Demon Clan?
Dragon King Hall?
True Dragon?!
Within the Purple Cloud Academy, countless people raised their heads, and the elders quickly soared into the air, faces full of vigilance.
In the sky stood a burly middle-aged man, exuding an overwhelming demonic aura. His face was covered in scales, and his horns were sharp and prominent.
This was a Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor!
"You, a demon from the Demon Clan, dare to intrude into the human realm without permission. Aren't you afraid of dying here?" the headmaster of Purple Cloud Academy, the Palace Lord, ascended slowly, his tone cold.
"With my strength, I wouldn't dare challenge the entire human race, but this little Purple Cloud Region... there's no one here who can stop me!" the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor said arrogantly.
The Purple Cloud Palace Lord frowned, carefully assessing the demon. The opponent's demonic aura was like a blazing purple sun, far stronger than his own power.
At least an Eighth Heaven Quasi-Emperor!
Taking a deep breath, the Palace Lord coldly responded, "You claim to come from the Dragon King Hall of the Demon Clan to retrieve a True Dragon, but there is no True Dragon here."
The Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor chuckled arrogantly, "A True Dragon is born from the essence of heaven and earth, without a fixed form, and can change at will. Ordinary people wouldn't notice, but my Dragon King Hall was founded by a True Dragon. Every leader of our hall is a True Dragon. Naturally, we understand True Dragons better than anyone."
He continued, "Not long ago, one of our elders sensed the aura of a True Dragon emerging from the Purple Cloud Region, specifically from within your academy. I can already smell its presence."
A look of indulgence appeared on his face, akin to a lustful predator, though more sinister and filled with bloodthirsty greed, sending chills down everyone's spines.
The Purple Cloud Palace Lord's expression shifted slightly, his eyes flickering with suspicion before a sharp glint flashed across them, as if he had just realized something.
He stepped forward and said in a low voice, "This is a human academy. Everyone here is human. There's no True Dragon for you to find. Leave at once."
The Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor sneered, "Whether or not there's a True Dragon is not up to you but the facts."
With that, he extended his hand toward one of the academy's buildings.
Boom!
The building collapsed into pieces, and a young figure, wrapped in a transparent energy sphere, floated up from the debris.
It was Jin Zhi.
"Let me go!" Jin Zhi struggled desperately, but his body was trapped in the energy sphere, as though he had fallen into a quagmire. No matter how much he fought, it was futile.
"Jin Zhi!"
"Jin Zhi!"
Many elders shouted his name, their faces filled with urgency. Even the Purple Cloud Palace Lord looked anxious. Jin Zhi had long been regarded as the academy's hope, potentially the next Palace Lord.
There were even whispers that Jin Zhi possessed the potential to become an Emperor!
"Release him!"
The Purple Cloud Palace Lord flickered forward, appearing in front of Jin Zhi, reaching out to grab the energy sphere imprisoning him.
But in the next instant, the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor blocked his path, clashing his palm against the Palace Lord's outstretched hand.
Boom!
A transparent shockwave spread across the sky, shaking the earth. Many of the academy's buildings crumbled under the pressure.
"Ah!!"
"Urgh!"
Many students from Purple Cloud Academy coughed up blood from the impact, their eardrums ruptured from the blast.
In the sky, the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor stood firm, while the Purple Cloud Palace Lord was knocked back dozens of meters before regaining his balance. Though he wasn't injured, it was clear who held the upper hand.
"This is the True Dragon I'm here for," the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor said, holding Jin Zhi in a glowing energy sphere, which hovered above his palm like an orb of light.
He surveyed the crowd, then looked back at the Purple Cloud Palace Lord and said flatly, "There is a long-standing agreement between humans and the Demon Clan. If a True Dragon is born on this continent, it belongs to the Demon Clan."
"The entry of our Demon Clan's experts into human territories to retrieve a True Dragon is not considered an invasion, just like when you block the gates of other academies."
"Of course, mere words won't convince you, so let me show you some proof."
With that, the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor tightened his grip, causing the energy sphere to glow with flashes of lightning.
"Ahhh!"
Jin Zhi screamed in agony as his clothes exploded from the pressure.
"Roar!!"
Amidst the holy light, his body transformed into a golden True Dragon, coiling and writhing within the energy sphere.
Whoosh!
A fierce wind stirred, lightning crackled, and even small patches of dark clouds gathered within the energy sphere. The scene was terrifying, though the energy sphere kept it confined within a three-meter radius.
