Chapter 31: Invitation to the Dragon Palace

The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.

Li Changshou and Lan Ling'e acted in perfect unison, both tilting their heads up to gaze at the sky as if nothing was amiss...

Outside the Hu Shan Da Zhen, the Cang Long circled menacingly, while the mass of gray clouds churned continuously.

The Tianxian-level pressure pierced through the Hu Shan Da Zhen, enveloping various parts of Du Xian Men, causing figures to appear in the skies above each peak—these were the immortals of Du Xian Men startled awake by the disturbance.

Suddenly, several streaks of light shot up from Po Tian Peak, flying directly out of the Hu Shan Da Zhen and transforming into four figures that hovered in the air, surveying the clouds.

At the forefront was a male immortal in a blue-and-white robe, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his figure tall and straight like a pine tree, with two streaks of white hair at his temples and a strikingly cold expression.

The moment he appeared, the pressure from the sky vanished instantly, and the Cang Long quickly retreated into the clouds, not daring to approach the Hu Shan Da Zhen any closer...

This was Li Changshou's first time seeing Wangqing Shangren.

Indeed, this handsome elder with white hair at the temples was the master of the Jiu Zi Nine Immortals, the Tianxian of Du Xian Men, with the Dao title Wangqing.

Behind Wangqing Shangren stood an old Daoist holding a fly-whisk and wearing a genial smile, an old woman leaning on a wooden staff with a faint smile at her lips, and a beautiful fairy clad in rainbow robes, though her form was obscured by a veil of mist, making it impossible to see clearly.

The Cang Long roared from the clouds:

"You are the ones in charge of Du Xian Men?"

Wangqing Shangren didn't even lift his head, his calm voice echoing throughout the array inside and out:

"I am merely a recluse within the sect. Du Xian Men is not for me to manage.

I simply felt that this young dragon of yours was being too rude, so I came out to teach it a lesson."

"How dare you!"

The red-scaled Cang Long bellowed in fury from the clouds, the vast gray clouds suddenly contracting as a dragon claw gathered furious thunder and heavenly fire, smashing down toward Wangqing Shangren!

As the claw expanded in the wind, it grew to hundreds of zhang in diameter in an instant, blotting out the sky and threatening to shatter the Hu Shan Da Zhen and Po Tian Peak together!

Witnessing this, many disciples held their breath in tension, while the more powerful sect members showed expressions of concern.

Lan Ling'e, standing beside Li Changshou, instinctively grabbed her senior brother's arm. Her cultivation was too low, and she was overwhelmed by the dragon's aura, filling her with unease.

Li Changshou promptly released a wisp of his aura to envelop his junior sister, shielding her from the pressure and preventing any heart demons from taking hold.

Then, suddenly!

The massive dragon claw, like a mountain blocking the clouds, halted without warning above the Hu Shan Da Zhen...

The wind from the claw caused the smooth, glowing barrier of the array to flicker lightly.

Yet, this enormous claw hung strangely in the air, unable to descend even an inch further!

Li Changshou channeled his spiritual power into his eyes for a closer look and saw that Wangqing Shangren had raised his left arm, his hand formed into a sword finger, with the tip pressing against a spot on the vast claw's tough hide!

With just one finger, he supported the claw that was as immense as a mountain!

Wangqing Shangren's long hair whipped wildly in the wind, and his robes fluttered noisily.

"Humph!"

A cold snort echoed for thousands of li!

Wangqing Shangren lightly shook his left arm, and the mountain-like dragon claw shattered in an instant, exploding into a flurry of clouds and mist!

The Cang Long reappeared amid the churning fog, but it was enveloped by an invisible force, its massive body twisting and struggling as it was hurled into the nine heavens...

A moment later, the Cang Long returned from the high skies in a rage, letting out a furious dragon roar.

Wangqing Shangren glanced up slightly, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

The Cang Long immediately ceased its roar, its body surrounded by intense red light as it transformed into a burly warrior with a dragon head and human body, clad in armor, his face a mix of shock and anger.

Wangqing Shangren said coldly:

"You've only just achieved Tianxian realm, and you dare to cause trouble at Du Xian Men? Are you tired of living?"

The dragon-headed warrior roared in response but didn't dare act rashly. Instead, he shouted from the air:

"You insolent people of Du Xian Men, don't force us to take extreme measures!

I am the special envoy of Donghai Long Gong, the chief vanguard of the Dragon Palace naval forces!

I will report this disrespect to the Dragon King and soon lead troops to raze your insignificant mountain gate!"

The old Daoist behind Wangqing Shangren chuckled:

"So the Dragon Palace is this bold—impressive, truly impressive.

But isn't it a bit excessive to try to make an example out of Du Xian Men?

After all, we are part of the Ren Jiao lineage, protected by the fortunes of Ren Jiao. The Donghai Long Gong should be focused on guarding the Eastern Sea, mending your own fortunes and merits, yet you indulge such wicked dragons in causing trouble everywhere. And you, as the chief vanguard, attack our Hu Shan Da Zhen without a word.

Are you intentionally trying to provoke a war between human cultivators and the dragon race?"

"You!"

The dragon-headed warrior glared but didn't dare respond recklessly.

Times had changed since the Witch-Demon War, when humans were weak. Now, humanity was the protagonist of the heavens, thriving far beyond the ancient era.

If human cultivators united against the dragon race, or even if the sects of Dongsheng Shenzhou intervened and called upon a few great powers from the Three Teachings, it would be more than enough to trouble the Four Seas Dragon Palaces.

This Cang Long found itself in a difficult position, unable to back down easily.

The old woman from Du Xian Men stepped forward at the right moment, smiling as she smoothed things over with a few gracious words, giving the Cang Long a way out.

