Lu Mingfei, who had read Dragon Clan before slaying the dragon

Yaksha stood guard at the entrance to the Hall of Offerings, lest anyone follow the strong smell of alcohol and find the young master, abandoning a roomful of loyal followers and drinking alone. Besides, the Hall of Offerings was a sacred place where the spirits of the ancestors were offered food and wine. Drinking here was a treason to one's teachers and ancestors!

Yuan Zhisheng, having studied abroad at Kassel College and been exposed to Western culture, faced opposition from many elders within the family regarding his appointment as patriarch of the Sheqi Eight Clans. They preferred a more established member of the family to take over. Rumors circulated that the young patriarch was unmotivated and uninterested in the family's governance and development. The most outrageous rumor was that Yuan Zhisheng simply didn't care about the position and that his life goal was to sell sunscreen at a nude beach. Of course, the younger members of the family, who had also studied in the United States, were still supportive. They said that if the older members visited a nude beach in the summer, their long-dead male hormones would resurface.

"Now that you and Yaksha are here, who will keep an eye on the three people in our headquarters?" Yuan Zhisheng frowned.

"Young Master, you've had too much to drink. Yasha and I wanted to go, but you drove us away. You said Ying was more reliable." Crow said, "Also, the hotel has already told us that our people are responsible for keeping watch. We will be notified immediately if anything happens."

"Oh yes, I remember now. You and Yasha are too perverted. I'm afraid those three lunatics from our headquarters will piss you off and strip you naked and display you at the intersection." Yuan Zhisheng slapped his head.

"Young Master, you're wrong to say that. Yasha and I are perverts, but our preferences are normal." Crow muttered softly, "No matter what, we wouldn't be interested in men, but Ying is different. Although the three men in this department are a bit neurotic, they are all excellent looks. One is a majestic man, one is a cool guy with a cold face, and the other is a young boy. They are perfect for a sultry old woman like Ying. She might not be able to resist!"

"Okay, I'll remember what you said and will definitely tell Sakura exactly as it is." Yuan Zhisheng patted Crow's shoulder hard, his body shaking slightly.

"Oh, please don't. If Ying knew, she would chop me up. Young Master, you're drunk and must have heard wrongly. I didn't say anything, and you don't remember anything!" Crow quickly helped Yuan Zhisheng down from the windowsill. "Finish this bowl and don't drink anymore. I lied to them before and said that the specialists from your reception department just returned. So I'll report to all the family heads that you just showered and are changing clothes. Remember to sober up and use mouthwash. Don't make any mistakes!"

After repeated instructions, Crow hurried away, dragging Yasha with him. Anyone admitted to this hall today was generally of higher status than the two of them. If Yuan Zhisheng, the young master, were caught secretly drinking before the meeting, he'd probably only receive a few words of reprimand, damaging his reputation, but no substantial punishment. However, the two of them, who had deceived the various patriarchs, would definitely not escape punishment; having their pinkies cut off would be considered a lenient punishment. This wasn't just some playful mafia game; the rules of the mafia were even more important than the heavens!

The two of them looked back from a distance. Gen Chisei was still sitting silently in the darkness, sipping his drink and gazing out the window at Tokyo. His back, framed by the faint light from the sky, evoked a sense of contemplation and weariness. It seemed as if this man was always like this, alone with his drink, contemplating the world and loathing it.

Crow and Yaksha looked at each other and sighed.

Who would have thought that the man with such a lonely and desolate back would be the current director of the executive bureau of the Japanese branch, the young master of the Sheqi Eight Clan, and the appointed director of the Japanese branch. That is a man who will become the emperor of the Japanese underworld one day. He has a noble status and powerful bloodline, but such a man who can get whatever he wants has no desire for power... It's like Bill Gates said that the thing he hates most in his life is money, and like the Secretary-General of the United Nations said that he is the person with the least say in the world.

