Chapter 126

The entire black-canopied boat sank to the bottom of the river. Endless currents flowed around it, and spray even splashed against its sides, yet no water entered the boat.

Ji Yuan's eyes remained unchanging, yet this scene was genuinely astonishing to him. In some respects, the sensory experience was no less profound than witnessing a small boat flying through the sky.

Watching the small boat navigate the depths, observing various aquatic creatures swim past, and gazing up to perceive the pale light of the water's surface in the dimness above, Ji Yuan experienced an unparalleled sense of novelty.

This thought, however, was fleeting. Soon, Ji Yuan looked with a hint of helplessness at the old man standing beside him at the boat's bow.

"Old Mr. Ying," he began, "are you inviting me, or are you forcibly taking me?"

Ying Hong chuckled.

"My apologies, Mr. Ji," he said. "It's just that your whereabouts are so elusive, and I've been longing to treat you to this meal and drinks!"

By this point, Old Dragon Ying Hong felt considerably more at ease. Having successfully played a trick on Ji Yuan, it was as if he had finally released the "pent-up frustration" of three years of searching.

"Please rest assured, Mr. Ji, those attending my birthday banquet are mostly peaceful cultivators. You won't find them to be an eyesore!"

The old dragon's gaze flickered to the Azure Vine Sword leaning against the canopy inside the boat cabin. Though it emanated no sword intent or energy, appearing merely as an ordinary weapon, the old dragon instinctively connected it to the sword marks on Wafeng Mountain.

A black-canopied boat sailed swiftly along the bottom of the Tongtian River. Underwater, it was naturally quite conspicuous, especially as it drew nearer to the Tongtian River Water Palace, attracting the attention of the patrolling yakshas.

Yet, upon seeing Old Dragon Ying Hong standing at the bow, none dared to even question him, much less attempt to stop him.

The black-canopied boat thus entered the Tongtian River Water Palace, proceeding directly to the main hall. Dragon Son Ying Feng and Dragon Daughter Ying Ruoli were already waiting respectfully at the entrance of the main hall.

To be frank, as the boat entered the Water Palace, even Ji Yuan, with his current state of mind, couldn't help but feel a degree of tension. The predominant reason was the overwhelming demonic energy, especially the oppressive surges of dragon qi. Fortunately, the malevolent energy wasn't severe, though it wasn't completely absent either.

As the black-canopied boat slowly came to a halt, the two individuals at the hall's entrance quickly bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Father!" "Greetings, Father!"

After speaking, Ying Ruoli looked up with a wry smile.

"Father, you're finally back. The situation was about to become unmanageable!"

"Yes, Father," added Ying Feng, "if you hadn't returned soon, we would have resorted to desperate measures!"

As they spoke, both Ying Feng and Ying Ruoli turned their attention to the other person on the boat.

This individual wore a bamboo hat and a straw cape, beneath which appeared to be a simple, loose white robe. Crucially, there was no manifestation of magical power or divine light around him, nor any other extraordinary features.

However, unusual occurrences often signify something extraordinary. In any other setting, he might have been mistaken for a mere mortal, but was that truly possible in this context?

"Is this the friend Father insisted we find?" "Who exactly is this person?"

While his son and daughter were caught in their conjectures, the old dragon had already leaped from the boat, entering the Water Palace's water, which was as clear as air.

Ji Yuan had no choice; he couldn't remain on the black-canopied boat indefinitely. He reached out and touched the clear water outside, then untied his straw cape and removed his bamboo hat before stepping out.

The water quality within this Water Palace was clearly extraordinary. Although Ji Yuan possessed water-repelling techniques, it was remarkable that he felt very little resistance from the water, as if he were walking through a gentle breeze.

The old dragon raised a hand, gesturing towards his son and daughter.

"Mr. Ji," he began, "this is my daughter, Ying Ruoli. She is still a flood dragon and also the true deity of the Tongtian River. However, her divine position is merely auxiliary; she has not neglected her true path of cultivation."

Ji Yuan had already been observing the two. The daughter, in particular, bore a resemblance to the statue in the River God's temple.

"And this is my son, Ying Feng, also a flood dragon."

While the old dragon made introductions, Ji Yuan remained silent and still, intending to greet them after the formalities. However, no sooner had the old dragon finished his first two sentences than he directly instructed his son and daughter, "Quickly, pay your respects to Uncle Ji!"

Uncle Ji? Ji Yuan, who now had some experience, was once again bewildered by the old dragon. He then watched as the dragon son and daughter truly bowed deeply and respectfully.

"Greetings, Uncle Ji!"

Seeing them speak in unison, Ji Yuan, though inwardly flustered, quickly cupped his hands in return.

"Please, no need for such formality; just call me Ji Yuan!"

The old dragon chuckled again from the side.

"Mr. Ji," said the old dragon, "this black-canopied boat will be temporarily parked in the palace courtyard and sent back after the banquet."

