Everyone arrived at the seaside. At that moment, the people of Tianling Temple had also reached the shore.
In the distance, a huge warship slowly sailed toward them, a veritable behemoth. Mu Zibai's mouth twitched as he looked up. The ship's shadow engulfed him, blotting out the sky and sun.
"Do we have to kneel?" Mu Zibai whispered in Wenren Longhong's ear.
"We don't have to. Just pay our respects. Of course, if you want to kneel, I doubt King Qi would mind," Wenren Longhong said with a smile.
"I'll pass."
Mu Zibai and the others bowed. King Qi wore a blue-and-white robe, his imposing aura tempered by a carefree air. It was clear that in his youth, he must have been a chivalrous young hero.
Two young people followed behind him, along with a troop of soldiers. They were all well-trained naval troops.
The young man and woman were King Qi's children.
"Greetings, King Qi."
King Qi slowly raised a hand, and everyone straightened. "Longhong, it's been seven years since we last met, hasn't it? You've grown much stronger in that time."
He stepped forward and squeezed Wenren Longhong's shoulder, then introduced him to his two children. "This is Wenren Longhong, the eldest young master of Wenren Manor. He's talented and accomplished; he was already winning merits on the battlefield in his teens. Yuyu, you should learn from him. Don't spend every day running around."
King Qi's son and daughter were named Jiang Yuyu and Jiang Keyin.
"Father, I'm conserving my strength. I may be quiet now, but when I make my move, I'll astonish everyone," Jiang Yuyu said with a grin.
King Qi's expression darkened. He couldn't be bothered to respond.
King Qi had only one wife, a chivalrous woman he had met in the martial world, or so they said. She had died young, and King Qi had never remarried. With the affairs of the manor keeping him busy, he had paid little attention to raising his children.
He wasn't too worried about Jiang Keyin. She could simply marry into a good family someday. Jiang Yuyu was another matter—he would inherit King Qi's title.
But Jiang Yuyu was lazy, playful, and always getting into trouble. King Qi feared he might never get the chance to make his move.
The two chatted as they made their way to Tianling Temple, with a group of monks following alongside them.
When Wenren Longhong felt they had chatted enough, he took the opportunity to turn the conversation to Mu Zibai. "We have Little Bai to thank for what happened this time. If he hadn't discovered Ao Ying Tian's whereabouts in time, who knows what kind of disaster might have unfolded?"
King Qi glanced at Mu Zibai. He was silent for a moment; he didn't recognize him.
He knew little about the affairs of Wenren Manor, so he had no idea Mu Zibai was the Wenren family's son-in-law. He was still wondering who the young man was.
Mu Zibai made no effort to conceal his aura. He was at the early stage of the Mystic Armor Realm, his aura still somewhat weak—he had broken through not long ago.
Had this young man taken down those two Dragon People? According to the letter, there had been two of them, both at the Mystic Armor Realm.
Wenren Longhong briefly explained the situation, and only then did King Qi understand. He studied Mu Zibai with interest.
"It was nothing. Not worth mentioning," Mu Zibai said with a smile.
King Qi swept his gaze over Mu Zibai and quickly took his measure. "You have a fine constitution. To face two Dragon People at the Mystic Armor Realm and kill one who had been at that realm for years—truly, heroes emerge among the young."
He gave an approving look, then glanced at his own son and wondered if he was really his.
He had been so talented back then, and his wife's talents had been exceptional too. Not a trace of those superior genes seemed to have been passed down.
"Father, I'll be going," Jiang Keyin said softly, pointing to the side. King Qi sighed and nodded helplessly.
Jiang Keyin left in high spirits.
"I've worked it out. The Prince of Guang should arrive in about three hours. Let's discuss our plans first. By the way, where's the Poison Pearl mentioned in the letter?" King Qi asked.
He had only just learned about the Poison Pearl, and the letter hadn't gone into the details.
Monk Lan Hua told King Qi about the Poison Pearl. Only then did King Qi understand. Led by Monk Lan Hua, they went together to the place where the Poison Pearl was being suppressed.
"Back then, I thought the Imperial Advisor had crushed the Poison Pearl. I never imagined it had been sealed here."
"The Imperial Advisor had his own plans. We need only do as he instructed," Monk Lan Hua said.
They reached the back mountain and descended into a dry well. The Poison Pearl was sealed below. It was a black bead, a little larger than an egg.
It was steeped in evil energy. Even with the formation suppressing it, they could sense that energy seeping out. It had no effect, though. As long as the formation held, it was no more than an ordinary bead, without any practical use.
"Over the years, most of the poison in the pearl has been worn away. But if it were released, it would still cause considerable casualties. I suspect the Dragon People want to sow panic and take advantage of the chaos," Monk Lan Hua said.
King Qi carefully examined the formation. "This is indeed the Imperial Advisor's handiwork. The pearl shows that it must have caused quite a bit of trouble back then. The Dragon People want to use it to make a fuss, so they likely have some other major move planned. We must stay on our guard."
Mu Zibai thought for a moment. "Ao Ying Tian has come here so many times. Surely it wasn't only because of the Poison Pearl?"
"I've wondered about that too, but I don't know what the reason is yet. Ao Ying Tian probably won't let anything slip," Wenren Longhong said.
He didn't know much about the South Sea or the Dragon People.
He could vaguely sense a great conspiracy lurking behind all this, but it was probably beyond his ability to interfere. After all, he was only one man.
"We'll meet soldiers with generals and water with earth. If the Dragon People want a war, all the better. I haven't stretched my limbs in years," King Qi said, cracking his neck.
He was clearly a man who loved a fight.
"Let's work out how to deal with this fellow, the Prince of Guang. His strength is on par with mine. He's arrogant and ruthless—not easy to handle."
"Understood." Once they left the dry well, they went to discuss their plans.
Monk Lan Hua returned to his sutras. The negotiations had nothing to do with Tianling Temple; they were only borrowing its grounds.
Wenren Longhong smiled at Mu Zibai. "Are you scared?"
"Not really." Mu Zibai gave a slight smile. What was there to be afraid of?
"That's a Dragon King at the Phoenix Nirvana Realm. But don't worry. We'll be there, so nothing will happen. Just watch from the side when the time comes."
"Mm."
King Qi said, "During the negotiations, try to be as forceful as possible and show the bearing of a great nation. Don't give the people of the Dragon Palace a friendly face. Our gentle attitude only makes us look weak to them. Negotiating is just a matter of arguing and playing with words. Don't worry about it coming to blows. If you can humiliate them, don't hold back."
"Understood."
King Qi continued, "Also, keep our demands reasonable. We're decent people, after all; we can't ask for the moon. Business is about building a lasting relationship. Otherwise, next time we kidnap one of them, they won't dare come over."
Everyone laughed.
For now, all they could do was wait for the Prince of Guang to arrive.
About an hour later, they heard the sound of waves outside. The sky had darkened. Everyone went out to take a look.
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