The Dragon King of the East Sea Brings Gifts
"My Immortal Lord, although the Dragon Clan has declined, it was once an ancient overlord. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse."
The Dragon King of the East Sea personally brought gifts to our door; whatever his intentions, it wouldn't hurt to see him.
Moreover..." He paused, then his voice deepened, carrying a hint of greed.
"My Immortal Lord, do you know how many extraordinary... Innate Spiritual Treasure have been buried in the depths of the vast Eastern Sea since the Dragon-Han Primordial Calamity?"
"Perhaps the Dragon King's arrival is... a stroke of good fortune?"
East Prince's eyes flickered slightly, a barely perceptible glint of something else flashing across them.
"The Dragon King of the East Sea is hereby summoned for an audience."
The Immortal Official standing at the palace gate chanted aloud, their voices echoing throughout the ornately decorated and mist-shrouded Myriad Immortals Hall.
The guards bowed and accepted the order, their armor clanging as they quickly retreated. A short while later, heavy footsteps accompanied by a faint dragon's roar grew louder as they approached.
The Dragon King of the East Sea, dressed in imperial robes, though trying to appear calm, could not hide a hint of humility and anxiety in his eyes. Surrounded by a group of the Dragon Clan generals who had also Transformation, he stepped steadily into the main hall.
What's even more eye-catching is the hundred strongmen who filed into the palace gate, each with bulging muscles, working together to carry a hundred huge and heavy treasure chests!
The treasure chest was neither gold nor wood, but made of a strange material. It was inlaid with bright pearls and beautiful jade, and its shimmering light made it even more dazzling as soon as it entered the Myriad Immortals Hall.
The East Prince, perched atop his throne entwined with nine dragons, stroked his long beard and exchanged a silent glance with the Immortal Dakang standing beside him. In their eyes, a glint of greed flashed like a flickering candle in the hall, quickly concealed by a deeper scheming.
Dakang's lips tightened imperceptibly, a cold smile playing on his lips, "Old mudfish, what a grand gesture, his ambitions must be immense."
Reaching the foot of the steps, he bowed deeply and performed an extremely respectful salute to the East Prince at the head of the table. "This humble dragon, on behalf of all the East Sea Dragon Palace, kowtows to the Immortal Lord! We respectfully wish the Immortal Lord boundless virtue, blessings upon the entire world, eternal happiness, and longevity as long as the sun and moon, and as enduring as Universe!"
His vivid and expressive delivery, along with his obsequious manner, was unmistakably obvious.
"Um..."
The East Prince let out a satisfied hum, his eyelids slightly closed, and a look of utter enjoyment appeared on his face, as if the flattering words were Nectar and Ambrosia that made him feel completely comfortable.
Dakang, standing to one side, felt his eyelids twitch and his fingers clenched tightly in his sleeve—was this old Dragon King's skill in flattery even more refined than his own, his personal advisor? An indescribable jealousy began to grow in his heart.
The East Prince slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the treasure chests filling the hall. He suppressed the surging possessiveness in his heart and feigned indifference, saying:
"Your Dragon Clan has always lived in the deep sea and has little contact with our Immortal Court."
Why have you made such a grand gesture today, bringing such lavish gifts? Please speak frankly."
He deliberately emphasized the words "generous gift," his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest of the throne, an invisible pressure spreading out.
The Dragon King of the East Sea knew the crucial moment had arrived. He lowered his head even further, his voice carrying just the right amount of sorrow and pleading:
"Reporting to the Immortal Lord! The Immortal Lord is the Head of Male Immortals appointed by the Dao Ancestor. His power and virtue are manifest Primordial Wilderness. Now he has established the Immortal Court to govern all spirits. He is truly the righteous one of heaven and earth!"
Our Dragon Clan borders the Eastern Sea, and deeply admires the Immortal Lord's benevolence. We are filled with trepidation and humility; how could we dare not offer a humble gift to congratulate the Holy Court? However..."
The tone shifted abruptly, becoming even more mournful.
