Superficial Truce and Silent War
Qiao Xue sternly stated, “Long Yeli is 100% correct. Long Xingyun asked for it; the coward almost cost us the plan.”
Long Keshuang lowered the corner of her lips. “Qiao Xue, I thought you were smarter than that. Has that human boy clouded your judgement?”
“You can ask Ancestor Yujiang in person when he is back. I believe he would have told Grandpa Green Dragon all about it. Are you suggesting Ancestor Yujiang would lie?”
“You’ve let me down, Qiao Xue,” replied Long Keshuang, disappointed Qiao Xue didn’t play along so that she had an excuse to silence Long Yeli.
“Hahaha, what is this?” joked Purple Lightning Flying Dragon. “Xingyun may have made poor judgement, but he’s no longer here. You don’t need to cast blame now, do you? He is here to avenge his son, but it’s now clear that Mu Yu is innocent. Continuing with this farce is… unjust.”
“Is he speaking up for you?” Xiaoshuai queried.
“As if. He’s trying stop prevent Jade Wyrm from taking me. At this point, I reckon it’s safe to say they all know about Dragon Vine.”
“Oh, so they’re all here for Big Earthworm.”
“Bootleg dragons are as fake as their claim to dragonhood is,” scoffed the dragon vine.
“Hahaha, Mu Yu, this one is Purple Lightning Flying Dragon, Long Shentu. As our ancestors’ saviour, you are our race’s exalted guest. You are welcome here. Nobody will dare to harm you.”
“Indeed, we understand reason. Since Xingyun’s death isn’t your fault, we will protect you. I apologise for not introducing myself earlier. I am Forest Black Tigerdragon, Long Xingan.”
Mu Yu snubbed the other two blatantly vengeful leaders and smiled back at the two who put on a façade due to the stalemate. “It is a pleasure to meet you. This one is Mu Yu.”
“Qiao Xue, take care of our esteemed guest,” Long Shentu instructed.
“Of course,” replied Qiao Xue.
Jade Wyrm and Long Keshuang whispered to each other.
“Your attitudes surprise me. Like you two, I also hope” – Jade Wyrm scowled – “Mu Yu enjoys his stay at Sunshine Valley.”
After Jade Wyrm and Long Keshuang departed, Long Xingan conveyed, “I shall not take up your time. Goodbye.”
“Let us meet again, Mu Yu,” voiced Long Shentu.
“That’s it?” asked the dragon vine, surprised.
“Were you hoping to serve them lunch or something?” Mu Yu sarcastically questioned.
The doctor heaved a big breath. “Thank heavens they’re gone. I thought they would attack you, at the very least, Mu Yu.”
“It’s just a fleeting moment of respite. The fiend kings would punish whoever attacked me today,” Mu Yu corrected.
“Are we just going to wait for them to prey on us from the shadows just as Jade Wyrm did last time?”
“It’s time we announce Dragon Vine’s existence to the public,” Mu Yu answered, sweeping his gaze over the patrol fiends standing by.
“Did you not say we can’t…?”
“I have no doubts Long Yeli has divulged its existence to Long Shentu when the former switched allegiance. I reckon Long Xingan has used some means of acquiring the knowledge, as well. There’s no point hiding if all four leaders are already privy to its existence. What do you reckon, Dragon Vine?”
“Well, it’s the same thing, different day, really,” responded the dragon vine.
The doctor assembled everyone in Sunshine Valley upon returning.
“Doctor, what happened? Why do you look so serious? Are we really in trouble?” Mrs. Zhu asked first.
“Are the dragons going to attack Sunshine Valley?” Jiu Damao inquired.
“We’ll fight them to our very last breaths if they dare to invade! There’s nothing to fear!” snapped Elder Tiantu, getting pork juice everywhere as he waved the pork bun in his hand around.
From the tall platform at the centre of the valley, the doctor gestured for silence. “Please listen in to me first. I have an important announcement to make; it’s the best news we’ve had in a long time. His presence has suppressed the four dragon faction’s hubristic acts and will stop their tyranny. We have a second true dragon among us now!”
The crowd responded to the doctor’s enthusiasm with momentary silence.
“Did a dragon race member awaken true dragon blood?”
“That’s not good news.”
“Yeah, that’s horrible news if anything! They’re just going to make light of us even more!”
“Mu Yu, can you please clarify for me,” requested the doctor.
Mu Yu flew up onto the platform. “You misunderstand. They could never awaken 100% true dragon blood. I found a true dragon, though, one that doesn’t belong to the four dragon factions.”
The dragon vine slid out of Mu Yu’s sleeve, coiling around itself in the sky as it silenced the masses with its howl. “Don’t you dare compare me to those bootlegs. I was born a true dragon!”
Maybe the shocking presence of the dragon vine stupefied them, or maybe it was just such a rare find that they struggled to believe a true dragon was looking down at them.
“Lord True Dragon is nature’s greatest creation. How can you lump him in with those hubristic dragons who lay claim to dragonhood when they barely possess any dragon blood?” admonished the doctor, annoyed with the comments questioning the dragon vine.
“Lord True Dragon belongs to Sunshine Valley. He will lead our resistance against the four dragon factions. We no longer have to bear with their oppression!” Qiao Xue added, fanning the waning flame of hope.
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