The Proud Disciple

Managing four separate estates was a pain. This was even more so when these estates were massive palaces that were in charge of four of the largest territories of the entire universe, surrounded by enemies, still in construction, and years apart even in the fastest travel time.

Zulong, for all his power, could not be everywhere at once. He could not possibly manage the west, south, north, and east seas as well as focusing on his own cultivation and projects. But he had known this for over fifty thousand years.

Three of the four symbols guard the north with 2.3 million dragons moving in. That population was expected to grow and already the first batch of eggs numbered in the hundred thousands. They would be able to defend against a possible invasion by Zulin long enough for Zulong to receive news and arrive to help.

Yinglong guards the south along with 5.9 million dragons adding on hundreds of millions of experts from the east sea as well as the newly ascended Great Principle Chaos Immortals Mosasaur and Plesiosaur ancestor.

The west had Chenghuang who was soon to reach Chaos Immortality, 3.4 million dragons and the Colossal Shark ancestor. Though due to the movements, or lack there off, the west sea was deemed low priority for the experts under him.

Zulong himself remained in the east and cycled between the rest of the four seas to oversee constructions. Four massive formations were being constructed along with the palaces and these were tantamount to the defences of his headquarters.

Thousands of years ago, Zulong had devised with Da Hai a powerful formation that could defend as well as keep itself hidden from unwanted visitors. Using Da Hai's Dao of Ever Distant Seas and Zulong's Imperial Rule Dao, a formation was crafted.

This was the Overbearing Nine Claws Suppression Formation. It was able to repel attacks by Great Principle Chaos Immortals and entrap foes with senses distorting illusions. At the same time, it generated overbearing pressure that threatened to crush the enemy.

However, though it was, it needed exceptionally powerful spiritual veins to be laid in place as well as extremely powerful artifacts. For this purpose, Zulong crafted four dragon pearls that were of the high grade xiantian spiritual treasure quality.

These dragon pearls were designed for the sole purpose of maintaining these formations. They however did absolutely nothing else and were useless other than being in a formation.

Currently, Zulong was within the east sea. The construction of the North Sea Dragon Palace was long completed and the other seas were nearing completion as well. This proud dragon was naturally in a great mood.

Because of the situation, the north sea took priority and had extra formations in place to trap the Pure Yin Pale Water. Reports from dragons studying that place also indicated some other forces beyond the lake that Zulong wasn't sure about.

However, those investigations can be put on the back burner for now. The ancestral dragon had other pressing matters to attend to.

Zulong sat within a meeting room with a horde of ministers. Powerful Golden Immortals served as guards and stood on all sides. These were some of the dragon elites who'd denied managing roles.

The ministers were made up of an ensemble of sea creatures from shrimps, to stingrays, sharks, crabs, and most importantly turtles. Much of the primordial turtle clan and their subsidiary's bureaucracy was absorbed into the dragon's proto-government.

"And that concludes the census for the Misty Jade Sea province. Now the Red Pearl Sea province has seen some growth in…" and on and on it went as a turtle minister went over little changes in the east sea. Zulong listened attentively in the main seat. His orders are absolute but he preferred to have advisers and people more experienced than he in these topics.

This was why the Primordial Turtle King was sitting beside him chiming in whenever it became necessary. A second opinion from a fellow ruler was always welcome. It was a big leap to change from city lord to monarch after all.

Hours past as the topics of buildings and infrastructure was discussed. The income of recourses the dragons were collecting was frankly insane. Zulong normally used these recourses to continuously produce powerful fighters as well as develop cities with powerful formations. Yet still, they have leftovers that can be exchanged with clans from the continents proper.

"Your majesty, the bulk of Yellow Earth Granite has arrived. We can begin construction on the ceremonial platform soon," a turtle minister said.

"I see, and what of the Jade Heavenly Blaze? Has the torches made of Silver Treasured Birch arrived yet?" Zulong asked.

"Unfortunately your majesty, the baboon clans who control the silver forests are still yet to send out what we ordered. But the transaction has already been made and they should be here by the decade."

"Very well, and the rest of the ceremonial decorations?" Zulong asked scanning around the room.

