The Dragon Emperor Avatar's "meticulous instruction" lasted for nearly half an hour.
This time was extremely short for Lin Ming and his companions, but for the three Dragon Kings who had lived in luxury and dominated their respective regions for thousands of years, this short period of time felt like several centuries.
At this moment, their proud and powerful dragon bodies were so fragile and vulnerable in front of that Purple-Gold Dragon Shadow; their vast and mighty Dou Sheng cultivation was crushed into pieces by the absolute difference in power level; their spatial talent, which they relied on for survival and looked down on their peers, was completely sealed by the emperor's pressure from the source of their bloodline.
Seeing this, Lin Ming felt that the time was almost right. With a slight thought, the enormous dragon shadow swung its massive tail again, swatting the three disheveled figures down from mid-air as if swatting flies.
"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" Three heavy thuds echoed as the North Dragon King, West Dragon King, and South Dragon King, like three dead dogs, slammed heavily onto the incredibly hard floor of the main hall, kicking up a few specks of dust.
At this moment, they struggled, but even maintaining their kneeling position was extremely difficult. In the end, they could only lie helplessly on the ground, panting heavily. Blood kept seeping from their mouths and noses and from the cracks in their broken dragon scales, staining the ground beneath them red.
At this moment, the Three Great Dragon Kings looked extremely miserable.
The North Dragon King's sinister face was covered in blood and bruises, his magnificent black robe was tattered, revealing the wounds beneath, where the skin was torn and the Bai Long were even visible.
The West Dragon King's crimson hair was stuck together with Congealed Blood, one eye was swollen to the point of being only a slit, and the scorching aura around him had become as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.
The South Dragon King appeared to have the least severe injuries, but his internal organs were severely damaged. Every breath he took was accompanied by excruciating pain, and his feigned naivety had long been replaced by extreme pain and fear.
Their current appearance would be so unrecognizable that even if their long-deceased fathers were to be resurrected, let alone outsiders, they probably wouldn't recognize these three puddles of mud as the Three Great Dragon Kings once dominated the Void Space!
At this moment, the three of them were weak and exhausted, with countless broken bones and muscles, and they were practically half dead.
Seeing their miserable state, Lin Ming signaled the Dragon Emperor Avatar to stop for the time being.
Thus, the hundred-foot-tall dragon shadow hovered in the air, its indifferent dragon eyes looking down. The invisible pressure still weighed on the hearts of the three Dragon King like a mountain, preventing them from even having the slightest thought of resistance or escape.
Lin Ming slowly stepped forward, stood in front of the three, looked down at them, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth:
"Hey, aren't these the mighty and arrogant North Dragon King, West Dragon King, and South Dragon King? How come they've turned into such pathetic creatures in such a short time? Where did that aura of wanting to flatten East Dragon Island, kill me, and leave no one alive here go?"
Lin Ming's humiliating words pierced the ears of the Three Great Dragon Kings like steel needles.
As the three Dragon Kings of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, how could they have ever suffered such a humiliating disgrace? Under normal circumstances, they would have already torn the speaker to shreds. But at this moment, feeling the Dragon Emperor Avatar hanging above their heads like the Sword of Damocles, and feeling the excruciating pain and bone-deep fear all over their bodies, they could only suppress their endless humiliation and resentment deep in their hearts.
The North Dragon King gritted his teeth, blood seeping from between them, and remained silent. The West Dragon King let out a low, beast-like whimper, but dared not roar again. The South Dragon King lowered his head even further, trying to minimize his presence.
At this moment, all three of them unanimously chose to... play dead. They couldn't fight back, and they dared not curse. Apart from playing dead, they didn't know how to deal with this humiliating situation.
Seeing their ostrich-like attitude, Lin Ming was too lazy to waste any more words on pointless mockery.
At this moment, Lin Ming's expression turned solemn, and his voice became icy and direct, like the biting wind of winter, sweeping through the hearts of the Three Great Dragon Kings:
"I don't have time to waste here playing this silent game. Now, I'm giving you two choices." With that, Lin Ming held up two fingers, his tone resolute and brooking no argument.
