Around the white stone table, sit the nine dragon clan chiefs: Bai, Ye, Si, Fu, Lan, Xi, Wei, Fa, and He. Every ten years, nine dragon leaders gather in Mount Tian to discuss the situation of the black cave in Kinigan Island.
Bailong said, "The cracks are getting bigger. It seems that the crystal ice is less effective now."
"We have been looking for many ways to get rid of his power, but it seems that after all these years, our solutions are still the same," said Chief Lan. She looked at the others. "Everyone sitting here knows full well that dragons are not immortal. Soon, our time will come."
Chief Ye said, "We were only teenagers when our father sealed Huoyan. Now we are already in our old age. In a few hundred years, we will no longer be able to guard Huoyan."
Chief Fa said, "We were supposed to discuss who to choose as our processor, but instead we came to discuss Huoyan. I remember my father and other leaders were here discussing how to defeat Huoyan. However, they could not find a way to kill Huoyan."
Bailong said, "We have to talk about him now, we need to find a solution because as soon as I arrived, my son sent me an urgent message."
Chief Si asked, "What's the message?"
Bailong said, "The Zahog Phoenix is free."
The eight chiefs sitting around the table gasped.
"Freeee.... free," Chief Wei said with a trembling voice.
Chief Fue said, "If that's the case, then she's on her way to Kinigan Island. Her flames have the power to destroy the crystal ice."
Chief Fa looked at the chiefs at the table and said, "I guess we're going to have to choose our processor sooner than we think. Who knows if we'll get through this if Zahog releases Huoyan."
Bailong said, "If Zahog is free, she will attack Kinigan Island in about twenty-five days."
Chief Xi said, "The walls we build around the black cave can only last for a while, not indefinitely."
Bailong looked at the eight chiefs sitting at the table and said, "Now that we are here and we know that Dreake City will be in danger, we will work together to find a way to prevent Huoyan from escaping the black cave." He sighed. "And be prepared for the worse that's coming."
On the third day after arriving, Baishui and Jiāo visited the five Tanzanies and the others. Baishui led the five Tanzanies, Lixin and Bong into the reception hall.
Baishui said, "Everyone, I have good news and bad news."
Lixin looked at Baishui and said, "Let's hear the bad news first."
Baishui said, "The bad news is that none of you can go to Kinigan Island."
Yul asked, "What about the good news?"
Baishui said, "The good news is that only Hajime is allowed to enter Kinigan Island."
Lixin asked, "Why only Hajime?"
Baishui said, "I don't know. My father said that only Hajime can enter Kinigan Island." He looked at Lixin and others. "I know everyone here wants to get the key to No Man's Land. Some of you are trying to get in, while others are trying to prevent others from getting in."
U-ri asked, "How do you know?"
"Because I told him," Zoya's voice came from the front door.
"Zoya..." The five Tanzanies said in unisons.
Zoya smiled and walked towards the people sitting in the reception hall. She glanced at the others, but she stared at Yul, who was holding Meiji in his arms. She smiled sadly at Yul, turned to the others and said, "I predicted you would come here, but I didn't expect you to come so soon."
U-ri said with a smile, "You said you would wait for us here, and here you are."
Zoya turned to looked at Lixin and said, "My lord, what you are pursuing is not on Kinigan Island. Please listen to my advice. What belongs to you will always be yours whether you want it or not, and what does not belong to you, no matter how hard you fight for it. It won't be yours. A man can defeat everyone, but he cannot defeat fate."
Lixin asked, "Since you can see the past and the future, tell me where the fourth and fifth keys to No Man's Land are?"
Zoya looked at Lixin, smiled and said, "The fourth key has returned to its original owner." She looked at the people standing in the hall. "As for the fifth key, the key has always been with you, you just didn't see it."
Lixin looked at the five Tanzanies and said, "So you five have already obtained all the keys, and you still lied to me." He stood up from his seat and walked to Yul. He held out his hand. "As we promise, hand over the fourth key." He took another step toward Yul. "My ancestors sacrificed themselves to imprison Eldrys, therefore, I will not let my ancestors' sacrificed be in vain."
Yul looked Lixin and said, "We promised to go to Kinigan Island to find the fourth key. If the fourth key is not on Kinigan Island, it means I didn't lie to you."
Lixin said, "I only know that the fourth key is mine, please hand it over."
Abrafo said, "Like Yul said, when we made the deal, the agreement was to take you to Kinigan Island to get the fourth key, so even if someone handed us the fourth key, that doesn't break the promises we made to you."
Lixin gritted his teeth and asked, "Are you going to renege?"
Lixin stared at Yul coldly and waited for a few seconds. Yul didn't answer him. In anger, he sheathed his sword and Abrafo quickly grabbed onto Lixin's wrist.
"How dare you!" Abrafo yelled and punch Lixin in the abdomen, but Lixin let go of the sword and counterattacked Abrafo's fist with his fist.
Abrafo and Lixin started fighting in the middle of the reception hall, with everyone standing around them.
