249: Chapter 248 Do you understand?

Golden Immortal Ao Li exhaled a long, pent-up breath of turbid air; the last trace of struggle and unwillingness in his dragon eyes faded away completely.

He had no choice.

He was arrogant, he was stubborn, and he had once looked down upon all the races of the mortal world, viewing the living beings of the Lower Realm as mere ants and weeds. Yet, having lived for such ancient ages, a mighty being like him understood best what it meant to assess the situation and endure humiliation.

To die was to end it all; all dignity, all heritage, and all the glory of his clan would become nothing.

To live, even if it meant falling in Realm, becoming a guardian lackey, and being trapped in the mortal world forever, at least preserved a sliver of life—a faint, infinitesimal glimmer of hope.

"I submit."

A hoarse, low dragon roar resounded through the sky, carrying endless sorrow and vicissitudes.

The moment his voice fell, Golden Immortal Ao Li no longer hesitated. His dragon body trembled slightly, and the remaining golden dragon power within him suddenly retracted and compressed to the extreme.

Pfft—!

He actively drove his own Dao Foundation, and against the Golden Immortal Origin he had forged over ancient ages, he fiercely slashed at himself!

Brilliant, dazzling Golden Immortal light erupted from within him. The Golden Immortal Dao rhyme, Immortal Realm rule imprints, and the luster of his immortal bones shattered, peeled away, and dissipated layer by layer.

The Golden Immortal radiance filling the sky collapsed; the Golden Immortal Divine Might that had once reigned over the heavens rapidly receded and plummeted layer by layer.

One layer, two layers, three layers...

The barriers of his Realm shattered one after another, falling back layer by layer. That Supreme cultivation that spanned the immortal and mortal Realms plummeted crazily at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Golden Immortal Early Stage, the threshold of Golden Immortal, the ultimate of Half-Immortal, Heavenly Immortal Peak...

In the end, all turbulence completely subsided, and all his Immortal-tier heritage was stripped away.

The aura around Golden Immortal Ao Li settled at the Peak of the 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal.

His figure staggered in weakness, his dragon eyes dim and lusterless. The domineering majesty that had once looked down upon the eight wildernesses completely faded from his aura, leaving only endless exhaustion and loneliness.

The pain of severing his own Dao Foundation, the tearing of his Divine Soul, and the heavy damage to his Origin far exceeded physical pain by ten million times, yet he gritted his teeth and endured it, not letting out another wail.

Fortune Spirit trotted over to Golden Immortal Ao Li, sniffed with her nose, and greedily licked her lips: "Fragrant!"

Yuan Chen's face darkened; this creature was acting like a pervert.

Hum—

A mighty dragon roar shook the surroundings. Golden Immortal Ao Li's body suddenly stretched and expanded rapidly, transforming into a ten-thousand-zhang golden giant dragon. Its dragon scales were layered and gleaming, its dragon horns jagged and sharp, and its majesty remained; however, the Golden Immortal Divine Might that spanned the heavens and earth was gone, leaving only the magnificent dragon might of a 12th Tribulation Loose Immortal.

The golden giant dragon soared into the sky, rising ten thousand miles, and circled to settle above the sky of the Daming Imperial City in the Daming Dynasty.

Its dragon body stretched for ten thousand miles, head to tail, coiling layer by layer to guard the Imperial City. It was like a sleeping ancient Dragon Clan vein, steadily guarding the sky of the Imperial Dynasty, transforming into an eternal, unbreakable natural protective barrier that firmly shielded the entire Imperial City at its core.

Yuan Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew deeply that as an ancient Golden Immortal, even if Golden Immortal Ao Li had severed his Dao Foundation and fallen to a Loose Immortal, he was by no means truly and completely submissive.

The three-hundred-year agreement to guard the city seemed settled, but without shackles or restraints, if he were to harbor different intentions or wait for a chance to counterattack one day, he would ultimately be a hidden danger.

To completely lock his mind and prevent any disloyalty, Yuan Chen flipped his palm, and a primitive jade seal, jet-black throughout and flowing with fine star patterns, quietly appeared.

This was the Dao-Suppressing Heart Seal, specifically designed to lock a Cultivator's Divine Soul and Dao thoughts, and to imprison the distracting thoughts of the original heart. It was a top-tier Low Grade Immortal Artifact balancing Magic Treasure he had obtained, and it was completely sufficient to suppress the current Golden Immortal Ao Li.

