Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 356: Five-Horned Lava Lizard (2)

First, a formidable spike, dark red and sharp as a war spear, pierced the frozen crust. The ice surrounding it sizzled and melted instantaneously due to the spike’s intense heat.

Then, a colossal claw emerged. It was adorned with dark red and black scales that seemed to swallow the surrounding light, appearing as if crafted from solidified lava. The talons at the extremity of the paw were sword-length and radiated a fierce orange heat.

Subsequently, the entire being began to surface.

...

The Five-Horned Lava Lizard was of immense proportions.

Kyrian appraised its length at close to twenty-five meters, possibly more, considering a portion of its tail remained submerged.

Its physique was robust and elongated, concealed by thick, overlapping scales akin to armor plates. Each scale emanated a faint luminescence, pulsing with an internal heat that warped the air in its vicinity.

Five curved, blazing horns sprang from its head.

These were unlike conventional horns; they were fashioned from a substance that seemed to be a fusion of bone and lava, a translucent material glowing from within.

Each horn throbbed with dense fire Qi, functioning as conduits channeling primal fire power.

The lizard’s eyes resembled pools of molten magma.

Their coloration was a blend of red and black, featuring slit pupils that fixed upon Kyrian with an intelligence that was both bestial and ancient.

Kyrian distinctly perceived its might.

It was at the zenith of the Core Formation Realm. Imminently close to Spiritual Awakening, perhaps merely a single step, a solitary breakthrough distant.

A creature that, under ordinary circumstances, would instill terror in any assembly of cultivators from that region, regardless of their preparedness.

And there was more.

A suffocating pressure descended upon Kyrian the instant the lizard fully materialized and focused its fiery gaze upon him.

This was not merely physical might; it was something primal, overwhelmingly superior—the very essence, the imposing presence of a noble and ancient bloodline.

Dragon blood.

The pressure originated not from the creature’s Qi, but from its intrinsic being. It was an indomitable will that demanded subjugation, compelling all life to bow, tremble, and acknowledge their inferiority.

‘Is this the effect of the dragon blood?’

‘Truly formidable… far exceeding my conceptions.’ Kyrian mused internally.

The oppressive sensation persisted for less than a second.

Kyrian’s snowflake-shaped eyes intensified their glow. It was a spontaneous luminescence, an involuntary reaction from his unique eyes.

His special eyes, the true genesis of which Kyrian did not fully comprehend, diffused the draconic pressure as if it had never been imposed. The oppressive force designed to make him kneel simply dissipated, nullified by something even more profound.

Kyrian remained standing. Erect. Utterly devoid of any sign of submission.

His gaze never wavered from the lizard’s eyes.

‘So this imposing pressure has no effect on my eyes…’ A subtle, cold smile graced the corner of his lips, a genuine smile, a rare occurrence.

‘What would it be like against an actual dragon?’

A fervent curiosity ignited within him.

It wasn't fear. It wasn't apprehension. It was pure exhilaration, the eager anticipation of a true trial, of a combat that would push his eyes to their absolute limits.

Within the Blood Library, Kyrian had perused accounts of dragons. These were ancient, divine beasts, presumed extinct for hundreds of thousands of years, who once commanded the skies and earth with absolute dominion.

Legends spoke of a solitary adult dragon capable of single-handedly decimating the most potent Sects, and of its mere presence causing entire kingdoms to quiver.

Encountering a beast possessing even a trace of that lineage was an exceptionally rare event, a phenomenon few cultivators would witness in their lifetimes.

Kyrian was determined not to squander this opportunity.

...

The Five-Horned Lava Lizard inclined its head.

The gesture was strikingly akin to human curiosity. For the first time in a considerable period, perhaps ever, its draconic aura had failed to compel its intended prey into submission.

The pressure emanating from its bloodline, which typically sent other cultivators into tremors and flight, had been utterly disregarded.

In lieu of terror, the diminutive human before it regarded it with genuine attentiveness. His eyes shimmered not with dread, but with something far more perilous.

Excitement and keen interest.

It was the discerning look of a predator sizing up another.

The monstrous entity unleashed another roar.

The sound caused the very air to resonate like a colossal drum, and the airborne ash dispersed violently from the shockwave. This roar was a provocation, a territorial claim, and a stark admonishment.

Kyrian did not falter.

He advanced a single step.

The ice beneath his feet propagated further, extending outwards in every direction like a pristine white shroud over the dark earth. The frigid mist exuding from his body intensified, enveloping him as an intangible suit of armor.

His eyes slowly revolved, concentrating ice Qi in ever-increasing volumes.

"Come." He uttered, his composed voice resonating amidst the surrounding pandemonium.

"Demonstrate the might inherent in a trace of dragon blood."

The gauntlet was thrown down and accepted.

The Five-Horned Lizard surged forward, its immense form moving with a velocity that defied its bulk. Flames erupted from between its scales, and each stride left scorched imprints upon the stone terrain.

Kyrian lifted his right hand.

Shards of ice started to materialize from the earth surrounding him, forming a dense thicket of white lances that emitted a soft, azure luminescence. The stark opposition between the extreme chill he radiated and thesearing heat of the volcano was a breathtaking spectacle. Thick, white mists ascended as the opposing elements clashed, crafting a dramatic display of vapor and light.

The conflict was now imminent.

And Kyrian, for the first time in what felt like ages, experienced a genuine thrill for battle.

...

Far off, the fleeing contingent detected the second earth-shattering bellow.

The sound caused some of them to falter, while others instinctively clapped their hands over their ears. The elder offered no backward glance. He continued his desperate sprint, his gaze locked onto the distant horizon, his sole objective being outright escape.

Pan Zheng, nevertheless, did turn his head.

He observed the billowing white vapor rising in the distance, the icy blue radiance starkly contrasting with the volcano's fiery red. Though Kyrian himself was obscured by the vast distance, Pan Zheng knew with certainty that he was still present.

A look of profound frustration crossed Pan Zheng’s features.

"We abandoned him to perish." He uttered, his voice cracking with emotion.

"We left him utterly alone."

No one offered a reply. Each individual was too consumed by their flight, too preoccupied with ensuring their own survival.

Pan Zheng pressed onward, yet something deep within his chest had shifted. It was no longer solely the grip of fear but also a gnawing sense of impotence.

Absolutely none of them comprehended that, right in the heart of the Intermediate Area, the young man clad in ice-blue robes was confronting, by himself, one of the most dreaded, scarce, and ancient beasts, a creature rumored to have vanished entirely from the Inner Area surrounding the Great Volcano.

And he was doing so with a smile on his face.