Eastern King Duke got straight to the point: "Since it's Fellow Daoist Zhulong, I won't beat around the bush."
"I came today to invite the Dragon Clan to join my Immortal Court."
Zhulong's voice was calm: "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist. But my Dragon Clan has retreated to the Four Seas and has long stopped interfering in the affairs of the Great Desolation, nor do we have any intention of joining other forces."
"If Fellow Daoist's only purpose in coming today is to have my Dragon Clan join the Immortal Court, then please return, Fellow Daoist. Take your time, I won't see you out."
Ao Hai, listening from the side, was terrified. This temper of Old Ancestor was truly... direct.
Hearing Zhulong unceremoniously dismiss him, Eastern King Duke showed no sign of anger on his face, but instead said: "Fellow Daoist, don't refuse so quickly. It's not too late to make a decision after listening to me."
"I came this time to invite the Dragon Clan to join the Immortal Court with sincerity."
"Moreover, I am not inviting the entire Dragon Clan to join the Immortal Court."
Eastern King Duke glanced at Zhulong and continued: "Fellow Daoist should understand that my Immortal Court cannot bear the Karma of the Dragon Clan."
"Above the Great Desolation, apart from the Dao Ancestor, no one, or no force, can bear it. Even the currently flourishing Yao Race cannot."
Zhulong's eyelids slightly lifted: "Since Fellow Daoist understands, why do you still invite my Dragon Clan to join the Immortal Court?"
"Also, what do you mean by saying you are not inviting my entire Dragon Clan to join the Immortal Court?"
Eastern King Duke slowly said: "This humble Daoist wants to invite some elites of the Dragon Clan to join my Immortal Court and serve as Protector Divine Beasts."
"What? Protector Divine Beasts!"
Ao Hai, who was beside him, could no longer hold back and cried out in surprise, his face instantly covered with rage.
"Eastern King Duke! Are you humiliating my Dragon Clan?"
"My Dragon Clan was once the overlord of heaven and earth! How can we be your Immortal Court's gatekeepers? You are going too far!"
"Ao Hai!"
Zhulong let out a low growl, his voice not loud but carrying immense majesty.
Ao Hai's whole body trembled, and he forcibly suppressed his anger, but his chest still heaved violently, and his eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Eastern King Duke.
Zhulong looked at Eastern King Duke, his gaze profound.
"Fellow Daoist Eastern King Duke, is this your sincerity?"
"To have my Dragon Clan's elites become your Immortal Court's Protector Divine Beasts? How is this different from being a vassal? How is this different from being a servant??"
Eastern King Duke faced Zhulong's questioning with a composed expression.
"Fellow Daoist Zhulong, don't be angry yet. Listen to this humble Daoist finish speaking."
"Serving as Protector Divine Beasts is not enslavement, and certainly not being a gatekeeper. This humble Daoist can promise that the Dragon Clan elites who join the Immortal Court will enjoy the protection of the Immortal Court's Luck!"
"Immortal Court's Luck?" A sharp glint flashed in Zhulong's eyes.
Eastern King Duke continued: "Fellow Daoist also knows that the Dragon Clan's Karma is profound, and it is difficult for its members to cultivate."
"Every step forward requires several or even dozens of times more effort than others, yet often it is difficult to make any progress."
"How many Dragon Clan Prodigies are trapped by Karma, with no hope of Breakthrough in their lifetime?"
"If they have the blessing of the Immortal Court's Luck, it might help your clan's elites break through this barrier and advance further!"
He looked at Zhulong, his voice filled with temptation.
"For the declining Dragon Clan, isn't this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"
"An opportunity for some elites of the Dragon Clan to break free from the shackles of Karma and restore their former glory!"
Zhulong fell silent. How could he not be aware of the Dragon Clan's current predicament?
Karma, like an invisible mountain, weighed down on the entire Dragon Clan, making it difficult for them to breathe.
