213: Dragon King's Feast

Inside Bibo Garden, Gao De sat alone in a quiet room; a "Cleansing Heart Jade Pendant," crafted from scraps of profound ice jade lotus, emanated a faint chill from between his fingers, helping him calm his mind and focus his thoughts.

The undercurrents at the Listening Tide Pavilion tea party, the Central Continent visitors' intent on exploring the "void node" and the "Ancient Chidao" ruins, as well as the subtle attitude of the Dragon Palace, all made him vigilant while also revealing potential Opportunities.

He needed a clearer understanding of the internal layout of the Dragon Palace, as well as the attitude of the main host of the upcoming birthday celebration—the Qianjiang Dragon King.

In the following days, Gao De did not rush to act; instead, he followed the arrangements of the Dragon Palace, meditating in Bibo Garden and occasionally accepting visits or returning visits from guests of similar rank, maintaining basic etiquette.

Ao Qing seemed quite attentive to him, having visited twice more; in their conversations, aside from introducing the sights of the Dragon Palace, he also subtly probed into the specific situation of Gao De and his subordinates.

Although Gao De did not like dealing with people, his responses were watertight.

That day, Ao Qing visited again with a joyful expression: "Fellow Daoist Purple Lightning, His Majesty the Dragon King has heard that you traveled from afar to offer birthday congratulations, and the Dragon King is very pleased."

"He has issued a decree to hold a small, exclusive banquet in the 'Zichen Hall' in three days to receive a select group of guests, including you. This is a great honor, so please be sure to prepare carefully."

Finally, he was going to meet the main host of the birthday banquet!

Gao De's heart stirred, but he respectfully accepted on the surface: "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of His Majesty the Dragon King; I am humbled and will certainly arrive on time."

After sending Ao Qing away, Gao De frowned slightly.

Meeting the Dragon King was a good thing; he could more intuitively sense the majesty and attitude of this regional hegemon, and perhaps even secure some tangible benefits.

But for some reason, a faint, lingering gloom rose in his heart, as if something bad was brewing.

This feeling did not come from clear intelligence or signs, but rather like a Cultivator's spiritual intuition, especially since he possessed a flood dragon bloodline and had a natural sensitivity to changes in Luck.

He took out the tianji mirror, attempting to contact Turtle Three Thousand to see if there were any anomalies at Qianjiao Cliff recently.

The mirror's surface rippled for a moment, revealing Turtle Three Thousand's slightly worried face.

"Master, the Water Mansion and Lesser Qingqiu are generally fine and are developing steadily according to your instructions. It's just that... recently, a stretch of water in the southwest of the Marsh, near the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, seems to have some anomalies."

Turtle Three Thousand reported, "According to reports from patrolling Demon Soldiers, the aquatic life in that water area has been inexplicably agitated for the past month. Occasionally, low-level water beasts go mad or go missing, and the water quality has a faint, indescribable, obscure Qi. It doesn't resemble ordinary poisonous miasma or Death Qi, but rather seems like... some kind of ominous omen."

"My subordinates have increased patrols and attempted to investigate the source, but there are no clear findings yet. I dare not speculate whether this matter is related to changes within the Marsh or the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range."

An ominous omen... The gloom in Gao De's heart grew heavier.

Both the waters where Qianjiao Cliff was located and the Qian River waters led to the Yunmeng Great Marsh; if an anomaly appeared in the Yunmeng Great Marsh, it might not be an isolated incident.

He urged Turtle Three Thousand to strengthen vigilance, continue investigating, and report immediately if there were any new findings.

Ending the communication, Gao De pondered for a long time.

With the Dragon Palace birthday banquet imminent and guests gathering from all directions, it was already a turbulent time.

The anomalies in the Yunmeng Great Marsh, the hidden motives of the Central Continent visitors, the potential undercurrents within the Dragon Palace, and his own inexplicable premonition... all these signs intertwined, allowing him to smell the scent of a coming storm.

"In any case, meeting the Dragon King is a crucial step. I must handle it carefully." Gao De steadied his mind and began preparing for the banquet at Zichen Hall in three days.

