Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 446 What lies above the True Lord? Entering the Dragon Palace (4000)

This was a powerful demon; the moment he appeared, the churning sea fell silent.

Even the winged white tiger had lost its fighting spirit, its massive head pointing downwards:

“I have no ill intentions, and I even enjoy seeing these humans kill each other, but such a grand event should not be disturbed.”

“I am aware of your good intentions.”

The shrimp soldier nodded, his gaze fixed on the crimson shadow and the scarlet battle flag held in his hand.

"Young friend, you've already reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment at such a young age. We must know which great lineage you come from, and we are naturally aware of your purpose in coming here. If you still wish to achieve your goal, do not provoke any unpleasantness. Moreover..."

It took a step forward, the long spear in its hand trembling with a clang, its extreme sharpness filling every corner of the sea, confronting the Blood Demon Banner.

"A magical artifact without a spirit is nothing here!"

Zhang Yuanzhu remained silent, sensing the scrutinizing gazes emanating from beneath the sea.

The young man glanced at the two-winged white tiger, then lowered his gaze to look down at the shrimp soldiers.

His eyes were calm, and the battle flag in his hand was hidden.

"The affairs of the human race are not something you need to worry about."

"I'm naturally too lazy to do anything, but this place is the Heavenly Dream Sea, and we must follow the rules set by the Dragon Lord."

The shrimp soldiers opened their mouths, revealing sharp teeth.

Turning around, he glanced at the group of cultivators on the sea, a hint of disdain appearing in his beastly eyes.

"Apart from a few people who are passable, the rest are all useless. How can such people attend the Dragon Palace Feast? Is there no one left in the human race?"

Many cultivators only realized what was happening now, their eyes flashing as they pondered the message revealed in the shrimp soldier's words.

At this moment, a middle-aged man carrying a long sword strode forward, clasping his hands in a fist salute:
“Senior, we have come here with the sincerity of attending the banquet, but this villain is a heretic and evil, harboring murderous intent. He has not come here for the sake of attending the banquet.”

The middle-aged man looked up, staring at the crimson figure on the flying boat, a cold smile on his face.

If you are not as strong as others, you might as well use their strength to kick this kid out of the 'grand event' and prevent him from getting the opportunity.

"You have come to attend the Dragon King's Grand Gathering!"

The shrimp soldier's voice was shrill, and his beastly eyes were filled with astonishment.

Even the two-winged white tiger looked at the middle-aged man with the sword on his back, its tiger face showing surprise.

The tiger's claw reached out and pointed to the gentle Taoist priest beside the middle-aged man, who was wearing a blue Taoist robe and a wooden crown.

"Aren't you this man's servant?"

In an instant, the middle-aged swordsman narrowed his eyes and his expression turned ugly.

The Qingyangzhai sect used to be comparable to the Jianmen sect, but now, it is no longer comparable to them.

Seeing the middle-aged man's changing expression, the shrimp soldier understood immediately. His beastly face grew even uglier, filled with murderous intent.

"Impure blood and qi, mixed spiritual consciousness, weakened magical power, and nearly two hundred years old—in this state, you still want to personally attend the grand event? Are you joking?"

"We still want to insult the Tianmeng Hanhai Dragon Clan."

"roll!"

The shrimp soldier roared, and the middle-aged man's body exploded, turning into a cloud of blood mist.

Despite having just stated that killing was forbidden here, he acted without hesitation, roaring the middle-aged swordsman to death.

"Now, all the outstanding talents who wish to participate in this grand event, please follow me into the sea. If you are not my servant and do not even know it, then you shall be buried in this sea."

As soon as the voice fell, the shrimp soldiers disappeared into the sea.

The white tiger glanced at the group of cultivators, opened its mouth, revealing a hint of mockery, and then followed suit.

Zhang Yuanzhu pondered the words the shrimp soldier had just spoken, and a vague understanding began to emerge.

