Clan Cultivation: Starting with Building an Island Immortal City

69: The patriarch’s magnanimity and the imposing presence of his rankInside the bamboo house, the flames in the fire pit crackled, illuminating Li Yinglong’s calm yet slightly solemn face.

He recounted how he observed the murals, how his mind was drawn into the illusion, how his Qi and blood stirred, and how this seemed to awaken a hidden power, omitting the core details of the System, the true dragon source blood, and the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon.

He spoke slowly, using phrases like “gained some insights,” “Bloodline revival,” and “old injuries seem to have eased.”

His mind was highly concentrated, the Azure Dragon Origin within him was like a vast ocean in reserve, and his Divine Sense was like an invisible giant net, covering the surrounding area. He had already deduced countless possibilities:

Clan Chief Dragon Stone might be enraged that an outsider had glimpsed the Legacy’s secret, or he might question the veracity of his words, or even use the clan’s secret techniques to forcibly investigate... He had prepared for the worst, ready to unleash a thunderous response at a single thought.

However, it turned out he had overthought things.

Clan Chief Dragon Stone remained seated on the beast-skin cushion, the ancient cloud patterns on his indigo priestly robe seeming to flow slowly with a life of their own under the firelight.

He listened as if merely hearing an old friend recount an anecdote from the mountains.

His aura subtly aligned with the surrounding bamboo, earth, and even the rhythm of the dancing flames, becoming one with them.

It wasn’t until Li Yinglong finished speaking that he raised his hand to pick up the ceramic pot, refilling the slightly cooled herbal tea in front of Li Yinglong to seven-tenths full. His movements were fluid and natural, without a hint of artificiality.

Not only was there no displeasure on his face, but instead, a gentle smile of understanding appeared as he slowly spoke, his voice still mellow like aged cellar wine:

“Mr. Li, your honesty confirms the vague revelation my Mother Earth gave me.”

Li Yinglong was startled:

“Revelation?”

“Mr. is also aware that I am not only the Clan Chief of the Angry Dragon Clan but also the clan’s Great Priest. I serve the ancestral spirits daily and communicate with heaven and earth.”

Clan Chief Dragon Stone lightly tapped the dark blue gem on his forehead, his words carrying an ancient reverence:

“When Mr. first arrived in our village, through my communion with heaven and earth, I sensed an unusual aura lingering around Mr. It was not any earthly dragon spirit power I was familiar with; its essence was vast and ancient, like primeval starlight, like the pulse of the primordial Chaos, resonating with the earth beneath my feet and these hundred thousand great mountains. However, this sensation was as ethereal as mist, like looking at flowers through a fog, difficult to grasp. I feared it was an illusion, or that I might be presumptuous, so I did not speak of it directly.”

He looked at Li Yinglong with a gentle gaze and continued:

“Now, hearing Mr.’s words, I finally understand.”

“It turns out that Mr. also has noble Dragon Bloodline flowing within him. Although the Origins are different, separated by countless mountains and rivers, tracing back to the Origin, they both come from the primordial heaven and earth, bathed in the spiritual essence of the Great Dao.”

“Mr. obtaining this Opportunity before the ancestral murals is no coincidence; it is truly the will of the ancestral spirits, guided by Mother Earth, to bring forth the recognition and understanding of kindred Bloodline. This is a gift from heaven and earth, a meeting of kin, the Dao of nature. How can there be any talk of ‘confession’?”

Upon hearing this, Li Yinglong’s heart was greatly shaken. All his prepared excuses and defenses seemed so ridiculous and narrow-minded at this moment.

His perceived secrets and considerations had already been glimpsed by a trace in the face of the other party’s primal wisdom, which communicated directly with heaven and earth.

The other party was not unaware; he simply chose to trust, observing the changes from a grander, more inclusive perspective.

This breadth of mind and wisdom made him feel a genuine sense of shame and admiration.

“Clan Chief’s breadth of mind is as vast as the sea. It is I, Li, who was shallow.”

