The speed of this advancement was so swift that even the most dazzling peerless proud sons of heaven throughout all time might not have been able to pass through three Divine King calamities in succession within a mere thirty years.
Of course, the Ancient Desolate Dragon had been lying dormant and accumulating power within Shenwang Valley for thirty thousand years. Now, with a Monarch-level dragon skeleton that it could continuously refine, it was only natural that it had reached the level of a Third Calamity Divine King within those thirty years.
Moreover, it had refined less than one-tenth of the Monarch-level dragon skeleton. According to the Ancient Desolate Dragon's estimation, once it fully refined the skeleton, stepping into the Quasi-Monarch level in the future would be effortless. It might even surpass ordinary Quasi-Monarchs.
Outside, all the Divine Kings watching were greatly startled and shocked. "The Ancient Desolate Dragon Venerable has also become an Ancient Divine King, and at the Third Calamity Divine King level at that. This is simply unbelievable."
Back at the Peach Banquet, they had known that the Ancient Desolate Dragon was powerful, but it was only at the Half-Step Divine King level. Although it possessed strength to fight a Divine King, that was only against a One Calamity Divine King, and even then, the battle was barely passable.
Now, only thirty years had passed, and it had already reached the Third Calamity Divine King level. This rate of improvement made all the Ancient Divine Kings' hearts race with sheer astonishment.
They, these veteran Divine Kings who had been in the Divine King Realm for tens of thousands of years, knew deeply just how difficult it was for a Divine King to advance through a single calamity. It required massive accumulation, often taking tens of thousands of years.
For the Ancient Desolate Dragon to reach the Third Calamity Divine King level in a mere thirty years... one had to admit, this was even more shocking than Yu Hao becoming an Ancient Divine King in less than a thousand years of cultivation.
Yu Hao frowned as he looked at the Ancient Desolate Dragon. "Are you that Ancient Desolate Dragon suppressed by Doumen Divine King back then? But weren't you sealed within Shenwang Valley?"
The Ancient Desolate Dragon responded coldly, "Brat, you've been in seclusion for too long, so you're not clear about what's happened in the outside world. This Divine King left Shenwang Valley thirty years ago."
"Is that so?" Yu Hao's brow furrowed slightly. Then, his gaze sharpened like a sword, blazing with fighting spirit as it fell upon the Ancient Desolate Dragon. "Good. Your appearance has sparked immense interest in me. A Heavenly Dragon at the Divine King Realm is far more precious than one at the Half-Step Divine King Realm. If I can subdue you to become my mount, it would be supreme glory."
Hearing this, the coldness in the Ancient Desolate Dragon's eyes intensified. "Brat, although you are a peerless proud son of heaven rarely seen in this world, becoming an Ancient Divine King in less than a thousand years of cultivation—I must admit, your cultivation talent is indeed heaven-defying. But in this world, there are some people you simply cannot afford to offend."
"Don't think that becoming the youngest Divine King in history makes you remarkable. Even among Divine Kings, there exists a vast difference."
Yu Hao laughed heartily, filled with arrogance and conceit. "You're right. Even among Divine Kings, there is a vast difference. And I am the strongest Divine King of this era to have stepped into the mysterious Tenth Heaven. Although I am only a Two Tribulation God King, among those at the Two Tribulation Divine King level, I can suppress all. Even if you are a Third Calamity Divine King, I can still suppress you against the odds!"
Boom—
An overwhelming, sky-piercing might erupted from his body, vast and majestic, shaking past and present.
Whoosh—
A war sword appeared in Yu Hao's hand. It was a full zhang long, exceptionally sharp, and covered densely with inscribed runic Dao marks. This sword had become a Divine King war sword alongside his attainment of the Divine King Realm. It hummed and buzzed, emitting a sharp Divine King aura capable of severing everything between heaven and earth.
His black hair danced wildly as his Divine King aura shook the world. He strode forward, swinging his war sword to slash at the Ancient Desolate Dragon, laughing wildly. "Now let me see if you, an Ancient Desolate Dragon at the Third Calamity Divine King level, are a match for this Divine King!"
Sword light surged forth like a river, appearing as if it could cut down everything under heaven, causing the Divine Kings watching from afar to change their expressions.
"So strong!"
"He's clearly only a Two Tribulation God King, yet he gives me the feeling of a Third Calamity Divine King!"
"Truly worthy of being Yu Hao, the strongest heaven's pride in the history of our Weiyang Great World. He once broke through the shackles of the ninth heaven and stepped into the mysterious Tenth Heaven, granting him absolutely invincible combat power within the same realm. Now, even though he has just stepped into the Divine King Realm, he possesses the ability to sweep through Divine Kings of the same level and even fight against higher realms."
The Divine Kings secretly sighed in admiration.
Facing this dazzling sword strike, the Ancient Desolate Dragon's expression remained utterly indifferent. It simply extended a hand, which transformed into a dragon claw, and met the attack.
Clang—
A clear, crisp sound rang out.
Yu Hao's fearsome sword strike was blocked, unable to advance any further.
Even though the Divine King war sword erupted with sky-piercing, world-destroying power, it was useless. The Ancient Desolate Dragon's dragon claw was even more extraordinary, not inferior to a Divine King weapon in the slightest—perhaps even surpassing it.
The Divine Kings' pupils constricted. What a terrifying physical body! Even for a dragon, it shouldn't be like this.
"Perhaps after refining that Ancient Monarch-level dragon skeleton, the Ancient Desolate Dragon grew to this point," an old veteran Divine King slowly spoke, revealing the truth.
The other Divine Kings nodded. Only this could explain it.
The more they thought about it, the more they felt awe and reverence towards that mysterious Lord Chen. He could even slay a dragon of Ancient Monarch level like the Black Dragon Ancient Monarch. How supremely majestic must he be?
Looking at Yu Hao again, although hailed as the most dazzling peerless proud son of heaven in the history of the Weiyang Great World, compared to Lord Chen, the difference was undoubtedly vast.
They couldn't help but sigh secretly.
At this moment, the Ancient Desolate Dragon unleashed its power. Dragon force erupted, and its combat strength instantly soared to a shocking level. Then, it simply and brutally slammed a dragon claw towards Yu Hao.
Boom—
Yu Hao's figure was sent flying back a hundred thousand li before slowly coming to a stop.
Both his hands were split at the tiger's mouth, oozing traces of blood.
Yu Hao raised his head, looking at the Ancient Desolate Dragon with surprise, but even more so with a fierce fighting spirit. He laughed loudly. "What an Ancient Desolate Dragon! Stronger than I imagined. It makes me even more eager to subdue you. Once I subdue you, I, Yu Hao, will become the world's number one Dragon Rider, and also the strongest person!"
Zheng!
The war sword hummed, releasing one sky-piercing sword radiance after another. Each was a hundred li thick, like one hanging river of stars after another descending, spanning the nine heavens as they slashed towards the Ancient Desolate Dragon.
Moreover, this attack contained vast Divine King might.
The power of this strike was so great that even a few Four Calamity Divine Kings watching from afar slightly changed their expressions. It actually possessed attack power comparable to a Four Calamity Divine King.
Yu Hao could actually become this powerful against the odds.
The Ancient Desolate Dragon's burly figure directly charged forward to meet it. It manifested its true form, but the tens-of-thousands-of-li-long giant dragon was no more. Instead, it was a thousand-zhang-long body. Though seemingly shrunk countless times in size, every aspect of it had become even more supremely powerful.