The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon watched as Chen Tian's aura continued to ascend, the gray power and energy radiating from him instilling a sense of peril. Chen Tian slowly opened his eyes, which contained the vastness of the cosmos. The moment he opened them, the entire space shattered, and everything around them was enveloped by the universe. Chen Tian and the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon stood within this cosmic expanse, Chen Tian appearing as a king of the universe, with its power continuously flowing into his body.
"No, impossible," the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon stammered in panic, "The power of the universe! How could you gain the universe's recognition!"
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon was truly flustered. That was the power of the universe, wielded only by those recognized by the cosmic consciousness. This young man before him had actually earned the universe's approval. Now, the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon wasn't just fighting Chen Tian; it was fighting the entire universe. How insignificant it was within the cosmos.
Chen Tian merely narrowed his eyes, and the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon's body was immediately bound by space and compressed. The creature could feel intense pain throughout its form. With just a glance, it was utterly incapable of resistance. This was like fighting the entire universe, and even the most powerful beings could not overcome it.
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon's entire body exploded, its crystalline form cracking. It knew it couldn't maintain its human form for much longer. Its colossal body erupted from within, reverting to its true form. The compressing force lessened slightly, but for the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon, it was only a matter of time. It was no match for the universe.
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon looked at Chen Tian, who was shrouded by the cosmos, appearing like an emperor of the universe. At this moment, Chen Tian's true consciousness had fallen into slumber, with the primordial cosmic consciousness now in control of his body.
Chen Tian spoke with a faint, divine voice, impossible to resist, "I'll give you a chance. Surrender your soul and bloodline, become my pet, or face death."
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon fell silent. How could a proud dragon become someone's pet? It was a humiliation, an insult to its bloodline. Yet, refusing would lead to immediate demise.
"Do not worry, I am only in control of this body for a short while. When he fully awakens, you will not regret today's decision."
"How about it?"
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon understood clearly that the cosmic consciousness was currently in control. It then replied, "Alright, I agree."
Submitting to the cosmic consciousness did not mean submitting to Chen Tian. It spat out its blood, and a white light shot forth from its forehead. Chen Tian nodded with satisfaction and flicked a finger, causing the blood and white light to enter his mind.
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon's body returned to its original state, and the surrounding compressed power vanished. The creature dared not move. Chen Tian, under the control of the cosmic consciousness, sat cross-legged. The cosmic consciousness then spoke, "Growth is still too slow. Too slow to reach that place. Forget it, this sliver of consciousness is no longer needed. It will help you recover quickly."
Chen Tian's body was engulfed by gray energy, which entered him, gradually transforming him. Chen Tian's own consciousness, however, remained in slumber, completely unaware.
A gray cocoon appeared in the universe. Chen Tian's voice echoed, "Guard me. When I emerge, you will not be shortchanged."
"Understood, master."
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon had no choice. Their fates were now intertwined; if Chen Tian died, so would it, for they had formed a contract, making it his pet. However, submitting to the cosmic consciousness was not entirely shameful. Thus, the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon stood guard while Chen Tian entered seclusion, awaiting his transformation upon breaking free from the cocoon.
Days passed, and cracks began to appear on the gray cocoon, widening continuously. The surrounding universe slowly vanished. The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon paid it no mind, understanding the situation; the cosmic consciousness was departing, and the body was returning to its original consciousness's control.
With a loud bang, the gray cocoon shattered, and Chen Tian stood in the sky, looking bewildered. Hadn't he been fighting the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon just moments ago? What had happened?
"I feel like I just slept, and something else happened," Chen Tian murmured, feeling groggy. The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon transformed into its human form and approached Chen Tian, who tensed, assuming a fighting stance.
The Purple Thorn Winged Dragon waved its hand. "Master, I've signed a contract with you, so I cannot attack you. Do not worry."
"What the hell?"
Chen Tian's mind was filled with questions. Master? Contract? What did it all mean? Had he forgotten something? Had he lost his memory? He couldn't recall ever subduing the Purple Thorn Winged Dragon.
As Chen Tian pondered, a dragon's roar echoed in his mind. He received a flood of information, his expression changing rapidly. It was indeed a contract! But Chen Tian had no idea when it was signed.
"Never mind, at least I don't have to continue fighting. So, what should I call you?" Chen Tian asked nonchalantly. It needed a name. He pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands. "Purple Dragon, perhaps!"
"Let's call you Purple Dragon, it suits your true form," he added.
"Thank you, Master, for the name."
"Alright, we need to go. Master still has missions. And please, just call me Chen Tian. I don't like the 'master' title." Chen Tian said kindly. Since they had signed a contract, they were one of his own, and Chen Tian was always amiable to his people.
"Understood, Chen Tian."
Chen Tian and Purple Dragon walked out of the space. Chen Tian looked around. "Purple Dragon, did you create this space?"
"No, I was already inside when I awoke. I have been outside a few times, but only in desolate areas, so it was uninteresting. As for those beasts, I couldn't be bothered to deal with them."
As a dragon, it commanded all beasts, and sometimes Purple Dragon was simply too lazy to bother. Chen Tian asked curiously, "Purple Dragon, were the previous hordes of beasts your doing?"
"Beast hordes? What beast hordes? I don't know. I wouldn't deign to command such low-level beasts. It's better for them to fend for themselves."
As Purple Dragon finished speaking, Chen Tian froze. If it wasn't Purple Dragon, then was there someone else behind the massive beast hordes?
"Oh no, Xue Qingyou."
Chen Tian suddenly remembered Xue Qingyou, whom he had left behind. He didn't know if his clone had survived. Chen Tian communicated with his clone and was relieved; the beast hordes had been dealt with. Fortunately, Xue Qingyou was unharmed, as this was crucial for Chen Tian's mission rewards.
"System, switch the system to game mode."
"Host conversion complete."
"Purple Dragon, let's go! Two more stages and I'll be done. Excellent."
Two beams of light shot into the sky, heading towards Xue Qingyou's location. By Xue Qingyou's side, countless beast corpses lay strewn across the ground.