Upon hearing Mo Han's words, the Emperor exclaimed in surprise, "What, aren't they of the Dragon race?" "Heh, they were indeed of the Dragon race, and authentic ones at that," Mo Han replied with a smile.

Hearing Mo Han's answer, the Emperor spoke, "Prince Mo Han says 'were,' which implies something must have happened in between?" Mo Han nodded. "Exactly. A long time ago—I'm not certain of the exact era—these Demonic Dragons were part of the Dragon race; they were the Saint Dragon race often recorded in our human texts. However, due to their own boundless ambition, they grew unwilling to remain confined to Dragon Island. Thus, they broke away from the Saint Dragon Clan, presumptuously aiming to rule the continent. But the strength of humanity back then was far superior to what it is now, so they ultimately failed. They concluded that their failure stemmed from the Dragon race's lack of specialization in skills, preventing their cultivation from reaching its peak."

Listening to Mo Han's recounting, both the Emperor and Long Gufan displayed looks of astonishment. Clearly, these were matters entirely new to them. What Mo Han related was information he had gathered from the Saint Dragon Patriarch. Mo Han's own expression at the time had mirrored theirs, so he was not surprised by their reaction.

With that thought, Mo Han continued, "So, they ultimately abandoned their magic entirely, dedicating themselves wholly to martial arts, hoping to leverage the Dragon race's innate resistance to magic and physical prowess to achieve their goal of dominating the continent. As time passed, these Dragons forgot their magic, but their martial skills underwent tremendous breakthroughs. They became vastly more powerful than the current Saint Dragon race, forming what is known today as the Demonic Dragon race."

Hearing Mo Han's explanation, the Emperor finally spoke, "I see now. No wonder. Does this tie into the Duke's plan? You mentioned the Demonic Dragons' long-held ambition is to rule the continent. Doesn't this current affair align perfectly with their goals and actions?"

Mo Han quickly clarified, "Does His Highness the Prince recall the sudden, hasty retreat of those Demonic Dragons the day before yesterday? They hadn't been defeated, so why did they leave?" Hearing Mo Han's question, Long Gufan's eyes lit up, and he said, "Could it be that something made them apprehensive, causing their withdrawal?" Mo Han smiled. "Precisely. What appeared at that time was the Saint Dragon race. It was precisely because they feared the Saint Dragon race's power that the Demonic Dragons retreated in such panic. In truth, friction has always existed between the Demonic Dragon race and the Saint Dragon race due to fundamental differences in their philosophies. The Demonic Dragons yearn to rule the continent, while the Saint Dragons are tasked with thwarting this ambition. Wherever Demonic Dragons manifest, the Saint Dragons are sure to appear. Consequently, conflicts between the two clans are frequent."

By this point, the Emperor and Long Gufan had grasped the essence of Mo Han's thinking and plan. The Emperor mused, "So, Prince Mo Han intends to have the Saint Dragon race step forward to deal with the Demonic Dragons. If that is the case, once the Saint Dragons engage the Demonic Dragons, I believe Feiji City should remain secure for a considerable time. Even if the Aoyue Empire and the Shuilan Empire combine their national strengths, achieving an easy victory against us would not happen overnight. The reputation of our Heavenly Dragon Empire as the continent's paramount nation is not merely for show."

The Emperor's words carried a strong undercurrent of confidence, the self-assurance of a sovereign in the might of his army. Hearing Mo Han's strategy significantly bolstered his morale; if the Saint Dragons truly involved themselves, Feiji City would not fall quickly.

Long Gufan then spoke, "If that is the plan, I agree it should work. However, the Saint Dragons and Demonic Dragons are both of the Dragon race, and we are unacquainted with them. Would they be willing to help us fight the Demonic Dragons? What recourse do we have if they refuse?" Mo Han nodded with a gentle smile. "I have met with the Saint Dragon Patriarch. I believe if I make the appeal, it should not be an issue. Furthermore, the Saint Dragon race is already committed to stopping the Demonic Dragons; this would merely be assisting us incidentally. I expect it will be fine."

Hearing Mo Han's assurance, Long Gufan and the Emperor finally relaxed. The Emperor smiled at Mo Han and said, "Heh, Prince Mo Han has once again rendered a great service to the Empire. I scarcely know how to reward you."

