BOOK 2: CHAPTER 444: THE DRAGON LORD’S CHOICE, SECT LEADER ZHENG EMERGES

Vol 2 Chapter 444 The Dragon Lord’s Choice, Sect Leader Zheng Emerges

Xiao Yuying stepped into the small courtyard.

Lord Shuyu Dragon stood by the pond, looking down at the three dragon eggs, seemingly unaware of his disciple’s arrival.

Xiao Yuying said nothing, quietly walking to stand beside Lord Shuyu Dragon.

With a flick of her palm upward, Lord Shuyu Dragon caused a colorful cloud to appear reflected in the water, bringing with it a fine rain infused with spiritual energy that gently dripped onto the three dragon eggs.

She was a True Immortal cultivation realm, and with her noble bloodline, even a casual act like this carried vibrant life force.

Though the three dragon eggs were still young, under the nourishment of this vitality, they seemed to have developed some instinctive spiritual intelligence.

When Lord Shuyu Dragon’s palm fell, the three dragon eggs all jumped simultaneously, their pointed tips jostling eagerly as they rubbed against her palm.

Xiao Yuying could see the deep affection and joy in her master’s eyes.

Such a simple game, yet her million-year-old master delighted endlessly, playing again and again with even more interest than usual.

After quite some time, Lord Shuyu Dragon turned her head, glanced at Xiao Yuying, and then walked toward the courtyard gate.

Upon reaching the door, she suddenly looked back, staring long at the dragon eggs as if bidding farewell.

Xiao Yuying’s expression darkened further.

The master and disciple remained silent, walking one after the other, departing from Ziwei Yuan and leaving the Jiushan Realm behind.

“Master.”

Xiao Yuying finally could not hold back.

“Hm?”

“..Nothing.”

Xiao Yuying lowered her head again, unsure what to say.

Even if her master was determined, she was powerless to stop her.

No matter what Lord Shuyu Dragon did, the gratitude for her teachings could never be forgotten.

Lord Shuyu Dragon looked at her deeply, suddenly asking, “You don’t want to leave with me?”

Xiao Yuying gritted her teeth and said, “Yes!”

Lord Shuyu Dragon was silent for a long moment, simply watching her quietly.

Xiao Yuying did not avoid her gaze and met her master’s eyes directly.

“Did your Nascent Soul transformation go smoothly?”

“Hm.” Xiao Yuying spoke softly. “Sect Leader Zheng rebuilt my foundation and passed on the true Jiushan methods to me. There were no major difficulties with the Nascent Soul stage.” ℟àɴỌᛒËS̈

“True Jiushan methods…” Lord Shuyu Dragon repeated quietly, “No secrets withheld?”

“None. Whatever Sect Leader Zheng cultivates, I cultivate the same.”

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Yuying’s face.

Lord Shuyu Dragon asked again, “During these days, has the attitude of the people in Jiushan Realm toward you changed?”

“No.”

Lord Shuyu Dragon narrowed her eyes. “Truly none?”

“Truly none. I do have some mental knots, but from top to bottom, Jiushan still treats me as usual. Important sect affairs have never been deliberately concealed from me.”

Xiao Yuying’s tone was very firm.

Of course, she had to sign a confidentiality agreement.

But on the other hand, major matters in the Jiushan Realm had not been hidden from her.

When the second fifty-year plan was made, she was present.

She even participated in the establishment of the Shenxiao Army—after all, her Thunder Method cultivation ranked among the top three in Jiushan Realm.

She felt a bit embarrassed herself.

Lord Shuyu Dragon looked deeply at her face, as if judging the truthfulness of her words, then nodded after a long moment. “Tell Zheng Fa that ancient dragons have appeared in the North Sea, claiming to be the Cangming Dragon King.”

Xiao Yuying’s eyes suddenly widened.

She finally understood why her master had been acting strangely these past days.

As her disciple, how could she not know the Dragon Lord’s yearning for kinship?

Lord Shuyu Dragon continued, “I sense that the Cangming Dragon King seems to have ambitions to engulf the four seas.”

Xiao Yuying blinked.

Her master’s words implied a preference for the Jiushan Sect?

To be honest, even she did not understand how long her master had been searching for kin!

Lord Shuyu Dragon seemed to read her thoughts and chuckled softly, “You have not been wronged.”

Xiao Yuying suddenly realized, “Master, you did it on purpose?”

“Not exactly on purpose. I am indeed torn.” Lord Shuyu Dragon glanced eastward, seemingly gazing toward the maritime region. “But Zheng Fa is no fool. He must know some of the situation already, yet he treats you as if...”

Xiao Yuying nodded repeatedly.

“The Jiushan Sect has never delayed or betrayed me in nurturing the dragon eggs, nor have they ever acted secretly.”

Lord Shuyu Dragon’s words shocked Xiao Yuying deeply, making her feel she had never truly understood her master.

“Master, do you often come to the Jiushan Realm to inspect the dragon eggs?”

Lord Shuyu Dragon laughed and suddenly said something even more incomprehensible to Xiao Yuying, “I am the last ancient dragon in Xuanwei. Do you know what that means?”

