The Thunder Dragon Bows Its Head

Yang Yu's voice, like thunder from the Ninth Heaven, echoed across Thunder Gorge. Every word struck the hearts of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's higher-ups within Thunder God Hall like a heavy hammer.

"Thunder Prison is not bad. I'll take it."

"Clan Master Yu, I'll remember this generous gift."

"Now, can we come out and discuss... the future of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"

His tone was calm, yet it carried absolute authority and control that could not be questioned.

Yu Yuanzhen's face turned deathly pale, and his body trembled slightly. His last shred of hope was utterly crushed. Before a monster who treated Thunder Prison like a bathtub and devoured the source of lightning itself, any resistance seemed laughable and hopeless. He drew a difficult breath, seeming to age ten years in an instant as his once-straight back bent slightly.

"Let's go... welcome His Highness the Holy Son." His voice was dry and hoarse, carrying an almost imperceptible tremor.

A moment later, the doors of Thunder God Hall burst open. Led by Yu Yuanzhen, all the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan elders hurried toward Thunder Prison, their expressions complicated, filled with awe and fear, like ministers greeting a sovereign.

When they saw the four clan disciples at the entrance of Thunder Prison, charred black and barely alive, as well as Yang Yu deeper within, still seated cross-legged in the purple lightning slurry and devouring lightning like a descended Thunder God, their final hesitation vanished.

"Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, together with all elders, welcomes His Highness the Holy Son!" Yu Yuanzhen was the first to bow. His voice carried suppressed humiliation and a trace of relief. The elders behind him followed suit. None dared raise their heads to look directly at the figure within the lightning.

The lightning gradually faded.

Yang Yu slowly opened his eyes. The terrifying lightning power circulating around him slipped into his body like a docile pet and disappeared. He rose to his feet and walked steadily out of Thunder Prison. Even his black robes did not have a single crease.

Zhu Zhuqing followed closely behind him. Though her face was still somewhat pale, her aura had become more condensed and imposing. Having been tempered by Thunder Prison, she had clearly benefited greatly and was only one step away from rank thirty-four.

Yang Yu's gaze swept casually over Yu Yuanzhen and the others, still bowed before him, but he did not immediately allow them to rise.

"Clan Master Yu has a very special way of receiving guests." His tone was flat, yet it made Yu Yuanzhen and the others' scalps tingle. "First, you indulged a discarded clan member who blocked my path and provoked me. Then you sent disciples into Thunder Prison to 'carefully guide' me... Had I not possessed some ability to protect myself, I would likely be a charred corpse by now."

Cold sweat poured down Yu Yuanzhen's forehead. He hurriedly said, "Please forgive us, Your Highness! We failed in our discipline and management! Those who offended Your Highness will be severely punished without exception! Those four fools will immediately have their Soul Power crippled and be expelled from the clan! As for that wretch Yu Xiaogang... Your Highness may deal with him as you please!"

For the clan's survival, sacrificing the lesser to preserve the greater was the only choice. Those disciples and Yu Xiaogang were destined to become sacrifices.

"Forget it." Yang Yu waved a hand as though brushing away flies. "I do not care about such insignificant clowns. I did not come here today to pursue these trivial matters."

His tone shifted, and his gaze became profound. "Clan Master Yu, where do you think the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan stands in the current continental landscape?"

Yu Yuanzhen's heart tightened. He knew the real matter had arrived. After pondering for a moment, he answered cautiously, "Our clan resides peacefully in one corner, follows the ancestral teachings, and focuses wholeheartedly on cultivation without involving ourselves in outside affairs..."

"Residing peacefully in one corner?" Yang Yu cut him off, a trace of mockery in his voice. "Do you truly wish to remain secluded, or are you forced to? The Upper Three Sects are bound together? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect possesses wealth enough to rival the world, the Clear Sky Sect has hidden itself away, and what does your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have left? Pride? Before absolute strength, pride is worthless."

