Chapter 1227: Let Me Say a Few Fair Words
"The Sacred Dragon Envoys of the Ancestral Dragon Mountain have actually come to the Divine Dream Marsh. The turmoil in the desolate secret realm is spreading quite far." Zhang Ruochen rubbed his chin with his fingers, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Ao Zhan had been frowning all along, looking quite anxious.
Zhang Ruochen patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "There's nothing to worry about. Since the chieftain of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan has personally gone over, no matter how overbearing the two Sacred Dragon Envoys are, they won't be able to break into Heart Moon Lake."
Ao Zhan sighed. "That's not what I'm worried about. I'm concerned that if this matter isn't handled well and we offend the Ancestral Dragon Mountain, it might bring utter destruction to the Half-Divine Dragon Clan."
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm. He walked over to a chair on the left side of the hall and sat down. "There's no need to worry. The Ancestral Dragon Mountain doesn't have absolute control in the desolate secret realm. There are still a few places that can stand against them. Right now, the desolate secret realm is in chaos, with all major powers at war. Even if you offend the Ancestral Dragon Mountain, how much strength can they spare to deal with the Half-Divine Dragon Clan?"
Ao Zhan said, "Brother Zhang doesn't know this, but the Ancestral Dragon Mountain has extraordinary influence in the desolate secret realm. Many barbaric beast races are subservient to them."
"If the Half-Divine Dragon Clan refuses to obey their orders, the Ancestral Dragon Mountain only needs to command a few barbaric races near the Divine Dream Marsh to put us in a desperate situation."
"The Ancestral Dragon Mountain's power is too great. There are indeed a few places in the desolate secret realm that can challenge them, but the Half-Divine Dragon Clan is not one of them."
Zhang Ruochen had naturally heard of the Ancestral Dragon Mountain's reputation. It had existed since ancient times, with a foundation deeper than any human kingdom. Perhaps only the First Central Empire at its peak could have suppressed it.
That was why Zhang Ruochen understood the Half-Divine Dragon Clan's predicament. Even though they were furious, they had to endure.
It was like a sect facing the First Central Empire—they could only obey. If they disobeyed, the imperial court could destroy them with a single word.
Before long, powerful saintly auras came from outside the Divine Dragon Hall.
Ao Yi, the chieftain of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan, walked in first with his hands behind his back, looking cold and angry. He returned to the seat at the head of the hall.
Then, the two Sacred Dragon Envoys strode in arrogantly, their faces dark and clearly displeased.
Other high-ranking members of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan also filed in.
One of them, a burly Half-Divine Dragon man at the mid-level Saint realm, was severely injured. His armor was battered and torn, and his body was covered in blood.
This man was Ao Cheng Lie, the Grand Commander of the Patrol Army.
Ao Cheng Lie had tried to stop the two Sacred Dragon Envoys from entering Heart Moon Lake, leading to a battle. He was no match for them and sustained serious injuries.
All the high-ranking members of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan were furious. They glared at the two Sacred Dragon Envoys standing in the center of the Divine Dragon Hall, clenching their fists, their eyes blazing with fire.
Weren't they just Sacred Dragon Envoys of the Ancestral Dragon Mountain? Coming to the Divine Dream Marsh, they acted lawlessly, repeatedly injuring the Saints of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan.
If the chieftain hadn't arrived in time, the Grand Commander of the Patrol Army might have been killed.
Who wouldn't be enraged by such an incident?
The two Sacred Dragon Envoys remained imposing, with disdainful smiles in their eyes. They were just a group of half-dragons with impure bloodlines. No matter how angry they got, they had to endure.
If they dared to challenge the Ancestral Dragon Mountain, they would be annihilated in an instant.
The Winged Dragon Clan was just waiting for an opportunity to seize the Divine Dream Marsh, a sacred land rich in spiritual energy.
Ye Hong, one of the Sacred Dragon Envoys, spoke indignantly. "Chieftain, Ye Yun and I only wanted to visit Princess Yan to deliver a message from the Devouring Demon Dragon. But we were attacked by the Saints of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan. What does this mean? Are you dissatisfied with the Devouring Demon Dragon or with the Ancestral Dragon Mountain?"
"You injured our Grand Commander, and you still think you're in the right?"
The Second Commander of the Patrol Army stepped forward, grinding his teeth in anger. He wanted to rush up and smash Ye Hong's head.
But his cultivation was far inferior to Ye Hong's. If he charged in recklessly, he would only be humiliated.
Ye Hong glanced at the Second Commander, sneered, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes. "If you're not convinced, you can challenge me, the Sacred Dragon Envoy. I'll give you a fair duel."
"Ao Xianyun, step back."
Ao Yi's face was cold as he gave the order. Then he turned to the two Sacred Dragon Envoys. "You two are Sacred Dragon Envoys of the Ancestral Dragon Mountain. I have always respected you and treated you as honored guests. But respect must be mutual. Don't go too far, or I will turn ruthless."
This statement fully revealed Ao Yi's anger.
