Chapter 931: A Hundred-Year Pact, A Duel of Dao

“Besides, under heaven’s order, men take wives and women take husbands. I, Lu, am a man through and through. Leaning on someone else isn’t my way.”

Lu Changsheng kept a straight face and went on.

He, the Lu Ancestor, had made it this far on relentless effort and iron will.

If he veered off into living off a woman, how would that honor over a century of grit and persistence?

“Heaven is ordered, men marry women.”

Ao Long let out a low, amused laugh, as if she’d grasped why Lu Changsheng refused to go to the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm with her.

He was a man, and the reincarnation of a great cultivator at that—prideful to the bone. How could he be willing to marry into her household?

She straightened up. Her blue-violet scaled dress slipped slightly onto Lu Changsheng’s shoulder. Her voice was clear and rich, magnetic and compelling. “So that’s what you care about?”

“I’ve never heard of this ‘men marry women’ rule. I only know strength reigns supreme. I’m stronger than you right now. If you marry me, isn’t that only natural?”

“Besides, my Azure Dragon Clan rules the Eastern Sea. There’s a family rule: direct descendants cannot marry out. So the only option is you marrying me as my husband.”

“Still, rest easy. As long as you marry me, I’ll treat you well. I’m the Dragon King; you’ll be the Dragon Queen. Together we’ll command a sea, beneath one demon and above ten thousand.”

As she spoke, a faint yet oppressive Dragon Might spread. The crystalline blue horn at her brow shimmered with a cold luster like a deep-sea pearl, awe writ large.

This was the inborn pressure of the Azure Dragon bloodline.

Most demon kings and sea beasts would be robbed of resistance under it, trembling on their bellies.

But Lu Changsheng, with his Chaos Body and Late-Stage Nascent Soul Spirit-Soul, was unaffected.

Through that Dragon Might, he sensed Ao Long had already surpassed the Green Dragon King, even the Turtle Immortal Patriarch.

Late fourth rank?

Lu Changsheng was surprised, yet something felt off.

If she were truly late fourth rank, with that Azure Dragon bloodline, he shouldn’t have been able to pin her down just now.

“I appreciate your kindness, Fellow Daoist Ao.”

Meeting Ao Long’s sun-bright molten-gold eyes, Lu Changsheng kept his expression even. “I have my own path and no desire to go to the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm.”

“You—”

Ao Long hadn’t expected to show such sincerity and still be refused.

“The Southern Desolation Cultivation Realm has no Fifth-Rank Spiritual Vein. Pushing for Spirit Transformation there is like cutting off your road. If you come with me to the Eastern Sea, I’ll clear every calamity in your way and help you break through safely.”

“I even agreed you can bring your wives and concubines. What are you worried about? Do you really not understand my heart?”

Ao Long’s voice grew urgent, puzzled, the tail end tinged with a trace of ire and a sliver of hurt. She felt he simply didn’t get her.

After all, she was a direct descendant of the Azure Dragon Clan.

If she announced a public selection, who knows how many demon prodigies and human cultivators of the Eastern Sea would line up for a chance.

What’s more, her bloodline had just advanced. Once she returned to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, the Dragon Lord would favor her. Fifth rank was within reach.

Yet Lu Changsheng had refused her again and again.

Her chest rose and fell with anger, the twin peaks tracing a breathtaking curve.

Lu Changsheng looked into the stubborn, burning, puzzled blaze in her molten-gold eyes.

He knew her feelings for him were earnest, not feigned.

But the Demon Race’s views on love differed from the Human Race’s. Once she set her mind, she wouldn’t back off easily.

He sighed. “It’s hard to leave one’s homeland. Just like you—once your body recovered, your first thought was to return to the Eastern Sea.”

“And you have your pride. I have my principles. Abandon everything here to go to the Eastern Sea and live under the Azure Dragon Clan’s nose? That’s not my wish.”

He met her gaze squarely.

“With me around, why lean on anyone’s nose?”

Ao Long’s brows and eyes brimmed with imperious dignity. “You still have concerns now, but once you come with me to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, you’ll understand me.”

In her view, his refusal was just about face and unfamiliarity with her and the Azure Dragon Clan.

Once he saw the clan’s heritage and her identity and status within it, he’d naturally agree.

