allonlinenovel Chapter 82 Succession at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony
Chapter 82 Succession at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony
Thirteen thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine years ago, the Azure Dragon Clan lived in seclusion atop Mount Kunlun. Today, as a dragon's roar pierced the sky, the inauguration ceremony for the new patriarch of the Azure Dragon Clan officially began.
"Congratulations to the clan leader on his coming of age and succession to the throne! The Azure Dragon Clan swears to follow him to the death!"
The voices of the tribesmen strangely echoed only among the few snow-capped mountains in the vicinity. The cold wind, carrying icicles, lashed against the white marble bricks, reflecting a solemnity reminiscent of the succession ceremony.
Yan Huai floated halfway above the sacrificial cauldron, his dragon body obscured by smoke and mist. His dark green scales were so beautiful that they inspired envy and greed, much like the power and status he now possessed... and all of this was obtained by his father, Yan Zhe, at the cost of half his life.
A moment of glory is always invincible, but before that glory, Yan Zhe had already exhausted all his mental energy, just to help Yan Huai successfully ascend to the position of clan leader.
This is a secret among the patriarchs of the Azure Dragon Clan. When a new patriarch takes office, the previous patriarch must forcibly strip away his spiritual power and pass it on to the new patriarch. The torment he suffers during this process is akin to the agony of teetering on the brink of death, like being skinned alive.
Therefore, Yan Huai's coming of age also meant Yan Zhe's demise...
A layer of bewildered and broken mist shrouded his half-closed golden vertical pupils. Yan Huai glanced at the hundreds of clansmen in the square, then swung his body and spiraled upwards.
The smoke and cold mist around the dragon's body were dispersed, but Yan Huai was only thinking about ending it all after the ceremony was over.
Whether it's the succession ceremony or the rules between clan leaders, they can all go to hell... They're worthless, even if it comes at the cost of turning their own father into a cripple!
Standing at the edge of the plaza, Gu Ling, knowing her son's temperamental nature well, sighed inwardly. She watched the dark green streak of light shoot straight into the sky, pursed her lips, and then turned to leave—if simply changing the succession rules of the Azure Dragon Clan could spare the previous patriarch the pain of having his spiritual power stripped away, then these rules wouldn't have persisted to this day. This foolish child still has a long way to go…
After returning to the side hall of Kunlun Dragon Palace, Gu Ling was about to tell Yan Zhe about the succession ceremony, but before she could even step inside, Yan Chen had already come to greet her with a flustered expression.
"Madam, the hellfire in the southwest formation has been released. The patriarch instructed me to wait for you here and not to make any other announcements."
Gu Ling's face turned pale instantly: "He went alone?"
"Yes......"
Gu Ling suppressed her anger and glared at Yan Chen before turning to leave. She knew this wasn't the time for questioning: "Have you found out who did it?"
"It's the Wang family!"
Gu Ling paused slightly upon hearing this, then continued walking briskly forward: "Select a few trustworthy people to stay behind to ensure the succession ceremony proceeds smoothly. Also, keep an eye on your clan leader. If anything happens to him... take him to the Qinling Mountains!"
"...Yes!" Yan Chen lowered his head, gritting his teeth as he agreed. When he learned this matter was related to the Wang family, he had a premonition. Sure enough, some people couldn't wait any longer. He could only hope nothing bad would happen...
The succession ceremony was completed two hours later. Yan Huai shed his dragon form and returned to the ground, wearing a dark blue brocade robe that accentuated his already slender figure, making him appear even more otherworldly.
Her long, ink-black hair was tied up with a plain hairpin. Although it appeared somewhat languid in the solemn setting, it gave off an imposing aura that could not be looked at directly or disrespected.
The newly appointed clan chief has always kept a low profile, but the clansmen have seen him more or less a few times. Although they have seen him before, each time they are amazed by his beauty, they are still stunned and then immediately lower their heads.
"The clan leader is so handsome... He must be the most handsome clan leader in all our history!"
"Mmm! I think so too, his scales are so beautiful!"
"If I could just touch it, I'd die happy."
"I'd never dream of someone as shameless as you, wanting to touch me?"
"..."
"Silence!" The Azure Dragon Clan possesses keen eyesight and hearing, but these whispers mostly came from the younger generation. It was not surprising that some might overstep the bounds. The clansman presiding over the succession ceremony cleared his throat, gave a warning, and then announced, "The succession ceremony is complete! Pay homage to the clan leader!"
"Pay homage to the clan leader! The Azure Dragon Clan swears to follow you to the death!"
Yan Huai's eyes reflected the hundreds of Azure Dragon Clan members kneeling on one knee in the square. Although there was no ripple, from today onwards, he had an extra responsibility on his shoulders. It was a very strange feeling, unrelated to so-called power and status.
"Go back, everyone..." He was going back too.
Although Yan Zhe doesn't seem to have anything wrong on the surface, once his mental energy is lost, his body will be depleted. In addition, he is good at acting, so if Yan Huai didn't know the implications, he would probably be fooled by him.
Stepping down from the side passage of the square, Yan Huai caught a glimpse of Yan Chen's figure behind the dragon pillar. Somewhat puzzled, he quietly approached and asked, "Brother? What are you doing here?"