Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 448 The Dragon King's Relic, the Banquet Begins, A Dead End? (4000)

The hall fell silent, and after an unknown amount of time, a melodious female voice slowly drifted out.

"I don't want to!"

The voice was serious and solemn.

The Dragon Girl stared directly at the crimson figure in the center of the light screen, her red lips slightly parted:
“Father, if it is not for the benefit of the Dragon Clan and to prevent conflict between the two clans, I am unwilling to take in another son-in-law.”

Upon hearing this, the Dragon King's face did not show anger, but rather a hint of curiosity. He gently stroked the armrest and asked:
"Why? This time, you requested the Ancestor to convene the meeting to select heroes from the world to jointly explore the Great Dao."

The dragon girl lowered her head slightly, her green hair fluttering, and a look of relief and helplessness flashed in her eyes.

"I'm not even remotely obsessed with this matter, so does the matter of finding a son-in-law still have any meaning for me?"

Boom~
It was as if the sky were collapsing, or the earth were being overturned.

The Dragon King straightened his back, his fingers gripping the armrest tightly, his eyes filled with sorrow that could no longer be concealed.

"Did you notice that?"

“Father, it’s not hard to guess. That person’s path of cultivation is vastly different from ours, and given his extraordinary talent, he shouldn’t be unknown. He must be someone from a later generation. Most importantly…”

The Dragon Goddess, with a gentle expression, pried open the Dragon King's tightly clenched hand and chuckled softly:
"The teleportation arrays within the Dragon Palace have all become ineffective."

"No, it shouldn't be called a failure. The array patterns are intact, the spirit stones are placed normally, yet it cannot leave the Dragon Palace. Moreover, Father's reaction just now also proves this."

A bitter expression flickered across the man's face, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a solemn look.
“Now that we know, I will no longer hide it from you. The human race does indeed come from the future, from the next era.”

"The next era?"

The Dragon King nodded and explained:

"Like the barbaric era and the times we live in, there is a long separation between us."

"If we can form a marriage through a secret method, when that human grows up in the future, it is not impossible for him to bring you back to life."

The dragon girl lowered her hand, gently smoothing the folds of her dress.

She turned around and her figure gradually disappeared from the high platform.

A barely perceptible murmur drifted down:

"Just as the Ancestor once deceived the Daoist Venerable when he was young, does Father intend to bring great disaster upon the future Dragon Clan?"

Inside the main hall, only the emperor's figure remained, sitting on his throne, silently gazing at the light screen before him.

Amidst a sea of ​​lights stretching for miles, Zhang Yuanzhu strode forward.

One by one, the bright lights floated and gathered, changing their trajectory and color with the steps of the young man.

At the same time, lines of scripture appeared in my heart, becoming more and more complete as time went by.

An hour later, a figure in crimson stood at the end of the sea of ​​lights, eyes closed.

In my mind, crimson patterns flickered and intertwined, transforming into intricate and mysterious ancient characters.

"The heart is the source of the sovereign fire, also known as the abode of the spirit. The molten lava of the earth's veins is the essence of the fire of separation; one controls fire with the heart, and refines the heart with fire, thus the heart and fire are mutually generated."

"This is the 'Molten Heart Sutra'!"

Zhang Yuanzhu carefully comprehended the scriptures that emerged in his mind. They were extremely profound, containing the methods and concepts of the Way of Fire. Even he had to admire them and immerse himself in them.

Time passed by, second by second, and I don't know how much time had gone by.

The young man slowly opened his eyes, a hint of regret in his expression.

He only glanced at this cultivation method, but he noticed that the spiritual items required for each stage of cultivation were unusually numerous and unheard of.

In particular, to break through to the Golden Core realm, one needs to find the essence of heaven and earth fire, integrate it into the dantian, and then break through the barrier through various secret techniques.

The essence of heaven and earth fire was created by the Dao Lord by collecting the fire energy of heaven and earth over a hundred years. Therefore, the method of collection was harmful to heaven and earth, and the process involved various heavenly punishments.

