Ao Guang's brows furrowed when he heard this. Then, his face filled with shock, he said, "Does Daojun Qing Xuan mean that Ao Gan and his eight brothers have all reached the Zenith Heaven Realm?"
There was no need for Qing Xuan to answer. Ao Gan and the others had already released their True Dragon Might and transformed into human form before Qing Xuan.
First, they respectfully bowed to Qing Xuan. Then they paid their respects to the East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang. Only after that did Ao Gan speak.
"Dragon King, all eight of us brothers reached the Zenith Heaven Realm nine years ago. That was when we entered the Dragon Tomb under our master's arrangements."
"Moreover, we successfully obtained the Ancient Dragon Clan's inheritance inside the Dragon Tomb. We have now forged True Dragon Bodies."
"This journey to the Dragon Tomb also helped us understand our master's good intentions. Although he could open the passage to the Dragon Tomb whenever he wished, he didn't let us rush into things."
"Otherwise, even if we had entered the Dragon Tomb, we wouldn't have obtained the inheritance. We might even have died inside. Dragons below the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm simply can't withstand the Ancient Dragon Clan's inheritance with their physical bodies."
Ao Gan's words plunged Ao Guang into deep thought. He didn't know how Qing Xuan had helped Ao Gan and his eight brothers break through to the Zenith Heaven Realm.
But one thing was perfectly clear to Ao Guang: this kind of opportunity wasn't available to every member of the Dragon Clan.
It was even possible that no one else in the Dragon Clan would ever get such an opportunity, apart from Ao Gan's Eight Dragons. Ao Guang couldn't help feeling some regret.
If he hadn't worried that Qing Xuan was deceiving him back then, he should have sent his newborn eldest son along with them.
Although Ao Guang himself had a True Dragon Body, his Dragon Queen was not a true dragon. Thus, the Dragon Son she bore didn't have a pure True Dragon Bloodline.
If he could use this opportunity to awaken his eldest son's True Dragon Bloodline and obtain the Ancient Dragon Clan's inheritance, wouldn't that give hope to the East Sea—and to the entire Four Seas Dragon Clan?
At this thought, Ao Guang immediately knelt before Qing Xuan and said, "Please forgive this little dragon, Daojun Qing Xuan. I shouldn't have doubted you."
"This little dragon doesn't dare ask for your forgiveness. I only beg you to give me another chance and let my eldest son, Ao Jia, study under you."
"If you agree, I'm willing to offer ninety percent of the treasures stored in the East Sea Dragon Palace as an Apprenticeship Gift."
Qing Xuan hadn't expected Ao Guang to truly offer up so much. He didn't even dare imagine what ninety percent of the East Sea Dragon Palace's treasures amounted to.
Before Qing Xuan could decide, the Other Three Sea Dragon Kings arrived one after another. They had also heard their eldest brother's words.
Knowing their eldest brother well, they understood that if he was willing to make such a decision, then the opportunity at stake must be extraordinary.
What was more, Ao Gan and the others had already obtained True Dragon Bodies and the Ancient Dragon Clan's inheritance. The Other Three Sea Dragon Kings knew all the more clearly what they ought to do.
They knelt right before Qing Xuan and said they, too, were willing to offer ninety percent of their treasures, as long as Qing Xuan accepted their eldest sons as disciples.
Seeing this, Qing Xuan smiled and said, "Aren't you worried that if I take your sons as disciples, I'll have them replace you and rule the Four Seas one day?"
Ao Guang froze for a moment. He had only asked for his son to study under Qing Xuan and hadn't dared hope that Qing Xuan would take him as a disciple.
Now that Qing Xuan had said this, joy immediately appeared on his face. He said, "If my eldest son could become your disciple, Daojun, why would I mind giving him my position as Dragon King of the East Sea?"
"After all, from the moment you established your abode in the East Sea, the East Sea Dragon Clan has been willing to obey you. What difference would it make who held the title of Dragon King?"
"If he became the Dragon King of the East Sea, and you let this little dragon retire somewhere secluded on Fangzhang Island, that would be a tremendous blessing for me, Ao Guang."
Seeing how firmly their eldest brother had declared himself, the Other Three Sea Dragon Kings followed suit and each pledged their support.
They even offered to swear a Heavenly Dao Oath that the Dragon Clan would forever serve Qing Xuan, but he refused them outright.
The Dragon Clan bore immense Karmic Debt. Qing Xuan didn't want to take on that mess. At most, he could help teach a few dragons. That was already the limit of what he was willing to do.
Qing Xuan also agreed to let the Four Seas Dragon Kings send their eldest sons to Fangzhang Island. Whether they could become his disciples would depend on their own fortunes.
Of course, Qing Xuan had no intention of teaching them personally. Instead, he would have Ao Gan and his seven brothers teach them first.
If they could raise their cultivation to the Taiyi Peak Realm within ten thousand years, Qing Xuan would take them as disciples and help them break through to the Zenith Heaven Realm.
If they failed to meet his requirements, Qing Xuan would give them two choices. They could either leave Fangzhang Island and return to the Four Seas Dragon Palace, or enter the Dragon Tomb through the passage he had opened and try their luck.
Qing Xuan also refused the Four Seas Dragon Kings' offer of ninety percent of their treasures. He simply asked them to prepare some modest gifts as a token of their goodwill.
This wasn't because Qing Xuan was trying to appear high-minded. He simply didn't want to incur such a heavy karmic burden. If he really accepted such lavish gifts from the Four Seas Dragon Clan, he would likely be bound to them for good.
After sending off the Four Seas Dragon Kings, Qing Xuan returned to fishing from the cliff as if nothing had happened.
As for Ao Gan, he began following Qing Xuan's instructions, with his seven brothers taking up positions at the eight directions of Fangzhang Island and fulfilling their duty as its Guardian Divine Dragons.
Before long, Qing Xuan felt a fish take the bait. He gave the rod a gentle tug and saw a swordfish several hundred zhang long hanging from his hook.
The swordfish hadn't gained spiritual awareness, but its cultivation had already reached the Earth Immortal Realm. Unfortunately, this was the Primordial World—and, moreover, the Primordial World before the Witch-Demon Calamity.
Had this been after the Witch-Demon Calamity, a creature with this level of cultivation would have already achieved Form Transformation. But now, it hadn't even developed spiritual awareness.
Qing Xuan couldn't help sighing. "So this is the Primordial World. The starting point of the Primordial World is the end point of other worlds. That's no exaggeration."
With a casual wave of his hand, he took the best cuts from the swordfish and tossed the rest back into the East Sea.
Carrying his haul of top-grade swordfish meat, Qing Xuan hummed a tune as he headed toward his courtyard.
Meanwhile, deep beneath the sea below the cliff, Ao Guang was giving instructions to several members of the Dragon Clan. "Remember, whenever you see Daojun Qing Lian fishing from now on, do what you did today."
"And be sure to get the balance right. Make sure Daojun enjoys his fishing, but also that he catches something. If you handle this well, there'll be plenty in it for you."
The two dragons nodded excitedly. They had already resolved to corral the most delicious members of the Water Tribe in the East Sea for Qing Xuan.
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