Without the need for complex incantations, Yuan Chen flicked his fingertip, and the jade seal turned into a stream of light, heading straight into the body of the coiling dragon in the sky, silently merging into its Divine Soul Origin.

Golden Immortal Ao Li's body suddenly stiffened, only to feel that the depths of his Divine Soul were instantly imprisoned by a vast and domineering power.

Whenever he dared to slack off in his guarding duties, harbor disloyal thoughts, or plot rebellion, with a single thought from Yuan Chen, the Dao-Suppressing Heart Seal would instantly erupt, crushing his Divine Soul and Dao Foundation, leaving him with neither form nor spirit.

"This seal locks your mind. If you perform your duties diligently and behave yourself for three hundred years, the shackles will be removed once the term expires." Yuan Chen's voice was indifferent and calm.

What else could Golden Immortal Ao Li say? He bowed his head and said in a deep voice: "This subordinate will keep your order in mind; in this life, I will never have any disloyal intentions!"

Watching the golden giant dragon steadily coiled above the sky, everyone present felt their hearts trembling incessantly.

Clan Leader Ao Yi hurriedly stepped into the air and came to Yuan Chen's side. With a respectful and earnest expression, he softly asked: "Clan Chief, now that the conflict has been resolved and the clan has surrendered, the Dragon Palace is our Dragon Clan's base of ten thousand years and where our Foundation lies, with complete Formations, deep heritage, and countless resources. I wonder when the Clan Chief will move to the Dragon Palace, enter the Dragon Clan's ancestral land, and take charge of the entire clan's Foundation?"

In the hearts of Clan Leader Ao Yi and all the Dragon Clan disciples, the Dragon Palace was the core of orthodoxy and the source of all dragons. Yuan Chen had already become the sole person in charge of the Dragon Clan, so he naturally should enter the Dragon Palace and sit in the ancestral land.

Yuan Chen narrowed his eyes. Knowledgeable; he changed his form of address so quickly.

Yet upon hearing this, Yuan Chen only shook his head slightly. His gaze looked down at the prosperous, flourishing Daming Imperial City, where Spiritual Qi lingered, and he spoke word by word: "No need. I will not be returning to the Dragon Palace. From now on, the Daming Dynasty will be my residence and the core of orthodoxy."

Once these words were spoken, Clan Leader Ao Yi was slightly stunned, his face showing confusion as he asked in bewilderment: "Why is that? The Dragon Palace's heritage far exceeds any region in the mortal world, and it is more suitable for you, Clan Chief, to cultivate and comprehend the Dao!"

Yuan Chen reached out and pointed to his own cheek: "Me? Do I still need heritage?"

Clan Leader Ao Yi was choked up.

Yuan Chen's gaze was distant; it was mainly to cultivate Fortune Spirit.

Fortune Spirit's path of cultivation was special, relying on the heavens, earth, mountains, and rivers, the Luck of the mortal world, and the Dragon Clan veins of the Imperial Dynasty. Her devouring and nourishment, the transformation of her Dao body, and the explosive growth of her Realm were completely inseparable from the heavenly heritage, human Luck, and the mountain and river Spiritual Veins of this Daming Dynasty."

To cultivate her to a terrifying Realm capable of sweeping across the immortal and mortal Realms and crushing all races, one needed to stay here, take root in the Daming Dynasty, stabilize the Luck, and nourish the mountains and rivers.

However, it was not that he would never go to the Dragon Palace. In the future, after integrating the entire Eastern Wasteland, sweeping away all dissenting forces, collecting all regional resources, controlling all the Spiritual Veins of heaven and earth, and bringing all the races, various forces, mountains, and rivers of the Eastern Wasteland under the Daming Dynasty to complete a total unification.

With the great trends connected and Luck fused, the Dragon Palace and the Imperial Dynasty's territory would be thoroughly connected, allowing the mortal Imperial Dynasty and the Dragon Clan's ancestral land to merge into one, with shared Luck and a unified Foundation.

By then, there would be no distinction between the Dragon Palace and the Imperial Dynasty; the entire world would be at my disposal. I wonder what level Fortune Spirit will grow to.

Clan Leader Ao Yi bowed respectfully and replied: "It is I who was obsessed."

"Then how should the remaining members of the Dragon Clan be settled now? Is it necessary to transfer some clan members to station in the Imperial Dynasty to assist in guarding the territory and managing affairs?"

