Just as they were speaking, movement sounded from behind.

As if something had fallen down.

Plop.

Lv Shan paused for a moment and turned around. He saw no one, but he did spot a comb lying on the ground.

He hesitated, then stepped closer to pick it up.

Looking down, he saw a child running away outside, seemingly very flustered.

Chen Changsheng walked to Lv Shan’s side and asked, “What is it?”

Lv Shan snapped back to attention, glanced at the comb in his hand, and forced out a reply, “It’s nothing…”

Chen Changsheng also looked towards the child scampering into the distance. “Is his family among the walking dead?”

Lv Shan was silent for a moment, then nodded. “Mn. I call him Little Stone. I brought him here from Linglan Fang. This comb belonged to his mother. In a frantic scramble, he grabbed only this comb. He often sneaks up to the city wall to look, hoping to spot his mother.”

He paused briefly before adding, “I promised him I would bring his mother back.”

After hearing this, Chen Changsheng fell silent for a second and sighed lightly.

A refined Soul Spirit, no matter how cultivated, was beyond salvation.

“It’s not your fault,” Chen Changsheng said.

Lv Shan sighed. “There’s no need to console me, Mr. Chen. I’m just feeling quite conflicted. It will pass. My Master often teaches me to let go of such matters. And I understand the reasoning.”

“Then I’ll say no more.”

Lv Shan gripped the comb, gazing far off, lost in unknown thoughts.

…

By night, Lv Shan had dismissed everyone from the City Tower. Not a single Government Officer or laborer remained to watch.

Only five people stood on the city wall now.

Mr. Chen, the Dragon Lord, the Second Prince, the Dragon Princess, and Lv Shan.

“Why not let this old one handle it?” The Old Dragon King spoke.

Chen Changsheng nodded. “Fine.”

When it came to Flame Art, the scorching Dragon Breath that could consume the plains in an instant—a Divine Ability inherent to the Dragon Clan—this was most suitable.

Yingyuan and Ying En stepped forward.

Yingyuan opened his mouth; a faint golden shimmer appeared as Dragon Breath gathered. Ying En stood atop the wall, making hand signs to channel the Power of Worship.

Behind her, the majestic golden form of a True Dragon manifested—an achievement through the Great Dao of Worship. Though she hadn’t undergone Ascend as Dragon via Flood, she already radiated the aura of a True Dragon.

By comparison, Lv Shan felt somewhat awkward.

“Seems there’s no place for me…”

His cultivation was simply insignificant next to the Second Prince and Ying En. Best to just stand down.

Lv Shan was also inwardly surprised. The rumors he’d heard about the younger generation of the Dragon Palace hadn’t portrayed them as quite this remarkable. Yet seeing them now, it seemed both were close to entering the realm of True Dragons. Evidently, the outside rumors were unreliable.

“You can’t burn them!!”

A young, childlike voice suddenly cried out.

A group of Government Officers followed close behind.

“Get back! Don’t disturb the Immortals working their magic! Get back!”

But the child was faster, racing ahead to throw himself before Ying En and Yingyuan.

“You can’t burn them!!”

The following officers tried to pull the child away.

“This is…” Ying En faltered, looking towards Mr. Chen.

Chen Changsheng paused but said nothing.

“Little Stone?”

Lv Shan called out, stepping up to wave off the Government Soldiers. He grabbed the child’s shoulder. “What are you doing here? Who let you come up?”

Little Stone clung to the Fortress Wall, scared of being dragged away.

“You’re about to burn my mom! I won’t let you! I won’t!”

Lv Shan frowned, scolding, “Don’t be ridiculous!”

“Let go right now and get down! Down!”

“No!”

The soft flesh of Little Stone’s fingers dug stubbornly into protrusions on the wall.

Under Lv Shan’s pulling, his fingertips bled, yet he refused to let go.

Chen Changsheng stepped forward, patting Lv Shan’s shoulder.

“Mr. Chen…”

Lv Shan bowed his head.

“It’s alright.”

Chen Changsheng came before Little Stone.

Seeing the stranger, Little Stone seemed afraid.

“Are you afraid?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Little Stone stayed silent, only looking at him.

Chen Changsheng then asked, “If you’re afraid, why did you dare stand here?”

Little Stone murmured, “You wanted to burn my mother.”

“But there is no other way.”

“You are Immortals! Immortals can do anything! Why is there no other way?”

“Even Immortals have moments of helplessness. And besides, we can’t really be called Immortals.”

Little Stone pressed his lips together and said, “Mother was just sick. She just needed medicine for a few days. I begged you, please don’t burn her. Please…”

His voice trembled with desperation; his eyes were red.

“She is all I have.”

“Mother could weave butterfly hairpins for me, she bought me treats, she told me stories… I beg you…”

As he spoke, Little Stone burst into loud sobs.

Ying En bit her lip, a heaviness settling in her own heart. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“Little Stone…”

Lv Shan whispered the name.

Crying, Little Stone looked at him. “You promised… you promised you could save Mom. Why did you lie? Why?”

Lv Shan opened his mouth, unable to form an answer.

He lowered his head and could only utter, “I am useless.”

Blurred by tears flooding his eyes, Little Stone’s vision dimmed.

Chen Changsheng reached out and laid a hand on Little Stone’s forehead.

After a moment, Little Stone’s weeping gradually quieted. He slowly drifted into sleep.

Chen Changsheng lifted him and saw the many wounds on the child’s bleeding fingers.

“Take him down the wall,” Chen Changsheng sighed.

Often, no amount of reasoning could help with some matters. These were times when reason fell short.

Lv Shan took Little Stone from his arms. He pressed his lips together, uttered a quick word, then hurried down the City Tower with the sleeping child.

The Old Dragon King watched peacefully, saying nothing.

Ying En quietly asked, “Uncle Chen… there’s really no other way?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head, silent.

There were many things he could not do in this world. Times would always come when he felt powerless.

The Old Dragon King spoke then. “Set aside such thoughts. Begin.”

Ying En pressed her lips tight, her worry finally escaping as a sigh.

Seeing this, Yingyuan opened wide and let out a mighty breath.

WHOOSH!

Flames erupted outside the city walls.

Lv Shan, descending the steps, glanced back at the fiery light. He looked at Little Stone asleep against him.

He shook his head and didn’t look back again.

As the Flame Art blazed, a great inferno instantly spread across the land beyond the wall.

Beneath these flames, the walking dead recoiled, fleeing outward.

Moving and casting repeatedly, Ying En and Yingyuan gradually cleared and scattered the encircling walking dead in every direction.

“I will pursue,” Chen Changsheng said. “Dragon Lord, please watch over the city.”

His gaze remained fixed on the walking dead with the Blood Bead upon its forehead.

The Old Dragon King replied, “Be cautious.”

Chen Changsheng nodded. Then, vaulting into the air, he chased after the fleeing corpse into the deep night.