Chapter 528: Identity Exposed, the Purple-Bearded White Dragon

Chapter 528: Identity Exposed, the Purple-Bearded White Dragon

The young man in the ink-colored robe made a simple and forceful move, and his words were concise and clear, without any sign of compromise.

The white tigers had no choice but to either fight to the death or back down without any room for negotiation or face-saving. It was unusual to see such an uncompromising scene in Hongze unless there was a significant disparity in strength between the parties involved.

Everyone present pondered the young man's earlier words.

The Luli Qingfeng clan, although a well-known demonic force in Western Hong, held a prominent status that went without saying. However, it was apparent that they hadn't reached a level where they could be so arrogant.

Nevertheless, the respectful demeanor of the Luli Qingfeng beauty indicated that there was more to the story.

The young man's words seemed less like he was relying on the Luli Qingfeng clan and more like he was simply stating a fact—that he happened to be residing there temporarily.

These tiger demons had stumbled upon a formidable opponent today!

However, given the young man's lofty status, it was curious why he was seated in a corner by the Dragon Consort. It didn't seem to fit with his earlier behavior, which was the opposite of low-key.

Regardless, he was clearly an important figure.

And the depth of his background might very well exceed their imagination.

After reaching this conclusion, everyone quickly shifted their attention away from the furious tiger demons in the hall, though they didn't go out of their way to flatter Shen Yi excessively.

When there was a vast difference in status, trying too hard to curry favor could not only be annoying but also invite dangerous trouble.

The combination of a cultivator and the Luli Qingfeng clan made it difficult to discern whether the young man leaned more towards the Immortal Sect or the demonic path.

"Let's go."

The young white tiger demon, seemingly having regained his composure, slowly got up from the ground, refusing to glance at the youth in the main seat again.

He staggered towards the hall's exit, his back seeming to convey a sense of humiliation. However, his departure caused the forced smiles on the faces of the cultivators and demons present to stiffen slightly.

No one in the room was a fool.

The tiger demon's attitude made it clear that this matter was far from over.

Just then, the "host," who had not made an appearance until now, finally sent two black-backed Flood Dragon guards to intercept the tiger demons. The guards politely stopped them and said in a low voice, "The Dragon Consort is aware of your intentions, and she has already prepared the soul-continuing object. This way, please."

The young tiger demon clenched his fists tightly, seemingly discontent with the Dragon Consort's previous indifference.

With her terrifying Unity Realm strength, stopping the youth in the ink-colored robe would be as simple as a mere thought.

It seemed that she felt their tiger clan was not as influential as the youth's background.

Hmph... No matter how influential a background may be, it doesn't guarantee immunity from accidents. Even direct descendants of the Wuliang Dao Emperor Sect perish from time to time, let alone others.

This humiliation will be avenged with blood!

As the young tiger demon fell silent, the three older tiger demons of the same clan, ignoring their earlier pain from being blasted by Luli Qingfeng, hastily pulled him back and expressed their gratitude to the Dragon Consort, "Thank you for the Dragon Consort's kindness!"

"Please."

The two black-backed Flood Dragon guards acted as if they hadn't seen anything and gently raised their right arms before turning to lead the way.

Even after they had left, the only sound in the grand hall was the dancing beauty's music. Not a single person dared to whisper.

After all, no one knew if an insignificant action would offend the youth watching the dance, and the consequences might be even more dire than what the tiger demon clan had faced.

"..."

Shen Yi stared at the hall, his eyes briefly glancing at the empty hall outside.

His brows furrowed slightly.

The Dragon Consort, whom he had not met before, had already intervened once to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Now, she suddenly found an excuse to call the tiger demons away, making it hard not to speculate that she was trying to disrupt the demons' plan to "befriend" him.

Shen Yi had never encountered such a meddlesome demon before.

Moreover, based on their apparent strength, although he and Yu Lan had displayed impressive abilities, they were still limited to the White Jade Capital level and might not be able to handle the tiger demons' assassination plot.

Whose side was this Dragon Consort really on?

Shen Yi couldn't recall any favors he owed the Dragon Palace.

"And that soul-continuing object..."

