The Mystery of the Dragon Race, Innate Water Fortune

The change happened in an instant.

A torrent of lightning crashed down from the sky, and a figure leaped from the Sea City, heading straight for the sea surface.

Xiao Yanzhi strode through the Void, his figure moving with the speed of starlight, yet he was still too late. Gazing at the torrential downpour of lightning before him, his face paled. He then looked at Yu Tunzhou, sincerely and earnestly cupping his hands in a gesture of extreme humility. "Young Hero Yu, Mingyu has presumptuously challenged me, and now I am reaping the consequences. However, my crime does not warrant death. I implore you, Young Hero Yu, to disregard past grievances and lend a helping hand. The Xiao Household and the Tantai Household will surely reward you afterwards!"

See, he should Xie Xie us.

The more sincere his words and the more earnest his demeanor, the more wary Yu Tunzhou became of him.

This person is incredibly cunning; even under these circumstances, they still managed to ask me for help.

He was now certain that, just as An Ruyu had said, this group had chosen the South Sea Dragon Palace specifically to target him.

He had acted swiftly, without revealing the true difference in their Thunder Method, thus concealing the truth. If there were further developments in the Dragon Palace, this might be his lifesaver.

Furthermore, he didn't want An Ruyu, who was hiding in the shadows, to discover more of his trump cards now. She also had a share in the inheritance of the Thunder Ministry Heavenly Palace, and if she had similar plans, it would be best if she also fell into the trap.

Yu Tunzhou looked at the sea of thunder, pondering that it had probably struck enough, and the power of the thunderstorm was beginning to decline from its peak.

The power and intensity of the lightning after the backlash have surpassed the External Scenery First Layer. Even if he were to go in and take a trip using the Eight-Nine Mysterious Art and the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Orthodox Method, he would not be able to come out unscathed.

Even if Tantai Mingyu didn't die, she would at least be left crippled.

However, upon hearing Xiao Yanzhi's plea for help, Yu Tunzhou shook his head and said, "The lightning here is exceptionally violent, and I cannot interfere. I'm afraid I cannot assist you two."

Xiao Yanzhi looked intently at Yu Tunzhou. Did this boy really not know that the Tantai Household's Thunder Method was inherited from the Great Emperor Gouchen?

Was this incident truly just an accident caused by Tantai Mingyu's mistake?

With things having come to this, Xiao Yanzhi had no choice but to break in personally. Fortunately, the power of the lightning had begun to wane, allowing him to find Tantai Mingyu at the center after paying a price.

The woman, who was originally dressed in pure white and spotless, was now barely breathing, her body curled up in a ball, her whole body charred black, with not a single part of her body intact, and her right hand knuckles still stiffly in the gesture of making a hand Hand Seals.

Xiao Yanzhi's expression was grim. He took off his clothes, gently draped them over the man's body, and took out a pill to give him. His tense expression relaxed somewhat.

It's good that he's not dead.

Looking out at this battle of Thunder Method that was all bark and no bite, the powerful External Scenery in the city who could clearly "observe" the fight all wore strange expressions.

What kind of thing did the Tantai Household send over?

Didn't they say that Ancient Method are reviving?

Is this all that has become popular?

It's no wonder that Ancient Method cultivators who only know how to bury themselves in hard work and lack practical experience should be eliminated by the tide of the times. They can't even control their Divine Ability in a fight, and in the end, they are actually backfired by the heavenly lightning they attracted. It's truly laughable.

For a moment, the older generation of powerful figures from all sides felt listless and utterly bored.

I thought that finally someone could challenge Yu Tunzhou's "invincible Golden Body," and I was quite interested, but before I even started, it ended so hastily.

In an instant, all eyes turned away.

After confirming Tantai Mingyu's condition, Yu Tunzhou returned to the rooftop of Drunken Sea Tower.

On the terrace, the Divine Monk Jiese gazed at the sea and sighed softly, "This one is actually willing to go to such lengths—I hope you, benefactor Yu, will be extra careful on your upcoming trip to Dragon Gate. The people from the Divine Capital are clearly up to no good."

