"...In the end, I saw Radiant walk up beside me. Then everything went black, and I perished."
The Water Dragon King's quiet voice echoed through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, piecing together a fragment of the old truth for them.
Compared with Di Tian, who had arrived later to join the fighting, and the Silver Dragon King, who had inherited scarcely any memories, the Water Dragon King had witnessed it firsthand and had been the third-to-last Dragon King to fall. Her memories were undoubtedly clearer and more reliable.
"What?!"
The Fire Dragon King, who had died somewhat earlier and whose divine soul had lain dormant after his death, had never spoken with the Water Dragon King about it. Hearing this, he flew into a rage.
"That bastard Radiant actually dared lay a hand on you?!"
"You're the Divine Dragon Crown Prince's fiancée, the future empress of the dragon race! What right did he have to attack you?!"
"Other than His Majesty, no one has the right to pass judgment on you! If I ever see him again, I'll strip off his dragon scales!"
Unlike the seething Fire Dragon King and the silent El, Huo Yutong and Tian Meng, who had listened to this secret history from ancient times, felt only shock and a faint emotion they could neither describe nor explain.
"It was actually... the Dragon God who killed the Dragon Kings?!"
Tian Meng shouted inside Huo Yutong's Sea of Consciousness.
"So the truth behind the so-called Dragon God War wasn't anything like that?"
As a million-year soul beast who had spent so many years in the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, he had naturally heard Di Tian talk about reviving the Divine Dragon Realm, blaming everything on the Divine Realm, and so forth.
But looking at it now, the gods of the Divine Realm seemed to have suffered a calamity out of nowhere...
Whenever Tian Meng thought back on Di Tian now, he couldn't help feeling that the fellow's nose had turned a little red.
"Sigh..."
Beside them, El let out a long sigh and broke his silence.
"Let's get down to business."
"According to the information I've obtained, the God King who currently holds most of the power in the Divine Realm has a very strong desire for control. He likes to seize everything he can see and keep it in his own hands."
"He hasn't even fully secured the Divine Realm's authority yet, but he's already begun reaching for the authority over the Douluo Plane and the destiny of our Beast Race."
"What? There's a God King like that?"
The Fire Dragon King furrowed his brows. "Whose divine position did he inherit?"
"Doesn't Asura, the god of judgment, do anything about it?"
The higher realm could not interfere with the lower realm without cause. That rule had existed since the days of the Divine Dragon Realm.
"He is the new Asura God."
El shook his head. "Sea God Tang San, who also serves as the Asura God."
"What?"
Both the Fire and Water Dragon Kings froze.
How could the Asura God, renowned for his fairness, have chosen a successor who liked to abuse his authority for personal gain?
"This fellow is deeply calculating, and he's extremely good at keeping up appearances."
"Now that I've successfully reincarnated, if he discovers me, he'll probably set his sights on my Radiant Dragon King bloodline too."
"I'm not afraid of him in a one-on-one fight. But the ironclad law of heaven and earth now forbids the Beast Race from becoming gods. I'm worried that once I become a god, he'll bring a group of gods who don't know the truth to gang up on me."
"So I need to find someone to help."
El drew over little Huo, who had been obediently listening to the story and to the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's chatter mocking Di Tian.
"This child is the Daughter of Destiny of this continent, an attempt by the plane's will to prevent itself from being replaced. I want her to inherit the Ice Dragon King's position."
"...Greetings, Senior Ice Dragon King."
Faced with the enormous, imposing ice-blue dragon head lowering toward her, Huo Yutong felt a little intimidated, even though its body was illusory and El stood right beside her.
She timidly bowed to the Water Dragon King.
"I have no objections, Your Highness."
The Water Dragon King looked the girl up and down, then turned to speak to El.
Her expression remained unchanged, giving no indication whether she was pleased or displeased with the arrangement.
"I've been dead for many years. If what little remains of me can help you, that would be Little Shui's good fortune."
Then the Water Dragon King shifted her tone.
"However, this child cannot bear my power yet."
"Neither my bones nor my soul-she cannot withstand either of them as she is now."
"Of course I know that."
El nodded and explained.
"I intend to have her absorb a few Immortal Herbs first. Using these things that grew from your bodies, I'll improve her physical constitution and increase her affinity with you."
"Then I'll store most of your power inside your divine bones and seal it away, leaving only a small portion. Together with this remaining part of your divine soul, it will grant her the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul."
"As for the Soul Rings, once she can withstand them, we'll release power from the divine bones and add them."
"...That should work in principle."
After considering the plan, the Ice Dragon King nodded in approval.
