Thinking of this, Haoyuan couldn't help but glance at the tribespeople kneeling beside him.
If his hypothesis were true, did that mean humans also had some kind of primordial lifeform that had radiated them into existence?
“Giants...?”
Haoyuan pondered.
He raised his head to look at the multi-colored dragons flying toward him and let out a soft cry.
The dragons responded with a series of melodious, highly expressive cries of their own.
“So they saw the sky suddenly brighten when they looked up, and they knew I had awakened.”
It seemed the range of the Eyes of the Torch Dragon had extended very far this time.
But how did these dragons know that was his ability?
He asked a few more questions.
The dragons replied joyfully.
“Hmm? The Red Dragon inherited my day-and-night ability?”
Haoyuan looked with surprise at the Red Dragon standing proudly at the head of the pack.
“Crimson all over... It really does resemble the legendary Zhulong. Why don't I just call you Zhulong?”
And so, on the first day of the Dragon God's awakening, the Red Dragon received its name: Zhulong.
Having gained a rough understanding of the dragons, Haoyuan turned his gaze to the humans beside him.
He first looked at the tribespeople. Kneeling on the ground, they seemed to feel his gaze, and they began to tremble violently all over, too terrified to speak.
Shaking his head with a sigh, he looked at the first person he had seen upon opening his eyes—the eleven-year-old girl.
Sensing his gaze, the girl actually raised her head carefully. Seeing that he was indeed watching her, she immediately prostrated herself and bowed, her voice ringing out loud and respectful.
“O Dragon God above, Ancestor of All Dragons! Since the ancient twilight and dawn, Your grace has enveloped the vast earth. Your dragon might is majestic, striking fear into all beasts. Your blazing flames reach the heavens, burning through the eight wildernesses. Your divine light shines brilliantly, illuminating the dark underworld. We pray You cast Your divine light upon our tribe, and we beg to be bathed in Your divine fire to protect our clan. With devout hearts we bow, hoping You will look upon our sincerity, and we vow to offer sacrifices for generations, following and serving by Your side.”
Si He spoke with great vigor, pronouncing every word with crystal clarity to ensure the Dragon God could hear her.
Though she felt deep dread toward the Dragon God's gaze, she could not back down for the sake of her tribe.
The Dragon God had not killed her at first sight. Instead, he had carried her out of the cave completely unharmed, without dispensing any punishment. From this, it was clear that the Dragon God possessed a vast, magnanimous spirit and did not care about her minor offense.
Therefore, the moment the Dragon God set her down, she had immediately anticipated various possible scenarios and worked hard to prepare her response.
This speech was one of those preparations.
Now that the Dragon God happened to cast a questioning gaze toward her, she spoke of all the majesty she had witnessed in him, speaking clearly and concisely without keeping him waiting.
These were words from the bottom of her heart. The Dragon God was powerful yet gentle. If they could obtain his protection and follow him as his servants, the tribe would not only have a chance to rise, but would also have a future.
A future of prosperity and vibrant life under the guidance of the Dragon God.
When the tribespeople heard Si He recite the prayer of worship, they all followed suit, chanting along in loud voices. Though their voices trembled, they exerted every ounce of their strength to stay steady and articulate every word clearly.
Their tribe had once possessed powerful deities as well, so they still retained the basic etiquette of worshiping a god.
Haoyuan listened with a frown, barely catching the general idea.
It basically said that he was magnificent, existing since time immemorial, controlling day and night, and nurturing all things. After that came a string of praises, followed by an earnest plea to offer sacrifices for generations and serve by his side.
Did this mean... they regarded him as a god of worship?
Haoyuan raised an eyebrow and glanced at their attire. Beast skins and crudely stitched clothing—they were indeed primitive and tribal, so it was no wonder they spoke of worship and service.
But was he really a god?
Haoyuan did not know.
However, he knew his goal was to achieve immortality, to become an existence that could look down upon the changing universe.
