At the very center of the Azure Dragon Secret Realm, atop Dragon Mountain, a massive cauldron had been set up.
Inside, a bright red broth boiled furiously. The rich aroma of chili peppers was enough to make anyone drool. All kinds of ingredients floated within, each emitting a gentle glow.
This wasn't an exaggerated description.
It was a literally glowing hotpot.
Aside from the red chili oil base imported from Sichuan, even the water in the pot was a Mythical Tier resource.
Just standing nearby and taking a whiff was enough to make Jiang Xing's nose start bleeding.
He'd been overnourished.
What kind of lunatic used Mythical Tier resources for hotpot?!
The Azure Dragon, however, ate with obvious enjoyment.
Although the gap between the broth base and the ingredients was far too large, making it difficult for the flavors to fully soak into the ingredients during cooking, it still managed to breathe new life into the Mythical Tier resources it had long since grown tired of eating.
Highly rated!
After finishing all the ingredients, the Azure Dragon drank the entire pot of broth in one gulp before flying over with satisfaction.
"Roar~ Leave the evolution matter to me."
"Thank you, Uncle Dragon!"
The Azure Dragon soared into the sky. With a shake of its body, it transformed once more into its majestic divine dragon form. White clouds swirled around it, and glimpses of azure-green dragon scales gradually replaced the sky itself.
It opened its golden dragon eyes and gazed down upon the earth.
The invisible pressure carried within that gaze alone seemed as heavy as ten thousand mountains, bringing with it endless draconic might that made all living things tremble.
Bearing the Azure Dragon's power, Jiang Xing had gained some resistance to that pressure. He raised his head and stared at the sky with burning anticipation.
This was the "stairway" he had prepared for the Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings.
Calling it a stairway was somewhat inaccurate.
The inspiration actually came from the entrance examinations commonly found in classic xianxia web novels.
Mortals seeking entry into immortal sects would often have to climb a long staircase, enduring both physical and mental trials. There were usually additional challenges mixed in as well, all designed to give the protagonist a perfect opportunity to show off.
The trope might be old.
But in this situation, it was exceptionally fitting.
When the Golden-Patterned Koi evolved into Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings, they had already undergone the test of Dragon Might and demonstrated remarkable courage.
Now that the Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings were evolving further, increasing the difficulty and stimulating an even greater eruption of evolutionary energy was only natural.
More importantly, the one administering the trial this time was none other than the legendary Azure Dragon itself.
Its Dragon Might was a form of baptism in its own right, capable of helping the Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings shed their immaturity and welcome evolution.
Furthermore, if the hatchlings truly wished to strive toward becoming the strongest dragons, then enduring and overcoming the Azure Dragon's might—defeating the image of the divine dragon within their hearts—was a necessary step they had to take.
"Little dragons."
Jiang Xing turned around and looked at the fifty Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings beside him.
These fifty had been selected through internal competition. In both strength and potential, they represented the very best of the dragon flock.
Little Dragon was among them as well.
They would be the first to launch the challenge and walk the path toward evolution.
"This is a heavenly stairway to evolution, forged from the might of a divine dragon. It will test your will, your strength, and your endurance in every aspect."
"The higher you climb, the stronger the Dragon Might becomes, and the more difficult the trial will be."
"You will undergo a brand-new evolution upon this heavenly stairway."
"And the higher you ascend, the greater your future possibilities will become!"
"Go forth and let your brilliance shine!"
"Begin!"
"Muuuu!!!"
Dragon cries rang out one after another.
The Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Unable to contain themselves any longer, they shot into the sky and flew toward the towering divine dragon above.
In an instant, brilliant streams of color illuminated the heavens.
Fifty winding rainbows appeared above the mountain, stretching upward toward the sky.
Ten meters, fifty meters, one hundred meters...
The Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings seemed to be crossing one invisible step after another as they rapidly ascended into the sky.
And the higher they flew, the greater the difficulty became.
Although the Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings had long since overcome Dragon Might and had even awakened talents such as Fearless Heart, which granted immunity to all intimidation-type effects, the gap in strength between them and the Azure Dragon was simply too vast.
No matter how powerful a talent was, it couldn't possibly function under such circumstances.
Faced with the might of a divine dragon, even a single strand of its gaze felt like a mountain weighing ten thousand tons pressing down upon them, making every advance incredibly difficult.
Under the combined influence of strength, talent, willpower, and other factors, the hatchlings gradually split into two groups.
The hatchlings possessing the Fearless Heart talent occupied the highest positions, leaving the Unceasing Heart hatchlings far behind.
This was the advantage of talent.
Even Little Dragon couldn't escape it.
However, among the Unceasing Heart hatchlings, Little Dragon was unquestionably the one flying the highest, positioned squarely between the two groups.
The other Unceasing Heart hatchlings lagged behind, struggling to continue their ascent.
Yet the tangible Dragon Might became a massive obstacle.
They advanced at a snail's pace, needing more than ten seconds just to climb a single meter.
Watching their companions fly ever higher and grow increasingly distant, they became more and more anxious.
"Muuuu!!"
Accompanied by a dragon cry, one Rainbow Dragon Hatchling suddenly unleashed Dragon Ritual Dance despite the suppression of the Dragon Might!
Empowered by the dance, its strength and speed increased dramatically, its resistance to the Dragon Might rose, and it shot upward more than ten meters in an instant, leaving its companions behind.
Its actions immediately reminded the others.
For a time, Dragon Ritual Dance, waterfall-climbing techniques, light-bending techniques, and every move capable of enhancing strength, resisting Dragon Might, or increasing altitude were unleashed one after another.
The greater their proficiency with those moves and the stronger their control over their own power, the more effective the results became.
They chased one another relentlessly, competing as they climbed higher and higher into the sky.
'That's it...'
'Squeeze every last drop of strength to its limit. Draw out every ounce of your potential...'
'And then welcome evolution!'
Jiang Xing watched the sky with anticipation.
With the aid of their various moves, the Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings were indeed climbing higher and higher.
However, using moves consumed stamina.
The first batch of Unceasing Heart hatchlings rapidly reached their limits after spending their strength so recklessly.
At that moment, their talent finally revealed its true value.
Just as they were about to fall, a defiant dragon cry rang out.
Their stamina was instantly restored to full, and they surged upward once more, gaining a significant increase in altitude.
The Fearless Heart hatchlings next to them lacked such an ability.
Although they had started faster, once their stamina reached its limit, they had no chance for a miraculous comeback.
Under the crushing pressure of the divine dragon's might, they could only begin falling.
As their altitude dropped, they watched one companion after another surpass them.
They looked toward the golden dragon eyes in the heavens, their hearts filled with unwillingness and longing.
They wanted to fly even higher—
"ROOOAR!!!"
A soaring dragon cry echoed through the sky.
Brilliant white light erupted.
Magnificent rainbow dragons rose into the air.
Their golden scales refracted dazzling colors.
As they flew past the Rainbow Dragon Hatchlings, their bodies had grown by more than tenfold. The rainbow radiance drifting from their forms shone even more brilliantly, leaving vibrant multicolored afterimages in their wake.
It was as though they had completed the journey from childhood to adulthood in a single instant.
Though they still couldn't compare to the Azure Dragon that covered the heavens themselves, they were more than worthy of being called true dragons.