"However, my power is too immense, and its level is too high. Even with most of it sealed away, this child will still have to endure unimaginable pain to merge with it successfully."
"The slightest misstep, and her body will burst, killing her."
In essence, this process involved receiving the power of a divine dragon who had possessed God King cultivation at her peak into a mortal body.
Even though the erosion of time had drained away far too much of the Water Dragon King's power, pouring it straight into someone's body like this would overwhelm even a God Official, never mind Huo Yutong.
"I'll help guide it for her."
"If she can't withstand it, I'll take over and receive the energy."
Taking the little hand of the girl beside him, El smiled again.
It was a supremely confident smile.
"Besides, don't underestimate Yu Tong's willpower!"
"She'll be absolutely fine!"
The Water Dragon King looked in surprise at the female human child beside El.
"You think so highly of her?"
"Then surely she'll be able to inherit my crown in the future without disgracing the Dragon King's name."
"I'll go pick the Immortal Herbs. Watch over little Yu Tong for me."
With the Water Dragon King's agreement, El strode decisively toward the Immortal Herbs.
He left Huo Yutong where she was to get acquainted with the two Dragon Kings.
After all, she was the Water Dragon King's successor.
Among the dragons' inheritances, almost everyone who inherited a Dragon King's crown was a blood relative of the previous Dragon King.
Although the Water Dragon King had no offspring, by taking over her position, Huo Yutong would effectively become her disciple.
A master and disciple had to get to know each other, after all.
"Child."
Withdrawing her draconic pressure, the Water Dragon King shrank until she was about the size of an adult, floating gently beside Huo Yutong.
Feeling the draconic pressure enveloping half the valley vanish in an instant, the suppressed Immortal Herbs watched El approach with his blade sharpened and ready. Instinctively, they wanted to resist and flee.
"Hmph!"
Seeing these things growing on their graves fail to appreciate what was good for them, the Fire Dragon King, watching over the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well from above, snorted coldly and pinned them back down.
It was their good fortune to help crown the dragon race's new Water Dragon King!
And they dared hiss at His Highness the Radiant Dragon King?
They had already found their path to death!
"Greetings, Senior."
Little Huo, who had remained where she was, looked somewhat reservedly at this elder of truly ancient standing.
"There's no need to be so distant."
The Water Dragon King flew in front of Huo Yutong.
"Among dragons, only a Dragon King's offspring inherits their crown."
Huo Yutong's expression went blank.
"Long ago, His Majesty the Dragon God granted us Nine Great Dragon Kings the power of his bloodline to help us reach the God King realm."
"Although we were not truly his offspring, he acknowledged us as his children."
"And that is where this rule came from."
"Regardless of whether the one inheriting a Dragon King's crown has any blood relationship with the previous Dragon King, they will be considered that Dragon King's child."
The Water Dragon King gazed tenderly at Huo Yutong.
"My future child, my future daughter."
"You don't need to be so reserved around me."
"Whether it's about cultivation or daily life, you can come to me."
"Although I'm only a fragment of a soul, I should still be able to support and guide you."
A small ice-blue dragon claw caressed Huo Yutong's cheek with the utmost gentleness.
"I can tell you're carrying a great deal in your heart. It must be hard to bear..."
After so many years, feeling such an affectionate touch once again made Huo Yutong's eyes grow hot.
The dragon claw wasn't warm. If anything, it was a little cool.
But that made it feel even more like the hand of her mother, Huo Yun'er.
Back when they lived in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, every other place had heating in winter-even the servants' rooms-but the little courtyard where mother and daughter lived was always bitterly cold.
Whenever she shivered from the cold, her mother would first rub her chilblain-covered hands warm, gather her into her arms, and then stroke her little face.
Because her mother wasn't warm either, even those hands she had rubbed warm always held a trace of coolness.
Just like now.
Just as cool, just as gentle, just as loving...
Huo Yutong covered her face. Her nose stung, and tears spilled through her fingers.
"Mom..."
Little Huo tightly embraced the somewhat illusory dragon soul before her.
"Mom is here, my child."
As her child embraced her, the Water Dragon King drew upon her energy to fill out her remnant soul, allowing Huo Yutong to feel a tangible touch.
Wait, what's going on here?
Returning with the Immortal Herbs in hand, El scratched his head in confusion at the sight.
Didn't I tell you two to get acquainted as master and disciple?
How did little Sister Huo suddenly turn into Junior Sister Wa?
Having died too early to know the rules for inheriting a Dragon King's crown, that was what El thought.
Before you continue