“I do not know.”

“Since birth, cultivators have wanted to capture me for captivity, even using me as medicine for alchemy. If not for this sea protecting me, I would have long been skinned, stripped of tendons, and at the mercy of others.”

Lord Shuyu Dragon still smiled, but Xiao Yuying felt a chill throughout her body.

She had never considered that her master, who roamed Xuanwei freely, had endured such hardships. But thinking about it, it made sense:

True dragons were treasures in themselves.

Even her master had to grow slowly.

An inexperienced ancient dragon without any elders to watch over her would encounter far more malice than kindness.

Her master’s thoughts were far deeper than she had realized.

Looking into her master’s eyes again, she felt those eyes were clearer and more radiant than ever before.

“So, Master, you want to find your kin?”

Lord Shuyu Dragon did not answer but stepped into the vast clouds of sunset, leaving only one sentence lingering in Xiao Yuying’s ears:

“A place to find peace of mind is rare, and to find trustworthy comrades on the path is even rarer.”

...

At Cangming Dragon Palace, invited by the Dragon King, Lord Shuyu Dragon came again to attend a banquet.

Perhaps due to controlling this maritime region, the Dragon Palace was even livelier and more magnificent than before.

Merfolk played the zither, shell maidens danced, jade flutes sang, fish and dragons shimmered with light.

Rare treasures from the four seas were heaped on plates, priceless pearls scattered on the floor.

Immortal wine’s fragrance drifted, songs and dances filled the air, and the precious light shining on the Dragon King’s smiling face made him seem even more enthusiastic.

The Dragon King’s family exchanged glances, but Lord Shuyu Dragon appeared unaware, simply tapping the table lightly to the rhythm of the music.

“Still no toast to the Dragon Lord?”

The Cangming Dragon King suddenly called to his Second Prince.

The Second Prince rose tall, his gaze resting on the Dragon Lord’s face, eyes full of affection as he slowly approached her and said, “Thank you, Dragon Lord, for gracing us with your presence.”

Lord Shuyu Dragon glanced at him, slightly nodded, and gently sipped her wine.

The Cangming Dragon King gave his queen a look.

Over the years, exchanges between the two families had been frequent but never quite reached the crucial moment.

He had investigated clearly: this Dragon Lord had no kin and was quite lonely, yet she always ignored his second son’s enthusiasm, and seemed to not understand other matters.

He naturally felt anxious.

The queen understood his meaning and gently set down her cup, her smile growing more sincere. “Dragon Lord, our two families have grown close over the years, but there is one matter I hope you will not find our approach rude.”

The glow of the Dragon Lord passed over the Second Prince’s face. She looked at the queen and remained silent for a moment before speaking, “Please go ahead, Queen.”

“This matter I dare not speak to the Dragon Lord directly, but our family cannot find anyone else to approach you.”

A hint of apology lingered in the queen’s smile, but she quietly implied that the Dragon Lord was alone.

“So I will be blunt: my unworthy second son has long admired the Dragon Lord.”

The Dragon Lord looked at the Second Prince. His face flushed red, shy, but his eyes grew even more loving, truly as if deeply in love with her.

Seeing her remain silent, the Cangming Dragon King spoke, “This is not just my son’s idea. Our family greatly admires the Dragon Lord’s character. If our two families could unite as one, I would have no regrets in this life.”

“Moreover, if our two families join forces, the maritime region will be secured in no time, and we can rest easy in the future.”

“Rest easy?” Lord Shuyu Dragon raised an eyebrow. “I heard Golden Immortals are about to descend. How can we rest easy?”

The Cangming Dragon King laughed heartily, “Dragon Lord does not know the inside story. I have inherited the Dragon Ancestor’s secret method. Once the maritime region is unified, I can attempt to prove the Dao to become a Golden Immortal! In the future, I might even glimpse the realm beyond Golden Immortal!”

“Dragon Ancestor’s secret method…” Lord Shuyu Dragon’s expression changed, nodding. “I have indeed not received that inheritance.”

The Dragon King smiled, “The Dragon Ancestor’s secret method was only passed down after the Dragon Ancestor fell. Otherwise, how could we have had the chance to achieve Golden Immortal status?”

The meaning was clear—the Dragon Ancestor would never pass on the Golden Immortal path before death, to prevent threats to his position.

Hence, Lord Shuyu Dragon did not have it.

Seeing Lord Shuyu Dragon remain silent for a long time, the Dragon King urged, “Dragon Lord, you know the Xuanwei situation will become increasingly dangerous. If we do not join forces to seek a chance at Golden Immortal, the future will be difficult.”

“If you marry my son, and I succeed in proving the Dao to become a Golden Immortal, I can protect the Dragon Lord and fight for the future of our dragon race.”

When he said this, the Dragon King was sincere.

He could see clearly that the Dragon Lord’s gaze at the Second Prince was cold and unyielding.

Therefore, the Dragon King’s persuasion focused on the future situation and the destiny of the dragon race.

Sure enough, the Dragon Lord’s expression became a bit moved compared to before.

After a long while, she seemed to have made up her mind and nodded.

