"You don't actually believe we would act against you, do you?" What Mo Han was truly worried about wasn't that at all. If the Sacred Dragon Clan truly intended to deal with him, there would have been no need for such convoluted maneuvers. With the Sacred Dragon Clan's current strength, dealing with him wouldn't be difficult; why bother with such a roundabout path? Mo Han simply couldn't comprehend why the Sacred Dragon Patriarch would suddenly seek him out, and unable to conjure any reason, he hoped to glean some clue from Princess Rouxue's words.

Yet, even Rouxue seemed unaware of the reason, which struck Mo Han as strange, though it only stoked his curiosity further. He, too, couldn't believe the Sacred Dragon Clan meant him harm. Thinking this, Mo Han smiled at Rouxue and said, "Since the Patriarch has extended such a gracious invitation, how could Mo Han possibly refuse? I shall accompany Princess Your Highness then."

Daili and the others nearby, hearing that Mo Han actually agreed to Rouxue's request, couldn't help but worry for him. Latin quickly interjected, "Boss, if you're going, let us come along. Wouldn't it be dreadfully boring if you went alone?"

Rock and Jack, upon hearing this, quickly chimed in their agreement.

Although Daili and Murong Feixue remained silent, the anxious look on their faces clearly showed they were also concerned for Mo Han's safety.

Mo Han understood that Latin and the others worried he might be in danger going alone.

That’s why they sought an excuse to accompany him. But how could they know that the person he was about to meet was the legendary Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon Clan? Even if they truly meant him harm, given Latin’s group's strength, they would be completely useless in assisting him; worse, they would only endanger themselves. Moreover, if anything untoward were to happen, he might still have a chance to escape alone, but bringing Latin and the others would truly eliminate any possibility of escape.

Considering this, Mo Han smiled at Latin and the others and said, "Heh heh, rest assured, I believe Princess Your Highness harbors no ill will. Besides, given her current status, there's simply no need for her to deceive me. So, you don't need to worry. I'll be back shortly."

Latin and the others started to protest again, but Daili stopped them. Daili gently adjusted Mo Han’s collar and said to him, "Go without worry. Xue'er and I will wait here for you to have dinner together, so make sure you return early, okay?"

Murong Feixue also offered Mo Han a gentle nod, conveying her sentiment. Seeing this, Mo Han reached out and lightly patted Daili's cheek, saying with a smile, "Don't worry. With you all here, I’ll surely be back very soon. Don't fret. Just prepare plenty of delicious food for my return."

With these words, Mo Han waved to everyone and walked toward Rouxue and her escort. Seeing this warm scene, Princess Rouxue suddenly felt an inexplicable unease churning in her heart. She herself didn't understand why this feeling arose, but she didn't dwell on it.

"Are you done making arrangements? Can we leave now?" Mo Han was momentarily stunned, unsure of how he had offended the Dragon Princess again. Nevertheless, he smiled and nodded, signaling he was ready. Seeing Mo Han nod, Rouxue said nothing more, simply turning and leading Mo Han away, disappearing from Daili and the others' sight.

Once outside the city gates, Rouxue led Mo Han continuously toward a small valley not far west of Tianlong City. Along the way, Mo Han tried several times to start a conversation with Rouxue, but his attempts were met with her lukewarm rejections. Seeing this, Mo Han stopped forcing the issue and focused solely on keeping pace with them.

Arriving at the valley entrance, Mo Han noticed several burly men in yellow guarding the opening. Upon seeing Rouxue and the white-robed elder, these yellow-clothed men respectfully saluted both Rouxue and the elder. This greatly piqued Mo Han's curiosity. Rouxue was a princess of the Sacred Dragon Clan, so it was normal for the Sacred Dragon guards to salute her. However, this white-robed elder clearly held a high position within the Sacred Dragon Clan. As the guards greeted Rouxue, many of their eyes held expressions of profound respect directed toward the elder, seemingly even more so than for Rouxue, which took Mo Han by surprise.

Just then, after leading Mo Han into the valley entrance, Rouxue turned to him with a smile and said, "We can only escort you this far. My father waits for His Grace the Duke in the pavilion ahead. You will have to proceed there alone, Your Grace."

Mo Han nodded his thanks upon hearing this and followed the small path winding into the center of the valley.

Not long after, Mo Han spotted the pavilion Rouxue had mentioned. It was clearly a structure erected recently and looked quite new, but for the Sacred Dragon Clan, constructing a pavilion here would be an effortless task.

Currently seated in the center of the pavilion was a figure. Although the distance wasn't great, even with Mo Han's current cultivation, he couldn't discern the person's features at all. He sensed a feeling of someone being both intimately close and infinitely distant. No matter how hard Mo Han tried, it was futile. Considering his current cultivation, at this range, he could clearly make out the appearance of even a small animal, yet he couldn't see a living person clearly—this was unprecedented. There was no doubt the issue lay with the person himself.

It must be the trickery of this Sacred Dragon Patriarch, he thought.

At that moment, a gentle, benevolent voice emanated from within the pavilion: "Since His Grace the Duke has arrived, why stand outside in a daze? Please, come in and rest."

The words carried an irresistible magic. Upon hearing them, Mo Han moved involuntarily toward the pavilion.

Only as he neared the structure did Mo Han snap back to his senses, inwardly marveling at the Sacred Dragon Patriarch's power. He had nearly suffered a loss without realizing it. Fortunately, I meant no harm; otherwise, based only on that moment, I might not have left here.

