Rouxue wept, yet the high-tier Light-elemental healing magic in her hands continuously streamed toward Mohan’s body.
But that advanced Light magic had absolutely no effect on the wounds Mohan sustained, and his vital signs grew fainter. Rouxue found herself completely at a loss.
Just then, several massive white and yellow dragons appeared in the western sky, hurtling rapidly toward Rouxue and the others. Soon, these dragons located where Rouxue and her companions were. The dragons transformed back into human form and landed precisely where Rouxue stood.
Leading them was Rouxue’s father, the current Patriarch of the Holy Dragon Clan, accompanied by Elder Blaine of the Holy Dragon Clan and several Holy Dragon guards. Seeing her father arrive, Rouxue grasped him as if he were a lifeline, urgently seizing her father’s hand and speaking with desperate haste, “Father, hurry and save Mohan! He’s about to die. I’ve tried so hard to heal him, but nothing works, no matter what method I use. Please, you must save him! If he hadn’t risked his life to shield me, he wouldn't be like this.”
Hearing Rouxue’s words, the Holy Dragon Patriarch gently patted his daughter’s hand, signaling her to calm down.
He then stepped forward to examine Mohan’s injuries. Seeing this, Rouxue could only stand aside, waiting anxiously, her face filled with hopeful expectation as she watched her father. The Patriarch’s expression grew solemn, and with a deep sigh, he spoke, “I fear it’s too late. Brother Mohan’s injuries are simply too severe. The damage he sustained is precisely from the unique Dark Dragon Battle Qi of the Demonic Dragon Clan.
This Dark Dragon Battle Qi is far more destructive than our ordinary Battle Qi, possessing an even greater capacity for ruin. His internal organs have been completely ravaged by the Qi; it is a miracle he has held on this long.”
Hearing her father’s reply, Rouxue felt the world spin, and she spoke through her grief, “Is there truly no hope left, Father?
I beg you, you must save Big Brother Mohan. He was injured covering my retreat. If something truly happens to him, your daughter will not wish to live alone.”
Hearing Rouxue’s response, the Holy Dragon Patriarch quickly rebuked her, “That is utter nonsense! As the Princess of the Holy Dragon Clan, how can you speak such an irresponsible thing? I only said I have no way.
However, perhaps someone else can save him. Stop imagining such terrible things.”
Hearing her father’s words, a flicker of hope returned to Rouxue’s expression.
She spoke, “Is that true? If even you have no solution, Father, I genuinely don’t know who else in this world could save Big Brother Mohan?” Rouxue was speaking the truth; the Holy Dragon Patriarch’s cultivation was now considered among the absolute peak experts on the continent. If even he was helpless, it seemed no one on this continent could save Mohan.
The Holy Dragon Patriarch, hearing Rouxue’s doubt,
spoke gently, “Indeed, I have no solution myself. However, perhaps the Pontiff of the Church of Light might still salvage Young Brother Mohan’s life, as only the ‘Seven-Colored Feather,’ the treasured artifact held by the Church of Light, might reverse his condition.”
Hearing her father’s explanation,
Rouxue asked with confusion, “‘Seven-Colored Feather’? What is that? Can it truly save Big Brother Mohan? Isn’t the Church of Light’s main treasure the Scepter of Light and the Armor Set of Light? Why would it be a Seven-Colored Feather?” Upon hearing this, the Holy Dragon Patriarch smiled and nodded, saying, “The Seven-Colored Feather is actually one of the Church of Light’s highest secrets. Outsiders naturally only know of the Scepter and the Armor Set. In truth, the Seven-Colored Feather is the Church’s genuine treasure. Legend says it was the final gift the Light God left to the Church upon his departure. It is rumored that whoever possesses it, even a common Light Mage, can wield the power of a Light Forbidden Spell, as the Feather retains the aura of the Light God, allowing ordinary Light Mages to effortlessly cast a Light Forbidden Spell. You can imagine how immensely powerful this ‘Seven-Colored Feather’ is. For those already possessing high cultivation, it offers an even greater benefit.”
Hearing her father’s detailed explanation, Rouxue urgently pressed, “Is it truly that miraculous? Then how exactly can it restore Big Brother Mohan’s life?” Seeing her eagerness, the Holy Dragon Patriarch shook his head helplessly and said, “This is what concerns me. The other function of this ‘Seven-Colored Feather’ is its ability to save lives. Because the pure and immense Light energy it radiates is the nemesis of death. Even for a corpse, as long as the body remains intact, dissolving the Seven-Colored Feather into the person’s body can restore their life. It possesses the true effect of bringing the dead back to life. Young Brother Mohan’s current state is practically indistinguishable from death, which is why I said only the ‘Seven-Colored Feather’ can save him.”
Hearing her father’s words, Rouxue immediately brightened and exclaimed happily, “If that is the case, then we must immediately depart for the Holy Capital and petition the Pontiff for aid! I believe, with the strength of our Dragon Clan, the Church of Light should be willing to help us.”