The Dragon King, surprised at the simplicity, was overjoyed and was about to speak when the Dragon Lord continued:

“What the Dragon King says makes a lot of sense. I have only two conditions I want the Dragon King and the Second Prince to promise.”

The Dragon King laughed heartily, “Say two, two hundred, two thousand—I have nothing I won’t agree to!”

Lord Shuyu Dragon smiled faintly and said seriously, “Only two.”

“Please speak, Dragon Lord.”

“I have three children. If they marry into the Dragon Palace in the future, I hope the Second Prince will treat them as his own...”

“Wait!” The Dragon King shouted loudly, then called to the beautiful merfolk playing the zither, “Stop!”

The singing and dancing abruptly ceased.

The Dragon King looked at Lord Shuyu Dragon, frowning, “I just heard you say you have... children?”

“You heard correctly.”

The Second Prince’s affectionate eyes rolled upward, looking at the large luminous pearl atop his head, glowing even greener.

“Hybrid dragons?” The Dragon King seemed to realize something, biting his lip with a bitter smile.

“Pureblood.”

...

Under the Dragon Lord’s frank gaze, the Dragon King felt anger mixed with confusion, and confusion mixed with panic.

His mouth opened and closed, but not a single word came out.

Then Lord Shuyu Dragon continued, “My three children are still young. Dragon King, you know raising dragons is not easy. I have no intention of having more offspring.”

The Dragon King grinned, unable to refute—ancient dragons were hard to breed and expensive to raise.

The Cangming Dragon Palace had stood strong in the Dragon Abyss Realm for many years, but population was sparse. They even had to intermarry with two other dragon palaces.

His own son’s wife had been married in for years without children. He often felt anxious and yearned for offspring.

Who would have thought the next step would come so suddenly, with three grandchildren appearing at once?

Yet the Dragon Lord’s expression was not joking.

The Dragon King’s face darkened slowly.

This matter, he truly could not agree to:

His second son suffering grievances was one thing, losing face was another.

The problem was that three ancient dragons could bankrupt his Cangming Dragon Palace...

If they shared his bloodline, it would be fine—like demons, dragon descendants’ cultivation progress helped their ancestors a lot.

But the Dragon Lord’s three children had no relation to him at all!

To drain the Cangming Dragon Palace to raise someone else’s children... he would have to be insane to agree.

Looking at the Dragon Lord, his tone turned sarcastic, “Dragon Lord, don’t joke. In this world, who helps raise dragons for others?”

“There is. The Jiushan Sect is raising them.” Lord Shuyu Dragon paused, then confirmed, “Raising them very well.”

“...”

The Dragon King was at a loss for words, silent for a long time, then asked, “What is your second condition, Dragon Lord?”

“Can you pass me the Dragon Ancestor’s method to prove the Dao to become a Golden Immortal?”

The Dragon King was completely dumbfounded.

What? Does the Cangming Dragon Palace seem like a fool in your eyes?

Children? We raise them.

Golden Immortal? You go prove it yourself.

The Dragon King took several deep breaths, speechless to the extreme, then laughed.

“Dragon Lord, you know this is the Dragon Ancestor’s secret method. Even my two sons have not been taught it.”

Lord Shuyu Dragon looked at him with some regret, “The Dragon King refuses.”

“Ridiculous! Who in this world would agree to both your conditions?”

“There is...”

Before she could finish, the Dragon King jumped in, “Jiushan Sect?”

The Cangming Dragon King knew full well that the Dragon Lord’s long speech was to refuse him.

He also knew the Dragon Lord had already chosen the Jiushan Sect.

His face turned pale as iron, his tone cold and mocking, “Dragon Lord, you are too biased. The Jiushan Sect has only been established for a few years. Their methods, compared to my Dragon Ancestor’s secret method, are like fireflies compared to the brilliance of the sun and moon!”

Lord Shuyu Dragon’s smile disappeared as she calmly stared at him.

This firm stance only made the Dragon King more furious, who snorted coldly, “Just hope the Dragon Lord doesn’t regret it!”

Before Lord Shuyu Dragon could speak, the wine cup before her suddenly began to shake.

Merfolk and shell maidens fell to the ground, crying out in distress.

Fine wine and delicacies spilled over the table, causing a mess.

Everyone looked around, seeing lanterns hanging on the walls swinging left and right, the sea water seeming to boil with dark currents everywhere.

“Earthquake?”

The Dragon King’s expression was stunned as he sensed spiritual energy in the sea rushing wildly toward the surface.

He ignored his anger with the Dragon Lord and swam toward the sea surface, followed closely by Lord Shuyu Dragon and the others, who were uncertain what was happening.

Once out of the water, they witnessed an unforgettable sight.

From the highest heavens to the deepest sea, as far as the eye could see, all the spiritual energy seemed pulled by something, rushing wildly toward a distant place.

They were all ancient dragons. In an instant, they followed the spiritual energy’s gathering direction, arriving at the shore in the blink of an eye.

They saw a figure stepping out of the glowing clouds, walking step by step, ascending to the nine heavens.

“Sect Leader Zheng?”