Only the most outstanding and exceptional individuals are permitted to attend this banquet.

"We'll go too."

The young man spoke, and steered the flying boat towards the vast ocean.

The two women nodded slightly, offering no objection.

Fa Yan, with a serious expression, reminded him:

"Brother Dao, what the demoness from Painted Skin Peak said just now may not be true. Even if she dies at 'Grand Gathering,' her true form will definitely not be unharmed. Be careful."

"I know!"

In the blink of an eye, the flying boat had vanished into the vast ocean.

As the flying boat disappeared, the cultivators on the sea visibly breathed a sigh of relief and gathered to talk.

"That madman finally left."

"Does dying at the 'Grand Gathering' really not damage the body? But why do the deaths of the other fellow Daoists just now seem so real?"

"To avoid any accidents, I suggest staying away from the 'festival' and leaving once it's over."

The group of cultivators made a noisy commotion, discussing their respective methods.

Many cultivators also gathered around the several outstanding talents, their expressions respectful:
"Please allow me to serve as your servant, and I will do my utmost to serve you to the death."

"Holy Maiden, we are all on the righteous path and need to support each other."

Some of the older cultivators stood beside a few of the younger ones, wanting to follow them and participate in this 'grand event'.

Of course, some more confident cultivators directly escaped into the sea, closely following the shrimp soldiers and the white tiger.

Su Meng, the Holy Maiden of Xuan Yang Dao Academy, looked at the righteous cultivators gathered around her, a bitter expression appearing on her face beneath the phoenix mask:
"Fellow practitioners, with that person around, we will not have the slightest chance to obtain anything."

The woman sighed softly, her eyes filled with sorrow, and her red lips parted slightly:
"Most of you are fellow Daoists who entered Tianmengze with my senior brother and me. Why don't you leave this place and wait for the 'grand gathering' to end?"

As the words drifted by, he took a step forward and walked alone into the sea.

She has more important things to deal with and can't afford to worry about too many things.

The Daoist disciple of Qingyang Daoist Academy watched the departing woman, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes before disappearing in an instant, replaced by a gentle expression.

His gaze swept over the bewildered group of cultivators, and he spoke softly:
"Fellow Daoists, the demon is powerful and we need to use the power of the 'Grand Gathering' to severely damage him or prevent him from obtaining opportunities. If you do not mind, you may follow the younger generation and enter the banquet together."

“Junior Sister Su comes from Xuan Yang Dao Academy, sympathizes with the demon, and her ideals are incompatible with those of the three academies.”

The group of cultivators remained silent, utterly astonished. Could these words really be spoken openly and publicly?

Or has the Qingyangzhai sect split to this extent?

A moment later, cheers were heard.
"Very well! Daozi is absolutely right."

"Xuan Yang Dao Academy is soft-hearted, unaware of how many righteous people have died at the hands of that demon."

"This grand gathering is not for any opportunity, but solely for the purpose of vanquishing demons!"

The righteous cultivator roared and followed a figure in green into the vast ocean.

The remaining demonic cultivators on the sea exchanged glances, all warily watching each other, before either disappearing into the sea or fleeing into the distance.

the other side.

Zhang Yuanzhu had already piloted the flying boat to the depths of the sea, where layers of light bloomed, driving away the seawater and protecting the surrounding area.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the scenery before my eyes has changed dramatically.

Colorful corals cover the seabed, dark green seaweed sways with the currents, and various turtles and shrimps frolic and play.

The water is filled with an extremely rich spiritual energy, making it gentle and full of life.

At the edge of the field of vision, an incredibly tall and imposing gate stood atop the sand, exuding nobility and sanctity.

The golden dragon-patterned stone pillars resemble nine dragons coiled and roaring towards the sky.

Above the plaque, two ancient characters shone brightly, seemingly as large as the stars. One glance was enough to understand their meaning.

"Dragon Palace?"

