Chapter 84

The two shrimp soldiers used the water-avoiding technique, which is a common skill among aquatic demons.

As they descended into Dongting Lake, at first, a few rays of moonlight still penetrated the water. The deeper they went, the darker it became, until finally, only a faint glow remained in the darkness. The surrounding fish were startled and scattered.

"Your Majesty, please close your eyes, we will arrive in a moment."

In a dark area of the water, the shrimp soldier stopped and respectfully said to Ning Wuxie, mistaking him for a mountain demon king.

"En!"

Ning Wuxie closed his eyes. This dragon palace must have certain restrictions that ordinary people cannot see, similar to some immortal sects hidden in the mountains, where restrictions conceal their presence to avoid worldly disturbances and to defend against enemies at the gate.

If the Black Mountain Old Demon's words were true, the Dongting Lake Dragon King had a mysterious background, and it would be easy for him to create an extraordinary place. Ning Wuxie believed about eighty percent of what the Black Mountain Old Demon said. In the "Liu Yi Zhuan," it was mentioned that the Dongting Dragon Lord had a younger brother who was the Qiantang Dragon Lord, a great demon who caused chaos during the reign of Emperor Yao, conflicting with the Heavenly Generals and flooding five great mountains. He was locked by the Dragon Lock Pillar. To save his niece, he broke free from the Dragon Lock Pillar, causing the death of 600,000 lives and flooding 800 miles, even devouring the third son of the Jingyang Dragon King. His strength was terrifying.

The Qiantang Dragon Lord's respect for the Dongting Dragon Lord might be due to brotherly affection. Recalling some content from the "Liu Yi Zhuan," the Dongting Dragon Lord did not show much respect to the Heavenly Court, suggesting that the Dongting Dragon Lord was even stronger than the Qiantang Dragon Lord.

Ning Wuxie could remember these details thanks to his diligent study of classical texts in his past life, where every classical text was a required exam topic, making the content deeply ingrained.

With his thoughts in turmoil, he felt a fluctuation of demonic energy around him. Soon, the darkness gradually brightened, and numerous auras, strong and weak, surrounded him.

"Your Majesty, you can open your eyes now, we have arrived at the Dragon Palace!"

Ning Wuxie opened his eyes, and a dazzling light flashed around him. The surroundings were bright and colorful, with coral, abalone, gold and silver rock formations, and water columns gushing from the ground, producing a series of bubbles.

Although he was underwater, Ning Wuxie could breathe, which was quite miraculous.

"This is air water. It can sustain both land demons and humans, and aquatic creatures. It is a spell cast by the Dragon King, bringing down sweet dew from the heavens."

The shrimp soldier smiled proudly and led Ning Wuxie inside.

The Dragon Palace was resplendent with golden and purple light, grand and majestic. The halls and pavilions stretched endlessly, adorned with exotic flowers and plants, including century-old Polygonum multiflorum and millennium-old Linghui trees, golden fish, and silver seaweed, creating a truly wondrous scene.

Shrimp soldiers and crab soldiers, dressed in bright armor, patrolled the area, holding steel forks, looking valiant and spirited.

They led Ning Wuxie to a palace with white jade pillars, green jade steps, coral beds, and crystal curtains. The green door lintel was inlaid with glass, and the rainbow-like beams were decorated with amber.

The magnificent and mysterious scenery was indescribable, and the opulence of the Dragon Palace was endless.

"What is this hall?" Ning Wuxie asked.

"This is the Lingxu Hall. Please wait here, Your Majesty, while I go to inform the Dragon King."

The two shrimp soldiers turned and left. Ning Wuxie looked around the hall, which had no barriers, allowing him to see the patrolling water demons outside. He thought it was quite similar to the "Liu Yi Zhuan," but wondered why there were no orange trees, perhaps due to the time difference.

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment. My father is discussing Dao with the Sun Daoist in the Xuanzhu Pavilion."

A graceful water maiden approached, in her prime, with a slender figure, adorned with jade and pearls, exuding a fragrant aroma. She wore a silk dress, with a round face, and her makeup was perfect. Her eyes were bright, and she held a pot of tea, deftly preparing a cup for Ning Wuxie, the fragrance of which was delightful.

Ning Wuxie looked at the maiden in surprise, as he had never seen such refined tea art before. Her movements were seamless and beautiful, a skill that was just beginning to develop in the south during the early Tang Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, please enjoy your tea!"

The maiden bowed gracefully and handed the porcelain cup to Ning Wuxie, glancing at him curiously, wondering why the shrimp soldiers said a handsome demon had come to the palace, but this was clearly a human from the land.

"Thank you. May I ask the name of the Dragon Princess?" Ning Wuxie stood up and took the cup, smiling.

"Ha ha ha, this is my daughter, Ao Bing. I did not know a land demon king had arrived, and I failed to welcome you properly. I apologize."

A loud laugh echoed, and the palace gates opened. A man in a purple robe walked out, surrounded by a cloud of mist, holding a green jade and wearing a jade belt. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, looking bold and generous, with a group of attendants following him.

Beside the purple-robed man was an old Taoist in a red robe, with white hair and a youthful face, sunken eyes, a hooked nose, and a hint of malevolence. He had a long white beard and a large red gourd at his waist.

"Pay homage to the Dragon King..." The shrimp soldiers and crab soldiers patrolling the Lingxu Hall bowed in unison.

The Dragon Princess bowed, her cheeks flushed, and she scolded, "Father..."

"Ha ha ha, it's just a name. Your Majesty won't mind, will you? Why be shy?" The purple-robed man walked over with his group, affectionately patting the Dragon Princess's head, "Go, find your mother..."

"Pay homage to the Dragon King!" Ning Wuxie stood up and bowed to the purple-robed man.

If he still didn't know that the purple-robed man was the Dongting Dragon King, Ning Wuxie would have to find a block of tofu and bash his head in.

"Dongting, since you have a guest, I will take my leave. I will come again next time!"

The old Taoist in the red robe glanced at Ning Wuxie, then bid farewell to the Dragon King. The Dragon King nodded, and the old Taoist's body swayed, transforming into a red light and disappearing in an instant.

Ning Wuxie was secretly amazed by the old Taoist's profound cultivation. He also frowned, sensing a hint of hostility in the old Taoist's eyes. Why would he feel this way, given that they had never met?

"Your Majesty, please sit..." The Dragon King waved, and the attendants dispersed. He sat in the main seat.

"May I ask why Your Majesty has come to my Dongting Dragon Palace?"

Perhaps he was overthinking. Ning Wuxie cleared his mind and looked at the Dragon King, his expression cold, "I have heard of the beauty of Dongting Lake. While traveling here, I saw a carp demon attacking a human and dragging them into the lake. I have come to seek justice for the people on the shore!"

"What? That despicable Lake Master, tarnishing the reputation of my Dragon Palace! He deserves to die!"

The Dragon King was strangely angry, raising his hand and slamming it on the chair, which cracked, breaking the coral handle. His face then showed a look of shame as he looked at Ning Wuxie, "Your Majesty, you may not know, but the Dongting Lake is not solely governed by the Dragon Palace. There is a Lake Master, a carp that absorbed the spirit energy of Qu Yuan, gaining great power. He controls the northern shore of Dongting Lake, and the Dragon Palace governs the south. This carp demon must have been sent by the Lake Master."

The Dongting Dragon King was puzzled in his heart. As a demon, eating humans is quite normal. When did land demons start caring about humans?