As Fangzhang Island took root in the East Sea, the Fortune Dragon connected with the spiritual leyline. The spiritual energy on Fangzhang Island grew another thirty percent denser.
But Qing Xuan knew this was only temporary. Every leyline in the Primordial Wilderness would gradually weaken with time.
Before, Fangzhang Island had been connected to Chaos, converting Chaos Qi into Innate Spiritual Qi. And Chaos Qi was inexhaustible.
Some might ask: if that was the case, why let Fangzhang Island take root in the Primordial Wilderness? Why not let it keep drifting across the East Sea? Wouldn't that be better?
Qing Xuan had considered that too, but in the end, he abandoned the impractical idea. The reason was that even if he did nothing, Fangzhang Island would take root on its own before long.
That was Fangzhang Island's destiny: sooner or later, it would become part of the Primordial Wilderness. The same was true of Penglai Island and Yingzhou Island.
Rather than let Fangzhang Island choose a place to take root on its own, Qing Xuan might as well find a place for it in advance.
Unbeknownst to him, just as Qing Xuan had settled Fangzhang Island in the East Sea, East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang received a report from the Water Tribe.
When the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation finally ended, nearly all the innate dragons had perished. Only the gravely wounded Ao Pinghe remained, holding down the East Sea.
Ao Pinghe had four sons: his eldest, Ao Guang; his second, Ao Qin; his third, Ao Run; and his fourth, Ao Shun. Once they came of age, they became the Four Seas Dragon Kings.
Because the Dragon Clan had incurred Karmic Debt during the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation, they were restricted by the Heavenly Dao. Until they washed away their Karmic Debt, their cultivation could not advance beyond the Great Luo realm; at best, they could reach the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.
Thus, although the current East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang, had been born during the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation, he was still at the peak of the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm.
This had forced the Dragon Clan to keep a low profile. After all, any Great Luo Golden Immortal could make the once-mighty Dragon Clan bow its head in submission.
Hearing the Water Tribe's report, Ao Guang's brows knitted together. "What did you say? An island suddenly appeared above the Dragon Tomb? And it's connected to the leyline beneath it?"
When the reporting member of the Water Tribe nodded repeatedly, Ao Guang went to inspect the Dragon Tomb in person. This was no trivial matter.
Before long, Ao Guang had reached a point a thousand li from the Dragon Tomb. Sure enough, he saw a Dragon-shaped Mountain rooted within it.
The Dragon Tomb, also known as the East Sea Trench, lay tens of thousands of li deeper than the seabed of the East Sea. It was the Ancient Dragon Clan's burial ground, as well as a forbidden place for the Dragon Clan.
That was why Ao Guang stood a thousand li away and didn't dare approach. Unless a member of the Dragon Clan had reached the Great Luo realm, they could not enter the Dragon Tomb. Otherwise, their soul would be utterly destroyed.
After inspecting the area, Ao Guang transformed into his True Dragon Body and headed for the surface. He wanted to see what sort of Blessed Land this suddenly appeared island was.
Before long, Ao Guang reached the surface and let out a dragon's roar that shook the heavens. It happened to startle Qing Xuan and Nuwa, who were about to enter Fangzhang Island.
Seeing a giant dragon shoot into the sky, Qing Xuan said to Nuwa, "We didn't exactly set Fangzhang Island over the Dragon Palace. How did we manage to draw out the East Sea Dragon Clan?"
Nuwa was even more direct. She called out to Ao Guang, "You there, dragon! What are you roaring about?"
As she spoke, the pressure of her peak Great Luo Golden Immortal cultivation bore down on Ao Guang.
Ao Guang immediately felt an immense pressure weighing on him. He withdrew his True Dragon Body and took on his Human Form Dao Body.
He bowed respectfully to Nuwa and said, "This humble dragon is East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang. May I ask the names of the two Daoists?"
Hearing that the visitor was East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang, Nuwa replied, "I am Nuwa. He is Qing Xuan Daojun."
Qing Xuan had never dreamed that he would become Qing Xuan Daojun at a time like this.
Thinking of how Nuwa called him "Little Gourd Vine" every other breath, while insisting others call him Daojun, Qing Xuan couldn't help shaking his head.
He leaned close to Nuwa and quietly asked, "Wasn't I Little Gourd Vine? When did I become Qing Lian Daojun?"
Nuwa whispered into Qing Xuan's ear, "Only I can call you Little Gourd Vine. Everyone else has to call you Qing Xuan Daojun."
Seeing Nuwa's serious expression, Qing Xuan gave a helpless smile. She'd taken double standards to a whole new level.
He stopped paying attention to Nuwa and bowed to Ao Guang. "May I ask what brings the East Sea Dragon King here?"
Ao Guang hurriedly returned the bow. "Qing Xuan Daojun, I'm sure you don't know, but the Water Tribe just reported that a Dragon-shaped Mountain suddenly appeared above the Dragon Tomb, reaching all the way to an immortal island on the surface."
"So I came to the surface to inspect it personally and find out whether this suddenly appeared island would take root above the Dragon Tomb."
At Ao Guang's words, Qing Xuan felt a wave of exasperation. I may not have taken root above your Dragon Palace, but I've planted myself right on top of your ancestors' graves.
But at this point, there was no way he could move Fangzhang Island. Never mind whether he could even do so; Qing Xuan simply couldn't accept yielding to the Dragon Clan.
If he showed weakness to the Dragon Clan now, wouldn't they bully him in the East Sea from then on? He had to establish his authority this time and make the Dragon Clan submit.
So he said to Ao Guang, "East Sea Dragon King, you may not know that this island is called Fangzhang Island, and it is my cultivation abode."
"As for why it took root above the Dragon Tomb, that is the Heavenly Mandate. In fact, this is a great opportunity for your Dragon Clan."
"If I remember correctly, the Dragon Tomb you mentioned is the Ancient Dragon Clan's burial ground. It is also where your Dragon Clan can inherit the legacy of the Ancient Dragon Clan."
"But your Dragon Clan cannot enter the Dragon Tomb without reaching the Great Luo realm. And the Heavenly Dao has restricted your clan, preventing your cultivation from advancing beyond the Taiyi realm."
"This creates an insoluble loop. With Fangzhang Island taking root above the Dragon Tomb, your Dragon Clan has been given a Chance of Survival—a hope of obtaining the legacy of the Ancient Dragon Clan."
Ao Guang was thoroughly confused. At last, he bowed to Qing Xuan and said, "This humble dragon doesn't quite understand. I beg Qing Lian Daojun to explain it to me."
Qing Xuan cleared his throat and continued, "It's no wonder your Dragon Clan has fallen into decline. If even you, the Dragon King, can't understand such simple reasoning, what hope is there for your sons and grandsons?"
"Let me put it this way. With Fangzhang Island rooted above the Dragon Tomb, it's connected to the Dragon Tomb. That means there's a direct passage from Fangzhang Island into the Dragon Tomb."
"This lets you bypass the great formation set up by the Ancient Dragon Clan. Even if your cultivation hasn't reached the Great Luo realm, you still have a chance to obtain their legacy. Isn't that an extraordinary opportunity for your Dragon Clan?"
At that moment, Qing Xuan couldn't help thinking again, Believe me. If you don't, I won't be able to keep making this up.
But the East Sea Dragon King had no idea that Qing Xuan was making it all up. He actually believed this was the Dragon Clan's Chance of Survival.
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