Lu Yang was taken aback by the Old Dragon Lord's decisiveness.
Wait a minute, I haven't even said anything yet. I just called your name, and you're already calling me 'Dad'? Don't you have the slightest bit of doubt in your heart?
But he quickly realized what was going on.
This old loach is quite sensible!
On the other side, the Old Dragon Lord continued to look at Lu Yang with a gaze full of respect, fear, and reverence, while his mind was already calculating his little schemes.
Of course he had doubts in his heart.
But did that matter?
What mattered wasn't whether the person in front of him was the Ancestral Dragon or his father. What mattered was that the other party completely controlled his life and death right now.
With this condition in place, regardless of whether Lu Yang was the Ancestral Dragon, he had to treat him like his own father. If he was, then that was perfect—father and son reunited, the best of both worlds. If he wasn't, that was fine too. I've already called you 'Dad', which means I've taken the bait. You can't just kill me now, can you?
Thinking of this, the Old Dragon Lord's expression grew even more sincere:
"Dad, I—"
"Enough."
Before the Old Dragon Lord could finish his sentence, Lu Yang interrupted him directly. "Ao Guang, after so many years, not only have you become cowardly, but you've also become increasingly hypocritical."
The Old Dragon Lord looked bewildered.
Lu Yang, however, scrutinized him, sneering inwardly: This old loach is actually extremely cunning. A mere name obviously isn't enough to scare him.
Indeed, the Old Dragon Lord had already realized it. Yes, his name was definitely a secret that only Nascent Soul Dao Lords should know, but so what? A Dao Lord could easily tell this secret to a subordinate Great Perfected Lord and have them set a trap for him.
After all, even if others didn't know, how could he not?
The Dao Lords... do not lack Great Perfected Lords under their command!
From the Golden Age of Cultivators to the era of the Grotto-Heaven Method, after so many years, did anyone really think the Immortal Nexus didn't even have a double-digit number of Great Perfected Lords?
Not to mention anything else.
Among the Dao of the Three Foundations, besides the shattered Dharma Body, there were still numerous cultivators of Spiritual Power and Dao Arts. This was even more true for Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.
What about the Five Heavenly Destinies?
[Variable] and [Tribulation] aside, what about [Inevitable Fate], [Fortune], and [Destiny]? Did these three paths truly lack a single cultivator?
Of course, the Old Dragon Lord himself didn't know the exact details, but he was certain that the Four Dogs of the Immortal Nexus definitely had several Great Perfected Lords under their command. They simply remained in seclusion, only taking action when necessary, much like Immortal Venerable Taiyin, who appeared out of nowhere five thousand years ago and took control of the Celestial Court.
This person might be one of them.
Otherwise, there's no way to explain how he can conceal his Light of Wisdom so perfectly, leaving no trace. This probably isn't the work of just one person; there must be a Dao Lord secretly helping him cover it up.
The Old Dragon Lord calculated inwardly.
After thinking it over, he still felt the possibility that the person opposite him was his real father, the Ancestral Dragon, was not high. After all, the Ancestral Dragon was personally sealed by the Saint Sect's Ancestor.
He had confidence in the Saint Sect's Ancestor.
With that person's [Inevitable Fate], the seal placed should have absolutely no blind spots. The only intentionally left "variable" was the Old Dragon Lord himself.
[Variable] is undoubtedly powerful, unquestionably the number one in the Light Sea.
However, it ultimately lacks a Dao Lord overseeing it. So when the opposing [Inevitable Fate] reaches a certain strength, there are still ways to suppress it.
Take the Ancestral Dragon's seal, for example.
The Saint Sect's Ancestor had practically sealed off all the loopholes, leaving only the Old Dragon Lord as the "variable" of the seal, allowing him to survive.
Yet in reality, this "variable," the Old Dragon Lord, remained entirely within his control. Through this method, the Saint Sect's Ancestor completely sealed the Ancestral Dragon to death. Were it not so, given the stature of a Nascent Soul Dao Lord, a single thought would spawn infinite variables, and the Immortal Nexus could never have remained stable for so many years.
Right at this moment.
