Chapter Fifty-Three: Sudden Upheaval

Yi An had witnessed all of this with his own eyes. He had heard tales of the Dragon Clan’s Ancestral Land—it was said to be formed from the heroic spirits of the clan’s ancestral forebears. In other words, it was the resting place of countless dragon predecessors, where their collective will could draw upon and purify the bloodline of the living dragons.

For most of the demon clans, the strength of their bloodline was determined at birth. Yet the dragons could, upon this innate foundation, elevate their blood purity to a whole new level. In this respect alone, the dragons’ heritage was unmatched, far beyond the reach of other demon kind.

To be fair, there were rare and exotic lineages among the demon clans that could, through later awakening, inherit some measure of ancestral power. But these were isolated exceptions; in the Dragon Clan, every new generation received some degree of improvement without exception.

Meanwhile, the young dragons of the Three Seas arrived at the Eastern Sea in just a few short hours. As for mastery over water magic, if the dragons claimed to be second, none would dare claim first.

“Good! Now that everyone is here, let us not delay. We shall await the opening of the Ancestral Land,” Ao Xiu declared, gazing down at the expectant, eager faces of the young dragons below. Her heart swelled with emotion—these youths were the future of the Dragon Clan.

“But remember,” Ao Guang admonished, “when you enter the Ancestral Land, be sure to investigate for any anomalies within. Still, do not lose sight of your main purpose. Do not be distracted by trifles—accepting the inheritance is what matters most; anything else is secondary.”

Every dragon had but one chance in their life to enter the Ancestral Land. If they failed to grasp it, no amount of talent could compensate. Only by seizing this opportunity and standing out from the rest would one bring pride and fortune to the clan.

The opening of the Ancestral Land was a grand occasion witnessed by all the Eastern Sea. The Dragon Queen was preoccupied, working with Ao Guang to arrange the entry of the Four Seas’ youths, leaving no time to concern herself with Yi An for now. Thus, Yi An was fortunate enough to witness the opening of the Dragon Clan’s sacred ground.

“Brother Yi, look—this is our Dragon Clan’s Ancestral Land. Back then, I awakened half my bloodline’s potential here; only Ao Cen of the Southern Sea could rival me,” Ao Xiu Xiu said, glancing at the handsome young man lost in thought beside her, unable to hide her pride.

The two maids assigned to watch over Yi An exchanged helpless glances. Princess, you don’t even know this man’s origins, yet you reveal all your secrets without hesitation—can that really be wise?

Still, as servants, it was not their place to interfere in the princess’s affairs. They had only to do their duty, lest they incur her displeasure. Such thankless tasks—surely even the greenest of novices would know better than to meddle.

The entrance to the Ancestral Land was a separate realm, one attached to the Dragon Palace—not quite a minor world, but rather a distinct space. Only Saints possessed the ability to create minor worlds. In bygone days, some immortals in the Celestial Realm had their own minor worlds, all crafted by Saints.

The most renowned, of course, was the Mountain and River State Map of Lady Nuwa—a minor world containing its own vast universe, mountains, rivers, otherworldly wonders, sun, moon, stars, flora and fauna, birds and beasts, and all the veins of the land.

A faint rumble of thunder echoed from the entrance to the space, where a colossal, shadowy dragon figure could be glimpsed swimming within. This was the remnant soul of the Dragon Clan’s ancestral spirits, and to enter the Ancestral Land, one had to first pass their test.

“Do not be complacent once inside. Give it your all—the longer you remain, the greater your gains. If you cannot endure even this hardship, how can you speak of revitalizing the clan? Sons of the Dragon Clan, the future rests upon your shoulders!” Ao Guang’s voice boomed like thunder, ensuring every dragon present heard him. Though he had spoken such words dozens of times before, his blood still ran hot, pride and hope swelling as he looked upon the next generation.

Only with a constant influx of fresh blood could a race thrive with endless vitality and boundless promise.

Ao Guang’s rousing speech filled the young dragons with light and anticipation, determination flickering in their eyes, tinged with nervous excitement. To them, the Ancestral Land was sacred and inviolable—every dragon took pride in entering it.

Just as they were preparing to enter in groups, an unexpected event occurred. A barrier seemed to spring up at the entrance, sealing it from the outside world.

One bold young dragon stepped forward, only to be struck by a bolt of lightning from within. He tried to retreat in terror, but it was too late—a single blink and the lightning enveloped him. Sensing danger, Ao Guang acted at once, rescuing him from the lightning’s grasp. Though timely, the youth was still gravely injured.

“Shen’er!”

Ao Run stood frozen in shock. Only after some time did he recover, rushing to Ao Shen’s side and feeding him several healing pills without hesitation. Seeing Ao Shen’s color improve, he breathed a little easier.

“Father… I’m all right…” Ao Shen said weakly.

The lightning had struck him a devastating blow. Though his spirit remained unscathed, his injuries were severe—his skin nearly flayed, his body almost entirely bare, a sight painful to behold.

Ao Run supported Ao Shen, his face lined with concern but overshadowed by sorrow. Ao Shen was the son he pinned his highest hopes on, and though his injuries were not fatal, the trouble brewing in the Ancestral Land was of far greater consequence.

With this in mind, Ao Run pressed urgently, “Brother, what is happening? Has something gone wrong inside?”

Ao Guang shook his head in bewilderment, his mind a tangled knot.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, exhaling deeply before declaring, “No one may enter the Ancestral Land this time. Everyone else must withdraw—the rest is for me and my three brothers to investigate.”

“Alas, so be it,” Ao Qin sighed heavily. The Ancestral Land was the lifeblood of the Dragon Clan. If that lifeblood was severed, what hope did the dragons have for the future?

Just as the Four Sea dragons were preparing to withdraw as ordered, a strange phenomenon erupted. From the entrance, wreathed in thunder, several yards of golden light suddenly streamed forth. All eyes turned instinctively to the entrance, the Four Sea Dragon Kings especially reeling in shock. Misfortune upon misfortune—each blow left them more exhausted and anxious.

“No one is to make a move—stay where you are!”

With Ao Shen’s ordeal fresh in their minds, Ao Guang dared not risk another calamity. The crowd was already on edge; if disaster struck, panic would only breed further chaos.