"Of course your majesty," the ministers quickly handed over the list of things that were ready and those that were not.

"Hm, it seems we are ahead of schedule," Zulong nodded satisfyingly. "Turtle King, how fast do you think the south and west sea Dragon Palaces can be completed based on the trajectory of materials harvested?"

"Based on the amazing success we've been seeing in our mines and forest farms, perhaps nineteen more years will see to the South Sea Dragon Palace's completion. This is of course without factoring in what the south sea has harvested," the Turtle King said.

"The west sea due to its distance will take a little longer. The Celestial Steel Wood, Cloud Rain Wood and Aquatic Prismatic Ore are only found in the east after all," he added. "The extensions to the original plans have halted the construction somewhat but we should see completion by the end of this century."

"Very well, it seems all things are progressing smoothly," Zulong said.

"It is all thanks to your majesty's hard work. The sheer amount of karmic luck has positively affected our gains and elevated our productivity by at least 500%," a crab minister praised.

What this crab said was true. Zulong's past actions had garnered a lot of merit from the Heavenly Dao and through that gained a tremendous amount of karmic luck. This allowed the dragon to see too many fortunes successes to count in his short tenure as a ruler.

The meeting went on for a little while longer with Zulong ordering for more alchemical pills for the dragons and rising talents from other clans as well as the opening of more farms for herbs needed for said pills.

"If nothing else is urgent…dismissed," Zulong concluded. "Return to your stations and make the glory of the four seas known," he commanded.

"Yes your majesty," the ministers kowtowed in reverence before leaving. They left the room one after the other after Zulong's decree returning to whatever other jobs they had. This left the Primordial Turtle King alone with the dragon

"Now then father-in-law, where has Yu'er gone? I haven't seen her this morning," Zulong asked. "Normally she would be here for court but instead she sent pill master Bao Yanzi instead."

"Yes, it was a bit strange she wasn't there. I haven't seen Yu'er since yesterday when she retired with you," the turtle kind replied. "I'm sure she's fine though. Probably too busy conducting alchemical experiments."

"Hm," Zulong rubbed his chin. His ears, powerful as they were, could pick up all the sounds in the palace. It wasn't that hard for him to overhear what he wanted.

"Pill tower? She's consulting Ao Jin?" Zulong frowned.

"The physician?" The turtle king said worriedly. "Hai, I knew she shouldn't have been working so hard."

"I suppose I'll drop by and see how she's doing. Her condition isn't too ideal for working after all," Zulong said beginning to make his way towards the resident pill tower.

"I concur, I don't know why she insists on working so hard even though she's now with child," the turtle king grumbled. "Hai, she's always been too stubborn."

"We need to hurry in case this is an emergency," Zulong commanded.

The path to the pill tower was a long one. It was built in close proximity to the barracks. This was because the tower served a double purpose as a hospital as alchemists and physicians walked hand in hand.

The Pill tower itself was a massive building. It was easily several kilometres in length and width and at least a thousand kilometres high. It was a grand building that had a lot of input from the turtles as they were skilled alchemists in general.

The two entered the pill tower and walked past all the working alchemists before arriving at the top. They skipped past floors upon floors of alchemists hard at work concocting pills and materials for other pills.

Alchemy was a gruelling process and a single batch of pills can often take weeks to months to years to process. This was also with very skilled alchemists. The difficulty only goes up as the quality and the level of pills goes up.

The former princess had grown very powerful over the years. With the aid of Da Hai and Zulong, she formed her primal unity and ascended to the Great Unity Golden Immortal realm astoundingly quick for postnatal creatures. Even her father fell behind her in terms of prowess.

Throughout the years since, she'd also taken to a managing duty. Because Zulong supervised all corners of the vast ocean, Gui Daiyu managed the east sea for him just as Yinglong is doing now with the south. She was an integral part of the empire and one of the government's inner circle.

"That girl is putting too much stress on herself," the turtle king sighed. Zulong nodded in agreement as well. Yet he chose to follow her wishes.

Zulong opened the door to the top of the spill tower. His wife and confidant Gui Daiyu sat inside with a dragon physician checking over her body.

