Dragon King of the East Sea Teaches His Son

"My son... my son..."

The Dragon King's voice was low and slow, each word sounding as if he were chewing on something bitter.

"Do you know what the situation is like now? Since the end of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, our race has been hated by heaven and earth, burdened by karma, and our bloodline has withered. The glory that once dominated the prehistoric Primordial Wilderness has long since turned into yesterday's smoke and clouds."

Nowadays, on this Primordial Earth, which Innate Deities or powerful being with even a slight foundation wouldn't want to step into my Dragon Clan's seemingly abundant 'Treasure Vault' and exploit it? Such exploitation, taking whatever they want, and bossing others around is a constant occurrence.

The Dragon King tightened his grip slightly, as if to imprint this cruel reality into Ao Guang's very bones:

"That Qing Huan Qinghuan has a profound background, unfathomable Dao Cultivation, and great supernatural powers. He is already one of the most outstanding beings in the Primordial Wilderness!"

Its Dao Field is located on a rare overseas immortal island, a place even ordinary Great Luo Immortals would find difficult to locate!

"What is your father, Wang Wu, compared to that powerful being? And what is my East Sea Dragon Clan in his eyes now?!"

After a pause, the bitterness in his voice intensified. "As for those two boys... my son, don't be fooled by their childish appearance! These two are clearly born with Innate Spiritual Root, naturally nurtured, and have extraordinary origins."

Moreover, it represents the face of Qing Huan! It represents the prestige of Yingzhou Island! As the saying goes, 'Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner.' Today, even if I, your father, know that the two are lying, what can I do? Expose them on the spot? Reprimand them sternly?"

The Dragon King forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, his eyes filled with profound helplessness.

"It's easy to break off relations, but what about the consequences? There's no guarantee that these two won't harbor resentment and seek revenge."

Even more terrifying is that if this offends Qing Huan... even if he has no intention of pursuing the Primordial Wilderness world, either eager to curry favor with this powerful figure or coveting the Dragon Palace's treasures.

My son, the Dragon Clan of today... is no longer capable of any scheming or turmoil! The slightest storm could capsize our karmic-laden, dilapidated ship completely!

As Ao Guang listened to his father's tearful analysis, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his fingernails almost digging into the dragon scales on his palms, and golden dragon blood seeped out faintly.

His chest heaved violently, a surge of raging dragon energy roaring within him—a fierce resistance from the deepest recesses of his bloodline against this profound humiliation!

However, when his gaze fell upon the unfathomable weariness and desolation in his father's eyes, and when he felt the heavy weight on his shoulders—the responsibility for the survival of millions of aquatic creatures—his boiling blood seemed to freeze instantly as if by ancient ice.

The clenched fist finally loosened slowly and weakly, like a sack that had lost all its strength, and the once upright body hunched over slightly.

The Dragon King felt a sharp pain in his heart when he saw his son's eyes dim instantly.

He sighed again, his voice carrying an undeniable heaviness:

"My son, put away your worthless pride. You must understand that Yuan Lian and Yuan Yu, though they look young, their auras are those of true late-stage Golden Immortal!"

For the two of them, reaching the Great Luo Realm—transcending the river of time and destiny and attaining eternal enlightenment—was not a difficult task!

"Born at the pinnacle you can only look up to, with a powerful figure like Qing Huan providing daily instruction and enjoying boundless resources... for the two of them, reaching the Daluo Golden Immortal realm is merely a matter of opportunity and time!"

The Dragon King's gaze seemed to pierce through the dazzling dome of the Crystal Palace, casting its light upon the unfathomable river of fate:

"And you... my son..."

The voice carried an almost cruel clarity and sorrow. "Your talent is exceptional, your bloodline is pure, and your father sees you as the future pillar of the Dragon Clan."

However... the boundless karmic remnants of the Dragon-Phoenix Calamity, like a maggot clinging to your bone, are eroding your Dao Foundation day and night!

Your spiritual practice has been ten or even a hundred times more difficult than that of others!

Without an extraordinary stroke of luck, without immeasurable Merit to wash away these eternal sins... the Great Luo Realm, for you... is already a mirage, something you can only dream of but never reach."

The Dragon King practically uttered the last few words through gritted teeth, his voice filled with endless heartache and resentment.

Ao Guang's body jolted violently. His father's last words were like a poisoned ice pick, piercing his heart, the place he least wanted to touch.

The shackles of karma, the hardships of spiritual practice, the impassable path ahead... these cold realities shattered his remaining pride more than any humiliation.

Looking up at his father, he saw that the dragon eyes that once burned with rage now held only deep weariness, the bitterness of resignation, and a trace of... the clarity of a "young man" who had finally come to understand reality after hundreds of thousands of years.

The dragon lowered its proud head, its voice hoarse and deep, each word carrying the weight of a thousand pounds:

"Yes... Father... I will remember your teachings."

The hundreds of thousands of years he had lived were not wasted; as the Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan, he had witnessed far too much of the darkness and laws of the Primordial Wilderness.

My father's brutal and insightful analysis today, tearing away all pretense of warmth, was like a sudden awakening.

Having understood the disparity in power, grasped the necessity of political maneuvering, seen the shackles of karma, and fully recognized the Dragon Clan's current insignificant position in the grand scheme of the Primordial Wilderness...

Looking at the complex yet subdued light in his eldest son's eyes, the Dragon King knew that his heart-wrenching words had finally had an effect.

He waved his hand wearily. "Go down and focus on your cultivation. Don't think about anything else."

Ao Guang bowed deeply once more, then turned and slowly left the meditation room, each step heavy with emotion.

In the quiet room, only the Dragon King of the East Sea remained. He slowly walked to the huge crystal window, outside which lay the magnificent and dreamlike deep sea, yet with turbulent undercurrents.

I stretched out my finger and gently ran it across the cold window frame, leaving a barely perceptible watermark on my fingertip.

The light refracted by the crystal fell on his weathered and weary face, reflecting the cracked and decaying foundations beneath the seemingly immortal palace of the Dragon Clan.

The deep sea was dark and swallowed all light, just like the Dragon Clan's gloomy and thorny future, which weighed heavily on his heart, leaving no trace of its former glory.

Di Jun and Tai Yi, the Innate Deities transformed from three-legged golden crows, awoke from their seclusion deep within the Solar Star.

The tremor that Kalpa surged within Di Jun's heart like lava beneath a dormant volcano, forcing him to suddenly open his eyes, which held the Solar True Fire.

"A full two Kalpa... has the source of this tremor finally arrived in the mortal realm?"

Di Jun's heart surged with emotion, and his Spiritual Sense reached out into the vast void like a tidal wave.

"Eldest Brother!"

Tai Yi suddenly stood up, his face filled with barely suppressed elation. Golden flames flickered around him, illuminating his secluded cultivation place with brilliance.

"That pulling force, vast and boundless, originates from beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens! You must have sensed it too?"

"Indeed!"

Di Jun let out a long roar, the sound shaking the star core.

"This is our chance to prove ourselves, brothers. Delay might cause unforeseen changes. Let's go!"

Before he finished speaking, his body had already transformed into a crimson-gold rainbow that tore through the ancient galaxy, piercing straight into the sky.

Without hesitation, Tai Yi followed closely behind with Jin Hong. The two dazzling streaks of light swept across the endless Sea of Stars in an instant, reaching the pinnacle of the Primordial Wilderness —outside the Thirty-three Heavens.