53 Continent of Pride[15]

Back at the Divine Dragon Sect, three figures could be seen seated beside a table, on the table laid several dishes and treats, the patriarch of the Divine Dragon Sect, thanks to his superior healing ability, could already walk around like nothing happened.

"Brother, I think it's about time that you tell me your purpose for coming here."

the Sect Master sighed, he glanced at Lily and found that the latter also became fidgety.

"I came here to talk to you about what happened these past years..."

the Patriarch froze, he stared at his daughter, back then, he knew that it was his fault that his daughter left the Sect, but he didn't really have any choice, he was just a mere middle-staged Divine Ascendance Realm practitioner while the Lion Race had a half-step Divine Emperor Realm powerhouse.

Forced by the circumstances, he had to decide the best compromise for the sect, even at the expense of his daughter's happiness. But thinking about it now, he greatly regretted his actions.

"Lily, several weeks ago, the Soul Hall told me that Elder Gabica's jadeslip dissipated..." He spoke, his tone heavy and filled with complicated emotions bottled up within the deep recesses of his mind.

Lily trembled as tears threatened to spill from her eyes, for the sudden mention of her beloved grandfather forcibly made her remember the joyful days that they spent together.

"Haaah..."

The patriarch just sat there, his eyes closed in resignation, for he didn't really have any words to say in consolation towards his daughter.

The Sect Master at the side glanced at his normally proud friend and found that his current attitude to be amusing, but he also understood that there were far more important issues at hand and so, he interjected.

"I do know that the two of you have too much to say to each other, but I hope that we'll focus on the task at hand."

These timely words of him grabbed the two away from their memories, their expressions became grim.

"Brother, Judging from the strength that you used when we fought earlier, you must've reached the half-step Divine Emperor Realm, I wonder, how did you make such a sudden breakthrough?"

the Sect Master mysteriously smiled, before he flicked his wrist and sent a small peach flying towards the patriarch, of which, the latter frantically caught.

"T-t-this... is...Immortal Peach?!" His eyes threatened to bulge from its sockets as he stared at the faintly shining peach on his hand, the throbbing life force that came from the fruit told him that it really was the Immortal Peach of the legends.

"Yeah, your son-in-law got that for you as dowry."

"Hmmph! Who's my son-in-law!" He scolded, but even though he said that he immediately pocketed the peach, causing Lily to facepalm due to his shamelessness.

"Now that you accepted the dowry, this means that my disciple and your daughter is now officially engaged, right?"

'Although it should be the opposite...' the Sect Master inwardly pouted.

"Hmmph! He said to me that he found a way to have those cats voluntarily retract the engagement!" the Patriarch snorted in defiance, but this didn't reduce the confidence that the Sect Master had as the latter smiled and said.

However, the Sect Master's next words stunned him and Lily into disbelief.

"Declare war towards those Sick Cats, my disciple already has them all around his fingers..."

the Sect Master spoke in a tone that indicated his certainty and confidence.

"Have you lost your mind?!" the Patriarch shouted, his solemn expression replaced by anger.

He found the situation to be extremely ridiculous, how could he easily believe such words, especially when he's using his brat disciple as a backer?

"How ridiculous! To think that I believed that kid, in the end, he just wants to use our power for his own good!" the Patriarch clenched his fists in anger, 'To think that I trusted that kid!'

"Haaah... This is becoming annoying..." the Sect Master sighed, he flicked his wrist as a small token flew towards the air, it suspended there and emanated a light of absolute suppression, specifically towards Lily and the Patriarch.

Their figures uncontrollably trembled as banging sounds deeply echoed on the ground, their knees gave out and kneeled towards the shining token.

"A-a-Ancestral Grand Order Token!"

the Patriarch kowtowed towards the token, his earlier anger dissipated and his imposing might withdrawn, even Lily who found the situation as absurd couldn't help but worship towards the token due to the absolute deterrence that it showered down to their soul.

"The brat that calls you as father-in-law gave this to me earlier, along with the message that you can now declare war towards the cats."

