Inside the Water Mansion.
The Dragon Lord lounged languidly, half-sprawled on an enormous coral bed.
Its massive body nearly filled the bed.
It casually picked up a wine cup that would have looked enormous to anyone else, yet in the Dragon Lord's claw,
it looked like no more than an ordinary little wine cup.
A mouthful of fine wine brightened the Dragon Lord's eyes.
It exhaled a white breath through its mouth and nostrils.
Just then, a subordinate came to report that someone outside sought an audience.
"Li Ping'an?"
At the name, the Dragon Lord pondered briefly.
It seemed to be searching its memory for whether it knew this person.
Soon, it remembered.
Some days ago, when it had been about to teach the Great An Kingdom's fleet a lesson,
someone calling himself Li Ping'an had come to mediate.
Seeing that he seemed no ordinary cultivator, it had done him the courtesy.
Why had he come calling now?
The Dragon Lord hesitated. "Take him to the main hall."
"Yes."
"This way, please."
A man, an ox, and a cat followed an octopus inside.
The octopus was dressed quite formally in silk, but paired with an octopus,
the clothes looked awkward no matter how one looked at them.
Before the Dragon Lord arrived, fruit, pastries, and tea were served.
Kitten had eaten at the Water Mansion before, with the Third Young Master.
But the pastries there were clearly not as exquisite as these.
After all, their previous host had merely been an insignificant member of the jiao kind in a river.
This time, their host was a genuine True Dragon of the sea.
Kitten picked up a little bright-red, perfectly round morsel and popped it into its mouth.
It raised its head and looked at Big Ping’an.
"It's delicious!"
"Then