A Clever Trick by the Envoy Revealed Saintly Might; the Dragon Clan Pledged Its Allegiance and Offered Its Treasure Vault

The shrimp soldier's panicked report was like cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly sending the already tense atmosphere inside the Crystal Palace into an uproar!

"What?! A surprise audit of the accounts? They're already at the South Heaven Gate?!" Ao Guang's expression changed drastically. He turned sharply toward Tongtian, his eyes full of panic and pleading. "Sect Master! What... what should we do?"

The Heavenly Court's envoy had suddenly arrived at such a critical moment. It was no coincidence! They must have sensed something! If they discovered Sect Master Tongtian was here, the consequences would be unimaginable! The Dragon Clan would be on the verge of annihilation!

Saint Mother Wudang's expression tightened, too. She instinctively looked toward Tongtian, secretly circulating her magic power. Kui Niu grew even more restless and stamped a jade tile, producing a dull thud.

Only Tongtian remained calm, as though the one who had come wasn't a death-dealing King of Hell but some insignificant guest. He even had the leisure to brush a speck of dust from his sleeve before saying mildly, "What's there to panic about? Just a few hyenas that caught the scent of blood."

His gaze shifted to Ao Guang, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Ao Guang, go out and receive them as usual. Stall for a little while. Leave things here to me."

"Sect Master, you..." Ao Guang wanted to say more, but when he met Tongtian's deep, tranquil eyes, which seemed capable of swallowing any storm, the panic in his heart inexplicably eased. He gritted his teeth and nodded firmly. "Ao Guang will obey! I leave everything to you, Sect Master!"

He took a deep breath, straightened his dragon robes and crown, and forced the dignity of the Dragon King of the East Sea onto his face. Then he strode toward the hall entrance, calling out, "Sound the bells! Gather the generals! Come with me to receive the Heavenly Court's envoy!"

At once, the Dragon Palace bells rang out. The palace, which had been somewhat disordered, began operating like a vast machine. Elite Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals, as well as the Dragon Palace's civil and military officials, swiftly gathered toward the gates in imposing numbers, displaying the full grandeur of the palace. No matter what happened, they had to put on a proper show.

Only the three of them remained inside the Crystal Palace.

"Master, should we leave at once?" Saint Mother Wudang asked urgently. Though she trusted her master, the other party was an official envoy of the Heavenly Court, representing Haotian Shangdi. If they were discovered, it would be a tremendous problem.

"Leave? Why would we leave?" Tongtian smiled faintly, though his smile held a trace of cold mockery. "Since they've come, we should at least give them a 'welcome gift.'"

His thoughts stirred as he contacted the system. "System, exchange for a 'Small-Scale Spacetime Stasis Talisman (single use)' and cover the Crystal Palace area."

[Instruction received. 150 Contribution Points consumed. Exchange successful. Ready for activation at any time. Effect: Stasis of spacetime in a small area for three breaths. Those at Grand Unity Golden Immortal level and below cannot detect anything unusual.]

At the same time, he looked at Wudang and Kui Niu. "Conceal all your auras and follow me."

He took one step and moved like a ghost, silently slipping toward a row of enormous Coiled Dragon Golden Pillars along one side of the hall, which served as decorations and supported the ceiling. Wudang and Kui Niu didn't understand what he was doing, but they immediately followed.

When they reached the thickest pillar, carved with nine five-clawed Golden Dragons, each holding a massive Luminous Pearl in its mouth, Tongtian raised his hand and sent out a stream of Chaos Aura that enveloped the two of them and Kui Niu.

In an instant, their forms and auras vanished completely, as though they had merged with the shadows of the pillar, leaving not the slightest trace. This was one of the wondrous uses of Chaos Qi: it distorted light and blocked perception. Unless a Quasi-Saint Peak expert or a Saint was present, they would be virtually impossible to detect.

They had barely concealed themselves when a commotion arose outside the Crystal Palace.

Ao Guang's loud voice rang out, full of respect—or at least outwardly so. "I was unaware that the Heavenly Patrol Envoy had arrived. Ao Guang failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive me!"