"However, since the ancient calamity, my Dragon Clan has been burdened with heavy karmic obstacles, making the path of cultivation difficult for our descendants, and our bloodline has gradually withered away."
I, Xiaolong, humbly beg the Immortal Lord for mercy and compassion! I dare not aspire to a high position, but only wish that the Immortal Court would open its doors wide and accept my clan's thirty thousand members.
Even if we were to serve the Immortal Court as its servants, attending to the esteemed immortals day and night, it would be the greatest relief and supreme glory for our clan! This is the heartfelt wish of His Majesty the First Ancestor Dragon and all the elders, whom wept blood in fervor!
These words, on the surface, are a request for a humble place to live, but in reality, they are a way of concealing the Dragon Clan' desire for protection and to use the Immortal Court's Luck to cleanse their karma, all within humble words.
The number of 30,000 disciples was the result of repeated deliberations by the Ancestor Dragon and the elders—it could initially share the burden of karma, but the number was not so large that it would make the East Prince wary and refuse outright.
"You bastard!"
No sooner had the Dragon King of the East Sea finished speaking than Dakang could no longer contain himself and shouted angrily, his voice like the clash of metal and stone, resounding throughout the hall.
"You Dragon Clan are burdened with boundless karmic obstacles; you are a race rejected by the Heavenly Dao!"
How dare such filthy beings defile the pure and righteous land of my Immortal Court?
Do you really think you can exchange your mere worldly possessions for the protection of the Immortal Court's Luck and to ward off disasters and calamities for your Dragon Clan?
Wishful thinking! Utterly insincere!
Dakang glared angrily at the Eastern Sea, attempting to crush the opponent's scheme with his imposing presence.
They were all Taiqing of the implications. Once a large number of the Dragon Clan joined them, the newly formed Luck of the Immortal Court would be diluted, and they might even be tainted by the tangled Karma of the Dragon Clan!
"Hey, Dakang, hold your anger."
The East Prince paused in stroking his beard, then spoke slowly, his gaze never leaving the treasure chests, his eyes gleaming.
"Ao Guang has come from afar, and his intentions are sincere. However..."
He changed the subject, looking at Ao Guang with a hint of scrutiny, "These 30,000 Dragon Clan members are no small matter. I am also aware of the Dragon Clan's desire for protection."
But our Immortal Court is governed by strict rules. What is the sincerity behind your Dragon Clan's 'meager gift'?
The conversation was cleverly steered towards the actual price, revealing their greedy intentions—the greater the Dragon Clan's demands, the higher the "sincerity" they would offer.
The Dragon King of the East Sea, certain that the most crucial moment had arrived, quickly bowed again, his voice filled with a resolute determination to risk everything:
"My Immortal Lord are wise! What Immortal Dakang said is reasonable. To show our clan's utmost sincerity, we dare not be negligent in the slightest. This time, we offer one hundred Innate Spiritual Treasure and one thousand Acquired Spiritual Treasure! All of them have been sealed in the treasure chest."
With a wave of his hand, the Dragon Clan standing behind him immediately stepped forward and together opened the lids of dozens of treasure chests.
"Buzz--"
In an instant, the hall was ablaze with light! The unique Daoist charm and radiant glow of the Innate Spiritual Treasure rose and swirled, while the precious light of the Acquired Spiritual Treasure converged into a flowing rainbow.
Countless treasures of various shapes and sizes, some ancient and some fierce, including swords, bells, tripods, pearls, and jade, appeared, dazzling and imbued with spiritual energy, making the vast Myriad Immortals Hall appear as if a galaxy had been inverted!
Even the East Prince and Dakang, with their vast experience and knowledge, couldn't help but have their pupils shrink and their breath catch in their throats!
Almost simultaneously, their Adam's apples bobbed as they forcefully suppressed their shock.
The Dragon Clan's resources... far exceed my imagination!
The treasures piled up before us are worth far more than ten times the value of the Immortal Court's Treasure Vault.
In the early days of the Immortal Court, resources were scarce, and these spiritual treasures were a godsend!