Long Zhiming’s temperament had always been gentle and placid, but he was, after all, the Dragon Sovereign. Even the God Reverends of the various God Nations had never been able to make him perform such a profound gesture of respect.

At this moment, however, like an ancient peak that had painstakingly supported the Dragon Race for a million years, he willingly bent his spine for the first time in his declining years.

The dragon radiance in the hall flickered chaotically amidst the unceasing tremors, pulling at his deeply bowed dragon shadow.

Long Chixin and Long Qianxin were momentarily stunned. They hurriedly moved forward, but instead of helping Long Zhiming up, they followed suit and knelt behind him. Their posture was much lower than the Dragon Sovereign’s; their heads, symbols of the Ancestral Dragon’s dignity, were pressed almost to the floor.

Yun Che lowered his eyes.

His gaze swept down from a height, looking at the three people prostrate before him... the three strongest Ancestral Dragons of the entire Dragon Race.

Yet, it failed to stir even a hint of pride or pleasure in his heart. For a fleeting moment, a dark, gloomy light overflowed from the depths of his soul and flickered in his eyes.

But the expression that blossomed on his face was one of faint alarm.

“Senior Dragon Sovereign, you must not!”

He took a step forward, his hands supporting Long Zhiming’s arms, which were still trembling with agitation. “Such a grand gesture is something no one beneath the Pure Land¹ can accept. It truly shames this junior.”

Upon contact, the skeletal contour of the dragon bones was clearly discernible through the robes, like a piece of ancient wood whose vitality had been drained by time.

It was such a decrepit husk that continued to stubbornly support the entire Dragon Race, unwilling to leave and not daring to leave—because behind his withered frame, there was only a Long Wangchu, who was less than useless.

Pitiful, pathetic... and hateful!!

Meng Chaoyang’s eyelids lowered, his chest rising and falling slightly. When the Dragon Sovereign performed such a significant bow, the gratitude was genuine, but was it not also a form of kidnapping?

Under Yun Che’s support, Long Zhiming remained firmly in his bowing posture for several breaths before finally rising. When he lifted his head, old tears were already crisscrossing the furrows of his face.

Those old eyes, soaked in tears, stared fixedly at Yun Che as if looking at a dream, or a deity... Even when bowing to the Abyssal Monarch in the Pure Land, he had never been this agitated or fervent.

“To the Abyssal Son, this is honoring your master and righteousness. But to my Dragon Race, it is a reversal of a dead end, a heavenly grace that blesses future generations! A mere bow of the body can hardly express even a fraction of the gratitude in my heart.”

Long Chixin and Long Qianxin also stood up. When they raised their heads, their eyes were similarly misted with tears. They knew all too well that Long Zhiming’s words contained not a shred of politeness or exaggeration.

Yun Che’s gaze was complex as he sighed softly. “Senior acting like this makes this junior feel even more ashamed of my previous selfishness.”

He reined in his emotions and said solemnly, “Among the younger generation of the Dragon Race, if we speak of talent and bloodline, Long Xi far surpasses Brother Wangchu. However, she is not the descendant of the Dragon Sovereign, nor does she belong to the direct line of the Ancestral Dragons.”

“Therefore, the only choice for the return of this Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul is Brother Wangchu.”

These words instantly wiped away the greatest lingering worry in Long Zhiming’s heart.

He suppressed his surging excitement and gave a soft sigh. “To tell the truth, even I do not know the origin of Long Xi’s bloodline, and she has never been willing to reveal a single bit. Over the years, I have tried many times to adopt her as my daughter, but she has always refused flatly, leaving no room for negotiation.”

He shook his head, his genuine sigh echoing in the hall. “A pity... what a pity.”

Within Yun Che’s soul sea, Li Suo had been silently observing everything. She knew it was impossible for Yun Che to truly hand over the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul to the Dragon Race, but she could not fathom what he intended to do.

Because none of this had been part of Yun Che’s plans before today.

Furthermore, even if Yun Che stripped away his own Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul... could that Long Wangchu truly endure it?