"Submit! Or... die!" The word "die," coupled with the tangible Killing Intent emanating from the Dragon Emperor Avatar, caused the Three Great Dragon Kings to tremble violently, as if they had fallen into an ice cave!
Surrender or die?
This choice weighed heavily on their minds, like two mountains pressing down on them.
Faced with this utterly invincible Dragon Emperor Avatar, resistance would only result in annihilation, a fact they had already deeply experienced during their brutal beating. Even ants cling to life, let alone Dou Sheng Dragon King with a long lifespan? They didn't want to die!
But... surrender? Surrender to a human boy?
They are the supreme Ancient Void Dragon Kings of the Void! Their bloodline is noble, their strength boundless, and they have ruled over this Dragon Island for nearly a thousand years! To make them lower their proud heads and serve an Eight-Star Dou Venerate as their master? That would be worse than death for them! The pride of the Dragon Clan will not allow them to do so!
The Three Great Dragon Kings were torn apart by intense inner turmoil, their faces contorted with a complex mix of emotions: humiliation, resentment, fear, and the will to survive. This turmoil plunged them into profound pain and silence.
Taking in their expressions, Lin Ming knew exactly what they were thinking. However, his meticulous plan, now even involving the precious Dragon Emperor Essence Blood, was certainly not intended to kill these three top-tier combatants.
His goal was to subdue these Three Great Dragon Kings, unify the Ancient Dragon Clan without bloodshed, and use this powerful force to carry out his subsequent plan to plunder the Soul Hall.
Moreover, if he were to actually kill these Three Great Dragon Kings, although Zhu Kun might not say anything, it would ultimately leave a thorn between him and the Ancient Dragon Clan.
So teaching a lesson is fine, but killing someone changes the nature of the crime.
Then, Lin Ming spoke again, his voice softening but carrying a guiding mystery:
"I know you are unwilling to accept this, and you may also be curious about why I possess the Dragon Emperor's Inverse Scale and can summon the Dragon Emperor Avatar. I'm sure you've also been wondering whether His Majesty Zhu Kun, who has been missing for thousands of years, is still alive?"
These words immediately attracted the attention of the Three Great Dragon Kings, who struggled to raise their heads and look at Lin Ming.
Facing their puzzled and shocked gazes, Lin Ming slowly said, "Today, I will satisfy your curiosity. The Dragon Emperor's Inverse Scale my brows, and the Dragon Emperor Essence Blood needed to summon this clone, were personally bestowed upon me by Your Majesty the Zhu Kun His Majesty the Dragon Emperor, who has been missing for so long and whom you believe to have perished!"
"What?!"
"Your His Majesty... is he really still alive?!"
The Three Great Dragon Kings were speechless, their eyes flashing with disbelief. This news was even more shocking than the beating they had received!
"His Majesty is not dead at all!" Lin Ming continued, his tone tinged with reverence.
"His disappearance over these thousands of years was to plan something... earth-shattering, a matter of paramount importance concerning the future of the Ancient Dragon Clan and even the entire continent! Think about it yourselves, what kind of thing could be worth a Nine-Star Dou Saint who was already at the pinnacle of the continent thousands of years ago, going to such lengths to hide for thousands of years and expend endless effort to plan it?"
Lin Ming's words were like a spark, instantly igniting a forbidden conjecture in the minds of the Three Great Dragon Kings!
Nine-Star Dou Saint... a plan conceived over thousands of years... concerning the future of the continent...
These keywords, when strung together, point to a possibility they never dared to imagine— the Dou Di Realm!
That ancient realm, which became a legend after that time, has been pursued by countless brilliant minds, yet none have been able to reach it!
"A... Dou Di?!" The North Dragon King's voice was hoarse and trembling violently. The West Dragon King South Dragon King's pupils also shrank, and their breathing almost stopped.
This conjecture is too terrifying, but if the object belongs to the unfathomable old Dragon Emperor Zhu Kun, it seems... not entirely impossible!