An arrogant, icy voice answered, utterly discourteous. "Ao Guang, spare me the empty pleasantries! I have come under the Heavenly Emperor's decree to audit the East Sea Dragon Palace's resource accounts for the past hundred years. We'll begin at once! Take me to your treasury and accounts office!"

"You've had a hard journey, Envoy. Why not rest for a while in the side hall and enjoy some fine wine and delicacies? Let Ao Guang play host, and then..." Ao Guang tried to stall.

"No need!" The envoy cut him off, his tone even more impatient. "The Heavenly Emperor's decree allows no delay! Ao Guang, you keep putting me off. Is there something in the Dragon Palace's accounts you don't want anyone to see? Or perhaps... you've hidden someone here who shouldn't be here?!"

His final words carried a sharp accusation and the faint pressure of magic power. The newcomer was surprisingly strong, already at the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal level!

Ao Guang was inwardly miserable and nearly broke into a cold sweat. He had no idea how to respond.

Just then—whum! An invisible yet boundless pressure, like a primordial divine dragon awakening from slumber, enveloped the entire Crystal Palace without warning!

This pressure didn't target the physical body. It struck directly at the depths of the Nascent Soul! It carried the supreme Daoist aura, an ancient vastness that seemed to originate from the Beginning of World Creation, and, more than that, an absolute status above all living beings—one possessed only by a Heavenly Dao Saint!

Though it vanished in a flash, as brief as an illusion, it was indelibly imprinted on the souls of every living being inside the Crystal Palace!

The Heavenly Court's envoy, who had been acting so arrogantly, abruptly fell silent, like a duck with its neck squeezed. His haughty expression turned to utter terror and shock, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. His legs gave way, and he nearly fell to his knees!

The Heavenly Generals behind him fared even worse. They fell to their knees with a thud, their faces deathly pale, unable even to lift their heads.

Dragon King Ao Guang and the Dragon Palace officials around him stiffened as well. They felt the soul-shaking pressure, but mostly they were bewildered and shocked, with no idea what had happened.

For a moment, the entire Crystal Palace fell so silent that even a pin could be heard dropping.

The three breaths passed in the blink of an eye.

The terrifying Saintly Might receded like the tide, as though it had never appeared.

But the cold sweat on everyone's bodies and their still-trembling legs proved that it hadn't been an illusion.

"J-just now, what was that...?" The Heavenly Court's envoy stammered, looking around uneasily, his eyes filled with fear. He was one hundred percent certain it had been Saintly Might! Though it seemed somewhat... faint and different, it had undoubtedly been a Saint's aura!

Could a Saint really have come to the East Sea Dragon Palace?! Which one? And why were they here?

Thinking of how brazen he'd just been, and how he might have offended a Saint, the envoy was scared out of his wits! Beneath a Saint, all were ants! Let alone a lowly envoy like him—even Haotian Shangdi himself would have to treat a Saint with respect!

Ao Guang was also shaken, but he immediately understood: this had to be Sect Master Tongtian's doing! Though he didn't understand how the Sect Master could release Saintly Might, it was undeniably a brilliant way to get them out of trouble!

He immediately put on an excellent performance. His face showed just the right mix of alarm, confusion, and a subtle look that seemed to say, "You're only noticing now?" He moved closer to the envoy and lowered his voice. "Envoy, you felt it too? Alas, this King had no intention of announcing it. That person arrived unexpectedly and has an important matter for our Dragon Clan to handle, with strict instructions to keep it absolutely secret. As for this audit..."

He left the sentence unfinished, allowing the envoy's imagination to fill in the rest.

The envoy was even more terrified. So there really was a Saint, and one who had come in secret! He had nearly ruined the Saint's important business! If the higher-ups learned of this, he wouldn't even know how he'd died!

He no longer dared to audit any accounts. He wanted nothing more than to sprout wings and flee this dangerous place at once! The less one knew about a Saint's affairs, the better!

"So that's what happened!" The envoy hastily wiped away his sweat, forcing a smile more painful than a grimace. His voice turned eight hundred times more polite. "I was presumptuous! I didn't know which one had arrived. Please forgive me, Your Highness! We can conduct the audit another day, another day! I just remembered that I have urgent business at the Heavenly Court, so I won't disturb you or that esteemed person any longer! Farewell, farewell!"

