Nine Star Hegemon Body Arts

Millions of stars shimmered across the ground, forming a vast constellation of astral runes. They were meticulously set up in a certain formation, pulsating with celestial energy.

Long Chen sat at the center of the formation. It was as if he were seated between two giant mirrors, and the stars in the sky stretched endlessly.

Behind Long Chen, thirteen astral veins hovered, absorbing the astral radiance cascading upon them. In just three short days, he had condensed thirteen astral veins.

An eight-colored divine ring spun behind him, bridging the two astral planes. Endless streams of astral energy poured into the thirteen astral veins, fueling their insatiable hunger.

Even after their formation, they continued to devour the heavens’ essence, growing increasingly solid. Though their total power remained constant, they underwent a qualitative transformation, their forms becoming clearer and more distinct.

Dragon tails, claws, and horns could now be seen clearly, emitting their own light. They were no longer illusions, but solid bodies. The transformation was breathtaking.

“What a powerful aura!” exclaimed the Jewel Blood Devil.

Standing to the side, the Jewel Blood Devil couldn’t contain its shock. “What cultivation technique does your son cultivate? How could his heaven veins be this powerful?”

“What cultivation technique? Really?” Long Zhantian repeated, looking at it oddly.

“What’s with that look?” the Jewel Blood Devil asked, feeling like Long Zhantian was mocking it.

“Do you really not know?” asked Long Zhantian.

“Tch

“Do you not have any inherited memories about how your ancestors died?” asked Long Zhantian.

“My ancestors? They fell to someone called the Nine Star Master... Wait, are you saying—? What the fuck?!” The Jewel Blood Devil leaped in shock. ”Are you telling me your son cultivates that lunatic’s technique?!”

“Correct,” said Long Zhantian frankly.

Through gritted teeth, the Jewel Blood Devil spat, “So he’s the heir of my greatest enemy! If you make me spar with him again, do you believe me when I say I’ll kill him?”

Long Zhantian merely smiled, unfazed by the threat.

“You really piss me off. One is the descendant of those who imprisoned me, and the other is the disciple of the one who wiped out my ancestors. Neither of you are good people!” the Jewel Blood Devil shouted.

“That’s fine. You’ll get used to it!” comforted Long Zhantian.

“Fuck you! If our roles were reversed, would you get used to it? Aren’t you just bullying me at this point? Who bullies a person like this?!” roared the Jewel Blood Devil.

Long Zhantian chuckled. “Well, you’re not exactly ‘a person.’ You’re from the devil race, after all.”

“You—!” The Jewel Blood Devil roared, tearing through the void in fury and vanishing.

Unbothered, Long Zhantian turned his attention back to Long Chen. Using the Jiuli Divine Stele’s runes, Long Zhantian had constructed a special formation to help Long Chen gather astral energy. While there were minor flaws, the influx of astral energy was more than sufficient for Long Chen to rapidly condense his astral veins.

When Long Zhantian saw the astral light swirling around Long Chen, his expression gradually became serious. Countless runes danced in his mind as he analyzed Long Chen’s cultivation technique, seeking ways to assist him.

Long Zhantian had always been a prodigy, his talent on par with the Sovereigns. During his twenty years of imprisonment, where he was unable to use his body, he poured all his focus into developing magical arts. The moment he was freed, he tested his theories—discovering that over ninety percent of them were correct.

Trusting his father, Long Chen had not concealed anything. He had openly shared the truth about his cultivation techniques.

Regarding the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art, Long Zhantian could only marvel at its brilliance. It was a nearly flawless divine art of the dragon race. However, since Long Chen was human, there was an inherent rejection, limiting its full potential. Long Zhantian suggested modifications to minimize that rejection, allowing Long Chen to better harness his dragon blood power.

However, when Long Zhantian studied the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, he was simply stunned. Some of the ways to control its power and circulate it could be called wild fantasy. This technique seemed riddled with contradictions. It defied the natural flow of the Heavenly Daos, rejecting the fundamental principle of harmony between man and heaven.

Yet, the deeper Long Zhantian delved, the more he realized its flaws formed a paradoxical cycle. The paths that seemed like dead ends showed signs of leading to the pinnacle. The Nine Star Hegemon Body Art was so profound that even his vast knowledge couldn’t decipher it.

Unless Long Zhantian cultivated it himself, he would never grasp its full mysteries. In cultivation, an observer didn’t always see more clearly than the practitioner—often, it was the opposite.

Long Zhantian was full of reverence for the creator of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art. That individual’s intelligence was truly unfathomable, far surpassing his own.

Even though Long Zhantian could only comprehend the slightest bit about this technique, he managed to aid Long Chen.

BOOM!

The starry sky trembled as a surge of astral energy condensed. A celestial wind swept back Long Zhantian’s hair, disrupting his thoughts.

Long Zhantian refocused and saw one of Long Chen’s astral veins suddenly gleam with newfound vitality. Its scales glowed, its eyes sparkled—it was no longer just an energy construct but a living entity. A trace of spirituality had emerged from it.

Explosive sounds echoed in succession. As if placing the final brushstroke on a masterpiece, the astral veins fully awakened. The thirteen astral dragons now radiated their own soul energy and consciousness, radiating boundless might. Only now did Long Chen’s astral energy enter the great circle.

Slowly, Long Chen opened his eyes. A swirling cosmos lay within them. As his gaze moved, the stars around him flickered in unison. When the astral light in his eyes faded, so did the stars across the land and sky.

“Not bad, not bad. Your astral energy flows at your command. You’ve reached the great circle. Next, it’s time for your Supreme blood,” said Long Zhantian.

“I can condense Supreme blood veins?” Long Chen shouted excitedly.

“Of course. How do you think your dad reached the Divine Emperor realm?” Long Zhantian chuckled.

After saying that, Long Zhantian passed Long Chen a technique he had spent over twenty years perfecting. This was his own unique cultivation technique—his life’s work. Originally, he had intended for it to be Long Chen’s core cultivation method. But after seeing the Dragon Soul Body Forging Art and the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, he knew it could only serve as a supplement.

“Come, start condensing Supreme blood veins. Dad will protect you.”

As Long Chen was about to start, he suddenly noticed something. “Wait… where’s Senior Jewel?”

“Oh, it went looking for a latrine. Must have eaten something bad,” Long Zhantian replied casually.