Heavenly Dao Child

The thirteenth floor, or as Ryuu remember from his previous life was dubbed as an unlucky number, though he never believed in such things it was fun watching others fret over a number nonetheless.

'Numbers run the Universe, sometimes that saying was so true, in my previous life if I remember correctly some scientist did manage to prove that the world around us nothing but numbers, and he was right, maybe someday someone can read those numbers and manage to play with them, it sure would be nice.'

Ryuu thoughts came to an abrupt halt as a large smile blossomed on his lips before he let out a mad cackle making a few to scoot away from him.

"Ahem."

The sound of throat-clearing brought him out of his daydream as Frost Flames spoke, "Are you alright Ryan? You suddenly began to cackle out loudly."

Ryuu blushed red in embarrassment as he began to speak, "Well I was suddenly struck by a sudden bout of inspiration and came up with this wonderful idea that I wish to experiment on as soon as we leave this place."

"Just remember to be near your teachers when you do something stupid."

Ryuu spoke with mock anger on his face, "Hey sister Zywia since when do I do something stupid?"

Zywia simply rolled her eyes at his antics but did not reply to him, as Su-Min spoke with a tired sigh while leaning over Zywia, "Aw, I am going to melt because of this heat."

Zywia simply shoved Su-Min off of her as she spoke with anger, "Stop it, you do not need to make me infect with heat, now move away shoo."

Su-Min faked her tears as she lunged towards Frost Flames who squawked upon at having her privacy being invaded as Zywia spoke with a content sigh, "No here is someone cools just let me stay like this for a second."

Frost Flames sent a pleading look towards Ryuu who simply smiled before dragging Su-Min away from her by holding the nape of her neck just like a cat carrying her kitten before slapping a talisman on her forehead.

"I hope you are cool enough now so stop clinging to others and do not remove the talisman if you do not wish to feel hot."

Su-Min simply pouted her face hidden behind the talisman as she spoke, "Can you deal everything with a talisman but more importantly, why stuck it on my forehead?"

Ryuu simply shrugged as he spoke, "Calm mind can work wonders after all as such I stuck it where it was needed most, and I hope it is working."

Su-Min pouted at his words only for Amnon to interrupt their chat, "Everyone please focus, our prey is here and we have yet to complete our hunt."

A scream was heard as a hulking behemoth broken open the cover of lava screaming out loudly announcing its arrival to the world, the creature was followed by a figure that looked like a red lobster.

"Brother True-Spear, are you alright? You look a cooked lobster."

True-Spear glared towards a smirking Ryuu as he spoke, "That's it, next time I will send you down in the lava to lure out a prey."

Ryuu simply smiled at him before charging towards the raging and thrashing creature, Ryuu decided to use Genesis to combat the Lava Wyvern, which unfurled its wings spraying lava all-around before taking to the sky.

"Ho trying to run away, futile."

With that Ryuu vanished from his position before reappearing on top of the wyvern thrusting his spear hard making the beast collapse on the ground with great agony.

The wyvern collapsed on the ground as it roared out loud, others may not be able to hear it clearly but Ryuu was able to.

"Your insolent whelps, how dare you to do this to me, I will get killed by her now, how dare you expose my position oh Heavens she will be here now."

His words managed to stop Ryuu on his tracks as he stared at the frightened creature, 'Huh, we are attacking it but the Wyvern is not afraid of us but something else entirely, it is so scared and desperate to escape, I could taste his fear from here, something is not right.'

Ryuu decided to intervene only to stop as the Wyvern suddenly curled up in a ball as if it had given up and all Ryuu could understand was muttering of she is here over and over again.

'The Wyvern might be only a be eighth-ranked Mystic Immortal but still, it is dragonkin, even if its blood is polluted and thin, to throw away its pride and give up its life, but not because of us, something is seriously wrong.'

"Everyone, get away as far as possible, something is wrong a Wyvern if the blood has thinned out and is polluted, it is still a kin of Dragons and Dragons are proud and vain yet he has given up and waiting for death something is wrong very wrong."