Looking at the Old Dragon Lord kneeling on the ground, Lu Yang spoke again. His expression was playful as he spoke in a soft voice, "Ao Guang, what are you thinking about?"
"Huh?" The Old Dragon Lord was stunned.
Before he could figure out how to answer, Lu Yang spoke for him: "You're thinking it's impossible for me to be the Ancestral Dragon, and more likely an imposter."
"You suspect I am a Great Perfected Lord under another Dao Lord."
"You believe the seal suppressing the Ancestral Dragon is indestructible, and it's impossible for the Ancestral Dragon to escape... No wonder, no wonder. Ao Guang, you actually dared to refine that kind of True Treasure."
Boom!
Lu Yang's last sentence echoed in the Old Dragon Lord's ears like a massive bronze bell, causing his dragon body to tremble, almost unable to conceal his emotional fluctuations.
He knows! He actually knows!
How could he possibly know!?
If the name Ao Guang was merely a secret, not entirely unknown to others, then what Lu Yang had just revealed was the Old Dragon Lord's deepest secret.
Could the four Dao Lords know?
Of course they could, but something concerning fundamental cultivation like this would require a Dao Lord to inspect him personally. Otherwise, it would likely remain undetected.
Yet the person before him knew...
For a moment, the Old Dragon Lord was terrified. Kneeling on the ground, he was actually rendered speechless. It took a long while before he managed to squeeze out a voice through gritted teeth:
"Dad, I don't understand what you mean..."
He couldn't admit it!
Whether the person before him was truly the Ancestral Dragon or a subordinate of the Four Dogs of the Immortal Nexus, once they found out about his private actions, they would definitely not tolerate him anymore!
Soon, the black-robed Daoist's voice drifted down from above:
"Don't understand what I mean? I think you understand perfectly in your heart, but are just playing dumb on the surface. I'll just ask you one question: Where are the corpses of the other Dragon Lords?"
"River, stream, rain, lake, and sea. The bodies of the Dragon Lords are not just the masters of Dao Fruits; they are their origins. They were enlightened by the Ancestral Dragon's gaze back in the day, and you yourself are a manifestation of that very gaze. Therefore, among the five Great Dragon Lords, you are the foremost, and the other Dragon Lords all saw you as their respected and beloved elder brother..."
"But what did you do?"
"River, stream, rain, lake, sea—the five Dragon Lords, the pinnacle of True Dragons in the current world, and among the best precious materials in heaven and earth. They are absolutely perfect for refining True Treasures."
Saying this, Lu Yang even shook the [Dragon-Banishment Ruler] in his hand.
"You refined them all."
"Your four blood brothers, including yourself, make exactly five True Treasures. You want to use this to achieve Void Attainment for a Dao Fruit, a Dao Fruit born from the Ancestral Dragon..."
Lu Yang's voice was ethereal and traceless.
Yet every word and every sentence pressed down heavily on the Old Dragon Lord like a mountain, causing him to tremble slightly and press his forehead even closer to the ground.
He was right. Completely right.
At this moment, the Old Dragon Lord almost stopped thinking, because every word Lu Yang spoke seemed to see right through his thoughts, leaving him absolutely no room for rebuttal.
"Let me guess what you were thinking."
Lu Yang wore a faint smile and said quietly:
"Since my brothers are all dead anyway, and the Ancestral Dragon is sealed, it's better for them to become the foundation for my further advancement, to burn brightly for me and the True Dragon clan..."
Yes, exactly.
Dead dragons had no meaning. They were no longer the brothers of the past, just lumps of meat. Furthermore, they were coveted lumps of meat that he simply couldn't protect.
Since they would eventually benefit someone else sooner or later, it was better to benefit himself first.
This applied even more to the Ancestral Dragon. His father didn't have much of a way out anyway, so wouldn't it be better to hand over his inheritance to him early?
The Old Dragon Lord remained silent, still holding onto a final shred of hope: I have never exposed myself. He must just be trying to trick me. As long as I stubbornly refuse to admit it...
The next second, Lu Yang spoke.
He only said three words, but they blew away the last shred of hope in the Old Dragon Lord's heart like a storm, leaving him with a face full of despair, collapsing weakly onto the ground.
"[Supreme Dragon King], right?"
(End of Chapter)