Yuan Zhisheng was decisive and ruthless, commanding a vast executive bureau. He did this because the patriarch told him to, but he had no idea what his actions meant. He was born with the Amaterasu Fate, a rare gift. A man with the Amaterasu Fate shouldn't be without ambition, but Yuan Zhisheng truly had no desire for wealth or power. A man without ambition couldn't control the Sheqi Eight Families.

As the foremost family of the Japanese underworld, the Yaki Eight Clan's business scope encompasses the entire country. Their presence can be seen in almost every major business across the country. They are a dynasty hidden in the darkness. The man standing on the highest chair should be aloof and powerful. He controls the life and death of all Japanese gangs. People should keep his name secret, and everyone will be in awe of such a person! Tachibana Masamune did a great job, and Minamoto Chisei sincerely admired him, but he knew he could never do it.

His life's dream was simply to sell sunscreen in France. To that end, he frequently purchased different sunscreens online and would sneak off to the beaches of Okinawa to personally test their sun-blocking properties and skin-repairing properties. He imagined himself lying on Montalive Beach, surrounded by naked, toned women. He'd even considered taking Sakura and those two idiots, Crow and Yasha, with him to France. Sakura could be their model, and Crow and Yasha could be their salespeople...never mind. They'd better keep to themselves and just be cool and scare off any competitors.

Outside, a torrential downpour raged. Suddenly, lightning flashed from the clouds, illuminating his face and the shape of his lining. The garments symbolizing Amaterasu seemed to borrow a flash of lightning, and he shone faintly in the darkness, dispelling the darkness surrounding Gen Chisei. For no apparent reason, he thought again of the woman executed not long ago, Miyamoto Noyuki, and her final words.

"There's only so much light in this world. Some people live in the light, while others are destined to never see it. Is it because darkness shrouds those who can't see the light that they become ghosts? Or is it because they suffer from darkness that they become ghosts?"

"Can Amaterasu illuminate all people and demons?"

If a master painter saw the last scene, he would definitely paint it into a Ukiyo-e of the law enforcer Gen Chisheng enforcing justice and slaying the evil ghost. The evil ghost with a green face and fangs fell in a pool of blood. The sunlight filtered through the car window, illuminating the grand lining of Amaterasu. The light of redemption illuminated the face of the dead female ghost... But Gen Chisheng couldn't see Miyamoto Noyuki as a ghost. She was so stubborn when she was a human, and she was still stubborn after becoming a ghost... So where is the boundary between humans and ghosts?

Do ghosts also yearn for light? Those born in darkness never choose to live in it, but rather they are denied even a glimmer of light. So they stubbornly deceive themselves, and the world, saying they were born to walk in the night, that it is they who gave up the light, not the light itself.

But if someone gives them a little chance to embrace the light, they will rush into the fire without hesitation, like a person thirsty for water... even if what awaits them is not salvation, but destruction.

Chapter 188 Uesugi Eriya (Part 2) 2-in-1, please subscribe!

The "ghost" born in darkness finally died in the sunlight.

She knew very well that it was a lie that was going to kill her, but at the end of her life, she actually borrowed a bit of warmth from the lie, which served as a ray of light in her dark life and the final redemption of her tragic life.

It turns out that ghosts yearn for light more than humans... How ridiculous.

Yuan Zhisheng lowered the curtains, blocking out the last ray of daylight. He immersed himself in pitch darkness, imagining himself a ghost born in eternal night, unable to see any color. Thick darkness enveloped him, and not a single ray of light could penetrate his life.

He stretched out his hand and waved it gently in the darkness. He didn't know what was in front of him or what was behind him. He took a light step and bumped into the corner of the table. He took two steps back and bumped into the spiritual platform again. The air was colder than ever before, as if it seeped through his skin to his bones... So this is what it feels like to be born in darkness, walking on thin ice, with difficulty.

Even if it is Amaterasu, it cannot illuminate anyone in a place where there is no light... Gen Chisheng suddenly thought of someone, with the same sad and desolate tone, and the same beautiful face as snow.