His words made the group freeze and upon recalling the actions of the Wyvern, which immediately submitted to its death, in fact since it was dragged out from the Lava pool, it looked like it was waiting for it.

"Why did you stop attacking me? Did you not come here to kill me? kill me please kill before…oh no no she is here, she is here."

The wyvern suddenly looked frantic and even more agitated all of a sudden as Zywia shouted out, "That bastard might be faking it, let us deal with it."

Ryuu would have stopped them but a feeling of dread filled him up, he felt his adrenaline rush up, suddenly he felt as if he was in front of a predator.

A hauntingly mournful sound came to his ears, at the same time his hands shook with, only for the Genesis to warm up as Requiem appeared in his right hand, a small smile appeared on his face as he whispered, "Thank you, partners, you are a lifesaver."

"Everyone move!!!!"

His shout once again made them disengage just in time for a large creature to swoop in before tearing the wyvern into pieces and devouring in a blink of an eye.

Ryuu's eyes widen in shock upon seeing the creature in front of him, 'Never thought I will encounter one here, my luck is rotten if I escape Eden I will not step foot outside of Ayindril for a century no a millennia at least.'

Zywia looked at the creature as before her eyes went towards Ryuu, whom she found to be shaking, 'Damn his luck is really rotten to encounter one of them here.'

The creature was a bird, not just any bird but a 'Nether-realm Bennu', a very dangerous creature, especially for Ryuu, as the bird was widely regarded as a 'Dragon Bane'.

Ryuu took a deep breath as his mind went over all the information that he could remember about the creature, every possible weakness he could exploit as well every attack that he should be wary of and try to avoid.

The creature meanwhile turned to look at its surroundings unfurling its wings it was about to take to the sky only to stop as its head swivelled towards Ryuu's direction, to Ryuu it seemed as if the bird was incredibly happy, he could practically feel the bird salivating.

"Delicious food I want it."

Ryuu shivered as he heard the bird cooing towards him, 'Is that what my favourite food feels like when I am about to eat it? Damn it after today I will not be able to savour my favourite food anymore damn the thrice-damned bird ruined it for me.'

As he prepared himself to meet his foe his mind went back to one of the lessons he had with his teachers.

***************

~Ryuu aged 8 years~

Currently, Ryuu was having lessons with his teacher Veena on various properties of some medicinal plants, as well as pill concoction and as it was nearing its end they were approached by Celestia, who simply went and tousled Ryuu's hair lovingly.

"I hope the lesson is over, he looks like he is about to kneel over from the information overload."

Veena simply smiled at her sister as she spoke, "I was about to let go of him, after all, it would do us no good if our student falls ill of overwork, though why are you here if I recall he had his lessons with you yesterday."

Celestia frowned as her gaze fell on Ryuu making him squirm for a moment as she began to speak with a sigh, "I was watching his sparring session with our husband and I noticed that he is relying too much on his Divine body, I do not like it."

Now it was Ryuu who frowned upon hearing that as he spoke with a curious tone, "Why is that teacher? My Divine body is part of me so should I not use it more to be accustomed to it."

Celestia nodded at his words as she replied to him, "Yes you should but you are overly reliant on it, it should be like a trump card, only to be used in case of emergency."

Veena nodded in agreement as she replied to him, "She is right you should use your Divine body only in certain emergencies, otherwise people might be able to find out about it, also like everything even your Divine Body has a weakness and if you only use it you enemy will simply exploit your weakness and defeat you."

Ryuu nodded before he spoke with a frown, "What if I manage to conquer my weakness."

Celestia simply smiled back at his words before she replied to him with a nod of approval, "That is a nice way of thinking you will go far by thinking like that, though your plan has a severe flaw do you know what it is."

As Ryuu shook his head negatively Veena continued where Celestia left off, "Overcoming ones weakness takes time, a good amount of time like decades and centuries, and you enemy will never allow you that time, as such what Celestia wants with you is that you try and make sure that you have other options available to you in the meantime."