Recalling what he had overheard earlier, Shen Yi retracted his gaze, his thoughts becoming somewhat erratic.

Although he didn't know the specifics, it seemed that someone was on the verge of death and needed the Dragon Consort's treasure to continue their life. Judging from the tiger demons' attitude, the person who was about to die seemed to hold a high status.

If they were truly at death's door, would it mean that the difficulty of killing them would drastically decrease?

And with such a noble identity, they must possess exceptional talent and strength in one way or another.

For a moment, Shen Yi even forgot about pretending to watch the dance.

Within his sleeves, his fingertips lightly twisted, and a strand of white mist was absorbed into the silver bell.

He hadn't expected that the crude method he had used in the Condensation Realm would come in handy even now.

With the departure of the tiger demons, the atmosphere in the grand hall gradually eased, but no one dared to stand up and bring up random topics anymore.

The Daoist Master of the Bihai Sect sat cross-legged behind the table, sighing inwardly and feeling somewhat relieved.

She wasn't a lunatic like Su Hongxiu, who itched for a fight whenever she encountered a strong opponent. Although she wanted to test her skills against the Western Hong's proud sons and daughters, she knew how to prioritize.

The mysterious youth's intervention had solved a significant problem for her.

At least with this interruption, the Yunhe Sect wouldn't have the heart to question the current state of the Nan Hong Seven anymore, and the discussion about requesting aid could continue.

However... the cultivator outside was truly terrifying!

Take this mysterious youth, for example. With the strength he had just displayed, even the strongest among the Nan Hong Seven would find it difficult to match him.

Once she returned to her sect, she would have to report this matter to her master sincerely.

"Lin Daoist friend?"

Just then, the two black-backed Flood Dragon guards who had been present earlier returned.

They quickly walked to below the main seat and spoke in low voices, "The Dragon Consort would like to invite you for a chat. If you're free now, please come with us."

Upon hearing this, the various cultivators and demons, whose minds were already wandering, wore even more peculiar expressions.

An invitation from the Dragon Consort was an honor, something that most could only dream of.

Moreover, the polite tone and the way it was phrased made it sound like she was inviting a fellow cultivator of the same realm.

After all, the Dragon Consort possessed strength comparable to the Unity Realm, and to other cultivators, referring to her as a celestial being wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"...!"

They dared not even breathe loudly as they looked towards the main seat.

But they didn't know...

Shen Yi's mood wasn't much better than theirs.

He had originally intended to find an excuse to absorb the lifespan of some demons and monsters, but since he hadn't succeeded, he had now attracted the attention of a powerful demon. This was truly a loss on all fronts.

Although he appeared calm and collected on the surface, his body beneath the ink-colored robe was already tense, rapidly thinking of ways to escape from the clutches of this Unity Realm demon.

However, even after considering all his options, including the Shen Yue Technique and the newly acquired Phoenix Primordial Daoist Law, his chances of survival still seemed slim.

Something's not right! This is all too strange! Ever since the Dragon Consort's initial reminder, to calling away the White Tiger demons, and now inviting me here, her behavior has been odd from start to finish.

Shen Yi even felt that if he hadn't taken action earlier and had just quietly sat there, the Dragon Consort would have still sent someone to invite him.

From now on, I must be even more cautious... if there is a next time.

"Let's go. I'm also getting a bit tired of watching," Shen Yi said as he nodded slightly and rose to his feet. Then, he strode towards the door of the hall.

If the Dragon Consort wanted to make a move, it didn't matter if it was here or in her own palace; the outcome would be the same.

Might as well face it with dignity.

His demeanor only served to further convince the onlookers of his noble status. For someone from White Jade Capital to receive the acknowledgment of a Unity Realm giant... even the Wuliang Dao Emperor Sect might not be able to achieve such a feat.

Moreover, the Dragon Consort's behavior indicated that she was already accustomed to treating those of similar status as guests, and it was likely that this wasn't the first time she had hosted a fellow Unity Realm expert.

...

On the ninety-ninth floor of Jade Mountain stood a unique small pavilion.

It was like a white flower atop the mountain, so exquisite that one extra glance would feel like a desecration.