The Holy Dragon Patriarch heard her and slightly shook his head, letting out a sigh before saying, “I fear the Church of Light will refuse our request this time. Because once the ‘Seven-Colored Feather’ is merged into the recipient’s body, it can never be retrieved. Its energy will remain permanently within that person. Furthermore, the entire Church of Light possesses only one ‘Seven-Colored Feather’—it might be the only one on the entire Dragon Ascent Continent. Do you truly believe the Church of Light would easily grant our request?” Hearing the Patriarch’s explanation, Rouxue’s heart sank. If what her father said was true, and the Feather was that precious, then Mohan’s chance of survival was infinitesimally small? Thinking this, Rouxue seemed to come to a firm decision.
She spoke with unwavering resolve, “Even so, if there is even a sliver of opportunity, your daughter must try to save Big Brother Mohan’s life. Otherwise, I will never have peace in this lifetime. Don’t you often tell me, Father, that we must repay kindness? Therefore, regardless of the outcome, your daughter must try her utmost.”
Hearing Rouxue’s response, the Holy Dragon Patriarch smiled and nodded, “That is correct. As Dragons, we must certainly repay our debts.
Since you are determined, your father will accompany you on this journey. I trust the Church of Light will grant our Dragon Clan some face.”
Hearing that her father was willing to go with her, Rouxue was greatly delighted; her chances of success had just increased significantly. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Elder Blaine interject from the side.
He quickly exclaimed, “Patriarch, this is absolutely inadvisable! Setting aside whether the Church of Light will agree to our terms, the Demonic Dragon Clan is currently watching us like hawks. If the Princess leaves, won’t our Holy Dragon Clan be left headless? Won't this give the Demonic Dragon Clan a perfect opportunity?”
“Furthermore, if our Holy Dragon Clan genuinely comes into conflict with the Church of Light over this matter, it would bring us nothing but harm. The Church of Light is, after all, the foremost religious power on the Dragon Ascent Continent, and their strength should not be underestimated. If the power of our Holy Dragon Clan is diminished, wouldn’t that only benefit the Demonic Dragon Clan?”
Hearing Blaine’s words,
the Holy Dragon Patriarch hesitated. Indeed, in the current situation, if he were absent and something unexpected occurred, the Holy Dragon Clan would be in trouble.
Yet, he was not entirely comfortable sending Rouxue alone. After some thought,
the Holy Dragon Patriarch spoke to Rouxue, “Elder Blaine’s concerns are valid. However, Young Brother Mohan was injured while saving the Princess. Repaying kindness is a fundamental principle of conduct, and as the Holy Dragons, we certainly cannot abandon him. How about this: I will have Elder Kalimo take a few Holy Dragon guards to accompany you. Remember, when you reach the Church of Light, you must request assistance with utmost courtesy. Under no circumstances should you instigate conflict with them.”
Hearing Blaine’s objections, Rouxue felt a surge of anger. She had long suspected that Blaine was entangled in this incident. Very few people knew about her and Mohan returning to the Holy Dragon Clan today to retrieve the Holy Sword of Light, and Blaine was one of them, making him the prime suspect. Now, his words clearly indicated he did not want Mohan saved and was deliberately looking for excuses to refuse.
With this thought, Rouxue couldn't help but turn to the Holy Dragon Patriarch and say, “Father, I feel this entire incident is not as simple as it appears. Very few people knew that Mohan and I were going to the Holy Dragon Clan today to retrieve the Holy Sword of Light. Yet, the Young Lord of the Demonic Dragon Clan and his kin knew our movements and objective with perfect clarity and managed to ambush us here in advance. This clearly indicates someone within our Dragon Clan leaked information to those Demonic Dragon members. Otherwise, this incident simply couldn't have occurred. I implore you, Father, to investigate this matter thoroughly.”
As Rouxue finished speaking, Elder Blaine coldly retorted, “Princess, your words are inaccurate. Besides the few Elders and you, the Patriarch, who knew of this matter, Mohan’s friends were also aware. When I delivered the message, many people were present. As the Princess of our Holy Dragon Clan, why do you not suspect them, but are so certain that someone within the Holy Dragon Clan leaked the secret? That logic is flawed.
Could it be that the Princess favors outsiders over casting suspicion upon us old fellows?”
“Moreover, consider the inherent flaws of humans. Humans are a race driven by greed and willing to abandon loyalty for gain. For any advantage they seek, they would betray even their closest kin, let alone mere friends. Such incidents are far too common on this continent. Have you never heard of such things, Princess? How can you state with certainty that the leak originated from within our Holy Dragon Clan? This is surely chilling the hearts of our clansmen!” Rouxue saw that Blaine, with just a few sentences, had placed a heavy accusation upon her, attempting to undermine her standing and authority in the eyes of the clan members. She was enraged and about to refute him when she heard the Holy Dragon Patriarch speak sternly, “Xue’er, do not speak nonsense. The Elders are men of high virtue and respect, and the Holy Dragon Clan serves with utmost loyalty; they would never betray this secret. You must apologize to Elder Blaine immediately and cease speaking.”