Mo Han quickly demurred, "Your Majesty, what I have done is not for reward. Moreover, Your Majesty has already bestowed much upon me. It is only proper that I serve the Empire. Your Majesty need not be so concerned."

The Emperor merely smiled and nodded at Mo Han. "Very well, but your merits shall be recorded and never forgotten. Let us go out now and announce this decision. I imagine the ministers are getting impatient. The matter of the Saint Dragon race shall be entrusted to you, Prince Mo Han."

Upon hearing the Emperor's command, Mo Han quickly nodded in understanding and followed behind the Emperor and Long Gufan toward the main hall to announce their latest resolution.

With the strong backing of the Emperor and Long Gufan, the resolution passed smoothly. Due to the delay, by the time Mo Han returned to his Ducal estate, it was nearly noon. Upon arrival, he found only Latin, Rock, and Jack present. He learned that Delilah, Murong Feixue, and Yunxiang had gone to the Murong residence early that morning to visit Madame Murong and would not return until evening, leaving Mo Han to his own devices for the day. Mo Han felt a touch of boredom.

Just then, Jack proposed, "Why not use this time to ask Marco to take you and us to see your fief? You haven't visited the territory since you received it, and Mo Han does miss that little panda, Hanhan." Considering this, Mo Han happily agreed to Jack's suggestion and promptly instructed Marco to make preparations.

Marco understood Mo Han's disposition. Naturally, a Duke's departure required guards and attendants, but Marco knew Mo Han disliked such superficial formalities. Furthermore, given Mo Han's current strength, few could harm him. Thus, Marco assigned only two attendants and a few Heavenly Dragon Guards to await Mo Han's orders, keeping everything else minimal. Preparations were soon complete.

Mo Han was satisfied with Marco's arrangements. He instructed Marco to have Delilah and the others wait at the estate if they returned, then led Latin and the others into the carriage, heading toward his fief.

Upon leaving the city, Mo Han and his company traveled south toward his domain. Mo Han felt a surge of excitement; this territory was his. He was a landed magnate—something the Mo Han who couldn't afford a house on Earth had never dared dream possible. His excitement was palpable.

After an hour of travel, just as Mo Han began to feel restless, Jack spoke up from his side, "Boss, from here on, it's your land. See how big it is?" Mo Han followed Jack's pointing direction and saw a stone monument standing not far ahead. Even with his power, Mo Han could clearly read the large, dark characters etched on it: 'Ducal Fief,' followed by Mo Han's name and the boundaries of the territory.

Along the road, small hamlets occasionally appeared before Mo Han. Through Jack and the others, Mo Han learned these were the original residents of the land. According to imperial law, once land was designated as a noble's fief, everything on it belonged to that noble. Therefore, if the residents wished to remain, they had to lease the land from the noble, surrendering three-tenths of their harvest as rent to the noble. This was mandated by the Empire and could not be arbitrarily changed, lest they face fines or, in severe cases, confiscation of the fief. This system was designed to prevent nobles from arbitrarily raising rents, ensuring the commoners in the fief retained the basic means of livelihood and, in a sense, preventing unrest. This rent became a primary source of income for fief-holding nobles, explaining why many coveted more land—for more wealth.

The Empire also strictly regulated fief sizes, forbidding nobles from privately enclosing extra land. Each peerage had different limits, and exceeding them required special Imperial approval. Any noble who violated this regulation faced severe punishment, potentially even the permanent stripping of their title. Thus, few nobles dared risk such an offense.

After the carriage proceeded further, Mo Han finally spotted a sizable castle ahead. However, the construction was incomplete; the top levels and surrounding structures were unfinished, and numerous artisans labored around the structure. At the castle gate stood a contingent of brightly armored Heavenly Dragon Legion Guards, maintaining order, while many Heavenly Dragon Servants patrolled the ramparts—a scene of strict vigilance.

Mo Han suppressed a chuckle. It wasn't the Imperial Palace; was such tight security necessary? These guards, due to their profession, strictly emulated the security protocols of the Imperial Palace. Every commoner entering the castle was subjected to rigorous inspection, leaving Mo Han unsure whether to be amused or pleased. As the carriage neared the castle, the guards spotted it from afar and immediately grew alert, swiftly moving a wooden barricade across the path as a precaution.

