Crimson runes blazed up the four ten-mile pillars of star-iron, painting the black ice of the planetary core the color of fresh rust.
The four heavy chains wrapped around the obsidian altar jerked taut at the same time. Sharp iron links bit into the seventeen frost-cracks on the ten-foot black-silver dragon egg, gouging slivers of frozen shell onto the stone.
“Dad, step back!” Gu Nian shouted, lifting his [Fused Heavy Cast-Iron Wok Lid] with both hands to shield his father’s head. “Those chains are pulling the shell apart!”
“Stay behind my waist, Nian’er,” Gu Changsheng said calmly. He did not pull his hands back a single inch. Both of his warm palms stayed flat against the frosted curve of the dragon egg, pouring a steady, gentle stream of [Hearth-Fire Golden Core] energy through the cold shell.
Down at the foot of the obsidian steps, hog-tied in spirit-hemp rope, Blood-Claw Demon General let out a hoarse, crazed bark of laughter.
“You fools are dead!” Blood-Claw spat through chattering teeth, his red eyes gleaming in the crimson light. “The Heavenly Script Pavilion’s Four-Pole Core Lock is wired directly into the embryo’s pain nerves!
The moment those chains jerked, the lock pumped three hundred years of recorded needle-torture memories straight back into the Void Dragon’s brain!
