45: A dragon cousin? This is a huge misunderstanding!

"Buying a lesson?"

Ao Li's chest heaved violently in anger, her exquisite face covered in frost.

This scoundrel killed her cousin, extracted his dragon tendon, and now he even dares to tease her?!

"Still stubborn when death is at your doorstep! Today, I will avenge my cousin and bring honor back to the Dragon Clan!"

Ao Li formed hand seals, and a precious pearl emitting a dazzling blue glow emerged from her mouth—her Lifebound Treasure, the "Vast Sea Pearl"!

Rumble—

The scenic river and fountains around the plaza, and even the water vapor in the air, instantly surged into a frenzy.

Countless streams of water converged, forming a monstrous wave that transformed the entire dueling arena into a vast ocean.

"Sea Tornado! Crush!"

Ao Li pointed a finger, and over a dozen water tornadoes, condensed from high-pressure water streams, charged towards Gu Yang from all directions with a terrifying power that threatened to tear everything apart.

Facing this overwhelming assault, Gu Yang merely glanced down at the belt around his waist, then realized:

"Cousin? You mean this loach?"

He patted the belt with a look of disdain, as if dusting it off:

"Oh, so that was your relative. My apologies, that thing was a bit tough and got stuck in my teeth, so I only ate a little and lost my appetite. Those few fruits, however, were quite good."

Whoosh—

The entire audience was in an uproar.

All the Cultivators looked at Gu Yang in horror, as if he were a madman.

"He...what did he say? Loach?"

"He really ate a Dragon Clan member?! And the princess's cousin?!"

"He's crazy! It's completely over now! The East Sea Dragon Palace is a colossal power with a Soul Transformation Demon Venerable presiding over it!"

"Ahhh! I'll kill you!!!"

Ao Li completely lost control.

The water tornadoes howled and instantly engulfed Gu Yang.

However, in the center of the turbulent water, a faint golden light barrier remained as steady as a mountain.

Gu Yang stood at the bottom of the water, like a Stabilizing Divine Needle.

"Fighting in water? I'm a professional."

He had a thought.

Divine Ability—Extreme Dao Force Field! Repulsion fully open!

Buzz—!

Centered on Gu Yang, a complete vacuum instantly formed within a three-meter radius.

The water tornadoes, powerful enough to shred steel, instantly disintegrated into a spray of water when they approached the force field, as if hitting an invisible wall.

Gu Yang walked step by step towards Ao Li, and with each step, the surrounding seawater automatically retreated three paces.

"Beautiful lady, stop making trouble. If you keep it up, I'll catch you too and stew you into soup."

Gu Yang looked at Ao Li with serious eyes, "I see you have tender skin and flesh; you should taste better than your cousin."

"You..."

Ao Li was startled by his aggressive gaze, but then even greater shame and anger surged within her.

As a Dragon Clan member, her Physical Body strength was also her pride!

"Since Spells are useless, I'll just smash you!"

Roar—

A clear, resonant dragon roar.

Ao Li's body glowed with a brilliant blue light, and her originally delicate figure began to transform.

A pair of crystalline Dragon horns sprouted from her forehead, her arms and neck became covered in fine blue Dragon scales, and a powerful Dragon tail grew from behind her.

Half-Dragon Form!

This was the Dragon Clan's strongest combat form, combining the agility of the Human Race with the power of the Dragon Clan.

"Die!"

Ao Li's figure flickered, moving like lightning, instantly appearing before Gu Yang. A delicate fist, covered in Dragon scales, struck fiercely at Gu Yang's face with a sonic boom.

This punch carried the force of a million jin!

"Oh? You want to compare strength with me?"

Gu Yang's eyes lit up, revealing a smile like he had found a kindred spirit.

"I love this kind of head-on exchange!"

He didn't dodge or evade, also throwing a punch.

Great Dark Heaven Demonic Tiger Fist—Hard Clash!

Boom—!!!

Two fists, one large and one small, collided in mid-air.

