In the room, An Yiqing sat at the round table, staring absentmindedly at the Old Clan Chief lying on the bed, her thoughts wandering to unknown places. Long Zixuan carefully wiped the Old Clan Chief’s face with a warm, damp towel and briefly cleaned his hands before sitting by the Old Clan Chief’s bedside.
"Sister An, what are you thinking?"
An Yiqing’s gaze flickered, a glimr flashing by. She squinted slightly at the purple flowers outside the window, "I’m wondering, could the purpose of the Evil Dragon’s ergence this ti be a reminder to the Dragon Clan, to tell everyone it’s coming out?"
Long Zixuan was stunned, then lowered his gaze in thought. Indeed, the Evil Dragon’s actions today were sowhat strange. After causing a huge commotion, did it only injure a few people? Thunder without much rain, what was the real purpose?
"Sister An, do you have any thoughts?"
An Yiqing shook her head, lightly tapping her right index finger on the table, "I do have so thoughts, but now is not the ti to conclude. We’ll talk about it in a few days."
Yet, on the second day after the Evil Dragon appeared, a rumor silently spread within the Dragon Tribe—Evil Dragon erges, Dragon Clan collapses.
This matter should have only been known to the Dragon Clan and the senior mbers of the Sky Punishnt Pavilion. However, soone leaked the information, causing the entire Dragon Clan to know and resulting in widespread panic.
After Long Zixuan learned of the situation, he flew into a rage and imdiately ordered Elder Jin and others to investigate who spread the rumor, but found nothing.
In the following days, the Dragon Tribe was imrsed in a tense and eerie atmosphere. Ordinary mbers of the Dragon Clan felt fearful, even going out in pairs, losing the leisurely life akin to a paradise they once knew.
On the fifth day after the Evil Dragon appeared, Long Zixuan returned coldly to the Clan Leader’s Residence.
"What’s wrong? Why are you so angry?" An Yiqing stood in the courtyard and lightly raised her eyebrows seeing Long Zixuan striding toward her, softly asking.
Long Zixuan sat heavily on the stone stool, picked up the cup from the table, and drained the tea within. Then, with a "bang," he slamd the teacup on the stone table.
"Today I had a eting with those old guys, discussing how to calm people’s hearts. But the good eting turned into a session criticizing Grandpa. So even said the Evil Dragon’s ergence was because Grandpa, as the Clan Leader, was unqualified. There were even voices saying Grandpa should hand over the Clan Leader position to a more capable person. Ridiculous!" Long Zixuan sneered coldly, "If soone else beca Clan Leader, would the Evil Dragon not appear? To pin all the bla on an old man, really, can their conscience bear it?"
An Yiqing frowned slightly, the developnt already beyond her expectations. When had the Dragon Clan beco so disunited? Was it intentional or a hidden threat lingering within the Dragon Clan?
"What did you say?"
"I repeated what the Ancestor of Dragon Clan did back then, making it clear to those old guys that the Evil Dragon’s ergence is bound to happen eventually, don’t bla my Grandpa. I told them, if you have the ability, co be the Clan Leader, then kill the Evil Dragon. If not, shut your mouths!" Long Zixuan was furious, wishing to throw those slandering old guys into the Water Prison.
Despite his anger, Long Zixuan was also puzzled. Those old guys usually respected Grandpa, why did so many turn against him today?
"There’s sothing fishy going on behind the scenes, there must be soone stirring up trouble." An Yiqing decisively concluded.
Long Zixuan nodded in agreent, "We argued for a long ti without conclusion. Finally, a few elders suggested that the safety of the Dragon Clan is closely related to the existence of the Sky Punishnt Pavilion, it’s necessary to invite Pavilion Master Xuanmo to discuss together."
"So, what’s your decision?"
"Tomorrow afternoon, the senior mbers of the Sky Punishnt Pavilion will jointly discuss this issue with us. Sister An, you are now the Elder Keqing of the Dragon Clan, you can participate too."