“…”

Staring at her resolute gaze—she looked ready to drag him to the Eastern Sea if need be—he suddenly missed the previous soft, delicate Ao Long.

He preferred women gentle by nature, the kind to be a good wife and mother.

A woman like Ao Long—marrying her, taming her, steering her—wouldn’t be easy.

He sighed inwardly. Mishandle this and peach-blossom luck could turn into a peach-blossom calamity.

Softening, he took her hand, cool scales of blue-violet over her palm. “I do understand your heart—and I feel it.”

“I also have feelings for you. But beyond family matters, I have many things on my plate. It’s truly inconvenient to go to the Eastern Sea now.”

“But if love can endure, why cling to day and night? Go handle your affairs in the Eastern Sea. Once I’m done in the Southern Desolation, I’ll visit you there. Then we’ll talk about marriage.”

Her current temperament wasn’t as fitting to be the mother of his child as before.

But in this life, only feelings—and the mother of his child—must not be let down.

She’d laid her heart bare. How could Lu Changsheng be so cruel as to reject her?

Besides, the Lu Ancestor’s way had always been to weave good karma.

This tie with Ao Long could make her the mother of his child, a path toward Spirit Transformation in the future, and a fallback against the demonic great calamity.

According to Qu Changge, it wouldn’t be long before the Blood Sea Patriarch stirred the Blood Sea Catastrophe, aiming for Spirit Transformation.

Other demonic path forces would answer the call, plunging the world into darkness.

How it would unfold, how it would end—no one knew.

Better to prepare early.

If the calamity spread from the Central Domain to the Northern Region, he could treat the Starry Sea, even the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm, as a retreat.

“If love can endure, why cling to day and night?”

Ao Long frowned, baffled by his roundabout talk.

If both sides were willing, why drag it out?

If he had troublesome matters, he could just tell her.

With their strength combined, what couldn’t they fix?

But Lu Changsheng’s steady, sincere gaze and the warmth of his hand seemed to say, “I understand you. I hope you’ll understand me too.”

Looking at his handsome face, refined as jade, her agitation smoothed out.

“Fine. I’ll give you a hundred years. Within a hundred years you must finish your business and come find me in the Eastern Sea.”

Her face was cool, eyes blazing. She was every inch a dragon queen, brimming with unquestionable authority.

A hundred years—for the Azure Dragon Clan or a Nascent Soul cultivator like Lu Changsheng—was neither long nor short.

She leaned in. Her dark-red lips exhaled a breath like icy orchids. Her voice chilled. “If you don’t come within a hundred years, I’ll—”

She paused, swallowing the words “tie you up and drag you to the Eastern Sea.”

Then she snorted, like a dragon’s call. “I’ll cross the endless sea to the Southern Desolation and see just how important those ‘many things’ really are.”

Lu Changsheng figured a hundred years would see him in Late-Stage Nascent Soul and preparing for Spirit Transformation.

When they met again, suppressing her shouldn’t be a problem.

“It’s settled then. Within a hundred years, I’ll come with a betrothal gift.”

A gentle smile curved his lips.

“Not a betrothal gift—a dowry.”

Ao Long corrected his notions of marriage. To her, men and women, strength decides.

“Betrothal or dowry—let’s talk then.” Lu Changsheng chuckled and let it drop.

In the cultivation world, strength rules.

For a demon like Ao Long, that principle was gospel.

So arguing over who marries whom was meaningless. When the time came, the stronger one would have the final say.

If he could suppress her head-on now, he’d debate the Dao with her properly.

Ao Long saw he was proud and couldn’t set aside his face.

She didn’t mind in the least.

Once back at the Eastern Sea, with her bloodline, the Dragon Lord would favor her. She’d enter the Dragon Transformation Pool again, surging ahead in cultivation, fifth rank in sight.

Even if he was the reincarnation of a Spirit Transformation true sovereign, he still wouldn’t be her match.

Even with the legacy of a prior life and methods beyond the norm, even if he caught up, she was an Azure Dragon descendant.

Barring a pure-blood True Spirit, no one at the same realm could contend with her.

Unless Lu Changsheng broke through to Spirit Transformation and led by a whole great realm.

But that was simply impossible.

“But before that, I want a little interest.”

