War God Long Ao

"I've been to this place before, but I was never able to open it."

"And you trust me that much?"

"I have calculated it. As long as two Martial Artists at or above the Thunder Tribulation Realm work together, I believe we can definitely open the Stone Gate."

Long Ao didn't press further. He knew that without risk, there could be no reward.

Just as Long Yili had said, with his current strength, it was impossible to shake the Thunder Royal Family, let alone the Thunder Sect. Rather than completely falling out with the Thunder Royal Family, it was better to try his luck. If he could obtain the Dragon God Blood, his strength might see a massive increase.

Once his Realm broke through from Thunder Tribulation to Transformation, he would have absolute confidence in his ability to kill Ouyang Zhong.

Ouyang Zhong was only a First Transformation Martial Artist, after all.

Thinking of this, Long Ao hesitated no longer. He nodded and agreed, "I'll accept your offer. If we obtain the Divine Dragon Blood, I want one drop of it."

"No problem. We set out in three days."

After Long Yili left, Long Ao drank alone, his mind constantly turning over the matter.

'Long Yili is a Dragon Martial Artist? Two drops of Divine Dragon Blood?'

Even now, Long Ao couldn't figure out why Long Yili had chosen him. After thinking it over and over, he could only come up with one possibility. 'Is the reason Long Yili chose me because I'm also a Dragon Martial Artist?'

"Come out."

"Long Ao, it's been a while. It seems you've been doing well."

He had just seen Long Yili off when the Third Prince, Zhao Hao, arrived. Long Ao held this Prince in utter contempt. If not for the Thunder Royal Family, he would have killed him long ago.

Looking at the old man and the young man who entered, Long Ao was quite surprised. The aura radiating from the old man beside Zhao Hao was clearly that of a Thunder Tribulation Martial Artist.

"Get out."

"HAHAHA, you're telling me to get out? On what grounds?"

Laughing unscrupulously, Zhao Hao suddenly said, "Long Ao, don't think you're invincible just because you used the Thunder Tribulation Power to severely injure Ouyang Zhong. I'm telling you clearly today, if you don't kneel, I'll make you regret it."

"And you are...?"

Completely ignoring Zhao Hao, in Long Ao's eyes, the Third Prince was just a scumbag coasting on his family background. Scum like him deserved to be executed by all.

"Long Ao, I am Wind Demon of the Thunder National Protection Hall. I've come today mainly to deliver a message. Tomorrow evening, the Hall Master and His Majesty invite you to the Royal Family's palace. Farewell."

"Senior Wind Demon, wait!"

Seeing Wind Demon leave, Zhao Hao became terrified. Not daring to linger, he got up and chased after him. The two of them vanished without a trace, one after the other.

'The Royal Family is inviting me?'

'Under these circumstances, an invitation from the Thunder Royal Family... anyone can tell it's not for anything good.' But for the sake of his family, Long Ao knew he had to go. After all, given his family's current strength, it wasn't the right time to have a complete falling out with the Thunder Royal Family.

If the Thunder Royal Family were pushed into a corner and decided to move against his family, the consequences would be unimaginable.

「The next day, at dusk.」

Long Ao went to the Thunder Royal Family's palace alone. This courage alone was enough to look down on his peers. Upon entering the palace, he found the grand hall already full of people. The moment Long Ao stepped inside, his eyes locked onto Ouyang Zhong, who was seated on the left.

Just as he'd expected, Ouyang Zhong was hiding with the Thunder Royal Family.

This made Long Ao even more surprised. He didn't know why the Thunder Royal Family and the National Protection Hall had invited him. 'Are they planning to deal with me?'

'That doesn't seem to make sense. If the Thunder Royal Family wanted to deal with me, why go to all this trouble? They could have just attacked directly.'

"Long Ao, please, have a seat."

Long Ao couldn't quite figure out this Zhao Mang. However, since he was already inside the Thunder Royal Family's palace, he didn't act rashly and sat down.

The entire hall, aside from Emperor Zhao Mang and National Protection Hall Master Gu Bai, also included Wind Demon from yesterday, Ouyang Zhong, and others. Everyone stared intently at Long Ao as if they bore some deep-seated hatred for him.

"Long Ao, I am fully aware of the grudge between you and Brother Ouyang. Back then, you used the Thunder Tribulation Power to severely injure Brother Ouyang. Brother Ouyang is prepared to let bygones be bygones, and I hope you can also bury the hatchet."

'Bury the hatchet?'

Long Ao snorted coldly in his heart. He wasn't a fool. Ouyang Zhong was severely injured right now, which was why he was choosing to 'let bygones be bygones'. Once he recovered, would Ouyang Zhong still be willing to bury the hatchet?

Without a doubt, the moment Ouyang Zhong recovered, he would surely be the first to come after him.

Seeing Long Ao remain silent, Gu Bai grew displeased. He said unhappily, "Long Ao, His Majesty is speaking to you. Couldn't you be a bit more agreeable?"

"The grudge between Ouyang Zhong and me ends only in death."

Only in death.

Long Ao's meaning was crystal clear. Because of this, the expressions of both Gu Bai and Zhao Mang instantly darkened. As for Ouyang Zhong, his face turned utterly grim. As a Transformed Martial Artist, when had he ever suffered such a humiliation?

But the Thunder Tribulation Power was simply too terrifying. Ouyang Zhong had calculated that it would take at least three months to recover from his injuries. Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to use the Thunder Royal Family to stall Long Ao.

At this moment, Ouyang Zhong wished he could kill Long Ao on the spot. But he knew that for the next three months, he could not afford to provoke Long Ao. Otherwise, not only him, but even the Nebula Royal Family would face great trouble.

"Long Ao, when will this cycle of vengeance end?"

"Your Majesty, since you've put it that way, I will take a step back. As long as Ouyang Zhong severs his own arms, the grudge between me and the Nebula Royal Family will be settled once and for all."

"Long Ao, you're taking this too far! Do you really think you're invincible?"

Long Ao didn't speak, merely looking at Ouyang Zhong with a cold smile. 'He wants to just let this go?'

Zhao Mang's expression had also turned extremely grim. As the Emperor of the Thunder Royal Family, who would dare to defy his will? Unless it was the Thunder Sect. But when it came to Long Ao, Zhao Mang was truly unwilling to make an enemy of him. The boy was too much of a variable; the Nebula Royal Family was the best example of that.

Thinking of this, Zhao Mang's expression returned to normal. He said with a smile, "Long Ao, for my sake, can we let this matter be settled?"

"Your Majesty, this whelp dares to show such disrespect to our Thunder Royal Family! He should be executed."

Waving his hand, Zhao Mang said, "Brother Gu, leave this matter to me."

"If that's the case, Your Majesty, then I shall take my leave." As the National Protection Hall Master, Gu Bai's nominal status was lower than Zhao Mang's, but in reality, the two were nearly equals. For this very reason, Gu Bai didn't give Zhao Mang any face at all and turned to leave quickly.

Seeing this, the other members of the National Protection Hall, including Wind Demon, all followed Gu Bai and left. In the entire grand hall, only three people remained: Emperor Zhao Mang, Nebula Ancestor Ouyang Zhong, and Long Ao.

Although a thousand dissatisfactions raged in his heart, Zhao Mang ultimately endured it.