The waves outside the East Sea Palace roared faintly, as though even the ocean could sense the pressure building within the grand coral hall. The air was thick with power, sharp enough that the soldiers lining the walls dared not even breathe too loudly.
Feng Jiu stood in the center with Tie Ling at her side, her fiery aura suppressed but always ready to ignite. Across from her, the Old Dragon King Long Bo narrowed his ancient eyes, a mixture of irritation and respect flickering across his face.
"Old man, I need your help in hiding her presence," Feng Jiu said directly, her voice as clear and sharp as a blade. She knew this was no time for flowery words. "If we activate her bloodlines, he will feel it. So I need you to conceal her existence."
Long Bo exhaled slowly, his breath rumbling like thunder beneath the sea. He had expected a request, but not one so dangerous.
"You ask for the impossible," he said at last, his tone grave. "He is too strong. Even I cannot help you with that."
His words carried the weight of truth. And yet Feng Jiu did not retreat. Her eyes blazed brighter.
"You are the Battle Dragon, Fifth Eternal," she said, her tone almost mocking but filled with confidence. "Do not tell me there is nothing you can do."
The title rang through the hall like a bell of fate. The younger dragons stiffened, many exchanging shocked glances. The name of the Eternals had not been spoken openly in centuries.
Long Bo's gaze hardened. "Girl… you speak of ghosts long buried in time. Do you even understand the weight of that name?"
"I understand enough," Feng Jiu replied evenly. "The Eternals were not just generals of the Divine Emperor—they were his brothers-in-arms. You, the Battle Dragon, were one of them. When the Divine Emperor fell, the Eternals disappeared. But not all. You remained. And you remained for a reason."
Long Bo's silence spoke louder than words.
The old dragon's mind wandered briefly, unbidden memories flashing across his ancient consciousness. He remembered the day the Divine Emperor united the realms, the nine of them standing as one, their blood boiling with shared glory. He remembered their vow to shield the emperor's back until the heavens themselves crumbled. And he remembered the night of the emperor's mysterious death—shadows swallowing light, a silence so absolute it erased even truth.
His hands clenched behind his back. Even now, he could not pierce that veil of mystery.
Feng Jiu's voice pulled him back. "You know as well as I do—Taiyi has spent centuries searching for the truth of that night. Every clue, every lead, erased. The closer he comes, the further it slips away. But if her bloodline awakens uncontrolled, if he senses it, then not only will she be in danger… so will the remnants of everything the Divine Emperor left behind."
Long Bo's eyes narrowed. The girl was sharp. Too sharp.
"And what would you have me do?" he asked, his tone still flat.
"The Zither of Awakening," Feng Jiu said with a sly smile. "It can mask what should not be seen. It can silence even the heavens' gaze."
For the first time, Long Bo's composure cracked. His face darkened. His aura surged unconsciously, shaking the palace pillars. The younger dragons trembled in fear.
"How do you know of that name?" he growled. His voice was cold enough to freeze seas.
Feng Jiu's smile did not falter. "You think secrets remain buried forever? You underestimate me. The zither may be lost to the river of time… but not to me. Not to someone who has lived long enough in fire to know how smoke hides flame."
Long Bo forced his aura back under control, but deep inside, unease gnawed at him. Very few knew of the Zither of Awakening. Fewer still lived who could utter its name without trembling.
"It was lost," he said finally, his tone calm, but his eyes betrayed his caution. "Even if it still exists, it is beyond my grasp."
"Then I suppose," Feng Jiu replied lightly, "I will simply tell her father to activate her bloodline himself. Then I'll bring her here, let her stand in this palace, and let him take revenge as he sees fit. You know how much he loves his daughter."
The hall went deathly silent.
Every dragon present felt the temperature plummet despite the heat of Feng Jiu's phoenix aura. Her words were no longer mere threat—they were open conspiracy. If Taiyi truly descended upon the East Sea, few believed even Long Bo could stop him.
Long Bo's teeth ground together. He could already picture it: Taiyi arriving, his fury shattering oceans, his wrath unrestrained. The East Sea would drown in dragon fire and phoenix flame alike.
"Girl," Long Bo said slowly, his voice carrying a warning edge, "why must you be so cruel? I told you, it is not here."
Feng Jiu tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "You should know better than anyone. Both Taiyi and his brother shared one weakness—their loved ones. Touch their reverse scale, and they will raze heaven and earth. Do you think I won't play this card?"
Long Bo's aura wavered for just a moment. He knew she was right.
He thought back to the Divine Emperor. The man who had once unified the realms, who had carried himself like the heavens incarnate. He too had loved deeply. He too had fallen prey to schemes hidden in shadows. And now here was Feng Jiu—sharp as a blade, ruthless as flame—wielding that same leverage.
His useless grandson had brought this upon them. The thought made his blood boil with fury.
Feng Jiu stepped forward, her smile like a knife at his throat. "You see, old man… I've already cast my net. And the fish is too large to escape. Whether I eat it or spare it depends on my mood. So tell me—will you help me? Or shall I invite Taiyi to share his rage here?"
The hall trembled with silence. The soldiers dared not breathe.
Finally, Long Bo spoke, his voice low, defeated yet resolute. "Wait."
Feng Jiu paused, arching a brow.
"How are you so certain the zither remains here?" Long Bo asked. His eyes bored into hers, desperate to see if she truly knew—or if she was merely gambling.
Feng Jiu's smile widened. "It seems you've already decided to help. Allow me to thank you in advance."
Long Bo's heart sank. He had walked straight into her web.
She had not confirmed it outright, but her confidence was too great. Either she truly knew, or she was willing to gamble her life to make it true.
And yet… he also knew a truth she did not. The Zither of Awakening could hide much, but it was not absolute. Especially not against him.
Taiyi's bloodline was unique. Singular. No matter what concealment was woven, he would still feel it. Worse—he was now walking the path toward a higher realm, his dao evolving, his consciousness brushing the river of time itself. The moment the zither was touched, Taiyi would sense it. And when he did, he would come.
But for now, Long Bo said nothing.
"Very well," he said at last, his voice heavy with reluctant submission. "I will… help you."
Feng Jiu's smile was victorious, but in her heart, she knew the battle was only just beginning.