Humanity prospered in the Three Realms. Their numbers filled the Earthly Realm, but they were scattered without unity. A vast amount of humans died every day, but the number of newborns more than made up for that loss—all losses except for the immortal and martial inheritances.
They didn't have any writing system, so they could only pass down inheritances through words. But the knowledgeable humans would eventually die with no one taking up their mantle, causing them to lose their foundation.
Wutian tried his best to stop this by dispatching the martial cultivators he trained, but there were simply not enough. They had lost too much from the demon’s massacre, and each generation of humans could not compare to the former. Compared to the first one hundred twenty-nine thousand and six hundred humans, the current humans didn't even have one percent of their lifespan or talents.
Among the scattered tribes of humanity, there was a woman named Huaxu who lived at the edge of the tribe. Her name was taken from the mountain near the tribe. Also near the tribe was the territory of Leigong. In the eyes of the tribe, he was a thunder god that punished the wicked, so his territory became a forbidden ground. Anyone who entered the forbidden ground would be expelled from the tribe.
One day, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky and pierced into Leigong's territory. Huaxu, who had listened to the stories of Leigong growing up, became curious. Seeing that almost everyone was out hunting, she snuck out of the tribe and ventured toward Leigong's territory.
Her heart pounded as she neared the forbidden ground. Huaxu hesitated, but her curiosity won out. After making sure no one saw her, she snuck in. Immediately, a dense fog obscured her vision.
To prevent herself from getting lost, Huaxu used a stick to mark where she had walked. After traveling for almost an hour, a ray of light caught her attention. Unable to stop her curiosity, her feet walked toward the light by themselves.
As she drew closer, the light revealed itself to be a glowing orb of violet and gold. 'Is this the legendary spiritual artifact used by gods?'
So caught in the light's beauty and her thoughts, Huaxu didn't see the dip in the ground. A slip of the foot later, Huaxu fell forward, and a flash of light blinded her just before her body hit the ground.
When Huaxu regained her vision, the glowing orb had disappeared. She stood up and looked around her, wondering where it had disappeared to. Huaxi frowned when she realized the dip in the ground was a strangely shaped hole. Climbing out and looking at it again, her face paled.
The hole she fell into wasn't a hole at all but a footprint!
Thunder rumbled, and Huaxu frantically searched for the source, but the sound seemed to come from everywhere. She no longer wanted to sate her curiosity and ran all the way back to the tribe, remembering to hide her tracks so no one would know what she did.
Huaxu successfully returned to her tribe, and after a few weeks of trepidation, she sighed in relief when nothing happened. She continued on with her life, but after three months, she suddenly discovered her belly was growing as if she was pregnant.
Her suspicions were confirmed a month later. Thankfully, no one questioned her pregnancy or linked it to the forbidden grounds. Humanity did not practice marriage, so everyone thought she had slept with a man and got pregnant. The Martial Ancestor had attempted to introduce it, but the custom disappeared due to the chaos after the Demon Clan's massacre.
Only Huaxu felt scared. Her fears came through when her pregnancy continued for a whole year, then two, and finally three. The tribespeople all said she slept with a demon and bore a half-demon child. Under the questioning of the whole tribe and chief, Huaxu had no choice but to admit what she had done.
Upon learning this, the tribespeople expelled her from the village. However, they didn't drive her too far away because they feared that the child in Huaxu's belly was Leigong's child.
Huaxu built a shack for herself between the river and the tribe. She survived on fruits and vegetables she foraged and the occasional kindness from the tribespeople. However, in the fifth year of her pregnancy, Huaxu could no longer forage for food, and the tribespeople couldn't provide enough food for her.
Just as Huaxu started to worry about starving to death, she saw a beast walk out of the river. It had the body of a deer, but jewel-like scales covered its entire body instead of fur. It possessed hooved feet, two horns coming out of its head, a mane coming down its neck, and a fish's tail.