In his view, Tantai Mingyu clearly wanted to seize the opportunity Yu Tunzhou was unaware of the inside story and strike him down in one blow, which could be seen from her proactive provocations around Thunder Method.

The absurd thing is that she was too eager for quick success, so much so that the power of this move even exceeded the limits of her control.

The Fairy Nishang of Rainbow Robes, however, had a strange look in her eyes. Unlike the Dharma Master Jiese, she was unaware of the Tantai Household's background and the intricacies involved. Based solely on her intuition, she curiously guessed, "Just now, it was Young Hero Yu, with his own mastery of Thunder Method, interfered with Tantai Mingyu's Divine Ability at a crucial moment, causing Divine Ability backlash?"

Yu Tunzhou glanced at the man with a slight surprise, then shook his head and said, "That man's family's Thunder Method is extraordinary, but he was too reckless, which led to the backlash."

The Dharma Master Jiese from lust, clasped his hands together, chanted a Buddhist prayer, and agreed, saying, "The Tantai Household's Thunder Method is inherited from a great deity of the Heavenly Court, and its rank is extremely high. It is not advisable to fight it head-on."

Having said that, he rose to take his leave.

"Benefactor Yu, we will be able to enter the Dragon Palace in a few days and await the Dragon Gate. We will meet again then."

"Take care, Master."

Seeing the Divine Monk Jiese rise to take his leave, Fairy Nishang felt it inappropriate to linger alone. As she stood up, she suddenly asked, "Judging from the hype over there, His Highness the Crown Prince will soon summon martial artists from all factions to a meeting to unravel the mystery of the Dragon Gate. I wonder if Young Hero Yu will attend?"

Yu Tunzhou smiled and said, "We'll talk about it then."

Once the sound of their footsteps faded at the end of the stairs, Yu Tunzhou walked alone onto the terrace.

Night had fallen, and the Thunder Method battle that had shaken the entire city had subsided into silence. A sea breeze caressed my face, carrying a faint salty tang.

Today's conflict is just the beginning.

A black dot suddenly appeared on the distant horizon.

The black dot flew extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye it had already swept across the sky above the sea, heading straight towards the Drunken Sea Tower.

Yu Tunzhou's brow twitched slightly as he raised his eyes to lock onto his enemy. It was an osprey, its gray-black feathers edged with subtle golden light. Its flight posture was somewhat strange, its wings flapping almost arrogantly, as if the entire sky was not enough for it to wreak havoc.

As the osprey swooped down, Yu Tunzhou clearly saw the creature's eyes. They lacked the sharpness and alertness expected of a raptor; instead, they seemed to be filled with a sense of lingering anticipation.

It was none other than the Great Sage Huntian from dawn till dusk.

In the past few days, Yu Tunzhou asked someone to find a bird with demon blood, allowing Hun Tian Yuan Shen to inhabit it. Once it gained its freedom, it spread its wings and flew away, saying it wanted to adapt to the rules of heaven and earth and see what birds in the future would look like.

At that moment, the osprey circled twice above Drunken Sea Tower, then folded its wings and swooped down, landing steadily on Yu Tunzhou's shoulder.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm back."

Huntian's voice resonated directly in Yu Tunzhou's mind.

Yu Tunzhou looked at the Great Sage on his shoulder and wondered if he could talk to Yang Jian about borrowing his dog another day.

Huntian shook his wings, his eagle eyes darting around as he leaned closer. "Was that thundercloud created by you, fellow Daoist? I could sense the aura of the Thunder Ministry God from afar. Tsk tsk, I'm not afraid, but I wonder if those little insects in the deep sea were startled."

It shook its head and sighed, "When the Heavenly Court still existed, the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas of the Four Seas were not only under the jurisdiction of the Water Ministry, but also had to report to the Thunder Ministry to be responsible for summoning clouds and rain. Their Tianquan was completely divided."

Yu Tunzhou asked curiously, "Just how powerful was the Dragon Race at its peak?"

That goes back to the time of the Dragon Courts of the Four Directions.