After recovering from his initial emotional upheaval, Long Zhiming naturally thought of this as well. He asked tentatively, “Speaking of Wangchu, it is a stroke of heavenly luck that he can receive such a fortune. However, his aptitude is quite poor; both his dragon body and soul are frail, while the ancestral legacy carried by the Abyssal Son is extremely heavy and powerful.”

He secretly observed Yun Che’s expression, his face full of worry. “I only fear that although he is fortunate enough to obtain this opportunity, he will be unable to bear it.”

Yun Che, however, did not show any surprise or hesitation. Instead, he gave a reassuring smile. “It is natural for Senior Dragon Sovereign to have such concerns, but they are truly unnecessary.”

Long Zhiming’s eyes brightened sharply, and his withered fingers tucked inside his sleeves tightened unconsciously.

Yun Che spoke unhurriedly, as if recounting a common tale. “Back then, when Master bestowed the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul upon me, I was not even thirty years old, and my cultivation had barely touched the Divine Origin Realm. Yet, I was able to accept them safely, without any irreversible damage to my body or soul.”

Long Zhiming’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and a visible joy surged in the depths of his eyes.

“To be close friends with such a powerful ancestor of our race and to raise a world-shocking genius like the Abyssal Son, your Master is undoubtedly a transcendent figure of the ages. Presumably, regarding this ‘inheritance,’ he must possess miraculous abilities beyond my understanding.”

He could almost no longer hide the burning light in his eyes. “Then... this method of inheritance, could it be that the Abyssal Son...”

“Of course.” Yun Che nodded faintly, his demeanor composed. “Since Master left this final command, how could he not teach this inheritance method to me? To put it simply, this method is a mysterious profound formation created solely by my Master. When used for inheritance, it can allow a thin sheet of paper to support a mountain, or a shallow stream to contain a vast sea. Although my cultivation is lacking, I can perform it completely; it will simply take much longer.”

Long Zhiming slowly closed his eyes, suppressing the overwhelming emotions churning in his chest. Only after a long while did he open them, his mouth letting out continuous, hurried whispers: “Good, that is wonderful... truly wonderful...”

All worries were gone; even the immense risks no longer existed. Such a godsend, such a smooth path... Had they not felt the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul personally, and had this not come from the mouth of the Dreamless Abyssal Son himself, how would they dare believe it? How would they dare hope for it?

“However...”

Yun Che’s tone shifted. These two short words caused the souls of the three Ancestral Dragons to jerk simultaneously.

“Regarding the ‘inheritance’ method to transfer the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul to Brother Wangchu, though I can guarantee its success, it ultimately involves my Master’s secrets. My Master’s origins were unique; even though he has passed away, he would never wish for his secrets to be known by outsiders.”

“Therefore, during the ‘inheritance,’ no one may watch, nor can it be exposed to anyone’s perception.”

He looked at the Dragon Sovereign, his voice tinged with apology. “It is not that I do not trust the Dragon Race, but since it involves my Master’s secrets, it truly cannot be performed here.”

“What is the Abyssal Son saying? It is only right, only right.” Long Zhiming responded immediately, without the slightest hesitation.

Those words "however" had truly made his heart skip a beat. After hearing the explanation, his racing heart instantly settled... This was an issue? Was this not common human decency and the standard practice of the profound way?

Forget the secret methods of a peerless master; even the core profound arts of a tiny sect in a remote land would never be displayed before outsiders.

“There is one more matter that Senior needs to consider carefully.”

Yun Che continued, “The Dragon Marrow will constantly produce dragon blood, and the Dragon Soul will harmonize and merge with the original soul. While this will not change Brother Wangchu’s bloodline or soul foundation, [the dragon breath and soul breath he releases hereafter will be different from before].”

“Brother Wangchu’s status is special, and his bloodline concerns the direct inheritance of the Ancestral Dragon line. I wonder if Senior Dragon Sovereign can accept this?”

Long Zhiming showed no sign of difficulty; instead, he laughed heartily. “The Abyssal Son worries too much. With such powerful Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul, a massive change in aura is only to be expected. This does not involve any damage to the legitimacy of the inheritance. For Wangchu and for my race, it is not a bad thing, but a monumental blessing. It would be even better if his will and temperament could grow or awaken because of it.”