"Stop!" Bong yelled. "Lixin stop! Abrafo stop! We are on the same team, we shouldn't fight."
Abrafo and Lixin grabbed each other's hands and continued to push and pull.
Hajime yelled, "Stop it! I'm the fifth key and I can kill Eldrys."
"Hajime..." Abrafo whispered. He took his hand away from Lixin.
At this time Jin and the others had arrived with Jiāo. Seeing that everyone was standing up and the situation seemed tense, the ten people who had just arrived with Jiāo didn't say anything more and just chose to stand at the door and observe.
Hajime said, "Lixin, these keys are for us. We need these keys to enter No Man's Land, bring back the white-dragon tail, and cleanse the evil in Tanzang Kingdom. Without it, thousands of people will die, and their only hope are these four men." He looked at Lixin. "Those keys were meant for me. The fourth key was given to me by Librarian Ru. He kept the key for many years and then gave it to the owner of the key, which was me. So, I'm not giving you any keys to whatever they promise you. I plan to complete my mission. My mission is to take these four men to No Man's Land and retrieve the white dragon's tail. I'm running out of time, so I'm not going to let anyone stand in the way of completing my mission." He looked at Yul. "Yul, open the pouch."
Yul handed Meiji to U-ri, took out the magic pouch from his robe and opened it. Four crystals of different colors floated in front of Yul.
"The four keys to No Man's Land," the people in the reception hall said in unison.
Hajime looked at Lixin and said, "The fourth key Librarian Ru gave me is the white stone crystal. If you think the fourth key is yours, go on and take it."
Lixin reached out and grabbed the white stone in his right hand, trying to pull it back, but was unable to do so. Feeling that the stone was extremely powerful and extremely heavy, even he grabbed with both hands, but the stone refused to move from its place.
Hajime, who was standing not far from Lixin and Yul stretched out his hand, and the four crystals flew over and hovered on Hajime's palm. He pushed the stone crystals towards Yul, and they fell into the pouch Yul was holding.
Hajime said, "Now that you've seen this, please don't stop us anymore."
Lixin looked at Hajime and asked through gritted teeth. "You swear on your son's life and the lives of all Misicks that you will kill Eldrys."
Hajime said without hesitation, "I swear, no matter what the cost may be, I will kill Eldrys."
At this moment, there was silence in the reception hall. A high-pitched scream broke the silence in the reception hall. The five Tanzanies, Bong and Fufu have not forgotten the familiar screech. The five Tanzanies, Bong, and Fufu quickly went out and rushed into the yard. They looked up to the sky and saw Zahog flying past them.
Fufu frighteningly said, "Oh heaven, she's here."
Baishui rushed out and asked, "What's going on?"
Hajime looked at Baishui with a pale face. "The Zahog Phoenix is here," Hajime said.
Baishui was stunned, and it took him a while to calm down. He said with a trembling voice, "It's impossible...she can't come so early..."
Yul said, "Baishui, you have to tell the people to abandon this city now!" He turned to U-ri. "You take Meiji and Nayao and leave the city."
Hajime said, "U-ri, you are not needed here." He grabbed a wooden eagle and threw it on the ground. The eagle suddenly came to life. "Pack up what you need now."
U-ri and Michio rushed back to the room they shared.
Hajime ran into his room and grabbed Meiji's blanket, some clothes, and two bags of goat's milk that he had prepared early in the morning. He saw Yul's backpack closest to him, so he pulled out Yul's clothes, and at the bottom of the backpack, he saw the pink baby blanket at the bottom of Yul's bag. He smiled with tears in his eyes, quickly stuffed Meiji's clay bottle, the two bag of milk, clothes, and the blanket inside the backpack, and rushed out.
When Hajime arrived at the garden, U-ri, who was holding Meiji had already climbed onto the back of the eagle with Nayao and Baishui and Jiāo had already left. Abrafo, Bong, and the others went to pack their bags. Hajime handed the backpack to U-ri.
"He will take you to a safe place," Hajime said, looking up at U-ri. "Please help us take care of Meiji."
U-ri said, "Be careful. We will wait for you."
Nayao looked at Yul and said, "Yul, please pay attention to your safety."
Hajime, Yul, and Michio watched the eagle fly north of Dreake City. Hajime reached out and grabbed Yul's hand. He turned to looked at Yul and smiled, "I saw the pink blanket."
Yul said with a smiled, "You did."
Hajime asked, "Why not take it out and let Meiji use it?"
Yul said, "After all the harsh words you said to me, I was afraid of embarrassing you."
Hajime smiled at Yul and said, "Yul... thank you. I don't regret it." He looked at Yul. "If I die today, I will die with a smile."
Yul turned to Hajime and kissed Hajime's forehead. He held Hajime's face with both hands. He smiled and said, "Me too."
Standing in the dark cave, Meng stared at the crystal ice in front of him. The only sounds he heard were the rushing of water and the beating of his Master's heart. Meng smiled and stared at the crystal ice and said, "Master, the Zahog Phoenix has arrived, and you will be free soon."