Huaxu secluded herself in her shack and refused to come out. She waited and waited until she couldn't take the hunger anymore. Peaking out of a hole in her shack, she saw that the beast had disappeared.
Still filled with trepidation, Huaxu stepped out and discovered that there was a pile of fruits atop a large leaf. From then on, when Huaxu finished her food, the qilin would come every time to replenish her food supply. This situation lasted until the ninth year of her pregnancy.
Inside the Grand Purity Hall of Three Purity Palace, Laozi opened his eyes and summoned Xuandu.
"Disciple greets Master," Xuandu said as he saluted.
"The heavenly sovereign is about to be born near Huaxu Mountain from a woman named after the mountain. Once he is born, accept him as a student and guide him, but remember: do not solve his problems for him, or he won't be able to complete his duty," Laozi said.
"Disciple understands," Xuandu said as he left Kunlun Mountain.
When Xuandu arrived at Huaxu's tribe, he appeared on white clouds. Bird songs accompanied him, and even the wind and rain sang and danced to the music.
"Oh, Great Immortal, why have you come to our tribe?" the chief asked as the tribespeople, not out hunting, gathered around but still kept a safe distance from Xuandu.
Xuandu smiled, instantly causing any human who saw it to feel a sense of intimacy with him. "I'm here to accept a student. Are there any newborn children in your tribe?"
The chief immediately joyfully summoned all the children aged three and under. "Great Immortal, these are all the children that have been born in our tribe."
Xuandu looked at all of them but couldn't see any of them carrying Purple Majesty Qi, the emperor's qi. "Are these all the tribe's children?"
The chief nodded. "I don't dare to hide from the Great Immortal."
Xuandu frowned. He didn't suspect any incorrectness in his master's words. How could he be? His master was an exalted Saint of Heaven. Then that could only mean that the future ruler of humanity wasn't among the tribe. "Are there any women pregnant or children born to them near the tribe?"
"No, Great Immortal," the chief said. Then her eyes widened as she remembered Huaxu. "Great Immortal, there is a woman pregnant, but she's been pregnant for nine years. I don't know if her child is the one you are looking for."
Upon hearing that the pregnancy lasted nine years, Xuandu smiled. "Bring me to her."
"Right away," the chief said.
When the two arrived near Huaxu's shack, night had already begun. Just as Xuandu was about to enter the shack, a bright flash of light erupted from within. So intense was the light that it turned night to day.
Clouds gathered, the wind became alive, and lightning thundered. The sky above turned violet as faint dragon apparitions roved around, roaring as if to announce the birth.
Xuandu knew that the heavenly sovereign of man had just been born. Not just him, but all Saints of Heaven, wherever they were, sensed Fuxi's birth. Even Empress Pingxin in the Underworld looked up at the Earthly Realm.
The visions lasted for five hours before finally ending. As if sensing Xuandu's presence, Huaxu walked out of the shack not a minute later. She carried her son in her arms, naked but not bloody.
Her son's skin was not wrinkly, nor did his eyes contain the usual infant’s ignorance. Instead, he looked around with wisdom as if curious about everything.
Xuandu's presence drew Huaxu and her child's attention. "Huaxu greets Great Immortal."
Huaxu moved to kneel, but Xuandu flipped his palm, and the clouds underneath him flew forward and stopped her. "There is no need to kneel."
"To tell you the truth, I came to this tribe specifically for your child," Xuandu said, causing Huaxu to hug her son protectively. "There is no need to worry. I have come to accept him as a student."
The worry and fear on Huaxu's face disappeared, and joy manifested on her face. "Thank you, thank you."
Xuandu's softly laughed. "There is no need, it is your child that is outstanding. Tell me, what is his name?"
Huaxu hesitated for a moment, but a moment later, conviction entered her eyes. "Fuxi, his name is Fuxi. Humanity's Fuxi."
Surprise appeared on Xuandu's face. 'Is this a coincidence or fate?'
Xuandu nodded. "Tell him to go to Shouyang Mountain when he turns fourteen."