Shen Yi followed the two black-backed Flood Dragon guards towards the pavilion.

Even in the previous grand hall, there were beings as powerful as those from the Three Cities. He had expected to encounter even more remarkable beings here.

However, the two black-backed Flood Dragon guards stopped at the door, gestured with their hands, and said, "Please go in."

Then, they used their eyes to stop Yu Lan from following.

Shen Yi signaled to her to stay quiet, and then he silently entered the pavilion, only to find that it was empty.

It was more like an expanded private chamber than a pavilion. For example, the seat of honor was a coral jade couch rather than a throne.

Apart from Shen Yi, there wasn't even a single maid in attendance. Only a graceful figure sat quietly to the right of the couch, her snow-white skirt draping gracefully around her.

The rare treasures of the sea adorned her, yet they didn't seem extravagant, giving her a simple and elegant air.

Her charming face was beyond words, and her two white dragon horns emitted a faint glow, attracting everyone's gaze.

Compared to the Clam Spirit tribe of Ke Shisan's mother and the Flesh-winged Silkworm tribe of Ke Laqi's mother, this consort of the Qi family was actually a Dragon tribe.

Shen Yi silently observed the faint purple hue at the tips of her smooth tresses.

A name suddenly popped into his mind.

East Dragon Palace, Purple-Bearded White Dragon.

This tribe was probably the branch of the dragon clan with the deepest ties to the Nanyang Sect, aside from the South Dragon Palace.

After all, if we're being honest, the previous Nanyang Sect was likely destroyed due to their involvement with the South Dragon Palace and Xuan Qing.

In an instant, Shen Yi became much more vigilant.

However, the next moment, the woman smiled gently, and her gentle voice caused a slight ripple in Shen Yi's calm expression.

"Sect Master Shen, please don't be nervous. Have a seat."

As she spoke, she lightly patted the spot next to her on the jade couch, not the seat to her side: "Don't misunderstand. As a Sect Master, your status is higher than mine. Sitting in a lower position would be inappropriate."

"...!"

Shen Yi took a deep breath. Although he didn't know how his identity had been exposed, his earlier suspicions had been confirmed.

So, this Dragon Consort had her eyes on me from the start.

With this thought, he no longer hesitated and decisively walked to the jade couch, sitting side by side with the Dragon Consort.

This woman's emphasis on status was evident from the ninety-nine floors of the pavilion, and her current actions were consistent with that.

However, this was the first time Shen Yi had come so close to a Unity Realm giant, even closer than when he had ridden with the Qingyue Sect Master. Moreover, the person beside him was a demon, which made him feel a little complicated.

If only I could kill her. My path of cultivation would surely become much smoother.

"Do you think I'm being too pragmatic?"

The Dragon Consort smiled charmingly again, and with her mature charm, she became even more bewitching.

She quickly retracted her smile and said, "People of different statuses should act according to their status and associate with those of similar status. This way, everyone is cautious and considerate of each other, and it's less likely to cause trouble. This is the logic that your Nanyang Sect taught me."

"Not just thoughts, but also a keen sense of smell." The Dragon Consort explained softly, "This is an innate ability of my Purple-Bearded White Dragon clan... For example, the faint scent of the Snake Woman's blood on you, the Yellow Death Poison Dragon... and the fresh scent of the Luli Qingfeng."

"I've looked into the Baohua Sect, and with this Snake Woman's blood, I know you're from Nan Hong. Whether you believe it or not, I never intended to kill her. After all, I'm not really married to Qi, and I don't care how promiscuous he is. I just don't want him to leave any offspring outside, affecting my plans, so I just wanted to scare them."

"I know a fair bit about the Luli Qingfeng clan. The clan's proud genius is not the one outside, and although my eyesight is poor, I am a few years older and can see the strangeness in her, that she's at least not a pure creature."

"This reminds me of the Shuiyue Merchant Alliance, where the Nanyang Sect Master once summoned a similar Azure Rhinoceros puppet... Congratulations, Sect Master Shen, your puppetry skills have improved again."

The Dragon Consort seemed to hope that Shen Yi would let down his guard, and bluntly explained the doubts in his heart.

