"No, I'll go greet Third Sister myself."Ao Lie made his decision immediately and strode quickly out of the grand hall.
Ao Qing's identity was no longer the same as before. She was now a Holy Consort of Great Yi, a position of immense prestige. No matter where she went, she would be someone of the highest regard. She was no longer just the Third Princess of the Vast Sea Dragon Palace. Even Ao Lie had to treat her with utmost seriousness and could not afford the slightest disrespect. This was the change brought about by status—when one stepped outside, they represented the face of Great Yi.
Living within Great Yi's territory, Ao Lie was naturally well aware of the terrifying depth and power behind the empire. In these past years, Great Yi's growth had been nothing short of mad. From a small realm in the past, it had now expanded to thirteen major realms, and recently, it had swallowed eight realms in one move, vastly enlarging its territory and establishing a fearsome dominance over surrounding realms.
And the strength of Great Yi kept soaring daily. The rapid evolution and day-to-day transformations were simply beyond imagination.
Even from within the Dragon Palace, Ao Lie had kept close tabs on Great Yi's changes. The trade between the Dragon Palace and Great Yi continued uninterrupted. All sorts of resources flowed between the two, and countless novel things emerged in Great Yi—none of which escaped Ao Lie's eyes.
Even as a proud dragon with noble blood, he dared not harbor any ill intent toward Great Yi.Great Yi's rise was something others could only envy.
Unfortunately, the Dragon Clan had withdrawn from the Eternal World, and the few clansmen left behind had strict orders—defend the Dragon Palace only and stay out of power struggles between the major forces, so as not to attract unwanted attention.
However, interacting with Great Yi was a different matter. After all, the Dragon Palace and Great Yi were related by marriage—something no one could dispute.
"Big Brother!"
Soon, several figures entered the Dragon Palace's grand hall.
Leading them was none other than Consort Qing, the Holy Consort of Great Yi. Now, she radiated a natural grace and nobility. The seductive charm in her dragon bones had long become restrained and hidden. From her outward appearance, none of that allure was visible anymore. Only Yi Tianxing could truly feel her enchantment—on the bed, in their private chambers.
What had replaced it was a formless dignity—something that came naturally from her elevated status.
"Third Sister, you're getting more and more beautiful. Even your Second Sister and the others are jealous of you. Come, let's talk inside. The Dragon Palace is your home—you don't need to stand on ceremony here."
Ao Lie chuckled warmly.
"Third Princess, it's so good to see you again—so good!"
The Turtle Prime Minister opened his eyes and looked at Ao Qing, his gaze filled with warmth.
"Third Sister, you're finally back! I've missed you so much!"
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. Ao Qi had rushed over as well upon hearing the news. She looked at Ao Qing, and deep in her eyes, a flicker of jealousy flashed.
Originally, she should have been the one to marry into Great Yi. Now, Ao Qing had gained everything. It was hard not to feel envious. If she had insisted more back then, she might've also become a Holy Consort of Great Yi, a figure above all others. Her fate and status would have been entirely different.
But that jealousy only flashed briefly—she didn't show it.
With a smile on her face, she warmly took Ao Qing's hand, acting like a doting sister.
The reunion of the three siblings was a joyful one. Off to the side stood an envoy from Great Yi's Ministry of Rites, named Liu Qian. He had accompanied Ao Qing on this visit, which was technically a "return to her maiden home." According to etiquette, a representative from the Ministry of Rites had to be present to show respect. He didn't enter the main hall, choosing instead to wait in a side hall, not interrupting their family reunion.
Inside the hall, music and dance filled the air, and various fine dishes were brought out one after another.
The atmosphere was warm and festive.
Ao Lie and Ao Qing sat at the table, with the Turtle Prime Minister accompanying them.
"Third Sister, what brings you back to the Dragon Palace? Is something wrong? Or… were you mistreated in the Holy King's palace?"
Ao Lie asked.
Her visit was very sudden—there must be a reason, and likely not a simple one.
"In the Holy King's palace, all the sisters get along well. There's none of that palace intrigue like in other courts. Rest assured, Big Brother, I'm doing very well in Great Yi. The Holy King treats me with deep affection and fairness."
A sincere smile appeared on Ao Qing's face. Then she added, "I actually came back because there's something I wanted to discuss with you."
"Oh? What is it?"
Ao Qi's heart dimmed at the smile on Ao Qing's face, but her curiosity made her ask anyway.
