Journey to the West: Starting by becoming an apprentice of Emperor Donghua

That elixir formula might have been supplemented by this great master.

Both of them blushed at the thought; it was a shame they still had the nerve to say that Ji Sheng had been deceived.

Then, recalling what the three of them had said a few months ago when they discussed the Dao, it became clear that the lineage Ji Sheng worshipped was very likely the Donghua lineage.

Master Ziyang? Or perhaps... Master Zhengyang?

Master Ziyang is not of a high generation, but Master Zhengyang is a direct disciple of Master Donghua.

If he really is Zheng Yangzi, then Ji Sheng would be the reincarnation of Donghua.

Given such a status, even when he met Huian Xingzhe, the latter would have treated him with utmost respect and courtesy.

From then on, they were worlds apart, like immortals and demons.

The two of them immediately felt that a pitiful, thick barrier had been erected between Ji Sheng and them.

Thinking of this, the two regretted it even more.

If only they had tried their luck back then. Even if they hadn't been accepted as disciples, just becoming a powerful figure's mount would have been far better than what they are now.

Ji Sheng noticed that their expressions were a bit off and vaguely guessed what they were thinking.

But this doesn't offer any comfort; whatever I say now will likely just be seen as boasting.

After thinking for a long time, all he could say was:

"Gentlemen, how was the wine today?"

The two looked at each other and gave a wry smile. Bai Xiu said:

"Excellent, truly excellent! This wine is a rare find in the world!"

With a sigh, both of them felt a bit bored, so they stood up and said goodbye to Ji Sheng.

Ji Sheng was also helpless; it was by no means his intention to hurt the two of them today.

After escorting the two to the mountain gate and watching them leave, Ji Sheng shook his head and returned to the mountain.

Half a month later, the two returned. The three of them traveled together to the Dragon Palace of Tianlang River.

The Tianlang River is 800 li north of Jinji Mountain. The treasure banquet was held in the evening, and the three of them were not in a hurry, so they did not activate their escape techniques with great difficulty.

Whether riding the clouds or the wind, they swayed and drifted towards the Tianlang River.

As the sun set in the evening, we finally arrived at the Dragon Palace.

The Treasure Feast lasted for five days. The first day was the Dragon King's banquet, during which he displayed the treasures stored in the Dragon Palace.

All the exhibited treasures are available for trade, but the price is naturally quite high.

Starting on the second day, the invited monsters will trade freely. A special area within the Dragon Palace will be designated as the trading venue.

Most of the monsters came here for this reason.

The free trade lasted for three days, and a banquet was held again on the fifth day. After the banquet, the treasure feast came to an end.

The Dragon Palace was located deep within the Tianlang River. The three of them used a water-avoidance spell to dive into the water and arrived at the gate of the Dragon Palace.

After the shrimp soldiers at the gate read the invitation, a fish head steward came to greet them and led them to the Four Directions Hall, which was specially for receiving guests.

Once inside the Dragon Palace, one can breathe freely without needing to perform the water-avoidance incantation.

When the three arrived, quite a few monsters were already there. Ji Sheng noticed that the Black Snake King was also present.

Ling Xuzi and Bai Xiu clearly knew many of the demons, exchanging pleasantries with them at every turn.

During their greetings, the two didn't forget to introduce Ji Sheng to the other demons. Some of the more tactful demons treated him warmly, while others were indifferent, exchanging only a few polite words.

Ji Sheng was not surprised. He had no intention of getting to know these monsters, but he did so out of respect for Ling Xuzi and Bai Xiu.

However, there was one among these monsters that caught his attention.

This person was a woman dressed in a green dress, showing no signs of being a demon. She had almond-shaped eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry lips, peach-like cheeks, a slender neck, a straight back, a slim waist, and long legs, making her quite eye-catching.

Many monsters approached her, showering her with attention. The woman, however, remained indifferent, her face full of wariness.

Ji Sheng's gaze lingered on the woman, and she noticed it, turning her head to glare at him as if to warn him.

