Phoenix's Requiem

The gathered elders of Kongming Academy watched on as the demonic dragon forefather claimed the all-seeing mirror for himself, but they were powerless to stop him. The moment they tried to make a move against him, the demonic dragon forefather shone the all-seeing mirror at them. From the mirror came a beam of light that seemed to render immobile all who were struck by it.

The elders immediately recognized that this seemingly ordinary blade spirit was an expert whose cultivation and skills they weren’t able to fathom at all. Against his peerless strength, the elders had no choice but to give up the all-seeing mirror.

“Even if this all-seeing mirror weren’t originally my possession, do you really think you could have stopped me from taking it away regardless?” the demonic dragon forefather asked coolly.

“Elder, please forgive our rudeness. Since this mirror belongs to you, it’s only right that you reclaim it,” the first elder acquiesced.

“Elder, you must be an expert. The all-seeing mirror has been in Kongming Academy for almost a millennium, but no one has been able to even move it without triggering the protective array. That you’re able to do so and use it so fluently is strong proof that you are indeed its owner,” the second elder added.

The remaining elders, seeing that the first and second elders had already spoken, reluctantly nodded their heads and agreed.

“At least you’re all rational.” The demonic dragon forefather dismissed the beam of light and kept the mirror, and only then did the elders regain their freedom.

Because the demonic dragon clan didn’t have a good reputation on the Chenyuan continent, Yun Ruoyan only revealed the blade spirit’s identity to the first elder himself.

“That elder’s the demonic dragon forefather?” the first elder was clearly aware of the name. “It’s been said that his body and soul were annihilated during the war between the silver and demonic dragons a thousand years ago, but to think that a shred of his spirit still remains...”

In the near future, I believe the silver and demonic dragons will once again be at war. I once thought that it would take me a long time before I could seek my revenge against the silver dragon elder, but it seems like an opportunity has just presented itself.”

The first elder’s eyes lit up. Then, he said, “Li Mo, Ruoyan, the empress has instructed that you should visit her when you’re both rested from the trip.”

“Before that, we have to head to the demonic dragon grotto,” Yun Ruoyan replied.

That night, Yun Ruoyan, Li Mo, and the first elder headed into the trial grounds containing the demonic dragon grotto through the all-seeing mirror.

“I can sense my clan. After a thousand years, I’m finally back...!” the demonic dragon forefather called out in jubilation within Yun Ruoyan’s mind. The Feilai Blade flew out of her silver bracelet and rushed toward the grotto with Yun Ruoyan’s permission, and Yun Ruoyan, Li Mo, and the first elder followed closely behind him.

“My clan, I’m back!” the demonic dragon forefather’s loud, sonorous voice travelled into the depths of the grotto.

When Yun Ruoyan, Li Mo, and the first elder dove into the lake and entered the grotto, they found a demonic dragon soul kneeling in front of the demonic dragon forefather.

“Elder, you’re still alive!”

“Our clan elder’s still alive. The demonic dragons can finally be resurrected!”

“Our future isn’t hopeless!”

The demonic dragon forefather was almost weeping in his excitement and relief. “A thousand years ago, I was the subject of a vicious, underhanded plot, one that implicated all of you,” he explained. “Now that I’m back, I’ll do all I can to revive you all and again lead the clan into prosperity.”

The demonic dragon grotto instantly filled with howls from the gathered dragons.

“This is Yun Ruoyan,” the demonic dragon forefather introduced, when the hubbub had died down. “You should all be familiar with her—she’s a descendant of the demonic dragons and possesses a particularly pure version of the demonic dragon bloodline. Now, I hereby grant her the position of the head of the demonic dragon clan.”

The demonic dragon forefather’s word caused a stir both for the gathered dragons and the three cultivators.

“Elder, what do you mean?” Li Mo asked, before Yun Ruoyan could do so. The demonic dragon forefather’s decision had been rather sudden, and neither Li Mo nor Yun Ruoyan knew of his plan beforehand.

“What I mean is for Yun Ruoyan to take over my position as clan elder. Are my words unclear?”

“Elder, you’ve not asked my wife and I whether we would accept this decision.” Li Mo frowned.

“Need I ask?” The demonic dragon forefather arched an eyebrow. “Yun Ruoyan’s the only one among the demonic dragon clan who has a physical body, so she has to serve as the clan head.”

“I don’t accept this position,” Yun Ruoyan finally said. “Elder, is this a joke? Surely such an honored position as the clan head can’t be passed around so carelessly, and I’m not even a member of the demonic dragon clan myself!”

The notion of her serving as a clan head for the demonic dragon clan was so ludicrous that she couldn’t imagine the demonic dragon forefather was being serious.

“Little girl, do you think I’m joking with you?” The demonic dragon forefather suddenly turned to Yun Ruoyan and gave her a serious look.

“Aren’t you?” Yun Ruoyan smiled self-deprecatingly. “Look at me! I’m six months pregnant. How can I take on so important a position as the clan head of the demonic dragon clan like this?”

The demonic dragon forefather didn’t respond to Yun Ruoyan. Instead, he pulled out the all-seeing mirror and said, “The all-seeing mirror is traditionally given to the head of the demonic dragon clan. I swear, with the all-seeing mirror as witness, that Yun Ruoyan shall be our next clan head.”