When the woman was dying, he seemed to see a shadow behind her that had traveled through ten years. From the perspective of a bystander, he quietly watched the woman asking him questions with her sad life, and the corners of the shadow's mouth were filled with cold sarcasm.

It was like a long-planned scheme. Someone found Miyamoto Noyuki, who was living in darkness, and then gently pushed her from behind, letting her rush to her hometown where she was born and make it her grave. Then it was natural for him to meet this woman who was chasing after light and warmth... The meeting between Amaterasu and the wandering "ghost" seemed to be an arrangement of fate... But everything was planned. Someone took the woman's life as a proposition and asked Gennochi to interpret it.

But this proposition is a dead end.

Suddenly, a serpentine arc of lightning streaked through the clouds, followed by a violent crash of thunder. Scattered raindrops slammed fiercely against the porthole glass. In the pale lightning, Yuan Zhisheng's shadow was reflected on the dark curtains, like a person suddenly emerging from the void, a spirit returned from the underworld, a "ghost" buried deep in his memory yet firmly rooted in his mind!

The curtains were swaying in the wind that blew through the cracks in the window, and the shadows on the curtains rose and fell with it, as if dancing a sad and world-weary dance.

Yuan Zhisheng stared at the curtain intently. The shadow floating in the wind was extremely enchanting. It was clearly his reflection, but it looked more like another person.

His muscles were tense, and he subconsciously reached for the ancient Spider Knife beside him, but he forgot that he had stumbled several steps in the dark. He reached out and grabbed the blade, and the sharp blade cut his hand, and blood suddenly appeared from his fingertips.

The intense pain snapped him awake. Yuan Zhisheng held his breath. Outside, the rain continued to fall, and thunder rumbled in the distant sky. The room was filled with deathly silence and a deep blackness. He stood alone in the darkness, looking around for no one.

He stood in the darkness for a long moment, silent. Then he let out a long sigh, releasing the gloomy sorrow and subtle fear that had accumulated in his chest. He wiped the blood from the floor. The wound on his hand had begun to scab over. He sheathed the spider into its black sheath, donned a black-patterned haori, and walked out of the darkness.

The leaders of the entire Japanese underworld are waiting for him. Gen Chisheng knows how important today's meeting is to the family. This will be a crossroads that will determine the fate and future of the family. If he makes the right choice, the Eight Snake Families will usher in eternal prosperity and stability. If he makes the wrong choice, blood will flow into the sea and destruction will only take a moment.

One wrong thought and everything is over.

Yuan Zhisheng drank the last sip of soju and cleared his mind of all distracting thoughts. Ghosts are just ghosts, and the dead can never return to the world of the living. He could not allow himself to let his thoughts run wild.

He is the young master of the Sheqi Eight Clan and the family's enforcer. An enforcer's job is to slay demons, and distracting thoughts can slow down the speed of drawing a sword. Amaterasu's mission is to illuminate the world, severing all demons and their tragic fates.

……

"The young master has finished entertaining our commissioner and is changing his clothes. He will be here soon." After entering the hall, Crow and Yaksha bowed deeply to the old man on the main seat, and then retreated to their seats in small steps. They grabbed the wide sleeves of their kimonos tightly for fear that their big movements would cause wind noise. The burly Yaksha took small steps, looking like a shy woman, and his appearance was funny.

But no one paid any attention to Yasha's comical appearance. The distinguished officials in the front row stared straight ahead, like warriors about to go to war, their eyes resolute, their hearts sheathed in swords. The members of the less prestigious families bowed their heads, staring at their knees, like warriors awaiting dispatch.

If the background music is changed from the lines of "Ultraman Tiga" to the war song of drum beating, the atmosphere will be more fitting.

Gen Chisei quietly entered from the side, secretly knelt behind the head of the Uesugi family, and watched Ultraman with her for a few minutes without making a sound. Then he stretched out his hand and whispered, "Eri, can we watch it later?" He tried to take the tablet that was playing the exciting clips from the other person's hand.