At this point, he felt he was being too greedy and shook his head with a bitter smile.

“In that case, I have no further reservations.”

Yun Che raised his hand, slightly stirring the dragon breath within his body. He seemed to have some lingering reluctance and sentimentality, but it soon turned into a sense of relief. “Then, let Senior Dragon Sovereign inform Brother Wangchu of this matter. Afterward, choose a suitable time to accomplish this. I will be in the Dreamless God Nation, awaiting news from the Dragon Race at any time.”

“This...” Long Zhiming asked hesitantly, “In the Abyssal Son’s view, what time would be most suitable?”

Yun Che’s tone was calm and indifferent. “For me, as long as I am not occupied by important matters, any time is fine. As for the Dragon Race and Brother Wangchu...”

He thought for a moment before saying slowly, “In my humble opinion, waiting several decades until Brother Wangchu successfully enters the Eternal Pure Land² to receive the new Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul in a new world would signify a complete renewal of fate. The symbolism would be excellent.”

“No, no, that is too late, far too late!” Long Zhiming blurted out, completely losing the calm and indifference befitting a Dragon Sovereign.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Long Zhiming realized his excessive loss of composure. Long Chixin, standing behind him, quickly smoothed things over: “The timing the Abyssal Son mentioned is indeed wonderful. However... if the Abyssal Son will forgive us, our entire Dragon Race laments day and night that our path forward is difficult to sustain. Now that we have suddenly received this heavenly gift, if it is not settled, the Dragon Sovereign will likely not have a single day of peace.”

Long Zhiming did not deny it, his eyes filled with obvious fervor... In such a situation, why would he care about dignity or decorum? Why would he care about his old face?

Meng Chaoyang watched coldly from the side, saying nothing.

Yun Che seemed to realize something and nodded slowly. “I see. I was inconsiderate. Very well, I have no major matters recently, so let this be completed in the coming days. It will also allow me to fulfill my Master’s final wish sooner.”

“Good, good!”

Long Zhiming bowed deeply again, his voice trembling violently. “Then everything shall be arranged by the Abyssal Son.”

Long Zhiming’s emotions were surging too violently; he had largely lost his poise and rationality. He was fervently expressing his gratitude, yet he had forgotten that for such a great favor, he should offer some form of repayment.

Long Qianxin silently took half a step forward and spoke, “Forcibly stripping oneself of the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul will inevitably cause severe damage to the Abyssal Son’s body. Such self-sacrifice to help us... we truly do not know how to repay you.”

Yun Che smiled slightly, his demeanor carefree. “A ferryman returning the goods on his boat to the other shore—how can one call that ‘sacrifice’? It is merely returning the item to its original owner.”

A simple sentence, filled with endless grace and nobility, left Long Qianxin stunned and brought tears to Long Zhiming’s eyes once more.

He looked at Yun Che, looking at this junior who was barely over a hundred years old, looking at his clear eyes and the faint smile at the corners of his lips... He suddenly felt that all the beautiful words he had accumulated over a million years of life were as light as dust and as dim as fireflies in this moment.

“Even ten million words of gratitude are insignificant before the Abyssal Son’s selfless gift.”

His voice was hoarse, as if each word was being ground out from the depths of his chest. Every word was incredibly heavy, as if carrying the weight of the entire Dragon Race:

“My Dragon Race is short on resources and struggles even to look after ourselves. We truly do not know what we can offer in repayment, save for a single promise...”

He raised his head and narrowed his eyes, his expression instantly becoming solemn. The Ancestral Dragon soul was released silently, and his voice, carrying a vast dragon roar, rippled out layer upon layer, shaking the entire Ancestral Dragon Mountains:

“From this day forward, all members of my Abyssal Dragon Race, from the direct Ancestral Dragon line down to the lowliest branch members, shall eternally remember the selfless grace of the Dreamless God Nation’s Abyssal Son!”

