Your Emperor Qin Xuanyang Reaches a Consensus

A terrified, mournful cry rang out.

The Heavenly Golden Black Dragon dragged its shattered body back into Qin Xuanyang's body.

Qin Xuanyang himself was blasted several steps back by the terrifying soundwave.

Qin Shiyue, watching from afar, could not help covering her little mouth. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, as if she still could not accept this absurd scene. "The Heavenly Golden Black Dragon, cultivated to its peak, was actually broken? An Bulang broke it with just one roar?"

Even Qin Xuanyang found it unbelievable. His expression was filled with shock. "What exactly did you do?"

"Don't summon some fake dragon just to make a fool of yourself." An Bulang stood with his hands behind his back. "Cracking down on pirated goods is everyone's responsibility."

Qin Shiyue: "..."

Veins bulged on Qin Xuanyang's forehead.

"Hahaha... Good!" King Ji Yonghao, who had felt utterly stifled moments ago, now felt as though he had finally held his head high. Pointing at Qin Xuanyang, he laughed. "You think you're worthy of summoning a dragon?!"

"Master Bulang looks so handsome when he's acting so arrogant." Ji Yinyin covered her lovely face with both hands, her eyes dreamy as she fell into another lovestruck trance.

Qin Xuanyang's face twisted with fury. He was clearly on the verge of flying into an uncontrollable rage.

An Bulang's expression sharpened slightly as he secretly mobilized the power in his body, ready for a proper battle.

The air grew increasingly heavy.

A great battle could erupt at any moment.

"Hahaha... Fellow Daoist An Bulang, you truly are a hero born young!"

Qin Xuanyang laughed heartily, using his laughter to break the silence.

All his previous anger and dissatisfaction vanished, replaced by an easy, friendly smile. "Earlier, I worried that you were deliberately pretending to be an expert in order to swindle spirit stones from my Soaring Dragon Empire. That was why I conducted those tests. I hope you won't take offense. Now, I believe that you were the one who protected my daughter!"

An Bulang blinked, then nodded. "You finally believe me. Heaven truly has eyes..."

Qin Xuanyang beckoned toward the dumbfounded Qin Shiyue in the distance. "Shiyue, come here."

Qin Shiyue's mind was still in chaos. She walked over in a daze and came to Qin Xuanyang's side. "Father, what did you just say...?"

"Fellow Daoist An Bulang protected you. Have you thanked An Bulang?" Qin Xuanyang asked.

Qin Shiyue opened her mouth wide, her expression blank.

Qin Xuanyang's face carried an imposing authority even without anger. "You are the Grand Princess of an empire. Where has your basic etiquette gone? Hurry up and thank Fellow Daoist An Bulang!!"

His words exploded in Qin Shiyue's mind like thunder, making her delicate body tremble faintly.

Thank him?

Thank the man who had ruined their plans?

Thank the villain who had tied her up for days just to extort money?

Qin Xuanyang turned his gaze once more toward the tall, cool-looking woman beside him. "Didn't you hear me?"

Qin Shiyue's face flushed crimson, and her eyes reddened as tears seemed to swirl within them. "Th... thank you... An Bulang..."

She uttered words she would never forget for the rest of her life.

The unprecedented humiliation made her entire body shake uncontrollably.

"You're welcome. It's what I should do." An Bulang waved a hand indifferently. "Besides, I still have to collect my reward, don't I?"

Qin Xuanyang understood immediately. With a wave of one hand, the enormous black chest was pulled by a tremendous force and flew down beside An Bulang.

An Bulang sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy within the chest and beamed with joy. "Haha, thank you. Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Qin Xuanyang smiled broadly. "It is only right. I should also thank you for saving my daughter. I am but a worldly man and do not know how else to repay you, so I can only use spirit stones to express my gratitude. I hope you do not mind."

An Bulang thought, Being worldly is good!

Brother Lang likes down-to-earth people like this the most!

"Oh, right. If Fellow Daoist Bulang ever has the chance to visit the Soaring Dragon Empire, you must inform me. I will certainly welcome you properly and show you the empire's finest sights and customs," Qin Xuanyang added.

"Sure, sure." An Bulang grinned.

"Then I shall not disturb you any longer. Farewell." Qin Xuanyang gave another solemn salute.

"Later." An Bulang waved.

Qin Xuanyang's enthusiasm was difficult for everyone present to accept.

Qin Shiyue especially had never seen her father act like this before.

The Bloodfire Peng spread its wings and soared into the sky, fleeing the royal palace as though for its life.

Standing atop the Bloodfire Peng, Qin Shiyue watched the man's figure grow ever more distant. Her silver teeth clenched in hatred, yet she also felt a deep sense of helplessness.

"Imperial Father, why..." she finally could not help asking.

The elders behind her also looked at the brawny, imposing man at the front with puzzled expressions.

Qin Xuanyang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down at the endless mountain ranges ahead. His face was filled with helplessness. "Shiyue, this time we have provoked someone we cannot afford to provoke. Being able to retreat with our bodies whole is already no easy matter. What more could you possibly ask for?"

"Indeed. If it truly came to a fight, I wouldn't fear him. But do you know what that Dragon Roar of his represented?"

Qin Shiyue raised her eyes and pressed, "What did it represent?"

"He was right. Compared to the Dragon Power he released, this dragon of mine was like a fake dragon..." Qin Xuanyang said.

The moment those words were spoken, not only Qin Shiyue but also the elders behind them were shocked.

The Heavenly Golden Black Dragon Art was the royal family's supreme cultivation technique. It was said that their ancestor had once been fortunate enough to observe a true dragon's origin totem, gained a sudden flash of inspiration, and created this beginner Earth-grade technique.

Cultivation techniques were divided into four major grades—Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow—with Heaven-grade the highest and Yellow-grade the lowest. A beginner Earth-grade technique like the Heavenly Golden Black Dragon Art was already the highest-ranked cultivation technique in the Soaring Dragon Empire. Yet the black dragon Qin Xuanyang released after cultivating it to perfection looked like a fake dragon before the dragon-type technique An Bulang had used?

"Think about it. A technique he used casually could surpass our clan's highest-grade cultivation art... Just how terrifying must the foundation behind him be? No wonder that, at such a young age, his combat strength could rival the Heavenly Origin Realm..." Qin Xuanyang said with a sigh.

"At such a young age? You mean his age is real?" Qin Shiyue was even more shocked.

"Of course it's real. What, did you think he was some old monster? He isn't! I possess a special method for observing one's age. He is absolutely no older than twenty! A twenty-year-old Heavenly Origin... In all my years, this is the first time I've ever seen one..."

"Now do you understand why I chose to yield? People with such a background are not someone we can afford to provoke."

Qin Xuanyang gave his daughter, whose expression was filled with shock, a deep look and said earnestly, "Shiyue... the stage of this world is vast beyond measure, and there are countless gifted prodigies and monstrous talents. Do not limit your sights to the few dozen nations around us..."

Qin Shiyue was struck again.

For some reason, she thought once more of An Bulang's theory of frogs and great rocs.

She felt more and more like a frog.

Scenes from the past surfaced in her mind again, like a nightmare that refused to disperse.

She feared that, for the rest of her life, she would never forget that figure gazing up at the starry sky.

Qin Shiyue could not help turning around again, looking toward the palace shrinking ever farther behind them. That figure in white had long since vanished from sight.

Yet that question still refused to leave her mind.

An Bulang... who exactly are you?