Chapter 180: That’s impossible!

Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon

These days, the affairs of the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon are managed by the elder dragon, Draconis, who has always been a staunch supporter of Azura.

When Azura returned, Draconis immediately led the other dragons to greet her.

"Heh, what do you think? Pretty impressive, right? Can you feel the majesty of me, the Ocean Dragon King?"

Feeling the respectful gazes of the dragons standing solemnly on either side, Azura couldn't help but feel a little smug. She bounced around in front of Timothy, showing off.

"Calm down. At least try to act like a Dragon King with some dignity," Timothy said with a chuckle, lightly knocking Azura on the head.

"Ow! That hurt! But, I guess you've got a point."

Rubbing her head, Azura reluctantly composed herself. She cleared her throat and tried to put on a more dignified air, as befitting the Ocean Dragon King of the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon. After all, she had to maintain some level of authority.

"Draconis, gather seven trustworthy dragons with pure bloodlines for me," Azura ordered, dismissing the other dragons.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Though puzzled, Draconis followed Azura's instructions and brought seven dragons before her. However, he couldn't hide his confusion once they were assembled.

"Why does the Dragon King suddenly need these dragons?" he asked.

Azura replied, "I'm preparing to perform the Blessing of the Nine Dragons."

The moment Azura spoke, Draconis was struck with shock.

The Blessing of the Nine Dragons was an incredibly grand and sacred ritual! The sheer power of the dragons involved could cause the heavens and earth to shift, creating a divine spectacle.

It was said that in ancient times, only the gods of the Celestial Realm, specifically divine couples, were worthy of receiving the Blessing of the Nine Dragons.

As a closely guarded secret of the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon, the ritual had long since faded from memory. For countless years, it had never been performed for any human.

But now, who in the world could possibly be worthy of such a blessing?

"Dragon King, I'm afraid this might not be appropriate. Who exactly are you planning to perform this grand ritual for? There shouldn't be any humans left who are worthy of it," Draconis said, clearly hesitant and unable to imagine who it could be. Discover stories at m,v l'-NovelFire.net S~eaʀᴄh the nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Is Goddess Sylvia not worthy enough?" Azura's response made Draconis's eyes widen in shock.

"Goddess Sylvia?!"

Draconis's mouth hung open, but no words came out.

Goddess Sylvia was indeed one of the few beings he could think of who might be worthy of such an honor. But still…

"But… does Goddess Sylvia have a lover?" Draconis asked, still in disbelief.

"Of course she does! The Blessing of the Nine Dragons is my Valentine's Day gift to her," Azura said, nodding her head enthusiastically.

"What?! The Goddess has a lover?!"

At this, not only Draconis but the other seven dragons were completely dumbfounded.

The cold and aloof Goddess Sylvia, the one who had written The Uselessness of Spiritual Partners, and who had always been indifferent to love, was in a relationship?!

The shock was beyond words.

"That's impossible! If the Goddess had a lover, the whole world would be in an uproar. How could this be… Dragon King, may I be so bold as to ask—who is the Goddess's lover?"

Draconis's astonishment was now impossible to hide.

"Uh, well…"

Azura glanced at Timothy, and after noticing his expression, quickly looked away.

Azura cleared her throat and said, "Just wait. You'll see for yourselves on Valentine's Day. But remember, don't go blabbing about it. Otherwise, you won't be able to handle the sword in Goddess Sylvia's hands."

"I-I understand, Your Majesty," Draconis stammered.

The mere thought of Goddess Sylvia's wooden sword, glowing with the overwhelming power of the Holy Emperor, sent a chill down Draconis's spine. He quickly bowed, not daring to say another word.

The other seven dragons also remained silent, though their minds were racing.

"Who could possibly be Goddess Sylvia's lover? Who in the world could be worthy of standing beside her?"

No matter how hard they tried, the dragons couldn't come up with an answer. It seemed they would have to wait until Valentine's Day to find out.

As his thoughts churned, Draconis couldn't help but let out an awkward chuckle. Who would've thought that despite her cold and aloof nature, Goddess Sylvia actually celebrates Valentine's Day? That's surprisingly… romantic.

"If it's for Goddess Sylvia, I'm willing to perform the Blessing of the Nine Dragons," Draconis said, his tone resolute.

"We're willing as well," the other dragons echoed.

Draconis and the seven other dragons slowly transformed into their massive dragon forms. The Blessing of the Nine Dragons was an incredibly rare and sacred ritual, the highest honor the dragon race could bestow. For most, even the gods of the Celestial Realm wouldn't necessarily be worthy of such a gift.

But for Goddess Sylvia, who had twice saved the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon and was revered across the world, they were more than willing to offer this tribute in their true forms.

"Thank you, everyone. Let's head out," Azura said.

Timothy nodded slightly and climbed onto Azura's dragon form. The roars of nine dragons echoed through the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon, their majestic presence filling the air with awe.

These nine dragons, including Azura, possessed the purest bloodlines in the Shrine and held the highest status among their kind.

As the nine massive dragons soared toward the sea, the Shrine of the Oceanic Dragon was abuzz with excitement and confusion.

"What's going on? Why is the Ocean Dragon King leading all these elders out to sea?"

"I have no idea. And wait… one, two, three, four… exactly nine dragons!"

"Could something big be happening? Or maybe there's some grand human festival?"

"A grand festival? I heard Valentine's Day is coming up for the humans, but that can't be it…"

"Yeah, no way any powerful human would care about something like Valentine's Day…"

Amid the murmurs of the Shrine, Timothy flew alongside the nine dragons, carried by the wind. The dragons' pure bloodlines caused their scales to shimmer with light, and as they flew, the sky began to darken. Thick clouds spread across the sky, covering thousands of miles. Yet, beams of light occasionally broke through the clouds, casting a brilliant, divine glow on the dragons' bodies.

Within the swirling clouds, the dragons' massive forms moved gracefully, their roars occasionally echoing through the heavens, as if gods themselves were descending. The sight was awe-inspiring.

On the ground below, both commoners and practitioners alike were filled with reverence as they witnessed the divine spectacle. Their hearts swelled with emotion, and they couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect.

Timothy, too, felt something strange. A mysterious, profound energy seemed to be swirling around him, as if it were connected to the very essence of the heavens. Even though the Blessing of the Nine Dragons hadn't officially begun, the presence of these nine pure-blooded dragons was already drawing forth a unique phenomenon.

It seemed Azura had been telling the truth. The Blessing of the Nine Dragons was powerful enough to summon divine signs and attract the attention of the gods.

Their flight was swift, and soon, they were approaching the mountain range of the Sky Sanctuary.

"There's only one day left until Valentine's Day," Timothy said with a slight smile, gazing toward the distant Sky Sanctuary.

But for some reason, today, the Sky Sanctuary felt… different. Something was off, though Timothy couldn't quite put his finger on it.