Mo Han inwardly sneered, realizing this was indeed the case, yet his voice remained unhurried as he spoke, "Then, Clan Leader, what you heard was only the Demon Dragon Clan Leader's request of me. However, the agreement I reached with the Demon Dragon Clan Leader was not limited to these matters. I imagine, Clan Leader, that you are unaware of the specific details of the accord between myself and the Demon Dragon Clan Leader?" Mo Han assumed this because when he and the Demon Dragon Clan Leader struck their deal, due to the sensitive nature of the Demon Dragon Forbidden Zone, only the two of them were present—no third party. Thus, no matter how powerful the Holy Dragon Clan Leader might be, he couldn't possibly know the contents of the agreement unless the Demon Dragon Clan Leader willingly disclosed it. Mo Han instantly knew the latter was impossible, which is why he dared to speak these words.
Upon hearing Mo Han's question, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader nodded quite readily, speaking up, "Indeed, while I am unclear on the specifics you discussed inside, I imagine that had you not agreed to the Demon Dragon Clan Leader's demands, given his nature, he absolutely would not have let you leave so easily. Am I mistaken?" Hearing this, Mo Han couldn't help but smile, "Your Excellency's general deduction is correct. It seems you understand the Demon Dragon Clan Leader's personality quite well, but you have only grasped a part of the truth, not the entirety."
The Holy Dragon Clan Leader stared at Mo Han, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, "Oh? I would be glad to hear the details. However, Your Highness must understand that the Demon Dragon Clan Leader is not someone easily fooled. Reaching an agreement with him is akin to seeking a bargain with a tiger."
Mo Han heard this.
His expression remained placid, showing no tell-tale signs, only a faint smile as he replied, "Thank you for the reminder, Clan Leader. Mo Han is certainly aware. It is true that I reached an agreement with the Demon Dragon Clan Leader, and I did promise him that I would bring the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl to the Demon Dragon Island."
Saying this, Mo Han observed the Holy Dragon Clan Leader's reaction.
Yet, the old fellow seemed entirely unconcerned, merely smiling at Mo Han without initiating any follow-up questions. Seeing this, Mo Han had no choice but to continue, "But since I had a prior agreement with your Holy Dragon Clan to return the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl to you, I naturally will not go back on my word."
"Therefore, the agreement I struck with the Demon Dragon Clan Leader is this: upon obtaining the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl, I will bring it to the Demon Dragon Island for a temporary stay of two days. After those two days, the Demon Dragon Clan Leader will return the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl to me. So, ultimately, I am not violating our agreement; the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl will still reach the hands of the Holy Dragon Clan Leader—it will just be delayed by a few days."
Hearing Mo Han's words, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader’s brow furrowed slightly.
He slowly spoke, "Prince Mo Han speaks the truth, but have you forgotten what I told you? If you make any deal with the Demon Dragon Clan Leader, you will be the one to suffer in the end. Are you not concerned that the Demon Dragon Clan Leader might break his promise and refuse to return the pearl once he has it? Given the Demon Dragon Clan Leader’s strength, even if he reneges, you would be powerless."
"Are not your Dragon Clans people of your word? As the leader of the Demon Dragon Clan, can he not even uphold a promise?" Mo Han seemed to have anticipated the Holy Dragon Clan Leader's concerns and responded without haste, "The Demon Dragon Clan Leader would not easily violate his own oath, even unto death, concerning matters that pertain solely to him. However, this Seven-Star Dragon Pearl touches upon the balance of power between the Demon Dragon Clan and our Holy Dragon Clan. I suspect the Demon Dragon Clan Leader has a very high probability of going back on his word on this matter."
Seeing Mo Han appear unconvinced, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader continued, "For certain reasons in the past, the strength of the Demon Dragon Clan has always been inferior to that of our Holy Dragon Clan. But if the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl falls into the hands of the Demon Dragon Clan, that balance of power will be utterly shattered. The Demon Dragon Clan could then rely on the pearl to fight our Holy Dragon Clan to a standstill, or perhaps even surpass us. I imagine, were I the Demon Dragon Clan Leader, I might not keep my promise in this situation either."