Under the dragon roar, all dragons fell silent. They looked up and listened respectfully, their dragon souls shaking.

The Dragon Sovereign often announced matters to the entire race personally with a dragon roar, but it had never been this grand, never this soul-shaking. Every word seemed to be written with dragon bone as the brush and dragon blood as the ink, deeply engraved into the world itself.

“Should the Abyssal Son have any commands in the future, everyone in the Dragon Race, high and low, shall obey!!”

“If this oath is violated, the dragon line shall be forever extinguished!”

As the final dragon roar descended, the entire Dragon Race turned pale.

Because this oath was too cruel, too ruthless. It was like a desperate gamble carrying all the destiny and dignity of the Dragon Race.

Such a resolute and poisonous oath caused even Long Chixin and Long Qianxin to be deeply moved, but they soon thought of something and quickly felt relieved.

Only Meng Chaoyang’s eyes narrowed slightly. Standing in the shadow cast by a palace pillar, his gaze held seven parts helplessness and three parts dark ambiguity.

Long Zhiming was, after all, an old fox who had lived for a million years.

Such a promise of the entire race’s repayment was not just announced to the Dragon Race; it would surely spread rapidly to the entire Abyssal world.

Under such a world-renowned promise of the entire race, even if Yun Che wanted to regret it later, he would have no way out.

The poisonous oath seemed humble and grateful, the sincere offering of a Dragon Race at its wits' end. But the more "poisonous" it was, the more it bound Yun Che and the Dragon Race together, and indirectly bound them to the Dreamless God Nation.

As for Yun Che being able to command the Dragon Race in the future... with the Dreamless God Nation behind him, would he need a withered and nearly broken Dragon Race?

Meng Chaoyang believed Long Zhiming’s gratitude was genuine, but within that total gratitude, three parts of calculation were still hidden.

Those three parts of calculation might not even be intentional; rather, through long years and a hopeless dead end, the word "calculation" had perhaps been carved into his very marrow without him even realizing it.

“You old geezer! What... what is going on now?!”

Long Wangchu’s reckless shouting came from outside the hall: “What do you mean the dragon line shall be forever extinguished!! Old man, aren't you cursing me to have no descendants! Are you even my father?!”

Vulgar words, devoid of any poise or upbringing, roared from the mouth of this Dragon Race Young Master, nearly dissipating the Dragon Sovereign’s soul-filling excitement with pure anger.

Veins popped on Long Zhiming’s forehead. His old hand reached out, and a burst of crude profound energy dragged Long Wangchu from outside the hall. He roared in a low voice, “You rebellious son! Kneel down and kowtow immediately! Thank the Abyssal Son for his grace of rebirth!!”

Long Wangchu looked bewildered. “What... kneel? You want me to kneel?”

Yun Che also took a step forward at the same time, saying urgently, “This must not happen...”

Bang!!

The Dragon Sovereign had already pressed down with a palm. Long Wangchu’s knees hit the floor instantly, and his head was slammed into the ground by an irresistible force, performing three heavy kowtows.

He didn't fully recover his senses until he was hauled up from the ground. He clutched his forehead, wanting to roar and curse, but catching sight of the Abyssal Son nearby, he forced himself to endure, leaving only a muffled grumble in his throat.

Yun Che’s face was full of helplessness. “I have received Brother Wangchu’s great sincerity; I will certainly not let it down.”

He took out an inch-long piece of Abyssal Crystal, tapped it with his fingertip to carve a neat character for ‘Abyss’ (渊), and left behind a relatively thick soul breath. He then placed it in Long Zhiming’s hand.

“I usually live in seclusion in the Dreamless God Nation and do not have a public token. Once Brother Wangchu is prepared, he can take this Abyssal Crystal to the Dreamless God Nation. I will issue an order upon my return—anyone holding this crystal does not need to be announced and can be led directly into the Son’s Hall.”

It was a most ordinary piece of Abyssal Crystal, yet Long Zhiming held it with extreme care. “Good... good.”