Zhang Yuanzhu's expression was solemn as he uttered the meaning of two words.

Such a reputation is not something an ordinary force can bear; he has arrived at an extraordinary place. Just as the young man was lost in thought, a beautiful figure stopped in front of the flying boat.

She was a woman with a graceful figure, smooth hair like silk, wearing a phoenix mask, and a pair of beautiful eyes that were more radiant than the Milky Way.

“Brother Dao, since we parted ways in the Land of Creation, I never imagined we would meet again here.”

The woman's expression beneath the mask was complex; her arms hung naturally at her sides, and a layer of mysterious light separated the seawater, protecting her.

The crimson figure withdrew its gaze from the doorway and focused on the woman, its arm draped over the long, white ruler:
"Su Meng, the Holy Maiden of Qingyangzhai and Xuanyang Dao Academy, it has indeed been a long time since we last met."

Those who once fought side by side now hold different positions.

Or, to put it another way, how can a little bit of sentimentality compare to the traditions and authority of a sect? How many of the other party's relatives, friends, and teachers have perished at your hands?

He can distinguish these things clearly, so he won't have any uninteresting thoughts.

The woman looked up at the handsome, perfect face and those indifferent, ethereal double pupils. She raised her hand, removed the phoenix mask, and revealed her true appearance.

Her oval face was as white as mutton fat jade, her eyebrows were arched, her eyes were like black gemstones, her nose was straight and high, and her red lips were delicate. She was stunningly beautiful.

"The reason why you had a feud with the sect was just a trivial matter. The sect chased you for thousands of miles, and you killed many elders, disciples, and even True Monarchs, which brought the sect to the brink of collapse."

"Why don't we just put aside our grudges?"

Zhang Yuanzhu tilted his head slightly, glanced at the woman, and let out a sneer.
"Are they scared? They've come to you to act as a lobbyist."

Raise your free hand, gently grasp the railing, and utter each word carefully:
"Tell those high and mighty True Lords that grudges are unresolved and will never be settled, not even to the death!"

The woman frowned and sighed softly:
"The abbots of the three academies were in charge of this matter. The True Lord of Xuan Yang Academy was in seclusion and only recently emerged. He was powerless to change anything. Although he did not stop the three academies from pursuing him, he also did not surround and kill you, fellow Daoist."

"Through various events, Xuan Yang Dao Academy has long known of your character, fellow Daoist, and does not wish to be your enemy, moreover..."

Su Meng raised her hand and put the phoenix mask back on her face, exhaling softly:

"Junior sisters Qin Li and Qin Yuyao both came from Xuan Yang Dao Academy and had some incense-related friendship with Dao Brother."

"Brother Dao, we are no match for each other."

The woman's figure landed, stepping on the gravel, and walked towards the door.

Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes were calm, his face expressionless, his fingers tightly gripping the long ruler, and he whispered:
"From the Divine Plains to the Riverbed of the Passing River, we fought our way through countless battles, and we even encountered elders of the Xuan Yang Dao Academy. When the fragments of the Dao Venerable exploded, tens of thousands of disciples of the Xuan Yang Dao Academy perished. In such a fierce and life-or-death struggle, are we not even your match?"

The woman paused slightly, then continued walking.

A slightly hoarse voice traveled through the seawater.

"no!"

For a moment, on the sea and on the flying boat, Zhang Yuanzhu sneered, his voice filled with mockery and amusement.

These powerful factions under Emperor Gaozong are indeed capable of anything, even internal 'splits'?
Ah!
It's just leaving yourself a way out, whether you'll need it or not.

As for whether he's willing to give it or not, who knows?

Before they knew it, the flying boat had landed on the seabed, and three figures leaped out of the boat and walked toward the door.

Fa Yan and Fa Ding had complex expressions. From their brief conversation, they naturally understood what the two were trying to convey.

He clasped his hands together, opened his red lips several times as if to say something, but no sound came out.

