The once peaceful night on the mountain had turned chaotic, with someone fighting fiercely.
"Father, are you sure you want to fight all five of them alone?" Xiao Jun asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Don't worry, Xiao Jun. Just watch how your father defeats them all," his father replied with a smile that suggested nothing terrible was about to happen.
"Damn it, what to do? If I release even a little bit of spiritual aura, demonic beasts will flock to this mountain. But if I don't, Xiao Jun could be in danger," his father muttered to himself, watching the bandits who were aiming to cut him to pieces.
"I chose to become a mortal so that demonic beasts wouldn't bother me and my family. Now... I have to release it, even if it's just a little!" His father released a small amount of spiritual qi to block the five bandits' swords.
The moment the spiritual qi was released, the natural surroundings roared. The color of the clouds turned crimson, lightning struck the ground, the wind howled fiercely, several trees fell, and nearby animals died as if nature itself couldn't withstand the spiritual qi.
Unbeknownst to them, the leader of the Ice Cloud Sect, who was in seclusion in a special chamber within the sect, sensed the spiritual qi.
The sect leader, who had been sitting in cultivation, opened his eyes and immediately stood up, shattering the stone door that sealed his chamber.
"This aura... It can't be wrong, it must be him!"
His eyes glowed red, and sharp claws emerged from his hands, reacting to the spiritual qi.
"I will make sure that inheritance becomes mine one day, Fang Chen!" the sect leader roared. He was from the same race as Xiao Jun's father and possessed great talent. However, in a competition for the Dragon Emperor's inheritance within their clan, he lost to Xiao Jun's father, who received the inheritance. Since then, he had harbored deep hatred.
Meanwhile, the situation on the mountain was terrifying. The bandits began to feel fear as they witnessed the chaotic state of nature. But they still attacked Xiao Jun's father with sharp weapons, the weapons striking his body hard.
"Father!" Xiao Jun cried out in panic as his father was hit without even trying to dodge.
His father, however, smiled at him calmly and spoke to Xiao Jun as if unconcerned about the weapons embedded in his body.
"Don't worry, Xiao Jun. Weapons like these won't hurt your father."
The bandits' weapons had struck Xiao Jun's father's body, but none of them had caused any injury.
"You see, Xiao'er? I'm fine."
"Father, you scared me. I thought you were going to..." Xiao Jun stopped speaking abruptly before he could finish his sentence, and his father interrupted him.
"You thought your father would die? Hahaha, your father is a strong man," his father said to Xiao Jun.
The bandits slowly retreated, realizing that their weapons hadn't harmed Xiao Jun's father in the slightest.
"How is it possible that his body isn't injured at all?" one of the bandits muttered, backing away before they all fled in fear.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" his father called out to the bandits.
The bandits shivered when Xiao Jun's father addressed them. One of them immediately panicked, followed by the others.
"Cowards! Where are you going? Come here and face me first!" his father taunted the bandits who were running away in disarray.
"That's enough, Father," Xiao Jun said. "Let's just go home. We can continue tomorrow. It's too late to train. If Mother wakes up and looks for us and we're not home, we'll be in trouble."
His father was still chuckling, watching the bandits run away in fear, and didn't pay attention to Xiao Jun's words.
"Father!" Xiao Jun shouted, annoyed at his father's behavior.
"Ah, yes, Xiao'er? What were you saying?" his father asked, having not heard a single word Xiao Jun had spoken.
Xiao Jun was slightly irritated by his father's antics.
"I said let's go home! Mother will be looking for us!" Xiao Jun yelled, frustrated.
"Ah, alright, alright. Let's go home and continue this tomorrow night."
Xiao Jun and his father returned home. Upon reaching the courtyard gate, his mother was waiting for them, her face a mixture of sadness, worry, and fear.
The moment they both entered the courtyard, his mother rushed towards them with quick steps, her gaze sharp.
"You... both," her voice was hoarse, "where did you two go at this late hour?"
Xiao Jun immediately lowered his head, his heart pounding. His father choked on a cough, trying to lie with an awkward tone.
"We just... uh, went to check on the medicinal herbs on the hill, dear. There was something—"
"DON'T LIE TO ME!"