Even if Zhang Yuanzhu could cultivate this method, he would still be unable to obtain the essence of heaven and earth fire under such demanding conditions.

After all, it is unknown whether Bodhisattvas or Dao Lords exist in the present world, let alone asking them to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, which would waste a hundred years.

Call ~
The young man exhaled a breath of stale air.

Although the "Molten Heart Sutra" cannot be practiced, it contains fire magic and concepts, which still have many merits and can be fully learned from.

As I pondered this, the sea of ​​lights behind me, stretching for miles, all went out and landed one by one.

Shrimp soldiers wielding long spears appeared before Crimson Shadow, their beastly eyes sweeping over the unconscious creatures on the ground, a look of helplessness appearing on their beastly faces.

"It was just a small prize, but you went a bit too far."

Zhang Yuanzhu gently held the measuring ruler in his palm, feeling the warmth on his fingertips, without saying a word.

Behind them, Fa Yan, Fa Ding, and Feng Yao stepped forward.

"Senior Shrimp, the Dragon Lord has established a rule that if you don't die here, you fellow Daoists will only suffer minor injuries."

Feng Yao stood beside Chi Ying, her red lips slightly parted.

Hey~
The shrimp soldier sighed softly, nodded slightly, and the spear in his hand trembled:

"wake up!"

With a loud shout, accompanied by the trembling sound of a spear, invisible ripples swept across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers.

In an instant, figures stood up from the ground, looking around with some confusion.

However, many creatures soon regained their senses and stared in terror at the crimson figure at the forefront.

If it weren't for the special rules of this place, they would have all died just now.

"Senior Shrimp, that human wants to kill us."

A creature spoke tremblingly, but there was no response.

The shrimp soldier's gaze remained completely unmoved as he sneered:
"Hundreds, even thousands of geniuses, were defeated by one person in the same realm. What more is there to say?"

"You want me to uphold justice for you?"

The shrimp soldier turned and left, his deep voice reaching everyone's ears:

"Pack your things and come to the banquet. Don't offend the eyes of our seniors."

Zhang Yuanzhu walked forward slowly, expressionless.

Legal language and legal provisions should keep pace.

As for Feng Yao, she stood still and waited quietly until the demons arrived before moving forward.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhang Yuanzhu had already arrived at a dark golden hall.

The hall was vast, with rows of stone pillars standing tall, as if supporting the heavens and the earth. At the far end of the field of vision, four beams of light converged on the throne, standing on the steps.

In the center of the hall, a large blue cauldron floated in mid-air.

This cauldron is extremely high, pressing down heaven and earth and all things below it; nothing can rise above it.

Its entire body shimmered with a bluish-gold light, and the cauldron was engraved with flowers, plants, fish, insects, birds, beasts, the sun, moon, and stars.

A deafening dragon roar resounded incessantly, and thousands upon thousands of azure dragons emerged from the cauldron, their heads pointing to the sky, their scales appearing to be cast from azure gold, terrifying and unpredictable.

"This is."

Zhang Yuanzhu gazed at the green cauldron, his mind and spirit deeply moved.

This artifact was beyond his imagination; it was as if tens of thousands of real dragons were before him, supreme and noble, and incredibly powerful.

"The dragon-patterned lapis lazuli tripod is a precious vessel of the Dragon King."

A solemn female voice sounded from beside my ear.

Feng Yao stood behind the young man, seemingly talking to herself, yet also as if she were praising him.

The shrimp soldiers at the forefront stopped at this moment, bowed down, and were devout and sincere.

After a moment, he slowly got up and led everyone to a long table filled with spiritual wine and fruits.

On the high platform, four majestic figures shrouded in radiance watched as each being entered the hall, before their gazes settled on the azure dragon cauldron in the center of the hall.

"The Dragon Lord's artifact is awe-inspiring no matter when we view it, and it is also helpful for comprehending the Great Dao."

