Who would have thought that the Heavenly Dao was so vast that even the Dao Ancestor could not control it, giving rise to the joke, "Hongjun is the Heavenly Dao, but the Heavenly Dao is not Hongjun"!
In other words, Hongjun was part of the Heavenly Dao and was controlled by it!
Put another way, the current Dao Ancestor had practically become a puppet of the Heavenly Dao. This was also the bitterness in the Dao Ancestor's heart.
All along, the Dao Ancestor had painstakingly sought a way to break free of the Heavenly Dao's restraints. Li Xiao's appearance now allowed him to glimpse a sliver of hope...
Elsewhere, above the East Sea, on Penglai Immortal Island.
Li Xiao spent every day studying the Jade Purity Artifact Refining Manual until his head felt like it was about to explode.
"Not reading anymore, not reading anymore. Whatever happens, happens..."
In frustration, Li Xiao tossed aside the Jade Purity Artifact Refining Manual inscribed on a jade slip, then walked to the beach, flopped into a reclining chair, and basked in the sun.
Just then, Li Xiao saw two streaks of light flying toward him.
"Huh?"
Li Xiao froze. Purple light swirled in his eyes as he activated the Great Dao Divine Eyes to inspect them.
He discovered that the two arrivals were none other than True Person Huanglong of the Chan Sect and Dragon King Ao Guang of the East Sea.
Why were these two mixed up together?
Li Xiao could figure it out without thinking. Candle Dragon must have grown impatient, suspected that Li Xiao was not sincerely helping the Dragon Clan, and made a second set of preparations by trying to win over True Person Huanglong.
After all, True Person Huanglong was also considered part of the Dragon Clan!
"Hmph, this Dragon Clan really is a fence-sitter, bending whichever way the wind blows..."
Li Xiao sneered inwardly but did not bother with the matter. He simply lay on the beach and continued sunbathing.
The Dragon Clan really knew how to pick people!
True Person Huanglong was known as Three-No Zhenren—good at nothing, useless at everything—and people had even given him the nickname Huang Runrun!
A dignified member of the Twelve Golden Immortals had actually been chased around and beaten by Lü Yue, an outer disciple of the Chan Sect. It was even his martial nephew Nezha who saved him!
If the Dragon Clan could escape the karma of the Heavenly Dao by asking someone like him for help, then that would truly be a miracle!
Therefore, Li Xiao was not worried at all!
He believed that when the time came, the Dragon Clan would obediently come back and beg him!
Thus, Li Xiao lay in the reclining chair and continued snoring away.
"Ding..."
"The host has felt the warmth of the sun. Reward: enlightenment of the Jade Purity Artifact Refining Manual!"
Just then, the system's voice rang out.
Li Xiao was stunned when he heard it. Then his face twitched violently, and he sprang from the reclining chair in a rage, cursing, "Fuck, I read that thing for so many days for nothing..."
Laozi? What did that have to do with Venerable Sage Taishang... Beside him, Dragon Girl Ao Li, who was attending to Li Xiao, looked completely bewildered and had no idea what Li Xiao was talking about.
"Master, I haven't returned to the Dragon Palace for many days. Please permit me to go back and take a look..."
After hesitating for a moment, Ao Li spoke to Li Xiao in a soft, sweet voice.
Smack...
Li Xiao slapped Ao Li's remarkably springy backside and grinned. "Go on!"
"Master..."
Ao Li let out a shy cry, turned to shoot Li Xiao an annoyed look, her pretty face flushed red, then transformed into a streak of light and dove into the sea, returning to the Dragon Palace.
Li Xiao Was Badmouthing Taishang Laojun?
East Sea Dragon Palace.
Ao Guang hosted a grand banquet to entertain True Person Huanglong.
The Four Dragon Kings and Candle Dragon, the Dragon Clan's ancestor, were all present to accompany him.
The Sea Clan's strange dances and the clouds of beautiful women left True Person Huanglong feeling as though he were floating on air.
True Person Huanglong knew perfectly well that all the honor he received was because he was a disciple of the Chan Sect and a disciple of Primordial Heavenly Venerate.
Otherwise, with the status of a mere mixed-blood dragon like True Person Huanglong, he would never have been allowed into the Dragon Palace, much less enjoyed such treatment!
"Fellow Daoist Huanglong, please! Let us drain this great goblet!"
Ao Guang lifted his wine cup in a toast to True Person Huanglong, then tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.
"Dragon King, please!"
True Person Huanglong's cheeks were flushed red from drink, and he was already slightly drunk. He also downed a cup of wine.
Candle Dragon glanced at Dragon King Ao Guang of the East Sea. Ao Guang understood and turned to True Person Huanglong with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Huanglong, no matter how you put it, we are family. We all belong to the Dragon Clan. It's just that... sigh, you have seen the Dragon Clan's current state. We have become like this and long since lost our former glory..."
"Sigh, back then, our Dragon Clan dominated the Primordial World! What splendor we possessed!"
True Person Huanglong could not help shouting as well.
Ao Guang stepped forward, dropped to one knee, and cupped his hands toward True Person Huanglong. "I beg Fellow Daoist Huanglong to save our Dragon Clan!"
"I beg Fellow Daoist Huanglong to save our Dragon Clan!"
The other three Dragon Kings also stepped forward and pleaded with True Person Huanglong.