"Haha, Brother Ji, have you taken a fancy to this girl?"

Seeing this, Bai Xiu couldn't help but tease him.

Ji Sheng laughed heartily:

"Not quite, but this woman is indeed quite beautiful. I'm just passing the time, so I'll take a look."

Bai Xiu nodded and said:

"My dear brother, you are a very open and honest person. Everyone has a love for beauty, so it's not surprising. Do you know this woman's background?"

Ji Sheng shook his head and said:

"I don't know."

Bai Xiu then introduced the woman's identity. It turned out that she was a clam spirit, hence the name "Clam Woman".

As for her real name, no one knows.

Just then, a shout came from outside the Four Directions Hall:

"The Crown Prince has arrived!"

Everyone looked towards the outside of the hall. They saw a group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals clearing the way, escorting a tall, handsome man with dragon horns on his head, dressed in silver-white armor, as he entered.

This was clearly the Dragon Prince. Without glancing to either side, the Dragon Prince went straight to the Four Directions Hall, coughed, and shouted:

"quiet!"

The sound carried a touch of magic, stirring up a ripple that spread outwards.

The noise of some monsters talking inside the hall was completely silenced by the shout of "Silence!"

This dragon prince is quite skilled; in terms of cultivation level, he's probably close to becoming a demon king...

From the magical power conveyed in the voice, Ji Sheng keenly sensed the Dragon Prince's cultivation level.

Of course, in terms of strength, it is probably enough to go toe-to-toe with an ordinary demon king.

After all, with the bloodline of a true dragon and the magical treasures within the Dragon Palace, ordinary demon generals are no match for it.

The other monsters were also stunned by the sound, and the four halls fell silent instantly.

"I am very pleased that you all have come to my Tianlang River Dragon Palace for this banquet."

My father is feeling slightly unwell today and is therefore unable to meet with you all in person. I will be in charge of organizing this treasure feast.

The dragon prince spoke with great arrogance and frivolity, glancing at everyone with a disdainful air.

Although the monsters came from humble backgrounds, they had all weathered storms and struggled through life. At the very least, they were capable of ruling over their own territory. Seeing the other party's behavior, they all felt somewhat dissatisfied.

However, intimidated by the power of the Dragon Palace, no one dared to speak up.

"I won't go into the rules, everyone knows them. But I'm warning you upfront: if anyone dares to disobey, don't blame me for being ruthless! Men, bring up the treasures of our Dragon Palace!"

A group of water demons then carried the treasures up and placed them in front of the hall.

These treasures were all exceptionally radiant, and their appearance immediately attracted the attention of all the monsters. Even Ji Sheng couldn't help but take a few more glances.

Dragon Scale Grass (Purple Center): Named for its leaves resembling dragon scales. It grows only in deep water and requires watering with the saliva of a true dragon to survive; it is a rare ingredient for refining elixirs.

[Heavenly Water Jade (Purple Lower): A type of jade that only forms deep within large water veins. It can be used to refine magical artifacts and aid in cultivation.]

【Rusty Cold Iron (Purple Lower): Cold iron submerged in water, imbued with a rusty odor, possessing an extremely concentrated metal elemental energy, and carrying a treacherous poison; it can be used as a material for crafting magical artifacts.】

There were countless treasures of this purple quality, and more than a dozen were brought up at once.

Ji Sheng was secretly amazed; the Dragon Palace was indeed incredibly wealthy.

Purple-quality treasures are so precious that even a monster would treasure one like a priceless gem, wishing it could be hidden underground to avoid being targeted.

As for Ji Sheng, he only has one purple item so far, which is the thousand-year-old wisteria heart he obtained from the Black Serpent King.

He could clearly sense that the breathing of the monsters around him had become heavy, indicating that the allure of these treasures to them was extraordinary.

Since the Dragon Palace dared to display its treasures so openly, it was naturally not afraid of these monsters coveting them.

Or perhaps, the Dragon Palace was deliberately displayed to showcase its power.