After hearing Tang Ziran's own supposedly crazy design theory,
the Dragon Emperor's gaze gradually deepened.
He drew back both hands, which held the Crow-Absolute Stone and the Amethyst Skeleton, behind his waist.
Because every condition needed to fulfill the Nine-Character Battle Armor theory—
Amethyst Dragon Emperor bones rich in divine power;
Crow-Absolute Stone capable of creating a mental illusion;
a God Rank Body Martial Soul + a God Rank Sub-Dragon Martial Soul;
a dragon soul with the Will of Destruction of the God King Realm;
and a Fire Dragon King Crown capable of inflicting burns on a God King—
was all in his possession.
If this man, once a key Federation talent, saw even the slightest clue, it would bring enormous trouble.
"Good."
The Dragon Emperor nodded, hiding his theory about the "Nine-Character Battle Armor" away with his ambitions.
He instructed the Holy Dragon King to accept the six design blueprints that made up the set.
Though he had already memorized every bit of information and every diagram on them while listening to the explanation just now,
keeping up appearances was the only way to put an ordinary person at ease.
At last, Tang Ziran let out a long breath.
His tension and excitement from a moment ago had completely vanished.
He had become a husband again, a father, an ordinary man who had come here to ask for safety.
Still, Tang Ziran couldn't help wondering if this Young Master Dragon was an exceptionally gifted design genius, and if that was why the Spirit Pagoda had secretly raised him in the small coastal city of Aolai.
He suddenly felt that handing over the secret he'd guarded for half his life might actually be a good thing. It was like giving a fine steed to a discerning judge—a gift to someone who understood him, and might even surpass him.
The table before the Dragon Emperor was already laden with dish after dish, a sumptuous lunch.
Since the priority was physical growth, not increased cultivation, even at regular mealtimes one still needed to take in high-quality, ample nutrition.
Tang Ziran discreetly pressed a hand to his sunken stomach.
He'd come here with his son, gone home, and then hurried over again. It was mealtime now—how could he not be hungry?
The Dragon Emperor got straight to the point. "Since you offered me the blueprints, what do you hope to get from me?"
Now that the other party had brought up his request first, Tang Ziran hurriedly lowered his tone. "I only want to ask for our safety."
"The unknown faction that wants this set of Level Five Battle Armor concept blueprints will also take the designer they've set their sights on. Back then, many of my colleagues disappeared without warning after attracting their attention, including some top-tier pharmaceutical researchers who also served the Federation."
"That was why Lang Yue and I fled and went into hiding. We were afraid that one day we'd simply vanish without a trace."
The Dragon Emperor was silent for two seconds before speaking. "I know the force behind the people seeking these blueprints is the Spirit Pagoda's Pagoda Master lineage: the Qiangu Family."
"And my family is only the Sun Lineage of the Xu Family, so offering the blueprints to me won't do much."
The Dragon Emperor's words sent Tang Ziran's heart soaring once more.
But his next words made the heavy stone in his heart drop to the ground.
"But Spirit Douluo is only at Quasi-God strength at most, so I can promise you that I'll protect you and your family in a crisis."
"Thank you!" Tang Ziran clutched the table leg and slowly knelt.
If anyone else had casually said, "The Spirit Pagoda's Pagoda Master is only a mere Quasi-God," Tang Ziran would have thought they were insane.
But the man before him had a Titled Douluo as his bodyguard. His background was the Xu Family of Ming Capital, which was not only part of the Sun Moon Federation's former imperial house, but also held a seat on the Spirit Pagoda's council.
The leaders of these superpowers all had dealings with one another. At a crucial moment, the right person could put in a word at the right place and save Tang Ziran and his wife from a world of misery.
So this verbal guarantee was no different from a life-saving talisman.
"Is there anything else?" the Dragon Emperor continued.
Tang Ziran suddenly looked a little embarrassed. "Um, Young Master Dragon, could you, could you..."
"Lend me a million Federal Coins?"
The Dragon Emperor saw right through him. "You want to buy a hundred-year Soul Spirit for your son?"
Tang Ziran's face flushed a little. "Yes."
"But please don't worry. Though my Linlin is only nine, he can already forge Level One components on his own."
"My friend, a Level Six master, also said that when he grows up, he'll definitely become a Level Eight Saint Craftsman and earn a fortune. He'll be able to pay you back that million in just a few years."
The Dragon Emperor ignored Tang Ziran's explanation and instead turned to the Holy Dragon King. "Do you still have the Diamond Vine?"
A pure white sphere appeared in the Holy Dragon King's hand. "I haven't had a chance to return it yet."
"Good." The Dragon Emperor removed his napkin and stood. "Let's go to his home. Fastest route: 23 Coastal Avenue."
"Yes." The Holy Dragon King slipped a hand beneath the Dragon Emperor's armpit and lifted him up.
At the same time, he grabbed Tang Ziran by the collar. While Tang Ziran stood there, utterly bewildered, they suddenly shot away in a flash of light, passing out through the windows near the top of the tower.
"Ah—"
It took only a few seconds.
After his eyes had been bombarded with a vast array of rapidly changing scenes, Tang Ziran found himself back on the sidewalk outside his home, one hand braced against a tree in the landscaping as he retched again and again.
Fortunately, the Dragon Emperor had had the foresight not to let Tang Ziran eat even a couple of bites. Otherwise, stomach acid and half-digested food would have been coming out of his nose and mouth.
This was the renowned technique developed back when the Holy Dragon King was still the Light Dragon King: Time-Traveling Dragon.
In terms of speed, it was on par with the spatial travel of the Emerald Dragon King and the Time Dragon King.
So even though he hadn't used his full power and had protected Tang Ziran, the trip had still left him reeling from the visual shock.
After catching his breath and recovering for a while, Tang Ziran hurriedly took out his key and opened the door.
"Linlin!"
"Dad's back! The hundred-year Soul Spirit, the hundred-year Soul Spirit!"
But Na'er, with her long, multicolored silver hair, blocked the doorway. "You can't go in. Big Brother is merging with a Soul Spirit."
Tang Ziran froze on the spot and blurted out, "What? Linlin's already merged with that Grass Snake?"
Na'er nodded. "Yes. Big Brother said he didn't want Mom and Dad to keep suffering for his sake."
Tang Ziran staggered backward and dropped onto the sofa, clutching his head and sobbing in anguish. "How could this happen? How could this happen..."
"Too late?" The Dragon Emperor came in with the Holy Dragon King.
Even through a wall, he could sense the incomparably familiar Golden Dragon King Bloodline coursing along Tang Wulin's entire spine, with two strands splitting off toward the Grass Snake Soul Spirit and the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.
Under the transformation of the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, both the Grass Snake Soul Spirit and the Blue Silver Grass were undergoing a qualitative change.
To the Dragon Emperor, the scene looked just like the one from back then, when the Dragon God mated with a mongrel dragon and ended up producing a mixed-breed offspring.
He couldn't help but sigh softly. "It feels like yesterday."
"He's taken another firm step down A-Jin's old path."
But just then, a slightly childish voice spoke in dragon language by the Dragon Emperor's ear.
"The Dragon God's Path was not wrong. He did it for the one he loved. I believe he never regretted it."