Yun Ruoyan began to panic. “Elder, you’re being serious?!”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” the demonic dragon forefather replied, without even the barest hint of a smile on his face.

“I can’t accept!” Yun Ruoyan refused immediately.

However, it was already too late.

“I greet the clan head of the demonic dragons.” Atop the Feilai Blade, the demonic dragon forefather bowed deeply to Yun Ruoyan. Behind him, the demonic dragon soul stilled, not quite having realized what was going on.

“Elder, why are you hesitating? Greet your new clan head!” the demonic dragon forefather turned around and shouted at the demonic dragon soul.

The demonic dragon soul, respecting the authority of the demonic dragon forefather, followed suit.

“I greet the new clan head.” Its voice was so loud that it resonated through the entire lake.

“We greet the new clan head!” All the demonic dragon souls in the demonic dragon grotto called out, a voice so loud it seemed to shake the heavens.

“Stop, stop! I’m not your new clan head, so don’t bow down to me!” Yun Ruoyan called out, but the demonic dragon souls ignored her—as though they would continue paying her obeisance until she finally took on the clan head’s mantle.

In the end, she whispered to Li Mo, “Quick, take me away! If we run off now, there’s nothing they can do.”

“Ah, don’t run off! Wait for me!” the demonic dragon forefather shouted from behind them.

“Clan head, may I ask what your intentions are? Do you really intend on passing the position of clan head to Yun Ruoyan?” the demonic dragon soul asked. “The purity of her bloodline means that she must be sacrificed for our revival, and she isn’t a suitable candidate to be our clan head.”

“Take my words at face value. In the future, Yun Ruoyan will be the new clan head of the demonic dragons.” The demonic dragon forefather glanced at Yun Ruoyan’s fleeing figure with a faint smile on his face, which quickly turned severe. “There’s no need to overthink my decision. I know what I’m doing, and the demonic dragon clan’s revival hinges on that little girl.”

“...but she doesn’t seem to want to be our clan head.”

“I can make her accept.” The demonic dragon forefather began to smile again.

Yun Ruoyan, Li Mo, and the first elder hurriedly left the demonic dragon grotto, followed shortly after by the demonic dragon forefather. Although he didn’t force Yun Ruoyan to take on the mantle of clan head again, he now addressed her as ‘clan head’ left and right, until Yun Ruoyan had no choice but to drop the matter.

After two days, the demonic dragon forefather seemed to have gotten tired. He retreated to the Feilai Blade and once again entered a fitful slumber. 𝙛𝑟𝑒e𝘸𝑒𝗯𝘯𝗼𝘃el.𝒄𝒐m

A few days later, as the Lin sisters brought Lin Tianming back to the capital, Li Mo brought Yun Ruoyan to the Beast King’s palace.

“Your son (daughter) greets you, Honored Empress.” Li Mo and Yun Ruoyan bowed down to the statue of Empress Xue Tong.

“Rise, rise.” Empress Xue Tong’s cold voice was finally tinted with a bit of warmth upon seeing Yun Ruoyan’s protruding belly. She had never expected the two of them to be able to produce an heir—after all, Yun Ruoyan possessed the demonic dragon bloodline, and Li Mo the silver dragon’s. As far as Empress Xue Tong knew, the two bloodlines were incompatible with each other. She had never viewed Yun Ruoyan as a true daughter-in-law, but just a means of forging an alliance with the demonic dragons.

Empress Xue Tong had even planned for how to deal with Yun Ruoyan after she was no longer necessary, for how she would find Li Mo a new bride from within the silver dragon clan. But when she saw Yun Ruoyan’s protruding belly, her thoughts shifted dramatically. No matter what, she had to make sure that Yun Ruoyan’s child would be born safely. After all, it would combine the silver dragon and demonic dragon bloodline, and it would surely be a powerful tool for allying the two clans.

“Yes, Mother.” Yun Ruoyan stood up with Li Mo’s support. Her upcoming motherhood had caused her to fill out, and she seemed to be brimming with life and vitality.

“Ruoyan, you need to take care of your body. Nothing’s more important than your child.” Empress Xue Tong’s words seemed very concerned.

Yun Ruoyan was touched by her words: ever since the first time she had seen Empress Xue Tong, her words had always been cold and insincere. Although she tried to seem kind and gentle, the empress’ tone had always left Yun Ruoyan feeling quite uncomfortable owing to her extraordinary sensitivity for such things from her past life.

Now, however, she could clearly feel Empress Xue Tong’s concern.

“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll surely take good care of my body.”

After the preliminary greetings, they finally moved to the main topic of the discussion.

“I heard from the first elder that the demonic dragon forefather is with you,” the empress began.

“Yes. He’d like to meet with you, Mother,” Yun Ruoyan said. A black glow flew out of her silver bracelet. The Feilai Blade stopped in front of Empress Xue Tong, and the demonic dragon forefather sat atop the blade.

“The holy maiden from the silver dragon clan,” the demonic dragon forefather called out.

“I greet the demonic dragon forefather,” Empress Xue Tong replied.