His words were like cold blades, cutting open the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's deepest embarrassment and fear. Once the foremost Beast Spirit sect on the continent, it was indeed now declining, its influence far inferior to what it had once been.

"I presume Clan Master Yu has already heard about the upheaval in the Star Luo Empire." Yang Yu continued applying pressure. "Dai Mubai has become a cripple, and the Star Luo Imperial Family is suspected of colluding with Evil Cultists. They are already overwhelmed. Tell me, if Spirit Hall were to commit all its forces southward now, how long could Star Luo hold out? And sects like yours, bordering Star Luo and once considering marriage alliances with the Star Luo Imperial Family... how should you conduct yourselves?"

Yu Yuanzhen and the elders' faces instantly turned pale! This was a naked threat! If Spirit Hall truly moved against Star Luo, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would be the first to bear the brunt! Either they would be dragged into opposing Spirit Hall and ultimately be destroyed, or... they could choose a side in advance.

"Your Highness... what do you intend?" Yu Yuanzhen asked in a dry voice. He already knew the clan had no other choice.

"Very simple." Yang Yu looked at him. "Submit. Pledge your loyalty to me. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan may continue to exist, and may even receive resources from Spirit Hall to become stronger. But you must obey my commands absolutely."

He extended his hand. A faint yet incomparably pure arc of purple electricity flickered at his fingertips, radiating a heart-palpitating aura of destruction. It was precisely the source power of Thunder Prison he had devoured earlier.

"Or you may try to defend that pitiful scrap of pride you have left. Then, like this lightning..." His fingertip moved slightly, and the purple arc instantly vanished, "disappear."

Silence. Deathly silence.

Yu Yuanzhen stared fixedly at the extinguished arc, his heart pounding wildly. Submit? Submit to such a young boy? The dignity of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan...

But... the cost of refusing was utter destruction.

He slowly closed his eyes, drawing in a breath of air thick with the scent of lightning. When he opened them again, only resolve and a trace of exhaustion remained in his gaze.

He slowly dropped to one knee, lowered his head, and said in a deep voice with all his strength, "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan... is willing to honor His Highness the Holy Son as our master! From this day onward, through mountains of blades and seas of fire, we shall obey your every command!"

The elders behind him looked at one another. In the end, they too knelt down one after another and declared in unison, "We are willing to honor His Highness the Holy Son as our master!"

Voices of submission rang across Thunder Gorge.

Yang Yu looked at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's higher-ups kneeling before him. There was no pride on his face, as though all this was only natural.

"Very good." He said calmly, "Rise. First command: beginning today, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will secretly gather its elite forces and deploy them along the border adjoining Star Luo, taking the stance that you may move south at any moment. Add... a little more pressure to Star Luo."

"Yes!" Yu Yuanzhen immediately accepted the order. Since they had chosen to submit, carrying out orders was their only choice.

"Second, everything concerning Thunder Prison and what happened to me today is to be classified as the clan's highest secret. Not a word may leak."

"Yes!"

"Third." Yang Yu swept his gaze over them. "Prepare a generous gift. Before long, accompany me to visit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Yu Yuanzhen's heart trembled as he instantly understood Yang Yu's intention. Yang Yu intended to use the might of subduing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to further force the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into submission! He did not dare ask more and immediately agreed.

Having taken control of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yang Yu did not remain in Thunder Gorge for long. After leaving behind the necessary means of communication and several overseers arranged by Yue Guan, he departed with Zhu Zhuqing.

Inside the carriage returning to Nuoding City.

Zhu Zhuqing was still silently digesting the gains from Thunder Prison's tempering, her aura growing ever deeper.

Yang Yu rested with his eyes closed, sorting through his upcoming plans in his mind. Subduing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was an important step in his plan. Not only had he gained a powerful enforcer and a source of troops, but more importantly, he had gained Thunder Gorge, this special source of energy, as well as the right to use Thunder Prison. Both would greatly benefit the future cultivation of his twin martial souls.

The next step was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. With the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's "example" and "generous gift," along with Ning Rongrong, that chess piece who had already fallen into darkness... that old fox Ning Fengzhi would surely make a "wise" choice.