His mother's scream shattered the silence of the night. Birds in the surrounding trees flew away in fright.
With trembling steps, Xiao Jun's mother approached her husband. The lantern fell from her hand, the oil spilling to form a small puddle that reflected the shadow of her tears.
"I... felt it," she whispered, her right hand pressing against Fang Chen's left chest, right over the claw-shaped scar hidden beneath his clothes. "You used the Azure Dragon's Breath. After fifteen years of hiding our identities... you risked everything just for some secret training?!"
Fang Chen looked at his wife, his eyes gleaming with the blue color of their dragon bloodline. "He needs to learn, Lian. Our enemies will find him sooner or later. It's better—"
"NO!" Xiao Jun's mother hugged Xiao Jun tightly, her body trembling. "Listen carefully, my son. Your father is not just an alchemy expert. We are the last of the 'Azure Dragon Clan' – a family that was slaughtered by the betrayal of the clan that has now become the leader of the Ice Cloud Sect. He killed everyone just for the Dragon Emperor's Inheritance that was passed down to your father!"
From beneath her robe, she took out a jade pendant in the shape of a dragon, an item Xiao Jun had always worn since childhood without knowing its meaning.
"And you..." His mother looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "...are the Last Son of the Azure Dragon."
From the distance, the sound of wolves howling could be heard, and the red clouds began to move slowly toward Mount Ming Hua.
"They already know," Fang Chen groaned, looking at the strange sky in the distance. "Xiao Jun... You have to leave here immediately. Take this jade ring; inside it is the ancient Dragon Emperor's inheritance sword."
"But... Father, Mother, what about you?" Xiao Jun was sad and worried about his parents.
"We'll be fine. You go, quickly!" his parents shouted. Xiao Jun's father suddenly forced something out from within himself.
It was the Primordial Dragon Emperor, forcibly extracted, causing his realm to drop from the Spirit Void stage to the Radiant Core stage. His face turned pale, and sweat poured down his face, making Xiao Jun even more worried.
"Son... Maybe this is a little fast, but Father has no choice but to give this to you now. It might hurt a little; you have to endure it."
"Father... I don't want to accept it if it will make you weak," tears began to flow from his face, and sobs could be heard.
"Hurry, dear! They're almost here!" Xiao Jun's mother cried out, urging the refinement process into Xiao Jun's body.
"Xiao Jun, you can't refuse it," his father said.
"But, Fath—" Before Xiao Jun could finish his sentence, his father forcefully inserted the Primordial Dragon Emperor into him. A cry of pain escaped Xiao Jun's mouth, and a strange phenomenon occurred as his father inserted the primordial essence into his body.
The roar of the Nine Dragons echoed within the mountain, causing chaos in the surrounding nature. Even nature seemed unable to bear such power.
The disciples of the Ice Cloud Sect hastened their approach to Mount Ming Hua.
The refinement was complete. Xiao Jun's body showed flashes of blue light, his breathing was heavy, and cold sweat streamed down his face.
Golden-blue dragon scales occasionally appeared on his body, and his eyes shone uncontrollably.
"Now it's done. Go to the forbidden forest and find the old man who lives there. Give him the jade pendant. He will help you and keep you safe from these people," his father said, urging Xiao Jun to leave.
The disciples of the Ice Cloud Sect arrived, wreaking havoc on Ming Village. Even the uninvolved villagers were attacked, and some were killed. The village descended into chaos, filled with screams and cries.
Xiao Jun's father and mother fought against the sect members who were already in the Radiant Core realm, the same as his father.
"Xiao Jun, go quickly!" his father shouted, blocking a sword attack with his hand, which was slightly bleeding.
"Xiao Jun, go quickly! Mother and Father will protect you," his mother said alongside his father as they fought the enemies.
"Bu-but..." Xiao Jun seemed hesitant to leave his parents.
"No buts! You have to go now!"
With a heavy heart, Xiao Jun ran, leaving his parents behind.
"You must stay alive, son," his parents said as they were stabbed and died in their village.
The sound of the swords piercing their bodies made him afraid to look back. Tears of grief streamed down his face.
One of the sect disciples was chasing behind him.