Proofreader: Papatonks

“Father!”

“Elder brother!”

The Luo clan’s leadership gathered in the main hall of their city and discussed. The sudden shouts had them looking towards the doors, now burst open by Gu Santong, Qiao’er and Ye Lin.

Their auras clearly placed them at the Saint Stage.

Ouyang Changqing lit up, “Ye Lin, you’ve been enjoying yourself with the dragons by the looks of it. I ought to take a trip to the Dragonizing Pool as well…”

“Get back!”

Ye Lin pushed him away, rushing to Luo Yunhai, “Clan Head, where is my elder brother? Why do all the dragons say that he’s dead?”

Luo Yunhai sighed and patted his shoulder, “Big brother Zhuo has a glimmer of hope but Shuang’er and miss Yuyu…”

“They…”

“They passed on to save dad!”

Sword Child stepped up with a grave look, “They leaned on a Sovereign’s path for a power boost and wrested dad’s weak soul from the Heavenly Sovereign. They, however, couldn’t withstand a Sovereign path’s power and crumbled, soul and all.”

Ye Lin shook and sighed.

Qiao’er cried, recalling the good times she had with Bali Yuyu.

The closest to her were Baili Jingtian and Baili Yulei. The three had gone with Zhuo Fan to the Sacred Domain once their clan fell, but now one of them was no more.

Bali Yulei saw her as his little sister, while Baili Jingtian felt the pain of losing his relative.

They had no hatred among the sadness, for this was Bali Yuyu’s choice.

“Thunder Sword King, our revenge for Zhuo Fan is no longer important.”

Baili Jingtian said, “Frigid Rain Sword King is gone and I feel a piece of me missing. We need to live in the moment and have no regrets.”

Baili Yulei nodded heavily.

“I don’t know if Zhuo Fan’s Sovereign path had something to do with it when he entered the Emperor Stage, but my eyes have opened up. I had spent a century obsessed with killing him, but forgetting all the people around me, my father, you. My hatred didn’t change even as the empire fell. Now that Frigid Rain Sword King is gone, I have come to see that while hatred blinded me those hundred years, I failed to realize how many things I lost. Thunder Sword King, let’s go home. I want to live my life in peace along with my father.”

“His Majesty is at Drifting Flowers City.” Baili Yulei said, “We will find him there.”

Baili Jingtian started, “How do you know?”

“Zhuo Fan told me.”

Baili Yulei muttered, “He knew your desire, but since you helped him, he looked after your family regardless of your intentions. His Majesty hasn’t become a prisoner, but is living safely in Tianyu. It was there where Zhuo Fan lived his quietest moments. He hoped that the past emperor would find peace as well.”

Baili Jingtian felt ashamed, “He did all this while I almost left father to be forgotten…”

“That’s why Zhuo Fan thinks of everything. He has his own path that brings people together, which makes up his power.”

Baili Yulei smiled, “Let’s wait for Steward Zhuo’s return. We’ll help him in this fight and then go see His Majesty. What do you say?”

Baili Jingtian closed his eyes and nodded through tears…

“Get lost!”

Ye Lin was furious as he stormed outside, “Who’s shouting in the Luo clan?”

“I am, what of it?”

A middle-aged man in golden robes stood tall and majestic alongside two others.

Gu Santong and Qiao’er knew them on the spot. Ye Lin was human and didn’t know of dragon ancestor’s human form, cursing instead, “You got some nerve! Who are you to run wild in the Luo clan?’

“Oh, you got to spread your wings, brat, and now you’re teaching me?” Dragon ancestor started, smiling at his disciple.

Gu Santong and Qiao’er pulled Ye Lin back.

[Are you mental? To dare to go after the three monsters?]

Kunpeng didn’t care, looking around. The most pressing matter was to find Zhuo Fan.

The Dragon Saints came as well and immediately kneeled, “Ancestor, you’re alright! We couldn’t be more gratified to find you once more with us!”

“Y-you’re master?” Ye Lin cried out.

Dragon ancestor glared, “Brat, I’ll deal with you later. Where’s Zhuo Fan? Come out already! You can’t be dead!”

“Ancestor, a few days ago, the Dragon Sovereign was butchered by eight people. You have to set this right and get revenge for him!”

The old dragons lamented.

Dragon ancestor waved their whining away, “Since he’s dead, that’s that. Just go pick other dragons with some talent. Zhuo Fan is more important right now? Is he dead or not?”

Ugh!

The dragon Saints were stumped. They rushed here the minute they heard their ancestor was back, hoping to get support.

Only the ancestor cared not for them, wanting to know more about some human’s life instead.

[Zhuo Fan must be Ancestor’s aide for sure.]

So they changed tactics, “Ancestor, taking revenge for the Dragon Sovereign or Steward Zhuo is the same, because the same man killed them both.”

“He’s really dead?”

Dragon ancestor turned to Kunpeng, “What now? The kid is dead and the sky will fall.”

Kunpeng shouted, “Listen well, the fate of the world rests on Zhuo Fan. Tell me exactly if he is dead or not! Did you see it happen?”

“Seniors, this is what happened…”

Sword Child came forward and retold the events.

The three seniors eased up, “I see, that’s why there’s a glimmer of hope. How fortunate.”

“Old man, he’s but a ruined soul now, with his strength robbed. It can’t get worse than this. What hope are you talking about?”

Dragon ancestor asked, “You alright there? What can a cripple do?”

“Cripple? Humph, you’d never say that if you knew who he is.”

“Him?”

Dragon ancestor raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t he a pawn in your schemes? Or is he some Sovereign’s reincarnation?”

Kunpeng said, “Pretty much. Old dragon, remember the Uncrowned Sovereign?”

“Him?”

Dragon ancestor gasped, “The Heavenly Sovereign’s younger brother, the one who with the Heavenly Sovereign was called Heavenly Daos Exalted? That’s Zhuo Fan? Why is he on the demonic path?”

“Isn’t the goal of all Sovereigns the Supreme Stage?” Kunpeng’s eyes shone.

Heaven Sealing Sea Ao and dragon ancestor thought…

[The union of ten paths, the Supreme Stage.]

Was such a legend true?

“Uh, senior, could you…”

The trio chatted back and forth, when Luo Yunhai finally came forward with a smile and a bow.

Kunpeng said, “We’re three sacred beasts, Vaulting Kunpeng, Decimating Dragon Ancestor and Heaven Sealing Sea Ao. We guided Zhuo Fan once and came to see what happened to him.

“Sacred beasts? The same ones that can fight Sovereigns?” Luo Yunhai and everyone cheered, “With sirs, we can beat the two enemies!”

Kunpeng’s face twitched, “Win? One of them is the Heavenly Sovereign, who fought all the others by himself. Us three are nothing. Stop dreaming! Our only hope rests with Zhuo Fan.”

“But Zhuo Fan is only a broken soul, how can he…” Dragon ancestor shook his head.

Kunpeng sneered, “Didn’t Sovereign Yun take the same ruined soul with his star path? By my reckoning, he must be at the Heavenly Rebirth Lake. There he will regain everything, including the ancient power closest to the Heavenly Sovereign…”