A terrifying shockwave instantly dispersed the surrounding seawater, and the entire plaza's protective Formation groaned under the unbearable strain.

"Unh!"

Ao Li let out a muffled grunt and was sent flying dozens of meters backward.

She felt as if her right hand had struck a great mountain forged of steel; the web between her thumb and forefinger split open, bleeding profusely, and her entire arm went numb.

"How is this possible... I am of the Dragon Clan! How could my strength lose to a Human?!"

Before she could land, a black shadow had already followed her like a maggot to bone.

"I don't hit women, but Dragons are an exception."

Gu Yang's large hand grabbed Ao Li's Dragon horns.

"Get...down!"

10 times gravity!

Bang!

Ao Li was slammed heavily onto the ground, and a large pit instantly exploded in the earth.

Gu Yang straddled her back, pressing down on her two Dragon horns with one hand, firmly pinning her head to the ground.

"Do you submit? Do you submit?"

"No! Let go of me! You scoundrel!"

Ao Li struggled desperately, her Dragon tail wildly lashing the ground, tearing the arena to shreds, but Gu Yang remained as still as a great mountain.

The intense pain combined with unprecedented humiliation made the pampered Third Princess's eyes redden.

"Waaah—! You're bullying me! I'm going to tell Father King!"

She actually... cried from being beaten.

"Uh..."

Gu Yang looked at the beautiful Dragon girl beneath him, her face tear-streaked, and scratched his head, his movements stiff.

This... is she faking it?

I didn't even use much force yet!

"Stop! Brave warrior, please show mercy!"

Just then, an old and anxious voice came from the horizon.

A giant Spiritual Qi hand appeared out of thin air, gently lifting Gu Yang (Gu Yang took the opportunity to jump away).

An old man with a turtle shell on his back and a walrus mustache descended from the clouds, sweating profusely.

He was the Dragon Palace's Dao Protector—Prime Minister Gui (an Early Nascent Soul Stage Demon King).

"Princess! Are you alright?" Prime Minister Gui quickly helped Ao Li up.

"Grandpa Gui! He bullied me! He also ate my cousin!" Ao Li pointed at Gu Yang, crying even louder as she complained.

Prime Minister Gui glanced at the dragon tendon on Gu Yang's waist, his eye twitching, but he still cupped his hands at Gu Yang:

"This... brave warrior, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding."

"Actually, although Ao Lie was the princess's cousin, he committed a grave error in the Dragon Palace long ago, was stripped of his Dragon registration, and demoted to a wicked Dragon. He committed numerous evil deeds in the Lower Realm and deserved to die."

"The brave warrior killed him, which was acting on behalf of heaven. Our Dragon Palace is grateful, we don't even have time to thank you."

Gu Yang raised an eyebrow: "Oh? So, I can keep this dragon tendon?"

"This..." Prime Minister Gui looked troubled, "Although Ao Lie deserved death, the Dragon corpse must not be desecrated. This is the Dragon Clan's bottom line. If word gets out, the Dragon Palace will lose all face."

"How about this, brave warrior, you help our Dragon Palace with a task to offset this Karma, how about it?"

"What task? I won't do it without benefits." Gu Yang was very realistic.

Prime Minister Gui lowered his voice:

"Deep within the Chaotic Star Sea, there is a 'Abyssal Trench'. There's an ancient ruin there with immense gravity and a complete suppression of spiritual energy; only Body Cultivators can enter."

"As long as the brave warrior can help us retrieve an item from within, the matter of the dragon tendon will be completely written off! Furthermore, you can choose three treasures from the Dragon Palace treasury!"

"Abyss? Gravity? Body Cultivator?"

Gu Yang's eyes gleamed.

Isn't this a new buffet?

"Deal!"

Ao Li, standing nearby, wiped away her tears and secretly glanced at the burly man who was haggling with Prime Minister Gui.

Although he was crude and barbaric... when he pressed her to the ground earlier, that feeling of irresistible power actually made her heart beat a little faster?

"Is this... is this the taste of a man?"

The princess's face inexplicably flushed.