The Diplomatic Envoy Delivered to the Door (Part 2)

[Front-page note: I am very grateful to the readers for pointing out errors. I will be revising the previous inconsistencies regarding Thalassa, soul beast age limits, and the forms of address between soul beasts. Please continue to point them out. Additionally, I will be fleshing out the perspective from the Elves, as it is indeed severely lacking.]

As Sun Tzu's Art of War says, two make a pair, three make a squad, and six make a troop; under any power, there are bound to be small cliques.

The situation with Rus Wang is much the same, divided into two major factions: Elves and soul beasts. The Elves are fine; they underwent a grand unification from the very beginning, leaving only internal class conflicts. The soul beast side is far more complex, with four major branches—True Dragons, sub-dragons, plants, and beast-kin—each requiring further subdivision. But generally speaking, at least it isn't as fragmented as the Star Dou Forest; the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts under the four branches share a unified consensus, living their lives under the rule of the Dragon King.

Because the Silver Dragon King is sleeping to heal her wounds and avoid the God Realm, the Star Dou Forest is actually overseen by Di Tian, which has caused figures like Xiong Jun, an Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, to remain dissatisfied with Di Tian and covet his position.

The Dragon Valley Forest is different. The soul of the Light Dragon King, one of the Nine Great Dragon Kings, remains active. Furthermore, the position of patriarch within his bloodline, the Heavenly Sun Dragon, has been passed down stably for ten thousand years, and every year, they report the situation to him through a spatial rift leading to the Dragon Valley world.

Overall, it still maintains the governance model where the Dragon God opened the God Realm and allowed the elite from various star systems to become deities within the Dragon God Domain. If hundred-thousand-year soul beasts cause trouble, they are truly judged according to the Dragon Clan Code.

"Treat soul beasts under ten thousand years as wild animals; don't worry too much about them. Even if the Elves eat them like poultry, don't feel bad. For soul beasts over ten thousand years, arrange them alongside the Elves and provide preschool education through spiritual contracts. As for hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, have them spend more time with the Elves. When the Dragon Clan rises again in the future, the Elves must be granted more divine positions, and they must be positions with real power."

As Rus Wang brought his annual summary report for another meeting with the soul of the Light Dragon King, the two discussed plans for the coming year.

"Rus, you must maintain a firm grip on that spatial disturbance field around the Zheer Continent. Before this field dissipates, we must rapidly develop the Elf Kingdom; we need the Elves' population."

The Light Dragon King does not know how the thick fog around the Zheer Continent was formed, nor does he know it comes from Rus Wang's Paradox System. But the chaotic spatial turbulence within it lets the Light Dragon King know that this is a protective measure that prevents the Zheer Continent from being explored by humans.

"Oh, right, speaking of the Elf Kingdom."

The Light Dragon King set aside the report in his hand, intending to chat about daily life.

"Rus, how are your offspring getting along with the Elf children?"

Around the time the Dragon God fell, True Dragons were always True Dragons; it was only because they were also threatened by the Heavenly Tribulation that humans classified them under the broad category of soul beasts. But in reality, the Dragon Clan is not equivalent to soul beasts; rather, it is the sub-dragons that truly belong to that category.

The appearance of True Dragons may be strange and varied, but their most significant trait is that during their infancy, they are just like human or Elf infants—capable of thought at just a few years old. They are fundamentally different from the descendants of animals and plants that mutated under the influence of energy when the Dragon God fell—the soul beasts of today.

"They get along quite well. They can play together during the six years of kindergarten, but once they reach twelve, I have to send them back to the Nanshan Rainforest due to their size."

"That's quite good, Rus. By the way, since the Dragon Clan brethren from the Dragon Valley Forest have all moved to the Zheer Continent over these past few years, we should shift our focus back to the development of the Elf Kingdom. You should keep a close watch on that, Rus. 'Soul beast' is just a slogan; the relationship between the Dragon Clan and the Elves is the core."

"I understand, Senior."

Just then, the book used by the Light Dragon King to communicate across long distances and different locations with Rus Wang and the various hundred-thousand-year Dragon Clan members began to shake. (Referencing the book used by Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle in My Little Pony: Equestria Girls for cross-dimensional communication.)

"Shaking suddenly at this time—is there an emergency?"