Huntian recalled, as if turning the pages of a dusty old book, "Back then, the Dragon Race were the leaders of scaled creatures, dominating the water systems of heaven and earth. They possessed innate Divine Ability powers and formidable physical strength. Apart from the Phoenix Race, they had almost no enemies. They had achieved the rule of dragons wherever there was water."

Even after their rule was overthrown, the Dragon Race merely retreated to the four seas; no power, regardless of its origin, completely deprived them of Dragon Race right to exist.

At this point, Huntian said solemnly, "These past few days, I've recalled some secrets. The ancient Dragon Race has a saying: 'Ascend to heaven at the spring equinox and dive into the abyss at the autumn equinox,' and the Dragon Gate will open this time in autumn."

"Furthermore, there were ancient rumors that the fate of the Dragon Race, which had been castrated, lay hidden behind the Dragon Gate. I boldly speculate that this Dragon Gate may very well lead to the Guixu Sea Eye!"

"The Guixu Sea Eye?" Yu Tunzhou asked, "The place where all waters converge?"

He was not unfamiliar with this name; it was recorded in the Liezi: "The waters of the eight directions and nine fields, the flow of the Milky Way, all flow into it, yet it neither increases nor decreases."

This means that what flows into the Guixu is not only the waters of rivers and streams from all corners of the world, but also the Milky Way in the sky.

Huntian Lian Chi: "Fellow Daoist should understand the profound significance of the word 'water.' It is one of the most fundamental Daos of Heaven and Earth, involving countless authorities and deities. Yet, since ancient times, no being has ever been able to 'prove the Dao' using primordial water!"

Yu Tunzhou nodded. Whether in Daoist School or Buddhist School, "water" holds an extremely high status. In Daoist School, water itself is close to the Tao.

"Legend has it that the key to this lies in the fact that the Dragon Race, who once controlled all the water systems in the world, left behind a plan before their fate was sealed."

Huntian smacked his lips. "Based on this deduction, could the world's water transport be hidden within the Dragon Gate? Fellow Daoist, a trip to the Dragon Gate is imperative!"

A sudden thought flashed through Yu Tunzhou's mind: Could it be that all these powerful figures were after the world's water transport?

It's not impossible!

"I wonder how much information An Ruyu has gathered, and how much intelligence she has obtained from the entity behind her," Yu Tunzhou muttered to himself.

"In my opinion, fellow Daoist, you might as well endure the humiliation and feign compliance with that young vixen, extract as much information as possible, and while you're at it, find out whether she is actually an underling of the Goddess Houtu."

Huntian encouraged the Yu Tunzhou, sacrificing its beauty.

These past few days, Yu Tunzhou told it about the secrets of the Incense-Smelling Cult that he had recently obtained. Hearing that the Incense-Smelling Cult was backed by a great Bodhisattva like Samantabhadra, Huntian suddenly suggested that there might be people in the Earth Surge and the Netherworld who were under the command of the Goddess Houtu, since it involved the path of reincarnation.

Yu Tunzhou ignored it. An Ruyu had recently disappeared without a trace, most likely because he had gone to confirm his meeting with Wang Fujing and others not long ago.

This enchantress will never show herself unless she holds some control.

He gazed silently into the distance.

The next step is to observe how all parties proceed.

On the top floor of the restaurant, Ji Zhaoxuan stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the lights of Drunken Sea Tower below him, his face calm and serene.

Soon after, there was a knock on the door behind me.

"Come in."

"How is Mingyu's injury?" Ji Zhaoxuan asked without turning around, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Xiao Yanzhi stood behind him, his robes still bearing the scorch marks from the storm, and his eyes, illuminated by the candlelight, lost their luster, revealing only unfathomable depths.

"The tonic pill has been taken, and his life is out of danger. However, the backlash from the Thunder Method is severe; both his Primordial Spirit and physical body have suffered greatly." He paused, "Relying solely on pills, it's impossible for him to fully recover Dragon Gate."

Ji Zhaoxuan finally turned around, his gaze falling on Xiao Yanzhi's face, as if to confirm the weight of his words just now.

"You mean, Mingyu can't go to Dragon Gate this time?"

