The Sincerity of the Four Seas Dragon Kings

Upon hearing this, Ao Guang couldn't help but frown, then spoke with a face full of shock: "What Qing Xuan Daojun means is that Ao Gan and his eight brothers have all reached the Zenith Heaven Realm?"

This question didn't even need Qing Xuan to answer, because by now Ao Gan and the others had already released their True Dragon Might, transformed into human form, and come before Qing Xuan.

First, they respectfully performed a grand bow to Qing Xuan, then greeted the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang. After that, Ao Gan spoke.

"Dragon King, all eight of us brothers reached the Zenith Heaven Realm nine years ago. It was only then that we entered the Dragon Tomb under our teacher's arrangement."

"And within the Dragon Tomb, we successfully obtained the inheritance of the Ancient Dragon Clan. Now we have forged our True Dragon Bodies."

"This trip to the Dragon Tomb also made us understand our teacher's good intentions. Although our teacher has the ability to open a passage to the Dragon Tomb at any time, he didn't let us rush for quick success."

"Otherwise, even if we entered the Dragon Tomb, we wouldn't have obtained the inheritance, and might even have died inside it. Because for dragons below the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, their physical bodies simply cannot withstand the inheritance of the Ancient Dragon Clan."

Ao Gan's words plunged Ao Guang into deep thought. Although he didn't know how Qing Xuan had enabled Ao Gan and his eight brothers to break through to the Zenith Heaven Realm, there was one thing Ao Guang was very clear about—such an opportunity was not something every dragon could obtain.

It was even highly possible that, aside from Ao Gan's Eight Dragons, the Dragon Clan would never have such a chance again. This inevitably made Ao Guang feel a bit regretful.

If he hadn't worried back then that Qing Xuan was deceiving him, he should have sent his eldest son, who had just been born, along with them.

Although Ao Guang himself possessed a True Dragon Body, his Dragon Queen was not a True Dragon. So the Dragon Son born to them did not have pure True Dragon bloodline either.

If he could have used this opportunity to awaken his eldest son's True Dragon Bloodline and obtain the Ancient Dragon Clan inheritance, wouldn't his East Sea—and even the entire Four Seas Dragon Clan—have had hope?

Thinking of this, Ao Guang knelt directly before Qing Xuan and spoke: "Please forgive this Young Dragon's offense, Qing Xuan Daojun. This Young Dragon should not have doubted you."

"This Young Dragon dares not beg for your forgiveness, only asks that you give this Young Dragon another chance. Let this Young Dragon's eldest son, Ao Jia, enter your tutelage for cultivation."

"As long as Daojun agrees, this Young Dragon is willing to offer nine-tenths of the East Sea Dragon Palace's treasures as an Apprenticeship Gift, presented to Daojun."

Qing Xuan hadn't expected Ao Guang to go all out like this. Nine-tenths of the East Sea Dragon Palace's treasures—what that represented was something even Qing Xuan dared not imagine.

Before Qing Xuan could decide, the Other Three Sea Dragon Kings also arrived one after another and overheard their elder brother's words.

Knowing their elder brother's character, they understood that if he was willing to make such a decision, the opportunity involved must be immeasurable.

Moreover, since Ao Gan and his eight brothers had already obtained True Dragon Bodies and the Ancient Dragon Clan inheritance, the Other Three Sea Dragon Kings knew even better what they should do.

They knelt directly before Qing Xuan, expressing that they too were willing to offer nine-tenths of their treasures, only asking Qing Xuan to accept their eldest sons into his tutelage.

Seeing this, Qing Xuan smiled and said: "Aren't you afraid that This Daoist will take your sons as disciples and one day have them replace you in ruling the Four Seas?"

Ao Guang was stunned at first. After all, he only sought to have his son enter Qing Xuan's tutelage, not daring to hope that Qing Xuan would take his son as a personal disciple.

Now hearing Qing Xuan say such words, his face instantly lit up with joy, and he said to Qing Xuan:

"If this Young Dragon's eldest son can worship Daojun as his teacher, what harm is there in this Young Dragon yielding the position of East Sea Dragon King to him?"

"After all, from the moment Daojun established his dojo in the East Sea, the East Sea Dragon Clan has been willing to obey Daojun's commands. What difference does being Dragon King make?"

"If he becomes the East Sea Dragon King, and Daojun allows this Young Dragon to retire to a secluded corner of Fangzhang Island, that would be this Ao Guang's greatest fortune."

Seeing their elder brother's resolute stance, the Other Three Sea Dragon Kings followed suit, each making their own declarations.

They even wanted to swear a Heavenly Dao Oath on the spot, pledging the Dragon Clan's eternal allegiance to Qing Xuan. But Qing Xuan directly refused.

The Dragon Clan bore immense Karmic Debt, and Qing Xuan had no desire to take on that mess. At most, helping them teach a few dragons was already his limit.

At the same time, Qing Xuan agreed to the Four Seas Dragon Kings, allowing them to send their eldest sons to Fangzhang Island. As for whether they could enter his tutelage, that would depend on their own fortunes.

Of course, Qing Xuan had no intention of personally teaching them. Instead, he had Ao Gan and his eight brothers take charge of their initial instruction.

If within ten thousand years they could raise their cultivation to the Taiyi Peak Realm, Qing Xuan would accept them as disciples and help them break through to the Zenith Heaven Realm.

If they failed to meet Qing Xuan's requirements, he would give them two choices. One was to leave Fangzhang Island and return to the Four Seas Dragon Palace. The other was to enter the Dragon Tomb through the passage he opened and try their luck there.

As for the Four Seas Dragon Kings offering nine-tenths of their treasures, Qing Xuan also refused. He only asked them to prepare some appropriate gifts, just a token of sincerity.

This wasn't Qing Xuan putting on airs of purity, but rather his unwillingness to take on such a heavy karmic burden. If Qing Xuan truly accepted such generous gifts from the Four Seas Dragon Clan, he would likely be bound to them forever.

After sending off the Four Seas Dragon Kings, Qing Xuan continued sitting on the cliff top, fishing. As if nothing had happened at all.

As for Ao Gan, he began following Qing Xuan's instructions, having his eight brothers station themselves at the eight directions of Fangzhang Island, truly fulfilling their duty as the Guardian Divine Dragons of the island.

Before long, Qing Xuan felt a fish take the bait. He gently lifted the line, and saw a tuna several hundred zhang long hanging from his hook.

Although this tuna had not yet developed sentience, 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.

If this were after the Witch-Demon Calamity, with this level of cultivation, it would have long been able to undergo Form Transformation. But now, it hadn't even developed sentience.

This couldn't help but make Qing Xuan sigh: "This is the Primordial World. The starting point of the Primordial World is the end point of other worlds—it really isn't just empty talk."

With that, Qing Xuan lightly waved his hand, taking the best meat from the tuna and tossing the rest back into the East Sea.

Carrying his harvest of top-grade tuna meat, Qing Xuan hummed a tune and walked toward his Courtyard House.

Meanwhile, deep beneath the sea at the foot of the cliff, Ao Guang was instructing several dragons: "Remember, from now on, whenever you see Qing Lian Daojun fishing, do exactly as you did today."

"And you must get the measure exactly right. Not only must you let Daojun enjoy the fishing, but you must also ensure he catches something. If you handle this well, you'll be richly rewarded in the future."

The two dragons nodded with faces full of excitement, already silently resolving in their hearts to round up the most delicious Water Tribe creatures in the East Sea for Qing Xuan.