Crack— The seven-colored gem on Shangguan Huangquan's forehead fractured further.
Then her palm opened, and a small barrier gate materialized within it, releasing over a hundred Dragon Pearls.
Every single one of them flew straight toward the True Dragon's remnant consciousness.
The power contained in each Dragon Pearl far surpassed that of the one the True Dragon's remnant consciousness already held.
"Little girl, what is the meaning of this?" The True Dragon's remnant consciousness was somewhat bewildered.
"Refine them," Shangguan Huangquan said to the True Dragon's remnant consciousness.
The True Dragon's remnant consciousness furrowed its brow, initially suspecting a trick.
But as a true dragon, it instinctively sensed that every single Dragon Pearl was genuine.
"What exactly is your purpose?" the True Dragon's remnant consciousness asked.
"So tedious."
Shangguan Huangquan lost patience. She extended her finger and hooked it lightly downward toward the True Dragon's remnant consciousness.
Boom— The True Dragon's remnant consciousness's body was slammed flat against the ground, completely unable to move.
"This..."
Sikong Changsheng's face changed drastically.
The True Dragon's remnant consciousness was already immensely powerful.
Yet before this barrier's might, it couldn't even put up a fight.
And this barrier pressure emanated from none other than Shangguan Huangquan herself.
The True Dragon's remnant consciousness also sensed the danger and could no longer hesitate.
Its massive jaws opened wide, swallowing all hundred Dragon Pearls in one gulp and refining every last one.
In that instant, the True Dragon's remnant consciousness's body solidified completely and began surging in size once more.
Before long, the cavern could no longer contain its form.
Yet the dragon lair seemed to sense something and began crumbling apart, transforming into wisps of energy that merged into the True Dragon's remnant consciousness.
Once the two had fully fused, the True Dragon's remnant consciousness's body had grown so vast that it became one with this world itself.
Cracks even appeared across the world.
It was as though the True Dragon's remnant consciousness could shatter this world and soar out at any moment.
"Ha ha ha ha ha..."
"Little girl, so you came to help this deity restore its power."
"Speak then — what wish do you have? This deity will grant it."
The True Dragon's remnant consciousness's voice shook heaven and earth as the entire world began to collapse.
This power made even Sikong Changsheng's body tremble slightly.
It wasn't that he was cowardly.
It was the suppression that came from the very depths of his soul.
The True Dragon's remnant consciousness had always been powerful, and now, having merged with the hundred Dragon Pearls and the power of the dragon lair, it had undergone a complete metamorphosis.
Its realm had ascended to an entirely different level.
In Sikong Changsheng's eyes, the True Dragon's remnant consciousness wouldn't even need to strike — a single glance would be enough to obliterate his soul.
If this dragon escaped, the entire Martial Cultivation World would be plunged into unspeakable devastation.
Shangguan Huangquan had raised a monster capable of destroying the entire Martial Cultivation World.
"Stop calling yourself 'this deity.'"
"Don't you understand yet? Foolish dragon — you are nothing more than a tool for cultivation," Shangguan Huangquan said.
Hearing this, the True Dragon's remnant consciousness's gaze shifted from delight to fury.
"Girl, watch your mouth."
"Don't think that just because you helped this deity, it won't kill you."
That frigid gaze caused the space around both Sikong Changsheng and Shangguan Huangquan to twist and collapse.
Shangguan Huangquan, however, simply extended her hand, pointing it at the True Dragon's remnant consciousness, which loomed high above — so massive it blotted out the sky and sun.
"Foolish dragon, this sovereign will give you one chance."
"Escape from this sovereign's palm, and you shall be spared."
With that, Shangguan Huangquan opened her hand.
In that instant, the world collapsed entirely, and the True Dragon's remnant consciousness fell into the boundless starry void.
Its body remained unchanged — still colossal, comparable to an entire world.
Yet directly before it was a titanic hand so enormous it dwarfed an entire star domain, descending from the distance.
Gale-force winds swept in, and the stars themselves howled.
The True Dragon's remnant consciousness, previously so arrogant and untouchable, now had extreme terror flooding its eyes.
Before this giant palm, the True Dragon's remnant consciousness was so insignificant it couldn't even be compared to a single grain of sand.
It desperately wheeled around to flee, but that palm was not only colossal — its speed was incomprehensible.
In the blink of an eye, it arrived right before it as the fingers began to close.