What? The Thirteenth Ancestral Witch Has Arrived?

The East Sea Dragon Palace was magnificent and resplendent, its grandeur awe-inspiring.

Suddenly!

A shrimp soldier staggered into the main hall and cried out loudly:

"Reporting to the Dragon King, outside... outside, thirteen Daoists have arrived! They call themselves the Thirteenth Ancestral Witch and say they have come to visit you!"

Ao Zhan had been lazily reclining on the dragon throne, enjoying the service of the palace maidens.

The moment he heard this, his entire body sprang upright. Even his dragon whiskers stood straight, and his face was filled with horror.

"What?"

"The Thirteenth Ancestral Witch?"

Ao Zhan abruptly rose from the dragon throne, the scales on his face turning green.

His heart skipped a beat. The Dragon Clan was no longer what it had been during the Dragon-Han Initial Tribulation. Ancestor Dragon had fallen, while Candle Dragon Ancestor was burdened by Karma and had secluded himself from the world.

The present Dragon Clan only had him and a handful of upper-echelon members at the early Great Golden Immortal stage.

However, they controlled the East Sea and commanded countless subordinates, so they remained well informed about major and minor affairs throughout the Primordial World.

The Thirteenth Ancestral Witch—especially Qin Xuan—were ruthless figures who had dared to fight outright in Zixiao Palace and beat Yuanshi beneath Buzhou Mountain!

Why had they come to the East Sea?

If they angered them, let alone overturning the Dragon Palace, they might even turn the entire East Sea upside down!

The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became.

He drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his fear, and said in a grave voice:

"Quick! Quick, come with this king to greet them!"

Ao Zhan hurriedly led a group of Dragon Clan higher-ups outside the Dragon Palace.

There, thirteen figures stood waiting.

The leader appeared to have restrained his aura, yet this only made him seem even more unfathomable.

Behind him stood the twelve Ancestral Witches, each towering like pillars that held up the heavens. Though they had concealed most of their auras, the pressure stemming from Pangu's bloodline still made Ao Zhan and the other dragons tremble inwardly.

"This King, Ao Zhan, was unaware of your honored arrival and failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me, please forgive me!"

Ao Zhan hastily put on a smile, his attitude exceedingly humble.

What had these fiends come here for?

Were they after the Dragon Clan's treasures?

Or had they simply come to extort some benefits while passing through?

Qin Xuan first swept his sleeve, and vast magical power surged forth, instantly concealing the heavenly secrets of the area.

Only then did he politely cup his hands toward the somewhat tense Ao Zhan and say:

"Dragon King Ao Zhan, there is no need for such courtesy."

"We have only come to ask the Dragon King about someone's whereabouts."

"Ask about someone? May I know whom you wish to inquire about?" Hearing this, Ao Zhan relaxed slightly. As long as they had not come looking for trouble, all was well.

Yet as he watched Qin Xuan's actions, he could not help feeling curious. Anyone worthy of the entire Ancestral Witch group personally seeking information would certainly not be ordinary.

Qin Xuan spoke bluntly:

"We wish to ask about Duke Dong's whereabouts. We heard that his Daoist sanctuary lies within the East Sea. Might the Dragon King be able to tell us?"

Upon hearing that name, the stone in Ao Zhan's heart finally dropped. As long as it had nothing to do with the Dragon Clan!

He completely relaxed, and a warm smile immediately spread across his face.

"To be honest, Duke Dong's Daoist sanctuary is indeed in the East Sea. Moreover, he has been traveling the East Sea these past years, seemingly searching for something."

"Not long ago, one of my subordinates reported seeing him in a region of the deep sea. It seems he often remains in that strange stretch of waters."

"Oh? Which sea region?" Qin Xuan's eyes lit up as he pressed for details.

Ao Zhan promptly summoned a subordinate, who described the location and appearance of that sea region in detail.

Once that was done, he invited them into the Dragon Palace to sit and offered to host them properly.

Qin Xuan tactfully declined Ao Zhan's kind offer.

"Thank you for the Dragon King's generous hospitality, but we still have important matters to attend to, so we will not impose any longer!"

Seeing that Qin Xuan did not wish to stay, Ao Zhan personally escorted them out of the Dragon Palace.

Only after Qin Xuan and the twelve Ancestral Witches had completely vanished from sight did Ao Zhan finally relax. He wiped the nonexistent sweat from his forehead.

He sighed inwardly. At last, he had sent those ruthless people away.

Ao Zhan stared in the direction Qin Xuan had departed until he could no longer see him, then turned and ordered:

"Ao Guang, pass down the order. No one is to mention the Ancestral Witches' visit today. Let it rot in your stomachs! Anyone who runs their mouth will be killed without mercy!"

Ao Guang bowed and said:

"Father King, there will be no problem with the Dragon Clan's disciples, but those sea demons..."

Ao Zhan looked toward the direction Qin Xuan had left, a trace of ruthlessness flashing through his eyes. "Leave none alive!"

Having obtained the clue provided by Ao Zhan, Qin Xuan led the twelve Ancestral Witches onward at full speed.

Before long, they arrived at a strange sea region.

This sea region was completely different from the turbulent waves surrounding it. Its surface was as calm as a mirror, as though isolated by some invisible force.

And upon that tranquil sea sat a figure cross-legged in silence.

The man wore Daoist robes and had refined, elegant features.

Qin Xuan had seen him in Zixiao Palace before, so he recognized him at once. He was Duke Dong, the person Qin Xuan had come to find.

At that moment, Duke Dong's eyes were closed. He seemed to be deep in thought, or perhaps cultivating. A faint late-stage Great Golden Immortal aura emanated from him. Across tens of thousands of li of sea, no living creature dared approach, forming a vacuum zone.

Qin Xuan stared at Duke Dong, then glanced at the faintly distorted space above the sea before him and the elusive, profound aura. Joy rose in his heart.

Duke Dong really was comprehending the Innate Grand Formation of Three Immortal Island!