Candle Dragon carefully savored Di Jiang's words. The more he thought about them, the more profound they seemed. Unite the living beings of the world, establish a clan to cleanse its karmic burden, and gather fortune!
This was practically a broad, sunlit road to salvation for the Dragon Clan, which had struggled in darkness for countless epochs! The road ahead would undoubtedly be arduous, but at least now they had a clear direction and hope!
As Di Jiang watched Candle Dragon, deeply moved and even faintly excited, his own thoughts raced. He had only meant to flatter him a little so he could ask for some treasures. Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, he seemed to have truly revealed one of the heavenly secrets of this Tribulation Cycle.
He was the Witch Clan's leader, while Candle Dragon might truly become the Demon Clan's leader! The jest, "In all the world, only you, my lord, and I, Cao, are true heroes," might actually play out in the Primordial World!
He couldn't help feeling a little self-mocking. Still, the karma from guiding the Dragon Clan was truly immense! The Demon Clan might only dominate for one Tribulation Cycle and inevitably decline in the end, but for the Dragon Clan, now burdened by karma and struggling to survive, this was nothing less than timely aid in their hour of need—a supreme opportunity capable of changing their clan's fate! Such karma couldn't be easily repaid with just a few Innate Spiritual Treasures.
Candle Dragon naturally understood this as well. There was no such thing as a free lunch. Di Jiang was being so helpful for a reason. Suppressing his excitement, he looked at Di Jiang solemnly and asked the crucial question:
"Fellow Daoist Di Jiang, your guidance today is more precious than Mount Buzhou. However, there is something I don't understand. You and the Dragon Clan have never had any dealings. Why would you tell me this heavenly secret concerning the rise and fall of my clan?"
Here it comes! Di Jiang thought to himself, but his expression remained composed. He had prepared his explanation long ago.
Di Jiang smiled slightly and didn't answer directly. Instead, he slowly raised his right hand. A wisp of profound Law power began to flow at his fingertip. It carried a strange quality that twisted perception, as if it could speed up or slow down everything around them—the Time Law he had inherited from his Ancestral Witch origins and begun to comprehend!
Compared with Candle Dragon's vast power over time, which governed day and night and the seasons, Di Jiang's wisp was still immature and superficial. But its essence came from the great Pangu himself; in its inscrutability, it surpassed even Candle Dragon's Time Law!
"Fellow Daoist Candle Dragon, to be honest, I too have dabbled in the Time Dao. I have long heard that you are the foremost master of the Time Law, and I have admired you for a long time. I came today partly to pay you a visit, and partly hoping to discuss the Dao with you and compare our insights. What I said earlier was merely a thought that occurred to me in the course of our discussion, and I mentioned it in passing."
Di Jiang casually dispersed the Law power at his fingertip and spoke calmly. His explanation was wonderfully crafted! He had lightly dismissed revealing a heavenly secret as something that had occurred to him during their discussion. That explained how he knew of the Dragon Clan's future opportunity: he, too, understood the Time Law and had glimpsed something that Candle Dragon might not have been able to see.
He had also clarified the main purpose of his visit: to discuss the Dao. As for asking for Spiritual Treasures? He didn't mention it at all, making himself seem broad-minded, as though he hadn't come for such worldly possessions in the first place.
Sure enough, when Candle Dragon saw Di Jiang display his Time Law, the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished completely!
"So that's how it is!"
Candle Dragon suddenly understood, and his gaze toward Di Jiang grew warmer.
"You've also studied the Time Dao. No wonder you possess such remarkable foresight! It seems I was like a frog at the bottom of a well. It is my good fortune to discuss the Dao with you!"
He completely believed Di Jiang's explanation. A Primordial Origin Golden Immortal who cultivated the Time Law had seen fragments of the future that Candle Dragon himself had failed to discern, perhaps because he was weighed down by karma or simply had a different perspective.
And offering a kind reminder while discussing the Dao made perfect sense! As for the Dragon Clan's possessions, they probably didn't amount to much in the eyes of a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal and a true heir of Pangu. He likely didn't care for them at all!
Little did he know that Di Jiang really had come for those possessions!
Once he understood this, Candle Dragon felt reassured, and his gratitude and admiration for Di Jiang grew even stronger.
"Haha, you flatter me. My Dao is shallow, and I still have much to learn from you," Di Jiang said smoothly.
For a time, the atmosphere in the Crystal Palace's main hall was warm and cordial, host and guest getting along in harmony. The two Primordial Origin Golden Immortals stopped discussing the broader affairs of the Primordial World and began an in-depth exchange on the profound and mysterious Time Dao.
With the Pangu Inheritance and his perspective shaped by several different Laws, Di Jiang often offered insights that made Candle Dragon's eyes light up.
And Candle Dragon's accumulated experience and understanding of the essence of time benefited Di Jiang greatly, deepening his comprehension of the Time Law!
