209: Tongqian River

Months had passed since they left the valley where the armor was reforged. Gao De's group slowly traversed the final stretch of the hills, and the scene before them suddenly opened up.

A vast and misty river stretched across the horizon. The water was not the usual muddy yellow or emerald green, but a deep, almost obsidian-like dark blue. Beneath the surface, undercurrents surged and Spiritual Qi was abundant, far exceeding that of ordinary rivers.

Amidst the rising mist, faint rays of light and dense water essence could be seen intertwining, highlighting the extraordinary nature of these waters.

"My Lord, ahead is the Tongqian River, one of the tributaries of the Qian River!" Iron Profound reported in a deep voice, the result of their thorough exploration.

As a member of the water race, he could clearly feel the majestic water spirit contained within this great river and the dignified aura left by the long-term presence of the Dragon Clan.

This river was named the "Tongqian River," a major tributary flowing into the main branch of the Qian River and leading directly to the outer regions of the Dragon Palace. It was also the most common "official waterway" used to reach the Dragon Palace.

Compared to crossing mountains on land, entering the Qian River directly from the Tongqian River and then traveling upstream to the Dragon Palace was much more convenient for the water race.

Gao De nodded slightly, his Divine Sense spreading forward like a tide to scout the waters at the river mouth.

At the entrance of the Tongqian River, the current was relatively gentle, and the river was several dozen miles wide. Both banks were fertile alluvial plains with dense aquatic forests.

On the bank of the river mouth stood a massive stone stele, ten zhang tall, pitch-black, looking like iron yet not iron, stone yet not stone.

The surface of the stele was as smooth as a mirror, inscribed with several lines of large characters in an ancient dragon script that contained the charm of the water element Dao. It shimmered with a faint blue light under the sun:

"Tongqian Waterway, under the jurisdiction of the Dragon Palace."

"All who come and go must obey the laws and regulations."

"No entry without invitation; trespassers will be punished."

"All races passing through must verify their identity."

Below the stele were smaller characters listing specific transit rules, prohibited items, and the locations of nearby docks for temporary mooring and supplies.

A solemn and regulated atmosphere hit them, demonstrating the Qianjiang Dragon Palace's absolute control and order over these waters.

In the waters beside the stele, two squads of Demon Soldiers were patrolling.

These Demon Soldiers were clearly well-trained, maintaining a neat formation.

One squad consisted of dozens of Green-Armored Shrimp Soldiers, each holding water-parting spikes, carrying hard shells on their backs, with protruding eyes and auras at the second tier.

The other squad was composed of seven or eight Black Iron Crab Generals. They were massive, covered in heavy black shells, waving giant pincers, and their auras were also around the second tier.

They wore uniform water race battle armor, which bore clear protective runes and the mark of the Dragon Palace.

Leading them was a Crab General captain whose aura had reached the Early Stage of the third tier. His shell was darker, and his pincers had a faint metallic luster. He was meticulously inspecting several small and medium-sized vessels about to enter the Tongqian River.

In the Lake region, a Third-Tier Demon King who could be a local leader was only a guard captain here, showing the profound heritage of the Qianjiang Dragon Palace.

The inspection process was orderly: verifying identity credentials, inquiring about the purpose of travel, checking belongings, registering them in the records, and then either granting passage or directing them to specific areas.

"The atmosphere is indeed different," Gao De thought to himself.

This was just one of the outer waterway entrances to the Dragon Palace, yet it had such regulated inspections and guards. It was clear how strictly the Qianjiang Dragon Palace was governed and how vast its power was.

Although those Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals were not strong individually, they were highly disciplined and moved as one. They were clearly a regular water race army trained over many years, incomparable to the rabble of ordinary Yao Race tribes.

He led his team to the shore. Instead of entering the water directly, he restrained most of his Dragon Qi and only revealed the aura of a Fourth-Rank Flood Dragon.

The patrolling squad of Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals immediately noticed the group of visitors. Gao De's dragon horns and his subtle yet noble aura made them dare not be negligent.

The Crab General captain, who had taken a semi-demon form, quickly swam to the shore and stood upright in the shallow water. His shell clicked as he moved. He clasped his pincers in a salute and spoke in a muffled but respectful voice:

"General Hei Jia, on duty at the Tongqian River Mouth. May I ask where the Esteemed One comes from? Where are you headed? Do you have a Dragon Palace invitation or a transit permit?" His etiquette was impeccable, and his inquiry was clear and neither humble nor arrogant.

Seeing the other party's respectful attitude, the Mysterious Crocodile Guards and other Demon Soldiers behind Gao De did not take an aggressive stance, though they remained vigilant and in a strict formation.

Gao De spoke calmly, his voice peaceful yet naturally authoritative: "I am Purple Lightning, the master of Qianjiao Cliff in the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. I have come at the invitation of the Qianjiang Dragon King for his birthday banquet. This is the invitation."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand, and the magnificent invitation he had received from Turtle Chancellor's messenger appeared in his palm. It contained the unique water element mark of the Dragon Palace and information about the banquet, glowing slightly.

The Crab General captain, Hei Jia, carefully sensed the aura on the invitation and secretly observed Gao De and his followers.

Although it had never heard of the name Qianjiao Cliff, Gao De's pure Flood Dragon aura and Fourth-Rank pressure could not be faked. His followers, though few in number, were well-equipped and had sharp auras, clearly not ordinary rogue demons.

"So it is Purple Lightning Dragon King of Qianjiao Cliff! Please forgive my lack of manners. Since you are an invited guest for the banquet, you shall naturally be granted passage. However, according to the rules, all invited guests and their entourages must register here, record their identities, and I must dispatch a squad of five guide soldiers to escort your party to the 'Guest Welcoming Water Post' a hundred miles ahead. There, a manager specifically for banquet guests will provide more detailed arrangements. What does the Great King think?"

Gao De had no objection to this. He had planned to follow the Dragon Palace's rules anyway and take the opportunity to observe and learn more. "Very well, proceed according to the rules."

"Thank you for your understanding, Great King!" Hei Jia the Crab General sighed in relief. This Flood Dragon king did not seem to be an overbearing or unreasonable person.

It immediately ordered its subordinates to bring a specially made jade tablet and quickly recorded Gao De's name, status, and the number of his followers.

Once the registration was complete, Hei Jia selected a squad of Green-Armored Shrimp Soldiers to serve as guides.

"You must lead the way respectfully and escort King Purple Lightning directly to the Guest Welcoming Water Post. Hand him over clearly and make no mistakes!"

"By your command!" the Shrimp Soldiers answered in unison and swam to the water ahead to wait.

"King Purple Lightning, please! Enter the river from here, follow the current for thirty miles, then turn into the main channel and travel upstream. There are markers along the way, and the guides are familiar with the route." Hei Jia the Crab General stepped aside to clear the waterway.

Gao De nodded and signaled to Iron Profound.

Iron Profound gave a low roar, and the Mysterious Crocodile Guards and other Demon Soldiers condensed into the Black Snake Battle Array. They entered the water, still maintaining their neat formation for rapid travel.

Gao De himself stepped into the water, his body naturally merging with the current. He was as comfortable as a fish in water, appearing even more composed and elegant than he did on land.

Perhaps he should refine a Magic Treasure for travel. Seeing the transport Magical Artifacts of other water races in the water, Gao De also felt the urge.

Led by the Shrimp Soldiers, the group officially entered the vast Tongqian River.