129: Zhulong Asks for Advice

This Zhulong was also a mighty figure who mastered the supreme Law of Time.

He had once reached the Realm of Hunyuan Golden Immortal, making him second only to the Ancestral Dragon within the Dragon Clan.

However, under the suppression of heavy Karmic Obstruction, Qing Wu was not optimistic about how much power he could currently exert.

Yet, Qing Wu was still somewhat surprised by Zhulong's personal welcome.

He had even arranged such a grand spectacle, with so many True Dragons present.

He knew that although the Dragon Clan was wounded, their foundation remained.

But to mobilize so many clansmen for a single welcome made him wonder what Zhulong was considering.

Was he trying to show off his strength? That idea would be a grave mistake.

With the two of them here, who could possibly be stronger?

However, the other party's attitude was not overly haughty; at least he didn't put on the airs of a former Primordial Overlord.

"This humble Daoist is Qing Wu. I have an old acquaintance with Fellow Daoist Ancestral Dragon and have come to visit today."

Qing Wu stepped forward with cupped hands and spoke without any hesitation.

Having dueled in the past—how could that not count as being old acquaintances?

Yuan Feng also had a faint smile in her eyes, simply taking it as a tacit agreement.

Compared to the former Ancestral Dragon, she had a better impression of the current Zhulong.

The Ancestral Dragon was domineering and majestic, possessing an Aura that was somewhat self-centered.

Zhulong, perhaps having personally witnessed the Great Tribulation fall upon them, was more concerned with the bigger picture, though he still possessed the pride befitting the Dragon Clan.

It was just that he didn't show it particularly clearly in front of them.

Upon hearing this, Zhulong clearly froze for a moment, nearly losing his composure.

Old acquaintance it is then. Since you're powerful, say whatever you want.

Zhulong smiled. "Since that's the case, I invite you two Fellow Daoists to my Crystal Palace for a talk."

"I shall also entertain you both on behalf of my clan brother."

Before long, Zhulong led the two of them into the heart of the Dragon Clan's territory.

A magnificent palace sat deep within the East Sea.

The gates of the Crystal Palace swung open with a boom. At the entrance, two rows of Dragon Maidens held Night-Luminescent Pearl lamps; under the soft glow, the entire palace looked like a glazed dreamscape.

Stepping into the main hall, the floor was a single block of transparent Mysterious Ice, beneath which thousands of sea tribes could be seen swimming.

The four walls were inlaid with the Primordial Map of the Four Seas, where the waves surged realistically, and the sound of the tide could be faintly heard.

"Fellow Daoists, please take the seats of honor." Zhulong led the two to the guest seats.

Just as they sat down, Clam Spirit maids entered in single file carrying golden trays, which held precious Spiritual Fruits and Spiritual Brews from the East Sea.

A little Dragon served by their side, pouring wine for them.

After three rounds of wine, melodious music suddenly echoed in the hall.

A group of Dragon Maidens approached hand in hand, their figures as graceful as willows.

The Dragon Maidens danced gracefully with rainbow-colored silk gauze, creating trails of water as they moved.

Qing Wu looked at the Dragon Maidens, then glanced at Yuan Feng beside him.

If Yuan Feng could perform such a dance, it would surely be hundreds or thousands of times more beautiful than these Dragon Maidens.

Though it would likely be difficult, it wasn't something he couldn't look forward to.

During the banquet, that little Dragon was quite dutiful, continuously pouring wine for Qing Wu and the other.

Observing his face, although it still appeared youthful, the grandeur between his brows could not be hidden, and he naturally carried the nobility of a pure-blood Dragon Clan member.

His conduct also possessed a steadiness that did not match his age.

Qing Wu couldn't help but feel curious about this little Dragon, so he asked, "Little Dragon, what is your name?"

Hearing the question, Yuan Feng also turned her gaze over, only then realizing that this little Dragon was indeed somewhat different.

Suddenly being questioned and scrutinized by the gazes of these two, the little Dragon felt immense pressure, and the wine cup in his hand trembled slightly.