He babbled incoherently, not daring to ask which Saint it was. Then he and his subordinates turned and scrambled away, moving more than ten times faster than they had arrived, as if some primordial beast were chasing them.

Watching their wretched retreat, Ao Guang let out a long breath of relief. The dragon robes on his back were already soaked with cold sweat. He collected himself and hurried back into the Crystal Palace.

Inside the hall, Tongtian and the others had already emerged from behind the golden pillar, as though they had never moved.

"Master, your divine abilities are boundless! Ao Guang is utterly impressed!" Ao Guang bowed in genuine admiration. Today, he had witnessed the methods of this once-mighty Saint for himself. Even fallen on hard times, Tongtian remained beyond their ability to fathom.

Tongtian smiled faintly. "Just a little trick to scare off some petty fools. After this incident, the Heavenly Court shouldn't dare bother the Dragon Palace again anytime soon."

He had merely used the system to simulate a faint trace of "Saintly Might" mixed with Chaos Aura, then paired it with the illusion caused by the spacetime stasis to successfully fool the envoy. A true Saint's aura—even the faintest trace—was something no Grand Unity Golden Immortal could withstand. The envoy had been guilty of wrongdoing and scared himself half to death.

Hearing this, Ao Guang was even more delighted. Tongtian had undoubtedly solved a major problem for the Dragon Clan! The way he looked at Tongtian changed completely. His respect was no longer merely due to their old friendship; now it was mixed with awe for the strong and hope for the future!

Perhaps Sect Master Tongtian really could lead the Dragon Clan down a different path!

At last, Ao Guang had no more hesitation.

He dropped to one knee and solemnly performed the Dragon Clan's most formal salute. "Sect Master! The East Sea Dragon Clan is willing to give everything to help you ascend the Great Dao again! We will obey any command, even if it costs us our lives!"

This time, he truly pledged his allegiance!

Tongtian looked at him and nodded. "Very good. Rise. Remember your choice today. The Dragon Clan won't regret it."

"Ao Guang understands!" Ao Guang rose, his expression resolute. "Sect Master, please come with me!"

He led Tongtian through layers of heavily guarded palaces and hidden passageways, until they finally reached an enormous Bronze Giant Gate covered in ancient Dragon Markings. The Myriad Dragons Paying Homage Diagram was carved into the gate, which radiated an aura of age and immensity.

This was the true heart of the East Sea Dragon Palace's secret treasury! It was far more concealed than the Heavenly Court's envoy could ever have imagined.

Ao Guang took out the Dragon King's seal, forced out several drops of his blood essence, and used them with an incredibly complex set of incantations before finally managing to open the Bronze Giant Gate.

The moment the gate opened, a torrent of spiritual energy mixed with radiant treasure light surged out, almost filling the entire passage!

Even Tongtian, who had seen more than most, couldn't help showing a flicker of surprise at the sight beyond the gate.

Beyond it lay a vast Independent Space, like a small world. Countless heavenly treasures and earthly rarities were piled into mountains: ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi, Nine-Turn Immortal Herbs, Star Essence Gold, Heavenly River Black Ice... The dazzling array of treasures shone so brightly they nearly blinded the eye. There were also many Dragon Clan treasures, such as Dragon Blood Crystals, Reverse Scale Divine Iron, and inherited Dragon Pearls...

The sheer quantity and quality far surpassed anything outsiders could imagine! This was the true foundation of the Dragon Clan, which had dominated the Four Seas for countless eras!

"Sect Master!" Ao Guang pointed toward the vast treasure vault, his voice filled with pride and resolve. "This is only a fraction of what the East Sea Dragon Palace has accumulated! Please take whatever you need! If it isn't enough, I can contact my three brothers in the West Sea, South Sea, and North Sea!"

Tongtian looked over the ocean of resources, enough to tempt even a Saint, and slowly drew a breath.

The resources he needed to get started were finally in hand!

His Path of Hunyuan would now begin to accelerate in earnest!