Chapter 16

Penglai Immortal Island was wreathed in immortal mist.

Purification-Creation Dao Palace was permeated with a faint, lingering fragrance.

Lingxiao stood before the jade couch. Ripples stirred across his usually unflappable face as hot blood surged through his chest and meridians, forcing him to swallow hard.

Wangshu lay languidly on the jade couch. Her slender waist dipped slightly, and her long, jade-like legs, glistening with a soft luster, were crossed casually.

She turned her head toward Lingxiao, her pretty face flushed with shyness and a hint of anticipation. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth curled upward in an elusive smile.

"Lingxiao, show me that specialty of yours—the shoulder kneading and leg massaging!"

Wangshu's red lips parted slightly, her breath as fragrant as orchids.

She looked playful and enchanting, her gentle demeanor tinged with bashfulness, her eyes gradually growing hazy.

What veteran cadre could withstand such a test? If Wangshu weren't a mighty Primordial Golden Immortal of the mid-stage, far higher in cultivation than I, today wouldn't be as simple as just kneading shoulders and massaging legs.

Lingxiao thought to himself, though his gaze remained clear and profound.

He suppressed the rising fire of desire.

"Wangshu, I am beginning..."

Lingxiao's hands trembled slightly before he sat down on the edge of the jade couch without hesitation.

Next!

The immortal mist condensed continuously, leaving only beads of fragrant sweat dripping from Wangshu's fair skin.

In the Eastern Sea Abyss, undercurrents surged.

A magnificent, resplendent palace stood at the center of the abyss.

This was the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace!

Inside the grand hall, various treasures shimmered with brilliance. Four burly Daoists sat upon thrones, the leader being none other than the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, Ao Guang.

He wore an indigo brocade robe patterned with lifelike ocean waves. His dragon face was dignified and solemn, his dragon horns stood tall like pine and cypress, and his long, flowing dragon whiskers added to an aura that commanded awe.

The other three were equally imposing: the Dragon Kings of the other three seas.

Ao Qin, Ao Run, and Ao Shun!

Ao Guang straightened his expression and said solemnly, "During the Witch-Demon Calamity, we followed the mandate of heaven and allowed the Dragon Clan to become a totem for humanity, thereby gaining some Heavenly Dao luck to help the Dragon Clan break free from the shackles of the Heavenly Dao."

"Now that the Investiture of the Gods Calamity is imminent, various sects are locked in struggle, and the Sages of the Heavenly Dao are at odds. We must choose a side to have any chance of gaining more luck and merit, and thus wash away our karma and sins."

"My dear brothers, what are your thoughts?"

During the Dragon-Han First Calamity, the three clans vied for supremacy.

After the fall of the Ancestral Dragon, the Dragon Clan suppressed the four seas. Countless predecessors of the Dragon Clan sacrificed themselves one after another, burying themselves in the Eastern Sea Spring Eye to earn merit for the clan and repay the karmic debt incurred during the Dragon-Han First Calamity.

Now, Ao Guang saw an opportunity.

The Demon Court had been re-established, and the Golden-Winged Great Roc had used massive amounts of luck to help the Phoenix Clan gain freedom. Why couldn't the Dragon Clan try the same?

Of course, Ao Guang would not repeat the mistakes of the past and let the Dragon Clan suffer the same fate as the Phoenix Clan.

Hearing this, Ao Qin said slowly, "By all logic, the Dragon Clan must choose a Sage sect. But after seeing the actions of the East Pole Qinghua Emperor, I believe we should join the Heavenly Court."

"Furthermore, when the Jade Emperor and Yaochi first took control of the Heavenly Court, they sent Taibai Jinxing to invite the Dragon Clan to join them, but we declined their goodwill for various reasons."

"Now, Lingxiao is highly regarded by the Dao Ancestor, and he has forged good relations with the Primordial Celestial Worthy and the Two Sages of the West. This means the orthodox status of the Heavenly Court will be even more consolidated!"

As his voice fell, the others exchanged glances.

Then, they began to discuss and deliberate.

The smiles on their faces grew broader, as if they could already see the day the Dragon Clan broke free from the shackles of the Heavenly Dao.

"My brothers' thoughts coincide with my own plan! In fact, before inviting you to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace to discuss this, I went to the Eastern Sea Spring Eye to consult with our Dragon Clan ancestors."

"They believe the Dragon Clan must no longer harbor ambitions of dominating the Primordial World; only by following the Heavenly Dao can we find a glimmer of opportunity..."

Ao Guang hesitated for a moment before revealing the thoughts he had been harboring.

Ao Qin, Ao Run, and Ao Shun looked at each other, but quickly reacted. The three of them erupted with the peak aura of Primordial Unity Golden Immortals, baring their fangs and claws at Ao Guang with mischievous grins.

"Don't come over here!"

Ao Guang looked terrified and scrambled to rise from his throne.

As the leader of the Four Sea Dragon Kings, was it easy for him?

"Hehe... Ao Guang, you dared to deceive us, so don't blame your brothers for not holding back. Your skin has probably been itching for tens of thousands of years..."