After saying those words, Xuandu flew to Huaxu Mountain in front of all the tribespeople. After Xuandu left, the chief warmly welcomed Huaxu back to the tribe. From then on, the best things in the tribe were given to Huaxu and Fuxi.
Not long after, a baby named Nuwa was born in the tribe.
Inside Vast Heaven Palace on the fourth level of the Thirty-Three Heavens, the image displayed on the Haotian Mirror vanished as Haotian leaned back on his throne. He tapped the armrest as he sunk deep into thought.
Soon, the time of human supremacy would arrive. Haotian could already see more and more humans entering the Heavenly Court and increasing their influence. Before then, he must expand his influence and power as much as possible.
He had amassed a large number of followers, and he wanted to send them to the other great emperors. Luya was just a puppet controlled by the Seven Luminary, and Antarctic Immortal Weng hadn’t accepted either. Even Yaochi, who governed war and punishment, didn't accept his aid. Daoist Rendang accepted, but the followers he sent over could only watch and do nothing in Fengdu City of the Underworld as Empress Pingxin governed the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
Since he couldn't influence the other emperors, then he could only expand the power of the East Great Emperor of Greenflower. As the ruler that governed species and their birth, he should have power over the source of their growth too.
Haotian's eyes drifted toward the East Sea. His gaze focused back on the Haotian Mirror. A wave of his sleeve later, a new image appeared in the mirror. It depicted a beautiful crystal palace built upon a colorful reef, the East Dragon King Palace.
He had to sigh. Even though the Dragon Clan had declined, they could still afford to refine a top-grade acquired spiritual artifact for a home. Their coffers sure were deep. This only reinforced Haotian's decision.
A moment later, a figure wearing white robes with long white hair and a beard emerged from his body. This new figure was Haotian's Good Corpse, Tiangong. Tiangong flew out of the Thirty-Three Heavens. As one of the Six Great Emperors, he had the right to travel through the Three Realms without passing through the South Heaven Gates—although it would be faster.
Ever since the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation, the Dragon Clan had secluded themselves from the Three Realms and no longer participated. This was best exemplified when they ignored the Demon Clan, the Titan Tribe, and Violet Manor.
Currently, the Dragon Clan has split into four branches, each dominating one of the four seas. The patriarchs of the four branches styled themselves as the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. Among the four, Haotian's target was the East Sea branch.
Tiangong arrived at the East Dragon King Palace. He didn't waste any words and released his aura to the lobster soldiers guarding the gate. "Tell Ao Guang that I have a message from the East Great Emperor of Greenflower."
Ao Guang was the name of the East Sea Dragon King. As for the other three, their names were Ao Run, Ao Qin, and Ao Shun. Respectively, they ruled the West, South, and North Seas.
Feeling the powerful aura that eclipsed the East Sea Dragon King, the lobster soldiers didn't dare delay and immediately ran to deliver the message.
It didn't take long for a blue-robed man with horns sprouting out of his forehead to come running out. "Ao Guang greets Senior. I don't know who this Senior is?"
Tiangong observed Ao Guang. He had heard that when Dragon Ancestor was still alive, the Dragon Clan had numerous Golden Immortals of the Great Firmament. Now, one of the four Dragon Kings was only a Golden Immortal of the Great Unity. How the mighty had fallen.
"You can call me Tiangong. I am Emperor Greenflower's Good Corpse," he introduced.
Ao Guang lowered his posture even more. "Where are my manners? This is no place to talk, please follow me."
Tiangong followed Ao Guang into the East Sea Dragon King Palace's throne hall. From inside, numerous pillars supported the roof, but there were no walls, allowing the occupants to gaze out and see the numerous sea creatures. On a raised platform was a throne constructed of brilliant crystal-like corals.
"I wonder what Senior has come for?" Ao Guang asked.
"The situation of the Dragon Clan hasn't improved much, has it?" Tiangong asked.
