The jet carrying Anthony and his so called mom arrived in the Meyer estate of southern Dale, accompanied by two other jet carrying the staff and guard which came with his mother. Anthony have been watching the estate through a special device which Madam Meyer gave him. The walls went on for ages, and the gate was sculpted with pure gold. The words 'THIS IS DRAGON CLAN' was boldly written at the top, and the sculpture of a powerful golden dragon clutching a double pointed spear on it's claw soared above the gates, casting a huge shadow below. The image looked life like and powerful, as if it will take off to the sky at any moment.
The most amazing part of it was that he couldn't see the end of the estate despite watching mid air. The dragon clan looked like a paradise with both ancient and modern mansions. So far, Anthony had counted seventy mansions, five mountains, six valleys and accompanying waterfalls, and two areas that looked like a thick forest. The dragon clan doesn't seem to have an end, looking like a world of its own. A paradise detached from the rest of the earth.
"You better look all you want now before we land. The entourage sent by your grandfather is waiting at the air strip to take you to the ancestral meeting hall. Don't look around like a country bumpkin and embarrass me later." Joyce Meyer said, looking at her son condescendingly.
"Mom, you don't have to look at me like that. Even if I was not at the level of the dragon clan, I have also made money and have been to lots of places." Anthony retorted and put away the device, going on to strap his seatbelt in readiness for landing.
"Tch! How can you compare such lowly people to the Meyers of Southern Dale. We are not the same as those lowly humans. We have roots in the higher realms. Besides, the wealth that has been in our family for ages is unparalleled. Even if two continents pull together their resources, we will still be richer than they are. Remember what I told you. Currently, you're the weakest and most useless member of your age grade in the clan. If you think everyone will hand over the patriach's position to you just because its your birth right, all I can say is dream on. Are you even qualified to lead them? I can't believe you wasted all those years outside when you should have been training with all your might. I feel ashamed of having a son like you. Others are going to mock me even if I'm the matriarch. But it's fine. At least, I still have your siblings to uphold my pride."
Anthony sighed heavily and clenched his fists.
"If you were going to say that to me, then you shouldn't have brought me back. I didn't endure shit outside only to receive an even worse treatment from the woman that should be my mother. If you think I'm not worthy to lead the family, then by all means, you guys should give it to the worthy torch bearer. I don't have the desire to compete with anyone. I have better things to do."
"Do you even have the right to be angry at me? Have you no shame? Did I say something wrong? If you held onto your wealth instead of acting foolish and giving that bitch everything, you would have had some leverage. If there's proof you started from nothing and made wealth, your inadequacy in martial arts can be overlooked as lack of grooming on our part. But no, you had to return from your training with zero assets and skills. You won't be able to convince anyone. Killing you will be a piece of cake." Joyce shouted, wondering why Anthony was not seeing her concern.
"Then keep your family's boundless wealth and power. I will leave a while later and find somewhere peaceful. If there's one thing I have learned, it's that acceptance and love can't be forced. Don't worry, I will reject the patriarch's position since that's what will please you."
"Are you crazy or something? Look who's talking. Do you think it's possible to reject it? Is the family tree a joke to you? You're the next in line for inheritance, it can't be altered unless something huge happens. Is the dragon clan patriarch something you can take or reject as you please? Stephen, even if you're a waste, you should have some decency and use your wisdom. See your mouth, you're still talking about love and acceptance. It means you didn't learn anything from your ordeal. I tell you now, love is the most useless of all emotions. There's nothing like fucking love, only benefits. Love is something women use to hoodwink naive men like you. Never you in your entire life dilly dally with a woman that's not powerful and smart enough to support you. Power and wealth are the only important things. Forget about women. If you must have them, choose carefully ones that can help you on your journey to the peak. Look here, Stephen, if you embarrass me by not improving, I will deal with you." She whispered coldly through gritted teeth.
"For the last time, stop calling me Stephen, I'm Anthony. And I don't need your advice, stop wasting your breath. I won't be useless, but not because of you. I will improve because I want to, not because you urged me. I wonder why women nag a lot." Anthony said dismissively, just as the jet finally glided down.
"I'm not just a woman, I'm your mother."
"I will never acknowledge you as my mother. Since you don't want this disgrace of a son to taint you, then I don't want the woman who abandoned her newborn baby with the nanny."
Anthony's words immediately made Joyce speechless, and she began to shiver, feeling very cold for inexplicable reasons.
"I didn't throw you away. It was during the inheritance war, your life was at stake. Hiding you was the only way to keep you alive. When you go in there, don't look around too much. Don't touch any ancient swords, artifacts, sculptures, mirrors, or weird looking items in the ancestral hall. And most importantly, don't try to read the spells and techniques engraved on the wall. If you disobey, you can bear the consequences alone."