327: Chapter 327 The Bald Monk, Presenting a Bell at a Birthday Banquet?

After a ten-day journey, the group arrived at Tianchi.

Tianchi was far larger than Chu Sheng had imagined.

Though it was called a "pool."

As far as the eye could see, there were vast, rolling green waves and misty, boundless waters that stretched endlessly.

Unlike the Boundless Sea, which was barren of Spiritual Qi, the Spiritual Qi here was as thick as fog; a single breath felt as if it purified one's very lungs.

Even the dullest Essence Spirit could induce Qi into their body with a single breath here, and after staying for an hour or so, they could break through to Condensing True Essence.

Standing on the back of the Peng, Chu Sheng looked at the scene before him and couldn't help but exclaim inwardly:

"What a grand display."

Seawater surged upward, transforming into thousands of glazed water bridges, connecting the Western Region's Myriad Marshes with the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.

High above in the firmament, seven-colored dragon clouds were arranged in rows, with several Flood Dragons coiled within each cloud.

The various colored Flood Dragons tossed and turned in the clouds, their dragon roars shattering the cloud layers and echoing majestically across the entire Tianchi.

Wherever there were water veins, fish, shrimp, turtles, and clams all floated to the surface, paying homage in the direction of the Dragon Palace.

Their movements were uniform, as if controlled by an invisible hand.

As the stars shifted, ancient shipwrecks and water mansion spirit mines that had slept in Tianchi for who knows how many years automatically floated to the surface, transforming into jade stairs paving the way.

Any low-grade Yao Beast that approached within a thousand miles would automatically prostrate itself on the ground, seized by an awe born from the depths of its Bloodline, unable to move.

Chu Sheng saw a few Spirit Sea Realm Yao Beasts lying on the shore, trembling all over, not even daring to lift their heads.

A few Human Race Cultivators tried to approach, but as soon as they stepped into the range of the water dragon barrier, they were repelled by an invisible force.

They fell to the ground in a sorry state and scrambled away.

Wan Qiba lowered his voice and said, "You'd better disguise yourself. The Dragon Palace isn't very friendly to the Human Race."

Jiuer nodded and raised her hand, gently brushing it over Chu Sheng's body.

A pale purple light enveloped Chu Sheng, slightly altering his aura as if it were a thin disguise.

Chu Sheng felt his aura become a bit blurred.

"Alright," Jiuer said. "As long as you don't actively expose yourself, you shouldn't be discovered."

The group walked forward along the jade stairs, crossed the water bridge, and arrived in front of the main gate of the Dragon Palace.

The gate of the Dragon Palace was carved from a single piece of deep-sea black jade, standing several dozen zhang high. On the lintel, two golden dragon reliefs were coiled, their eyes embedded with fist-sized night-luminescent pearls that emitted light in the gloom.

Two rows of guards stood in front of the gate, all at the Dao Palace Realm, wearing uniform silver armor with long blades hanging at their waists, their faces expressionless.

Chu Sheng thought to himself: Even the gatekeepers are at the Dao Palace Realm; this display is even more exaggerated than those top Sects in the Northern Region.

A steward wearing a cyan robe came up to meet them, his gaze sweeping over the group, his tone indifferent: "Who comes?"

Wan Qiba stepped forward and cupped his hands: "We are of the Fox Clan, here to offer birthday wishes to the Yao Venerable."

The steward glanced at him, then at Jiuer and Chu Sheng, nodded, and stepped aside to make way.

"Go on in."

The scene inside the Dragon Palace was even more luxurious than outside.

Thousands of night-luminescent pearls were embedded in the dome, illuminating the entire main hall as bright as day.

Dozens of jade tables were arranged in the center of the hall, laden with delicacies.

Ten-thousand-year Cold Pool Dragon Saliva Wine, a single drop of which could refine a Yao Core; thousand-year Ice Lotus, deep-sea spirit meat, star seaweed, Heavenly Water Origin Fruit...

Every single item, if placed outside, would be a treasure that Dao Palace Cultivators would break their heads fighting over.

Here, they were just ordinary banquet dishes.

On both sides of the hall, thousands of merfolk sang dragon ballads in unison.

Standing at the edge of the hall, Chu Sheng watched this scene and thought: This display is ten times more extravagant than the grand ceremony of the Wendao Palace.

Jiuer stood by his side, but her gaze was not on those delicacies.

Her eyes scanned the hall, as if searching for something.

Chu Sheng knew she was looking for Zhu Yin.