While the pill tower was normally a place for alchemical resources, it also dubbed as a hospital. Alchemists were also physicians specialising in both medical and cultivation pills.

Gui Daiyu was herself an exceptional alchemist being skilled in pill making. It was quite common to find her working and training the dragons in this field. Even Zulong has to admit defeat to her in this field.

Gui Daiyu has always been beautiful even among the denizens of the east sea and innate gods of the primitive world. Even now after forty thousand or so years, she was still a charming woman. However now the most notable aspect of the dragon empress was her slightly bulging belly.

"It seems to have formed an eg…Hm? Oh, greetings lord patriarch, greetings your excellency," the dragon physician checking Gui Daiyu over kowtowed towards Zulong and the turtle king in reverence.

"Get up Ao Jin," Zulong said. "Yu'er, how are you holding up," he said tenderly to his wife. His arrogant demeanour receded back into his body.

"Zulong, you don't have to treat me so fragilely," Gui Daiyu smirked. "I'm perfectly capable of any activity. I'm simply here for a second opinion, nothing more."

Zulong smiled and looked down in some embarrassment. He'd neglected a court meeting today when he heard his wife had gone here. After all, his child was a source of his worry these days and one of the reasons he hasn't left the east sea in decades.

"I know, but this is a first for me," Zulong complained. "We're not even sure if you're laying an egg or doing a live birth." The turtle king beside him also nodded energetically.

"That's right Yu'er, the mixture of such powerful bloodlines is guaranteed to produce a powerful child but also a tough birth. Bringing powerful beings into existence has historically been harsh on the mother," the turtle king reminded.

"Hai, Zulong go back to work," Gui Daiyu scolded. "And you father, don't encourage him. I'm a Great Unity Golden Immortal as well. All those examples you're thinking of were mortal mothers and immortal fathers, of course incidents might happen."

"Besides, Ao Jin and I are pretty sure I'm laying an egg. Dragons and turtles both lay eggs so no reason I won't," she said. She hurried Zulong out of the room. "The empire needs you more than me, paperwork won't sign themselves, orders won't give themselves, dreams don't see themselves into fruition."

"Okay, okay, it's just a small checkup," Zulong smiled bashfully. Any other creature will be utterly astounded by this interaction as it was incredibly out of character. Even his own brothers were confused by it when they first met the Guy Daiyu.

"Come on turtle king, as my wife says, we have work to do," Zulong announced bringing his father-in-law away with him.

THOOM!

"Hm?" Zulong quickly looked around tensing for a fight. The turtle king, Gui Daiyu and Ao Jin also tensed. However he sensed nothing hostile nor foreign is he calmed down.

"What was that?" Gui Daiyu asked. Her senses were not as advanced as the dragons but it was strong. But even she did not sense anything.

"It was only a physical aftermath, whatever caused that as quite a distance away," Zulong murmured. He flexed all his senses and caught the tail end of a sound.

A familiar roar that reminded him of his own and the ones of his brethren. "Dragon's roar?" He said star ringing out a nearby window and into the sky. "Signs of a Heavenly Tribulation, a strong one by the looks of it," he said recognising the movement of heavenly energies.

"Could it be?" Zulong mused. "Has that fish crossed the Heavenly Tribulation already?"

"Huh, I guess your cultivation method works for non dragons after all," Gui Daiyu said beside him.

"Heh, haha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Zulong laughed joyously. "This is wonderful news."

"I guess we should schedule your coronation properly now," his wife chimed in. "As soon as the palace construction finishes?"

"Yes as soon as they finish," Zulong nodded. "We should send invites all across the world. All the continents and all the seas. Let them see the glory that is us the dragons. I see it Yu'er, one nation, one people, all united beneath the name dragon."

"I'll admit, it is a smart way to get everyone to identify as dragon," Gui Daiyu nodded. "I guess I'll begin initiating the advertisement campaign."

"We'll announce it at my coronation," Zulong said. "I'll contact master and get him to send that fish over. A live example visible is always better than things said on paper."

'Hmph, what Phoenix Sovereign? What Qilin Sovereign? Nothing can stand against me and my dragons,' Zulong thought viciously.