"Fellow Daoist, look." Ao Xuan retracted the golden light, his tone softening slightly. "Demonic energy has already seeped into the South China Sea's spiritual veins—this is Luo Hu's doing. He excels at sowing discord among clans and reaping the benefits. If we go to war with the phoenix clan now, wouldn't we be playing right into the demon clan's hands?"
The Ancestral Dragon stared at the wisp of demonic energy. His golden dragon energy instantly enveloped the South China Sea's spiritual light, and sure enough, he detected that faint, eerie aura. The Ancestral Dragon snorted coldly, waving his sleeve—the wisp of demonic energy was instantly dissolved by his golden light.
"Hmph! Despicable ghosts and monsters!"
As the Ancestral Dragon's golden dragon energy spread, the chaotic qi around the white jade platform churned endlessly. Endless dominance surged in his golden-crimson pupils, and his voice was deep. "Do you think I don't know Luo Hu's tricks? But precisely because demonic flames are spreading and the Primordial World lacks a leader, an innate creature must step forward to govern order. Today, my dragon clan has received the Heavenly Dao's recognition and been bestowed with four Dragon King Seals. This proves that only my dragon clan is worthy of the supreme throne!"
Before he finished speaking, he slammed his palm heavily on the table of the high platform.
With a dull "bang," the seals in the four Dragon Kings' hands erupted with brilliant spiritual light simultaneously.
Cyan, crimson, white, and blue dragon energy shot up into the sky, intertwining above the Primordial World to form a giant dragon pattern spanning the Four Seas.
As the dragon pattern stretched, an innate dragon power far surpassing before swept across heaven and earth. Aquatic creatures in the East China Sea bowed their heads in submission, the fire spiritual veins of the South China Sea trembled violently, the waves of the Heavenly River tributaries in the West China Sea automatically condensed into dragon shapes, and delicate dragon scale patterns appeared on the crystal pillars of the North China Sea's ice field.
This was the Ancestral Dragon using his own origin as a guide to proclaim the dragon clan's majesty to the entire Primordial World.
"Announce to all living beings in the boundless Primordial World!"
The Ancestral Dragon's voice pierced through the clouds, echoing across every inch of the Primordial World—whether in the fierce beast dens of the Western Wasteland, the phoenix clan's parasol forest in the Southern Region, or the Qilin Ancestral Vein Mountain in the North, it was clearly audible.
"I am the Ancestral Dragon! Today, I have received the Heavenly Dao's seals, established the Four Seas Dragon Kings to guard the four poles, and rule over all scaled creatures under heaven! From this day forth, the dragon clan shall be the 'Supreme Scaled Ones.' All scaled creatures in the Primordial World must obey the dragon clan's orders. Clans without scales must pay tribute and submit to the Four Seas Dragon Kings. Anyone who resists shall be declared an enemy of the entire dragon clan!"
This proclamation thundered like a bolt of lightning, instantly stirring up waves across the Primordial World.
Chaotic beasts in the Western Wasteland cowered in their lairs, not daring to emerge. In the parasol forest of the Southern Region, Yuanfeng suddenly spread his colorful wings, Nanming Li Fire churning between them, his eyes filled with unbelievable anger. On the Qilin Ancestral Vein Mountain in the North, the First Qilin held the Innate Qilin Seal, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth—but the violent spiritual energy churning around him betrayed his inner restlessness.
On the high platform, the Three Seas Dragon Kings were filled with excitement.
Ao Lie suddenly knelt on one knee, the fire spirit pearls on his crimson scale armor bursting with scorching spiritual light. "Ancestral Dragon, you are wise! My South China Sea Dragon Clan is willing to be the vanguard. We shall march to the parasol forest immediately and let the phoenix clan know the dragon clan's majesty!"
Ao Ze also bowed to receive the order, the ice prisms on his silver-white black ice robe glowing with cold light. "The black-armored turtle soldiers under the West China Sea have been assembled. The Black Water Locking Formation along the Heavenly River tributaries is ready to activate at any time! If the qilin clan dares to refuse tribute, I shall channel the waters of the Heavenly River to freeze their Ancestral Vein Mountain!"
"The North China Sea is also willing to send troops!" Ao Bing's voice cracked like ice, and the spiritual energy under his pale blue ice armor surged. "The qilin clan has always thought highly of themselves. Now that they must honor my dragon clan as supreme, they must pay tribute to us! If they refuse, I shall lead the White Whale Clan to crush them!"
The three spoke with passion, their eyes filled with desire for expansion. Since obtaining the secret techniques and spiritual vein opportunities passed down by the Ancestral Dragon, the Three Seas Dragon Clans had grown exponentially in strength. They were no longer satisfied with staying in their own corners. Now, with the Ancestral Dragon's banner behind them, they could take the opportunity to subdue the surrounding clans and plunder more resources.
Ao Xuan watched this scene, his heart sinking to the bottom.
He was about to speak to dissuade them, but the Ancestral Dragon raised his eyes to look at him first, his golden-crimson pupils carrying undeniable authority. "Ao Xuan, there's no need for more words. I know you're worried about the demon clan, but if we can't subdue the phoenix and qilin clans, how can we hope to confront Luo Hu? The East China Sea can temporarily guard the water fortune hub. Once the Three Seas subdue the various clans, we will discuss the next steps."
