Invitation from the Dragon Palace

Invitation from the Dragon Palace

The scene became awkward for a moment.

Li Changshou and Lan Ling'e shared a perfect understanding, both raising their heads to gaze at the sky...

Outside the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation, the azure dragon circled as the Gray Cloud churned endlessly.

The pressure of a Celestial Immortal passed through the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation and blanketed every corner of the Du Xian Sect. Figures appeared above each peak—Du Xian Sect immortals startled into action by the disturbance.

Suddenly, several streaks of light rose from Sky-Breaking Peak and flew directly beyond the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation. They became four figures, standing in the air and looking toward the clouds.

At the front stood a male immortal in a blue-white robe, hands clasped behind his back as he stood in midair. He was tall and straight as a pine, with two strands of white hair hanging before his temples and an exceedingly cold, handsome face.

The moment he appeared, the descending pressure in the sky vanished. The azure dragon immediately flew back into the clouds, no longer daring to approach the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation...

This was Li Changshou's first time seeing Venerable Wangqing.

—That was right. This handsome middle-aged man with white hair at his temples was the master of the Nine Immortals of the Wine Character, a Celestial Immortal of the Du Xian Sect whose Daoist title was Wangqing.

Behind Venerable Wangqing stood an old Daoist holding a Fly Whisk and smiling, as well as an elderly woman leaning on a wooden staff, a smile likewise resting at the corners of her lips.

There was also a beautiful immortal maiden in rainbow robes, though no one could make out her form through the thin mist surrounding her.

The Red-Scaled Azure Dragon roared from within the clouds. "Are you the ones in charge of the Du Xian Sect?"

Venerable Wangqing did not even raise his head. His calm voice instantly spread throughout the inside and outside of the formation.

"This poor Daoist is merely an idle man of the sect. It is not my place to manage the Du Xian Sect.

"I simply found this little dragon of yours excessively rude and came out to teach you a lesson."

"Impudent!"

The red dragon let out an angry roar from the clouds. Most of the Gray Cloud suddenly drew in, while a dragon claw gathered furious thunder and heavenly fire before smashing down toward Venerable Wangqing's head!

The dragon claw swelled with the wind, expanding in an instant to several hundred zhang across. It blotted out the sky and covered the sun, poised to shatter both the Du Xian Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Formation and Sky-Breaking Peak in one strike!

At the sight, many disciples held their breath, while those with higher cultivation revealed worried expressions.

Lan Ling'e, beside Li Changshou, unconsciously gripped her senior brother's arm tightly. Her cultivation was too low, and caught beneath the dragon's might, her heart was filled with unease.

Li Changshou promptly released a wisp of aura to wrap around his junior sister, helping her bear the pressure so that she would not suffer a heart demon.

Suddenly!

The mountain-like dragon claw, which had covered the clouds and blotted out the sun, stopped above the Mountain Protecting Grand Formation without warning...

The gale brought by the claw caused the thin, smooth, gleaming wall of the formation to flicker lightly.

Yet that enormous dragon claw simply hung there in the air in that bizarre manner, unable to descend even another inch!

Li Changshou circulated Dharma power through his eyes and looked closely, only to see Venerable Wangqing raising his left arm. His left hand formed a Sword Finger, its tip pressing against a single inch of tough hide on that immense dragon claw!

With only one finger, he held up a dragon claw as massive as a great mountain!

Venerable Wangqing's long hair whipped wildly in the wind, his robes snapping loudly.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort rang out across a thousand li!

Venerable Wangqing gave his left arm a slight shake, and the mountain-like dragon claw instantly shattered, exploding into clouds and mist that filled the sky!

The azure dragon appeared again amid the rolling mist, but an invisible force wrapped around it. Its massive dragon body twisted and struggled without cease before it was flung beyond the nine heavens...

A moment later, the azure dragon returned from the high skies in a rage, letting out a Dragon roar filled with fury.

Venerable Wangqing raised his head slightly to look at it, Killing intent flickering in his eyes.

The azure dragon's roar stopped at once. Intense crimson light flashed around its body, and it directly transformed into a burly, armored man with a dragon's head and a human body. His face was full of shock and anger.

Venerable Wangqing said coldly, "You only just became a Celestial Immortal, yet you dare run wild at my Du Xian Sect. Are you tired of living?"