Ye Yun, the other Sacred Dragon Envoy, showed no fear. Instead, he laughed loudly. "The chieftain says respect must be mutual, but has the Half-Divine Dragon Clan ever respected us? We are Sacred Dragon Envoys, yet we don't even have the freedom to move around in the Divine Dream Marsh?"
A woman's voice came from outside the hall.
"Heart Moon Lake is my residence. I have never allowed any man to enter. Since I don't want to see you, you shouldn't have forced your way in."
Ao Xinyan and Ao Jing, the young chieftain of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan, walked into the Divine Dragon Hall.
Ao Xinyan was indeed stunningly beautiful, with peerless looks. Every inch of her skin radiated crystalline saintly light, and wisps of dragon qi swirled around her arms and waist. As soon as she entered, she drew the attention of everyone present.
Zhang Ruochen was also in the Divine Dragon Hall, sitting in a corner like an observer, watching quietly.
When his gaze fell on Ao Xinyan, his eyes lit up, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Compared to her time at the Eastern Region Saint Academy, Ao Xinyan had undergone a tremendous transformation in both appearance and temperament. She exuded a sacred aura.
She had shed her childishness and naivety, no longer as willful and capricious as before. Instead, she appeared noble, elegant, and mysterious.
It was this very temperament that made Zhang Ruochen's eyes brighten.
He had never noticed before that this princess of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan possessed such captivating charm.
Ao Jing stood beside Ao Xinyan, his face also filled with anger. "Yan'er's private chambers—even if the Devouring Demon Dragon himself tried to force his way in, he wouldn't leave the Divine Dream Marsh alive."
Ye Hong sneered. "Young chieftain, your injuries haven't healed yet, have they? Did they damage your brain? You'd better think carefully before you speak. Offending Ye Yun and me is one thing, but offending the Devouring Demon Dragon—your status as the young chieftain of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan won't save your life."
"You—"
Too furious, Ao Jing aggravated his injuries and spat out a mouthful of saintly blood.
Ao Xinyan was also enraged. Her full chest heaved violently, and her starry eyes turned cold. "You've gone too far! Do you want to leave the Divine Dream Marsh alive?"
With a whoosh, a blue-green sacred sword flew out from between her brows. She grasped it and pointed it at the two Sacred Dragon Envoys.
"Kill them."
"How dare you throw your weight around in the Divine Dream Marsh? Who do you think you are?"
The other high-ranking members of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan also drew their sacred artifacts or activated their saintly qi, surrounding the two Sacred Dragon Envoys.
The Half-Divine Dragon Clan indeed dared not offend the Ancestral Dragon Mountain, but the envoys' actions had sparked public outrage. Who could swallow this anger?
"Whoosh—"
The two Sacred Dragon Envoys released their saintly might. Two massive dragon shadows burst forth from their bodies, forcing all the Half-Divine Dragon Clan members below the Saint realm to retreat.
"What are you doing? Let me tell you the truth—there are countless races in the desolate secret realm that want to occupy the Divine Dream Marsh. If you dare harm even a single hair on my head, your clan will be wiped out."
Ye Hong was emboldened, unafraid of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan's Saints.
Killing a Sacred Dragon Envoy was no small matter. It concerned the survival of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan.
All the Saints of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan turned to Ao Yi, seeking his opinion.
Ao Yi's face was taut. His five fingers curled into claws, and his mind was in turmoil. It was hard to make a decision. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to completely offend the Ancestral Dragon Mountain.
Ye Yun sneered. "I advise you to swallow this anger. Even if you all attack together, you can't kill us. Since we dared to come to the Divine Dream Marsh, we naturally brought treasures with us. Escaping unscathed is not difficult."
At this moment, Ao Yi's face tightened even more.
The Divine Dragon Hall fell into dead silence. Every cultivator's saintly qi was boiling, ready to erupt into a battle of Saints at any moment.
Just then, Zhang Ruochen stood up from his chair and laughed. "Everyone, may I, an outsider, say a few fair words?"
Everyone's gaze turned to Zhang Ruochen.
Except for Ao Yi and Ao Zhan, no one knew Zhang Ruochen's identity. They all looked puzzled.
Ao Yi frowned. Earlier, his mind had been in turmoil, and he had forgotten that this Saint-Transmitted Disciple of the Liangyi Sect was also in the Divine Dragon Hall.
"This matter has nothing to do with you. Ao Zhan, escort the guest out of the Divine Dragon Hall," Ao Yi said.
"Brother Zhang, please leave. This place… is dangerous…"
Ao Zhan made a gesture, preparing to lead Zhang Ruochen away.
But Zhang Ruochen didn't move.
If the two Sacred Dragon Envoys hadn't mentioned the Devouring Demon Dragon's name, Zhang Ruochen might not have bothered to meddle in the affairs of the Half-Divine Dragon Clan and the Ancestral Dragon Mountain.
But since they were acting on behalf of the Devouring Demon Dragon, Zhang Ruochen had to get involved.
Because of the Devouring Demon Dragon, countless human elites had died in the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm.
How could Zhang Ruochen forget the corpse-strewn Ying Sha City? The hellish scene was still vivid in his mind.
(Chapter End)