With that, the Ancestral Dragon turned away from him, waving his hand at the Three Seas Dragon Kings. "You may depart immediately. Remember! The dragon clan's majesty shall not be profaned. No mercy for those who resist!"
"We obey the Ancestral Dragon's order!" The Three Seas Dragon Kings replied in unison.
As they stood up, their spiritual energy surged. Ao Lie transformed into a hundred-zhang crimson dragon, wrapping around the scarlet flames of the South China Sea's fire spiritual vein and flying toward the South China Sea. Ao Ze and Ao Bing transformed into yellow and white dragons respectively, returning to their own seas.
Sigh...
Ao Xuan let out a silent sigh in his heart. He knew that with the dragon clan's arrogant nature, they could never understand why Ao Xuan insisted on staying quietly in the East China Sea. If it weren't for the fact that Ao Xuan's identity as an innate Azure Dragon was undeniable, they would have suspected that he wasn't a true dragon at all.
Only Ao Xuan and the Ancestral Dragon remained on the high platform.
Ao Xuan looked in the direction the Three Seas Dragon Kings had left, his dragon pupils filled with worry. "Fellow Daoist Ancestral Dragon, Yuanfeng of the phoenix clan controls the Nanming Li Fire, which can burn away chaotic demonic energy. The First Qilin of the qilin clan holds the Innate Qilin Seal, which can suppress the Primordial World's earth veins. Both clans possess innate supreme treasures—they are by no means easy to subdue. The Three Seas' coercion will only intensify conflicts and give Luo Hu an opportunity!"
"An opportunity?"
The Ancestral Dragon sneered, condensing a tiny golden dragon from the golden dragon energy at his fingertips, which coiled around his finger.
"Hmph! I'd like to see if Luo Hu dares to stir up trouble under my nose. If he really dares to interfere, I'll slay this so-called Demon Emperor first, then turn back to deal with the phoenix and qilin clans!"
He walked to the edge of the high platform, overlooking the churning dragon energy of the Four Seas, his tone filled with undeniable confidence.
"Ao Xuan, you're too cautious. The world we live in follows the eternal law of the jungle. My dragon clan is protected by innate dragon energy, rooted in the Four Seas' spiritual veins, and guarded by me, the innate Ancestral Dragon. Not to mention the phoenix and qilin clans—even the Three Pure Ones and Nüwa wouldn't dare to bully my dragon clan! Once we subdue these two clans, we will integrate the scaled vassals of the witch and demon clans. By then, the entire Primordial World shall be under the dragon clan's control!"
Ao Xuan was about to persuade him further, but the Ancestral Dragon raised his hand to stop him. "If you're unwilling to participate, return to the East China Sea and guard your water fortune hub. But remember—you are an innate Azure Dragon, the Dragon King of the East China Sea, and a member of my dragon clan!"
These words carried a veiled warning.
Ao Xuan sighed again, knowing that further persuasion would be futile. The Ancestral Dragon's ambition was too deep, and the Three Seas' momentum of expansion could no longer be reversed.
He bowed to the Ancestral Dragon, then turned to leave with Jiao Xuan and Qinghe, transforming into a cyan-gold stream of light and returning to the East China Sea.
A few days later, the sea shook, and the spiritual energy in the North became restless.
Ao Xuan was discussing reinforcing the spiritual veins with Jiao Xuan and Qinghe when he sensed the disturbance. He immediately stood up and looked toward the northern sky, a hint of solemnity crossing his dragon pupils.
"It's the North China Sea—there are traces of intense collision between earth-element spiritual energy and dragon energy." Ao Xuan condensed a wisp of cyan-gold spiritual light at his fingertips, sending it toward the North. After a moment, his expression darkened sharply.
"The North China Sea Dragon Clan has clashed with the qilin clan!"
Before he finished speaking, Mo Yuan hurried into the hall, holding a frozen whale whisker talisman in his hand. The talisman exuded a bitter cold, mixed with a faint earthy smell. "Your Majesty! Emergency report from the North China Sea! Dragon King Ao Bing of the North China Sea personally led the North China Sea Dragon Clan, White Whale Clan, and Black Ice Soldiers across the border between the North China Sea and the Qilin Ancestral Vein Mountain, seizing the qilin clan's Cold Water Spiritual Mine. The First Qilin sent elders to negotiate, but they were seriously injured by Ao Bing. Now, both sides are engaged in fierce battle outside the mine!"
"The Cold Water Spiritual Mine..." Ao Xuan frowned.
He knew the importance of that mine to the qilin clan. The nurturing cold energy contained in the mine could both nourish the scales of young qilin and balance the earth-element spiritual energy of the Ancestral Vein Mountain—it was the foundation of the qilin clan.
Ao Bing had deliberately chosen to act there, clearly determined to completely subdue the qilin clan.
