The young patriarch of the Demon Dragon clan, seeing this, charged forward recklessly to intervene, but he was no match for the Four Elders. He was swiftly defeated and gravely wounded, left clinging to life. Following this, the Four Elders took the little princess and fled directly back to Dragon Island. Because the little princess had violated a taboo of the Sacred Dragon clan, she was immediately confined, sentenced never to leave Dragon Island for the rest of her life.

The little princess of the Sacred Dragon clan, naturally unwilling to remain imprisoned, resisted fiercely, but it was utterly futile. In desperation, she managed to secretly ask someone to plead with her brother for help in escaping Dragon Island. However, this time her brother was unyieldingly resolute and flatly refused her entreaties. The little princess considered ending her life right then, but for the sake of the child she carried within her, she forced herself to endure, waiting for the day her baby would be born.

Saying this, the Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan let out a long sigh, sinking deep into memory.

He then continued slowly, “Later, that young patriarch of the Demon Dragon clan was rescued by his own clan leader. Since he was deeply favored by the Demon Dragon Patriarch, he only received a few reprimands and no further punishment. Yet, he missed his wife ceaselessly. Thus, he seized an opportunity to sneak back to Dragon Island in search of her. But he was discovered by the people of the Sacred Dragon clan, and a fight immediately erupted.”

“At that moment, the Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan, enraged, personally struck him down, inflicting severe injuries. Though they were both of the Dragon race, despite being adversaries, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch had not intended to kill him. But in the final critical moment, the young Demon Dragon patriarch recklessly employed a forbidden spell he had learned from some unknown source. The power unleashed was immense. The Sacred Dragon Patriarch, left with no choice, finally struck him down, killing him. However, this entire scene was witnessed by the little princess of the Sacred Dragon clan, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion. In her extreme grief and fury, she threw caution to the wind and self-detonated, choosing to follow her husband in death.”

At this point, the face of the Sacred Dragon Patriarch was etched with profound sorrow, and he remained silent for a long time.

Mo Han, hearing this tale, felt his own heart darken with sadness. He was deeply moved by the tragic love story of the Sacred Dragon Princess and the young Demon Dragon patriarch. While silently offering them his sympathy, he also pieced together that the current Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan was very likely the elder brother of the princess at the center of the tragedy, which accounted for his deep grief.

After a considerable pause, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch managed to regain his composure. He offered Mo Han an apologetic smile before speaking, “I believe you have already guessed that I am the elder brother of that Sacred Dragon Princess?” Upon hearing this, Mo Han simply nodded, confirming his deduction. Then, Mo Han asked, “What became of the child of the Sacred Dragon Princess and the young Demon Dragon patriarch? Didn’t you say they had already had a child?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch responded with a wry smile and a nod. “That’s right. When the Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan saw his own daughter die before his eyes, he was overcome with grief and began to regret his past actions somewhat. He decided to spare the unfortunate child, intending to raise him on Dragon Island to adulthood. This entire affair then became something our Sacred Dragon clan…”

“As time wore on, this child slowly grew up. The Sacred Dragon Patriarch named him ‘Blais’—meaning carefree—hoping the boy could grow up happy and untroubled, spared from further harm. However, because he carried the blood of the Demon Dragon clan, the other children refused to play with him, which fostered a solitary and intensely polarized personality in him. By that time, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch and his wife had grown fond of their grandson, and feeling indebted to his parents, they would grant his every request, doting on him excessively. This, in turn, only exacerbated the boy’s ill temper and extremist tendencies.”

The Sacred Dragon Patriarch let out a long, drawn-out sigh before continuing, “But secrets cannot be kept forever. When Blais was on the cusp of manhood, he accidentally discovered that his father had been killed by the then-Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan, and his mother had committed suicide for the same reason. In a fit of rage, Blais launched a surprise attack, slaying the Sacred Dragon Patriarch who had doted on him the most, then stole the Sacred Dragon clan’s treasure, the ‘Seven Star Dragon Orb,’ and vanished. The entire Sacred Dragon clan was thrown into turmoil. The young patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan, in his overwhelming sorrow, assumed the position of Patriarch. Following this, the Sacred Dragon clan issued a continent-wide warrant for Blais’s capture—dead or alive.”

Speaking up to this point, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch’s expression shifted from sorrow to incandescent anger. He declared passionately, “Even if the Patriarch of the Sacred Dragon clan was wrong in what he did, he had still raised Blais to adulthood and loved him dearly! Furthermore, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch acted only out of necessity when killing the young Demon Dragon patriarch; had he not, he would have been grievously injured by the younger man’s counterattack. And the little princess had merely witnessed the moment her father killed her husband. Knowing the full sequence of events would have prevented this tragedy. Yet, Blais, without bothering to inquire into the circumstances, murdered the grandfather who cherished him most. He is utterly ungrateful!”