The head of the Uesugi family quickly pressed the pause button and protected the tablet in his wide sleeves, like a kitten protecting its food. He turned his head and stared at Minamoto Chisei seriously, with a glimmer of vigilance flashing in his bright big eyes.

"The meeting is about to start. Can I accompany you after the meeting?" Yuan Zhisheng asked softly. His tone and expression were not harsh, nor did he sound like a coaxing. It was more like a discussion between a brother and his sister.

The head of the Uesugi family looked at Minamoto no Chisei doubtfully, and his arms that were protecting the tablet loosened slightly.

"And I'll play King of Fighters with you. You use Chun-Li and I use Ryu." Yuan Zhisheng patiently coaxed him, without any impatience on his face.

The head of the Uesugi family finally nodded in satisfaction. She rarely showed such a well-behaved side, but in front of Minamoto Chisheng, she seemed to trust him unconditionally. Minamoto Chisheng took the opportunity to pull the tablet out of the head of the Uesugi family's arms. Seeing the girl's reluctant and lingering eyes, he nodded dotingly, then returned to his seat and handed the tablet to Crow behind him.

Crow took the tablet and took the opportunity to glance at the screen.

On the screen, "Ultraman Tiga" was playing to the end of the 27th episode, and the picture froze at the scene where the monster Obik was staring at the phantom of the village.

The crow slanted across the screen, allowing Yaksha to catch a glimpse. He stretched out his index finger, middle finger, and thumb and rubbed them together. This gesture represented "Money" between the two of them, meaning "Your money belongs to me."

Yasha wasn't angry about losing the money, just a little sad. He asked unwillingly in a low voice, "How did you know Ms. Eri was watching episode 27? The opening theme song was only halfway through when we made the bet."

"Of course I know. I'm smarter than you. Why am I the lord's military advisor and not you? It's because your brain isn't as good as mine." Crow grinned. He was very satisfied with winning 400,000 yen just by talking. The key was that he won it from Yaksha, which made him even happier.

He was able to win the bet because he knew that the head of the Uesugi family loved to watch this episode the most. When time was short, if he chose to watch one episode, it would most likely be this episode. Gen Chisei told him privately that he often watched this episode repeatedly with Eri.

Crow had also watched the entire series of "Ultraman Tiga", but that was when he was a child, and he had long forgotten the plot of every episode. Out of curiosity, he specifically picked out the 27th episode and rewatched it.

Then he unexpectedly discovered this touching episode that he had overlooked that year, and he has privately rewatched it several times since then.

The monster Obik, formerly known as "Master Ahiko," has lived in Hikino Street for a long time. He struggles with bright light and often moves in the dark. He often calls out from behind, "Come play, play with Obik!" He then throws anyone who turns back into a pot connected to a well. A man dining nearby becomes a victim, his hair turning white with fear, a terrifying sight for the people.

In reality, it all began with the development of modern civilization, which gradually destroyed the original appearance of his home. Obike's village was developed into a health paradise. Since then, he has disguised himself as a soba vendor and, along with his partner, the Shadow Mage, attacks passersby at night, creating the legend of Obike.

"This is the last night, let's give it our all!" Obike said on his dying day.

On the last night, Obik was attacked by the Victory Team inside the ancient well and was found in his residence. The team saw Obik dancing and shouting like crazy: "The old village, the old village is back!"

He was going crazy and roaring, like a child crying with joy after regaining a treasure.

But Dagu told him: "Obik, that is not the village before!"

"If this is not the village we used to live in, I will destroy it!" Obik grew huge, his rage raging.

It was not until the final battle with Tiga that Obike realized that what Daigu said was true, and that the village could no longer be what it used to be... He shed tears of fire, looked at the phantom of the village at the very end, and then deliberately let himself be killed by Tiga... In this way, Obike and the once peaceful village returned to darkness.