Ao Guang's expression turned ugly. The massive amounts of Karmic Sin they accrued still had yet to disappear after numerous eons. As a result, the Dragon Clan members suffered significantly slower cultivation. Now, even Golden Immortal dragons were hard to come by.
It was also one of the reasons the Dragon Clan split into four branches. The four branches split the Karmic Sin they accrued during the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation. Although it divided their overall strength, it meant a greater chance at survival.
Now, each branch was slowly working on accumulating Karmic Merit to offset the Karmic Sin.
"Senior didn't come here to mock us, did you?" Ao Guang asked with a flash of fierceness. So what if Tiangong was a Quasi-Saint, so what if he was Haotian's Good Corpse? This didn't mean he could trample on the Dragon Clan's pride.
Tiangong smiled. "You misunderstood me. I came here to solve your problems."
Ao Guang's anger vanished, replaced by curiosity. "I don't know what Senior means by this."
"It's simple," Tiangong began. "I want to grant the Dragon Clan authority over the clouds and rain. From now on, the Dragon Clan will be responsible for the rainfall on the land to promote the growth of all species, including humans. I won't lie to you. Currently, it is a crucial developmental period for humanity. As long as the Dragon Clan accomplishes its task well, endless merit will descend and erase the Karmic Sin you have been saddled with."
Ao Guang's heart moved. "Can you give me some time to consider?"
Tiangong nodded. "When you make your choice, just seek out my main body in the Heavenly Court. Now, since I have delivered the message, I need to leave. I still need to make three more trips."
Ao Guang's heart quivered as he asked, "What does Senior mean?"
Tiangong, who had turned around to leave, faced the East Sea Dragon King again. "I still need to deliver the message to the West, South, and North Seas."
It was as Ao Guang suspected. A sense of urgency arose in his heart. "Senior, please stay for a while. I need to discuss it with the other elders first. I'll definitely give you a reply soon. Until then, please accept my hospitality.”
"Ao Jia!"
Ao Guang had three sons: the eldest, Ao Jia; the second, Ao Yi; the third and youngest, Ao Bing.
"Entertain Senior Tiangong and make sure he is not slighted." After Ao Guang ordered his eldest, he left the throne hall. Unlike his previous words, he did not summon the elders but traveled to the deepest part of the palace.
Shockingly, the gate leading to the hidden room of the East Sea Dragon King Palace was guarded by two dragons at the Great Firmament Realm. Ao Guang saluted the two guards. "Please inform Grand Elder Zhuyin that I have something urgent to inform him."
"Let him in," an ancient and timeless voice reverberated.
Ao Guang lowered his posture even more. The two guards opened the gates and kneeled on one knee after fully opening them. Ao Guang walked into the lightless room. The gates closed behind him, cloaking him in pure darkness.
Moments later, two rows of candles lit up on either side of him, coating the room in dim light. On the wall opposite of the entrance was a giant sculpture of a dragon with a human head. Its body was coiled around its head and formed a circle that covered the entire wall.
The dragon sculpture was not a sculpture at all, but a Quasi-Saint dragon!
Zhuyin opened his eyes, and Ao Guang saw spring reflected in his right eye and fall in his left. Then, it changed to summer and winter before changing again to fall and spring. The seasons constantly changed without end in the ancient dragon's gaze.
Ao Guang quickly lowered his eyes. He knew that if he gazed too long, he would become immersed in the illusion, unable to extradite himself.
"You can agree to Haotian's request," Zhuyin said.
"But Grand Elder!" Ao Guang said.
"I know what you are thinking," Zhuyin said. "You fear that the dragons will face destruction if they dabble in the games between Saints. But what difference does perishing now or later make? Rather than delaying the inevitable, we should take a gamble. Even if we fail, it is only one of the four branches."
Ao Guang nodded. "I understand. I'll tell Tiangong that the East Sea Dragon Clan will agree to Emperor Greenflower's proposal."
"But remember, the Heavenly Court is not Haotian's, but the Jade Emperor's. You can offend Haotian but not the Saint," Zhuyin instructed. "Now go."