"If I rely solely on elixirs for recuperation, I truly cannot go." Xiao Yanzhi met his gaze, his expression unchanged. "That's why I came to see Your Highness last night."

Ji Zhaoxuan did not respond, but simply narrowed his eyes slightly, leaned back in his chair, and waited for what was to come.

"Once you enter the Dragon Gate, whether dealing with Feng Yanleng, Yu Tunzhou and their group, or powerful figures from overseas, the Tantai Household's Lesser Three Talents Formation is indispensable."

Xiao Yanzhi paused briefly, then spoke clearly, "As for now, it's too late to notify the Divine Capital and transfer people from the Tantai Household. The only solution is to ask Your Highness to bestow a divine favor upon us."

Ji Zhaoxuan's gaze suddenly sharpened.

He stared at Xiao Yanzhi in front of him, as if scrutinizing him over and over again.

After a long silence, he suddenly asked a question unrelated to the present, "Was tonight's battle truly a mistake made by Mingyu herself?"

Xiao Yanzhi was silent for a moment. "She was too reckless, too eager to make a name for herself, and Yu Tunzhou deliberately provoked her."

Ji Zhaoxuan slowly said, "Could it be because of the Yu Tunzhou?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yanzhi resolutely stated, "Even the Four Seas Dragon Race, who are born with the ability to Summoning Wind and Rain, have no power to resist the ' Celestial Emperor's Thunder Pardon Incantation ' of the Tantai Household."

"Furthermore, I have never heard of any Thunder Method that can surpass the ' Celestial Emperor's Thunder Pardon Incantation '!"

Ji Zhaoxuan's eyes were deep and unfathomable. He didn't ask any further questions. After a moment of silence, he took out a jade pendant, placed it on the table, pressed it with his fingertip for a long time before retracting it, and slowly said, "After this decree is used on Mingyu, remember to settle this score properly once she enters the Dragon Gate."

Xiao Yan took a step forward and held up the jade pendant with both hands. The jade pendant was moist and moist, with the word "" engraved on the front and back.

"Your Highness, rest assured!"

He lowered his head slightly, the candlelight casting deep shadows in his eyes.

With the hasty battle between Tantai Mingyu and Yu Tunzhou over, even more martial artists visited Yu Tunzhou the following day.

Meanwhile, Ji Zhaoxuan quickly released news about the Dragon Gate, inviting those who had secured a spot to a banquet.

Yu Tunzhou also received an invitation.

On that day, just as he was pondering whether or not to attend the banquet, a secret agent from the Gold-Wielding Guard delivered a confidential letter from the Divine Capital to him.

This letter, written by Feng Xu, briefly outlines the information Feng Xu possesses regarding Dragon Gate.

Just as he had predicted, even the Four Seas Dragon Race had no information about the Dragon Gate, so even if the Great Yan Imperial Family had the intelligence, it would be of no use to them.

--

The truly crucial intelligence held by the royal family concerns the "competitors" in this Dragon Gate.

The secret letter mentioned that the Dragon Gate incident was not an internal conflict among the Central Plains Human Race, but a clash between the Central Plains and the overseas remnants of the race.

And somewhat unexpectedly—

The opening of the Eternal Dragon Gate was not achieved by the Central Plains!

The real driving force behind the opening of the Eternal Dragon Gate was the overseas dragon Dragon Race. With the advantage of the Dragon Palace's ancestral land and the support of the Great Yan, the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas intervened and seized a portion of the ownership of the opening of the Dragon Gate.

"Overseas survivors----"

The last time Yu Tunzhou came into contact with the overseas remnants was in the Human Emperor Grotto-Heaven.

Those guys risked their lives to infiltrate the Central Plains, sacrificing two External Scenery, just to send a group of juniors into the Cave Heaven, only to have their whereabouts exposed by him beforehand.

However, the whereabouts of several young members of the bereaved family are unknown, and they are suspected to have escaped back overseas through some means.

Upon hearing that he might face off against the overseas remnants of the race, Huntian immediately instructed Yu Tunzhou to find him a demon body with Peng blood.

Yu Tunzhou slowly lowered the secret letter.

