Everyone: Summoners are weak? One gold entry at level 1

Chapter 727 The Dragon Clan Discussion
The Dragon Palace of the East Sea, the Crystal Council Hall.

The luminous pearls embedded in the dome emitted a soft yet cold glow, illuminating the dozens of dragon elders standing solemnly below.

The atmosphere was as heavy as a bottomless abyss of ice. An invisible pressure and suspicion permeated the air.

Ao Lie sat on the left side of the main seat. Although his huge dragon body looked weak, his dark golden dragon eyes were sharp as knives, locked on the dragon girl who was floating on the cold jade throne opposite him.

Beside him, several trusted elders also looked at him with hostility.

"Your Majesty the Dragon King, esteemed elders!" A dragon elder who was affiliated with Ao Lie was the first to speak out, his voice loud but full of doubt, "Elder Ao Qing's fall in the Ancient Abyss is shrouded in mystery."

Elder Ao Lie went to the Kunpeng Nest and finally obtained the spiritual treasures Hetu and Luoshu.

In that place of fall, besides the ancient abyss's malevolent energy, there remains an extremely strange aura that is definitely not that of my dragon race.

This aura is sinister and secretive, deeply intertwined with the cause and effect of Elder Ao Qing's demise! May I ask, Your Highness, what explanation do you have for this?

Your Highness was overseeing defenses near Guyuan at the time; could it be... that you were truly unaware?"

The spearhead was aimed directly at the Dragon Girl.

Several powerful dragon soul intents focused on the dragon girl like searchlights, filled with scrutiny and suspicion.

The Dragon Maiden sat regally on the jade throne, her silver scales shimmering with a cool, clear light.

Faced with a storm of questions, she remained calm, showing neither joy nor sorrow, only her deep, star-like dragon eyes gleaming in the depths.

The power of "Deceiving Heaven and Concealing the Sea" has been activated to its fullest extent.

Her aura, her emotions, and the fluctuations of her dragon soul blended perfectly with the cold jade throne beneath her, which symbolized the authority of the East Sea, and with the solemn and dignified atmosphere of the entire Crystal Palace.

"Explanation?" The Dragon Girl spoke slowly, her voice clear and melodious, carrying an innate majesty. The faint aura of the [Heavenly Dragon Lord] quietly enveloped her, giving her words a natural, convincing power.

"Elder Ao Qiu's words are very puzzling to me."

Her gaze swept across the entire area, finally settling on Ao Lie: "Elder Ao Lie's investigation revealed only a wisp of strange aura of unknown origin, difficult to discern. The Ancient Abyss is a forbidden area of ​​our clan, and also the ruins of an ancient battlefield. The mysterious aura remaining within it is countless."
What's so strange about the presence of residual auras of an alien species that have never been recorded by the dragon race?
Can we conclude that Elder Ao Qing died in a conspiracy based on just a wisp of breath?
Are you suggesting that I, the 'Dragon Prince' appointed by His Majesty the Dragon King and jointly recognized by the Elders, am embezzling from my post?

Her tone turned cold, carrying a perfectly measured hint of anger: "I am stationed in the Ancient Abyss to secure the eastern border of my clan and guard against any disturbances in the abyss."

Elder Ao Qing's unexpected demise has deeply saddened me. I immediately blocked the news, stabilized the situation, personally went to the dangerous area to investigate potential dangers, and took over its defenses. I have never been negligent in the slightest.
Elder Ao Qiu, relying solely on conjecture, made outrageous remarks in front of me and the other elders, questioning my reputation and responsibilities. What are his intentions?

"Does it mean you think my dragon clan isn't chaotic enough already, and want to disrupt the morale of my Eastern Navy before that covetous abyss does?!"

Every word was powerful and every sentence pierced the heart! The blessing of the [Heavenly Mandate Dragon Lord] amplified the weight of these words.

Many elders who had initially held a neutral or wait-and-see attitude subtly changed their expressions. The Dragon Girl's actions after Ao Qing's death were indeed commendable and beyond reproach.

A fierce glint flashed in Ao Lie's eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, please calm down."

Ao Qiu was concerned about the clan elders, and although his words were urgent, his aura was anything but ordinary.

