The Whale Emperor had come to the Huai River not out of curiosity for some spectacle, much less because it enjoyed wandering the world!
It had come specifically to see the Immortal Island Above the Clouds!
Lightning tore through his Sea of Consciousness.
Liang Qu suddenly understood.
By the Dragon Lord's account, the Whale Emperor had spent several thousand years crafting its own fish persona, maintaining that disguise with unwavering persistence. Across the entire Eastern Sea, across the whole world, not a single human or demon had seen through it.
Was it true or false?
He had heard the Old Toad mention that when the Jianghuai Dragon Palace had been built, the Old Dragon Lord had specifically hosted a banquet for the Whale Emperor. The two had been sworn close friends—yet it had all been plastic brotherhood.
But...
Everything at present was merely the "dragon shadow" in the Blood Sea speaking for itself.
They were adults already.
Was he supposed to believe whatever others said?
Whether the dragon shadow before him was truly the Dragon Lord itself had to be questioned.
With the dragon corpse lying here, did that necessarily mean it was the Dragon Lord's remnant soul speaking?
The Ze Cauldron had not received any Dragon Seed Aura at all.
Back in Dragon Abyss Path, when he had removed Long E Ying's Bloodline Shackles, Liang Qu still vividly remembered that black line within her body. He did not know whether the "generous" Dragon Lord had deliberately set a limit, or whether dragon-human hybrids were innately deficient.
He certainly would not develop hostility toward an ancient Demon Emperor because of a single sentence from a dragon he had just met.
"I truly never expected it. Great treachery wears the face of loyalty; beneath a rustic, simple exterior lies cunning deceit.