"You've likely heard about the situation between Great Yi and the Nine Heavens Dao Sovereign. Recently, Blood Heaven Dao Sovereign issued an edict banning natural rainfall in Great Yi's territory, intending to bring a hundred-year drought upon us. But the truth is, the impact is minimal. Great Yi now has the five divine gods of wind, rain, thunder, lightning, and snow patrolling the realm to ensure proper weather—so that edict is basically useless."
Ao Qing smiled and continued, "Still, when I heard about this, I immediately thought of our Dragon Clan. After all, summoning wind and rain is our innate divine ability. Compared to those elemental gods, we do it more naturally and effortlessly. That's why I came back—to ask if Big Brother is willing to let the Dragon Clan assist Great Yi in managing the weather. It would be a merit-generating act, and the Dragon Clan would receive the blessing of Great Yi's fortune and destiny."
Her tone was gentle and non-confrontational—just a proposal, nothing more.
"What?! Join Great Yi and summon rain on their behalf? That would mean offending the Nine Heavens Dao Sovereign! Besides, our Dragon Clan is one of the top clans under heaven. The Ancestral Dragon has returned! If we join Great Yi, doesn't that mean lowering ourselves beneath them? That would be a disgrace to our name!"
Ao Lie's expression changed drastically, and he immediately refused.
Joining Great Yi like this was no different from submitting to them—serving at their command. His pride wouldn't allow it. If he did that, he'd become a traitor to the Dragon Clan. How could he ever face the Ancestral Dragon again?
It would be a path of no return.The Dragon Palace hadn't fallen so far.
The Dragon Clan had its own pride—a pride woven into their very blood.
"Big Brother, this era belongs to Destiny Dynasties. The Dao of Destiny is now the mainstream path of Heaven and Earth. The fortune accumulated by dynasties is even more wondrous than what our Dragon Clan once possessed. With enough destiny, even rotten wood can become a genius. Once you enter the system and gain the support of fortune, your cultivation speed multiplies tenfold, dozens of times, even hundreds of times. One day of cultivation can equal what would've taken dozens of days in the past."
Ao Qing smiled calmly. "Look at me now. What do you think of my current cultivation realm?"
A faint surge of her hidden aura escaped.
"You—True Spirit Realm?! You actually broke through to the True Spirit Realm… and it's only been a few years?!"
Ao Lie immediately sensed it. That aura clearly belonged to a True Spirit cultivator. Even for the Dragon Clan, advancing one realm took decades, centuries, or even longer. Yet Ao Qing had done it in mere years!
When he was still far ahead of her in the past, how had she not only caught up, but now surpassed him?
It was unbelievable.
Could Great Yi really be this miraculous?
"This is the benefit of having destiny and an official position in a Destiny Dynasty," Ao Qing explained. "A year's worth of cultivation can rival decades or centuries elsewhere. As Great Yi continues to rise, the power of its official positions will only grow. Originally, the Holy King hadn't planned to approach the Dragon Clan, but I mentioned it, so he agreed to let me ask. If you're unwilling, it's fine. It won't affect relations between the Dragon Palace and Great Yi. You'd just be missing a great opportunity."
She spoke evenly, without pressure.
"Third Sister, would Great Yi consider designating our Dragon Clan as its National Beast?" Ao Qi asked.
"Impossible," Ao Qing shook her head. "The Holy King has never intended anything like that—if he had, he would have proposed it long ago."
Ao Lie's face shifted through various expressions, clearly struggling with the idea.
"Big Brother," Ao Qing added, "before I came, the Holy King said that if the Dragon Clan joins Great Yi, we will be granted official divine positions on the Divine Sealing List, and be allowed to follow orders but not be subject to command. That is, you'll only receive rainfall assignments—you'll manage regional weather, but Great Yi won't interfere in your internal affairs. Plus, you'll gain Great Yi's fortune and official titles. It's more like a partnership—one that gives our Dragon Clan full respect."
She had thrown out an extremely enticing bargaining chip:
Follow orders, not commands.
This alone was immensely attractive.
And with the added blessing of destiny, it meant higher realms and greater cultivation beckoned. It was an irresistible offer.
Ao Lie's heart pounded uncontrollably.
"And also," Ao Qing added, "Ao You has already gone to the Bohai Dragon Palace to discuss the same thing. Eventually, this plan will extend to other areas as well."