The Old Dragon King's whiskers twitched. He subconsciously lowered his head and glanced at the wine on Bai Jin's table. How much had he drunk? He was already drunk?! He hurriedly rose and tried to persuade him. "My young friend, there's no need! It hasn't come to that."
Bai Jin pointed at his own nose, his face and neck flushed red. "Ao Guang and I have faced life-and-death trials together. He is my brother, and the Dragon Race is therefore my brother too. If you are humiliated, then I, Bai Jin, am humiliated.
"Your Majesty the Dragon King, say no more. I'll go fight them to the death right now. I absolutely will not let our Dragon Race's treasure fall into the Demon Race's hands."
He turned and started walking outside.
The Old Dragon King hurriedly floated down from the dragon throne and grabbed Bai Jin's arm. Moved, he said, "I have felt your friendship, my young friend. From now on, you are family to our Dragon Race, one of our own. But there is no need to risk your life over a mere Nine Dragon Carriage."
Bai Jin immediately turned and hugged the Old Dragon King, saying excitedly, "Family! The Nine Dragon Carriage is our Dragon Race's treasure!"
The Old Dragon King patted Bai Jin's back as well, saying emotionally, "Family! The Nine Dragon Carriage truly isn't a treasure! There's no need to risk your life over it!"
Bai Jin abruptly pushed the Old Dragon King away and frowned. "It isn't a treasure?"
The Old Dragon King nodded and said sincerely, "No. The Nine Dragon Carriage is really just a ceremonial vehicle with symbolic meaning. It has no other use."
"So that means it can be given to the Demon Race?"
The Old Dragon King immediately shook his head. "Absolutely not. The Nine Dragon Carriage symbolizes the Dragon Race's submission. If the Demon Emperor obtains it and uses that symbolism to coerce the Dragon Race, we will be in a very passive position."
"Isn't the Demon Race coercing you already?"
The Old Dragon King smiled smugly. "Right now, they are simply using their strength to pressure us, with no just cause. With the Azure Dragon Saint Venerable here, they would not dare go too far. But if the Nine Dragon Carriage fell into the Demon Race's hands, the Demon Emperor would have justification and could oppress our Dragon Race without restraint."
"The Nine Dragon Carriage is still very important!"
The Old Dragon King said, "It is important, yet not important. But it absolutely cannot fall into the Demon Race's hands."
Bai Jin thought for a while, a flash of resolve passing through his eyes. He looked sincerely at the Old Dragon King and said, "Family, do you trust me?"
The Old Dragon King nodded, saying emotionally, "You are our family and our friend. Of course I trust you."
Bai Jin hugged the Old Dragon King again, saying emotionally, "Family! For the sake of our Dragon Race, leave the Nine Dragon Carriage to me! I'll take it somewhere safe, where the Demon Race will never find it."
The Old Dragon King said emotionally, "Wuwu~ If the Demon Race finds out, you will be in great danger."
"So what? For the safety of our Dragon Race, I would not hesitate to die ten thousand times."
"This old dragon is truly moved beyond words. I really don't know how to repay such great kindness, little brother!"
"For my safety, and to better protect the Nine Dragon Carriage, could Your Majesty the Dragon King lend me a few Innate Spiritual Treasures first?!"
The Old Dragon King shoved Bai Jin away, coughed, and said as if nothing had happened, "Come! I'll take you to get the Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage." The two headed deeper into the Dragon Palace together.
Kui Ox hurriedly followed, his mind a complete mess and his eyes full of confusion. How had Senior Brother become family with the Dragon Race? Didn't he say all dragons were bad dragons?
In the Dragon Palace's great hall, Ao Guang was the only one left sitting there in disarray. What was going on? Why did it feel like he couldn't keep up with their pace? How had that villain who robbed me of my Innate Spiritual Treasure become family? And why had they given him the Nine Dragon Carriage?!
Nine Dragon Carriage? Ao Guang's eyes suddenly widened. He hurriedly got up and ran outside. Father hadn't been talked into becoming an idiot, had he?! That damned little thief.