The old dragon waved his hand, and the small boat moved aside on its own. The enveloping bubble, however, remained intact, ensuring that the bedding and other items inside the cabin remained perfectly dry.

Before that, however, the Azure Vine Sword, with a flicker of concealed spiritual essence, had already floated up on its own and flew to hover behind Ji Yuan.

The old dragon merely glanced at the Azure Vine Sword with a grin. The dragon son and daughter, initially seeing nothing, only noticed the sword behind "Uncle Ji" after their father's subtle hint prompted them to focus their attention.

"Mr. Ji, please come in. As the saying goes, it's better to arrive at the right time than early. Tonight is the birthday banquet, and last time I promised you a good drink. This time, I will absolutely keep my word!"

The old dragon gestured towards the main hall, which was already fully decorated, appearing dazzlingly bright and showcasing the opulence of the Dragon Palace.

With things already set, Ji Yuan's helplessness was futile, so he simply offered a carefree smile.

"Old Mr. Ying, please lead the way!"

Like forcing a duck onto a perch, he had no choice but to go along with it.

For the True Dragon's thousand-year birthday banquet, the number of aquatic creatures qualified to offer congratulations was considerable, certainly more than the Water Palace's main hall could hold. Therefore, the banquet spanned four large halls, with guests seated according to their status and position.

Ji Yuan was unsure of the proper etiquette for such an occasion, but it seemed the old dragon had no intention of adhering to any. As an outsider, he was surprisingly seated directly to the right of the main seat in the principal hall. Dragon Daughter Ying Ruoli sat next to him, further down the row, while Ying Feng occupied the seat to the left of the main seat.

Each time a guest took their seat, the first order of business was to offer birthday wishes to the True Dragon, and the second was to scrutinize Ji Yuan, taking their seats with lingering doubt.

Such was the scene: around dusk that evening, just before the banquet began with the gathering of aquatic creatures, more than half of the gazes in the hall were fixed on Ji Yuan.

Although the demonic cultivation of those present was not low, when it came to the clarity of spiritual insight, very few could actually perceive Ji Yuan's Azure Vine Sword. To the aquatic demons, had it not been for his water-repelling form, Ji Yuan would have seemed no different from a mortal.

Fortunately, this extremely awkward moment lasted only for a brief period. Once all the guests in each hall were seated, a yaksha outside the main hall raised a steel hammer and struck a bronze bell submerged in water.

With a resonant "dong," fine ripples of water spread outwards.

"The banquet begins!"

A truly novel sight unfolded before Ji Yuan's eyes: countless aquatic creatures, carrying platters of delicacies and pitchers of fine wine, swam towards the various halls.

A large black carp swam past Ji Yuan, carrying four or five dishes on its back. With a flick of its body, the dishes gently settled onto the table, guided by the water's current.

Interestingly, there were even hot dishes. Each one seemed encased in a thin layer of bubbles, preventing the water flow from affecting its taste. The chopsticks on the table were also coated with a layer of bubbles, evidently prepared specifically for eating such submerged dishes.

Various large fish, such as green carp, silver carp, loaches, and black carp, carried dishes to and fro, interspersed with more humanoid aquatic creatures assisting and yakshas directing the operations.

The guests were equally diverse; while most in the main hall were humanoid, some still bore traces of horns or scales and claws. The side halls, moreover, contained numerous half-demon aquatic creatures, creating a truly bizarre and varied assembly.

And because everything was either spirits or special vessels, Ji Yuan could observe it all with perfect clarity, giving him a novel sensation, as if thinking, "This aquarium is truly amazing."

The old dragon, after all, knew he was the guest of honor. At this moment, he raised his cup to everyone, his voice, like a resounding bell, reverberating throughout the entire Water Palace.

"Thank you all for coming to offer congratulations," he boomed. "Opportunities for us aquatic creatures to gather are rare, and my birthday is also a place for exchange. Feel free to drink from your porcelain cups without restraint; mingle, chat in groups, hahahaha..."

After speaking, the old dragon drained his cup, and all guests followed suit. However, as Ji Yuan drank, the old dragon's voice resonated in his ear.

"Mr. Ji, drink less for now," he whispered. "I have good wine hidden away. We'll drink it together once the banquet ends!"

Subsequently, aquatic dancing girls entered, mostly half-human, half-fish, with fully transformed beauties leading the dance. The banquet's atmosphere became livelier, and Ji Yuan noticeably felt that the attention on him had significantly decreased.

"Uncle Ji," Dragon Daughter Ying Ruoli whispered to Ji Yuan, "may I be so bold as to ask, is that sword on your back an immortal sword?"

Ji Yuan, who was still examining the intricate patterns on his chopsticks, had yet to speak when the Azure Vine Sword behind him unexpectedly rotated its blade. This made the dragon daughter feel as though the sword itself was looking at her.