Commander-in-Chief Feng specially sent him a secret letter, hoping that after entering the Dragon Gate, he could try to reunite with Feng Yanleng and temporarily join forces with the Six Paths of Evil and Demons represented by An Ruyu and Deng Canglan to fight against the overseas remnants.

Otherwise, if the Central Plains martial artists are still fighting amongst themselves after entering the Dragon Gate, they will inevitably be defeated one by one by the other side.

Yu Tunzhou agreed with this, but was not prepared to do so immediately.

Once inside the cave, if the opportunity arises, a fight should still be fought.

People like them, if they don't compete with each other, who can truly submit to whom?

After thinking for a moment, he summoned a waiter from the restaurant and asked him to write several invitation letters and deliver them to the restaurants.

He planned to invite only a few people: Dharma Master Jiese, Fairy Nishang, and Brother Lin Yueheng.

Quality over quantity.

That night.

The restaurant where Ji Zhaoxuan was staying was brightly lit and filled with elegantly dressed people.

The Crown Prince sat in the main seat, a perfectly measured smile on his face, frequently raising his cup to exchange pleasantries with the martial artists attending the banquet.

The atmosphere was lively with toasts and laughter, but a closer look would reveal that the few empty seats in the front row stood out conspicuously.

Many attendees, after taking their seats, secretly scanned the room and quickly made a mental list of those who were absent.

Those absent today are mostly high-ranking figures on the Dragon and Dragon and Tiger Ranking who have had dealings with Yu Tunzhou.

The fact that these individuals did not come is itself a statement.

Although no one spoke much at the table, it was like an undercurrent beneath the surface of the water; Ji Zhaoxuan could not see it, but he could feel it surging.

After experiencing numerous setbacks since arriving in Sea City, his emotions had reached a breaking point.

After the banquet ended, all the guests departed.

Xiao Yanzhi came to Ji Zhaoxuan's side.

"How much has Mingyu's injury recovered?" Ji Zhaoxuan's voice was no longer as calm as it had been at the banquet, revealing a cold and hard undertone.

Xiao Yanzhi quickly replied, "With another day of recuperation, I can recover 70% of my combat strength. Recovering 90% before entering the Dragon Gate will not be a problem, and it won't affect the use of the Lesser Three Talents Formation."

Ji Zhaoxuan said coldly, "Let her rest and recover. After she enters the Dragon Gate, I don't want to hear any more surprises."

"Your Highness, rest assured." Xiao Yanzhi bowed his head, as if performing the rites of a subject.

Yu Tunzhou summoned the three Dharma Master Jiese, briefly explained Commander-in-Chief Feng's secret letter, and outlined the potential dangers from external enemies that might be encountered in Dragon Gate. He then formed a temporary alliance with the three of them.

Nishang Chang had no reason to refuse.

Lin Yueheng then made a request: to find a suitable time to have a fight, Yu Tunzhou readily agreed to.

Yu Tunzhou originally wanted to see An Ruyu again, but this demoness was elusive and could not be found unless she showed herself. He could only wait until he entered the Dragon Palace.

Soon, the day arrived for everyone to enter the Dragon Palace.

The martial artists from various families who entered the South Sea Dragon Palace under the guidance of the Dragon Palace quickly spotted a figure in a white dress in the crowd.

The Incense-Smelling Demoness, An Ruyu!

This demoness has actually come to the South Sea Dragon Palace!

In the crowd, Ji Zhaoxuan gazed at that ethereal and otherworldly figure, his eyes filled with covetous longing.

He knew full well that this so-called incomparably beautiful Incense-Smelling Demoness was not as simple as she appeared on the surface; to obtain her was to obtain the Incense-Smelling Cult!

Xiao Yanzhi's lips moved, and he secretly transmitted his voice, saying, "Your Highness, perhaps we can use dealing with Yu Tunzhou as a pretext to try and join forces with An Ruyu."

Ji Zhaoxuan took a deep breath, suppressed his distracting thoughts, and agreed to the suggestion. He decided that after entering the Dragon Palace, he would try to secretly contact and win over the Dragon.