"Actually, Obik wants people to remember the old village and wants everyone to remember him." At the end of the story, Xincheng said this to Dagu.

In fact, even if Minamoto Chisei stopped him, the head of the Uesugi family had no intention of continuing the video. The girl never told anyone why she liked this episode. She loved the monster Obike and didn't want him to die. So every time the video played, Obike stared at the phantom of the village, the girl would immediately press the pause button.

She let the story stop at this moment so that Obik could see the old village with satisfaction and would not have to die... The girl was secretly happy, as if she had helped a friend who lived in an illusion.

"I'm sorry for being late. I just sent our specialist to their accommodation and came here after taking a shower and changing clothes." Yuan Zhisheng straightened his clothes, stood up, bowed deeply and said, his words and etiquette were perfect.

The old man sitting in the main seat looked at him, nodded slightly, and clapped softly. A few seconds later, everyone followed suit and applauded. The applause of hundreds of people overlapped like thunder, as if it was going to blow the roof of the hall off.

With Minamoto Chisei's arrival, the family meeting officially began. There was no need to be restrained in tone or behavior during the meeting. Otherwise, if the main hall, which could hold hundreds of people, was confined to whispers, the meeting would probably take a week to conclude. I'm sure the slumbering spirits of our ancestors would understand.

"Should we say he is worthy of being the young master?" The crow applauded.

"Only the young master has such appeal. Even when Mr. Masamune was present, there wasn't such enthusiastic applause. The young master is worthy of being the man chosen to inherit the family." Yaksha clapped his hands vigorously, the applause even making the people nearby have tinnitus. He alone contributed a large part of the enthusiastic applause from the audience.

"That's right. A man who inherits a family must be able to drink a lot. He can be so serious when lying after being lazy and drinking." Crow was full of admiration.

"It's good that you're back. You had to personally receive the headquarters' commissioner in such a stormy weather, and then immediately attend the family gathering after returning. You didn't even have a chance to catch your breath. You've worked so hard." Tachibana Masamune raised his hand and lightly pressed it towards Minamoto no Chisei, motioning him to sit down. His words revealed a hint of pride and heartache for his own child.

Minamoto Chisei shook his head slightly and sat down at the table representing the Minamoto family, thus beginning the meeting. Everyone's gaze shifted from the young master to the patriarch. The elder seated at the head of the hall surveyed the main hall, seemingly observing everyone. He adjusted his haori, then suddenly stood up, stepped back to the main hall curtain, and bowed deeply to everyone present.

Everyone was shocked. Some elders in the family were so shocked that they were speechless. They quickly stood up and bowed down. Seeing their elders doing the same, the people in the back row followed suit and bowed down, wishing they could bury their heads in the tatami. At one moment, countless figures in black fell down one after another, like a rolling black wave.

This wasn't a gift they deserved. Even the heads of the various clans couldn't bear such a grand gift from the patriarch. The Sheqi Eight Clan was shrouded in an absolute rigor of qualifications and status, with ironclad rules. The patriarch's qualifications and status were at the pinnacle, like an ancient emperor, and they were all his subjects... How could an emperor bow to his subjects in formal respect?

The patriarch's actions can only mean one thing, that today's meeting is not just about the family's development direction and underworld planning. The topics they are about to face are definitely related to the family's future and destiny, and it may be the most serious situation that the Eight Sheqi Families have never encountered since their inception.

"Dad..." Gen Chisheng muttered as he watched the old man, who refused to stand up for a long time. He had never seen Masamune act like this before, but he was probably the only one in the room who understood the truth. Soon, a huge uproar would be set off in the Japanese underworld, and even beyond.

The war between law enforcers and "ghosts" is about to begin. Humans will usurp the power of gods and even bury them.

Chapter 189 God's Burial Place, Yellow Springs Road

The main hall of the Snake Hachika Shrine was extremely quiet. The sound of rain outside the hall could be heard. People in black knelt on the ground, facing the silver-haired old man who bowed deeply in the main seat.