Ryuu nodded as his face scrunched up in deep thought that to his teachers were adorable, before he spoke, "Teacher what is my Divine body's weakness."

Celestia gained a contemplative look on her face as she spoke, "A Divine body like yours for example at the base is simply Draconic in nature, by that it means that you can be considered as a miniature dragon yourself, can you tell me about the typical behaviour of a dragon."

Ryuu was silent for a moment before he spoke, "I know about Dragons only from stories."

Veena with an encouraging smile spoke, "No problem Ryuu tell us what you think about a Dragon just from stories."

"Well they like shiny objects like gold, they are super strong, awe-inspiring, scary, and in some cases friendly, oh and they have a large amount of pride."

Celestia nodded as she spoke with a smile, "So true in some cases, Dragons are prideful beings maybe more than any other cultivators, arrogant but they have the power to be arrogant, and about hoarding gold, it is true in some cases, they like treasures just like any other person but may b more zealous in hoarding them, and they make everyone feel like an ant compared to them, that is what a Dragon is like generally."

"Now tell me compared to a dragon is your behaviour any different?"

Ryuu with a frown replied, "Of course I am different than a Dragon I am not vain, arrogant, and prideful not to mention make anyone feel like an ant in front of me."

Both Celestia and Veena giggled at his words before Veena simply patted a pouting Ryuu's head as she spoke, "This is why overcoming one's weakness is difficult, most of the time we overlook our weakness until it is too late, and now let us compare your behaviour with a dragon, firstly about overwhelming others with your presence do I need to remind you what happens whenever you release your full power in front of an enemy."

Ryuu gained a sheepish look on his face as he spoke with a smile full of embarrassment, "Sorry I forgot."

Both Veena and Celestia snorted as Celestia spoke this time, "Now as for being prideful, tell me Ryuu what if someone other than us or your mother wants you to bow to them, what will you do, Ryuu?"

With a huff, Ryuu replied, "I would refuse to bow to anyone who is not my teacher or my mother."

"No matter what happens?"

Ryuu looked towards Veena as he spoke with a nod, "Of course I did rather die."

The duo inwardly frowned at the casual way he said he would prefer death as Veena replied to him, "This is your pride talking here, your pride would not allow you to lower your head in front of others to the point you would prefer death, now about you being vain I hope that our little student remembers his tantrum when the food is not good."

Ryuu face resembled a tomato as he suddenly found the ground very enticing only for Veena to pinch his cheeks as she spoke, "There is nothing to ashamed off, it is quite cute when you throw your tantrums."

Her face gained a serious look as she spoke, "Now tell me are you any different than a dragon."

Ryuu swallowed hard as he slowly shook his head in agreement as Celestia spoke with a serious look on her face, "The reason is so that at the end of the day your Divine body is based on Draconic creature as such even if you look, act like a human you are a Dragon that has taken human shape nothing more as such you gain their strength their weaknesses and even their enemies."

Ryuu nodded before his eyes open in shock as he could not help but exclaim out, "Enemies, you mean people who kill Dragon to gain fame and glory, them?"

Celestia shook her head as she spoke in a scary tone, "No I am talking about the only creature in existence that prey on a Dragon, a creature that is the natural enemy of Dragon, for its miasma can weaken one."

Ryuu could only gulp hard with a scared look on her face as he heard Celestia regale about a creature that once almost managed to kill even Pangu.

**********

Back at the present time, Ryuu took a deep breath as his body tensed, before he shouted out, "Everyone formation we are…"

Whatever he was about to say was stopped in his throat as a titanic pressure fell on him, 'A 3rd ranked Celestial, damn it.' before anyone could react the creature was already upon him, hitting him hard with its beak the force of the attack was hard enough to fling him a few hundred meters.

Ryuu's eyes morphed as he stared at the creature with an insane amount of anger and bloodl.u.s.t as he swore inwardly with anger, 'You beast today this delicious food is going to eat you.'