"Why does the Empire have the Dragon Clan's Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale?"

Pausing for a moment, Leon added, "Also, I still have no idea what this Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale really is. It's not exactly a detonator, nor does it seem to be some kind of organ that stores the last vestiges of energy."

"The Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale is extremely important to the Dragon Clan,"

Noa explained. "Its function isn't storing energy or potentially being detonated in a last-ditch effort as it seems to be. It is actually more like a 'safety mechanism'."

"A safety mechanism?"

"Yeah."

Noa continued, "For a Dragon Clan member with a Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale, it allows them to perfectly control their own power. Pureblood Dragon Clan members carry an innate thirst for violence in their bloodline. That makes them prone to reckless behavior during combat. The Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale acts as a safeguard to prevent them from being consumed by their own powers at critical moments. Beyond that, it certainly has many other functions as well."

"For example, it enhances the vitality of the Dragon Clan, or could even be utilized as a detonator under specific circumstances—just like the Yao Xing Dragon King, Stana, did back in the day."

Leon mulled over Noa's words. "Safety mechanism... consumed by their own power..."

He seemed to have thought of something, then turned to look at Roswitha encased in the crystal. "Could it be related to the Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale that your mother fell into a coma after expending all her strength then?"

Noa nodded. "Great-grandmother said that Mom's Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale is peculiar. Though it exists, its effectiveness is almost negligible. So when she finally unleashed that miraculous force, the dragon scale failed to function, which was why she fell into a coma."

"Of course, the dragon scale might not be the sole reason. After all, there could be many reasons for a body like that of the Dragon King to fall into a deep sleep, and dragon scales are just one of them."

Leon made a sound of acknowledgment but refrained from delving further into the matter of the Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale.

So the topic returned to the very first one:

"Why does the Empire have treasures of the Dragon Clan?"

Noa shrugged. "I’m not quite sure about that. My source only told me that there are many Heart-Guarding Dragon Scales stored within the Empire."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "And this informant of yours is...?"

Noa snorted. "I won't tell you."

"Phew, keeping your dad in suspense." Leon pursed his lips.

Noa mischievously stuck her tongue out, refusing to reveal anything further about this mysterious informant.

Leon wasn't very concerned about the identity of this informant. What he cared more about was, "Is this person reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable. Trust me, there's absolutely no one else in this world more dependable than her."

Alright, scrap what he’d just said. General Leon's curiosity was now utterly piqued.

Who on earth could earn such unbridled trust from the notoriously cautious and skeptical Noa?

Yet Noa seemed intent on keeping this secret, and Leon didn't dwell too much on the matter.

"Besides the Empire, is there any other way for us to acquire dragon scales with properties similar to those of the Xingyou Dragon Clan's power?" Leon asked.

"Ravi’s downfall was only twenty years ago. The Xingyou Dragon Clan likely hasn’t nominated a new Dragon King just yet," Noa said.

The handover of the dragon king in each tribe is an exceptionally drawn-out and convoluted affair.

Selecting candidates, investing resources, cultivating them slowly, conducting evaluation surveys among the clan members, testing the abilities of the clan elders, and finally the Dragon King Trial itself—all of these steps required considerable time.

In the best-case scenario, it would take several years. In the worst-case scenario... well, there was no telling.

And all of this was assuming the previous Dragon King's passing occurred under normal circumstances, like natural death due to aging or illness.

If it were someone like Ravi who died suddenly, the situation would be much more complicated.

Did the clan have any candidates for the Dragon King? Was there a clear favorite in ongoing factional disputes? And what other internal factors might be at play? All of these dynamics had a direct impact on the succession process.

"If it's not a Heart-Guarding Dragon Scale of Dragon King-level, it might not work for the reverse-engineering ritual."

Aurora spoke solemnly, "We don 't have that much chance to make mistakes. Only three months left. Next time... It must succeed."

The father and his three daughters exchanged looks of mutual understanding. As if by instinct, they all turned their eyes to Roswitha in the crystal at the same time.

The silver-haired beauty lay there peacefully.

But Leon yearned to see the sarcastic and sharp-tongued Silver Dragon Queen he loved. For her, being trapped in an endless slumber was undoubtedly the cruelest punishment imaginable.

After a long silence, Leon eventually murmured,

"We… are going to the Empire."

Leon never imagined he’d one day return to the Empire under such circumstances.

Back when he rooted out internal spies and left, he had assumed that if he were to ever return here, it would surely be to overthrow that scoundrel Emperor.

However, as time went by, various troubles and problems followed one after another, leading to the current situation.

Leon had no choice but to return to this land that he both loved and loathed, for the sake of saving his wife… and his family.

In the forest just a few kilometers outside the Empire, Leon was already very familiar with this place.

He pointed to a particular highland and turned back to look at Aurora. "This spot, right here, is where you were born."

"Dad, are you getting senile at twenty-three?"

Aurora quipped mercilessly. "I was born in the Silver Dragon's territory, okay? Mom told me."

"What I mean is, this is where I came up with your name."

Leon’s grin broadened, smug and irrepressible. "Ah, it was like yesterday. Your mom was holding onto me here, begging me not to leave, crying her eyes out like pear blossoms and tears streaming down her face. Truly a sight to remember—hey, where are you all going? Wait for me!"

The three sisters were already walking toward the edge of the forest, showing zero interest in listening to their father wax nostalgic.

The four of them arrived at the outskirts of the Empire's city walls and hid behind a slope to observe the situation.

At the gates of the Empire, merchant caravans and various task-oriented squads bustled in and out.

Ordinary citizens rarely passed through as it required going through complicated procedures. By the time they’d get the paperwork done, the moment would have long passed.

Looking at the scene before them now, it seemed this had not changed in two decades.

"Is there a way in?" Noa asked.

"My informant mentioned that the top of the Empire’s walls is now protected by sensory enchantments. Invisibility magic no longer works—we’ll have to enter through the main gate."

"Dad was a wanted man here twenty years ago. Who knows if they’ve lifted the bounty by now."

"Whether they have or not, we can't just waltz in without a disguise," Leon said.

Muen listened intently as her father analyzed the situation, trying to pick up practical infiltration tips.

However, the old thing's next sentence made Little Moon can't help sweating.

Only to hear him say seriously, "A handsome guy leading three beautiful ladies? Way too conspicuous."

Muen & Noa & Aurora: "..."

Calm down, old man.

Why is it that the closer to his hometown, the thicker this old bastard's skin becomes?

Aurora sighed and asked, "Then, handsome dad, any brilliant ideas?"

Leon’s attention shifted to the passing caravan carts.

A clever warrior might not fall prey to the same trick twice.

But when it came to Empire security staff? Oh, they just might.

"Alright, time to see if you've been keeping up with your workouts,"

Leon said. "Especially your planks!"