Seeing the Sacred Dragon Patriarch grow increasingly agitated, Mo Han quickly steered the conversation elsewhere, asking, “What happened next? Did you ever find this Blais?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch nodded, replying, “Actually, I shouldn’t even have to say it; you should have guessed by now that I was that young patriarch, shouldn't you?” Mo Han nodded in acknowledgment. The Sacred Dragon Patriarch gave another wry smile and continued, “That’s right. After the entire Sacred Dragon clan exerted itself, we finally located Blais. It turned out that when he fled, he had hidden himself deep within the Ancient Blue Ruins. The Sacred Dragon clan immediately dispatched two Elders to the ruins to apprehend him. However, we did not expect that the ruins were protected by an ancient curse; any member of our Dragon race who approached the area would have their strength drastically reduced, unable to manifest even a tenth of their usual power. The two Elders sent were caught completely off guard and were severely wounded by Blais before making a hasty retreat. Subsequently, the Sacred Dragon clan sent several more detachments to deal with Blais, but every mission ended in failure.”

Mo Han spoke with surprise, “Does this ancient curse not affect Blais? Isn’t he also a Dragon?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch shook his head helplessly, saying, “I truly don’t know what is going on. Blais’s power was in no way diminished when he entered the Ancient Blue Ruins. That’s why, when we sent Dragons more powerful than him, they were still defeated by him. I suspect it might be related to the combined bloodline flowing through him—that of both our Sacred Dragon clan and the Demon Dragon clan. Otherwise, I can find no other explanation.”

Hearing this, Mo Han suddenly seemed to recall something and asked, “By the way, I wanted to ask, what is Blais’s Dragon attribute?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch, slightly puzzled by the abrupt question, nonetheless answered, “Blais’s attribute is that of an exceedingly rare Dark-element Dragon. In the entire history of the Dragon race, only three Dark Dragons have ever appeared, and every time a Dark Dragon manifests, the Sacred Dragon clan is guaranteed to face a catastrophe. It seems this time is no exception.”

At this, Mo Han understood completely. He realized this was why Guang Huo had informed him that the Holy Grail of Light had sensed a powerful dark aura emanating from the Ancient Blue Ruins, and why the Pope of Light had felt an intense darkness when approaching the ruins, subsequently being wounded by an unknown monster. It all seemed connected to Blais. Yet, Mo Han couldn't fathom why the Sacred Dragon Patriarch was so certain that he could deal with Blais. Thinking this, Mo Han couldn't help but inquire, “Then why are you so certain that I can handle Blais? Based on your description, Blais should be quite powerful. How can a mere human like me possibly defeat him alone?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch smiled and replied, “I knew you would ask that. We have long intended to find a human to enter the Ancient Blue Ruins and help us capture Blais. However, because of the intense dark aura within the ruins, and the fact that we couldn't find anyone suitable who could navigate the Elven Forest, this task was continually postponed—until we encountered you. That is why we are making this request.”

Mo Han grew even more perplexed. “Surely this event happened several hundred years ago, perhaps even a thousand. Magic and martial skills were far more advanced then than they are now. Why didn’t you seek help back then?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch explained with a smile, “That is correct; there were many capable mages and warriors back then. However, this matter is a secret of the Sacred Dragon clan, meaning it couldn't be entrusted to too many people; we needed someone trustworthy. Moreover, those highly skilled individuals usually prefer solitude and dislike being disturbed. But if a mage were to face a high-level Dark Dragon alone, I think the outcome requires no further explanation, does it?” Mo Han nodded. Indeed, if a mage encountered a high-level Dragon alone, no matter how profound their magic, the result would be certain death—unless they reached the realm of the God of Magic, which has never happened on the human continent, making that merely wishful thinking.

The Sacred Dragon Patriarch continued, “But if we sent a warrior, the chances of success would also be slim, as the dark aura in the Ancient Blue Ruins would greatly augment Blais’s strength while simultaneously debilitating others. In such a specialized environment, without the aid of a mage, even a Sword Saint would only be able to flee. That is why this matter has been dragged out.”