Its aura was pure and strange, something that no ancient, inanimate object could possess.

If Your Highness has a clear conscience, would you dare to release your records of movements over the past century to prove your innocence?

His true intentions were revealed when he directly demanded to investigate the Dragon Girl's whereabouts! He was trying to put her in a very difficult position.

These words caused an uproar in the hall. To scrutinize the whereabouts of a dragon prince, and a strong contender for the Dragon King's succession, was an act of utter distrust and offense. The Dragon Princess inwardly sneered, but her deceptive abilities allowed her to maintain a calm facade, even carrying a hint of offended coldness: "My whereabouts concern the secrets of the Dragon Clan; how can they be revealed to others so casually?"
Elder Ao Lie, today you have pressed me relentlessly, determined to interrogate me based solely on a wisp of unverifiable aura.

"Then tomorrow, will you be able to kill any dragon prince on trumped-up charges, allowing the dragon princes who are close to you to seize more resources?"

"I would like to ask you, do you truly wish to uncover the truth behind Elder Ao Qing's demise, or do you intend to use this as an excuse to undermine the foundation of the Dragon Clan and seize power for your Ao Lie faction?!"

They immediately slapped a heavy accusation of "plotting to seize power" back on him.

At the same time, it points out the inappropriateness of Ao Lie's behavior and the hidden dangers involved!

"You!" Ao Lie was so angry that his dragon whiskers trembled wildly, and his dragon might leaked out uncontrollably, but it was steadily resisted by the increasingly obvious aura of the [Heavenly Mandate Dragon Lord] on the dragon girl.

"Enough!" At the highest point of the throne, the Golden Immortal Dragon King, who had been sleeping with his eyes closed, finally opened them.

That gaze was calm, yet contained a vast and abyss-like majesty, instantly suppressing all the restless dragon power and thoughts within the hall.

He slowly swept his gaze over Ao Lie and the Dragon Girl, his voice deep and resonant like thunder in the deep sea: "The fall of Ao Qing is a tragedy for our clan. It is only right to investigate the truth. Making unfounded speculations without evidence is unacceptable."

"Bring its aura here, and I will have it analyzed at the Imperial Palace. The Dragon Maiden has rendered meritorious service in guarding the palace; she must not be disgraced."

Ao Lie shook his head and said, "No, the Dragon Girl is on good terms with the Human Emperor's Palace, so she must be hiding something. That's why I went to the Kunpeng Nest in the first place!"

"Then I will ask the Bai Ze lineage to lend a hand, for I have a past relationship with the Golden Immortal over there!"

The Dragon King's gaze finally fell on Ao Lie, carrying a hint of warning: "This matter will be investigated secretly by the 'Hidden Scale Guards'."

The Dragon Girl's whereabouts may not be investigated without the joint permission of the King and the Elders.

"Ao Lie, since you care so much about your brothers, focus on recuperating. The defense of Guyuan will be temporarily overseen by the Dragon Maiden. Dismissed."

The Dragon King made the final decision, seemingly punishing both sides equally, but in reality, he favored the Dragon Girl.

Not only did they reject the review request, but they also completely handed over the real power of the Ancient Abyss Defense to the Dragon Girl.

The elders of Ao Lie's faction turned ashen-faced.

"I will obey Your Majesty's command." The Dragon Girl bowed respectfully, but felt no relief whatsoever.

She knew that Ao Lie would never give up.

The "secret investigation" mentioned by the Dragon King was itself a signal; he also had suspicions, but lacked evidence.

And she was by no means someone who would sit idly by and wait for death.

Returning to her heavily guarded palace chamber, the Dragon Maiden waved her hand, setting up layers of spatial restrictions. She coiled in the center, her dragon claws tracing lines in the void, the faint light of the [Cosmic Star Trail] flowing across her scales.

A secret communication traversed endless space, connecting to Fuxi City.

"My lord, Ao Lie has invited Kunpeng Nest to conduct a divination."

Although there is no concrete evidence, the hatred remains.

"The Dragon King has ordered a secret investigation. Ao Lie's faction is bound to make some unusual moves soon. I need irrefutable evidence that they are colluding with the Abyss or harming the Dragon Clan. We must strike them down!" the Dragon Girl's voice said.

(End of this chapter)