"It's been ten years now, my tenth year as patriarch," the old man said before the curtain. "It's my honor to meet all of you here. I've been so grateful for your care and support, and you've always been there, supporting me and this family. Without you, I, Tachibana Masamune, would have been a rotting corpse by now. But I've never been able to lead this family to its peak, and I'm truly ashamed of myself."

"It's my honor to meet Mr. Masamune." The head of the Sakurai family said softly. She was the only woman among the five small families.

"It is our honor to meet Mr. Masamune!" Everyone stood up and as the head of the Sakurai family responded loudly, it was like a black tide was raised again.

"Your kindness is truly overwhelming," said Mr. Masamune, returning to his seat as the head of the household. "Looking at you all reminds me of when I first came to Japan. I remember that day, with the same heavy rain, the bitter wind and the rain pounding down my sleeves. I felt as if the world was shaky and I had nowhere to turn to."

Mr. Masamune paused, looked at everyone, and said sincerely: "But fortunately, I have the opportunity to meet you all. Now I have a place to settle down and experience the warmth of home after a long time."

"I'm sure everyone here knows I wasn't born in Japan, but I was exceptionally chosen as the head of the clan. This was all thanks to your support, but I've failed to live up to your trust," said Mr. Masamune, heartbroken. "In the past ten years, we've lost our former territory and countless of our compatriots. Blood is shed and lives are lost every day. I always wear black lining under my kimono, because I might suddenly have to attend someone's funeral—it could be a friend, or even a family member. This is all due to my dereliction of duty. I can only watch the enemy grow stronger, powerless to stop it."

"But Mr. Masamune, none of this is your fault," said the Fuma clan leader. "You've done everything perfectly. Without your leadership, the clan wouldn't be as prosperous as it is today. The fact that we're able to gather here is all thanks to you."

"Merit?" Mr. Masamune slowly shook his head, signaling the Fuuma family head not to use such words to comfort him. "Next, I will mention a name. Many of you here may not have heard of her, but many of you will probably know her. Do you remember her? That child named Miyamoto Noyuki."

Gen Chisheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and the head of the Miyamoto family was stunned.

In the Miyamoto family, there are two names that have long been erased from the family tree. Those two names have always been taboos for the entire family and are strictly forbidden to be mentioned by anyone. One is "Miyamoto Kenjiro" and the other is "Miyamoto Noyuki".

Few of the younger generations of the Miyamoto family are familiar with these two names, and the elders all know them, but they all refuse to mention them, as if they are avoiding these two names like evil spirits... What's more, in an occasion where all the members of the family are gathered, saying these names unscrupulously is like tearing open a bloody scar deep in the heart of the head of the Miyamoto family!

But since it was the head of the family who uttered the name, what else could the head of the Miyamoto family do? He could only remain silent.

"She is a child of the Miyamoto family and was born in Kagoshima. Because her parents' bloodlines were too excellent, she was born a ghost. But at that time, no one questioned her bloodline because her birth and resume had all been tampered with. Here we have to mention another person, her brother, the previous director of the Executive Bureau, Kenjiro Miyamoto." Mr. Masamune said in a deep voice.

When the old man paused, a pin drop could be heard in the hall. The elders silently shook their heads at the name, while the younger generation held their breath and swallowed hard, as if waiting for a long-buried secret to be slowly revealed.

"Kenjiro Miyamoto was a highly respected figure in the family at the time. He falsified Noyuki Miyamoto's birth mother and lineage in the family records and brought her to Tokyo. Noyuki Miyamoto was highly gifted in medicine and joined the Ganryu Research Institute as an adult."