Azure Dragon power surged through Ao Long. She pushed Lu Changsheng down. A cool breath brushed his face, then she kissed him deep.

Lu Changsheng: “…?”

The Lu Ancestor had always respected women. He never felt this was him taking advantage.

This time he was clearly the one being taken advantage of.

Not that he minded much.

But he was Changsheng True Lord—he wasn’t one to take things lying down.

A boom.

His blood roared like a breached sky-river, surging madly. His mid–fourth-rank physique awakened.

His body refinement was more like a side practice on idle mode. He hadn’t cultivated the True Saint Skill of Brahma and Demons much.

But the terrifying boost of the Chaos Body made him no weaker than a true spirit–level fourth-rank demon king.

Seeing him try to turn the tables, Ao Long looked taken aback.

She’d known he cultivated both body and Qi, and his physique was exceptional.

She hadn’t expected a human cultivator to have a body like this.

Humans were known for divine abilities and artifacts.

In flesh, they couldn’t compare to demons—much less to a pure-blood descendant like her.

“Interesting.”

In that instant, Ao Long liked him even more.

He was a perfect match—handsome, strong in cultivation, and this kind of physique.

This way she didn’t need to worry about him not being able to handle it.

Azure Dragon power flared. The blue-violet scaled dress and the scales covering her arms and long legs blazed with light, a misty blue-violet sheen flowing over them, radiant with strength.

Lu Changsheng, trying to turn the tables, was instantly suppressed.

He refused to yield. His body crackled. Blood energy, magical energy, and technique surged together, and he unleashed the physical divine ability, Chaos Manifestation.

Boom, boom, boom—

On the Sea-Marrow Jade bed, their bodies tangled, setting off waves of violent motion and ripples.

If the formations and restrictions in the deepest part of the palace weren’t at full strength, they wouldn’t hold.

The wild movements left the Green Dragon King and the Turtle Immortal Patriarch waiting outside puzzled and surprised.

Healing shouldn’t make this much noise, should it?

“Little Mei!”

“Master!”

They called out, full of concern.

“Run the restrictions at full power!”

Ao Long’s voice rang like a dragon’s. Clear and rich, grand and commanding. Her tall, regal figure pinned Lu Changsheng. Her molten-gold eyes burned hot and hazy.

The blue-violet scaled dress slid down, revealing smooth skin dusted with tiny dragon scales and a proud silhouette.

Her skin was pale and luminous, brimming with life, vigor, and power.

“Hiss.” Facing the trembling, sculpted beauty before him, Lu Changsheng couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath.

No wonder she was demon-born.

That proportion and shape—simply inhuman.

If there was a flaw, it was that her arms, hands, legs and feet were veiled in fine, translucent scales—harder to savor with his hands.

“Hmph!” Like a queen, Ao Long heard his heated gaze and snorted in pride.

That gaze might be bold and rude.

But it only proved her allure.

Though… wasn’t this a bit fast?

She’d only intended to take a little interest.

Then transfer a little dragon essence to him as payment and leave an Azure Dragon Mark.

But as they grappled and crossed methods, she’d lost herself bit by bit.

With the arrow nocked, and since she’d already chosen him as her future husband, Ao Long hesitated no more.

A soft cry rose, like dragon song and phoenix call twined together.

Though the palace’s deepest formations and restrictions were running full tilt—

They were linked to the boundless sea.

Through the spiritual veins and Green Dragon Island, they drew on the deep sea’s power, layering the wards.

So the commotion in the palace’s depths sent waves rolling, the sea surging around Green Dragon Island.

“…”

The Green Dragon King and the Turtle Immortal Patriarch didn’t know what exactly was happening inside.

But from the pulses that were intense yet not destructive, they could guess.

The Green Dragon King had known their Master fancied that pretty human, Lu Changsheng.

He just hadn’t expected…

“As expected of Master—a reincarnated great cultivator,” the Turtle Immortal Patriarch mused, pleased.

When he’d seen Ao Long’s Azure Dragon bloodline, he’d had ideas.

Save her and climb a rung on the Azure Dragon Clan’s ladder.

He hadn’t expected their Master to tie such a tight knot with an Azure Dragon descendant outright.

With that bond, if they ever went to the Eastern Sea Cultivation Realm, they could lean on the Azure Dragon Clan’s strength.