Yuan Chen spoke indifferently, arranging things with clear logic: "Naturally. From now on, the Dragon Clan will no longer be an independent entity; all clan members will be incorporated into the Daming Dynasty's combat system."

"Transfer half of the young Prodigies and elite combat forces to station in the four armies of the Imperial Dynasty, to campaign in all directions with the Imperial army, pacify the Eastern Wasteland, and guard the territory. The remaining clan members will remain in the Dragon Palace to stabilize the ancestral land, manage internal clan affairs, and guard the Dragon Clan's heritage resources, awaiting orders at any time."

"All Dragon Clan resources, Spirit Medicine, Magic Treasures, and Formation classics must be recorded in the Imperial Dynasty's treasury, to be uniformly dispatched, distributed, and utilized. There will be no more private hoarding by the Dragon Clan or special exceptions for the clan."

Clan Leader Ao Yi nodded repeatedly without the slightest hesitation: "Good!"

He understood better than anyone that Yuan Chen was not lacking in these resources; the main point was to quickly integrate the entire Dragon Clan, and there was no need to worry about the resources being completely swallowed by Yuan Chen.

The group of Dragon Clan Elders bowed and accepted the order: "We will strictly follow the Clan Chief's order!"

In this entire surrender and transformation, those who were most ecstatic and secretly rejoicing were none other than the Dragon Clan branches that had followed Elder Hei Yan early on and stood on Yuan Chen's side without hesitation.

Especially the Black Dragon Clan!

Looking back, all the major Dragon Clan branches were wavering and watching the situation. Only the Black Dragon Clan, from top to bottom, stood on his side without hesitation, following Yuan Chen wholeheartedly and deviating from the mainstream of the Dragon Clan.

But now that the dust had settled and the grand trend was revealed, everyone finally realized and saw clearly what it meant to have foresight and what it meant to have the Wisdom Eye to recognize a master!

The Black Dragon Clan, which had originally been ostracized, looked down upon, and had an ordinary status, not only remained safe and intact this time, but because they had stood on his side early, were loyal, and had assisted throughout, they had completely won Yuan Chen's trust.

Now that the Dragon Clan was unified and the grand trend was set, the status of the Black Dragon Clan instantly rose, soaring upwards to become the most core, most trusted, and most influential top-tier branch within the Dragon Clan, far surpassing the other groups that had wavered and been forced to surrender!

The members of the Black Dragon Clan were overjoyed, everyone beaming with radiant faces and high spirits.

"Sure enough! Our clan following the Mansion Master back then was the most correct decision of our lives!"

"It has to be our Black Dragon Clan Grand Elder. With his relationship with Yuan Chen, it seems that in the future, the three Dragon Clans will have to take our Black Dragon Clan as the leader!"

"Don't say that, there is still Elder Zixia!"

"Elder Zixia cannot represent the entire Purple Dragon Clan, and the Purple Dragon Clan Chief did not follow along back then."

Countless Black Dragon Clan members sighed with emotion and rejoiced secretly.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! In today's battle, Your Majesty suppressed a Golden Immortal and subdued the Dragon Clan, shaking the Eastern Wasteland with your might and making your name famous across the heavens; this is a prosperous age unprecedented in ancient times!"

"Golden Immortal Ao Li had such great might, crossing Realms to descend and suppressing a region, yet he was easily suppressed and had his Realm abolished by Your Majesty to become a guardian. It is enough to see that the Mansion Master's strength has already transcended the mortal world and is unrivaled across the immortal and mortal Realms. It is not an exaggeration to call him the number one Prodigy in the history of the Cultivation World!"

Outside the Imperial City's grand hall, the Sect Masters, Old Ancestors, and helmsmen of the major forces of the Eastern Wasteland gathered from all directions. Seeing this, they all stepped forward to offer congratulations, the scene grand and bustling with noise.

Everyone was full of respect, their faces wreathed in smiles.

Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, no one dared to show the slightest disrespect or slackness on the surface. All were extremely humble, offering congratulations and praises, fulfilling the etiquette of the occasion to the fullest.

Just as the congratulations rose one after another and the scene was extremely lively, an Old Ancestor of a Sect who was quick-witted and good at maneuvering suddenly had his eyes light up. Recalling the two major rumors about Yuan Chen, he immediately stepped out, his face full of smiles, and spoke respectfully.

"Your Majesty's Divine Might is peerless and unmatched throughout the ages! This old man has a request; I wonder if the Mansion Master would grant it?"