Humanity prospered in the Three Realms. Their numbers filled the Earthly Realm, but they were scattered without unity. A vast amount of humans died every day, but the number of newborns more than made up for that loss—all losses except for the immortal and martial inheritances.
They didn't have any writing system, so they could only pass down inheritances through words. But the knowledgeable humans would eventually die with no one taking up their mantle, causing them to lose their foundation.
Wutian tried his best to stop this by dispatching the martial cultivators he trained, but there were simply not enough. They had lost too much from the demon’s massacre, and each generation of humans could not compare to the former. Compared to the first one hundred twenty-nine thousand and six hundred humans, the current humans didn't even have one percent of their lifespan or talents.
Among the scattered tribes of humanity, there was a woman named Huaxu who lived at the edge of the tribe. Her name was taken from the mountain near the tribe. Also near the tribe was the territory of Leigong. In the eyes of the tribe, he was a thunder god that punished the wicked, so his territory became a forbidden ground. Anyone who entered the forbidden ground would be expelled from the tribe.
One day, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky and pierced into Leigong's territory. Huaxu, who had listened to the stories of Leigong growing up, became curious. Seeing that almost everyone was out hunting, she snuck out of the tribe and ventured toward Leigong's territory.
Her heart pounded as she neared the forbidden ground. Huaxu hesitated, but her curiosity won out. After making sure no one saw her, she snuck in. Immediately, a dense fog obscured her vision.
To prevent herself from getting lost, Huaxu used a stick to mark where she had walked. After traveling for almost an hour, a ray of light caught her attention. Unable to stop her curiosity, her feet walked toward the light by themselves.
As she drew closer, the light revealed itself to be a glowing orb of violet and gold. 'Is this the legendary spiritual artifact used by gods?'
So caught in the light's beauty and her thoughts, Huaxu didn't see the dip in the ground. A slip of the foot later, Huaxu fell forward, and a flash of light blinded her just before her body hit the ground.
When Huaxu regained her vision, the glowing orb had disappeared. She stood up and looked around her, wondering where it had disappeared to. Huaxi frowned when she realized the dip in the ground was a strangely shaped hole. Climbing out and looking at it again, her face paled.
The hole she fell into wasn't a hole at all but a footprint!
Thunder rumbled, and Huaxu frantically searched for the source, but the sound seemed to come from everywhere. She no longer wanted to sate her curiosity and ran all the way back to the tribe, remembering to hide her tracks so no one would know what she did.
Huaxu successfully returned to her tribe, and after a few weeks of trepidation, she sighed in relief when nothing happened. She continued on with her life, but after three months, she suddenly discovered her belly was growing as if she was pregnant.
Her suspicions were confirmed a month later. Thankfully, no one questioned her pregnancy or linked it to the forbidden grounds. Humanity did not practice marriage, so everyone thought she had slept with a man and got pregnant. The Martial Ancestor had attempted to introduce it, but the custom disappeared due to the chaos after the Demon Clan's massacre.
Only Huaxu felt scared. Her fears came through when her pregnancy continued for a whole year, then two, and finally three. The tribespeople all said she slept with a demon and bore a half-demon child. Under the questioning of the whole tribe and chief, Huaxu had no choice but to admit what she had done.
Upon learning this, the tribespeople expelled her from the village. However, they didn't drive her too far away because they feared that the child in Huaxu's belly was Leigong's child.
Huaxu built a shack for herself between the river and the tribe. She survived on fruits and vegetables she foraged and the occasional kindness from the tribespeople. However, in the fifth year of her pregnancy, Huaxu could no longer forage for food, and the tribespeople couldn't provide enough food for her.
Just as Huaxu started to worry about starving to death, she saw a beast walk out of the river. It had the body of a deer, but jewel-like scales covered its entire body instead of fur. It possessed hooved feet, two horns coming out of its head, a mane coming down its neck, and a fish's tail.