Hearing her father’s decree, Rouxue could only let out a cold snort and fall silent. She turned to her father and stated, “Since you do not believe me, Father, I have nothing more to say. I must take Big Brother Mohan to the Church of Light now. Please arrange for someone to notify Sister Daili and the others in Sky Dragon City. Tell them to meet me in the Holy Capital. Once Elder Kalimo and the others arrive, instruct them to catch up to me.”
Having finished speaking, she prepared to lift Mohan and leave.
The Holy Dragon Patriarch stopped her immediately, “Wait! Are you planning to fly with Young Brother Mohan like that? I fear that before you even reach the Holy Capital, the young man will perish. Although the ‘Seven-Colored Feather’ is said to bring the dead back to life, no one has ever truly witnessed it.
No one can guarantee it. First, put him down. Let me think of a solution.”
Hearing this, Rouxue obediently and carefully placed Mohan back on the ground. The Holy Dragon Patriarch hesitated no longer. He began softly chanting a few phrases of Dragon Language magic, and instantly, a faint crimson light flowed from his hands and submerged into Mohan’s body,
enveloping Mohan’s entire form.
After completing the casting, the Holy Dragon Patriarch smiled at Rouxue and said, “There. I have cast the sealing magic—the Stasis Barrier—temporarily sealing the space within and everything inside. This should ensure that Young Brother Mohan’s condition does not worsen before we reach the Holy Capital. Hurry now.
I will have someone notify his friends. Elder Kalimo and the others should catch up to you soon enough.”
Rouxue looked at her father with profound gratitude,
nodded without another word, scooped up Mohan, and shot into the sky, vanishing in a flash.
Elder Blaine, seeing this, initially wanted to protest but ultimately restrained himself.
He turned to the Holy Dragon Patriarch and stated, “Patriarch, if the Church of Light is unwilling to contribute the ‘Seven-Colored Feather,’ are we truly prepared to enter into conflict with them? Moreover, given the Princess’s temperament, I fear she is likely to clash with the Church of Light. We already have the Demonic Dragon Clan giving us enough headaches; adding the Church of Light to the mix might prove too much…”
Blaine’s unspoken implication was clear: he feared Rouxue’s impulsiveness.
The Holy Dragon Patriarch smiled and replied, “Rest assured, I have considered this aspect already. That is why I sent Elder Kalimo to accompany her. The girl might not always heed my words, but she generally listens to Elder Kalimo. I will instruct Elder Kalimo to watch over the Princess closely; there shouldn't be any major problems. However, we genuinely need to investigate how this leak occurred. Of course, I do not suspect the Elders. It might have been those few humans who disclosed the information. We must quickly ascertain the cause, or our Holy Dragon Clan will face trouble.”
Hearing the Patriarch’s words, Elder Blaine quickly responded, “Please do not worry, Patriarch. I will definitely investigate the source of the leak as swiftly as possible, so as to prevent the Princess from forming any misunderstandings.”
The Holy Dragon Patriarch laughed heartily in response, “Elder, you are too concerned. The Princess is young and thoughtless. I hope you will not hold her words against her. When she returns from the Holy Capital this time, I will discipline her, so all the Elders need not take it to heart. Now, I must return to notify Elder Kalimo to watch over the Princess, lest she stirs up more trouble. As for this matter of the leak, I must entrust the diligent investigation to you, Elder Blaine.”
Hearing the Holy Dragon Patriarch’s instructions, Elder Blaine bowed respectfully, “I thank the Patriarch for his trust. I will certainly uncover the source of this matter quickly and will not fail your commission.”
Meanwhile, at the very moment Mohan was injured, in the Prince’s Manor in Sky Dragon City, Daili sat restlessly in her seat. For some unknown reason, ever since Mohan departed, Daili had felt a gnawing disquiet. Several times, she had made mistakes, even shattering a teacup. This was entirely uncharacteristic for someone with Daili’s current skill level, leaving Latin and the others bewildered. Perhaps influenced by Daili’s mood, Murong Feixue also began to grow worried.
Just as the two were feeling unsettled, the steward, Marco, rushed in, sweat beading on his brow. Seeing Daili and Murong Feixue, Marco urgently declared, “Miss Daili, it’s bad news! Something has happened!”
Seeing Marco in such a state, Daili’s anxiety intensified. Marco was rarely this flustered; something serious must have occurred. Could this morning’s unrest have been a premonition of this very event? With this thought, Daili forced herself to control her emotions, striving for calm as she said, “Uncle Marco, what has happened? Don’t rush, speak slowly.”