Chen Beiyuan wasn't surprised in the slightest that the Imperial Family had once wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Chen Family.
As the military pillar of the Donghua Empire, the Donghua Chen Family controlled the Empire's strongest armed forces. If the Imperial Family had no thoughts about forging closer ties, that would have been the strange thing.
In fact, it wasn't just the Imperial Family.
Back then, which of the top aristocratic families hadn't wanted to marry into the Chen Family?
Putting everything else aside, based solely on the talent Chen Beiyuan had displayed at the time, it was virtually guaranteed that he would one day become an Eighth-Rank Battle Emperor.
The position of Patriarch of the Donghua Chen Family had already been reserved for him in advance.
Once a marriage alliance was secured, their daughter would almost certainly become the future Mistress of the Chen Family.
Who wouldn't be tempted?
What Chen Beiyuan couldn't understand, however, was why Old Master Chen had rejected the Imperial Family's proposal and instead chosen the young lady of the Donghua Bai Family.
Even in the original novel, the reason behind that decision had never been explained.
If he wanted the truth, he'd probably have to ask the old man himself.
Of course, Chen Zheqing, the current Patriarch of the Chen Family, might also know something.
Compared to everyone else...
Ironically, he—the very person involved—had somehow ended up with a fiancée while remaining completely in the dark.
"Come to think of it... my fiancée is eight years older than me."
"Doesn't that technically make this an older woman robbing the cradle?"
Recalling the fragments of his childhood memories, the corners of Chen Beiyuan's mouth twitched.
Six years ago...
Having just broken through to the Fourth-Rank Battle General at the age of twelve, he had finally escaped his endless cultivation routine.
Bored out of his mind, he took a little black puppy for a walk.
Halfway through his stroll...
He suddenly bumped into...
...a pair of impossibly long legs.
Looking up...
He found himself staring at a beautiful young woman with flawless fair skin, breathtaking looks, and a mature, elegant aura.
She looked every bit the sophisticated older sister.
At the time, she gazed down at him from above, her impressive figure naturally creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.
She carefully sized him up with a faint smile.
It even seemed as though she had lightly licked her red lips.
One was a twelve-year-old little boy.
The other was a twenty-year-old young woman.
There was an eight-year age gap between them.
Back then, Chen Beiyuan was also much shorter than she was.
He had to tilt his head all the way back just to look at her face.
That...
Had been their first meeting.
The "big sister" smiled warmly, reached out, ruffled his hair...
...and handed him a lollipop.
Meanwhile, not far away...
Old Master Chen and Old Master Bai were secretly watching the scene.
The two old men whispered among themselves, muttering who knew what.
At the time, however, all young Chen Beiyuan cared about was taking his little black dog out for a walk.
He hadn't thought much about it.
The only thing he clearly remembered...
...was that the lollipop had been really sweet.
"One lollipop was enough to buy me over."
"Children really are easy to satisfy."
"Still... that fiancée of mine also seems to be one of this world's Chosen Heroines."
"And judging from her abilities... she's somewhat of a natural counter to me, the Heaven's Chosen Villain."
Just as Chen Beiyuan lowered his eyes, lost in thought...
Jiang Baiyi, seated behind his desk, finally finished dealing with the pile of documents before him.
He placed the last file aside.
The soft sound brought Chen Beiyuan back to reality.
"Beiyuan, what are you thinking about? You looked completely absorbed."
"It's nothing, Principal Jiang."
"I was simply reflecting on a few matters related to cultivation."
Chen Beiyuan smiled politely.
Jiang Baiyi sighed.
"To be honest, ever since Donghua Academy was founded, I've seen countless prodigies and monsters."
"But when it comes to pure potential..."
"No one can compare to you."
"An eighteen-year-old Fifth-Rank Battle Marshal..."
He shook his head with admiration.
"Back then, my imperial brother even wanted to marry Yunhua to you."
"The two of us should have become family."
There was obvious regret in his voice.
Chen Beiyuan smiled helplessly.
"Thank you for Your Majesty's and Principal Jiang's high regard."
"However, my grandfather personally arranged this marriage."
"As his grandson, all I can do is obey his decision."
He had absolute faith that his grandfather would never harm him.
If the old man had refused the Imperial Family's proposal, there had to be another reason.
There was no need for him to jump into an unknown pit.
In the original novel...
The Imperial Family had always remained hidden behind the scenes.
They rarely showed their strength.