"It's a pity that such a powerful weapon was still no match for that person and was reduced to a pile of fragments."

"The Dragon Lord is in front, and the Dao Lord is behind; this should not be the case." Sighs echoed from the throne, filled with helplessness and sorrow.

They already had a guess about where they were now; the past had turned to ashes, and the world had changed beyond recognition.

"Hey!"

"Why make such a show? Defeat is defeat, and our people are willing to accept the consequences of defeat."

A majestic voice descended from the head of the table.

The Dragon King's gaze swept across the sky, landing on the crimson figure below the steps, and he slowly spoke:
"In later generations, there were also peerless geniuses who were no less than our ancestor in his youth and had the potential to become revered."

"Senior Dragon Lord, are you referring to that human youth who defeated the geniuses of several races?"

"He is indeed remarkable, but he must be chosen as the Dragon Princess's husband."

The Dragon King shook his head and whispered:
"We are nothing but a wisp of obsession, appearing here through the ripples of the river of time. What need do we have for a son-in-law?"

"The Dragon Lord is magnanimous. Although this child is exceptionally talented, his future path seems unfinished. Not to mention the insurmountable barriers between realms, he may one day fall by the roadside."

"It is truly a pity to be at the beginning of an era, moving forward from a desolate place."

Whether they were Golden Core True Monarchs or Nascent Soul Dragon Lords, these powerful figures in the world could see the cultivation path of future generations at a glance and quickly deduce and obtain all sorts of information.

"Resources in later generations must be extremely scarce, otherwise they would not use magical runes to reinforce the spiritual platform."

"What an exquisite realm! Using a hundred days of Qi cultivation to replace a spiritual root—a groundbreaking idea that even the strongest would praise."

"However, without integrating external treasures and focusing solely on internal cultivation, one can barely achieve the Golden Core stage, but what about after that?"

"This is a dead end!"

Some creatures whispered, believing that later generations of cultivators had embarked on a dead end.

"puff!"

"Old white ape, you are merely a Golden Core True Monarch, how dare you speak presumptuously of future Nascent Soul cultivators."

A silvery laugh echoed from the high platform.

"What Feng Jun said is correct. I was arrogant, but..."

Dang~
A clang of metal clashing interrupted the dispute among the powerful figures.

Dragon Lord raised his hand from the armrest and shifted his gaze from Crimson Shadow:

“Every era has its own destiny and circumstances. Our era has ended, which means that we are no longer strong or wise enough.”

"Let's see what path the next era takes. Why interfere too much?"

For a moment, the platform fell silent, and everyone was filled with emotion.

In the era they lived in, living beings roared across the heavens and earth, their roars shaking down stars, and their thoughts could shatter mountains and rivers for millions of miles. So many amazing and talented people still failed?

Even the roads were forcibly cut off, making cultivation impossible.

Ultimately, they were just a group of people obsessed with their own ideas, powerless to change anything.

Below the high platform, Zhang Yuanzhu sat cross-legged, picked up a jade cup, and sipped slowly.

His gaze remained fixed on the dragon-patterned lapis lazuli cauldron, his double pupils deep and unfathomable, as he diligently observed every trace of the Dao and reason.

A complete Daoist artifact, revealing the Dao and principles, even if it is merely an illusion, is extremely precious, and even Golden Core True Monarchs would fight tooth and nail for it.

This may be the biggest opportunity for this 'grand event'.

At the same time, deep within the soul, the characteristics of purity, wisdom, innocence, and forgetfulness of worries burst forth, constantly accelerating the process of enlightenment.

Gradually, Zhang Yuanzhu sensed a strange aura, a connection with the Dao. The swarm of true dragons that had sprung out of the cauldron stopped roaring and turned their eyes to look down.

Their gazes met in mid-air.

Boom!

Thunder roared, torrential rain poured down, and the vast sea surged.

The halls, tables, and living beings were all disappearing. He felt as if he had entered a blurry world, where only a cauldron was real.

