Chapter 1031: Chapter 1031

Nanli smiled and gently patted Ao Zhaozhao’s head. "Very good."

Siheng listened to Ao Zhaozhao calling Nanli "aunt" over and over again, and then he stared at her. "I also helped restore your Dragon Horn. Why don’t you call me ’uncle’?"

Moreover, he had carried her like a human palanquin, wherever she went, he carried her.

Ao Zhaozhao turned her head to look at him. Although he was extremely handsome, his face was too cold, and she still felt a little afraid of him. She moved closer to Nanli, grabbed her hand, and lowered her head to softly call, "... Uncle."

Siheng immediately smiled, finding the child endearing. He thought to himself that if he had a daughter in the future, it wouldn’t be bad.

"Looks like you’ve confirmed that A’Li is the Death God," he said.

Ao Zhaozhao felt a bit guilty and blushed slightly. "Yes... yes, Aunt, I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure at first, and I was rude to you."

She took two steps back and bowed to apologize. She was a good daughter of her father and mother, and she knew that when she made a mistake, she should admit it.

Nanli gently bent down to help her up. "No need to apologize. It’s right to be cautious."

"Your father and mother left you in the Demon Domain. I should’ve gone to find you immediately, but at the time, the seal on the Demon Domain was something I helped with. I was in seclusion at that time and couldn’t help you."

"When I came out of seclusion, the Merman Clan had already taken control of the Aqua Clan. They said you were heartbroken after losing your family and went to the Endless Abyss, where you lost your life."

"I didn’t expect that the Aqua Clan would face a disaster... If I had gone to investigate the Merman Clan at that time, you wouldn’t have suffered for so long."

When Nanli spoke at the end, there was a trace of guilt in her voice.

Ao Zhaozhao blinked her large, black eyes and said, "But even gods aren’t omnipotent. Most of the time, you can only watch the changes in the world, unable to interfere. Aunt, actually, I’m really fortunate that you know I’m alive now. You can help me without hesitation. If it had been the past you, you might have been punished, and that would have made me even more uneasy."

Nanli smiled warmly. "Zhaozhao is very sensible."

Siheng heard Ao Zhaozhao’s consideration for Nanli and his gaze softened a bit more.

Ao Zhaozhao looked at the two of them seriously, took a deep breath as though gathering courage, and said, "Aunt, actually, I lied to you. The Demonizing Dragon Lantern... My father and mother didn’t take it to the Demon Domain; it was left in the Dragon Palace."

She quickly lowered her head again, afraid to see disappointment or reproach in their eyes.

Nanli gently touched her head. "No need to apologize. We know you’ve been deceived, and it’s right for you to be cautious and not trust others easily. I’m glad that you’ve finally chosen to trust us."

Ao Zhaozhao froze. She looked up, and Nanli and Siheng were still looking at her with gentle expressions, without a hint of reproach.

She felt warmth spread through her body, and her nose tingled as her eyes filled with tears.

Nanli quickly said, "Don’t cry, don’t cry."

Ao Zhaozhao’s emotions calmed down for a while, and she managed to hold back her tears.

Siheng couldn’t wait any longer and asked, "Since the Merman Clan has taken control of the Dragon Palace and the Four Seas, does that mean the Demonizing Dragon Lantern is in the hands of the Merman Clan leader now? Or is it in the treasure vault?"

Ao Zhaozhao nodded and answered truthfully, "Yes, it’s in the Dragon Palace’s treasure vault. The rebel Merman named Fang Yuan did it, but I don’t know if he’s dead. After all, Merman only live for about twenty thousand years at most."

"Those who don’t cultivate their inner alchemy and only have brute force might live for a thousand years at most, which is considered long-lived."

Siheng asked again, "If he’s still alive, I’ll kill him for you. If he’s dead, I’ll wipe out his entire family. But I don’t know if the Demonizing Dragon Lantern is still there, or if it’s damaged?"

Although Ao Zhaozhao didn’t know why he was so concerned about this Dragon Clan treasure, she trusted him now and had no intention of hiding anything. She grinned and said, "It’s definitely still there. Even if they open the treasure vault, they won’t be able to open the clam shell."

Siheng frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Nanli explained, "The treasure vault of the Dragon Palace is quite special. Some treasures aren’t placed freely; they’re kept inside ancient clam shells, sealed with Dragon Clan bloodline seals. No ordinary Aqua Clan or celestial being can break them open."

Siheng was overjoyed, and for the first time, a smile appeared on his face.

He said, "Zhaozhao, if Fang Yuan isn’t dead, I’ll kill him for you. If he is dead, I’ll wipe out his entire family. I only have one request: when the time comes, let me use the Demonizing Dragon Lantern."

Ao Zhaozhao replied, "You saved me and helped restore half of my Dragon Horn. I should repay you. As for the Merman Clan... I think... it’s better not to move against them."

"The Merman have ruled the Four Seas for a long time. If we strike against them, it will only cause chaos in the Four Seas. Father and mother probably wouldn’t want to see the seas filled with blood," Ao Zhaozhao said.

At the bottom, the mythical rhino, who had been listening, was enraged.

"You are Dragon Clan! You should be the supreme ruler of the Four Seas, not let the Merman Clan trample on you and rule the Four Seas!"

Ao Zhaozhao blinked her eyes and looked at him innocently. "I am Dragon Clan, but I’m the last Azure Dragon in this world. My people are all dead. Aunt and the others might be able to help me reclaim the position of Dragon Lord, but I’m young and weak. Can I make the Four Seas’ Aqua Clan submit to me? Can I sit firmly on the Dragon Lord’s throne?"

"Ten thousand years have passed. The old factions loyal to the Dragon Clan are probably gone. I don’t want to daydream. I don’t want the Four Seas to fall into turmoil again."

Nanli felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She placed her hand on Ao Zhaozhao’s slender shoulder. "Zhaozhao, what you say is true. We can help you for a moment, but we can’t help you forever."

Ao Zhaozhao smiled and said, "Yes, Aunt, Uncle, after we get the Demonizing Dragon Lantern, can I live with you?"

Her voice had a hint of childishness.

Siheng’s gaze lost all warmth. His voice turned cold as he said, "If we go to get the Demonizing Dragon Lantern, the Merman Clan will surely learn that you are still alive. You are the last Dragon Clan. They won’t let you go. Zhaozhao, it’s not that I don’t welcome you to Jialan Celestial Mountain, but you need to understand the cruelty of this world. Either you die, or they die. You have no other choice."

Ao Zhaozhao’s heart trembled. "Even if I swear not to compete with them, they won’t let me go?"

Siheng lowered his gaze and said, "No, they won’t let you go, no matter what."

Ao Zhaozhao didn’t fully believe him. She turned to Nanli instead.

Nanli was about to speak when Siheng reminded her, "A’Li, she’s not a child anymore. She’s older than me. You shouldn’t treat her as a child. Some things aren’t resolved just by her giving in."

Ao Zhaozhao became nervous and looked at Nanli with wide eyes. "Aunt, just tell me the truth. I can handle it!"

Nanli sighed in her heart. After a long while, she slowly nodded. "Indeed, if the Merman Clan wants to continue ruling the Four Seas, they will definitely have to eliminate you. After all, the Dragon Clan has been the supreme ruler of the Four Seas for generations. As long as you live, they will worry about you every day."