The old Elder said, "What considerations our ancient ancestors had, we cannot know. But looking at the current situation, without this agreement, the members of the Dragon and Phoenix clans would only become even fewer."
Without this agreement, the Dragon and Phoenix clans would be free to come and go from the battlefield as they pleased. Who could guarantee that they would survive? Under the Mo Clan's fearsome offensive, even Dragons and Phoenixes could fall.
A few clan members dying in battle was no great matter, but what if the deaths piled up? If several important figures were lost and the clans flew into a rage, rushing en masse onto the battlefield, it could very well lead to their complete annihilation.
It was precisely because of this agreement that the Dragon and Phoenix clans could hold fast at the Unreturning Pass. Life there might be excruciatingly dull, but at least they didn't have to shoulder the myriad risks of the battlefield.
From this perspective, perhaps it wasn't the ancient human powerhouses who had restricted the Dragons' freedom—perhaps the Dragons had chosen it themselves.
"What does this have to do with me inscribing my name in the Dragon Register?" Yang Kai asked with a frown.
The old Elder said, "If you inscribe your name in the Dragon Register, you must also abide by this agreement."
"Meaning, once I inscribe my name, I'll have to remain at the Unreturning Pass and never return to the Mo Battlefield?"
"Precisely." The old Elder nodded.
This agreement was, after all, akin to a bloodline oath. If Yang Kai hadn't been a pure-blooded Dragon, it would have been one thing—but now that his bloodline had been purified, once his name was recorded in the Dragon Register, he would be equally bound by it. Any violation would bring certain backlash.
Yang Kai gazed quietly at the three Dragon clan Elders before him. The three Elders remained perfectly composed.
Had Yang Kai not asked of his own accord, they would never have brought this up. It wasn't that they intended to hide anything—if they truly meant to conceal it, they wouldn't have explained so much either.
The truth was, the intelligence relayed back by Fu Guang indicated that Yang Kai's Sun and Moon Mark was of tremendous value to the Dragon clan. If it were possible, they naturally wanted Yang Kai to stay at the Unreturning Pass.
Setting the three of them aside, there were other Ancient Dragons in the clan who would need to advance and break through in the future. If Yang Kai could assist, the success rate could increase by at least twenty to thirty percent.
Don't underestimate that twenty or thirty percent—it could mean the Dragon clan gaining several more Holy Dragons!
But since Yang Kai had asked directly, they naturally had to be honest. Deceiving a clansman was beneath their dignity.
Inscribing one's name in the Dragon Register did come with immense benefits. The combined power of the Dragon Register and the Dragon Pool alone could potentially bring someone back from death—no one could refuse that temptation.
But if he couldn't leave the Unreturning Pass, what would even be the point?
Yang Kai had come on this trip to elevate his bloodline primarily for the sake of the future expedition. If he were truly confined to the Unreturning Pass, what expedition could there be? That would make all of Ancestor Xiaoxiao's efforts and expectations come to nothing.
In the ensuing silence, the old female Elder spoke. "Yang Kai, the essence you obtained was the Source Power of a third-generation Dragon Emperor. This Source is no ordinary thing. Moreover, you were transformed from a human into a Dragon. If you inscribe your name in the Dragon Register, you may retain your original surname. Should you produce offspring in the future, our Dragon clan will gain yet another branch—a great contribution to our people!"
Her meaning was obvious: if Yang Kai were willing to stay at the Unreturning Pass and father a few more young Dragons, then in the future the Dragon clan would have a new Yang surname branch alongside the existing Fu, Zhu, and Ji lines.
This was a rare honor not just anyone could receive. The Dragon clan had existed for untold ages, and to this day comprised only three branches. As soon as Yang Kai inscribed his name, a fourth would come into being—and Yang Kai would become the patriarch of that new line.
The third Elder, who had remained silent until now, also spoke. "It's not that we want you to stay at the Unreturning Pass to merely survive. With your Seventh-Order Open Heaven cultivation, even with a seven-thousand-zhang Ancient Dragon body, your ability to make a difference across the entire Mo Battlefield is limited. But staying here would be a different matter entirely. Your presence would be of tremendous benefit to the Dragon clan's future."
"If you're willing, you could even bring your family members to the Unreturning Pass. Though this place is also located within the Mo Battlefield, it has been relatively peaceful these years. Now that Dayan Pass has been reclaimed, no more Mo Clan forces come to harass us."
"Indeed. You must have relatives in the Three Thousand Worlds. Living on the Mo Battlefield means never knowing if you'll see another day. Those close to you must be living in constant worry. How can your conscience bear that?"
The three Dragon clan Elders took turns speaking, every word aimed at persuading Yang Kai to inscribe his name in the Dragon Register and stay at the Unreturning Pass.
But seeing Yang Kai's composed expression, the three Elders knew their persuasion had not been particularly effective. He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven cultivator after all, with a steady and resolute mind. If a few words of persuasion could easily change his convictions, he would never have achieved his current level of cultivation.
The old Elder said, "There's no rush regarding the matter of inscribing your name. Stay at the Unreturning Pass for a while and think it over carefully. If you truly don't wish to, no one will force you."
Yang Kai slowly shook his head. "I appreciate the three Elders' kindness. Inscribing my name in the Dragon Register, remaining at the Unreturning Pass, living in peace—these are things I genuinely long for. But on the Mo Battlefield, there are still many of my comrades. The Human Race is about to embark on its great expedition. My cultivation may be insignificant, and perhaps, as the Elders say, one more of me makes no difference and one fewer changes nothing either. But... how can a tower be built without gathering sand? Our ancestors—countless generations—fell in battle against the Mo Clan, sacrificing their lives and their Daos. I am unworthy, but I wish to follow in their footsteps. If I truly perish somewhere on the battlefield, it will be because my strength was insufficient. I would have no one to blame."
The old Elder's expression turned solemn. "You've made up your mind."
Yang Kai took a step back and cupped his fists in a bow. "For the Human Race, for the Three Thousand Worlds—I would not hesitate to die ten thousand deaths!"
The old female Elder sighed softly and said nothing more.
The old Elder nodded. "Very well. We won't press you. The matter of inscribing your name in the Dragon Register... one day, when the Mo Clan has been eradicated, come back to the Unreturning Pass, and we will preside over it for you."
"Thank you, three Elders!" Yang Kai bowed again. "I've troubled you for many days. I shall take my leave now."
"The battlefield is perilous. Be careful in all things."