Chapter 468: The Dao Court’s Ambition
In the old Dragon Monarch's calculations, the first batch of True Dragon branch lineages sent to Jiangdong were essentially cannon fodder, their sole value being to establish a foothold.
He had anticipated the Dao Court's suppression of the True Dragon Clan but showed no intention of intervening. Only after estimating that the oppression had lasted long enough did he send a message, planning to boost the morale of his dispatched grandson Du Huan so he could continue contributing to the True Dragon Clan.
However, reality differed from his expectations.
"Grandfather!"
Before the Dragon Monarch could speak, Lü Yang knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face as he cried out emotionally, "Du Huan has not disappointed you! Du Huan has succeeded!"
'...Huh?'
For a moment, the Dragon Monarch hesitated—especially upon seeing the third-rank official position of [Deputy Commander of the Dutian Division] hovering above Lü Yang's head.
Since the Jiangdong region was enveloped by the [Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes], ordinary karma divination techniques couldn't interfere. Thus, the old Dragon Monarch couldn't deduce the sequence of events. But having lived for so long, he'd seen all kinds of situations. After brief contemplation, he arrived at a conclusion that surprised and delighted him.
'Has Du Huan... actually risen to prominence in Jiangdong?!'
After all, while many things could deceive, an official position displayed so prominently couldn't lie—and it seemed to correspond to the [Roadside Earth] fruit position.
Lü Yang might not know, but how could the old Dragon Monarch be unaware?
The contemporary Dao Court's Heavenly Son, the Tianwu royal family's inherited fruit position, was precisely [Roadside Earth]! In other words, his own grandson had caught the Dao Court Heavenly Son's favor!
"Excellent, excellent!"
At this realization, the old Dragon Monarch burst into laughter. "As expected of my beloved grandson! When I sent you to Jiangdong, I believed you could achieve great things!"
With these words, the grandfather and grandson shared a touching moment.
"Du Huan, tell me—how did you rise within the Dao Court?"
"Because of one person..."
Here, Lü Yang deliberately lowered his voice and cautiously glanced around. The old Dragon Monarch understood immediately and dispersed the auspicious clouds surrounding him.
"Speak freely!"
The old Dragon Monarch chuckled lightly. "Since I bestowed this scale upon you to contact me, I naturally have the means to shield you from Jia You's gaze."
"Reporting to Grandfather." Lü Yang then retrieved the [Incense-Fueled Deification Method] and the coordinates of the Seven Luminaries Heaven, speaking solemnly: "It was due to a cultivation technique and the corresponding realm it was linked to. After handing these to me, that person vanished. He was extremely mysterious—I suspect he was from the Demon Sect north of the river!"
"...Oh?"
Hearing this, the old Dragon Monarch's expression turned grave. No matter how trivial the matter, anything involving the Saint Sect was significant—who knew what pitfalls might lurk beneath?
"This is..."
Soon, the old Dragon Monarch finished reviewing the technique Lü Yang had presented and deduced the coordinates of the [Seven Luminaries Heaven]. His expression gradually darkened:
"The person who contacted you... harbors grand ambitions! This realm likely possesses the embryonic form of a fruit position, highly compatible with the Dao Court's system. Yet instead of negotiating directly with the Dao Court, he used you—a True Dragon—as an intermediary. Despite having such leverage, he chose not to engage openly."
The old Dragon Monarch didn't doubt Lü Yang's words.
After all, the [Incense-Fueled Deification Method] before him was undeniably real, and how could he not understand his own grandson? Du Huan wouldn't dare deceive him!
"What did you do?" the old Dragon Monarch inquired.
Lü Yang promptly lowered his head, adopting a meek and apologetic demeanor: "Du Huan borrowed Grandfather's name, claiming this was a gesture of goodwill from our True Dragon Clan..."
"Good!"
Without needing Lü Yang to elaborate, the old Dragon Monarch instantly grasped the subsequent developments, resolving his earlier confusion over how his grandson had risen so swiftly.
As for the "mysterious person" Lü Yang mentioned, the old Dragon Monarch quickly formed his own judgment:
"This individual is likely a reincarnated True Lord!"
A realm bearing the embryonic form of a fruit position couldn't be the work of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Yet the reluctance to negotiate directly with the Dao Court suggested this person probably wasn't an active True Lord either.
In that case, a reincarnated True Lord made perfect sense.
But who could it be?
