athena thanked Tianyuan Yinglong once more before taking their leave.

After they departed, Tianyuan Yinglong looked toward Ouroboros, who was enjoying her humanoid form within the Earth’s core, and began considering how to guard against her counterattack. Tianyuan Yinglong did not believe for a moment that Ouroboros would rely solely on the Beast of the End.

Meanwhile, in the Earth’s core, Ouroboros remained blissfully unaware that Tianyuan Yinglong had already gained the upper hand. She was still preoccupied with admiring her own humanoid form. Her eyes—one blue, one red—radiated a dreamlike luster, and combined with her translucent white hair, perfect features, and flawless physique, she appeared as a masterpiece of divine craftsmanship, as if the heavens themselves had collaborated to create her.

Satisfied with her transformation, Ouroboros turned her gaze toward the Norse realm of the Origin Ancestral Star.

She had always interfered with the Greek realm, showing no interest in the others. However, by chance, she had discovered that the Norse mythological system was destined for Ragnarök.

She immediately shifted her focus to the Norse realm, paying close attention to the events unfolding around the world tree, Yggdrasil.

"The world-devouring black dragon Nidhogg gnawing at the roots, the construction of the underworld ship Naglfar, the children of the great wolf Fenrir devouring the sun and moon... these three events will trigger the clash between gods and giants. Ragnarök will arrive, and with it, the birth of a new world."

"Ah! What a beautiful and enchanting story! This is the example every universe should follow!"

"Only by experiencing birth, development, prosperity, decline, destruction, and rebirth—a complete cycle—can a universe be called perfect. This is the truth of cosmic evolution!"

Ouroboros, as always, remained immersed in her own beautiful, twisted aspirations.