Ao Shun grinned and charged forward.

In an instant, Ao Guang was in a sorry state, looking utterly miserable. Had his dragon body not been so formidable, he would have suffered internal injuries from the surging blood and qi.

"Reporting to the Dragon King, Demon Sage Ji Meng and the Interception Sect disciple Immortal Dingguang request an audience!"

Prime Minister Turtle burst into the Dragon Palace, only to see Ao Guang pinned down by the other three, his face bruised and swollen, stripped of all the dignity of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea.

Prime Minister Turtle was not surprised by this scene.

Although the Four Sea Dragon Kings were not blood relatives, they had cultivated together since childhood and were closer than brothers.

They shared a single mind, and their cultivation levels were all at the peak of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. If they unleashed the secret techniques of the Dragon Clan, even a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal would have to suffer at their hands.

"They come with ill intent!"

"Although Demon Sage Ji Meng carries the bloodline of our Dragon Clan, he is essentially an innate spirit. His arrival at our Eastern Sea Dragon Palace today is likely not for a pure purpose."

"And then there is Immortal Dingguang—that man is a jinx to the Interception Sect!"

Ao Guang frowned and said to the other three.

During the Dragon-Han First Calamity, countless dragons died across the world. Demon Sage Ji Meng had devoured the pure bloodline of the Dragon Clan, so he had a connection to them.

However, the Dragon Clan and the Demon Race had always kept to their own paths. Who knew what kind of mischief Demon Sage Ji Meng was brewing?

"Brother is right, neither of these two is any good!"

"Especially Immortal Dingguang. He whispered slanders in the ear of Lord Tongtian, forcing the East Pole Qinghua Emperor to sever his karma with the Interception Sect. Ever since then, the Interception Sect has been on a downward slope. Calling him a jinx is no exaggeration!"

Ao Qin's expression was grim as he paced the center of the hall, his mood turbulent.

They had just prepared to join the Heavenly Court, and now Demon Sage Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang had arrived. Wasn't this just adding trouble to their hearts?

"Fine, let them in!"

Ao Guang shook his head and sat back on his throne.

A moment later!

Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang stepped into the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and appeared before the Four Sea Dragon Kings. At Ao Guang's invitation, the two sat on the thrones at the side of the hall.

Ji Meng wore a suit of dark water armor, his tall, upright frame seemingly containing the power to destroy the world. The aura of a peak Quasi-Sage leaked out inadvertently, causing the entire Eastern Sea Dragon Palace to tremble slightly.

"Senior Ji Meng, Fellow Daoist Immortal Dingguang, what brings you to our Dragon Clan?"

Ao Guang narrowed his eyes, then feigned kindness and heartiness.

The moment Demon Sage Ji Meng appeared, he had given the Four Sea Dragon Kings a show of force.

A trace of humiliation flickered in Ao Guang's heart.

Since when could the Dragon Clan be bullied by others at will?

Ji Meng remained calm and replied indifferently, "The Dragon Clan is a great race of the Primordial World; how can you remain hidden in the Eastern Sea Abyss for so long? When the Ancestral Dragon, Candle Dragon, and the others were still around, the Dragon Clan swept across half the Primordial World."

"I have come today to help the Dragon Clan break free from the shackles of the Heavenly Dao and once again make a name for yourselves in the Primordial World, so that other races may see the divine might of the Dragon Clan!"

"With the support of the Demon Court's luck and the protection of Lord Tongtian and Goddess Nuwa, the Dragon Clan will surely achieve great things."

The Phoenix Clan was completely finished.

If the Demon Court wanted to grow stronger, it had to bring the Dragon Clan under its banner.

In this way, the Demon Court would have enough confidence to stand toe-to-toe with the Heavenly Court at critical moments, compete for that elusive Heavenly Dao luck, and prove that the Demon Court was the true orthodox successor of the Heavenly Dao!

Seeing this, Immortal Dingguang also chimed in with a smile, "I am a disciple of a Sage, and Junior Brother Lu Ya is also highly valued by our Master. His leadership of the Demon Court represents our Interception Sect."

"If the Dragon Clan is willing to join the Demon Court, the Four Sea Dragon Kings can all become pillars of strength. You can also send descendants of the Dragon Clan to Golden Turtle Island to study under the Sage. What do you all think?"

In Immortal Dingguang's view, the Dragon Clan had long since declined.

Countless ancestors of the Dragon Clan had stepped into the Eastern Sea Spring Eye, leaving the Four Sea Dragon Kings to rule the four seas. They were merely peak Primordial Unity Golden Immortal cultivators, which was nothing in the eyes of the Demon Court.

By granting the descendants of the Dragon Clan the opportunity to study under Lord Tongtian, the Four Sea Dragon Kings would surely bow in worship and comply obediently, right?

Unexpectedly!

The next instant, Ao Guang said calmly, "Senior Ji Meng, Fellow Daoist Immortal Dingguang, the Dragon Clan appreciates your kindness, but please forgive us..."