The Ancient Dragon Emperor gazed at him. In those golden eyes that seemed capable of seeing through all things, a trace of indescribable heaviness flashed.
A long, faint sigh echoed through the empty hall, as though it had crossed through eternity.
"After your fall all those years ago, that war became ever more perilous, ever more brutal..." The Dragon Emperor's voice sank, laden with grave recollection.
"Our enemies were far stronger and more frenzied than we had imagined. In the end, heaven collapsed and earth split, and the Ancient Dragon Clan... shattered into fragments, its glory no more."
At those words, the Primordial Ancient Dragon's body trembled ever so slightly. The last glimmer of hope in his eyes slowly went out.
Though he had long anticipated it, when the cruelest answer was truly confirmed by the Dragon Emperor himself, the impact still struck like mountains collapsing and seas roaring.
Yet the Dragon Emperor's next words made him abruptly raise his head.
"Had you not appeared before this, the Ancient Dragon Clan... might truly have been utterly annihilated, vanishing into the river of time."
The Dragon Emperor's imposing gaze fell upon the Primordial Ancient Dragon. His tone suddenly became solemn and forceful as he continued, "But you are still here! Since you have returned, it means that the bloodline and will of our Dragon Clan have not been severed!"
Hearing this, the hollow emptiness in the Primordial Ancient Dragon's heart seemed to be filled anew.
That was right. He was still alive, so the Dragon Clan still existed!
He drew a deep breath and pressed all his surging emotions deep into his heart. No longer did he ask about those memories destined to be unbearably heavy. Instead, he turned slightly and solemnly introduced Lin Fan to the Ancient Dragon Emperor.
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