The dragon-headed man roared angrily, but he no longer dared attack rashly. Instead, he cursed in midair, "What a Du Xian Sect! Do not refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!

"I am an emissary of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, the Grand Pioneer of the Dragon Palace Navy! You dare be so rude to me? I will certainly report this to the Dragon King. Before long, I will muster our troops and level your tiny mountain gate!"

The old Daoist behind Venerable Wangqing immediately laughed. "The Dragon Palace is so unyielding. Rare indeed, rare indeed.

"But isn't it a bit excessive to use our Du Xian Sect to establish your might?

"After all, our Du Xian Sect belongs to the lineage of the Human Teaching and enjoys the protection of the Human Teaching's providence. Rather than peacefully guarding the Eastern Sea and completing your own providence and merit, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace instead indulges Vicious Dragons in stirring up trouble everywhere. And Your Excellency struck our Du Xian Sect's Mountain Protecting Grand Formation without a word.

"Could it be that you, Grand Pioneer, deliberately intend to provoke a war between our Human Race Qi Refiners and your dragon race?"

"You!"

The dragon-headed man glared, but did not dare answer carelessly.

Times had changed. During the War of the Ancients, the human race had still been weak. Now, however, they were the Protagonists of Heaven and Earth, their flourishing far surpassing that of the ancient shamans and demons.

Leaving aside the possibility of Human Race Qi Refiners attacking the dragon race as one, merely the immortal sects of the Eastern Continent of Divine Grace acting, then inviting one or two great figures of the Three Teachings, would be enough to give the Four Seas Dragon Palaces a bitter draught.

This red dragon was now caught riding a tiger, unable to dismount.

The elderly woman from the Du Xian Sect promptly stepped forward. With a smile, she smoothed things over with a few gracious words, giving the red dragon a way down.

The red dragon also went down the slope with the donkey, straightening his face as he stated the purpose of his visit...

"Some time ago, your Du Xian Sect came to the Eastern Sea to slay demons, yet your sect disciples mistakenly injured soldiers our dragon race was raising!

"However, my Dragon King does not wish to bicker with you. Three years from now, a Demon-Quelling Assembly will be held on the Shore of the East Sea, inviting the immortal sects of the Eastern Continent of Divine Grace to gather and set down arrangements for demon-quelling matters going forward.

"Our Eastern Sea Dragon Palace has treasures scattered everywhere. At that time, Human Race Disciples who perform outstandingly at the assembly will receive great rewards.

"This is the invitation. Do not dare be absent! Hmph!"

With that, the dragon-headed man tossed down a glittering golden invitation, turned into an azure dragon, and howled away through the clouds.

The elderly woman collected the invitation and called after him, "Grand Pioneer, travel safely. We shall not see you off."

At once, the Du Xian Sect was filled with laughter and teasing remarks about the dragon race and the Dragon Palace.

The four Sect Elders who had come out must have discussed this beforehand. Venerable Wangqing played the stern face, the old Daoist issued the threats, and the elderly woman played the kind face.

Three Celestial Immortals made a whole performance, arranging that overbearing Dragon Palace general neatly and thoroughly.

The red dragon had intended to give the Du Xian Sect a show of strength, only to end up in a sorry state himself. He did not even dare leave behind any harsh words, and slunk away on the clouds...

Clouds followed dragons, wind followed tigers. Watching an azure dragon roam the heavens was indeed a rare sight.

"Senior Brother," Lan Ling'e asked softly, "is this the world of the strong?"

Li Changshou gently shook his head and sent his voice to her. "They can only be called experts, not truly strong..."

Then the senior brother and junior sister recalled what had happened earlier and lowered their heads at the same time.

Beside the Mage Birdcage, Old Daoist Qi Yuan was quietly closing the Wooden door, preparing to slip away from the side...

Lan Ling'e continued staring up at the sky, pretending not to notice her master.

Li Changshou closed his eyes in contemplation, wearing the expression of someone who had gained insight after watching experts fight.

How could Qi Yuan fail to know that his two disciples were preserving his dignity?

Several dark lines hung across the old Daoist's wrinkled forehead. His aged face fell, and his lips moved for a while, yet no sound came out.

"Ahem, ahem!