An Yiqing tapped the armrest of her chair, lowered her gaze for a long while before rising and walking slowly to the peach tree. She lightly touched the blooming peach blossoms on the branch, chuckling.
"The Sky Punishnt Pavilion, interesting."
However, the next day, An Yiqing did not attend the Dragon Clan eting. Though she was Elder Keqing, the Dragon Clan was currently divided, and many did not recognize her status. If she did sothing imprudent now, it would negatively affect Long Zixuan’s prestige.
Nonetheless, after the eting, Long Zixuan detailed the situation to An Yiqing.
"Oh? You’re to inherit the Clan Leader position?" An Yiqing was grinding herbs, paused upon hearing Long Zixuan, and looked up.
Long Zixuan nodded, taking over the work An Yiqing assigned to Yin Xilin, grinding the dicine as he spoke, "Xuan Mo said my true form is the Purple Dragon, highly likely to rival the Ancestor. But first, I must undergo the Dragon Pool baptism and the Dragon Clan’s succession."
"Succession? What’s that?" An Yiqing raised her delicate eyebrows, calmly popping a grape into her mouth, and asked lightly.
"The Dragon Clan has three holy sites: the Sky Punishnt Pavilion, the Dragon Pool, and the place of succession. It is said the place of succession carries the Ancestor of Dragon Clan’s formidable Dragon Force, gaining it allows one to beco invincible. But not everyone in the Dragon Clan can withstand such power—without the qualification, one might explode and die. Throughout generations, several Clan Leaders with good talents tried to accept the succession, but ended up failing either due to insufficient ntal strength or qualifications. Eventually, all faced grave danger. Xuan Mo said, to counter the Evil Dragon, only a strong figure akin to the Ancestor can help. Otherwise, the Dragon Clan is in great peril."
Long Zixuan paused for breath, then continued, "According to Xuan Mo, my true form as the rare Purple Dragon with high talents, albeit not eting the Ancestor’s Purple-Gold Divine Dragon’s requirents. However, after the Dragon Pool baptism, it’s worth a try. Even if I ultimately cannot accept the succession, my own strength should ensure my survival."
Xuan Mo’s reasoning indeed held validity, the Ancestor’s true form being the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon while Long Zixuan’s is the Purple Dragon. Although there’s a gap, attempting it wasn’t impossible. Yet, An Yiqing felt puzzled—why would Xuan Mo be so kind-hearted, what was his motive?
"What are your plans then? Did Grandpa Long say anything?"
Long Zixuan’s hand paused, discreetly glancing at Yin Xilin. Seeing her head lowered, identifying herbs, a glimr flashed in his eyes.
"Sister An, I am the Young Master of the Dragon Clan, regardless of the outco, I must bear this responsibility. Grandpa is already old, I don’t want him worrying anymore. I’ll take this chance to assu the Clan Leader’s role soon."
An Yiqing nodded, "Whatever you decide, Sister An supports you. After dinner, co to my room and tell about the succession. I’ll think of a way."
Long Zixuan brightened up, nodded in agreent. To him, An Yiqing was omnipotent, with her help, the chances of success significantly increased.
That night, Long Zixuan and An Yiqing talked late into the night by candlelight, with the erudite Elder Jin joining in. The three were shut in the room discussing through the night, what was said, nobody knew.
Only, the next day, An Yiqing was led by Long Zixuan and Elder Jin to the Dragon Clan’s place of succession. When she returned to the Clan Leader’s Residence that evening, she locked herself in an experint room, reappearing only on the third night’s deep hours.
Long Zixuan’s succession as Clan Leader was set for four days later, during which the Evil Dragon did not appear again. anwhile, An Yiqing did not leave her room, engaged in secretive activities.
On the third night, the night before Long Zixuan’s succession, under the still, hazy night sky, a massive silhouette silently soared above dense clouds, headed toward the Clan Leader’s Residence.
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