Only when he reached that step would he fulfill his lifelong aspiration and make up for the regrets of his past life.
Before then, all obstacles had to be broken through, and all potential burdens had to be cast aside.
Of course, the dromaeosaurs were an exception. If only they were still alive...
Even if he had to radiate them for hundreds of millions of years, he would have evolved them into dragons.
Since that was the case, what he had to do was very clear.
Haoyuan did not agree.
He merely cast a final glance at the devoutly kneeling tribespeople before withdrawing his gaze. Looking up at the cloudless, clear sky, he unclasped his claws and soared straight up into the air.
The Dragon God flew away.
The hearts of the tribespeople sank to rock bottom.
First they had worshiped the Red Dragon, and the Red Dragon did not respond. Now they worshiped the Dragon God, and the Dragon God also remained unresponsive.
Were they to return to their former lives of wandering from place to place, living hand-to-mouth, constantly living in fear of danger, and building new graves every few days?
Their hearts turned to ash and coldness seeped through their bodies. They knelt listlessly on the ground, as if the last of their strength had been drained.
Si He's heart also plunged into the abyss. She gripped the ground tightly, and large tears rolled from her eyes, splashing into the dirt before her and kicking up tiny puffs of dust.
She was only an eleven-year-old girl. After her father passed away, her brother was betrayed by their relatives, who stripped him of the chieftainship, expelled him from the tribe, and left him to fall ill in the wilderness. She and her mother were consumed by grief, yet their enemies still sought to eradicate them. On their flight to escape, her mother had fought to the death to protect her, barely saving her life.
At the time, she was almost entirely alone in the world. Had it not been for the loyalty of men like Yan Shou and handmaidens like Si Yun, as well as the other outcasts who huddled together for warmth and supported her as Chieftainess, she would have long since perished in the maws of fierce beasts.
She was only ten years old that year.
And yet, in just a single year, a fleeing party of over a hundred people had dwindled to a mere twelve.
Fierce beasts caused frequent disasters, and hostile tribes looking to pillage and abduct people were far from few. Under these multi-sided threats, they had been pushed to the absolute brink.
She was deeply grateful for everyone's loyalty and devotion. She exerted every ounce of her effort in all matters, weighing every decision with utmost care. Yet, as if by some cruel twist of fate, she ultimately failed to protect them, unable to provide even basic food, warmth, or stability.
In the dead of night, she was often consumed by guilt and self-blame.
Over the past year, she had grown up rapidly, striving to shoulder the heavy burdens of leadership. She had even cast aside her hatred early on, desiring nothing more than for those who followed her to be free from fear and wanderings. That would have been enough to satisfy her.
Yet, it was all but an empty dream.
She was not a good Chieftainess. She could provide nothing for her people, and even the protection she had sought for so long would not spare her a glance.
All her hard work and pursuit evaporated like mist.
She brought them nothing but endless disappointment.
Si He's body trembled slightly, but she quickly stopped her tears.
Taking deep, measured breaths, she gradually brought her emotions under control.
She calculated the brief moment she had wept. She had only shed a few tears, so her eyes shouldn't be too red, right?
The tribespeople probably wouldn't dare raise their heads in front of the dragons anyway, so no one should have noticed...
With a long, deep breath, she expelled all the suffocating distress from her chest, restoring her usual calm.
The Dragon God might have given no response, but he seemed gentle by nature...
As she was thinking, the Red Dragon landed in front of her, its dragon whiskers gently patting her head.
Si He raised her head in a daze.
The Red Dragon's molten gold eyes were full of sentience, carrying a reassuring warmth that resembled a smile.
It turned around, guiding her toward the resting place of the dragon pack.
At that moment, a deafening dragon roar reverberated down from the sky.
She and the dragons raised their heads to watch. High above, the Dragon God had reared up, standing beneath the cloud-ringed azure vault, looking down upon the world of mortals.
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