The three remained silent until they stopped before the imposing gate.

At this moment, Zhang Yuanzhu had already withdrawn his attention from the conversation and was carefully observing the ancient and weathered gate.

This doorway is extraordinary, containing profound Taoist charm. The dragon patterns on it resemble thousands of real dragons roaring and howling, which is extremely terrifying.

His methods of killing—the Southern Heavenly Gate—also provided considerable inspiration.

After all, they are all gateways, and there are things we can learn from them.

He lingered there, deeply imprinting the gate into his heart.

Time ticked by, but the young man remained where he was, observing carefully.

Dozens of miles away, a group of cultivators gathered, not daring to go any further.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Yuanzhu finally turned his gaze to the area behind the portal, where a chaotic scene unfolded, with countless streams of energy flowing and converging to form vortexes.

"gone!"

The young man laughed, stepped forward, and entered through the door.

Legal terms and legal provisions followed closely behind.

Zhang Yuanzhu took a step out and felt upside down and his vision blurred. When he looked again, he found that the world had changed.

The magnificent palaces stretch endlessly, and the ground paved with strange stones is engraved with intricate patterns, gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which transforms into a spiritual mist.

He seemed to have instantly arrived in a fairyland.

"Humans are arriving one after another, how interesting." A sharp voice came from ahead.

A dashing young man, holding a sword, coldly stared at the crimson shadow.

He was tall and imposing, with a head of golden hair that danced wildly. He had an arrogant expression, and his golden armor clanged as it clattered.

"You have insulted the dragon race and are hostile to the demons, yet you still dare to attend this banquet. This is going too far."

Each bet came in, carrying scrutiny and hostility.

Some were beautiful women draped in colorful feathered robes, others were nine-headed lions lying on the ground, and still others were thin men with pale faces draped in blue cloaks—each exuding a fierce and hostile aura.

"Monster clan?"

Zhang Yuanzhu strode forward.

Boom~
Like a battle sword drawn from its sheath, fierce and domineering, it instantly pulverizes all kinds of energy.

Whether it was the two-winged white tiger watching from afar, the arrogant blond youth, or even the hostile demons, all of them changed their expressions drastically, feeling a sharp pain in their flesh.

It felt as if long swords were pressed against his body.

Ta-ta-ta~
The crimson figure moved forward, approaching the blond man, and sneered:

"A beast."

"court death!!!"

The blond man roared to the sky, his killing intent chilling to the bone.

Dazzling sword energies burst forth, chilling and fierce, slashing forth.

The next instant, a fair complexion came into view, taking over everything.

All the sword energy, killing intent, and roars abruptly ceased.

The sword light shattered, and five fingers pressed against the blond man's face.

In an instant, its neck twisted, its body leaned backward, and it rolled backward, kicking up clouds of dust.

When the smoke and dust cleared, a golden roc lay at the end of a narrow ravine.

Zhang Yuanzhu narrowed his double pupils, gazing at the unconscious demon in the distance, his brows furrowing slightly.

It's strange that this palm strike didn't kill the opponent, who was also at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.

The shrimp soldier stood deep within the palace, his hands gripping his spear tightly, his beastly eyes filled with astonishment.

The prodigy of the Golden-Winged Roc clan was defeated with a single palm strike.

A prodigy has arrived among the human race.

"The Dragon Lord once established a rule within the Dragon Palace, prohibiting killing and ensuring that living beings would never die."

The shrimp soldier stared directly at the crimson figure and slowly began to speak.

He paused, his beastly eyes sweeping over all the living beings in the palace, and spoke, word by word:
"All races coexist and are treated fairly. The Dragon Lord's vow upon attaining the Nascent Soul stage will never change, no matter what happens."

"This time, regardless of whether they are human, demon, monster, beast, ghost, or spirit, or what their purpose is, they will all be treated equally and compete fairly."

Whether or not one can gain His Highness's favor depends on luck.

(End of this chapter)