At the same time, they all realized they had been manipulated. But the calamity had hidden the workings of heaven, leaving them unable to divine the truth.
Yet what difference did knowing make now? Everything that should have happened—and everything that should not have—had already happened.
Deep in the Desolate Wilderness of the Northern Lands, Shi Hao sighed. "The Ten Fiends' treasured arts look downright feeble next to this.
"I've roasted plenty of dragons, phoenixes, and qilin that didn't know better over the years, but I never gave them a proper look.
"Then again... those three won't survive either. Maybe..."
Willow Tree said nothing. For an instant, its branches seemed to pause in space.
"They'd make decent mounts!"
Shi Yi approached from afar. Clearly, he had plans of his own.
At that moment, a merciless eye appeared high in the heavens, vast enough to fill half the sky.
Its gaze was cold and indifferent as it fixed on Ancestral Dragon, Ancestral Phoenix, and Ancestral Qilin.
"Haha! I, Ancestral Dragon, destroyed the Dragon Race and brought ruin to the hundred Innate races. So be it. In that case—"
Ancestral Dragon trembled, then suddenly threw back his head and roared, "Heavenly Dao, bear witness! From this day forward, the Dragon Race shall guard Hong Huang's four seas and govern its winds and rains. I, Ancestral Dragon, shall merge my body with Hong Huang to mend its shattered heavens and earth!"
His words echoed across the eastern sky. A supreme power descended, accompanied by a distant heavenly voice, and the Dragon Ancestor's immense nine-clawed Divine Dragon body and Primordial Spirit dissolved into the world.
At once, a third of the baleful aura between heaven and earth in the east vanished, and the eastern lands were formed anew.
"Haha! Heavenly Dao, bear