NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 16: Chapter 16 The Dragons Truth
Recap:
Long Tianyu and his court managed to defeat the five Soul Reavers that the Vault had sent to keep the awakening of the sealed dragon beneath the Eastern Flame Shrine in check. However, in a final act of defiance, Ye Mian activated a Vault Core, which triggered an even deeper awakening. Now, one of the nine chained dragons has opened its eye and is beginning to speak.
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Beneath the cracked altar of the Eastern Shrine, the abyss throbbed with both heat and ancient history.
And then, a voice broke through the silence. It wasn't just spoken; it was etched into the very essence of his being.
> You are the fire that was rejected.
> You are the key they feared.
Tianyu stood frozen in place.
The wind howled around him, unnaturally fierce, as spiritual pressure surged from the depths of the pit.
The others instinctively took a step back. But not Tianyu; he stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
The eye blinked slowly, its iris swirling like a tempest of golden flames.
> I am Jilung, the First Flame Dragon. Betrayed. Bound. Forgotten.
> You wear the chainbreakers fire.
> That means you are either mine or my executioner.
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> [System Alert: Legendary Entity Contact Initiated]
> Title Offered: Flame Reconciler
> Accepting this title will link you to Jilung's soul legacy.
> Benefits: Unique Dragon Qi techniques, insight into the Nine-Chain Pact, and access to sealed memory zones.
> Risks: Permanent entanglement with the First Flame's fate. Rejection by the Vault's mainline inheritance.
Tianyu paused, uncertainty creeping in. Long Shen's voice cut through the tension. "Be careful.
Even ancient truths come with chains."
But Tianyu had already made up his mind. "I'll listen."
---
The world twisted and turned.
Tianyu's consciousness dove deep into a soul plane—a haunting realm filled with ash, drifting bones, and a sky that felt like it was chained down.
There, in all his glory, stood Jilungnot, transformed into a dragon but now a blazing humanoid figure, complete with dragon horns and eyes that shone like suns.
> The Vault was originally forged to contain chaos.
> But they lost sight of that purpose.
Flames flickered across the images in the sky: nine dragons soaring over shattered realms.
Then, kings bowing before Vault cultivators who held chain-scrolls.
One by one, the dragons were captured—not for their safety, but for the sake of power.
> They took our fire and turned it into a commodity.
> And your clan refused to trade.
Tianyu witnessed it all: his father's rebellion, his bloodline's exile, and the Dragon Council's quiet agreement with the Vault.
> You are the last born of unbroken fire. And the true heir of the Vault is already on their way to end you.
---
The soul realm fractured.
Tianyu gasped as he snapped back into his body.
The ground beneath the shrine shook. Emerging from the mist was a figure clad in white and black robes, adorned with the Vault's forbidden sigil: the Split Flame Crest. His aura warped the very light around him. His eyes were icy, and his movements were sharp and deliberate.
"I am Ren Feilong," the figure declared.
"True Heir of the Vault."
Qin Yao stepped forward, her blade poised. Another assassin? But Ren paid her no mind; his gaze was fixed solely on Tianyu.
"You should have perished at birth."
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> [Duel Initiated: Flameblood vs Split Flame]
Tianyu unleashed
**Flame Domain Collapse**
, a powerful area denial technique he had picked up from Jilung's memories.
The temple trembled under the force.
Their blades met in a final clash, and both fighters staggered back, catching their breath.
But Rens' blade shattered, a shocking turn of events.
He frowned, a rare sight for him.
"You're not ready yet, but you will be," he said before vanishing in a ripple of space.
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> [Rival Encounter Completed: Victory - Conditional Retreat]
> Flame Reconciler Title Secured
> Reward: Dragon Technique Acquired - Ashen Sovereign Step
Tianyu stood there, still as the wind began to calm.
Jilung's voice echoed in his mind one last time:
> "You are not the flame that consumes. You are the fire that returns."
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Teaser for Chapter 17:
Back in Blackwood Hollow, Tianyu must gear up for the next seal. But a spy lurking in his court is making moves, and an ancient water creature stirs to restore balance to the flame.