However, upon finally seeing the Sacred Dragon Patriarch's appearance, Mo Han couldn't help but be astonished, as the Patriarch's looks were vastly different from what he had imagined. How to describe it? In Mo Han's mind, the Patriarch shouldn't have been a hulking figure radiating fierce, masculine energy; at the very least, he should have possessed a majestic visage. Yet, this Patriarch looked like a pale, scholarly gentleman.

Indeed, in Mo Han's perception, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch bore no resemblance to a Dragon Clan member whatsoever. Every Dragon he had previously encountered was robust and imposing, radiating a powerful aura that immediately marked them as formidable foes. But the Patriarch before him was far from robust; he could only be described as frail.

He was clad in a robe of pale white silk, sitting quietly. His long black hair framed a somewhat pale face, utterly lacking the imposing aura expected of a powerhouse. The only striking features were his eyes—bright, sharp, and brimming with wisdom—and a uniquely shaped golden insignia directly in the center of his forehead, conspicuously apparent.

In every other aspect, Mo Han sensed no fluctuation of magic or battle aura emanating from him. Mo Han even suspected he could casually wave his hand and take the man down without the slightest suspense.

Yet, Mo Han knew clearly that this was not the case. As the Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon Clan, he couldn't possibly be without strength. This left only one possibility: the Patriarch’s cultivation vastly surpassed his own, or he was employing some secret technique to completely conceal his magical fluctuations, which was why Mo Han felt nothing. Otherwise, this situation wouldn't arise.

However, the change in Mo Han's expression was fleeting. He quickly composed himself, smiled, and bowed respectfully, saying, "This junior, Chen Mo Han, pays respects to the Patriarch. I never imagined the Patriarch's cultivation had reached such profound heights. If this junior guesses correctly, the Patriarch's cultivation must have reached the legendary God of Magic realm that people dream of?" Mo Han made this deduction because he suddenly realized that only those who achieved the God of Magic realm could control their magical fluctuations with such exquisite precision, leaving absolutely no trace. Otherwise, even a Rank Three Saint Magister couldn't achieve this state. Mages were fundamentally different from warriors; they couldn't forcibly suppress their aura. This was because the ubiquitous magical elements in the air would always resonate with the magical elements within the mage, inevitably creating magical fluctuations. Even a Rank Three Saint Magister couldn't accurately control these fluctuations unless they had attained the God of Magic realm. This is why Mo Han hazarded such a bold guess.

Hearing Mo Han's words, a flicker of surprise crossed the Sacred Dragon Patriarch’s eyes, but then he spoke with a smile, "How did His Grace the Duke come to speculate thus? Was it perhaps my appearance that surprised you, being different from what you imagined?" He avoided answering Mo Han's inquiry directly, clearly assuming Mo Han was guessing wildly, and he sought to test him further.

Mo Han naturally understood the Patriarch's intention. He nodded and said with a smile, "To be honest, yes, it is vastly different from my expectations. Because you are unlike any other Dragon Clan member I have met, Patriarch. Not only do you lack that imposing stature, but you give the impression of being fragile, and I cannot sense any magical fluctuation on you. If one were a mage, the inherent magical elements within the body would inevitably resonate with the ambient ones, making it impossible to have absolutely zero fluctuation. But I believe these are merely surface effects you have manufactured."

Hearing Mo Han's explanation, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch spoke with keen interest, "Then is it not possible that I have cast some concealment spell to hide my magical fluctuations?" Upon hearing the Patriarch's question, Mo Han shook his head confidently and replied, "While some spells can hide certain fluctuations, this deception is only effective over a specific distance, and it cannot completely mask all fluctuations. Furthermore, such spells are only effective against mages below the Great Archmage rank. If a Great Archmage were close by, no matter how refined your spellcasting, there would certainly be residual traces left behind. But I currently sense absolutely no magical fluctuation at all. That leaves only one possibility: the Patriarch's magical cultivation has reached the legendary God of Magic realm, which is the only way this could occur. Otherwise, Mo Han cannot conceive of any other reason."

Hearing Mo Han’s meticulous explanation, a smile touched the Sacred Dragon Patriarch's eyes. He spoke, "His Grace the Duke's understanding of magical knowledge is certainly not merely proficient. Moreover, the finesse of His Grace’s deduction compels admiration for his meticulous mind. No wonder His Grace was able to see through the Nether Clan’s conspiracy; it is all quite understandable. Truly, a young man of great accomplishment."

Mo Han quickly smiled and replied, "The Patriarch overpraises me. These are merely basic principles of magic that anyone with a slight understanding of magic could deduce. Mo Han merely stated the facts. By the way, may I inquire about the reason the Patriarch sought out Mo Han this time?" Mo Han ceased circling the issue and directly posed the question lingering in his mind.

The Sacred Dragon Patriarch, hearing Mo Han’s inquiry, did not answer immediately. He merely pointed to the seat beside him, signaling Mo Han to sit down before they spoke. Seeing this, Mo Han knew haste was useless and sat patiently beside the Sacred Dragon Patriarch, awaiting his next words.

The Sacred Dragon Patriarch finally spoke slowly, "I believe His Grace the Duke has already guessed that this matter concerns the Demonic Dragon Clan, correct? What are Your Grace’s views on this impending continental conflict? I wish to hear your opinion first."

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