"Is this the place?"
The speaker was Ao Xingyun, the Dragon King of the East Sea, who had been in hiding for many days.
"Yes, this is it."
Ao Haichao looked down at the exquisite wristwatch on his hand. It was one of Lu Caiwei's gifts to him, expensive and elaborately made.
It boasted excellent three-proof features, namely water resistance, shock resistance, and magnetic resistance.
However, the magnetic resistance seemed to have failed. The hands spun wildly, constantly changing direction, stopping and rotating as if possessed.
Upon hearing this, Ao Xingyun scanned his surroundings and sighed deeply, his expression growing somber.
"Father, what's wrong?" Ao Haichao asked, puzzled.
Ao Xingyun shook his head without explaining.
Instead, he turned and asked, "Can you pinpoint the exact location?"
Ao Haichao looked up at the sky, then scanned the surrounding peaks, finally pointing to a spot in the distance.
"Let's go." Ao Xingyun set off without hesitation, his steps carrying him instantly out of sight.
Ao Haichao hurried to catch up.
Though he had only pointed casually, the actual distance was still considerable.
The area was plagued by sandstorms, whipping up layers of animal carcasses. The wind whistled through the bones, creating an eerie symphony that made the place feel like hell.
The sky was also strange. One moment it was bright and sunny, the next it was overcast with thunder and lightning.
Ao Haichao had only vaguely indicated a direction, yet Ao Xingyun seemed to know the precise location and headed straight for it without further questions.
"Father, have you been here before?" Ao Haichao couldn't help but ask curiously.
This time, Ao Xingyun didn't remain silent. He nodded and said, "This was originally the territory of your second uncle, the Dragon King of the West Sea."
"Second uncle? And this is the West Sea?" Ao Haichao was greatly surprised.
While mythological stories spoke of the Four Dragon Kings, Ao Xingyun, as the Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan, knew that in this world, there was only their family, the Ao family of the East Sea, whose jurisdiction covered the waters surrounding Great Xia.
Beyond that, in the vast oceans far overseas, there were other water tribes, but they rarely interacted. However, there were absolutely no other dragon clans, and he had never heard of a second uncle.
"Could the myths be true?"
"A mix of truth and falsehood," Ao Xingyun said calmly.
"Then... what about your second uncle?"
The dragon clan had long lifespans and great vitality, rarely perishing.
"Dead, all dead," Ao Xingyun said, looking into the distance.
"All?"
It was clear Ao Haichao had more than one second uncle.
Without waiting for Ao Haichao to ask, Ao Xingyun explained further, "A long time ago, this was part of the West Sea's territory, under your second uncle's jurisdiction."
"Second uncle? Do you have an eldest uncle too?"
"Yes, I have three elder brothers, Ao Fenglei, Ao Lieyang, and Ao Fengxing. Besides them, you also have an aunt, Ao Yunyan. But they all perished; only I remain..."
Ao Xingyun, who had been calm all along, now showed a trace of sadness on his face.
As Ao Haichao leaned in to listen further, Ao Xingyun sighed deeply and said, "That was a long time ago. I've almost forgotten. Let's not dwell on it."
Ao Haichao was disappointed, still wanting to know what had happened back then.
Just then, Ao Xingyun added, "However, among my siblings, your second uncle was the most kind and jovial. Everyone liked and respected him..."
As they spoke, the dry, sandy ground before them began to show signs of green, and soon a vast expanse of lush grassland abruptly appeared in the midst of the desert.
"I should have come sooner," the old Dragon King Ao Xingyun murmured, looking at the scene before him.
Ao Haichao stood silently by, not disturbing him.
After a long while, Ao Xingyun finally spoke, "Let's go. You lead the way."
Ao Haichao nodded and stepped forward. After they had walked some distance, Ao Xingyun suddenly grabbed Ao Haichao, who was walking ahead.
"Father?" Ao Haichao turned back, confused.
But upon seeing Ao Xingyun's serious gaze fixed ahead, he realized something was amiss and began to brace himself.
He dimly saw several figures in the distance, but they were too far away for him to see clearly.
Even with his enhanced vision, he could only make out a blur. It seemed not only was the distance great, but the opponents must have used some kind of magic to obscure their sight.
At that moment, Ao Xingyun extended his palm and pressed forward. A golden screen of light appeared in the void, showing several figures gathered together. They were clad in black robes, with a blue wave-like pattern on their cuffs.
"The Tide Society?" Ao Haichao said.
He wasn't surprised to encounter them here, as he had followed them himself.
"Which one is Bai Xinghe?"
He examined the figures in black robes. Though their faces were hidden, their builds did not resemble Bai Xinghe's.
"The one in the middle is him," Ao Xingyun said.
"Huh?" Ao Haichao was somewhat surprised.
In his memory, Bai Xinghe was a thin, somewhat lecherous old man, even slightly hunched.
Yet, the figure in the middle was tall and robust, with an upright posture. Even with the black robe concealing his entire body, he exuded a powerful aura.
As if sensing Ao Haichao's doubt, Ao Xingyun said, "The Tide Society probably used medication to condition his body."
Ao Haichao, however, shook his head. "Perhaps it wasn't just medication. Do you remember that laboratory?"
"Has the Tide Society's technology reached this level?" Ao Xingyun asked, somewhat astonished.
They had examined the corpses of Bai Xinghe's associates afterward. They appeared normal but had underlying flaws. Even if they hadn't perished from using the Celestial Disk to spy on heavenly secrets, they would have died very quickly.
Ao Xingyun said this, but then recalling his recent visit to the Ninth Division's laboratory, it seemed quite plausible.
"Let's go. They've detected me," Ao Xingyun said.
As soon as he finished speaking, one of the figures in black robes within the light screen suddenly turned their head, as if looking at them from afar through the screen.
The light screen then dissolved into golden particles, vanishing into the air.
Watching his father straighten his back and stride forward, Ao Haichao quickly followed.
"Father..."
"It's alright. Your father has weathered worse storms. Don't worry," Ao Xingyun said heartily.
"But they were clearly prepared, and they seem to be quite powerful," Ao Haichao said with a frown.
It wasn't that he was timid; he was simply always cautious.
The fact that they could detect the old Dragon King's distant scrutiny and directly shatter the light screen with a gaze indicated their formidable strength.
"Alright, your father isn't that useless. Besides, on your second uncle's territory, I fear nothing even more," Ao Xingyun said.
"Huh? Father, what do you mean? Is there something special about this place?" Ao Xingyun smiled without answering.
His gaze fixed on the distance, a slight smile curved his lips.
"Second brother, I never expected to fight alongside you again after so many years."
At that moment, his mood suddenly lifted.
The entire land seemed to sense his presence and responded, emitting rumbling sounds.
82 Chinese Net