Huaxu secluded herself in her shack and refused to come out. She waited and waited until she couldn't take the hunger anymore. Peaking out of a hole in her shack, she saw that the beast had disappeared.
Still filled with trepidation, Huaxu stepped out and discovered that there was a pile of fruits atop a large leaf. From then on, when Huaxu finished her food, the qilin would come every time to replenish her food supply. This situation lasted until the ninth year of her pregnancy.
Inside the Grand Purity Hall of Three Purity Palace, Laozi opened his eyes and summoned Xuandu.
"Disciple greets Master," Xuandu said as he saluted.
"The heavenly sovereign is about to be born near Huaxu Mountain from a woman named after the mountain. Once he is born, accept him as a student and guide him, but remember: do not solve his problems for him, or he won't be able to complete his duty," Laozi said.
"Disciple understands," Xuandu said as he left Kunlun Mountain.
When Xuandu arrived at Huaxu's tribe, he appeared on white clouds. Bird songs accompanied him, and even the wind and rain sang and danced to the music.
"Oh, Great Immortal, why have you come to our tribe?" the chief asked as the tribespeople, not out hunting, gathered around but still kept a safe distance from Xuandu.
Xuandu smiled, instantly causing any human who saw it to feel a sense of intimacy with him. "I'm here to accept a student. Are there any newborn children in your tribe?"
The chief immediately joyfully summoned all the children aged three and under. "Great Immortal, these are all the children that have been born in our tribe."
Xuandu looked at all of them but couldn't see any of them carrying Purple Majesty Qi, the emperor's qi. "Are these all the tribe's children?"
The chief nodded. "I don't dare to hide from the Great Immortal."
Xuandu frowned. He didn't suspect any incorrectness in his master's words. How could he be? His master was an exalted Saint of Heaven. Then that could only mean that the future ruler of humanity wasn't among the tribe. "Are there any women pregnant or children born to them near the tribe?"
"No, Great Immortal," the chief said. Then her eyes widened as she remembered Huaxu. "Great Immortal, there is a woman pregnant, but she's been pregnant for nine years. I don't know if her child is the one you are looking for."
Upon hearing that the pregnancy lasted nine years, Xuandu smiled. "Bring me to her."
"Right away," the chief said.
When the two arrived near Huaxu's shack, night had already begun. Just as Xuandu was about to enter the shack, a bright flash of light erupted from within. So intense was the light that it turned night to day.
Clouds gathered, the wind became alive, and lightning thundered. The sky above turned violet as faint dragon apparitions roved around, roaring as if to announce the birth.
Xuandu knew that the heavenly sovereign of man had just been born. Not just him, but all Saints of Heaven, wherever they were, sensed Fuxi's birth. Even Empress Pingxin in the Underworld looked up at the Earthly Realm.
The visions lasted for five hours before finally ending. As if sensing Xuandu's presence, Huaxu walked out of the shack not a minute later. She carried her son in her arms, naked but not bloody.
Her son's skin was not wrinkly, nor did his eyes contain the usual infant’s ignorance. Instead, he looked around with wisdom as if curious about everything.
Xuandu's presence drew Huaxu and her child's attention. "Huaxu greets Great Immortal."
Huaxu moved to kneel, but Xuandu flipped his palm, and the clouds underneath him flew forward and stopped her. "There is no need to kneel."
"To tell you the truth, I came to this tribe specifically for your child," Xuandu said, causing Huaxu to hug her son protectively. "There is no need to worry. I have come to accept him as a student."
The worry and fear on Huaxu's face disappeared, and joy manifested on her face. "Thank you, thank you."
Xuandu's softly laughed. "There is no need, it is your child that is outstanding. Tell me, what is his name?"
Huaxu hesitated for a moment, but a moment later, conviction entered her eyes. "Fuxi, his name is Fuxi. Humanity's Fuxi."
Surprise appeared on Xuandu's face. 'Is this a coincidence or fate?'
Xuandu nodded. "Tell him to go to Shouyang Mountain when he turns fourteen."