Yuan Chen glanced at him lightly, his tone calm: "Speak."

The Old Ancestor hurriedly bowed and smiled: "We have long heard that the Mansion Master is peerless in talent and gifted beyond compare in ancient and modern times, and we also know that the Mansion Master is romantic and elegant, with a preference for beautiful women. In our clan, it happens that there are several direct-line fair maidens, all of whom have excellent talent, stunning beauty, are gentle and virtuous, and are proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They are unparalleled beauties that our clan has rarely seen in a thousand years!"

"These young women admire the Mansion Master's prestige and only seek to follow the Mansion Master and bathe in your immortal grace! I hope Your Majesty will show mercy and accept them!"

As soon as these words were spoken, it instantly awakened everyone from the forces present.

Everyone suddenly realized and followed suit, stepping out one after another, scrambling to echo the sentiment and recommend their own.

"Our Sect also has a peerless fair maiden with an extraordinary temperament, outstanding cultivation, and a pure Heart-Nature, willing to follow Your Majesty to the death!"

"Our clan's direct-line daughter has a natural spirit body, pure Bloodline, and unparalleled beauty; she is most suitable to accompany Your Majesty in cultivation and to nourish your Dao Heart! I implore the Mansion Master to accept her!"

For a time, all the major forces present scrambled to offer the fair maidens of their clans, the scene extremely lively and spectacular.

Everyone's thoughts churned, their calculations extremely clear.

Previously, Yuan Chen's interactions with the major forces of the Eastern Wasteland were not deep, and most Sects and aristocratic families' understanding of Yuan Chen only remained on rumors.

At that time, the major forces only had two impressions of him: first, his talent was Heaven-Defying, his combat power was invincible, and his growth rate was shocking; second, he was romantic in nature and preferred beautiful women.

It was just that at that time, everyone had not witnessed Yuan Chen's terrifying strength with their own eyes, so their desire to attach themselves to him was not yet extremely fervent.

But after today's battle, everyone witnessed with their own eyes Yuan Chen crushing a Golden Immortal, subduing the Dragon Clan, pacifying the conflict between the immortal and mortal Realms, and establishing the grand trend of the Eastern Wasteland. They completely saw clearly the Supreme potential and terrifying heritage of this young hegemon.

How could this be just a mortal Prodigy? This was clearly a future titan of the Immortal Realm and a Supreme of the heavens!

Being able to build a relationship, forge marriage ties, and cling to an Opportunity with such a figure was the greatest reliance for a clan's eternal prosperity!

They hadn't been able to catch the Opportunity earlier, but now it was not too late!

Not to mention that rumor had it Yuan Chen's offspring were all exceptionally talented, just Yuan Chen's current Divine Might was enough to make everyone crazily try to build a relationship.

Countless Sect Masters and Old Ancestors present scrambled to recommend and earnestly request, each one sincere in their words and extremely humble, fearing they would fall behind others and miss an eternal Opportunity.

Yuan Chen stood at the head of the grand hall, watching the scene below where everyone was scrambling to attach themselves, which was exceptionally lively. A faint smile flashed in his eyes.

Not bad, not bad!

He had actually had plans in this regard before, but he didn't expect these people to bring it up ahead of time.

Since that was the case, he would not be polite.

As long as they were great beauties, he would not refuse anyone.

"This matter is not urgent. After this Eastern Wasteland Immortal Gathering completely concludes and the overall situation is completely settled, we will discuss it in detail and decide one by one."

Once these words were settled, everyone present was overjoyed.

"Your Majesty is too polite!"

Suppressing the chaotic wave of flattery from the entire venue, Yuan Chen's gaze swept across the crowd lightly. His tone was calm but carried an indisputable authority as he slowly spoke: "First, continue the competition."

The Cultivators of the major forces all suppressed the surging restlessness and various calculations in their hearts, restraining their minds completely.

"Yes, yes, yes, the gathering is important, no hurry!"

They each retreated to their viewing seats and sat upright.

After they could no longer be seen by others, they immediately sent voice transmissions to their younger female descendants: "This time, the competition in the gathering must not only be won, but won well, won beautifully!"

"Old Ancestor, I will use everything I have learned in my life!"

"Not that kind of beautiful, the other kind of beautiful."

"Which beautiful, Old Ancestor?"

"Just... be a bit more alluring, attract attention, hmm, understand?"

"..."