The Mysterious Legend: The Dragon God Returns!

In the tavern.

Long Yao watched the direction she had gone, his expression unchanged.

A moment later, he stood.

"Skywater Academy."

There were still many people there from the old days.

And plans he had set in motion back then.

Now the Golden Ranking had appeared.

It was time to take a look.

Skywater Academy.

Mountains surrounded it.

A clear stream ran through the center of the academy.

The Heaven and Earth Elements were more active here than outside.

Water Element gathered into pale blue motes that drifted through the woods.

Wind elements swept past the eaves.

Fire elements lay hidden deep beneath the ground.

Earth elements settled into the mountain stone.

Any Soul Master who trained here could feel their Soul Power circulate noticeably faster.

Especially Soul Masters with the Water Attribute.

One day of training at Skywater Academy was worth several days elsewhere for them.

Within the academy.

A figure in a white dress stood beside the lake.

Shui Bing'er raised her slender hand.

The surrounding Water Element gathered rapidly.

An icy-blue orb of light formed in her palm.

As she poured in more Soul Power, the orb grew steadily stronger.

Shui Bing'er withdrew her Soul Power.

The icy-blue orb slowly dispersed.

She looked toward the depths of the academy.

An ancient tower stood there.

The tower had nine floors.

Built from pale blue crystal, its surface was covered in fine patterns.

Countless motes of elemental light flowed around it.

Shui Bing'er watched for a moment, then turned toward the teaching area.

A woman in a light blue dress stood by the lake.

She had lovely features and a gentle air.

It was Shui Yuerou.

Shui Bing'er came to her side.

"Teacher."

Shui Yuerou turned.

"Finished training?"

"Yes."

Shui Bing'er nodded.

She looked at the tower in the academy's center.

"Teacher, why has the academy never had a headmaster?"

Shui Yuerou did not answer at once.

She followed Shui Bing'er's gaze to the tower.

Devotion and reverence gradually filled her eyes.

That tower was Skywater Academy's most extraordinary feature.

It was also the reason the academy had endured to this day.

"Because of a legend."

Looking toward the distant True Dragon Tower, Shui Yuerou said slowly:

"When Skywater Academy was founded, it had a mysterious headmaster."

"But he never appeared at the academy. For thousands of years, successive deputy headmasters have managed it."

Shui Bing'er blinked.

"He's never come back?"

"No."

Shui Yuerou shook her head.

"But a saying has always been passed down at the academy."

"When the True Dragon Tower shines again, the headmaster will return."

Shui Bing'er and the others looked up at the ancient tower.

Curiosity filled their eyes.

Skywater Academy's history stretched back too far.

It was older even than the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire.

For thousands of years, the academy had kept a low profile.

Apart from its successive administrators, few knew its true origins.

And no one had ever seen its mysterious headmaster.

If the legend was true.

The headmaster had lived for at least several thousand years, perhaps even ten thousand.

How could that be possible?

Shui Bing'er shook her head slightly.

"Teacher, a legend is only a legend."

"If the headmaster is really still alive, why has he never appeared?"

Shui Yuerou did not answer.

She could not explain it either.

The academy's ancient records contained only a few lines about him.

The only thing certain was that he had been involved in founding Skywater Academy.

Just then.

The True Dragon Tower suddenly lit up.

Boom!

A golden pillar of light shot skyward from the top of the tower.

Its immense radiance enveloped all of Skywater Academy.

The patterns on the tower awakened one by one, and all nine floors blazed with golden light.

Water Element and Soul Power from the world around it converged on the True Dragon Tower.

Ripples surged across the lake.

The Soul Beasts in the woods stopped in their tracks.

Shui Bing'er and the others stared up at the tower, frozen in place.

"The True Dragon Tower is shining!"

A startled cry came from the distance.

The next moment.

A figure appeared within the golden pillar.

He wore a black-and-gold robe.

Long hair fell behind his shoulders, and his handsome face seemed almost unreal.

He stepped slowly out of the pillar of light.

Golden light fell across him, yet it could not outshine his presence.

His golden eyes gazed calmly down at those below.

Like a king who ruled all things, he brought the entire world to stillness beneath his gaze.

Shui Yuerou froze where she stood.

Her Martial Soul emerged on its own.

Clear waterlight flowed behind her, and her Soul Power submitted to that figure beyond her control.

Reverence rose from deep within her blood.

Fervor appeared in Shui Yuerou's eyes.

She hurriedly bowed.

"Shui Yuerou greets the headmaster!"

At those words.

Skywater Academy fell utterly silent.

Shui Bing'er and the others stared at Long Yao in midair, stunned.

The headmaster?

The legend was true!

The mysterious headmaster who had never appeared had really returned.

Shui Bing'er immediately withdrew her Martial Soul and bowed alongside Shui Yuerou.

"Shui Bing'er greets the headmaster!"

The other students lowered their heads as well.

"We greet the headmaster!"

Respectful voices rang out across Skywater Academy.

Teachers and stewards hurried over from throughout the academy.

When they saw the figure above the True Dragon Tower, they all stopped and bowed to Long Yao.

Long Yao descended and landed before the True Dragon Tower.

He glanced at the people gathered before him.

The True Dragon Tower was a special structure he had built with his own hands.

The power within it could speed up a Soul Master's training and, over the long years, influence the minds of those who trained there.

For thousands of years, Skywater Academy had remained under his control.

Even though he had never appeared, the people of the academy had always regarded him as an object of faith.

That was the True Dragon Tower's purpose.

"You may rise."

Long Yao spoke.

Only then did Shui Yuerou and the others straighten.

Shui Bing'er raised her eyes to Long Yao.

She had imagined the legendary headmaster as an old man with white hair.

But Long Yao was handsome and stood tall before her.

He looked about the same age as the students.

Only his golden eyes held the calm of countless years.

Reverence stirred in Shui Bing'er's heart.

There was no way a man like him was merely young in appearance.

Soon.

News of the headmaster's return spread throughout Skywater Academy.

Students arrived from every corner of the academy.

They stood outside the True Dragon Tower, gazing at Long Yao from afar with adoration in their eyes.

This mysterious headmaster had never appeared at the academy.

But Skywater Academy's survival to this day was proof enough.

Long Yao ignored the gazes around him.

Shui Yuerou stepped forward and said respectfully:

"Headmaster, Skywater Academy has developed smoothly over the years."

"Our student numbers have remained stable, and the training environment has not changed."

"Every generation of administrators has followed your instructions and kept a low profile."

Long Yao nodded.

"Good."

Shui Yuerou remained where she was instead of withdrawing.

As she looked at Long Yao, many questions still troubled her.

Just how long had he lived?

What level had he reached when he founded Skywater Academy?

But she did not dare ask him directly.