However, upon seeing the Heavenly Dragon Servants accompanying Mo Han’s carriage, the guards gradually relaxed and began to remove the barricade. Since they all belonged to the same unit within the Heavenly Dragon Legion, the guards recognized each other.

As the carriage drew closer, a soldier who appeared to be a small squad leader among the castle guards called out with a grin, "Well, Big-Eared Liu, what wind blew you here? It's not even time for shift change. You've gotten a bit plumper in the past two weeks, haven't you? Must be living the high life in Heavenly Dragon City, eh? Have you visited Chunhui Pavilion to see your old flame yet, hehe?"

The guard addressed as 'Big-Eared Liu' flushed instantly. "Go away, Zhang Yihui, stop talking nonsense! The Duke is here, and you're still clowning around! Hurry up and report to Commander Gao to come out and greet the Duke!"

Hearing Big-Eared Liu's words, the small squad leader named Zhang Yihui panicked, stammering, "The Duke... when did he arrive? I'll inform Commander Gao immediately!" He then started to turn away.

Just then, Mo Han spoke in a gentle tone, "No need. I'm just stopping by for a look; please continue with your duties." Zhang Yihui was taken aback. He had never encountered such a reasonable Duke; most nobles he met were demanding. He stood there uncertainly, as did the other Heavenly Dragon Servants. It was Big-Eared Liu, who had previous contact with Mo Han and had heard about his temperament from Marco, who reacted quickly. He snapped, "Why are you all just standing there? Pull the barricade aside so the Duke's carriage can pass!"

Hearing Big-Eared Liu, the Heavenly Dragon Servants snapped back to attention and quickly pulled the wooden barrier aside, clearing the path for Mo Han's carriage. Zhang Yihui quickly ordered a nearby soldier to run and notify Commander Gao Yun. Although the Duke said it wasn't necessary, if Commander Gao learned he knew the Duke was present but failed to inform him, Commander Gao's temper would surely lead to trouble for him.

The carriage entered the central courtyard of the castle. As Mo Han stepped down, about to look around, he saw a middle-aged man in military attire approach swiftly with several guards. He stopped before Mo Han and respectfully declared, "Gao Yun, former Deputy Commander of the Third Direct Sub-Legion of the Heavenly Dragon Legion, pays respects to the Duke."

Mo Han motioned for Gao Yun to rise, smiling pleasantly. "Lord Gao, this is the first time we've met. How did you recognize me as the Duke immediately? Weren't you afraid of making a mistake? Am I truly that handsome?"

Gao Yun replied with rigid seriousness, "The Duke jokes. Although Gao Yun has never met the Duke before, the Duke is now the one Gao Yun will serve and protect until death. Gao Yun inquired about the Duke's appearance from Lord Latin and the others, which is how I identified Your Grace—it was not due to the Duke's looks."

Mo Han had intended his lighthearted remark to ease the tension, seeing how nervous Gao Yun and his men appeared. He hadn't expected Gao Yun to be such a rigidly proper soldier. This solemn, standard military bearing made Mo Han feel slightly awkward, unsure how to respond to such seriousness. Seeing Latin and the others watching him with suppressed amusement, Mo Han realized they must have known Gao Yun's personality beforehand and were setting him up. With that realization, Mo Han quickly smiled toward Gao Yun and said, "Oh? How did Latin and the others describe me? Commander Gao, perhaps you could repeat it?"

At Mo Han's question, Latin and the others' faces immediately clouded over with anxiety. Gao Yun hesitated slightly. "This... what Latin and the others said was not particularly complimentary, Your Grace. Do you really wish to hear it?"

"Tell me. I doubt Latin and the others would mind," Mo Han said, glancing warmly at them. However, Latin and the others felt a chill run down their spines. It was over. The brighter the Boss smiled, the worse their impending fate would be. All they could do now was hope Gao Yun would be flexible and turn the conversation, offering them a chance to escape, but they were disappointed.

Gao Yun hesitated a moment longer before speaking, "Lord Latin and the others said that if one sees someone exceptionally fair-skinned, with an expression that often seems slightly cross, and someone who speaks with rather questionable humor, that person must be the Duke."

Hearing Gao Yun's answer, Latin and the others painfully squeezed their eyes shut. The surrounding Heavenly Dragon Servants struggled to suppress their smiles, their expressions grotesquely fixed.