It suppressed countless talented juniors, causing their cultivation to stagnate or even regress due to the entanglement of Karma.
If he himself hadn't been lucky back then, he would probably have already perished in the Dragon Han Calamity, how could he be here today?
If he could truly use the Immortal Court's Luck to help some elites achieve a Breakthrough...
This would be too significant for the Dragon Clan.
It might even be the only hope for the Dragon Clan to rise again.
But, Protector Divine Beasts...
That title was simply too jarring.
The pride of the Dragon Clan could not be trampled upon.
Inside the main hall, a deathly silence fell for a time.
Ao Hai looked at Old Ancestor's changing expression, opened his mouth, but ultimately did not dare to say more. He could feel the struggle within Old Ancestor's heart.
Although he was angry, he also understood Old Ancestor's concerns.
He knew the Dragon Clan's current situation better than anyone.
After a long while, Zhulong slowly spoke, his voice hoarse: "Fellow Daoist Eastern King Duke, what does my Dragon Clan need to pay? Fellow Daoist cannot possibly let my Dragon Clan enjoy the Immortal Court's Luck for nothing, can you?"
There's no such thing as a free lunch; he had lived for countless years, how could he not understand this principle?
Eastern King Duke did not answer directly, but instead changed the subject and asked: "Fellow Daoist Zhulong, are you aware of the current situation in the Great Desolation?"
Zhulong frowned slightly, not understanding why Eastern King Duke suddenly asked this.
But he still replied: "I have heard something. Now the Yao Race unifies the Great Desolation, and their power is immense. The Wu Clan is entrenched in Mount Buzhou, and their strength should not be underestimated. These two clans are bound to fight."
This was a situation that any discerning person could see.
Eastern King Duke nodded: "That's right, the Witch and Demon War is inevitable."
"Then, Fellow Daoist, have you ever considered how the situation in the Great Desolation will evolve once these two clans have their decisive battle?"
Zhulong pondered for a moment and slowly said: "After the decisive battle between the two clans, no matter who wins or loses, the victorious side's strength will inevitably expand unprecedentedly."
"At that time, riding on the momentum of a great victory, sweeping across the Great Desolation, integrating all clans, and finally dominating the Great Desolation is not impossible."
At this point, a sudden flash of realization appeared in Zhulong's eyes. He abruptly looked at Eastern King Duke, and his tone became unfriendly.
"Oh, this Seat understands! Fellow Daoist wants my Dragon Clan to be your Immortal Court's pawn!"
"Oh, Fellow Daoist wants my Dragon Clan to be the Immortal Court's pawn, to block the victorious side for your Immortal Court. What a clever scheme, Fellow Daoist."
Zhulong sneered. So this was Eastern King Duke's true purpose.
Eastern King Duke listened to Zhulong's words, a trace of complexity flashing in his heart. Wu Ming, that guy, must have thought the same, right? To let my Immortal Court block the Yao Race. It's indeed true that it's better for a Fellow Daoist to die than for me to die.
Eastern King Duke shook his head: "Fellow Daoist is mistaken."
Zhulong frowned: "Oh? Where am I mistaken? Don't you just want the Dragon Clan to be the Immortal Court's pawn?"
He wanted to see what else this Eastern King Duke could say.
Eastern King Duke held up three fingers: "Fellow Daoist is wrong in three respects."
"Firstly, in this Witch and Demon War, the Wu Clan will surely win."
"Secondly, after the Wu Clan's victory, they will not dominate the Great Desolation."
"Thirdly, this humble Daoist is not asking the Dragon Clan to be the Immortal Court's pawn, but rather wishes to unite with the Dragon Clan to jointly resist the Yao Race."
Zhulong frowned slightly, his eyes filled with even more doubt: "How does Fellow Daoist know that the Wu Clan will surely win? And why do you say that the Wu Clan will not contend for dominance over the Great Desolation? Since the Wu Clan will win, why is it about jointly resisting the Yao Race, and not the Wu Clan?"
