When Elder Zhu Li first laid eyes on Zi Yan, he did not feel joy at her sudden growth and advancement in strength—only anger. In the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe, the higher one's realm, the harder it was to improve further. The strength of their bloodline granted immense power, but it also made every step upward countless times more difficult.
For her to grow this quickly meant only one thing—she must have taken some reckless path, perhaps even sacrificing her future potential for short-term strength. That was something Zhu Li could not tolerate. He silently contemplated how to remedy the situation, though traces of anger still flickered across his face. He was about to rebuke her harshly—and in his heart, a faint regret arose. He should never have let her leave Ancient Dragon Island in the first place.
Before Zhu Li could speak, Zi Yan stepped forward. Her calm voice carried a complex undertone.
"I met my father."
She called the old Dragon Emperor her father now—a sign she had truly accepted him. Yet there was still resentment buried in her heart, which was why she had not spoken of it before Zhu Kun himself.
Her words froze Zhu Li completely. His expression went blank, disbelief flashing through his old eyes. Zi Yan's father—the Dragon Emperor himself.
Hei Qing, standing beside him, was equally dumbfounded. His eyes widened like copper bells, stunned speechless by the revelation.
Snapping back to his senses, Zhu Li's expression turned grave. He quickly swept his gaze around them, then waved his sleeve, summoning a dense spatial barrier that sealed the area. His trembling hands rose before him, excitement barely contained in his aged frame.
"Your Highness Zi Yan, please—tell me everything. Where is His Majesty now? Is he well? Why hasn't he returned? If the Dragon Emperor were still here, how could our Ancient Void Dragon Tribe have split into four?"
Zi Yan turned slightly toward Liu Xi, who gave her a faint nod and smile. Taking a deep breath, she began her tale.
Starting from their exploration of the magma cavern, she described discovering the sealed cave where Zhu Kun slumbered, his body trapped and unable to escape. She spoke of being baptized by his dragon blood, of the Dragon Seal she now bore—and how she had fainted afterward.
From there, Liu Xi continued, explaining how he had met the old Dragon Emperor's will, received his recognition, and been granted a portion of dragon blood himself.
By the end of their recounting, Zhu Li's initial shock had subsided. He pieced together the situation carefully in his mind:
First, the Dragon Emperor had not perished—he was merely sealed.
Second, Zi Yan's strength had grown rapidly because of the baptism of dragon blood; her foundation, far from unstable, was even stronger than before.
Third, by bearing the Dragon Seal, Zi Yan was now the rightful heir to the Dragon Throne, though her current strength was insufficient to wield the Dragon Slaying Sword, the true symbol of the tribe's might.
Fourth, Liu Xi had also been acknowledged by Zhu Kun and received dragon blood, making him half a member of their tribe.
Zhu Li exhaled deeply, relief softening his expression. A faint smile appeared.
"So His Majesty yet lives—merely trapped. That alone is fortune enough for the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe! And this time, it is all thanks to you, Brother Liu Xi. Without you, neither I nor the tribe would ever have learned of His Majesty's fate."
Liu Xi nodded with a calm smile. His strength had grown so much that he no longer needed to hide behind humility—some truths could finally be spoken openly.
Excitement still trembled in Zhu Li's voice.
"With this news, and the Dragon Seal Your Highness brings, we can summon back the neutral Elders who have long secluded themselves in the Void. When the internal factions of our tribe hear this, they may hesitate—but before the Dragon Seal, none will dare to refuse."
"Once Your Highness ascends to the Dou Saint realm, the day our tribe is unified… will not be far away."
By the end, tears glistened faintly in the old man's eyes. His faith, upheld for countless years, had not been in vain. When the tribe was whole again, the East Dragon Island he led would stand supreme among the four islands, its status rising higher than ever.
Zi Yan then extended her pale jade hand. Upon her palm was the faint mark of a half-dragon, half-phoenix sigil.
"There's one more matter, Elder. Before returning, we explored a Dou Saint's Relic… and found a Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit."
Zhu Li's eyes widened like twin bronze bells. For a long moment, he could only stare in stunned disbelief. What kind of fortune was this? First, she met the old Dragon Emperor and became the Dragon Emperor in name. Then she discovered the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit—something that had appeared only five times in the entire history of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe. This would be the sixth.
And what did that mean?
It meant that the heavens themselves were favoring the dragons. That a supreme beast—one with both Ancient Dragon and Heavenly Phoenix bloodlines—was destined to rise. Not merely to unite the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe… but to rule the entire Beast Region!
For a fleeting instant, Zhu Li even felt as if the heavens themselves were aiding their ascension—though in truth, their "heavenly blessing" had a human name: Liu Xi.
"Ha! The rise of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe begins today!" Zhu Li's laughter rumbled through the mountain. "And Your Highness was right not to absorb the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit immediately. The ancient records warn that its energy is vast enough to push a dragon's bloodline to the Dou Saint realm. It must be absorbed carefully, with full preparation."
He laughed heartily, elation lighting his features. Though he coveted the fruit's power for an instant, he quickly dismissed the thought. This was Zi Yan's destiny alone—and through her, the tribe would reach its peak once more.
Liu Xi smiled faintly, his thoughts wandering. Compared to the path of the original story, Zi Yan was now far stronger—her bloodline nearly perfected. Once she absorbed the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit, she might unify the four islands without a single battle.
Zi Yan understood this as well. Absorbing the fruit's energy would likely cause her to enter another deep slumber, just like when she accepted the Dragon Emperor's blood. Her gaze softened as she looked at Liu Xi, reluctant yet resolute.
"This journey's harvest—all of it—was because of you, big brother," she said, stepping forward. "From now on, no one on Ancient Dragon Island is to trouble him. That is my decree."
Zhu Li's lips twitched. For the future Dragon Emperor to address a human as "big brother"—how strange it sounded. Yet considering the Dragon Emperor's acknowledgment and the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit, what choice did he have but to accept it?
"Of course," he said warmly. "Brother Liu Xi is a friend to our tribe. And when it comes to friends, the Ancient Void Dragons are the most loyal allies one could ask for."
Liu Xi smiled, then spoke in turn.
"Actually, Elder Zhu Li, I have a favor to ask. Qing Lin was accidentally possessed by the spirit of an Ancient Heaven Serpent. I'd like to borrow the Ancient Dragon Tomb—to use its dragon aura to suppress the serpent's power, so she can learn to control it."
He stepped aside as Qing Lin came forward, bowing respectfully.
"Qing Lin greets the Elder."
Zhu Li arched an eyebrow, his sharp eyes sweeping over her. The faint, sinister aura of the Ancient Heaven Serpent indeed coiled around her—it was as if he could see the phantom of a giant scaled beast rising behind her.
After a brief pause, his tone softened. "That's not a problem. The dragon aura within the tomb is powerful beyond measure. Even an Ancient Heaven Serpent won't be able to stir up trouble there."
"Thank you, Elder!" Qing Lin said, bowing again.
Zhu Li nodded in satisfaction, his old eyes gleaming with renewed hope for the future of his tribe.
(End of Chapter)
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