"None of you are allowed to laugh!

"This is also Master's first time undergoing tribulation. I have no experience!

"Master will... will return to continue my closed-door cultivation first!"

With that, Qi Yuan turned away, covered his face, and left. He flew away on a cloud with astonishing speed.

The senior brother and junior sister held it in where they stood until Old Daoist Qi Yuan returned to the thatched cottage and activated several small formations. Only then did they each burst out laughing.

They would treat this blunder as a tribulation-transcendence drill.

Fortunately, no immortals or disciples from the other peaks had come to observe the ceremony. The red dragon had also drawn everyone's attention away, otherwise Daoist Master Qi Yuan now...

would probably have wanted to die.

Not undergoing tribulation suddenly was actually a good thing.

Afterward, Li Changshou was a little worried that the "Precious Medicine" he had given his master might be taken out and examined.

But on second thought, even if his master took it out for a look, he probably would not recognize it as a Melting Immortal Pill.

Qi Yuan was not skilled in pill refinement; he specialized in formations.

After entering the sect a thousand years ago, Qi Yuan had spent most of his time cultivating to improve his own cultivation. Yet because his Dao foundation was damaged, his path had been exceptionally difficult.

The root of Qi Yuan's slim hope of facing the heavenly tribulation lay in the damage to his Dao foundation.

Helping his master repair that Dao foundation was Li Changshou's Third Plan for assisting his master through tribulation.

Yet while the Third Plan appeared to treat both root and symptoms, it was in truth the most dangerous and difficult route...

His master's Dao foundation had been damaged because of an injury suffered in his early years.

Li Changshou had asked his master several times about the exact cause of that injury, but his master had never answered directly, saying only that something had gone wrong during cultivation.

After that injury, the sect's elders had used a great quantity of pills to preserve Qi Yuan's life.

At the time, Lesser Qiong Peak had only Daoist Master Qi Yuan. Li Changshou's grandmaster had left the mountain nine hundred years ago to travel and had never returned.

During the process of repairing his Dao foundation, the sect had given Qi Yuan many Healing Pills, but they lacked some precious Heavenly Talents and earthly treasures.

After his Dao foundation had barely been stabilized, Qi Yuan cultivated for several hundred more years. He appeared to have "recovered" from his Dao Injury, but his Dao foundation had already suffered immense damage, and the root that had been wounded could no longer be restored.

It was like a tree growing crooked, then continuing to grow in that crooked direction until it finally became...

an old crooked-necked tree.

Daoist Master Qi Yuan's Dao Injury was roughly like that.

To help his master fill in his Dao foundation, Li Changshou would have to destroy the cultivation his master had painstakingly accumulated over the past several hundred years. Then, using deft force, he would have to tear open his master's healed Dao Injury once more and fill it with Heavenly Talents and earthly treasures.

Not only would this process be incomparably dangerous, it would also cause Daoist Master Qi Yuan great pain. Heavenly Talents and earthly treasures were equally difficult to find, and in the end, it might still fail to repair the Dao Injury...

That was why Li Changshou had prioritized the First Plan and the Second Plan, sealing away the Third Plan and six backup plans to use as circumstances required.

After the blunder, Daoist Master Qi Yuan entered closed-door cultivation for two months.

Two months later, Qi Yuan wanted to come out and restore his authority as master by thoroughly answering several questions Li Changshou had asked before.

Yet he had not expected Li Changshou to be prepared. After hearing his master's explanations, Li Changshou raised new questions. Qi Yuan was stumped by those new questions and returned to the thatched cottage once more, continuing to perfect his own Dao...

During this time, Li Changshou pondered several more tools that might be useful during tribulation.

When his master came out this time, Li Changshou could already sense obscure ripples of aura appearing around him.

This was a sign that he had already been locked onto by the Heavenly Dao and would soon undergo tribulation.

Within two years at the latest, his master would certainly begin facing the heavenly tribulation. Yet at this time, Li Changshou could do absolutely nothing more to help.

After all, undergoing tribulation was a matter of one's own self. It was difficult for others to do anything.

And so, one year and nine months passed.

Daoist Master Qi Yuan's heavenly tribulation was like an old maiden newly leaving her boudoir—shy once, timid twice, coy and hesitant—yet at the critical moment, it struck with savage force...