"He also told me that I could coax you into it, but if you still remained adamant about maintaining your neutrality towards the root of the problem, he told me that I could just force coerce you using this token."

The token that floated in the air looked the same as the token whom Khan used to impose his status towards the Sect Master back then, the only difference was the words written below and the aura that it gave which specifically targeted those who were members of the Divine Dragon Race.

the Patriarch's eyes became filled with a solemn light as he stared at the token, according to the Sect Records, of which, only Sect Master in each generation could read, the one who holds this token should be obeyed, regardless of how reckless or damaging their order was, although he found it to be ridiculous to offer everything towards a person whom they didn't truly know, it was a law written by the first patriarch himself, so it could be said that he was helpless towards this matter.

"Hahaha, I know exactly what you're feeling, brother."

"Back then, the two of us even fought a life and death battle inside the forbidden ruins."

the Sect Master chuckled, but the words that he said stirred the hidden emotions within the patriarch's mind.

"The two of you fought inside the forbidden ruins?" His tone became filled with uncertainty and graveness.

'Yeah, and that kid, used the formations that surrounded the place itself to fight with me!"

the Sect Master's words became akin to that of a lightning thunderbolt as it flashed through the patriarch's stiffened figure, it took him quite a while to recover and muster a reply.

"T-then... do you suppose that he came from that place...?" He whispered as if afraid that a third party would hear his words.

"Yeah, there's no doubt about it, he definitely came from that place or at least, related to it." the Sect Master only chuckled in reply.

"But that is not the true reason why I came here..."

the Patriarch threw a confused look towards his brother, the Sect Master's eyes glanced at Lily, the patriarch noticed this and gestured towards her, of which, the latter politely complied as her figure disappeared to the outside.

Now that his daughter was gone from the picture, the Sect Master continued.

"The reason why I came here is to inform you that those bastards at the Continent of Lust have started to move..."

"And also, the matter about the Dragonslayers invading the Continent of Greed and possessing my body..."

The air that surrounded them thickened as incomparable anger surged from their bodies and scattered towards the room, their expression became incredibly solemn and their fists, clenched tight as they continued their conversation.

Back the Thousand Claws Sect, inside Elder Alfredo's residence, Ahon stood with a hand pierced through his chest. The pair of sisters exclaimed in fear as Azrael retracted his hand and crushed the heart in his palm.

Ahon's body lifelessly fell to the ground as it slumped a scarlet red light shot towards the ceiling.

"Nope, you won't escape!"

Khan flicked his sleeve as a crimson golden light manifested in the air enveloped Ahon's Divine Soul that threatened to escape, his soul distorted into his face and screamed in agony as it dissipated into ashes.

Khan clicked his tongue and turned to look at the two sisters. Upon Ahon's death, the slave markings that shackled their soul dissolved as they regained their freedom.

"Now that you witnessed everything and I saved you from that old geezer, the two of you should follow us..." Khan smiled, his nonchalant expression startled Larah as a ridiculous thought appeared in her mind.

Azrael who stood at the side understood Khan's intentions and also smiled towards the two, but when they remembered the brutality that the gently smiling old man revealed earlier, their lips could only twitch in response.

Larah stared at the ground, tightly embracing his little sister, she bit her lips and said.

"I understand, we shall follow you..."

Khan nodded, "That's good... I'll show you that the decision that you made today is the best decision that you will make in your entire life."

He smirked, burnt Ahon's body to ashes, he then glanced at the two and told them that they were to stay inside the residence, that they were not permitted to leave until they were told so.

After they finished their banter, the group found that the sect became filled with a heavy disturbance, Khan and Azrael smiled, the latter transformed into the figure of Ahon and the two walked towards the outside world.

The reason for the smile that suffused on their faces was because of the message that Haem Patrigio sent.

[THE DIVINE DRAGON SECT OFFICIALLY DECLARES WAR AGAINST THE THOUSAND CLAWS SECT]