After saying those words, Xuandu flew to Huaxu Mountain in front of all the tribespeople. After Xuandu left, the chief warmly welcomed Huaxu back to the tribe. From then on, the best things in the tribe were given to Huaxu and Fuxi.
Not long after, a baby named Nuwa was born in the tribe.
Inside Vast Heaven Palace on the fourth level of the Thirty-Three Heavens, the image displayed on the Haotian Mirror vanished as Haotian leaned back on his throne. He tapped the armrest as he sunk deep into thought.
Soon, the time of human supremacy would arrive. Haotian could already see more and more humans entering the Heavenly Court and increasing their influence. Before then, he must expand his influence and power as much as possible.
He had amassed a large number of followers, and he wanted to send them to the other great emperors. Luya was just a puppet controlled by the Seven Luminary, and Antarctic Immortal Weng hadn’t accepted either. Even Yaochi, who governed war and punishment, didn't accept his aid. Daoist Rendang accepted, but the followers he sent over could only watch and do nothing in Fengdu City of the Underworld as Empress Pingxin governed the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
Since he couldn't influence the other emperors, then he could only expand the power of the East Great Emperor of Greenflower. As the ruler that governed species and their birth, he should have power over the source of their growth too.
Haotian's eyes drifted toward the East Sea. His gaze focused back on the Haotian Mirror. A wave of his sleeve later, a new image appeared in the mirror. It depicted a beautiful crystal palace built upon a colorful reef, the East Dragon King Palace.
He had to sigh. Even though the Dragon Clan had declined, they could still afford to refine a top-grade acquired spiritual artifact for a home. Their coffers sure were deep. This only reinforced Haotian's decision.
A moment later, a figure wearing white robes with long white hair and a beard emerged from his body. This new figure was Haotian's Good Corpse, Tiangong. Tiangong flew out of the Thirty-Three Heavens. As one of the Six Great Emperors, he had the right to travel through the Three Realms without passing through the South Heaven Gates—although it would be faster.
Ever since the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation, the Dragon Clan had secluded themselves from the Three Realms and no longer participated. This was best exemplified when they ignored the Demon Clan, the Titan Tribe, and Violet Manor.
Currently, the Dragon Clan has split into four branches, each dominating one of the four seas. The patriarchs of the four branches styled themselves as the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. Among the four, Haotian's target was the East Sea branch.
Tiangong arrived at the East Dragon King Palace. He didn't waste any words and released his aura to the lobster soldiers guarding the gate. "Tell Ao Guang that I have a message from the East Great Emperor of Greenflower."
Ao Guang was the name of the East Sea Dragon King. As for the other three, their names were Ao Run, Ao Qin, and Ao Shun. Respectively, they ruled the West, South, and North Seas.
Feeling the powerful aura that eclipsed the East Sea Dragon King, the lobster soldiers didn't dare delay and immediately ran to deliver the message.
It didn't take long for a blue-robed man with horns sprouting out of his forehead to come running out. "Ao Guang greets Senior. I don't know who this Senior is?"
Tiangong observed Ao Guang. He had heard that when Dragon Ancestor was still alive, the Dragon Clan had numerous Golden Immortals of the Great Firmament. Now, one of the four Dragon Kings was only a Golden Immortal of the Great Unity. How the mighty had fallen.
"You can call me Tiangong. I am Emperor Greenflower's Good Corpse," he introduced.
Ao Guang lowered his posture even more. "Where are my manners? This is no place to talk, please follow me."
Tiangong followed Ao Guang into the East Sea Dragon King Palace's throne hall. From inside, numerous pillars supported the roof, but there were no walls, allowing the occupants to gaze out and see the numerous sea creatures. On a raised platform was a throne constructed of brilliant crystal-like corals.
"I wonder what Senior has come for?" Ao Guang asked.
"The situation of the Dragon Clan hasn't improved much, has it?" Tiangong asked.
