Chapter 422 - 380: Help Me Ascend to Lordship

In the North Sea Dragon Palace, within the Mysterious Blue Dao Realm.

Atop the Profound Ice Throne, the sound of the North Sea Dragon Lord’s knuckles tapping gently against the armrest was exceptionally clear in the silence, like some ancient timepiece.

He listened to Nether Spring’s speech about "playing a big game." A dark light swirled in his long, narrow draconic eyes, but he did not respond immediately.

After a long moment, he finally spoke. His voice was like a deep-sea current—calm, yet carrying a cold, unapproachable distance:

"Counterattack Central Earth, reshape the world order... You certainly don’t lack for ambition."

The Dragon Lord shook his head slightly, leaning back again and resuming his lazy, half-reclined posture.

But deep within his eyes, his gaze was as sharp as an icicle.

"That old fellow from the East Sea had his Dao Foundation damaged by those bald donkeys from the Buddhist Sect and is desperate to avenge his shame. The South Sea branch has always been at odds with my North Sea. I hear they’ve been secretly contacting the Northwest Demon Path as well, eager to make a move.

The West Sea is dead and silent, its Dragon Palace destroyed."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if discussing matters that had nothing to do with him.

"If my North Sea were to get involved as well..."

He raised his eyes, his gaze piercing through the Mysterious Blue Dao Realm as if he could see the deeper threads of fate.

"The Dragon Race of the Four Seas would essentially be staking everything, betting the entire fate of our race on this single conflict."

"This is hardly the wisest course of action."

His meaning was crystal clear.

The East Sea and South Sea had already decided to enter the fray. If the North Sea joined them, the Dragon Race’s power would be too concentrated, the risk too great.

The Dragon Race had survived for eons not by making all-or-nothing gambles, but by relying on its unfathomable reserves and diversifying its interests.

Nether Spring’s blood-red eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn’t discouraged by the Dragon Lord’s refusal. On the contrary, the sinister smile on his lips only deepened.

Instead of a direct rebuttal, he changed his tack:

"What you say is true, Dragon Lord.

Not putting all one’s eggs in one basket is indeed the mark of a seasoned ruler."

He began by acknowledging his opponent’s point, seeking to eliminate resistance.

Then, he took half a step forward. His blood-red robes billowed without a wind as he lowered his voice, which now carried a strange Penetration Power:

"But... have you ever considered, Dragon Lord, what the East Sea and South Sea truly seek by going all out this time?

Is it really just for ’avenging their shame’ and ’resources’?"

The Dragon Lord’s knuckles, which had been tapping the armrest, paused.

Nether Spring continued, his pace unhurried, yet every word was like a needle:

"The East Sea Dragon Lord’s Dao Foundation is damaged. He desperately needs a great victory to solidify his Status, and even more, he needs the vast fortune of Central Earth to purge the lingering poison of the Buddhist Sect from his body.

If he succeeds, the prestige of the East Sea branch will surely rise above the Four Seas.

It might even... reset the hierarchy for the supreme ruler of the Four Seas."

"The South Sea Dragon Race is colluding with the Northwest Demon Path. Their ambitions are likely even greater."

He stared directly at the Dragon Lord, a golden-red light flashing in his blood-red eyes.

"Both of these factions are fighting for their own future—and perhaps even for the path to ’sole supremacy.’"

"And if the North Sea Dragon Race simply watches from the sidelines, waiting for the dust to settle...

Whether the East Sea gains the upper hand or the South Sea carves out its own domain...

Where will that leave the North Sea in the future?"

"Will you remain content in this bitter, cold Northern Sea, watching as other branches grow strong, only to be marginalized and eventually...

devoured?"

His final word, spoken softly, was like an icicle plunging into the deep sea.

The Dragon Lord’s long, narrow eyes opened fully.

Within the mysterious blue Cold Abyss of his eyes, an undercurrent now seemed to stir.

Seeing the time was ripe, Nether Spring stopped beating around the bush and revealed his true purpose:

"Conversely, if the North Sea joins this game, you need not wager everything as the East Sea and South Sea have."

His voice carried an assured, tempting quality:

"My Holy Sect is the Northwest Demon Path Champion Scholar. In this counterattack, even the other Three Sects must follow my Holy Sect’s command.

This means that when necessary, at critical junctures..."

Nether Spring enunciated each word with absolute clarity:

"The Northwest Demon Path’s stance can be aligned with the Dragon Race."

"Or more precisely, it can be aligned with... the North Sea Dragon Race."

Within the Dao Realm, the mysterious blue ’water’ seemed to freeze for an instant.

The Dragon Lord leaned forward slightly. His draconic eyes, which reflected the long flow of the Star River, locked onto Nether Spring.

"What do you mean by that?"

Nether Spring’s smile remained unchanged.

"It means that on the surface, this counterattack will be a joint effort between the Northwest Four Sects and the Dragon Race to take Central Earth.

But in truth, my Holy Sect can form... a Hidden Alliance with the North Sea Dragon Race."

"Once the war begins, the situation will inevitably become tangled and complex.

The East Sea, the South Sea, the Northwest Three Sects, the Central Earth Righteous Dao, and any other powers that might emerge... they will all be maneuvering against and scheming with one another.

The North Sea’s forces won’t need to be on the front lines, nor will you suffer excessive losses."

"You would only need to speak and apply pressure in the name of the Dragon Race as a whole at critical moments. As for the finer points, such as dividing the spoils and directing the course of battle..."

A cold glint flashed in Nether Spring’s blood-red eyes.

"My Holy Sect will naturally align itself with you, North Sea Dragon Lord."

"Ultimately, regardless of the outcome, if you advance, the North Sea Dragon Race can share in the fortune of Central Earth alongside the East Sea and South Sea.

And if you must retreat, your Hidden Alliance with my Holy Sect will grant you a transcendent and critical position as the link between the Northwest Demon Path and the Dragon Race."

"Thus, the risks are shared, but the benefits can be maximized.

The North Sea won’t have to commit everything, yet in the ensuing chaos, you will hold a lever... one strong enough to move the Four Seas."

As his voice fell, only dead silence remained in the Dao Realm.

The North Sea Dragon Lord remained silent for a long, long time.

He leaned back into his throne, his eyes half-closed. His knuckles no longer tapped the armrest; instead, he quietly, methodically, stroked the natural dragon-scale patterns on the Profound Ice.

Nether Spring said no more, waiting patiently.

’He knew his words had struck at the very heart of the Dragon Lord’s deepest considerations.’

’The internal rivalries of the Dragon Race, the future Status of the North Sea, how to seize the greatest profit while keeping risks manageable...’

Time seemed to lose all meaning in this Dao Realm, a space manifested from the Dragon Lord’s own will.

A long time might have passed, or perhaps only an instant.