Phoenix's Requiem

“You heard me correctly the first time, lad. This lass is the new head of the demonic dragon clan,” the demonic dragon forefather repeated.

“Ruoyan, what’s going on?” Yun Moxiao looked at Yun Ruoyan in shock. How could his sister have become the new clan head of the demonic dragon clan?

“It looks like your sister has been hiding quite a number of secrets from you.” The demonic dragon forefather smiled, and Yun Ruoyan rolled her eyes at him. She hadn’t intended on revealing the truth behind her birth to Yun Moxiao—not because she wanted to keep it from him, but because she didn’t think it was important. But after the demonic dragon forefather’s revelation, she had no choice but to tell her brother.

Several hours later, when Yun Moxiao finally understood what exactly was going on, Li Mo found Yun Ruoyan in the Yun manor. He had returned from the palace to the Slaughtering King’s manor, only to find Yun Ruoyan gone.

When he found Yun Ruoyan, she was just about finished with her tale.

“So, that’s what happened.” Yun Ruoyan let out a deep breath. “Brother, I wasn’t deliberately trying to hide it from you. I was very confused about my own parentage in the beginning, and when I finally found out, I felt that there was no need to tell you. After all, no matter who my parents are, I’ll always be your sister. We share the same mother, after all.”

It was hard for Yun Moxiao to process so much shocking information at once. What most troubled him was the fact that Yun Lan wasn’t Yun Ruoyan’s true father, but that didn’t seem to matter compared to the years of siblinghood they had shared. “Ruoyan, you’re right. We have the same mother, and no matter what, we’ll always be siblings.”

When Yun Moxiao thought about how Yun Ruoyan had been bullied when she was small, as well as Yun Lan’s cold, indifferent attitude toward her once upon a time, Yun Moxiao began to pity his sister some more. “Ruoyan, don’t you worry. As long as I’m around, the Yun manor will always be your home,” he promised resolutely.

“Thank you, Brother.” Yun Ruoyan found her eyes brimming with tears. Part of the reason why she hadn’t told her brother or her grandfather about her parentage was because she herself was, at least on some subconscious level, trying to evade the truth. When she finally told Yun Moxiao everything, her body felt far lighter than before.

“There’s no need to thank me—we’re family!” Yun Moxiao turned to the demonic dragon forefather. “Elder, may I ask how we can acquire some of this holy water?”

“That silver dragon’s the one who made this holy water, so you naturally have to go to where he is.”

“Elder, do you mean the Jiyuan continent?” Yun Moxiao recalled Yun Ruoyan telling him that the silver and demonic dragon clans had both inhabited the Jiyuan continent a millennium ago.

“Exactly.”

“How can we access the Jiyuan continent?” Yun Moxiao pressed.

“Heading to the Jiyuan continent would be as difficult as ascending to heaven, save for her: your sister, Yun Ruoyan.” The demonic dragon forefather pointed at Yun Ruoyan.

Yun Ruoyan again rolled her eyes. Before she could speak, Yun Moxiao was already peppering her with questions. “Ruoyan, what does the elder mean? Do you have a method for accessing the Jiyuan continent?”

“Of course not. However, as long as she’s willing to become the next head of the demonic dragon clan, I’ll send you there at any time,” the demonic dragon forefather replied.

“Don’t forget that you need holy water to revive your clan,” Yun Ruoyan reminded the demonic dragon forefather. “Don’t you need us there regardless?”

“The demonic dragon clan has already been destroyed for over a millennium, and waiting a few more centuries is immaterial to me,” the demonic dragon forefather shrugged carelessly. “But your mother can’t wait a few centuries.”

“Are you threatening me?” Yun Ruoyan suddenly became angry.

“Don’t get mad, lass, but I had no other choice.” The demonic dragon forefather immediately roped Li Mo in. “Li Mo, quick, persuade your wife. You’re going to be the next head of the silver dragon clan, aren’t you? If your wife becomes the head of the demonic dragon clan, you’ll both stand at the top of the world.”

Li Mo glanced at Yun Ruoyan, whose cheeks were puffed up in anger. “No matter what Ruoyan decides to do, I’ll support her.”

Everyone then turned to Yun Ruoyan, waiting for her decision. However, Yun Ruoyan only tugged on Li Mo’s sleeve. “Husband, I’m getting tired. Let’s go back home to rest.”

It had been four long years since their marriage, but Yun Ruoyan had only addressed Li Mo as Li Mo, and this was the first time she had called him ‘husband’. Li Mo found that he quite liked the new address.

He reached out and pulled Yun Ruoyan’s petite body into his embrace. “Alright, wife. Let’s head home and rest.”

Yun Moxiao and the demonic dragon forefather both looked on with wide eyes as they left the room.