Who had he provoked? He was suddenly called by his own Old Ancestor to serve wine to these two, and it seemed the Old Ancestor treated them with great courtesy.

This indicated that these two definitely had significant backgrounds.

Through previous observation, the little Dragon had finally managed to adapt.

Now, with this question, all the psychological conditioning he had just done collapsed.

The little Dragon turned his gaze toward Old Ancestor Zhulong, hoping for some help.

Unexpectedly, the Old Ancestor happened to be resting his head for a nap at that moment.

Thus, the little Dragon could only steel himself and reply, "To the Senior, this little dragon is Ao Guang. I am responsible for hosting you two this time; I wonder if there have been any mistakes?"

Ao Guang!

Qing Wu felt a sudden realization. No wonder this little Dragon seemed to have the air of a ruler; it turned out he was the eldest of the future four Dragon King brothers—Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea.

However, right now he was just a little Dragon.

Qing Wu smiled faintly. "You've done well. You are indeed a rare and talented junior within the Dragon Clan."

Upon receiving this affirmation, Ao Guang's nervous mood instantly eased.

At first, he thought he had made some mistake and offended these two noble guests.

If that were the case, wouldn't the Old Ancestor have to pull out his Dragon Sinews?

Seeing this, Zhulong, who was in a state of feigned sleep, also nodded repeatedly at Ao Guang.

The banquet continued, during which Zhulong frowned from time to time, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

This detail was keenly captured by Qing Wu.

"Fellow Daoist, if you have something to say, just speak plainly."

This fellow had been showing such hospitality for no reason, so he must have some agenda. But since he could use the Dragon Clan now, it wouldn't hurt to hear his thoughts.

Hearing this, Zhulong waved his hand, dismissing those around him.

Stroking his long, thin dragon whiskers, he spoke. "I wish to ask you, Fellow Daoist, does my Dragon Clan still have a way out, and where does that way out lie?"

Although Qing Wu and the other had always kept a low profile, Zhulong had heard of their names from his clan brother, the Ancestral Dragon, long ago.

Furthermore, the Ancestral Dragon held them in extremely high regard.

Now that he had met them and tested them, he finally arrived at the same evaluation as the Ancestral Dragon.

Opportunities were rare, so after much thought, Zhulong decided to ask about the future of the Dragon Clan.

To be able to act rationally during the Great Tribulation and step-by-step reach where they were today, these two were definitely not simple.

Hearing Zhulong's question, Qing Wu thought to himself that it was indeed as expected.

This fellow had been testing them repeatedly from the start; he surely had his own little schemes.

Currently, the Three Clans were in different situations.

Although the Qilin Clan still had some strength, they could only hope for survival; it would be fundamentally difficult for them to develop further.

The Dragon Clan still possessed a decent foundation, which was a good thing, but it also made for a difficult choice.

Since they still had a certain amount of strength, it was hard for them to choose to completely "lie flat" like the Qilin Clan, willingly becoming mounts or Mountain-Protecting Spirit Beasts for the Primordial Mighty Ones.

Within the Dragon Clan, the idea of making one more push would still exist.

And given Zhulong's age and ambition, he was likely holding onto that last breath of striving.

What if they could recreate their former glory?

But at the same time, Zhulong himself knew that the current Primordial World was no longer the era of his Dragon Clan.

The awakening of the Heavenly Dao and the successive emergence of Innate Sacred Beings all served as reminders that the era of the Dragon Clan was gone, never to return.

Qing Wu looked at the seated Zhulong, whose brow was already furrowed into a deep frown.

"Fellow Daoist, you need not worry too much. There is still a future for the Dragon Clan, though not right now."

Hearing this, Zhulong's brow instantly smoothed out, and he asked with a face full of joy, "Could I ask you, Fellow Daoist, to tell me where the future of my Dragon Clan lies?"

Qing Wu tilted his head slightly. A certain little Dragon suddenly felt something was wrong and couldn't help but step back.

But that sidelong glance followed him, scaring him into standing rooted to the spot, not daring to move.