Lin Zhan looked curiously at the bare-chested, wild man bearing a Xuan bird totem, feeling an inexplicable sense of closeness.
He turned to Yulong Yan and asked, "Ancestor Yan, which ancestor of the human race is this?"
Yulong Yan sighed helplessly, "Your ancestor, Shang Tang. Besides Emperor Chi You, this little madman is the most protective of his descendants in the entire human race. Didn't you see that demon emperor dared to pressure you, and this little madman went and killed him?"
Shang Tang nodded, "That's right. Unfortunately, two others ran too fast. I've only just awakened and haven't fully recovered, so I only managed to kill this one."
Lin Zhan looked at Shang Tang, thinking, "What a powerful backing!" He immediately knelt and clasped Shang Tang's leg, bursting into tears. "Ancestor! You've finally awakened! You have no idea how hard your grandson has had it. In our family, I'm the only male descendant left. My grandfather was killed by a king of the myriad races, and my father was severely injured and disabled for fifteen years, only recovering last year."
"Your grandson participated in the Shura Hunting Grounds. Over 30,000 of those dogs from the myriad races came! On the human side, there was only your little brother. If your grandson hadn't been clever and used every trick in the book to escape death, you wouldn't be seeing me, ancestor. Our family would have become extinct. Ancestor, you must seek justice for your grandson!"
Yulong Yan and the black dragon brothers watched Lin Zhan wailing with a look of utter bewilderment. "Good heavens, you still have the nerve to cry? 'Every trick in the book'? Look at your wicked schemes: digging pits, laying mines, throwing bombs, poisoning—none of which a decent person would do."
Shang Tang looked at his descendant, who was clutching his knees in feigned agony. He was both shocked and furious. Shocked that his lineage had produced such a talent, who not only won in the Shura Hunting Grounds but also annihilated over 30,000 of the enemy. Furious that he, the founder of the great Shang Dynasty, had so few descendants left, and only one capable of continuing the family line in this generation. How could this be? If the elders in the mountains found out, they would break his legs. Oh right, it was that prodigal Zi Xin who had been managing the human race. With his own family in such a state, he hadn't even thought of a solution. He'd break Zi Xin's legs later.
The more Shang Tang thought about it, the more he felt he had to shift the blame to Di Xin, the human king, this unfilial descendant. Otherwise, those old relics in the mountains would make his life hell. He then looked down at Lin Zhan, who was crying and smearing snot and tears all over him, and said, "Good child, ancestor knows you've suffered all these years. Stop crying. Go get that little notebook and write down everyone who bullied you. Ancestor will find them one by one and settle the score. Our Shang people cannot be bullied in vain."
Shang Tang's words left Yulong Yan and the three others stunned. "This kid doesn't bully others, and you're going to seek retribution? From whom? Those people this kid tricked are all in dire straits. I heard those bald monks like Yin San were so badly swindled by this kid that they can't even afford to drink porridge, and their master and disciples have gone out to take on odd jobs for extra income."
Even Lin Zhan, who had a thick skin, felt a moment of embarrassment at his ancestor's words. Then, he quickly mentally reviewed the list of people he could trick and who was worth tricking. After careful consideration, the pitiful young master Lin sadly realized: "Good heavens, there's no one left to trick. They've either been ruined financially or their families have been destroyed. Even the Eight-Headed Serpent, with the deepest pockets, is currently working at the human royal court to earn his keep."
"Uh, that ancestor, let's forget about revenge, shall we? After all, it's all in the past. We need to look forward, don't we? We should be magnanimous when possible. As a descendant of a human empress, I should be generous. Otherwise, people will talk about our family." Lin Zhan truly couldn't find anyone left to trick and said to Shang Tang with resignation.
Shang Tang nodded with satisfaction and said to Yulong Yan and the two black dragons, "Esteemed ancestors, look how excellent our child is! He fights the myriad races on the outside with decisive killing without mercy, and on the inside, he is benevolent to the human race, benefits his people, and protects the homeland. Our child has the demeanor of an emperor!"
Yulong Yan looked at Shang Tang, who was laughing heartily, and rolled his eyes, "I believe you're full of it." With that, he took the Black Dragon Emperor and the Black Dragon King brothers back to the hidden space of the human kings.
Shang Tang was taken aback by Yulong Yan's actions. He then curiously asked Lin Zhan, "Zhan'er, what does that old coffin-dweller mean?"
"It's nothing, ancestor. Old Ancestor Yulong Yan is old and a bit senile. He's passed down the Yulong Art to me, fearing that he'll be completely senile one day and it'll be too late."
"Alas, I didn't expect that old fellow to be so considerate. Zhan'er, you are now truly the inheritor of Ancestor Yan's legacy. You must be filial to this old man in the future. Otherwise, this lonely old bachelor with no children, no descendants, and most importantly, no wife, would be too pitiful."
"Don't worry, ancestor. Zhan'er will not be ungrateful. If that day ever comes, I will care for Ancestor Yan in his old age and see him off to his final resting place. If he dies in battle, I will offer sacrifices to the myriad races to avenge him."
"Good, good. Our Zhan'er is indeed a kind and conscientious child. Ancestor can rest assured."
"Of course, who do you think I am the descendant of?"
The human kings looked at the grandfather and grandson pair, who were flattering each other, with helplessness. Especially those kings and quasi-kings who knew Lin Zhan inside and out, they curled their lips and thought, "Truly, birds of a feather flock together. From ancestor to grandson, is there a single decent one among you?"
Yulong Yan, with a dark expression, glared at Shang Tang and Lin Zhan and roared, "You two, quiet down! You're talking about caring for me in my old age and seeing me off to my final resting place, as if I'm going to be buried tomorrow! Shut your mouths!"
Seeing Yulong Yan's anger, Lin Zhan and Shang Tang immediately powered down and went silent. After all, he was also an ancestor from the ancient human era.
When Yulong Yan turned his gaze towards the battlefield of the myriad races, Lin Zhan quietly whispered to Shang Tang, "Ancestor, do you believe it now? Old Ancestor Yulong Yan has senile dementia."
Shang Tang nodded in firm belief, "Yes, this illness needs to be treated."
Di Xin looked at Shang Tang and Lin Zhan, who were whispering together, and walked over with clenched teeth. He bowed to Shang Tang and said, "Grandfather Tang, you have awakened."
Shang Tang gave Di Xin a sidelong glance. "Seeing you being so cautious, do you think I'm going to strangle you? You're not as cute as our Zhan'er. Look at how you've fared over the years. Not only have you failed to pacify those brats from the myriad races, but you've also wiped out our own bloodline. I'm telling you, after this war is over, you're going home to have children."