Even when they intervened, it was only to mediate conflicts between the major powers, acting as impartial judges without openly favoring anyone.
The more low-profile they appeared...
The more extraordinary they seemed.
Seeing Chen Beiyuan immediately use his grandfather as a shield, presenting an impenetrable front...
Jiang Baiyi silently cursed.
Little fox...
He promptly abandoned whatever small schemes he still had.
"Old Master Chen is the pillar that upholds the Donghua Empire."
"I'm sure the old gentleman has his own reasons."
"Very well."
"Let's set that matter aside."
"It's time to discuss something more important."
As he spoke, Jiang Baiyi opened a cabinet.
From within, he took out an ancient, rust-covered token engraved with the image of a blood-colored dragon.
He placed it on the desk before Chen Beiyuan.
"This is the reward for this year's Academy Tournament."
"The token that opens the mysterious secret realm."
"That secret realm is extremely unusual."
"Within it lies a Dragon Blood Pool, formed from a single drop of the blood essence of the Eighth-Rank Ferocious Beast—the Blood Calamity Dragon Emperor."
"However..."
"After years of investigation by the Empire, we've discovered that the blood used to create the Dragon Blood Pool isn't ordinary essence blood."
"It should actually be..."
"...a drop of the dragon's Natal Dragon Blood."
Jiang Baiyi's expression became solemn.
"Natal Dragon Blood is of immense importance to dragons."
"It may even contain fragments of the dragon race's inherited memories."
"A true dragon would never force out its Natal Dragon Blood unless it had reached the brink of life and death."
"If that's the case..."
"The Blood Calamity Dragon Emperor most likely died."
A trace of regret appeared on his face.
"Unfortunately..."
"The Empire searched every inch of that secret realm."
"We never found its corpse."
He couldn't help sighing.
The corpse of an Eighth-Rank Ferocious Beast...
Its value was beyond imagination.
Especially one possessing the pure bloodline of the dragon race.
A creature of that level was so powerful that even ordinary Eighth-Rank Battle Emperors wouldn't dare confront it head-on.
They could only avoid its edge.
Even several Battle Emperors working together weren't guaranteed to kill it.
Its dragon scales...
Dragon horns...
Dragon fangs...
Every single part was an invaluable treasure.
Just those materials alone would likely be enough to forge several Eighth-Rank Divine Weapons.
After all...
Even many Eighth-Rank Battle Emperors didn't possess weapons of that caliber.
Back when the Imperial Family first discovered the secret realm...
They had been overjoyed.
It was like a priceless treasure had fallen from the heavens.
Sadly...
After countless years of searching and spending unimaginable manpower and resources...
Forget finding the Blood Calamity Dragon Emperor's corpse.
They hadn't even found a single dragon scale.
The Dragon Blood Pool itself was certainly miraculous...
But it required decades of accumulation before it could be used once.
Even more frustrating...
Once activated, the energy within the Dragon Blood Pool dissipated at an astonishing speed.
It was as though the pool itself had been born with some kind of fatal flaw.
As a result...
The secret realm had become little more than a burden to the Imperial Family.
Throwing it away would be a pity.
Keeping it wasn't particularly useful either.
Calling it useless wasn't entirely accurate.
It could still strengthen one's physique.
But calling it valuable was equally difficult.
Before someone could absorb much of its power...
More than half the energy would have already leaked away on its own.
That was precisely why the Imperial Family had decided to offer it as the grand prize for the Academy Tournament.
After all...
It only had one final use remaining.
Once it was used...
The entire secret realm would collapse.
Hearing all this, Chen Beiyuan felt his mind buzzing.
None of this information had ever appeared in the original novel.
If Jiang Baiyi hadn't told him personally...
He would have remained completely unaware.
"No matter what," Jiang Baiyi said earnestly, "once you enter the secret realm, absorb the Dragon Blood Pool's energy as quickly as possible."
"It will still provide considerable benefits."
"With a stronger physical body, breaking through to the Sixth-Rank Battle King will become much easier."
Chen Beiyuan nodded respectfully.
"I understand, Principal Jiang."
"I'll remember your kindness."
He knew perfectly well why Jiang Baiyi had revealed so much.
The principal was deliberately doing him a favor.
Not everyone was worthy of receiving goodwill from an Eighth-Rank Battle Emperor.
At the very least...
In the original novel, Jiang Baiyi had never shared any of this information with the Child of Destiny, Lin Xiao.