The doors of a treasure vault burst open, auspicious energy surging out from within. Bai Jin and the Old Dragon King entered the vault amid the auspicious energy.
Inside the treasure vault stood a ceremonial carriage, gleaming with golden light and surrounded by auspicious clouds. All kinds of dragon patterns were painted upon its frame, its four wheels resembled lotus flowers, and nine bronze divine dragons lay before it, majestic and imposing.
The Old Dragon King said sentimentally, "This is the Nine Dragon Agarwood Carriage."
Bai Jin asked doubtfully, "They're bronze dragons? I thought they were real dragons!"
The Old Dragon King explained, "These nine divine dragons were forged from Heavenly River gold, and each contains the dragon soul of an ancient divine dragon. Without the acknowledgment of these nine dragon souls, no one can command the Nine Dragon Carriage."
Bai Jin sighed in admiration. "As expected of Ancestral Dragon's carriage. It really is domineering."
The Old Dragon King said, "According to the Azure Dragon Saint Venerable, the Dragon-Han Calamity began immediately after the Nine Dragon Carriage was successfully forged. In truth, Ancestral Dragon never got to ride it even once."
Bai Jin said happily, "It's in factory-new condition! That's even better." If he gave his Martial Uncle something secondhand, his Martial Uncle might really make trouble over it.
The Old Dragon King turned to Bai Jin and asked in confusion, "What did you say?"
Bai Jin hurriedly said, "I meant that I really wish I could see Ancestral Dragon appear while riding the Nine Dragon Carriage. It must have been magnificent and imposing."
The Old Dragon King sighed. "You won't see it." He turned and looked solemnly at Bai Jin. "I leave the Nine Dragon Carriage in your protection. The lifeline of my Dragon Race is now in your hands."
Bai Jin also said solemnly, "Your Majesty the Dragon King, rest assured! Even if I die, I will never allow the Nine Dragon Carriage to suffer the slightest damage. I absolutely will not allow my family to be threatened by the Demon Race."
The Old Dragon King said emotionally, "Good brother! You must protect yourself well. Leave quietly with the Nine Dragon Carriage, and do not let the Demon Race discover you."
"Alright!" Bai Jin stepped forward and placed his hand on the Nine Dragon Carriage. The carriage instantly vanished.
Then Bai Jin and the Old Dragon King had another tearful farewell before they finally turned away, each wiping tears with every step. Anyone unaware of the truth would have thought they were blood brothers parting in grief.
Ao Guang jogged in from outside. Looking at the empty treasure vault, he said in disbelief, "Old man, you really gave him the Nine Dragon Carriage? This is the inherited treasure of our Dragon Race!"
The Old Dragon King nodded and said leisurely, "I gave it to him. Our Dragon Race no longer needs the Nine Dragon Carriage. We should not remain obsessed with the glory of the past."
Ao Guang muttered, "It's over! The old man really was fooled stupid." He looked suspiciously at the Old Dragon King. "I really don't understand how you two became good brothers. You actually believed all that nonsense he said? You really gave him the Nine Dragon Carriage! Believe it or not, the moment he gets ashore, he'll dismantle it and refine it into magical treasures."
The Old Dragon King said, "Since the Nine Dragon Carriage would bring disaster while it remained in our hands, we might as well give it away. Besides, giving it to this young friend was also the Azure Dragon Saint Venerable's intention."
Ao Guang's eyes widened in disbelief. "The Azure Dragon Saint Venerable?" He hurriedly asked, "Then what do we do when the Demon Race comes again?"
The Old Dragon King revealed a faintly malicious smile. "Send word to the Demon Race later. Tell them that our Nine Dragon Carriage was stolen by a little thief riding an ox."
Ao Guang scratched his head in frustration. "What exactly are you doing? First you gave the Nine Dragon Carriage to Bai Jin, and now you want to tell the Demon Race that Bai Jin stole it. Won't the Demon Race go hunt Bai Jin down? Wouldn't that expose our Nine Dragon Carriage too?"
Before you continue