"Not my sect's founder, but my First Senior Brother."
Quinn searched carefully, hoping to find some treasure carelessly left behind by the Heavenly Saint Cult's Founding Patriarch. In the end, he helplessly concluded that if his First Senior Brother ever ran a bathhouse in Everpeace, business would boom.
This place had already been scrubbed spotless by the Founding Patriarch—there was nothing left worth taking.
Unless Quinn took the Founding Patriarch's great cauldron and the ten li of yellow sand—or dismantled the entire palace and carried it off—which was impossible. Both the palace and the cauldron were treasures used to suppress the Bound Dragon God.
In the ten li of yellow sand, I saw the Star Sand gather and form Star Sand Evil Eyes. The star sequence and connections between the stars, even their attributes and composition, matched exactly the divine array in our Heavenly Saint Cult's Grand Fostering Heavenly Demon Sutra.
Quinn searched for a long time but found nothing, so he met the Bound Dragon God's gaze and said, "Once I realized this, I suddenly understood that the Ten-Mile Star Sand Tribulation Array was actually something I'd studied before—it's hidden within the Grand Fostering Heavenly Demon Sutra. Once I grasped that, the formation, though deadly to true gods, was much simpler for me. That's how I survived."
He circled the chained Bound Dragon God twice, speaking leisurely: "But even then, I wasn't sure if this killing array was left by my First Senior Brother, so after escaping the Star Sand Tribulation Array, I carefully examined the divine script on the cliff and the demonic script on the chains."
Myles Jiang followed Quinn's steps, circling the Bound Dragon God twice, pondering: "So, when you say 'act in accordance with nature; whether god or demon, what’s that to me,' that line wasn't meant for me, nor was it your own insight?"
"That line, I read from the divine and demonic script left by my First Senior Brother. I was describing his heart-realm."
Quinn moved to stand before the Bound Dragon God, stopping to explain: "My First Senior Brother is the Heavenly Saint Cult's Founding Patriarch. His heart-realm is extremely profound. The Cult has a doctrine of the three accomplishments: founding the sect, establishing doctrine, and achieving great merit. My First Senior Brother has founded the sect and established doctrine, but has not achieved great merit, so he cannot become a sage or reach the Woodcutter Sage's realm. Yet among all Cult Masters, he alone has accomplished two of the three. Thus, only he could suppress the Bound Dragon God—no other Cult Master could."
"Then why did your First Senior Brother suppress the Bound Dragon God?" Myles Jiang stopped, puzzled, and asked.
"That is a question for this senior Bound Dragon God."
Quinn looked up at the Bound Dragon God, who was so immense that even chained and his powers sealed, his coiled body inspired awe.
His dragon whiskers hung down, drifting like colorful clouds—full of vitality. Such a majestic being showed no trace of evil.
Quinn raised his head and asked, "My First Senior Brother chained you here to achieve great merit and sainthood. But what evil did you commit that required such punishment? Please enlighten us, senior."
The Bound Dragon God had watched Quinn circle him with a cold gaze. Suddenly, he grinned, revealing sharp teeth: "Such a clever child—why must you die? Sometimes, ignorance is safer. If you understand, pretend you do not; that way, you might live longer."
Myles Jiang shivered and looked up: "Then, senior, why have you been calling for me? What is your purpose?"
The Bound Dragon God's massive body twisted, his neck moving in an eerie arc. The chains pulled taut as he stared at Myles Jiang, his long dragon snout nearly touching Quinn and Myles—but the chains kept him just out of reach.
Quinn kept Myles Jiang circling at a precise distance—just outside the dragon's attack range.
The Bound Dragon God's breath blew wrinkles into their faces. "Of course, I called you here to free me, son of the Yong River Dragon King..."