The Cang Long seized the opportunity and, with a stern face, stated its purpose...

"Your Du Xian Men recently came to the Eastern Sea to exterminate demons, but your disciples accidentally injured soldiers we were training!

However, our Dragon King does not wish to dwell on it. In three years, we will hold a Yao Suppression Conference at the Eastern Sea's shore, inviting all sects from Dongsheng Shenzhou to gather and discuss future demon extermination matters.

The Donghai Long Gong is filled with treasures, and we will handsomely reward the outstanding human disciples at the conference.

This is the invitation—do not miss it!

Humph!"

With that, the dragon-headed warrior tossed down a gleaming golden invitation and turned back into a Cang Long, roaring away into the clouds.

The old woman caught the invitation and called out:

"Chief vanguard, safe travels. We won't see you off."

At once, laughter mocking the Dragon Palace echoed throughout Du Xian Men.

The four elders who had emerged must have coordinated beforehand: Wangqing Shangren played the bad cop, the old Daoist issued threats, and the old woman played the good cop.

This trio of Tianxians put on quite a show, handling the arrogant Dragon Palace general perfectly.

The Cang Long had intended to intimidate Du Xian Men but ended up embarrassed, not even able to throw out a proper threat before slinking away in defeat...

Watching the Cang Long soar through the skies, with clouds following the dragon and wind the tiger, was indeed a rare spectacle.

"Senior brother," Lan Ling'e whispered, "is this the world of the strong?"

Li Changshou shook his head gently and sent a voice transmission:

"This is just the realm of experts, not true strength..."

Then, the senior brother and sister recalled the earlier incident and looked down together.

By the birdcage, Qi Yuan was quietly closing the wooden door, trying to slip away from the side...

Lan Ling'e continued staring at the sky, pretending not to notice their master;

Li Changshou closed his eyes in contemplation, appearing as if he had gained some insight from watching the experts' confrontation.

How could Qi Yuan not realize that his disciples were saving his face?

The old Daoist's wrinkled forehead was lined with frustration, his aged face fallen, his lips twitching silently for a while.

"Ahem, uh-hum!

No laughing, you two!

This was my first heavenly tribulation—I lacked experience!

I'll... I'll go back and continue my seclusion!"

With that, Qi Yuan turned and covered his face as he hurried away, flying off on a cloud with remarkable speed.

The senior brother and sister stood there holding back their laughter until Qi Yuan returned to the thatched hut and activated several small arrays. Only then did they burst out laughing.

This mix-up could be written off as a tribulation rehearsal.

Fortunately, it hadn't drawn the attention of immortals or disciples from other peaks, especially since the Cang Long had captured everyone's focus. Otherwise, Qi Yuan would have been mortified...

He might have even wished for death.

...

In a way, not having the tribulation occur suddenly was a good thing.

Afterward, Li Changshou worried a bit that the 'treasure pill' he had given his master might be examined by him.

But on second thought, even if Qi Yuan looked at it, he probably wouldn't recognize it as a Rong Xian Dan.

Qi Yuan didn't know much about alchemy; he specialized in arrays.

For over a thousand years since joining the sect, Qi Yuan had spent most of his time enhancing his cultivation, but due to damage to his Dao foundation, his path had been arduous.

The root of Qi Yuan's slim chances against heavenly tribulation lay in that damaged Dao foundation.

Helping his master repair it was Li Changshou's third plan for assisting with the tribulation.

However, this third plan, which seemed to address the root cause, was actually the most dangerous and difficult path...

Qi Yuan's Dao foundation was damaged from an injury in his early years.

Li Changshou had asked about the injury's cause several times, but Qi Yuan never answered directly, only saying it was a cultivation mishap.

After the injury, senior members of the sect used a large amount of pills to save Qi Yuan's life.

At that time, Xiao Qiong Peak had only Qi Yuan, as his own master had left for travels nine hundred years ago and never returned.

In repairing the Dao foundation, the sect provided many healing pills but lacked some rare heavenly treasures.

Once the foundation was stabilized, Qi Yuan spent hundreds of years cultivating, seemingly healing his Dao injury. But by then, his foundation was already severely compromised, and the essential damage was irreparable.

It was like a tree that grew crooked and continued growing in that direction, eventually becoming a twisted old tree.

Qi Yuan's injury was much the same.

To help his master restore his foundation, they would have to dismantle the cultivation he had painstakingly built over centuries, forcibly reopen the healed Dao injury with precise techniques, and fill it with heavenly treasures.

This process would be extremely perilous, incredibly painful for Qi Yuan, and required hard-to-find treasures—with no guarantee of success...

That's why Li Changshou prioritized the first and second plans, keeping the third and the six backup plans sealed away for now.

After the mishap, Qi Yuan secluded himself for two months.

Two months later, he emerged, intending to restore his master's dignity by thoroughly answering the questions Li Changshou had asked before.

But Li Changshou was well-prepared. After hearing his master's explanations, he raised new questions, leaving Qi Yuan stumped once more. The old Daoist retreated back to his hut to seclude himself again, continuing to perfect his own Dao...

During this time, Li Changshou crafted a few more tools that might be useful for the tribulation.

When Qi Yuan came out this time, Li Changshou could sense faint, obscure fluctuations of aura around him.

This was a sign that heaven's will had locked onto him, indicating the tribulation was imminent.

At the latest, within two years, Qi Yuan would face his heavenly tribulation—but at that point, Li Changshou could do little to help.

After all, overcoming a tribulation was a personal matter; others could offer scant assistance.

...

Thus, a year and nine months later,

Qi Yuan's heavenly tribulation arrived like a bashful young bride—shy and hesitant at first, but fiercely assertive when the moment came...