With the dragons leading and surrounding him, Shen Long followed them from the sky into the depths of the ocean. The sea parted slowly, like a great door opening, revealing a passage that led them to a grand hall.
The name of the hall: The Ancestral Dragon Palace.
At first, there was silence in front of the palace, not a sound to be heard. It was the kind of disciplined silence that reminded one of a military formation. But then, suddenly, there was a thunderous roar that could move mountains and overturn seas:
"Welcome, Xuan Ancestor!""Welcome, Xuan Ancestor!"
For someone like Shen Long, who had lived a simple and unremarkable life in his previous world, this scene left him utterly dumbfounded. He froze, not knowing how to react. But it seemed that those who crossed worlds often possessed resilient minds. After a brief moment of bewilderment, he quickly accepted the reality of the situation.
“From now on, this will be my home,” Shen Long thought silently as he looked around.
"Hahaha! How about it, third brother? Pretty impressive, right? This is the headquarters of our dragon clan. From now on, we’ll cultivate here,” Tian Long boasted with immense pride. Normally stern and serious, he couldn’t help but feel proud of the palace he had a hand in building.
Only now, after Tian Long's reminder, did Shen Long really take a good look at the Ancestral Dragon Palace. And what he saw left him completely speechless.
The entire palace was massive beyond belief, towering so high that its peak seemed unreachable. Its length stretched out endlessly into the horizon. Shen Long always thought his true dragon form was gigantic, but standing before the palace, he felt like a mere ant.
"Wow! It’s... huge!" Shen Long offered the most straightforward assessment he could muster.
All the dragons around him froze, thunderstruck. Inside, they were bursting with laughter but dared not show it. Tian Long's face flushed bright red in embarrassment. He had been expecting praise for his craftsmanship, not just a simple “huge.”
It wasn’t until later that Shen Long realized Tian Long had been hoping for a compliment on his skill in constructing the palace, only to be met with such a simple and direct comment.
As they entered the palace, Shen Long felt like he had stepped into an entirely different world. He was stunned.
“This is where the dragon clan resides. We all awaken outside this space, but once we awaken, we are brought here. Over time, more and more dragons have gained intelligence, and we've welcomed them here. This palace was built at the entrance to mark the boundary. No one without our bloodline or our recognition can enter,” Tian Long explained.
“This massive palace is just an entrance?” Shen Long asked in shock.
Tian Long's face darkened again—why did Shen Long have to bring that up again? With forced patience, he explained, “We handle all the clan’s major affairs in this hall, and we cultivate in the inner world behind it.”
Tian Long went on to explain the rise and development of the dragon clan, the epic struggles they had faced, and the blood and sweat shed by their ancestors. Shen Long’s heart swelled with emotion, stirred by the tales of glory. He wished he could have been there to witness the dragon clan's ascent.
“Hehe, third brother,” said Huang Long with a sly grin. “We’ve already conquered fifty percent of the seas in the prehistoric world. With you on board, we can expand our territory by another thirty percent.”
“Why must there always be fighting and conquest? Can’t we all just get along peacefully?” Shen Long asked, finally voicing a question that had been weighing on him for a long time. Whether in the web novels of his past life or in this new reality, this question haunted him. He feared it might eventually lead him astray, even impacting his cultivation.
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The three dragon brothers were left speechless—how could Shen Long be so clueless?
“Don’t you have any inherited memories, brother?” Tian Long asked cautiously.
“Should I have them?” Shen Long was confused—was there something he wasn’t aware of?
“Third brother, why did you awaken so late?” Huang Long seemed to recall something.
“I was injured when I arrived in this world. It wasn’t until I healed that I received the inherited memories,” Shen Long replied vaguely, remembering how he had snuck into this world. The others assumed he had been wounded during his awakening in the prehistoric world. Shen Long was telling the truth, but how they interpreted it wasn’t his concern.
“Maybe the injury caused your inheritance to be incomplete,” Tian Long reasoned. “But don’t worry, I’ll pass the clan’s inheritance to you later.”
“As for your earlier question, I’ll answer it soon enough,” Tian Long said as he led Shen Long deeper into the palace. They arrived at a grand inner hall with a plaque above it that read The Hall of Discussions. The name was simple, but it exuded a sense of gravity and importance.
Inside, there were four tall chairs facing the entrance, with two rows of seats on either side. Though it seemed modest, the design of the chairs, the patterns on them, and their placement carried an air of complexity. Once they entered, Tian Long gave an order.
“Fourth brother, sound the Dragon Bell. Gather the dragons to honor the Xuan Ancestor!”
Huang Long replied solemnly, “Yes.” He produced a small golden bell from the void, infused it with his mana, and the bell quickly grew in size, emitting a dragon’s roar.
Huang Long struck the bell. Dong, dong, dong… dong… He rang it a total of eighty-one times before stopping.
All across the seas, every dragon—whether in closed-door cultivation or in battle—ceased what they were doing and rushed toward the ancestral land. Most of them already knew what was happening and had been waiting outside the palace.
After the bell rang, Tian Long, without saying another word, strode to the four tall chairs and sat down. Di Long followed suit, sitting beside him.
Huang Long finished ringing the bell and sat below Di Long, while Shen Long instinctively took the remaining seat, feeling as though it had been prepared for him.
The other three dragons remained silent, so Shen Long also waited quietly.
Before long, dragons began to arrive, filling the hall within a quarter of an hour. Their cultivation levels were all at the Da Luo Golden Immortal stage. Some meditated, others glanced curiously at Shen Long, but no one spoke.
Suddenly, Tian Long opened his eyes and straightened his posture, releasing an overwhelming sense of majesty that drew everyone's attention.
Satisfied with the effect, Tian Long smiled and, with a commanding voice that carried the weight of authority, declared, “Today, our dragon clan’s Xuan Ancestor has returned. We must celebrate!”
His voice echoed throughout the entire sea, and the grand hall erupted in cheers. Even the dragons in the surrounding territories joined in the celebration.
“Today, all four Dragon Ancestors—Heaven, Earth, Yellow, and Xuan—are gathered. We must celebrate!”
Another round of cheers followed.
“For the endless prosperity of the dragon clan, for our dominance over the prehistoric world—we must celebrate!”
The cheers grew louder. Shen Long looked around at the group of Da Luo Golden Immortals cheering in the hall and couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Were these truly mighty immortals? How could they be acting like this?
Suddenly, someone shouted, “Celebrate——Celebrate——”
And across the dragon-ruled seas, voices rang out in unison, roaring from the depths of their souls. The leaders of other territories felt a chill run through them, their hearts growing uneasy.
Finally, Tian Long raised his hand, silencing the crowd. “Today, we honor the return of the Xuan Ancestor!”
“Honor the Xuan Ancestor! Long live the Xuan Ancestor, for ten thousand years!”“The Four Dragon Ancestors! The Dragon Clan shall rise!”
Once again, Shen Long felt that familiar chill—where had these slogans even come from? But a moment later, his expression changed to one of shock.
“Big brother, this… what is this?”
Tian Long smiled. “This is your answer.”
As Shen Long chanted “Xuan Ancestor,” he felt a mysterious power from the void surge into his body. In his eyes, the Dao patterns in the void became clearer, and the path of the heavens appeared more distinct than ever before.
This revelation only confused Shen Long further. Could claiming territory really be related to such power?