He carefully prepared a gift for the meeting—a "Nine-Leaf Pearl Grass," preserved in a special jade box and still full of vitality. Although the birthday gift he had prepared earlier had already been submitted, this was his first time meeting the Qianjiang Dragon King, and one could never be too polite; it was better to be fully prepared in case of any issues.

Three days later, Zichen Hall.

This hall was located in the core area of Qianyuan City; it was not the main hall of the Dragon Palace, but it was a place for holding important banquets and receiving distinguished guests.

The hall was carved from a single massive piece of "fourth-tier starry amethyst," containing countless tiny specks of light that twinkled like stars. Being inside felt as if one were under an infinite starry sky—magnificent and mysterious.

The hall had already been arranged; there were jade tables, crystal stools, spiritual fruits, delicacies, and immortal nectar. Standing by were high-tier Merfolk maids with pure auras and beautiful appearances.

There were about twenty invited guests; besides Gao De, there were several other Yao Race leaders who had established subordinate relationships with the Dragon Palace, two water-element deities from Jingzhou Province lakes, and... Mysterious Mechanism Master from the Tianyan Sect and Shopkeeper Chen from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion of the Central Continent.

Clearly, those invited to this banquet were "special guests" that the Dragon Palace felt needed special attention or wooing.

Everyone took their seats as guided; the atmosphere was solemn and slightly restrained.

Even Mysterious Mechanism Master and Shopkeeper Chen set aside their usual casualness in such an occasion and sat up straight.

Shortly after, melodious bell and chime sounds came from behind the hall. A vast, abyssal, and incomparably noble Dragon Might slowly permeated the area. It was not overbearing, yet it made all the living beings in the hall, including Gao De, feel an instinctive awe stemming from their Bloodline and life level.

"His Majesty the Dragon King has arrived—!"

Following the ceremonial officer's loud chant, a group of people emerged from behind the hall.

The leader was a middle-aged man wearing a black-based dragon robe with gold patterns and a flat-topped crown, his face dignified with a hint of dominance.

He was tall and sturdy with a steady gait; every step he took seemed to cause the surrounding water essence to resonate with him.

The dragon horn on his forehead was dark gold, ancient and vigorous, and as his eyes opened and closed, phantoms of the sun, moon, and stars seemed to float within them.

He was the current Qianjiang Dragon King who had ruled the Qianjiang River Basin for thousands of years—Ao Guang!

Behind him followed several extraordinary dragon children and grandchildren, as well as a few high-ranking water clan officials wearing official robes with deep auras.

Dragon King Ao Guang walked to the main seat and sat down, his gaze sweeping across the guests in the hall as he smiled: "Fellow Daoists, you have traveled from afar to offer birthday congratulations to me, and I am very pleased. Today, I have set up this small banquet to gather with all of you; there is no need to be overly restrained."

The voice was calm yet carried a natural majesty, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

Everyone hurriedly stood up and bowed: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Dragon King! We wish Your Majesty boundless longevity!"

"No need for formalities, please sit." The Dragon King pressed his hand down in the air.

The banquet officially began, with delicacies and fine wine served like a flowing stream; during the banquet, there were Merfolk songs and dances for entertainment, accompanied by ethereal music.

The Dragon King occasionally whispered to the high-ranking officials or dragon children beside him, but most of the time he looked down with a smile, accepting toasts and congratulatory words from the guests.

When it was Gao De's turn, he stood up, offered the jade box containing the Nine-Leaf Pearl Grass with both hands, and said in a clear voice: "Junior, Purple Lightning of Qianjiao Cliff, admires Your Majesty's majesty and virtue, and has specially prepared a humble gift, a 'Nine-Leaf Pearl Grass,' to wish Your Majesty blessings as vast as the Qian River and a lifespan as long as the star sea! May Your Majesty rule the water clan, bless all living beings, and may your holy Dao last forever!"

An attendant stepped forward to take the jade box and presented it to the Dragon King. The Dragon King opened it, glanced at it, and a trace of surprise and satisfaction flashed in his eyes: "Nine-Leaf Pearl Grass? This item is very beneficial for nourishing the dragon soul and purifying the Bloodline, and it is rarely found with nine leaves at Perfection, of excellent quality."