"I've seen that child before. The elders in the family should be familiar with her, too. She looks sweet, yet so lonely. I can see a perpetual lingering sense of uneasy vigilance in her eyes. Yet she's still so young, as tender as a summer flower. What exactly is she wary of?" Mr. Masamune said. "Until fifteen years ago, the truth was revealed. Mr. Kenjiro Miyamoto, the head of the Executive Bureau, lost control and murdered his wife before disappearing. His whereabouts remain unknown. The cause of this was the creation of a drug called the 'Ghost Potion,' which can infinitely expand the composition of our dragon blood, allowing humanity to evolve towards the 'dragon' form."

"But how could a human transform into a true dragon? All this is but the wishful thinking of fallen men. The pursuit of ultimate power is ultimately futile." Mr. Masamune sighed deeply. "This potion was refined by Miyamoto Noyuki. After that, she was sent to a monastery deep in the mountains of Tokyo and never emerged again for a full fifteen years."

"She never studied, never had a romantic relationship, and spent her best years trapped in a cage woven from iron mesh. Even law enforcement officers passed her by. She had no friends, no family. You all know how much a girl longs for these things, but she can't have them... because she's a 'ghost.'" Mr. Masamune's voice was like an ancient bell at dusk. "Only then did I realize that the look in that child's eyes was a warning to the entire world. She always knew that if she was exposed, she would be abandoned by the human world."

"Until seven days ago, she injected herself with a drug called 'Ghost Potion', awakening the dragon blood within her. She killed the law enforcer, tore open the iron mesh cage, and returned to this human world." Mr. Masamune said, "Do you know what she wants? Power? Freedom? Or killing? None. She is a fallen being, but apart from killing the law enforcer, she hasn't done anything a fallen being should do."

"Seven days later, the law enforcement agency found her on a train. She was holding a porcelain urn with her own name on it, heading to Kagoshima, where she was born." Mr. Masamune sighed. "So she was going to the place in the world that she felt most warmed by... to be buried."

Everyone was stunned. The hall was as quiet as if no one was there, with only the sound of rain outside the window. In the Sheqi Eight Clan, the difference between humans and "ghosts" has been an unsolvable problem since ancient times.

"I'm very sad, because that child was also my family, and a family member has died." Mr. Masamune said softly, "She was born a ghost, but she's still a family member. No matter what mistakes that child made, as the head of the family, I just feel sad... Another person has died."

"That child... is cursed." The head of the Miyamoto family said silently.

"Yes, dragon blood grants us extraordinary power, but it also carries a curse of destruction." Mr. Masamune sighed, "Nothing comes easy in this world. We have relied on force to rise to the top of the underworld, but we also suffer from unknown hardships. Each of us is cursed."

There was unspeakable pain on everyone's face, as if they were helpless against their fate.

"Miyamoto Noyuki never considered giving up her human identity to become a dragon. Until her last moments, she still hoped to die a human," Mr. Masamune said in a low voice. "How could a child who longed to be human develop a potion to evolve into a dragon? There must be someone behind this child, secretly pushing her, ever further and further from the human world."

"Is it... the fierce ghosts?" the head of the Sakurai family said tentatively.

"Who has been our enemy all these years, seizing our territory in the underworld, and instigating children with good intentions to turn into evil spirits?"

"It's the fierce ghosts." The head of the Longma family said loudly.

"Then who has been secretly waging war against us and creating this bloody world?"

"It's the fierce ghosts!" The head of the Fengmo family gritted his teeth and shouted angrily.

"That's right. The fierce ghosts have the same dragon blood flowing through their bodies as we do. They are like our other side, the 'Eight Snake Families' born in darkness. Their bloodline is even better than ours, closer to 'dragon'!" Mr. Masamune's voice was like thunder. "The dragon blood has invaded their consciousness, so much so that they have been dreaming of evolving in the direction of dragons. They have already degenerated into evil ghosts! Not only that, they even instigated those gangs that originally depended on us, tempting those poor children to degenerate with them. That's why the family has to imprison those children with degenerate tendencies. When they are deprived of their freedom, they will fight, and blood will be shed at any time!"

The younger generations were shocked and speechless.