Phoenix Nirvana Realm's Dragon King

The group arrived at the seaside, and at that moment, the people from Tianling Temple also arrived.

In the distance, a massive warship slowly sailed in, like a behemoth. Mu Zibai's mouth twitched slightly. He looked up and found himself enveloped by the ship's shadow, which seemed to blot out the sun and sky.

"Should we kneel?" Mu Zibai whispered to Wenren Long Hong.

"We don't have to. A salute will suffice. Of course, if you want to kneel, I doubt King Qi would mind," Wenren Long Hong said with a smile.

"That's hardly necessary."

Mu Zibai and the others saluted. King Qi, dressed in a blue and white robe, possessed a powerful aura and an air of detachment. It was clear that in his youth, he must have been a chivalrous hero.

He was followed by two young people and a troop of soldiers, all well-trained naval personnel.

These two young people, a man and a woman, were King Qi's offspring.

"Greetings, King Qi."

King Qi slowly raised his hand, and the group rose. He said, "Long Hong, has it been seven years since we last met? Seven years, and your strength has improved considerably."

He walked forward, squeezed Wenren Long Hong's shoulder, and then introduced him to his children: "This is the eldest son of Wenren Manor, Wenren Long Hong. He is young and promising, having achieved military merits on the battlefield in his teens. Yuyu, you should learn from him more; don't just run around all day."

King Qi's pair of children were named Jiang Yuyu and Jiang Keyin.

"Father, I call that conserving energy for a spectacular debut," Jiang Yuyu said with a smile.

King Qi's face darkened, and he chose to ignore him.

King Qi had only one wife, a heroic woman he met in the martial world, who died young. King Qi never remarried. With the busy affairs of the royal palace, he had little time to discipline his two children.

King Qi wasn't too worried about Jiang Keyin; she would eventually find a good family to marry into. Jiang Yuyu, however, was different; he was destined to inherit King Qi's title.

But Jiang Yuyu was lazy, loved to play, and often caused trouble. King Qi truly feared that he would never achieve his "spectacular debut" even by the time he died.

The two chatted as they walked towards Tianling Temple, with the monks following closely behind.

Seeing that the conversation had reached a natural pause, Wenren Long Hong took the opportunity to shift the topic to Mu Zibai. "Speaking of this matter, we have to thank Xiao Bai. If it weren't for Xiao Bai discovering Ao Ying Tian's whereabouts in time, who knows what disaster would have unfolded."

King Qi looked at Mu Zibai, who was standing nearby, and after a moment of silence, he realized he didn't recognize the young man.

He knew very little about the affairs of Wenren Manor, so he was unaware that Mu Zibai was Wenren Manor's son-in-law. He was wondering who this young man was.

Mu Zibai did not conceal his aura. He was in the early stage of the Mystic Armor Realm, his energy still somewhat weak, having only recently broken through.

Did this young man leave those two Dragon People behind? According to the letter, there were two Dragon People, both in the Mystic Armor Realm.

Wenren Long Hong briefly explained, and King Qi finally understood, looking at Mu Zibai with curiosity.

"It was a small matter, not worth mentioning," Mu Zibai said with a smile.

King Qi glanced at Mu Zibai and roughly discerned his capabilities. "Your physique is excellent. To face two Dragon People at the Mystic Armor Realm and kill one, an elder Mystic Armor Realm cultivator at that—a hero emerges from the young, indeed."

He showed a look of satisfaction, then glanced at his own son, doubting if he was his biological child.

When I had such great talent, and his mother's talent was also exceptional, none of that superior gene was passed down!

"Father, I'm leaving now," Jiang Keyin said softly, pointing to the side. King Qi sighed and nodded helplessly.

Jiang Keyin left excitedly.

"I've estimated that Prince Guang will arrive in about three hours. Let's discuss the matters at hand first. By the way, where is that Poison Pearl mentioned in the letter?" King Qi asked.

He had only just learned about the Poison Pearl, and the letter had not mentioned the detailed circumstances.

The monk Lan Hua explained the matter of the Poison Pearl to King Qi, who then understood. Led by Monk Lan Hua, they went to the place where the Poison Pearl was suppressed.

"Back then, I thought the Imperial Advisor had crushed the Poison Pearl. I never expected it to be sealed here."

"The Imperial Advisor had his own plans; we just need to follow them," Monk Lan Hua said.

They arrived at the back mountain, beneath a dry well. This was where the Poison Pearl was sealed. It was a black pearl, slightly larger than an egg.

A heavy malevolent energy emanated from it, even while suppressed by the formation. However, it had no effect; as long as the formation remained intact, it was like an ordinary pearl with no practical use.

"Over the years, most of the pearl's toxicity has been worn away, but if released, it would still cause considerable casualties. I suspect the Dragon People intended to cause panic and then act on it," Monk Lan Hua said.

King Qi carefully examined the formation. "This formation is indeed the Imperial Advisor's work. Looking at this pearl, it was quite a troublesome matter back then. The Dragon People want to use the Poison Pearl to their advantage; there's likely a larger scheme behind it. We must be vigilant."

Mu Zibai thought for a moment and said, "Ao Ying Tian has come here so many times; it shouldn't just be about the Poison Pearl, right?"

"I have my doubts about this matter as well, but we don't know the specifics yet. Ao Ying Tian probably won't spill the beans," Wenren Long Hong said.

He didn't know much about the South Sea or the Dragon People.

He could vaguely sense a grand conspiracy behind it all, but it was likely beyond his current capabilities to interfere, especially since he was alone now.

"We'll deal with whatever comes our way. If the Dragon People want war, so be it. It's been years since I've stretched my muscles," King Qi said, cracking his neck.

It was obvious he was a warlike individual.

"Let's discuss how to negotiate with Prince Guang. That fellow, Prince Guang, is my equal in strength. He's arrogant, ruthless, and difficult to deal with."

"Mm." After leaving the dry well, they went to discuss matters.

Monk Lan Hua returned to his chanting. The negotiation had nothing to do with Tianling Temple; they were merely lending their temple for use.

Wenren Long Hong asked Mu Zibai with a smile, "Are you scared?"

"Not really," Mu Zibai replied with a slight smile. What is there to be afraid of?

"That's the Dragon King of the Phoenix Nirvana Realm. But don't worry, we're here, so it'll be fine. You just watch from the side then."

"Mhm."

King Qi said, "When negotiating, try to be as firm as possible to show our great nation's demeanor. There's no need to give the Dragon Palace people a good face. If we're too gentle, it'll just show our weakness. Negotiation is all about talking and arguing; don't worry about it coming to blows. If you can humiliate them, don't hold back."

"Understood."

King Qi continued, "Also, try to ask for a reasonable price. After all, we're decent people too, so we can't be greedy. Business should be a long-term thing, like a steady stream. Otherwise, if we capture them again next time, they won't dare to come."

Everyone chuckled.

Now, they just had to wait for Prince Guang to arrive.

About an hour later, they heard the sound of waves outside. The sky darkened, and everyone walked out to see.