Immediately, the most renowned reincarnated True Lord of the past five millennia sprang to the old Dragon Monarch's mind: "Hong Yun? Impossible, impossible... He couldn't possibly possess such capability..."
No, it couldn't be Hong Yun.
It must be someone else!
The old Dragon Monarch sank into deep contemplation. Considering which other True Lords from the Saint Sect had perished, tracing back five thousand years, the only plausible candidate was...
'...[Ang Xiao]?'
Surely not? That man was a genuine paragon of virtue.
The old Dragon Monarch stroked his chin, torn between belief and skepticism. Though Ang Xiao had a reputation for righteousness, he was still from the Saint Sect—doubt inevitably crept in.
"By the way, Grandfather, there's one more thing."
At this moment, Lü Yang spoke up again, recounting how he had interrogated Zhao Xuhe and reported the [Nine Transforming Dragon Art] to the Dao Court.
This caused another shift in the old Dragon Monarch's expression: "A technique corresponding to [City Wall Earth]... If I recall correctly, didn't the Pure Land discard it into the Saint Sect? How did it end up with the Dao Court—and through your interrogation, no less? Excellent! Truly excellent! No wonder Jia You holds you in such high regard!"
Lü Yang feigned ignorance: "Is that technique... particularly special?"
"You wouldn't know this."
The old Dragon Monarch was happy to enlighten him. "Jia You cultivates [Roadside Earth] but has long coveted the supreme position of [City Wall Earth]!"
"Ever since the last millennium calamity, when the Dao Court plunged into chaos, the Zouyu imperial family was overthrown by Tianwu, and Buddhism spread eastward—taking the supreme fruit position [City Wall Earth] with it—the Tianwu royal family has schemed relentlessly to reclaim it. At the very least, they sought to regain the supreme fruit position."
"However, the Pure Land... is utterly shameless."
Here, the old Dragon Monarch's eyelids twitched. "Coupled with the Dao Court's own limitations, they've never found an opportunity to act."
"But this time is different."
"If a cultivator within the Dao Court establishes their foundation using a technique corresponding to [City Wall Earth], and Jia You then confers official titles upon them..."
"As that person's cultivation advances—from early Foundation Establishment to mid, late, and finally perfected stages—the Dao Court can exploit the connection between official positions and the imagery of '[City Wall Earth] cultivators bowing in submission' to forcibly demote [City Wall Earth] from its position as the supreme earth-element fruit!"
"Then [Roadside Earth] can replace it."
"And Jia You will achieve his ambition—advancing to late-stage Golden Core with a supreme fruit position. Not only would he become virtually unmatched in the current era, but the path to Nascent Soul would also lie within reach..."
At this point, even the old Dragon Monarch felt a twinge of envy.
But he quickly snapped out of it and turned back to Lü Yang: "You've done well this time. Continue serving Jia You diligently and accumulate status."
"Your grandson understands!"
Lü Yang nodded eagerly but then wore a pessimistic expression. "However, Grandfather, discrimination against us demonic cultivators in Jiangdong is severe. Though I've gained some standing, I lack roots here. Even when I visit others' homes proactively, those human cultivators shut their doors on me."
"I beg Grandfather to grant me a solution!"
"A solution?"
The old Dragon Monarch paused, his mind whirling before realization struck: What kind of place was the Dao Court? If they truly cared about the distinction between humans and demons, they wouldn't recruit demonic cultivators at all.
The likely reason for rejection? Lack of money!
No gifts, yet expecting assistance?
'He's asking me for funds!'
The old Dragon Monarch had an epiphany and immediately waved his hand grandly. "Worry not! I'll soon send you a batch of spirit materials. Our True Dragon Clan may lack many things—"
"—but we are never short on wealth!"
His tone brimmed with pride, while Lü Yang wore a hesitant expression. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate? These are the True Dragon Clan's treasured—"
The old Dragon Monarch laughed. "Nonsense! Soldiers are raised over a thousand days for use in a single hour. You're far more valuable than these materials. However, as a precaution, I'll store them within a True Treasure and send it over. The treasure will serve as your protection, preventing ill-intentioned individuals from harming you."
"Grandfather, this really isn't—"
"There's nothing inappropriate about it!"
The old Dragon Monarch's word was law. He dispersed his auspicious clouds and, across hundreds of millions of miles, transmitted a golden light that landed in Lü Yang's palm with a thunderous boom.