"See? This is a Fire-attribute True Dragon, born from an underground magma river!" the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor announced triumphantly.
"This…"
"It's true…"
"How could this be?"
The people of Purple Cloud Academy fell into despair. Some elders even staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground.
Jin Zhi really was a True Dragon.
With that revelation, they knew they couldn't protect him. The agreement between the human race and the Demon Clan was clear: True Dragons belonged to the Demon Clan.
"Brother Jin!!"
A desperate cry rang out. Everyone turned to see Qin Zi rushing toward them.
The Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor glanced down at Qin Zi, then quickly looked away, uninterested in the "insignificant ant."
"Palace Lord, save Brother Jin!" Qin Zi pleaded, looking at the Purple Cloud Palace Lord with hope, only to see the older man sigh and turn away in silent pain.
Qin Zi looked to the other elders.
They too, shook their heads in shame and helplessness.
One elder explained sadly, "Jin Zhi is a True Dragon. Under the agreement between our races, the Demon Clan has the right to take him. You should know this, having participated in similar gate-blocking rituals at Starshatter Academy."
Qin Zi's eyes gleamed with a sudden realization. "If it's like blocking gates… then that means they don't have to take Brother Jin away! We can… kill him!"
The elder shuddered at the suggestion and, after a moment, chuckled bitterly. "But the Palace Lord is no match for him. If we truly fight, half the academy might be destroyed…"
While the True Dragon retrieval and gate-blocking were similar in principle, there was a key difference: gate-blocking was fought among the younger generation, allowing the elders to control the damage. But a battle for a True Dragon involved older, far stronger fighters. If they engaged, the younger generation would be the first to perish.
In other words…
To protect Jin Zhi, they would need overwhelming power on their side.
Qin Zi wasn't foolish—he quickly pieced together the problem. After a moment of biting his lip, he glanced toward the depths of Purple Cloud Academy, his voice trembling as he called out, "Father… please, save Brother Jin!"
Saying these words felt like driving a dagger into his father's heart. He knew that every time his father intervened, it came at a great cost. The last time, his father had nearly died, disappearing for months afterward.
But he had no other choice!
Brother Jin had shown him such kindness, had been so generous. He couldn't just stand by and watch him be taken away.
Judging by the attitude of the Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor, Brother Jin's fate, if taken, would likely be grim—he might be skinned, drained of blood, or even have his Dragon Qi and essence forcibly extracted, leaving him ruined.
There were rumors that a Dragon Serpent could potentially evolve into a True Dragon by absorbing a True Dragon's essence and Qi!
"Father?"
"Elder Qin Chuan?"
Everyone looked confused. Was calling for Elder Qin Chuan really going to help?
He was just a fellow elder, after all. Though there were whispers about him being a reborn ancient powerhouse, his current cultivation hadn't reached Quasi-Emperor, right?
"Sigh…"
A heavy sigh echoed from the depths of Purple Cloud Academy, and then, a tall figure in white slowly emerged.
He walked in the air, moving slowly, yet swiftly arriving at Qin Zi's side.
Thud!
Qin Zi fell to his knees, tears welling in his eyes as he looked up at his father, filled with guilt but also resolve.
"Father, I know I shouldn't have asked, but… I really… have no other choice!"
In that moment, Qin Zi was like a helpless child. No matter how strong or independent he usually was, in times of utter desperation, he could only turn to his parents.
"Brother Qin…"
Within the energy sphere, Jin Zhi's dragon eyes gleamed with emotion, a plume of white smoke puffing from his nostrils as his body flushed red, like a furnace about to explode.
So this… this is what friendship feels like!
At that moment, Qin Chuan looked at his son, then at the demonic Dragon Serpent Quasi-Emperor across from him, and calmly asked:
"Do you really want to save him?"
"Yes!!"
Qin Zi bit his lip, his eyes filled with determination.
Qin Chuan spoke solemnly, "Since you insist on protecting him, then show me your resolve, your courage! Prove to me how important he is to you. Show me that he's worth my intervention!"
"You know what you need to do, right?"
Qin Zi blinked, then his eyes lit up with realization.
Courage!
His father wanted to see his courage again!
Based on his past experience, whenever his father said those words, it meant one thing: a promise. An unspoken approval.
As long as you put up a good enough fight, even the gods will fall for you!
That's the privilege of having such a father.