"Little friend Purple Lightning, you are very thoughtful. I heard that you are also a thunder-element flood dragon and have established a foundation at the junction of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range and the Yunmeng Great Marsh, managing your territory with great order, which is truly rare. My water clan has gained another talent, and I am very pleased."

"Your Majesty praises me too highly; this Junior is unworthy. It is all thanks to Your Majesty's majesty and protection, and the hard work of my subordinates," Gao De replied respectfully, flattering him without leaving a trace.

The Dragon King nodded and offered a few words of encouragement, nothing more than cultivating the Dao diligently, managing the water territory well, and being loyal to the Dragon Palace.

Gao De accepted them one by one, appearing completely respectful.

Halfway through the banquet, the atmosphere gradually became harmonious.

The Dragon King seemed to be in high spirits and chatted a bit more with Central Continent guests like Mysterious Mechanism Master and Shopkeeper Chen, asking about the customs of the Central Continent and the recent situation in the cultivation world.

Mysterious Mechanism Master and Shopkeeper Chen responded appropriately, once again vaguely mentioning their interest in the ancient ruins of the Qian River, though this time their phrasing was more tactful.

The Dragon King listened, stroked his beard, and smiled: "Fellow Daoists of the Central Continent are knowledgeable and well-informed, and are so attentive to the ancient affairs of my Qian River. Indeed, the Qian River has a long history, and there are indeed some ancient traces left behind."

"It is just that the time is too distant, and many are buried in dangerous places and desperate situations, making exploration difficult."

"If you are interested, after the birthday banquet, I can send officials familiar with the geography to provide you with some general location information. As for whether you can gain anything, that depends on your own Opportunity."

These words were watertight; he neither fully refused nor took full responsibility, pushing the risks and Opportunities of exploring the ruins onto the Central Continent guests themselves.

Mysterious Mechanism Master and Shopkeeper Chen hurriedly thanked him, but each had their own thoughts in their eyes.

Gao De watched coldly from the sidelines, but that faint, ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He noticed that although the Dragon King was smiling, deep in his eyes, there seemed to be a trace of imperceptible fatigue and... gravity?

Moreover, an old official standing behind the Dragon King always had a mysterious luster covering his brows, and his occasional gaze toward the Dragon King carried a special meaning.

Just then, a rush of hurried and light footsteps came from outside the hall. A commander of the Imperial Guard, wearing silver scale armor and looking anxious, hurried to the hall door and whispered a few urgent words to the ceremonial officer.

The ceremonial officer's face changed slightly, and he walked quickly to the Dragon King's side, bowing to report.

The smile on the Dragon King's face paused slightly. Although it instantly returned to normal, Gao De keenly captured the fleeting displeasure in his eyes.

The Dragon King whispered an instruction to the ceremonial officer, who accepted the order and left, and the Imperial Guard commander also quietly retreated.

The songs and dances in the hall continued, and most guests did not notice this subtle interlude.

But a few keen-perceiving people like Gao De and Mysterious Mechanism Master felt that the atmosphere in the hall seemed to have undergone an indescribable change.

A moment later, the Dragon King raised his glass and said in a clear voice: "It has been very pleasant to feast with you all today. However, I suddenly have urgent business to attend to and must excuse myself for now. Crown Prince Ao Qin will take over as host, and I hope you all enjoy yourselves."

After speaking, the Dragon King stood up, nodded slightly to everyone, and then hurried away, surrounded by several high-ranking officials and personal guards.

Crown Prince Ao Qin hurriedly stood up to take over the hosting of the banquet, his words and actions remaining polite as he tried hard to maintain the lively atmosphere.

But the gloom in Gao De's heart had already become as thick as ink.

With the Dragon King's status, unless something extremely major or urgent had happened, how could he leave halfway through a banquet for guests? Thinking of the anomalies in the downstream waters, as well as his own inexplicable premonition...

"It seems this Dragon Palace birthday banquet will likely not be peaceful." Gao De raised his wine glass, using the act of drinking to hide the gravity in his eyes.

He had to be more careful, and at the same time, he had to think about how to save his own life if a major change really occurred.