Ascent of Hero on the Dragon Throne

"I will arrange that. You have just recovered from a severe injury, and you need time for a rest. Don't worry about those things. Just take care of yourself. I will see you at night," Lena said, nodding to Rocky as she left.

"A waterfront pavilion gets the moonlight first. A person in a favorable position gains special advantages. Wish to have a closer relationship with Lena after tonight... I must ask Lena to persuade His Majesty to cancel the engagement. I will never marry that flat-chested girl..." Rocky said. To cancel the engagement was the most important thing on his mind right now.

Meanwhile, something happened in the Mansion of General Ximen, which was close to the west of the Imperial City.

The Mansion of General Ximen looked like a small city, grand and magnificent. The high bright red wall circling the mansion was too long to see the end. Within the red walls, the infrastructure was flawless, including roads with bridges across the few streams that ran through the mansion. At this hour, the pavilions, and towers dotting the beautiful landscape cast long shadows. Those close to the rivers reflected in the water.

In the mansion, people were hurrying to and fro. On the east of the mansion was the training field where hundreds of disciples from the Ximen Clan were absorbed in their rigorous martial arts training. They went about every part of the training regime with such passion and intensity as if they were in a real battle.

In the middle of their session, a big greenish shadow appeared in the sky above them, like a giant monster. Its sudden appearance clouded out the sun as if heavy clouds had just gathered threatening a torrential downpour. Reacting quickly, the disciples separated into two groups and stood in two lines, watching the giant green figure descend on their training ground.

Suddenly, the green shadow began to shake. Flapping its four wings fiercely, like giant fans, it raised a small sandstorm that swept the whole field.

It took quite a while for the storm to abate.

The huge green shadow zoomed into clear view, where everybody could see what it looked like exactly. It was a massive dragon that would form a small mountain and was enough to cover one-third of the training ground. The tail alone was so long and thick enough that it could whack down a dozen men in one fell. It had five heads, which it kept jerking around, stretching and wiggling

and get someone to take good care of it." Shirley commanded some disciples of Ximen Clan.

Gladly, the disciples nodded and took the fairy from her so that she could follow the elders and Bryant.

Straight away, Bryant and the elders went to the meeting room.

Bryant took the front seat in the meeting room, ready to have them update him.

The elders and Shirley also took a seat. "What makes you so panicked?" he asked.

"News just came in from the palace that His Majesty has granted marriage for a prince," an elder in purple gown replied.

"Grant a marriage? That is not a problem, is it?" Bryant waved his hand, dismissing them. That was not a serious matter. What was so special about the emperor granting his son, who was of age permission to marry?

"But the problem is that His Majesty wants his son to marry a lady from the Ximen Clan," the other elder in white gown said.

Bryant looked not very surprised. "Um, that means my clan? Our clan again? So who is the lucky lady from our clan that has been chosen by His Majesty? Is it my elder brother's last-born? She's single, and she is turning 25 this year, old enough to get married. If she is chosen, my elder brother would be perfectly okay with that. He'll be more than happy. But my younger's firstborn too is the same age, and single as well." Among the older generation of the Ximen Clan, Bryant was the fourth born. However, none of his brothers was as talented as him. So on merit, Bryant became the leader of their clan. "Urr... His Majesty wants to grant a marriage for Miss Shirley..." the elder in purple gown said seriously.