“Ah, lass, wait for me!” the demonic dragon forefather hurriedly ran out, chasing after Yun Ruoyan.

Yun Moxiao stood still and sighed.

“Don’t worry, Moxiao. Ruoyan will surely make the right choice,” Li Luo consoled.

“I know, but I can’t bear to force all this responsibility on her,” Yun Moxiao replied. If Yun Ruoyan was so against taking on this position, she certainly had her own reasons as to why.

Back in the Slaughtering King’s manor, Li Mo lifted Yun Ruoyan up almost as soon as she stepped off the carriage. He carried her into the bedroom, where they spent the whole night in each other’s arms.

Deep in the night, even when Li Mo had fallen asleep beside her, Yun Ruoyan was still awake. She had tried very hard to sleep, but had had no success. Instead, she got up and got dressed. Li Mo had entreated her to stop taking care of Li Yan by herself, and she had acceded and handed him off to a highly experienced servant.

Li Yan slept in a bedroom right by theirs at night, and Yun Ruoyan entered that room. He was sleeping in the crib that Li Mo had personally constructed for him, and her dedicated servant was right by his side. Yun Ruoyan walked up to Li Yan, kissed him on the cheek, then tucked him into his blankets before walking back out.

Still not sleepy, Yun Ruoyan then sat down on a bench in the yard. Facing her was the lotus pond; perhaps having sensed her presence, Whitey poked its head out of the water and stared at her with its two large, expressive eyes.

Yun Ruoyan stood up and walked closer to the pond, stretching her hand out. After a momentary hesitation, Whitey nudged the hand with its head. As Yun Ruoyan patted it, she said, “Whitey, once Li Mo and I leave, I’ll hand Li Yan over to you. Please take good care of him.”

Whitey blinked fervently.

“You’ve finally made up your mind?” The demonic dragon forefather hovered happily above the surface of the pond.

When Whitey saw him emerge from Yun Ruoyan’s body, he immediately dove back into the pond, clearly having developed a fear of him.

“What else can I do?” Yun Ruoyan asked coldly.

“Ah, lass, you don’t have to be so mad.” The demonic dragon forefather suddenly sighed. “I know why you don’t want to be the clan head.”

“Oh? Why not?” 𝗳𝘳𝒆𝘦𝑤𝐞𝚋𝗻𝚘𝘷𝘦𝙡.𝑐𝐨𝘮

“Aren’t you afraid that, if you become the clan head of the demonic dragons, and Li Mo becomes the clan head of the silver dragons, that any conflict between the two clans might worsen your relationship?” 𝐟𝐫𝗲𝙚ｗ𝚎𝐛𝙣𝐨𝙫𝘦𝗹.c૦m

Yun Ruoyan crossed her arms. “It’s not a ‘might’—it’s sure to happen! You know full well how much the two clans hate each other, and this hatred isn’t something that’ll go away within a generation. It’s quite possible that the two clans will war with each other again. I might possess the demonic dragon bloodline, but I don’t owe you anything. Why should I risk my family for the demonic dragons?”

She sighed and continued, “I know you want me to be the clan head so as to restrict Li Mo. Given his strength and our help, it’s definitely likely that Li Mo will become the head of the silver dragon clan, and you’re worried that Li Mo will suddenly renege on his promise and not be willing to revive the demonic dragons. Your second concern is that, even if Li Mo upholds his promise, that the demonic dragons will be so much weaker than the silver dragons that they would be captured and enslaved. If I were the head of the demonic dragon clan, both of these concerns would be negated.”

The demonic dragon forefather began to clap. “You’re exactly right, lass! Huhut.”

“Elder, I don’t understand. Why don’t you take on the mantle of clan head? You’re so powerful that you wouldn’t have to fear Li Mo at all. With your strength, it surely can’t be a problem for you to protect your clan.”

The demonic dragon forefather was silent for long moments before he finally said, “It’s not that I want to push the responsibility onto you, but rather that I’m almost at the limits of my existence.”

“The limit of your existence?!” Yun Ruoyan stared at him in disbelief. “Haven’t you already lived this long? What limit could there be?”

The demonic dragon forefather smiled wryly. “All life comes to an end. The further you head down the road of cultivation, the longer your lifespan, true, but no living creature can live forever. That’s why that silver dragon’s trying so hard to make a draught that’ll let him live forever. My original body has long since rotted away, and it’s only because a shred of my spirit still persists on this Feilai Blade that I managed to live for so long. That silver dragon, on the other hand, has lasted till the present because of his so-called holy water.”

“In that case, what if we nourish you with some holy water? Would you be able to survive for a longer period of time?” In that case, she wouldn’t have to be the clan head at all!