I've Come to Return the Sword

Old Patriarch Bai walked towards the two step by step, each step seemingly causing a tremor in the hearts of everyone present.

The moment Qing Shou heard Old Patriarch Bai's voice, he completely panicked.

He had no choice but to suppress his previous fierce demeanor and obediently stand to the side with Bai Nianchou, bowing and greeting the arrival of the old clan leader.

"No wonder you suddenly started targeting me; it turns out you were already planning to call for reinforcements." Qing Shou tilted his head slightly, gritting his teeth at Bai Nianchou beside him.

Bai Nianchou was speechless, but still kindly replied, "Don't judge me with your foolish ideas. I didn't call the clan leader here to lecture you."

As the two were talking, Old Patriarch Bai had already stood in front of them.

Facing two juniors who could be his grandsons, the old patriarch's attitude was extremely stern. "What exactly are you two doing? You are both young masters of the clan, how come you're causing such a ruckus in the camp that you're about to draw your swords against each other?"

"Nianchou, what's wrong with you? How can you treat your own kind so badly? Young Master Qing is your ally, not your enemy. Your actions will only set an example for others, making the Azure Dragon Clan and the White Dragon Tribe even more discordant." The old clan leader first scolded his own child.

Qing Shou's smugness at Bai Nianchou's obedient admission of his mistake hadn't lasted long before Old Patriarch Bai turned his attention to him again.

"And Young Master Qing, I don't know what Nianchou did wrong to make you so angry that you even brought the patrol team here to demand an explanation. What, don't they have anything else to do? The Gods and Devils Battlefield has been pacified, and the Dragon Race Clan is so peaceful that they don't need patrols and guards anymore?"

Upon hearing Old Patriarch Bai's words, Qing Shou's expression instantly changed, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He tried to speak several times, but nothing came out.

Yes, how could he be so foolish as to bring the entire patrol team to our doorstep? Isn't that practically declaring to the other three races that the entire patrol team belongs to him?

Qing Shou's heart pounded wildly, filled with regret for his recklessness.

But Old Patriarch Bai wouldn't let him off so easily. "Young Master Qing, why are you silent now? Before I arrived, you were speaking so fluently, acting like you wanted to compete with Nianchou. Why are you mute now that I'm here to listen in person?"

Old Patriarch Bai's words were extremely impolite, Qing Shou was seething with anger. Even though reason told him he shouldn't be disrespectful to the elder before him, he couldn't help but question him, "Bai Nianchou broke the rules and arbitrarily brought outsiders into the Dragon Race camp, which was wrong in itself. One of those two was Devil Dragon exiled to the Lower Realm, and the other was Human Race of unknown identity. The patrolling warriors didn't even clarify their origins and purposes, yet Bai Nianchou protected them and even wanted to dismiss the dutiful leader. Naturally, this junior has come to demand an explanation!"

Qing Shou didn't see that as he spoke, the team leader behind him was frantically giving him meaningful glances.

After hearing Qing Shou's words, Old Patriarch Bai let out a cold laugh. The patrol soldiers behind Qing Shou silently closed their eyes, unable to believe that their young master would do something so foolish.

"So, in Young Master Qing's opinion, what should Bai Nianchou do to satisfy you?" Old Patriarch Bai did not seem to be angry at Qing Shou's attitude.

Qing Shou felt something was strange, even a vague unease. He felt that everything that was happening now seemed to be far beyond what he could bear.

But the Old Patriarch Bai's sharp gaze was still fixed on him, so Qing Shou could only say, "My demands are not many. Just hand over the person, Young Master Bai, and spare this team leader."

Team leader: Please, please don't mention me again. Just pretend I'm dead!

Qing Shou felt that he had already lowered his expectations, considering that he originally wanted Bai Nianchou to apologize to his people.

"Heh, Qing Shou, are you still half asleep today?" Daring to come to their White Dragon Tribe's camp and personally make demands of the Old Patriarch Bai, has this kid had his head knocked out by the Devil Race today?

Qing Shou was instantly enraged by these words: "Bai Nianchou, don't go too far! You were already wrong to harbor a traitor, and I've already given you face by not making you apologize in person!"

"Watch your mouth! What do you mean by 'villain'?" Bai Nianchou retorted defiantly.

Qing Shou glared at them. "How can they not be considered villains? One is a Devil Dragon, the other Human Race. Don't you understand the principle that those Non-Self kind are bound to have different hearts? They even used unorthodox methods to enter the Upper Realm, so what makes you dare to say that these two are innocent?!"

Seeing that their argument was getting more and more heated, the deputy standing next to Old Patriarch Bai stepped forward and asked, "Should we separate the two young masters?"

"No need," the old man chuckled. "Let them argue. I'll go on after they're done."

With the old clan chief's words, the rest of the people stood aside and watched the spectacle.

Both were the pride of their clans, young talents. At a young age, they ascended to the throne of young master, strategizing for their people.

They were compared to each other too many times. Even if they didn't have much malice towards each other at first, resentment would silently grow because one of them was constantly told that they were inferior to the other.

"You talk a good game, but all you want is the prophecy I obtained, so you want to take the Dragon Abyss Sword from the Devil Dragon. Do you think I don't know that you've already turned the patrol team into your own faction!" Bai Nianchou said angrily.

Qing Shou's pent-up resentment from all those years finally erupted. "You think you're any better than me? This Dragon Abyss Sword should have been returned to our Azure Dragon Clan. Don't forget, it was because of Bai Qinglong that the Dragon Abyss Sword was lost!"

After those last words were shouted, the entire White Dragon Tribe camp fell silent instantly.

The Old Patriarch Bai, who had been smiling just moments before, suddenly turned grim, and Bai Nianchou clenched his fists.

The entire camp was shrouded in an inexplicable somber atmosphere, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

"Say it again," Bai Nianchou said through gritted teeth.

Qing Shou realized he had misspoke, and the Azure Dragon Clan behind him tugged at his sleeve, hoping their young master would say less and perhaps even back down.

Qing Shou also wanted to settle things peacefully, but when he met Bai Nianchou's seemingly mocking gaze, he still stubbornly said, "Did I say something wrong? It was clearly Bai Qinglong who lost the Dragon Abyss Sword..."

Whoosh!

The powerful Sword Qi swept aside the tent curtains, sending Qing Shou, who was facing the tent, flying several meters away.

Amidst everyone's surprised and unexpected gazes, Sang Ying, gripping the Dragon Abyss Sword, walked out of Bai Nianchou's tent.

She said, "Everyone, I have come to return the Dragon Abyss Sword at the request of Senior Bai Qinglong."