Ao Guang's expression turned ugly. The massive amounts of Karmic Sin they accrued still had yet to disappear after numerous eons. As a result, the Dragon Clan members suffered significantly slower cultivation. Now, even Golden Immortal dragons were hard to come by.
It was also one of the reasons the Dragon Clan split into four branches. The four branches split the Karmic Sin they accrued during the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation. Although it divided their overall strength, it meant a greater chance at survival.
Now, each branch was slowly working on accumulating Karmic Merit to offset the Karmic Sin.
"Senior didn't come here to mock us, did you?" Ao Guang asked with a flash of fierceness. So what if Tiangong was a Quasi-Saint, so what if he was Haotian's Good Corpse? This didn't mean he could trample on the Dragon Clan's pride.
Tiangong smiled. "You misunderstood me. I came here to solve your problems."
Ao Guang's anger vanished, replaced by curiosity. "I don't know what Senior means by this."
"It's simple," Tiangong began. "I want to grant the Dragon Clan authority over the clouds and rain. From now on, the Dragon Clan will be responsible for the rainfall on the land to promote the growth of all species, including humans. I won't lie to you. Currently, it is a crucial developmental period for humanity. As long as the Dragon Clan accomplishes its task well, endless merit will descend and erase the Karmic Sin you have been saddled with."
Ao Guang's heart moved. "Can you give me some time to consider?"
Tiangong nodded. "When you make your choice, just seek out my main body in the Heavenly Court. Now, since I have delivered the message, I need to leave. I still need to make three more trips."
Ao Guang's heart quivered as he asked, "What does Senior mean?"
Tiangong, who had turned around to leave, faced the East Sea Dragon King again. "I still need to deliver the message to the West, South, and North Seas."
It was as Ao Guang suspected. A sense of urgency arose in his heart. "Senior, please stay for a while. I need to discuss it with the other elders first. I'll definitely give you a reply soon. Until then, please accept my hospitality.”
"Ao Jia!"
Ao Guang had three sons: the eldest, Ao Jia; the second, Ao Yi; the third and youngest, Ao Bing.
"Entertain Senior Tiangong and make sure he is not slighted." After Ao Guang ordered his eldest, he left the throne hall. Unlike his previous words, he did not summon the elders but traveled to the deepest part of the palace.
Shockingly, the gate leading to the hidden room of the East Sea Dragon King Palace was guarded by two dragons at the Great Firmament Realm. Ao Guang saluted the two guards. "Please inform Grand Elder Zhuyin that I have something urgent to inform him."
"Let him in," an ancient and timeless voice reverberated.
Ao Guang lowered his posture even more. The two guards opened the gates and kneeled on one knee after fully opening them. Ao Guang walked into the lightless room. The gates closed behind him, cloaking him in pure darkness.
Moments later, two rows of candles lit up on either side of him, coating the room in dim light. On the wall opposite of the entrance was a giant sculpture of a dragon with a human head. Its body was coiled around its head and formed a circle that covered the entire wall.
The dragon sculpture was not a sculpture at all, but a Quasi-Saint dragon!
Zhuyin opened his eyes, and Ao Guang saw spring reflected in his right eye and fall in his left. Then, it changed to summer and winter before changing again to fall and spring. The seasons constantly changed without end in the ancient dragon's gaze.
Ao Guang quickly lowered his eyes. He knew that if he gazed too long, he would become immersed in the illusion, unable to extradite himself.
"You can agree to Haotian's request," Zhuyin said.
"But Grand Elder!" Ao Guang said.
"I know what you are thinking," Zhuyin said. "You fear that the dragons will face destruction if they dabble in the games between Saints. But what difference does perishing now or later make? Rather than delaying the inevitable, we should take a gamble. Even if we fail, it is only one of the four branches."
Ao Guang nodded. "I understand. I'll tell Tiangong that the East Sea Dragon Clan will agree to Emperor Greenflower's proposal."
"But remember, the Heavenly Court is not Haotian's, but the Jade Emperor's. You can offend Haotian but not the Saint," Zhuyin instructed. "Now go."
