As the grand ceremony for the promotion of the Xuan Alliance approached, the little black dragon, led by Ao Bing, arrived at the Dragon Clan's ancestral land. As soon as they neared the vicinity, over a dozen figures instantly appeared.
These individuals were none other than the patrol members of the Dragon Clan's ancestral land.
"Young Master Ao Bing!"
Upon seeing their arrival, the more than ten individuals immediately dropped their hostile stance, their words becoming considerably more respectful. After all, this was the sole son of the Great Elder. While his strength was far inferior to theirs, his status was immeasurably higher.
A powerhouse at the first heaven of the Star Realm led them, while the remaining members were all at the eighth heaven of the Immortal Lord realm!
This was the true strength of the Dragon Clan, tsk tsk~
The little black dragon marvelled with a sigh. Such beings, who were still considered top-tier combatants within the Xuan Alliance, were merely patrol members in the Dragon Clan's ancestral land. This indicated that even without the Dragon Clan's leader guarding it, the ancestral land's strength was not to be underestimated.
"Mmm, you may continue."
Ao Bing then respectfully turned to the little black dragon, "Clan Leader, follow me~"
"What!!"
Upon hearing Ao Bing's words, the patrolling Dragon Clan powerhouses' eyes widened in disbelief. Clan Leader?
Could it be... could it be that the person the Great Elder was waiting for was this young man!!!
But how was that possible!!
"Gulp~"
At this moment, a sharp-eyed Dragon Clan elite swallowed hard and looked in the direction where the little black dragon and Ao Bing were leaving, "Captain, I think I saw the inheritance ring of the previous Clan Leader."
"Inheritance ring, this..."
The patrol captain heard this, his pupils suddenly constricted, and a certain image flashed in his mind, the inheritance ring. "Could it be that this young man is the successor of the previous Clan Leader!!"
"No wonder, I sensed a faint, powerful bloodline pressure from that young man just now. It seems his bloodline is extraordinary."
Thinking this, the patrol captain immediately scanned their surroundings, "This matter must be kept strictly confidential. To be chosen by the previous Clan Leader, this young man might lead our Dragon Clan to glorious days of the past!"
"Yes, Captain!!"
The dozen or so Dragon Clan elites naturally understood the gravity of the situation and immediately sealed this matter in their hearts, vowing absolute secrecy.
"Mmm."
"Continue your patrol."
The captain, radiating the full aura of his peak first heaven Star Realm cultivation, vigilantly scanned every corner of the patrol. With the chosen one of the previous Clan Leader returning to the Dragon Clan, it was highly probable that he would soon become the new Clan Leader.
A quarter of an hour later.
Before the ancestral hall in the Dragon Clan's ancestral land.
Currently, no less than a thousand Dragon Clan powerhouses were gathered here. The weakest among them were of the Star realm, as these individuals constituted the current backbone and top combat strength of the Dragon Clan.
The Dragon Clan's current situation was dire. Not only was there a lack of successors, but they had also been without a leader for hundreds of thousands of years. If it weren't for the steadfast support of the peak ninth heaven Moon Realm old ancestor, Ao Yuanba, the Dragon Clan's ancestral land would likely have long ago fallen prisoner to a super-grade Hongmeng Sacred Kingdom.
However, even with Ao Yuanba's arduous efforts, he was reaching his limit. His lifespan now only extended to a mere decade or so. This was an incredibly short time for them, as a Moon Realm powerhouse, a single period of closed-door cultivation would last at least a hundred years.
"Great Elder, for what reason have you summoned us all here today?"
"Even Old Ancestor Yuanba has been alarmed!"
Hearing the words of the Second Elder, Ao Yunhai, everyone cast a reverent glance at Ao Yuanba, their Dragon Clan's strongest ancestor, before shifting their gaze to Ao Guang, as this grand gathering had been initiated by him.
"Yes, Little Guang, such a grand display warrants an explanation,"
Several other old ancestors also looked at Ao Guang and asked with curiosity, as this scene could be considered a supreme gathering of the Dragon Clan.
"Father!"
Just then, a voice echoed from a distance. Instantly, everyone turned their gazes to where the sound originated. In their line of sight, Ao Guang's son, Ao Bing, and the little black dragon appeared.
"Mmm!?"
When they saw Ao Bing, they didn't react much, as his status indeed entitled him to be present. But who was the young man beside him? Could it be... Ao Bing's illegitimate son??
In an instant, everyone's suspicious gazes fell upon the little black dragon.
Seeing his son return safely, and with the successor of the Clan Leader, Ao Guang's face broke into a long-lost smile. "Old Ancestor Yuanba, this young man is the successor of the Clan Leader found by Ao Bing, the current Clan Leader of our Dragon Clan's ancestral land!"
"What!!"
As soon as Ao Guang uttered these words, everyone was thrown into uproar, their gazes towards the little black dragon completely changed.
The current Clan Leader??
Since when? How come they knew nothing about it.
"Second Elder, you are too bold..."
Ao Guang completely ignored the Second Elder Ao Yunhai's words and directly interrupted, "Please, Clan Leader, offer sacrifices to the ancestral shrine!"
"Clan Leader, please!!"
Ao Bing already knew his father's intentions and thus led Ye Xuan to the very front of the ancestral shrine, a place only the Clan Leader was permitted to kneel.
"Clan Leader, you..."
Seeing that the little black dragon had no intention of kneeling before the ancestral shrine, Ao Bing felt a sense of unease. He then looked towards his father, whose face had turned ashen. Refusing to kneel before the ancestral shrine was a grave disrespect to the ancestors of the Dragon Clan.
"Presumptuous!"
Ao Yunhai, seeing the little black dragon's unreliable behavior, his eyes gleamed. "Before the ancestral shrine, even the Clan Leader must kneel. Are you, boy, blaspheming the ancestors of our Dragon Clan!"
His aggressive demeanor was evident. Clearly, the Second Elder had long coveted the position of Dragon Clan Leader.
"If I were to kneel, they could not bear it."
The little black dragon curled his lips. He was an existence tolerated by neither heaven nor earth. Who in this world could make him kneel? However, since they wanted to see him kneel, then... the consequences would not be his concern.
"Hmph~"
"Arrogant!"
Ao Yunhai snorted coldly. "The ancestors of our Dragon Clan cannot bear your kneeling, you think you are..."
Yin~
Yin~yin~~
Before Ao Yunhai's voice could even finish, the ancestral tablets of the various ancestors in the shrine trembled violently. Then, tens of thousands of dragon roars erupted into the sky. In the next moment, an endless expanse of dragon qi condensed into dragon phantoms appeared in the void above.
"This is... the legend of the ancestral shrine, the Ten Thousand Dragons Paying Homage!!"
Ao Yuanba looked at the scene, his entire being trembling with excitement. At this moment, he recalled the young man's earlier words about the ancestors being unable to bear his kneeling. And now, the center of the Ten Thousand Dragons Paying Homage was precisely that young man.
This child... actually possesses the bearing of Ten Thousand Dragons Paying Homage!
Good heavens, that was the supreme heavenly talent of their Dragon Clan. No wonder he said the ancestors couldn't bear his kneeling; his words were not an exaggeration. Clearly, this auspicious sign indicated that the ancestors did not wish for him to kneel, or rather, they were terrified of him kneeling.
The Second Elder, Ao Yunhai, was utterly dumbfounded, staring blankly at the scene, his face a mask of disbelief. "What, that young man... how is that possible!!"