"Open it and you'll see."

Rus Wang immediately spread the book open to share with the Light Dragon King. A look of "it's finally here" appeared on the Light Dragon King's originally relaxed face.

"The Hell Demon Dragon King from the other continent has been sent as an envoy? I thought I would have to wait thousands, or even tens of thousands of years."

"Perhaps it's because the human survivors who ventured deep into the Dragon Valley Forest over a decade ago and were driven back by me carried pheromones that were sensed by the dragons there upon their return."

"Hmm... that's very reasonable. However, since she was sent as an envoy and traveled by ship, her strength shouldn't exceed the three-hundred-thousand-year limit. Considering her status, I cannot ask you to transmit a message across space; it would be too beneath your dignity as the current Dragon King. We must meet on a proper occasion. I will flip through my library to see if there is a secret Dragon Clan technique that can allow her to safely pass through the spatial rift to the Dragon Valley world. Nothing is more solemn and weighty than a meeting in the Dragon Valley world. Wait a moment, Rus."

Rus Wang nodded. They say an elder in the house is like a treasure; the Light Dragon King is always able to provide many good things that the Paradox System cannot. Who knows, if the Silver Dragon King does something foolish in the future, the Light Dragon King, who shares the same seniority, might be able to knock some sense into her.

"However, is it really okay to hold a meeting in the Dragon Graveyard?"

On the other side, having received Rus Wang's reply, Riven, along with Zi Ji and the Elves lurking in human society, returned to the core area of the Dragon Valley Forest ahead of schedule via a spatial teleportation rune array.

"So, Riven, this is your territory in the Dragon Valley Forest?"

Zi Ji sensed the concentration of heaven and earth energy in the forest. Overall, it was inferior to the Star Dou Forest; it could only be considered at the level of the boundary between the core and mixed zones.

"For me, it used to be. But now, for me and the Elves, this can only be considered a military district."

"A military district?"

This couldn't help but make Zi Ji feel displeased. Since when could the Dragon Clan's territory be planned at will by other races? Although she could see the promising future of this race from the characteristics Riven had previously described, it was only a "promising future."

The Dragon Clan had been glorious, humans are currently glorious, and the Elves? Sorry, Zi Ji wasn't trying to put them down, but she had truly never heard of this race before.

"Yes, because before you came to this continent, many changes occurred in the Dragon Valley Forest. It wasn't until over a decade ago, when the current Dragon King of the Dragon Valley Forest, Rus Wang, came over from the Zheer Continent—the continent where the Elves live—and drove away the human Soul Hunting Squad, that things became stable. After discussions between him and the ancestors, many Dragon Clan brethren and soul beast species that had produced hundred-thousand-year soul beasts were migrated to the Zheer Continent where the Elves live, and this place has since become a military district."

"Is that Rus Wang you speak of the one who commands the six hundred thousand Dragon Clan brethren I am here to see?"

Riven glanced at Zi Ji without speaking, silently pointing behind her.

Whoosh—

"This aura! When did it get behind me?!"

Only then did Zi Ji sense the breath exhaled by Rus Wang, who had already arrived behind her. She immediately rolled on the ground to distance herself, looking in shock at the strangely shaped True Dragon peer who had suddenly appeared behind her.

"Weren't you looking for me? Why are you cowering?"

Rus Wang watched this character, whom he had seen in the comics of his past life, with great interest. Seeing her startled, evasive movements, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Seeing that his strength was as unfathomable as Di Tian's, Zi Ji dared not harbor any anger and instead said respectfully: "Greetings to you, Lord Rus Wang. I am the envoy from the Star Dou Forest of the Douluo Continent, the Hell Demon Dragon King, Zi Ji."

"Zi Ji? That's a nice name."

Rus Wang scrutinized the Zi Ji, who was slightly different from the one in the comics, for a moment before continuing: "This is not a formal meeting place. Follow me, we will change locations."

The core area of the Dragon Valley Forest—is that not even considered a meeting place? Zi Ji asked subconsciously.

"Are we going to the Zheer Continent?"

"No, the place we are going is more solemn and dignified, and it is a place that will make both you and me, as members of the Dragon Clan, feel heavy at heart."

Rus Wang shook his head.

"The Dragon Valley."

Zi Ji's pupils dilated instantly.