Candle Dragon rose as well and cupped his hands toward True Person Huanglong. "I beg Venerable Immortal Huanglong to save our Dragon Clan!"
One had to know that Candle Dragon was the Dragon Clan's ancestral forebear and Ancestral Dragon's younger brother. His fame had spread far and wide since ancient times, and he was a mighty existence second only to Ancestral Dragon, Primordial Phoenix, and Beginning Qilin.
If the Dragon Clan had not fallen to such a state, and if he had not suffered the erosion of karma to the point that he was on the verge of perishing, how could he possibly lower himself and beg a mixed-blood dragon like this?
"This..."
Seeing Candle Dragon and the Four Dragon Kings humbly beg him, True Person Huanglong's heart had already floated to the Ninth Heaven. He had completely forgotten his own worth. Still seated, he made a token gesture of helping them up and smiled. "Rest assured, rest assured. We are all members of the Dragon Clan, so this humble Taoist will naturally find a way to save it!"
"If Venerable Immortal Huanglong can truly save the Dragon Clan, we shall honor Venerable Immortal Huanglong as the Dragon Emperor!"
Candle Dragon gritted his teeth and shouted.
Dragon Emperor?
The Four Dragon Kings were startled.
True Person Huanglong was even more overjoyed. Delight surged uncontrollably onto his face as he looked at Candle Dragon and asked excitedly, "Truly?"
"Of course!"
Candle Dragon replied.
In truth, Candle Dragon had no other choice!
With him holding down the fort, the Witch and Demon Races still feared his lingering prestige. After all, he was a supreme being who had survived since the era of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity. But once karma eroded him and he ultimately met death and destruction, how could the Witch and Demon Races let the Dragon Clan go?
The Demon Race in particular. Di Jun and Taiyi had always wanted to subdue the Dragon Clan and incorporate it into the Demon Race. Once Candle Dragon died, the Dragon Clan's fate was easy to imagine.
What worried Candle Dragon even more was that he was now entirely a hollow shell, impressive only in appearance!
The karma of the Heavenly Dao had ground down his cultivation until he had fallen from the quasi-sage realm. He now possessed only the cultivation of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal. He had merely used a secret technique to conceal it from outsiders and force himself to keep up appearances.
If the Demon Race attacked, the Dragon Clan would have no ability to resist at all!
That was why Candle Dragon was so anxious to latch onto a powerful patron!
True Person Huanglong's bloodline might not have been pure, and he might have been a mixed-blood dragon, but he was still a member of the Dragon Clan!
If True Person Huanglong could truly lead the Dragon Clan out of its predicament and erase the karma of the Heavenly Dao, then what was wrong with honoring him as the Dragon Emperor?
After receiving Candle Dragon's affirmation, True Person Huanglong was ecstatic. Stroking his long beard, he laughed heartily. "Good, good, good! Leave this matter to this humble Taoist. If all else fails, this humble Taoist will ask my master. He will surely erase that karma of the Heavenly Dao for the Dragon Clan!"
Even a starved camel was bigger than a horse!
No matter how badly the Dragon Clan had declined, it had once been the overlord of ancient times. Even now, it ruled the Four Seas and all the great rivers, lakes, and streams. It remained the undisputed overlord of the waters!
If he could become the Dragon Emperor of the Dragon Clan, even Primordial Heavenly Venerate would surely think more highly of him, wouldn't he?
With that thought, True Person Huanglong felt even more buoyant.
Just then, a streak of light shot into the Dragon Palace's main hall. The light faded, revealing a figure—it was Ao Li.
Ao Li cupped her hands toward Candle Dragon and the others. "Ancestor!"
Candle Dragon looked at Ao Li and smiled. "Ao Li, what happened?"
Ao Li glanced at True Person Huanglong, hesitating to speak.
Candle Dragon also looked toward True Person Huanglong, then smiled. "Ao Li, speak. Venerable Immortal Huanglong is a distinguished guest of our Dragon Clan, not an outsider!"
Ao Li nodded and cupped her hands toward Candle Dragon. "Earlier, while Venerable Immortal Li Xiao was sleeping, he suddenly flew into a rage and said something about Laozi. I suspect it had something to do with Venerable Sage Taishang..."
"Er? Venerable Sage Taishang? This..."
Candle Dragon looked utterly baffled.
At the side, True Person Huanglong raised his brows and thought, This is useful information. Once I leave the Dragon Clan, I'll report it to Grand Uncle-Master. Perhaps Grand Uncle-Master will reward me with a few Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs...
Then Ao Li reported some more information to Candle Dragon.
Of course, it was all insignificant information!
Although Ao Li had been sent by the Dragon Clan to monitor Li Xiao, during the time she had spent with him, she had increasingly felt that Li Xiao was unfathomable. Moreover, Li Xiao had never treated her as a servant.
He even teased her from time to time!
This gave Ao Li the illusion that she might become the mistress of Penglai Immortal Island!
Therefore, Ao Li only symbolically provided Candle Dragon with a little information and did not betray Li Xiao.
After that, Ao Li stayed in the Dragon Palace.
True Person Huanglong also left the Dragon Palace in high spirits and headed for Mount Kunlun.
How could he possibly have the ability to eliminate the Dragon Clan's karma? He could only go beg Primordial Heavenly Venerate.
Mount Kunlun.
Before you continue