Rainwater washed over the cauldron, flowing through the dragon-scale-like patterns, dripping and changing its color, making it resemble dragon blood.

Boom~
The sky was blood red, as if the Great Dao was enraged, and bolts of destructive lightning struck down from the heavens, attempting to obliterate the great cauldron.

The azure cauldron trembled, its patterns cracking and then reappearing, constantly transforming and becoming more perfect, radiating an eternal and indestructible Daoist charm.

The Dragon King's Grand Treasure, the entire process of the patterns on the tripod's body from its appearance, its incompleteness, to its perfection, is clearly and accurately reflected in the hearts of young people.

This was undoubtedly a tremendous stroke of luck, witnessing the birth of a great instrument.

I don't know how much time has passed, whether it was a moment or eternity.

Ta-ta-ta~
The sound of crisp footsteps came from the side.

Zhang Yuanzhu raised his head slightly, and two beautiful figures came into view.

A phoenix maiden draped in a five-colored feathered robe; a woman with long, flowing green hair, a graceful figure, a fair forehead, and dragon horns.

Feng Yao smiled and pointed to the woman beside her:
"Brother Zhang, this is Princess Zixia of the Dragon Palace, the most beloved princess of the Dragon King, and also the Dragon Princess who is here to choose a husband."

She paused, then pointed at Chi Ying, her smile unchanged:
"Your Highness, this is Fellow Daoist Zhang Yuanzhu from Immortal Soldier Valley. He possesses extraordinary talent, unparalleled combat prowess, and astonishing intelligence."

"Please introduce me, Fellow Daoist Feng."

The dragon girl nodded slightly, sat cross-legged opposite the young man, and looked apologetic.

“Fellow Daoist Zhang, the cancellation of this son-in-law recruitment has made you come all this way for nothing. It is the fault of the Dragon Palace.”

Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes were deep as he toyed with the jade cup in his hand and shook his head.

"I came here only to witness the talents of the geniuses of various races and their insights into cultivation. I have no intention of marrying into their families, and the cancellation of the marriage proposal has nothing to do with me."

The young man was frank and made no attempt to hide anything.

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Girl picked up the wine pot, poured two cups, pushed one towards Feng Yao sitting beside her, and picked up the other, her red lips parting slightly:

“That’s perfect. The Dragon Palace is full of powerful experts and countless geniuses, as well as all kinds of rare treasures. Fellow Daoist, you can stay for a while. We will certainly treat you well.”

The wine glass was raised towards the crimson shadow.

Zhang Yuanzhu chuckled and raised his jade cup as well.

bang~
The jade cups clinked together, and the wine sloshed around.

Both sides drank it all.

The dragon girl's pretty face was gentle, and she stretched out her slender hand, beckoning.

In an instant, a thin man wearing a blue cloak walked from afar and first bowed to the red shadow.

"A sea of ​​lights stretches for miles, Brother Zhang's style is unparalleled, I have long admired him."

This is a blue dragon, which was knocked unconscious by a single palm strike during the trial just now, and is now unusually respectful.

"I have heard that Brother Zhang has come here not to find a son-in-law, but only to discuss the Dao. I hope to have the opportunity to exchange ideas with you."

Zhang Yuanzhu put down the wine glass and lightly touched his forehead.

"Of course, please speak frankly!"

There is no animosity between the two sides, and if they are willing to resolve some friction, that is certainly possible.

A gaunt man wearing a blue cloak sat cross-legged, raised his hands, and beams of light shone forth.

It began to evolve its own Tao and Law.

The radiance, like water, stirred up ripples, spreading outwards like tree rings, and tender buds sprouted.

"The way of the dragon values ​​ascent, the way of the wood values ​​deep roots; it swallows thunder to bring rain, and exhales mist to bring spring."

The man shared his personal insights without holding back.

A ripple stirred in the depths of Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes. The man's insights had given him a sudden realization and made him feel enlightened.

They rubbed their palms together and exclaimed in admiration:
"Brother, your path is not bad."

(End of this chapter)