As for the Star Luo Empire... let them suffer in fear and suspicion for a while longer. The pressure was not yet great enough.

Just then, Yue Guan's voice came from outside the carriage. "Your Highness, we are almost at Nuoding City. Also, we just received word from Nuoding City... that rabbit has awakened. And she caused a bit of a commotion."

Yang Yu opened his eyes. "Oh?"

"After waking, she discovered that misfortune had turned into fortune. She had completely absorbed the Immortal Herb's medicinal power, her strength increased greatly, and she has already broken through to the rank-forty bottleneck. But she seems to have... misunderstood, believing that Shui Bing'er took part of the Immortal Herb's benefits while she was unconscious. The two argued without end and nearly came to blows. They were stopped by the Patrol Team." Yue Guan's tone carried a trace of amusement.

A situation where dogs bit dogs was precisely what Yang Yu wanted to see. Xiao Wu's awakening and breakthrough had been within his expectations. Her resentment and misunderstanding were even more perfect catalysts.

"Tell Gu Rong and Tuoba Xi to keep watch over them. Before I return, no one is allowed to leave, nor are they allowed to clash again. Especially Xiao Wu. Let her obtain her fourth soul ring in peace. Provide whatever resources she needs as much as possible," Yang Yu ordered. Xiao Wu still had great use as a chess piece. For now, she needed to be stabilized and allowed to continue "growing."

"Yes."

The carriage entered Nuoding City. The atmosphere within the city remained tense, with Patrol Team knights everywhere.

Upon returning to the inn, Yang Yu immediately sensed two powerful divine senses sweep past him. They belonged to Gu Rong and Tuoba Xi. These two Titled Douluo had clearly been monitoring this place all along.

He paid them no mind and went straight back to his room.

A moment later, Gu Rong's sinister voice sounded directly in his ear through voice transmission. "His Highness the Holy Son truly has refined tastes. Going out for a little excursion, yet somehow you managed to make the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan come out to welcome you. Truly... quite impressive."

His tone was filled with probing and wariness. Clearly, the commotion from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had not been completely concealed from the two Titled Douluo.

Yang Yu replied indifferently, "Clan Master Yu is a warm host. Hearing that I was interested in Thunder Gorge, he insisted on showing me hospitality. I could hardly refuse such generosity. What? Does Elder Gu have an objection?"

Gu Rong choked for a moment, then gave two dry laughs. "Of course not. It is only that Star Luo... seems to have misunderstood Your Highness's 'hospitality.' Border conflicts have been increasing by the day. Her Majesty has sent an edict asking when Your Highness will conclude your inspection and return to Spirit City."

This was both a demand for haste and a test.

How could Yang Yu fail to understand? He said directly, "I have my own arrangements. The evidence regarding Star Luo is conclusive, so what is there to fear? If they dare make a move, they will be giving us the perfect reason to settle matters completely. As for returning to the city... that will wait until I have dealt with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

He directly revealed that his next destination would be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect without concealing anything.

Gu Rong fell silent for a moment before saying darkly, "Your Highness... truly has remarkable methods. In that case, we shall await Your Highness's good news." His divine sense receded like a tide.

Yang Yu gave a cold smile. He knew Gu Rong and Tuoba Xi were now even more wary of him, yet they also dared not act rashly. They needed to report everything that had happened here to the Empress and Elder Hall as quickly as possible.

And that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to stir the waters in Spirit City as well.

He walked to the window and looked down at the Black Armored Knights patrolling the street below, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

The matters in Nuoding City were basically settled. Star Luo had been framed, Blue Lightning had submitted, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was already part of the plan. Xiao Wu had awakened, Tang San was "dead," Dai Mubai was crippled... the major enemies and chess pieces were all in place.

It was time to leave this place of beginnings and head for a greater stage.

The next stop: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Then... he would return to Spirit City and confront the highest vortex of power.

He lightly tapped the window frame, as though striking the rhythm of fate.