Seeing the stunned expressions on the three men's faces, as if struck by lightning, Lin Ming knew the time was right. He changed his tone, adding a touch of icy coldness, "It seems you all guessed it." Then, Lin Ming fixed his gaze on the Three Great Dragon Kings and said, "What do you think your fate will be when His Majesty emerges from seclusion after His Majesty success?"
Having finished speaking, Lin Ming's gaze sharpened as he fixed it on the North Dragon King, saying, "North Dragon King, your lineage has been in charge of the Ancient Dragon Clan's criminal law for generations. You should know better than anyone what the punishment should be for splitting the race and establishing oneself as king while the Dragon Emperor is still alive!!"
The North Dragon King trembled violently, his face turning deathly pale!
Of course he knew! According to the strictest clan rules of the Ancient Dragon Clan, the crime of splitting was the most heinous crime! The punishment was... to pull out the dragon's tendons, peel off its scales, be sent to the Dragon Execution Platform, suffer the punishment of being cut into a thousand pieces, and finally have the Dragon Soul scattered, its body and soul destroyed, never to be reincarnated!
The mere thought of that terrifying punishment caused even a ruthless man like the North Dragon King to break out in a cold sweat, instantly soaking his tattered robes.
The West Dragon King South Dragon King were also pale-faced. Although they directly controlled the penal code, they were well aware of its cruelty.
"It seems you all know the truth perfectly well."
Lin Ming's voice was indifferent, "So, even if I were to show you mercy and let you leave, how long do you think you could remain carefree? A hundred years? That's wishful thinking! Your uncle will be able to emerge from seclusion in less than a hundred years."
After a pause, Lin Ming dropped another bombshell. "Moreover, before that, in less than ten years, Zi Yan will be the first to successfully emerge from seclusion."
"You think that Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit they mentioned was just a lie? It's real. Zi Yan and I discovered it a few months ago in that Ancient Ruins in the Beast Domain. Of course, the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan also discovered it, but we slaughtered them all to prevent the information from leaking out."
After a pause, Lin Ming continued, "Zi Yan is currently refining the complete Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit under her uncle's personal Protector! With her uncle's extraordinary abilities, Zi Yan will be able to completely absorb the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit within ten years at most. At that time, she will achieve a supreme physique surpassing even the Pure-Blooded Dragon Emperor — the Dragon Phoenix Body! Becoming the true and only supreme being in the Magical Beast World! At that time, with her status and strength, it will be perfectly justified for her to personally cleanse the sect and execute you three traitors!"
Zi Yan... Dragon Phoenix Body... Cleanse the house...
Each word struck like a heavy hammer against the already fragile mental defenses of the Three Great Dragon Kings. With the old Dragon Emperor Zhu Kun hanging like the Sword of Damocles before them, and Zi Yan, who was about to become Dragon Phoenix, sharpening her blade behind them, they seemed to have reached a dead end, with no hope of survival in sight.
Just when they were in utter despair, Lin Ming First Revolution, tossing away their only, tempting glimmer of hope:
"Therefore, your only chance now is to immediately, right now, bring the Ancient Dragon Clan back to unity! Show your remorse with concrete actions! Only then can your crimes be mitigated! Then, atone for your sins through meritorious service! As long as you perform enough merit, I can put in a good word for you with Zi Yan. In that case, at worst, you will be spared! Moreover, with your strength and familiarity with the clan, as long as you sincerely submit, it will not be difficult for you to obtain an elder position within the unified Ancient Dragon Clan in the future."
At this moment, Lin Ming's gaze swept over the three of them, his voice carrying a final ultimatum:
"So, choose! Do you want to resist to the end, suffer the most severe punishments according to clan rules, be nailed to the pillar of shame of the Ancient Dragon Clan forever, and be annihilated, body and soul? Or do you want to submit now, atone for your sins, and secure a future elder's seat and a chance to live out your days in peace?"
"Choose one of the two, give me your answer!"
Lin Ming's voice echoed in the hall like a final judgment. Life and death, glory and shame, the path ahead were clearly laid out before the Three Great Dragon Kings. The air seemed to freeze at that moment.