But the more she spoke, the denser the killing intent on Shen Yi's fair-skinned face became, despite his attempts to conceal it.

He had never imagined that outside of Nan Hong, there would be a Unity Realm expert who knew him so thoroughly that it was terrifying.

"You..."

The Dragon Consort paused, then sighed helplessly, "Never mind, I didn't invite Sect Master Shen here to make friends. Firstly, I wanted to apologize for what happened before... Even though my father has completely severed ties with Ziling, the East Dragon Palace still wronged all of you and Xuan Qing."

Shen Yi was not the type to trust others easily.

Especially when the other party had far superior strength and information.

This was never going to be a fair conversation.

Moreover, with Xuan Qing's precedent, he simply brushed past the topic, "Is there anything else, Dragon Consort?"

"The second thing is that under normal circumstances, Qi can't move a single soldier or summon any Unity Realm help. As long as the Nan Hong Seven don't provoke him too much, once I finish what I'm doing, I'll call him back."

The Dragon Consort spoke softly, "Therefore, I ask Sect Master Shen to calm your anger and not cause too much trouble in Hongze. With my identity, it's really inconvenient for me to help the Nan Hong Seven."

For two beings with such a huge difference in realm.

This was an extremely tactful reminder.

Shen Yi should have been grateful.

But he only slightly raised his gaze, looking into the Dragon Consort's eyes, and asked seriously, "Dragon Consort, how long will it take to finish this matter?"

"To take control of the West Dragon Palace."

The Dragon Consort faced this young cultivator without a hint of disdain, as if she truly regarded him as the Nanyang Sect Master, and not just one of the current Nan Hong Seven, but more like the Nan Hong Seven in their heyday, "Without sufficient strength, good intentions can often do more harm than good."

"We hope that what happened before won't happen again."

"At least... the East Dragon Palace should have the right to decide what our family does, instead of just watching others discuss and not being able to say a word."

As she spoke, she slowly rose and gazed out of the window, "Even if we can't defeat that noble existence, we should at least have the power to create some waves, so that if he wants to hide what's happening in Hongze from those above, he'll have to spend more effort."

"That's all I have to say."

The Dragon Consort turned to look at Shen Yi, "What was discussed today will not be heard by others, and I hope Sect Master Shen can also keep this confidential... If possible, it would be best to cultivate your temperament and restrain your killing intent. Sorry, we're rather averse to that."

"As for the Moonfrost Tiger clan, I've already told them that as long as they leave quietly, nothing will happen. What does the Sect Master plan to do?"

In response to the Dragon Consort's question, Shen Yi nodded noncommittally, "I understand."

"Then that's good, Sect Master Shen, please."

As she spoke, the Dragon Consort reached out and took Shen Yi's hand, and as her breath stirred, everything before his eyes blurred.

"..."

When Shen Yi came to his senses, he found himself standing quietly outside the small building.

Facing Yu Lan's worried gaze.

He frowned slightly, lowered his eyes to look at his palm, then rubbed his fingertips, not because he was savoring the softness of the Dragon Consort's hand.

Although it sounded absurd that while Qi's eldest son was leading troops to invade Nan Hong, he had gone to seek help from his beloved wife's bed.

But Shen Yi's mind was not on that. He was thinking about the power of the Unity Realm.

Perhaps she was using this method to warn him of the dangers of Hongze.

There was an inexplicable persuasiveness in what the Dragon Consort said and did.

No wonder Xuan Qing had fallen into this deep pit before. Who wouldn't like someone who could completely understand them?

However, the Nanyang Sect couldn't fall into the same pit twice.

Shen Yi didn't want to see the Dragon Consort, years later, holding the hand of the next Nanyang Sect Master, apologizing again.

He had to take care of his own matters.

As for the East Dragon Palace wanting to take control of the West Palace, or even the South Palace, that was their business.

With that in mind, Shen Yi slightly sensed the strand of energy in the silver bell.

He didn't want to experience that feeling of powerlessness against a Unity Realm expert again.

He had to immediately start looking for a demon genius who could cross the Four Tribulations.

Shen Yi didn't return to the main hall but instead rose into the air, stepping on the river waves, and headed out of the waters!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end