“One more thing.” Yun Che withdrew his hand and continued, “Stripping and transferring the Dragon Marrow and Dragon Soul only takes a few hours, but if Brother Wangchu wishes to fully carry and integrate them, he must remain in the profound formation for a long time—anywhere from one or two months to half a year, depending on his compatibility. During this time, he cannot leave for even a step. Since it involves the Dragon Soul, he cannot be disturbed by any external matters.”

“Therefore, it would be best for the Dragon Race to send a senior along to ensure his safety and protect him.”

Long Zhiming laughed without hesitation. “There is no need for that. The Dreamless God Nation is such a lofty place; Wangchu will be a hundred times safer in Dreamless than in these barren Ancestral Dragon Mountains. With the Abyssal Son by his side, let alone a year or half a year, I wouldn't have even a hint of worry if it were a hundred or a thousand years.”

To send someone to accompany and protect him would undoubtedly be a sign of distrust. Furthermore, to take ten thousand steps back, forget that the Dreamless God Nation had no reason to target a mere Dragon Race buffoon—even if they truly wanted to harm Long Wangchu, sending the entire Dragon Race would be useless... How could the Dragon Sovereign do something so foolish?

“Good!” Yun Che did not insist and nodded heavily. “In that case, I will certainly do my utmost when the time comes, hoping not to let Brother Wangchu suffer the slightest injury—both to live up to Senior Dragon Sovereign’s trust and to fulfill my Master’s final command.”

With the Abyssal Son’s promise, this fortune that had descended upon the Dragon Race seemed to be set in stone.

Walking out of the Ancestral Dragon Temple, Yun Che’s gaze involuntarily drifted toward the restricted area where Long Xi was located. He then forced it back and bowed to Long Zhiming in farewell:

“Then I shall await Brother Wangchu’s arrival in the Dreamless God Nation.”

Long Zhiming personally escorted Yun Che out of the Ancestral Dragon Barrier and continued to escort him a great distance before stopping to see him off respectfully.

“Oh, right!”

Yun Che, who was about to fly away, suddenly turned around as if he had just remembered something. “One of my purposes for coming here today was to repay Long Xi’s kindness, but her personality is too cold and she has no desires. I truly did not know how to repay her for the grace she showed me back then.”

“I can only repay her indirectly. I hope Senior Dragon Sovereign will remember today and treat Long Xi well. Since I owe her a life, her life is my life. You must not let her suffer any bullying or injury.”

Long Zhiming suppressed the surge in his heart and promised with the dignity of a Dragon Sovereign, “Rest assured, Abyssal Son. I will issue an order this very day that no one in the entire race, regardless of who they are, may offend Long Xi in the slightest. If anyone dares to do so, I will personally punish them without mercy.”

Yun Che nodded faintly and flew away.

Long Zhiming continued to gaze into the distance long after the figures of Yun Che and Meng Chaoyang had completely vanished from sight.

Perhaps even at this moment, he deeply suspected he was immersed in a lavish dream from which he had not yet woken. He remained motionless for a long time, as if afraid that the slightest movement would shatter the dream the moment he turned around.

“What... exactly are you doing??”

Before they had even fully left the Ancestral Dragon Mountains, Li Suo’s voice asked softly.

The mountain winds howled, and dark clouds hung low. The cold wind whistled through the cracks of the broken cliffs, bringing with it a sobbing moan, like the sighs of countless remnant dragon souls.

Yun Che replied, “The Dragon Race will fear that a long night brings many dreams. At most, within five days, they will send Long Wangchu to me. So, you will find out very soon.”

Li Suo said with no small amount of worry, “But none of this was in your previous plans. Since you wanted to end everything sooner, why did you suddenly introduce such a variable?”

“A variable?” Yun Che sneered. “The Dragon Race? They aren't worthy.”

Li Suo: “...”

“Don't worry.” Yun Che’s tone began to turn dark. “Not only will this not be a variable, but if used well, it will be a massive help.”

“As long as I am... cruel enough.”

The mountain wind grew violent, and the ten thousand ravines echoed with sorrow. The sound of the wind carried a sob, echoing for a long time among the endless mountains, like a desperate elegy unwilling to end.