The profound, rhythmic aura of the Time Law gradually settled within the Crystal Palace, and Di Jiang and Candle Dragon came back to themselves from their deep discussion and insights. Both felt they had gained a great deal. Di Jiang had become more precise in grasping the subtleties of time's flow, while Candle Dragon felt his perspective had broadened.
The discussion was over, but the atmosphere remained harmonious. Di Jiang leisurely picked up his now-cold jade cup and sipped his drink, while occasionally glancing at Candle Dragon from the corner of his eye, quietly hoping:
I've laid the groundwork for so long—flattered him, revealed a heavenly secret, and discussed the Dao with him. Surely this old dragon will show some appreciation, right? He doesn't have to give me ten or eight treasures. Just a few High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures would be enough for me to head home!
Di Jiang felt he had dropped more than enough hints. He had shown the Dragon Clan a broad, sunlit road and solved their greatest problem with karma. Shouldn't they show some gratitude with a few worldly possessions in return for such a great debt of gratitude?
However, no matter how much Di Jiang had calculated, he hadn't anticipated that Candle Dragon's thoughts would be even more convoluted than his own.
Candle Dragon's mind was also churning. Fellow Daoist Di Jiang's kindness is truly greater than the heavens! His guidance has shown me the way, and his grace is like giving me a new life! I must repay this debt of gratitude lavishly!
Candle Dragon's divine sense swept through the Dragon Clan's treasury. It did indeed contain more than ten High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures, all fine treasures collected during the Dragon Clan's heyday. But in the next moment, he dismissed the idea himself:
No, no! What kind of person is Fellow Daoist Di Jiang? A true heir of Pangu, a Primordial Origin Golden Immortal, with such lofty vision! He can casually reveal the heavenly secret of establishing a clan. How could he care for mere High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures? If I offer such ordinary things as thanks, won't I make the Dragon Clan seem stingy? It would be an insult to him!
In Candle Dragon's eyes, Di Jiang had lowered himself by bringing up Spiritual Treasures. As the one who had benefited, he couldn't offer something beneath his guest's station and make him feel slighted.
If he was going to show his gratitude, he should wait until the Dragon Clan had truly united the myriad clans, established a great clan, gained merit, and risen again. Then he could offer a Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure worthy of Di Jiang's kindness. That would be a grand gesture and would fully repay this immense debt of gratitude!
So Candle Dragon suppressed his urge to offer thanks at once and solemnly clasped his hands toward Di Jiang again, speaking with utmost sincerity: "It was my great fortune to discuss the Dao with you today and receive your guidance on the road ahead. I and the Dragon Clan are deeply grateful! We will remember your kindness for now. Once the Dragon Clan has made some progress, we will surely repay you handsomely!"
Candle Dragon put particular emphasis on "repay you handsomely," hinting that a great gift would surely come in the future. At the words, the hand holding Di Jiang's jade cup stiffened ever so slightly, and he nearly failed to maintain his smile.
Repay me handsomely? In the future???
Looking at Candle Dragon's sincere expression—the look of someone who understood everything and was certain that anything offered now would be beneath Di Jiang's station—Di Jiang felt his heart bleeding!
Who wants your grand repayment in the future?! I want High-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures now! Even just one would do! Di Jiang roared inwardly, but outwardly he still had to force a carefree smile!
"Heh, you're too kind, Fellow Daoist. Discussing and comparing our understanding of the Dao benefits us both. As for guiding you on the road ahead, I merely spoke offhand. It doesn't warrant such lavish thanks."
Di Jiang sounded calm and carefree, but inside he was ranting furiously: Does this old dragon misunderstand the meaning of 'repay me handsomely'? Or does he think I'm some sage who regards Spiritual Treasures as dirt? I've still got four younger brothers waiting to be fed and a creditor waiting for me to pay him back!
But to preserve his image as a lofty expert, Di Jiang simply couldn't bring himself to say, "Give me the Spiritual Treasures already!"
For a time, the atmosphere in the main hall turned rather awkward. One of them thought giving Spiritual Treasures now would be too shabby and insisted on waiting until the future; the other desperately wanted something now but was too proud to say so.
Both felt that they had considered things thoroughly. Looking at Candle Dragon's confident expression, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'll never treat you unfairly in the future," Di Jiang knew it would be difficult to pry any Spiritual Treasures from the old dragon today. He sighed inwardly and could only rise to take his leave:
"It was most rewarding to discuss the Dao with you today. I have matters to attend to back in the mountains, so I won't stay any longer."
Seeing that Di Jiang was leaving, Candle Dragon didn't try to detain him. He personally escorted Di Jiang out of the Dragon Palace, still promising that he would repay him handsomely someday.
After leaving the Dragon Palace and returning to the surface of the sea, Di Jiang gazed out over the vast East Sea and felt a pang of frustration.
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