At that moment, an overwhelming dragon power suddenly erupted in the northern sky—a hundred times stronger than the Three Seas Dragon Kings, carrying the tyranny to burn mountains and boil seas. It was the Ancestral Dragon himself!
Ao Xuan's heart skipped a beat. He quickly activated the Water Spirit Secret Technique, projecting the scene in the North onto the water mirror in the Dragon Palace's main hall.
In the water mirror, the North China Sea was frozen for thousands of miles. Countless White Whale Clan members carried Black Ice Soldiers in formation. On the ice, hundreds of qilin clan soldiers lay in pools of blood, their scales shattered, clinging to life. On the dragon clan's side, many Black Ice Soldiers had their ice armor shattered by earth-element spiritual energy, and the giant bodies of the White Whale Clan were covered in stone thorn wounds, their blood staining large areas of the ice.
Several massive dragon corpses even lay prostrate on the ground.
Ao Bing transformed into a hundred-zhang white dragon, his dragon claws stepping on a seriously injured qilin elder. His pale blue ice armor was stained with spots of blood, and his aura was not as strong as at first. "First Qilin, bow your head and surrender immediately—otherwise, I will add a thousand more qilin corpses to this land today!"
The First Qilin stood atop the Ancestral Vein Mountain, wearing earth-yellow battle armor. The Innate Qilin Seal floated in the air before him, and the earth-element spiritual energy around him churned like waves. His eyes were filled with anger. "Ao Bing! The Cold Water Spiritual Mine is the spiritual vein of my qilin clan's ancestral land—how dare you dragon clan seize it by force? You seriously injured my elders and slaughtered my people. This enmity is irreconcilable!"
"Irreconcilable?"
A domineering voice suddenly echoed across heaven and earth. The Ancestral Dragon's figure descended from the sky, his golden dragon energy sweeping across the North China Sea. The frozen sea surface began to melt under his dragon power.
"The qilin clan dares to claim to be one of the three great clans of the Primordial World alongside the dragon clan. You are nothing but ants—how dare you speak of 'irreconcilable enmity' with my dragon clan? First Qilin, I advise you to know your place and submit obediently. Otherwise, I will wipe out all qilin from your Ancestral Vein Mountain today!"
The First Qilin suddenly raised his head, looking at the golden-robed figure with overwhelming momentum in the air. A sneer curled at his lips. "Ancestral Dragon? Your dragon clan runs amuck relying on the Heavenly Dao's seals, thinking no one in the Primordial World can stop you? The Cold Water Spiritual Mine is the foundation of my qilin clan—we would rather destroy it than surrender it!"
"Stubborn fool!"
A cold light flashed in the Ancestral Dragon's eyes. He condensed a ten-thousand-zhang dragon spear from the golden-crimson dragon energy at his fingertips, pointing it directly at the First Qilin. "Since you don't know what's good for you, I'll cripple you first, then take my time dealing with the qilin clan!"
The dragon spear tore through the air, carrying the momentum to split heaven and earth, stabbing straight at the First Qilin's heart.
The First Qilin's expression tightened. He pushed the Innate Qilin Seal forward abruptly. The seal swelled to a thousand zhang in size, exuding a heavy spiritual light that suppressed all things, blocking him firmly.
"Clang ——"
The dragon spear collided violently with the Qilin Seal. Golden-crimson and earth-yellow spiritual light exploded, and the powerful shockwave shattered the rocks of the Ancestral Vein Mountain, sending ten-thousand-zhang waves surging across the North China Sea.
The First Qilin was forced back repeatedly, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth—clearly seriously injured. The Ancestral Dragon also staggered slightly, the spiritual light of the dragon spear at his fingertips dimming. He was secretly surprised: the First Qilin's Innate Qilin Seal actually possessed such power. No wonder he dared to challenge the dragon clan.
"Innate supreme treasures are indeed extraordinary, but they are still not enough in my presence!" The Ancestral Dragon sneered. His figure transformed into his ten-thousand-zhang true form—his scales like golden and red gemstones, his dragon whiskers like clouds hanging from the sky. His giant dragon claw reached down fiercely toward the First Qilin. "Today, I'll let you know what true dragon clan majesty is!"
Just as the dragon claw was about to land on the First Qilin, countless roars suddenly came from the depths of the Ancestral Vein Mountain. Thousands of qilin rushed out of the mountain—Fire Qilin wrapped in flames, Thunder Qilin controlling lightning, Earth Qilin wearing thick armor. Qilin of all clans converged into a torrent, charging toward the Ancestral Dragon and Ao Bing's army.
"Ancestral Dragon! Ao Bing! Your dragon clan has bullied us too much!"
"We'd rather die than surrender! Defend our ancestral land!"
"Revenge for our elders! Revenge for our people!"
The roars shook the sky. The qilin clan's young warriors looked at death fearlessly, their eyes filled with determination. They channeled all their spiritual energy, forming formation after formation, surrounding the Ancestral Dragon and the North China Sea Dragon Clan's army completely.
The First Qilin wiped the blood from his mouth, flames blazing in his eyes. "Ancestral Dragon, do you think you can force my qilin clan to submit with violence? Today shall be the day of the final battle between your dragon clan and mine!"