Chapter 410: Plundering the Dragon Palace!
Just how wealthy is the True Dragon Clan?
Many know dragons are rich—they're celestial nobility with ancient lineage, and with True Lords overseeing them, poverty is hardly an option. But exactly how rich?
The True Dragon Clan has always kept this tightly under wraps, never leaking specifics. Yet today, Lü Yang witnessed it firsthand.
Entering the treasury.
Contrary to Lü Yang's expectations, the treasury itself wasn't large—just a small room with a desk and two bookshelves on either side.
Then Lü Yang's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
He saw it clearly: the desk and shelves were entirely wooden, yet unmistakably emanated the aura of immortal spirits—something he knew all too well!
'These are stillborn immortal spirits? Failed to develop or emerge successfully, perishing prematurely... So this desk, these shelves—all made from the remains of a [Jia Wood] immortal spirit? Exactly! They're crafted entirely from the corpse of a [Jia Wood] immortal spirit!'
The extravagance was absurd!
Materials of this grade could forge a top-tier spiritual treasure, even suffice as Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend essences for refinement!
Yet here, their sole purpose was to hold objects.
Shifting his gaze, Lü Yang examined the items atop the desk and shelves. On the desk lay a Daoist scripture, along with the Four Treasures of the Study: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Each bookshelf held three items.
The left shelf displayed a teapot, a seal, and a seven-holed jade stone. The right shelf held a small box, a crystal sphere, and a dazzling golden light sealed within a glass vial—so radiant it was nearly blinding.
"Holy—!"
While other items might have been unfamiliar, that golden light in the vial was unmistakable—it was a Metal Essence!
Lü Yang immediately activated his [Exquisite Heart] to scrutinize it.
The Metal Essence took shape before his eyes—a white hornless dragon, claws bared, its massive draconic pupils glaring fiercely ahead.
A quick calculation revealed its origins.
'This is... that [White Hornless Dragon]!'
The eldest son of the Dragon Lord, Tian Qiu's predecessor as Dragon Palace Crown Prince, once the True Dragon Clan's golden hope—until the Four Great Powers lured and slaughtered him.
"After my elder brother's death, the Dao Calamity emerged. Father suppressed it and refined this Metal Essence, preserving it here ever since," Tian Qiu said flatly. "Father's cooperation with the Dao Court wasn't just for our clan's survival—he also hoped to revive my brother."
"Oh?"
Lü Yang raised an eyebrow. "Once a Dao Calamity forms, the soul should've long reincarnated—utterly dead. How could a mere Metal Essence bring him back?"
"That, I don't know."
Tian Qiu shook his head. "I only know Father spent years creating this third-grade true technique specifically for my brother's revival."
Following Tian Qiu's gesture, Lü Yang looked at the scripture on the desk.
《Heavenly Speech Kunye Dragon Scripture》!
A sweep with his divine sense made Lü Yang frown.
This was indeed a third-grade true technique—but surprisingly, it wasn't designed for true dragons or demonic cultivators. It was for human cultivators.
And not just any humans.
"Father said joining the Dao Court has pros and cons. The benefit is returning inland with the Dao Court's backing, strengthening our clan."
"The downside is submitting to the Dao Court's rule—symbolically, it degrades our status. Once done, our True Dragon Clan would no longer be celestial nobility reaching Foundation Establishment upon maturity, but reduced to mere talented monsters, drastically diminishing our potential."
"But there's a way to circumvent this."
Here, Tian Qiu lowered his voice: "Rebellion! Overthrow the Tian Wu imperial family and replace them with the True Dragon Clan!"
Lü Yang was stunned.
"...What?"
Rebelling under the Dao Court's rule?
Madness!
"Master misunderstands," Tian Qiu explained. "The Jiangdong Dao Court differs from the other three powers—it permits rebellion."
"Under heaven, long divides must unite; long unions must divide."
"This is the [Heavenly Principle]."
"Before the Tian Wu royalty, it was the Zouyu imperial descendants who ruled [City Wall Earth]—how domineering they were! Yet they fell overnight."
"So Father's plan is: after joining the Dao Court, await the right moment during imperial succession, reincarnate my brother's Metal Essence, gift him this 《Heavenly Speech Kunye Dragon Scripture》, and have him contend for the throne with our clan's full support."
"Wouldn't the Dao Lord intervene?"
"Of course not!"
Tian Qiu laughed. "The Dao Lord's vision is beyond such trivialities. Besides, joining the Dao Court means joining the Dao Lord's system."
"Moreover, Father crafted this 《Heavenly Speech Kunye Dragon Scripture》 precisely for the Dao Lord's acceptance."
"As a third-grade true technique, its fruition position is [Heavenly Fire Above]—supreme among fire elements, still unclaimed."
"If our clan attains it and becomes the Dao Court's royalty, this fruition enters the official rank system—such a boon would delight the Dao Lord! Especially after [City Wall Earth] fell to the Pure Land, the Dao Court would welcome it!"
"I see..."
Now Lü Yang grasped the True Dragon Clan's grand scheme. Admittedly, for legitimizing their status, the plan was impeccable.
More importantly:
'This 《Heavenly Speech Kunye Dragon Scripture》... might suit me perfectly!'
The Dragon Lord embedded safeguards in its creation. The technique's imagery required cultivators to be human-bodied dragon descendants—not mere shapeshifters wearing human skins, but beings genuinely human yet bearing true dragon bloodline status. A complex process even the Dragon Lord would struggle to orchestrate.
In other words, despite being third-grade, currently no one alive could cultivate it—neither for Foundation Establishment nor Qi Refining.
Except Lü Yang faced no such barriers.
Thanks to his golden talent: [True Dragon Bloodline]!
Presently, Lü Yang perfectly fit the "human-bodied dragon descendant" criteria—this technique seemed tailor-made for him!
Frankly, if not for [True Dragon Bloodline] originating from the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes], and the scripture clearly being the Dragon Lord's long-standing plan, he'd suspect a conspiracy—the coincidence was uncanny.
'Please don't tell me there's another trap...'
Rubbing his temples, Lü Yang hesitated but shelved the concern to inspect the treasury's other treasures.
Like the Four Treasures beside the scripture.
At first glance, they seemed ordinary—until Lü Yang activated [Exquisite Heart], piercing through illusions. His eyes nearly bulged out.
Brush: [Wu Earth].
Ink: [Noon Fire].
Paper: [Ji Earth].
Inkstone: [Wei Earth].
'[Heavenly Fire Above]... So these are its corresponding Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend essences! The Dragon Lord prepared them all for his son!'
Lü Yang's hands trembled with indignation.
Is this what it means to be a privileged immortal descendant?
Remembering his own grueling efforts to gather Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend essences...
Damn plutocrats! The world decays because of these entitled brats coasting effortlessly on their connections—
Wait, I'm a true dragon now too.
So technically, all this is my inheritance?
Never mind then!