Hearing the Holy Dragon Clan Leader's analysis, Mo Han showed no surprise, merely uttering a faint "Oh," without any hint of tension. The Holy Dragon Clan Leader grew somewhat curious, "Since there is a significant chance the Demon Dragon Clan Leader will renege, why does Your Highness seem unconcerned? Do you believe your current strength allows you to disregard the possibility of the Demon Dragon Clan breaking its word?" In response to the Holy Dragon Clan Leader's query, Mo Han merely shrugged with a smile, "I believe I may have a method to ensure the Demon Dragon Clan Leader absolutely keeps his word. Therefore, Clan Leader need not worry about these matters. As for the specific method, I must beg your pardon for not disclosing it, but Mo Han can stake his life on this: after securing the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl, I will safely deliver it back to your Holy Dragon Clan. This is the only commitment I can make to you."
Mo Han’s declaration was firm and resolute. The Holy Dragon Clan Leader gazed steadily at him for a moment, then closed his eyes, offering no immediate response. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking internally. Mo Han, seeing this, did not rush, continuing to watch the other party leisurely, looking entirely self-assured.
After a considerable pause, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader slowly spoke, "I have contemplated this deeply, and no matter how I look at it, I believe the Demon Dragon Clan Leader will certainly not pass up this rare opportunity and will seize the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl for himself. Furthermore, I believe Your Highness is no match for the Demon Dragon Clan. I truly cannot fathom what means Your Highness possesses to compel the Demon Dragon Clan to surrender the pearl should they break faith. However, seeing your confidence, I understand that Your Highness is not someone who would easily abandon his commitments..." At this point, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader paused, seemingly weighing his decision. After all, this involved the distribution of strength between the Holy Dragon Clan and the Demon Dragon Clan, a matter the Clan Leader himself could not decide lightly. Mo Han, observing this, had no intention of inquiring, waiting quietly for the Holy Dragon Clan Leader to reach his final verdict.
After a long while, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader seemed to have concluded his deliberation. He continued, "Very well. Based on what I know of you, I will trust Your Highness for this occasion. I only hope that you will uphold your promise and bring the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl back to the Holy Dragon Clan. For everything else, you need not concern yourself for the moment; I will explain the situation to the Elder Council."
Mo Han expressed slight surprise at this, "Oh? Hearing the Clan Leader say that, even your esteemed Elder Council is aware of this matter?" The Holy Dragon Clan Leader replied with a touch of weariness, "Yes. Such a monumental event, concerning the very safety of our Holy Dragon Clan, is not something I can decide alone. Thus, the Elder Council was informed long ago, and the elders within the clan are extremely anxious about this matter, which is why they were so eager to question Your Highness."
Noticing Mo Han seemed to be worrying about something, the Holy Dragon Clan Leader waved a hand to stop him and continued, "Rest assured, Your Highness. Since I have agreed to your proposal, I will certainly honor my commitment. I only ask that you, in turn, honor yours and return the Seven-Star Dragon Pearl to the Holy Dragon Clan."
By the time Mo Han returned to Heavenly Dragon City, night had fallen. Along the journey, Mo Han had been replaying his conversation with the Holy Dragon Clan Leader, feeling a knot of frustration. As soon as he reached the Prince’s Residence, he saw the old steward, Marco, waiting by the entrance. Seeing Mo Han, Marco's eyes lit up with excitement, and he hurried forward, "Your Highness, you’ve returned! Miss Dely and the others instructed me to send word for Your Highness to proceed directly to the side hall once you were back. Everyone is waiting there."
Seeing Marco, Mo Han felt a warmth spread through his heart and quickly said with a smile, "Uncle Marco, you could have just had a servant relay that message to me. The weather is so cold outside, and you had no idea when I would return. There was no need for you to wait here specifically."
Marco replied, a touch excitedly, "Heh heh, Your Highness, you were gone for so long before finally returning, and today, upon your return, you were in such a hurry to leave again. This old servant hadn't even had the chance to properly greet you, so I wanted to wait here so I could see you the moment you arrived."
Mo Han felt a surge of emotion hearing this, offering Marco a warm smile, "I apologize for the trouble during my absence, Uncle Marco. The manor must have been very busy. However, I must depart again tomorrow, so I will have to rely on you to oversee matters at the residence a bit more."
Marco quickly replied with deep gratitude, "Your Highness, you are too kind. The great debt I owe Your Highness for your benevolence—even if I were torn to pieces, I could never repay it. These matters are nothing. But Your Highness just returned today, and you must leave again tomorrow?"