Eastern King Duke explained: "Before I came to the Dragon Palace, Fellow Daoist Wu Ming of the Wu Clan personally visited this humble Daoist at Penglai Immortal Island."
"He personally told this humble Daoist that in the Witch and Demon War, the Wu Clan will surely win. Although this humble Daoist doesn't know why he has such great confidence, he wouldn't joke with the fate of the entire Wu Clan."
Eastern King Duke paused, then continued.
"As for the Wu Clan not dominating the Great Desolation, this was also stated by Fellow Daoist Wu Ming. This humble Daoist actually has some doubts about this. But this humble Daoist speculates that even if the Wu Clan wins, it will likely be a Pyrrhic victory, leaving them unable to plot for the entire Great Desolation."
Zhulong pressed on: "Why is Fellow Daoist so certain?"
Who exactly was this Wu Ming, to make Eastern King Duke believe him so much?
Eastern King Duke countered: "Does Fellow Daoist know why Fellow Daoist Wu Ming came to my Immortal Court this time?"
Without waiting for Zhulong's answer, he answered his own question.
"He came to my Immortal Court this time specifically to tell me an astonishing secret about the Yao Race."
"The Yao Race is currently fully deducing a peerless Formation, called the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation!"
"Once this Formation is deployed, it can draw upon the power of the stars, and its might will far exceed that of a Quasi-Saint, possibly even possessing the power of a Saint!"
"Fellow Daoist Wu Ming came to warn me, to have my Immortal Court prepare early, to be ready to resist the Yao Race's attack."
Eastern King Duke looked at Zhulong.
"Although this humble Daoist does not know what method Wu Ming has to make the Yao Race abandon fighting the Wu Clan to the death after suffering setbacks from them."
"But this humble Daoist speculates that after the Yao Race suffers a great loss at the hands of the Wu Clan, they will most likely come to deal with my Immortal Court."
"Moreover, to be frank, Fellow Daoist, this time I came to invite the Dragon Clan, it was also under the guidance of Fellow Daoist Wu Ming."
After listening, Zhulong's eyes flickered uncertainly.
Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation? The power of a Saint?
This amount of information was truly astonishing.
He suddenly asked: "Fellow Daoist, by telling me all this, aren't you afraid that I won't join the Immortal Court, but instead tell these secrets to the Yao Race, or even directly join the Yao Race?"
"Moreover, since the Yao Race's Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation possesses the power of a Saint, what will your Immortal Court use to resist it?"
"Will it just be by our combined efforts?"
Eastern King Duke laughed heartily.
"Fellow Daoist is joking. Even if this humble Daoist didn't say it today, with Fellow Daoist's methods, you would surely know these things in the future."
"Rather than letting Fellow Daoist find out later and become estranged from my Immortal Court, it's better to be open and honest now, and explain it clearly to Fellow Daoist in advance, which also shows the sincerity of my Immortal Court."
"As for joining the Yao Race..."
Eastern King Duke shook his head, with a hint of disdain.
"Fellow Daoist, do you think that given the Dragon Clan's current situation, will Dijun and Taiyi truly accept you?"
"Will they offer conditions like this humble Daoist, allowing the Dragon Clan elites to enjoy the protection of the Yao Race's Luck?"
"I'm afraid they will only treat the Dragon Clan as cannon fodder, squeezing out every last bit of value."
"As for the Yao Race's Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation..."
Eastern King Duke changed the subject, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.
"The Yao Race has the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation, does my Immortal Court not have a Formation to contend with it?"
Zhulong's heart trembled. Indeed! Eastern King Duke dared to recruit the Dragon Clan and dared to oppose the Yao Race, he must have something to rely on.
"What kind of Formation makes Fellow Daoist so confident?" Zhulong asked.
Eastern King Duke did not answer directly, only saying, "Once the Dragon Clan elites join my Immortal Court, Fellow Daoist will naturally know."