Representatives from various clans entered one after another, presenting their birthday gifts.

The Phoenix Clan was represented by an Elder at the Peak of Dao Completion, with white hair and a youthful face, wearing a crimson robe; he presented a Southeast Branch.

The Southeast Branch was entirely golden and radiated rich fire-attribute Spiritual Qi; at a glance, it was clearly a ninth-grade Material, an excellent ingredient for refining Magical Artifacts or ninth-grade Medicinal Pills.

The Peng Clan presented a bone slip, said to be the cultivation insights left behind by the Peng Clan's Old Ancestor.

Although it was only a copy, it was still priceless.

Other clans also presented their generous gifts one after another; for a time, the hall was filled with treasures and overflowing with spiritual light.

Chu Sheng noticed that King Peng was sitting in the seat of honor, holding a cup of Dragon Saliva Wine, sipping it slowly.

His gaze swept over the crowd, pausing slightly when he saw Chu Sheng.

Chu Sheng also saw him, and as their eyes met, the corner of King Peng's mouth moved imperceptibly, as if he were smiling.

Then his gaze shifted to Wan Qiba, and he narrowed his eyes, as if implying something.

But he said nothing, just turned away and continued drinking.

Chu Sheng's heart skipped a beat, but he did not show it.

He quietly made his way over to the Phoenix Clan's side.

The Phoenix Clan Elder was sitting in a corner, eyes closed to rest, as if he had no interest in this banquet.

Chu Sheng walked up to him and whispered: "Senior, this Junior has a question."

The Elder opened his eyes and looked at him, a trace of vigilance in his cloudy old eyes.

"What is it?"

Chu Sheng did not speak, but raised his hand, condensing a wisp of Phoenix Immortal Fire aura in his palm.

It was something he had brought out of the Fengxian Secret Realm; although it was very weak, it still carried the sharp and pure nature unique to the Feng Xian.

The Elder's pupils shrank sharply.

He stared at the wisp of flame for a long time, then spoke slowly, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness: "Have you seen the Feng Xian?"

Chu Sheng said: "This Junior once entered the Fengxian Secret Realm and obtained some Legacy."

The Elder was silent for a long time, then nodded: "After the birthday banquet, I will wait for you outside."

He said nothing more and closed his eyes.

Chu Sheng withdrew the flame and did not disturb him again.

He knew that this Elder had already taken note of him.

Just as Chu Sheng returned to Jiuer's side, a commotion suddenly broke out at the entrance of the hall.

A figure walked in from outside the gate, his pace unhurried, as if he didn't care at all about the gazes fixed upon him.

It was a bald man.

He wore a simple gray monk's robe, his face was gaunt, and his eyebrows were long, drooping to the corners of his eyes.

He looked like an ordinary wandering monk, but his cultivation was anything but ordinary.

Tongxuan Realm.

His body was shrouded in a layer of faint Buddha light, not blinding, but gentle, like a solitary lamp in the darkness.

He walked into the hall, pressed his palms together, and lowered his head slightly. His voice was not loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the entire hall.

"This humble monk has come to offer birthday wishes."

He raised his hand and took a bell from his sleeve.

The bell was not large, about a foot high, bronze in color, with dense Sanskrit characters engraved on its surface.

low-grade earth artifact.

The hall was silent for a moment.

Then someone began to whisper.

"A low-grade earth artifact? He dares to present a Magic Treasure of this grade to the Yao Venerable?"

"Isn't this an insult?"

"Bringing a bell? Sending someone to their end?"

"Is this monk not afraid of death?"

The monk seemed not to hear the whispers, his expression unchanged, palms pressed together, standing there quietly.

The several Yao Kings in the seats of honor did not speak; King Peng held his wine cup, a trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth, as if watching a good show.

The Tiger King was a burly man, leaning against the back of his chair, examining the bell with great interest.

The Snake King was a woman with a feminine and delicate face, toying with a jade hairpin in her hand, her gaze sweeping over the monk a few times before moving away.

Chu Sheng stood in the corner, watching that bald monk, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

This person was not simple.

He was definitely not here just to offer birthday wishes.

He was bringing a bell, but he was also bringing an end.

But who he was bringing the end to, that was not yet certain.

Chu Sheng did not move, just stood quietly to the side, watching this impending drama.

He hadn't expected that before he could even make a move, someone else wanted to.

However, the more chaotic it was, the more advantageous it would be for them.

He wanted to see what this monk really intended to do.

And he also wanted to see how that old dragon would respond.

The atmosphere in the hall became subtle.