First meeting had him fleeing in disarray, then swords drawn at the cave dwelling, and now this Mollusk Clan leader was performing a grand bow — his attitude had shifted so many times it was truly baffling.
He bowed, and the rest of the Mollusk Clan followed suit, even the newborn little clams among them. Short arms and stubby legs, yet earnestly mimicking their leader's posture — so endearingly childish it was almost pitiful.
Yang Xue was at a loss for words: "Great King, what is the meaning of this?"
Bang Bang'er laughed. "There were many misunderstandings before. Who would have thought it would turn out to be the great flood washing into the Dragon King's temple — family failing to recognize family. Bang Bang'er was very rude before, and I hope the two distinguished disciples of the God Sovereign will forgive me."
Yang Xiao blinked. "The God Sovereign you speak of — could that be our Master?" This was all rather bewildering; he needed a clear explanation.
Bang Bang'er nodded hurriedly: "Indeed! Allow me to explain. For many years, my Mollusk Clan has received the grace of the God Sovereign. We therefore revere Him as the God Sovereign, enshrining Him within our clan through the generations. However, though we received His grace, we never knew the God Sovereign's honored name — until today, when we finally learned He is none other than the legendary Emperor of Years. How ashamed we are, how deeply ashamed!"
Yang Xue's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "Master isn't dead?" Even Yang Kai's expression turned serious — if he had passed on, how could he still bestow blessings upon others?
Bang Bang'er shook his head: "That is not the case." As he spoke, he opened his mouth and spat out a bone — pristine white, flawless, as if carved from jade. This bone, however, was different from the one Feng Jun had produced before; it appeared to be a forearm bone.
Yang Xue had said the Emperor's remains were on Bang Bang'er's person, and she hadn't been wrong. This Mollusk Clan leader had actually refined the Emperor's remains within his own body, and only now was he spitting one out.
Upon seeing the white bone, Yang Xiao and Yang Xue immediately knew it belonged to their Master. Others might not be able to perceive it, but they could clearly sense the aura of the Law of Years concealed within.
Yet another remnant. Qiong Qi's eyes reddened slightly. It seemed their old master had truly died a death without a whole body. Whatever lay beyond the boundaries of the world, whatever horrors lurked there — even a being of such supreme power had met such an end.
Bang Bang'er held the white bone in his hands, a complicated emotion flickering across his face. He hesitated only briefly before presenting it reverently with both hands: "This, I believe, is the object you have been seeking."
Yang Xue nodded and accepted it solemnly. The moment the white bone touched her hands, her body trembled faintly. Without any visible action from her, the bone began to glow, and golden patterns surfaced one after another across its exterior. A strange aura radiated outward, plunging everyone's thoughts into a momentary stillness.
It felt like an instant, yet also like a thousand years. When everyone came back to their senses, the white bone was just a white bone again, showing no abnormality.
But no one believed what had just happened was a mere illusion. The Law of Years was formidable, and the bone held divine properties. Though its owner had been dead for untold ages, the remains still harbored divine essence — an essence that remained hidden in ordinary times and only revealed its marvels when touched by a successor.
The last trace of doubt in Bang Bang'er's eyes vanished entirely. His gaze toward Yang Xue and Yang Xiao softened considerably. Earlier, Yang Xue had claimed to be the successor of the Emperor of Years, but words alone proved nothing. Only now did Bang Bang'er truly believe it.
He smiled faintly: "Our Mollusk Clan's ancestors stumbled upon this object by chance. They could tell it was extraordinary, but never fathomed the mysteries within. It has been passed down through generation after generation, and today it is finally returned to its rightful owner — a cause for celebration indeed."
Yang Xue stored the white bone and looked at Bang Bang'er: "Earlier, you mentioned that Master had bestowed grace upon your clan. What did you mean by that?"
Bang Bang'er waved his hands quickly: "You are the God Sovereign's distinguished disciples — I would never dare have you address me as 'Great King.' Please, just call me by my name." He paused briefly, then added: "Tell me, everyone — how old do you think Bang Bang'er is?"
It was an odd question, but if he was asking, there was surely a reason, and it had to be connected to the Law of Years.
Yang Xiao spoke up immediately: "Your cultivation is impressive, but you don't look old. The Demon Race is long-lived by nature… I'd guess two thousand years!"
"Wrong, wrong." Bang Bang'er shook his head, and without waiting for anyone else to guess further, gave the answer himself: "I don't remember exactly how old I am, but eight thousand years at the very least."
Yang Kai and the others were all startled. Eight thousand years — for someone of Bang Bang'er's cultivation level, that made him quite the longevity elder. What was even more remarkable was that he didn't look old at all.
But soon, everyone realized this was likely the doing of that white bone.
Sure enough, Bang Bang'er explained: "I am a Demon King — a high-grade Demon King. By all logic, I should not be able to live this long, yet I still feel young. It is not because my Mollusk Clan is naturally long-lived — it is the power of the God Sovereign's remains. Our ancestors obtained these remains long ago. Though they never uncovered their true mysteries, they discovered that bearing the remains within one's body greatly extended one's lifespan. That is why every leader of the Mollusk Clan has enjoyed a long life. Those who weren't killed in battles with other Demon Clans all lived to great ages — the longest-lived among them survived over thirteen thousand years. All of this is thanks to the God Sovereign's grace."
"We Mollusk have dwelled in this vast ocean for ages. Though we do not seek conflict, disasters occasionally befall us. Our clan is small in number and lacking in power, and we have faced near-annihilation several times. That we survived each time is thanks to the protection of the God Sovereign's remains." Bang Bang'er continued: "To be honest, we of the Mollusk Clan have never understood the mysteries of these remains and cannot normally activate their power. But should my life fall into mortal danger, there is a possibility that their power may be triggered, sweeping away our enemies."
Bang Bang'er was the leader of the Mollusk Clan — if even his life was at stake, then the clan as a whole had truly reached the brink of extinction. And in such a moment, the Emperor's remains might unleash a fraction of their power, granting Bang Bang'er divine aid…
This had never happened in his own lifetime, but it had genuinely occurred in the hands of previous Mollusk Clan leaders.