Chapter 3

Ramiro knelt before the Dragon King, his teeth clenched, his tone steady yet firm. "Father, if you despised my mother's origins so much, why did you forcibly bring her into the Dragon Palace? Her sorrow consumed her after giving birth to me, and she passed away. Of all people, you have the least right to scorn her." No sooner had Ramiro spoken than the Dragon King raised his hand, preparing to unleash a powerful strike upon him. Seeing this, I swiftly flicked my fox tail, deflecting the wave of energy back toward the Dragon King. Infuriated by my public defiance of his authority, the Dragon King gathered his power and launched an attack directly at me. Though I was a five-tailed spirit fox with a millennium of cultivation, renowned as the strongest descendant of the Fox Clan, the Dragon King was the ruler of the Dragon Palace, governing the dragon race for thousands of years. His power far surpassed mine. With just a fraction of his strength, he could shatter the celestial essence I had painstakingly cultivated over a thousand years. As the immense wave of light surged toward me, Ramiro transformed into his true form, opening his mouth to swallow the light entirely. The sight caused the Dragon King's heart to falter. Ramiro had been frail since birth, yet the strength he now displayed was entirely unexpected, filling the Dragon King with unease. Staring fiercely at Ramiro, he growled, "Ramiro, do you intend to commit patricide?" Ramiro met the Dragon King’s gaze without fear. "Father, I have no desire to fight you, but you should not harm my consort." "Now that the fox clan and the dragon clan are united in marriage, and Nevaeh is the Fox King's most cherished daughter, if you injure her gravely to shield Oscar, are you not concerned about provoking a war between our clans?" Ramiro's words extinguished the flames of anger in the Dragon King's eyes. After millennia, the dragons were no longer the formidable race they once were. The marriage with the fox clan was meant to produce stronger offspring to restore the glory of the dragon race. Should conflict arise between the two clans because of him, their efforts would be utterly in vain. With this realization, the Dragon King withdrew his hand, his gaze cold as it swept over me and Ramiro. "Today, I will not pursue Nevaeh's transgressions. However, the Harmony Valley is under my dominion. I hereby decree that the Harmony Valley shall be granted to Oscar for his cultivation." "As for you, Ramiro, mind yourself. Should you fail to produce a strong dragon heir for our clan, I will sever your dragon tendons and banish you both from the Dragon Clan." With that, the Dragon King slammed his scepter into the ground with a heavy thud before vanishing from sight. Under the Dragon King's decree, Ramiro and I were forced out of the Harmony Valley. As the Dragon King departed, Ramiro reverted to human form, collapsing to the ground. His frail body, already so thin, now seemed as if it might dissipate like a wisp of smoke. "Your Highness, now that Prince Ramiro's spiritual energy is fading so quickly, why not seize this opportunity to sever his dragon tendons and rid ourselves of this threat once and for all?" Katrina supported Oscar, her eyes brimming with malice as they fixed on Ramiro and me. The two of them charged toward us, their sharp claws aimed to tear us apart. Without giving them a chance to react, I lashed out with my fox tails, striking their faces with a resounding blow. "Shameless creatures! You’ve taken the Harmony Valley and yet still want to kill us? But do you even have the strength to do so?" Katrina and Oscar were sent flying, their already injured bodies suffering further harm. Watching their enraged and humiliated expressions, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction. "Nevaeh, don’t be so cocky," Oscar spat venomously. "When Katrina gives birth to a golden dragon for me, the humiliation I suffered today will be repaid a thousandfold on you and Ramiro." With those words, Oscar transformed into a black mist, carrying the severely injured Katrina away from sight. Having lost the Harmony Valley, I dragged the weakened Ramiro along, searching for a place where he could recover. Just as despair began to take hold, I sensed a powerful presence stirring deep within the Sumin Mountain. "Such concealed divine energy—it must be here. Your Highness, let us settle here to cultivate."