Li Yinglong sighed deeply, his inner turmoil completely gone, his thoughts clear and unobstructed:

“In that case, I wonder, Clan Chief, what do you think I should do now? This power is nascent and difficult to control, which might hinder myself and disturb your clan’s tranquility.”

Clan Chief Dragon Stone pondered for a moment, then smiled and said:

“My contracted dragon spirit is called ‘Heart Mirror Dragon.’ This spirit is formless and intangible, a wisp of pure spirituality born deep within an ancient clear spring. It is not skilled in combat but can reflect the essence of all things, especially adept at sensing the strength and purity of kindred Bloodline, with miraculous effects in harmonizing the clan and discerning Heart-Nature.”

He pointed to his chest:

“It is precisely because of this spirit that I can serve as Clan Chief, perceive people’s hearts, and maintain peace within the clan.”

He looked at Li Yinglong, his expression becoming a bit more serious:

“If Mr. is at ease, you may release a faint wisp of dragon spirit Qi. Allow me to sense it with my ‘Heart Mirror Dragon’ spirit; perhaps it can clarify your path and offer some insights.”

Li Yinglong thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

He remembered to conceal his Origin, and with a slight shift of his will, he carefully separated an almost imperceptible wisp from the vast Dragon Origin, slowly letting it escape from his fingertip.

This wisp of Dragon Origin was faint as smoke, azure in color, and seemingly ordinary.

However, the moment this wisp of aura appeared, Clan Chief Dragon Stone’s aura suddenly stagnated!

His pupils contracted sharply. Although his body did not move, the dark blue gem on his forehead suddenly erupted with brilliant light, instantly making his expression incredibly solemn, as if he had sensed an unbelievable existence.

His peaceful aura, as vast as the earth, was violently stirred by this faint wisp of aura, as if a clear spring had reflected the brilliant great sun; though only a sliver of light, it caused the entire water surface to boil and tremble!

That was not an impact on the level of power, but an absolute pressure of rank, stemming from the Origin of life itself!

Fortunately, this aura was truly too weak and was withdrawn as soon as it was released.

Clan Chief Dragon Stone took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the tumultuous waves in his heart. The gem on his forehead gradually dimmed, and his back was completely drenched.

He tremblingly dipped his fingertip into the clear water in the ceramic bowl and drew three intertwined Dragon patterns on the wooden table:

“Before Chaos was divided, the ancestral Qi first condensed... The Angry Dragon Clan’s Legacy has been passed down for a thousand years, yet we have never sensed such ancient Dragon might!”

When he looked at Li Yinglong again, his gaze was completely different, filled with shock and inquiry.

“Mr. Li... the ‘blessing’ you received...”

His voice began to show an unprecedented hesitant fluctuation:

“...its status is far beyond imagination. My Heart Mirror dragon spirit can hardly reflect its full scope; I only feel its vast antiquity, like an abyss, like a mountain, with endless majesty... This is definitely not something an ordinary earthly dragon spirit can achieve... Even in our clan’s Legacy records, there has never been a similar description... But at the very least, it is a High-Tier dragon spirit!”

He was silent for a long time, his gaze complex as he scrutinized Li Yinglong, as if to reacquaint himself with this seemingly peaceful old man, finally speaking slowly:

“This matter is no longer something I alone can decide. Mr. Li, if you are willing, please accompany me to the Ancestral Cave Forbidden Ground to meet the various Guardian Elders of our clan. They are long-lived and widely knowledgeable; perhaps they can offer some insights into this and together we can discuss a safe approach.”

“Please rest assured, as we are of the same Origin, we will never take any unfavorable actions; there will only be reverence and exploration.”

Li Yinglong’s heart was solemn, knowing that the true dragon source blood’s status was too high; even a trace of it was already astonishing.

The act must be played out fully.

He showed a perfectly appropriate expression of astonishment and a hint of unease, then readily agreed:

“Everything will follow Clan Chief’s arrangement.”

Clan Chief Dragon Stone nodded, then rose to lead the way.

The two walked out of the bamboo house and headed deeper into the village, towards the majestic mountain wall engraved with ancient murals and heavily guarded.