Mo Han responded with even greater helplessness, “If even a Sword Saint cannot manage him alone, wouldn't my going be the same? I believe that even with your esteemed cultivation, you can see that I am only at the level of a First-Tier Sword Saint. Why are you so convinced I can defeat Blais?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch smiled. “Don’t rush, young Duke. I have my reasons for saying this; I wouldn’t send you to your death. I am relying on the artifact of the Church of Light you possess—the ‘Holy Sword of Light.’ It happens to be the natural nemesis of all dark energies. With the aid of the Holy Sword of Light, the debilitating effect of the dark aura upon entering the Ancient Blue Ruins would be minimized. Only then would there be a possibility of defeating Blais.”

Hearing the Patriarch’s words, Mo Han became inwardly alert and quickly shook his head. “Might you be mistaken, Patriarch? How could I possibly possess the Holy Sword of Light? That is the sacred treasure of the Church of Light; it has been missing for ages! How could it be with me? You must have mistaken me for someone else.”

Hearing Mo Han’s denial, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch chuckled softly. “Worry not. The Church of Light searching for their Holy Sword is their affair; it has nothing to do with us Dragons. Whosoever holds the Holy Sword is irrelevant to us, so you need not be so nervous.”

Mo Han continued to smile and shake his head. “Heh heh, even so, the Holy Sword of Light is definitely not on me, so I fear your hopes will be dashed, Patriarch.” Mo Han had firmly resolved that, unless absolutely necessary, he would rather die than admit the Holy Sword of Light was in his possession. Who knew what Machinations this Sacred Dragon Patriarch harbored? Until he understood the situation clearly, Mo Han would not readily confess.

The Sacred Dragon Patriarch remained utterly unhurried, his smile unwavering. “Does Your Grace the Duke recall when you saved my youngest daughter, Rou Xue, outside Tian Yue City?” Mo Han recalled the incident outside Tian Long City where he encountered the young Demon Dragon patriarch attacking the Sacred Dragon Princess. So her name was Rou Xue—a rather pleasant name, he mused. With that thought, Mo Han casually remarked, “Oh, you mean Ru Hua, heh heh.”

Hearing Mo Han’s reply, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch asked with confusion, “Ru Hua? Who is that?” “No, no, heh heh, I was just speaking nonsense. Patriarch, please continue; don't mind me. I occasionally have moments where I act foolishly, heh heh.” Mo Han rapidly waved his hands, attempting to divert the topic. To think he had jokingly called the Sacred Dragon Princess—the Patriarch’s own beloved daughter—‘Ru Hua’! Who knew if the Patriarch would seek revenge? Heh heh, he wasn't foolish enough to admit that!

Seeing that Mo Han refused to elaborate, the Sacred Dragon Patriarch did not press the matter further and continued, “When you saved my daughter, from her description, I knew the weapon you wielded must be the Holy Sword of Light. Otherwise, ordinary weapons, even other top-tier artifacts, could never have so easily shattered the Demon Dragon patriarch’s protective barrier and wounded him so severely. A Dragon’s shield is not easily broken, especially since the Demon Dragon clan emphasizes bodily resilience—their natural resistance is far greater than ours in the Sacred Dragon clan. How could they be so easily pierced and gravely injured? Only the light element of the Holy Sword of Light could serve as the bane of the Demon Dragon race. Apart from the Holy Sword of Light, I truly cannot conceive of any other weapon possessing such might.”

Hearing the Patriarch’s analysis, Mo Han couldn't help but admire the keen insight of the Sacred Dragon Patriarch. It seemed admitting the truth was inevitable. With a nod, Mo Han finally conceded, “Heh heh, the Patriarch is indeed astute. You noticed so many subtle clues at once; you’ve made it impossible for me to deny it. Yes, the Holy Sword of Light is with me. However, I cannot unleash even a fraction of the Holy Sword’s true power. I can currently only exert about thirty percent of its strength. So, even if I take the Holy Sword of Light, it would be useless; I still wouldn't be a match for Blais.”

The Sacred Dragon Patriarch nodded in agreement. “That is correct. The Holy Sword of Light bears ancient seals of varying levels. The reason no one has been able to unleash its power is precisely because of these seals. Unless your cultivation reaches a certain level and you perform the necessary unlocking incantations in sequence, the seals will naturally dissolve, and the full power of the Holy Sword of Light will be released.”

Hearing this, Mo Han’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly pressed, “So, you mean the Patriarch has a method to break the seals on the Holy Sword of Light?” The Sacred Dragon Patriarch smiled and nodded. “Indeed. While the seals on this sword are ancient, given our long history as Dragons, I believe that I and the other Dragon Elders possess the means to break them. I cannot promise we can undo every seal, but we can certainly unlock at least eighty percent of the Holy Sword of Light’s power.”