Yefutidaolu

Chapter 378 Testing
Dozens of feet away from them, behind a huge, screen-like, deep purple staghorn coral, the condensed, tangible water flow seemed to be gently parted by an invisible force.

A massive, ferocious, and oppressive figure, as if flowing out from the ancient darkness, appeared silently in the water curtain where light and shadow intertwined.

It was none other than Lord Jingjiang!
Lord Jingjiang's gaze first swept over Dansha's bare face and hair, his brows immediately furrowing into a deep frown. He asked in a deep voice, his tone like muffled thunder rolling across the seabed:
"Dansha, how did you get out of the Dragon Palace? What did you do?"

His gaze then shifted to Gao Jian, filled with deeper questioning and protective wariness, "And you, boy! Why is Dan Sha here with you? She should be on duty at the Dragon Palace right now!"

His tone was stern, carrying the reproach of an elder. If he hadn't known Dan Sha's nature well and didn't have a relatively good impression of Gao, given his fiery temper, he probably would have slapped her already—he had spent countless efforts and pulled every string to get Dan Sha into the Dragon Palace; this position, though arduous, was a rare stepping stone and a sanctuary, and yet this girl dared to abandon her post and follow this brat to this remote coral forest?!
Gao Jian naturally understood Jingjiang Jun's feelings and concerns at that moment.

He remained calm, not wanting to provoke the other party further, but simply reached out and took the token bestowed by the Dragon King from his cinnabar belt.

The token in his hand emitted a warm yet majestic blue light.

"Lord Jingjiang, please be at ease." Gao Jian turned the token face up to Lord Jingjiang, his voice clear, "Dan Sha will no longer serve as the incense bearer. His Majesty the Dragon King personally bestowed this decree, promoting her to the position of Dragon Palace Attendant. This is the proof."

"Walking in the Dragon Palace?!"

Lord Jingjiang's pupils, as black as molten gold, suddenly contracted! His sharp gaze was fixed on the token as if it were a tangible object!
The dragon eye on the token, which seemed to be formed from living water, was radiating an aura that belonged exclusively to the core will of the Vast Ocean Dragon Court, and it was absolutely genuine!

The immense shock instantly dissipated some of his anger. He abruptly looked up, his gaze flashing like lightning as he stared at Gao Jian, his voice heavy with disbelief: "You did this?!"

“Yes.” Gao Jian readily admitted, his tone calm. “I came to the East Sea on important business. By chance, I saw Dan Sha offering incense at the Dragon Palace. I didn’t want her to be involved in the infighting and entanglements of the Dragon Palace, so I asked the Dragon King for a favor. From now on, she doesn’t need to go back to that place to serve. She can simply avoid the conflicts and freely come and go to the Dragon Palace to cultivate. As for Dan Sha’s future whereabouts and arrangements in the East Sea…” Gao Jian paused, looked at Lord Jingjiang, and spoke as naturally as if instructing his steward: “I can only trouble Lord Jingjiang to take good care of her.”

"You're troubling me?!"

Lord Jingjiang raised a thick eyebrow, pointed to his broad chest, and his expression instantly became extremely subtle!
A surge of anger suddenly welled up inside him!
Turning the tables?!
Damn it! I'm Dansha's uncle! Her safety and future are my responsibility! When did it become your place to tell me what to do?! And you have the nerve to say that!
However, this anger was quickly suppressed by the heavy weight of the token in his hand!

Walking in the Dragon Palace!

This status and authority are far beyond what a mere incense-serving maid could possess! This is an acknowledgment and protective talisman personally bestowed by the Dragon King! In the entire East Sea Dragon Clan, only a handful of individuals have received this token, all of whom are pure-blooded, infinitely potential true dragon prodigies! With Dan Sha's background and cultivation, without an extraordinary stroke of luck, he would never even dream of touching the edge of this token in his lifetime!

Gao Jian, that kid... actually managed to get this item from the Dragon King?! The significance behind this shocked Lord Jingjiang! All the favors and arrangements he had made before were insignificant in the face of this token.

Just as Lord Jingjiang was internally turmoil, forcibly suppressing his anger and shock, and preparing to re-examine the young man before him, Gao Jian seemed completely oblivious to the other's subtle expression, and continued to "instruct":

"Furthermore, I need to return to the capital immediately. Dansha has just left the Dragon Palace, and outsiders are unaware of the inside story. It's hard to guarantee that there won't be any ignorant people who think Dansha has abandoned his post and come to cause trouble."

He paused, his tone still calm, but then dropped an even more startling piece of information:
"Moreover, before coming here, I had a battle with that true dragon of the Yuan family, and he fled in defeat. I'm afraid that Lord Jingjiang will have to take care of these details to avoid causing unnecessary trouble for Dan Sha."

"You hit the Yuan family's dragon? And you chased him away?!"

This time, Lord Jingjiang truly cried out in shock!

His dragon eyes widened, his pupils dilated, and he stared intently at Gao Jian, as if trying to see through him from the inside out!
As a battle-hardened true dragon, he knew all too well the terror of his kind! That terrifying physical body, that adaptive immune talent... Could a human possibly fight against them and force them to flee? That was simply a fantasy!

Startled and suspicious, Lord Jingjiang held nothing back! A concentrated, almost tangible, intent enveloped Gao Jian's entire body!
He wanted to find out for himself just how capable this kid really was.

Faced with this unabashed probing, Gao Jian remained unmoved, but with a slight shift in his mind, he no longer deliberately concealed his aura.

He demonstrated his strength.

A surge of powerful, pure, and intensely fiery blood energy erupted from Gao Jian's body! At the same time, his martial arts internal energy also increased, rising like an abyss. The two merged, forming a powerful foundation far exceeding that of ordinary seventh-realm cultivators.

Seven realms!

A genuine seventh realm of martial arts!

Lord Jingjiang gasped in shock!
The sound was exceptionally clear in the silent sea forest! His imposing body even involuntarily leaned back slightly by half a step.

He remembers it clearly!
A year ago, when I first met this kid in Cangzhou, he was only at the third realm.

One year! !

In just one year!!

From the third realm to the seventh realm?!
What the hell is that monstrous speed?!
Even if it were the legendary reincarnations of ancient powerful beings, it wouldn't be this outrageous, would it?!

Just who is this kid?!

Lord Jingjiang stared intently at Gao Jian with his dragon-like eyes.

He rose through four realms in a single year, fought a fierce battle against the Yuan family's true dragon, and obtained the Dragon Palace's travel token.

Each and every one of these things far exceeded common sense and challenged Lord Jingjiang's understanding. If it weren't for the fact that the aura of the token was genuine, and if it weren't for the fact that Gao Jian's incredibly powerful seventh-realm blood and internal energy were real, he would almost have suspected that he had fallen under some kind of sophisticated illusion!
A tremendous shock churned within him, even temporarily suppressing his displeasure with Gao Jian's "usurping the host's role" tone.

He needs time to process this, and more importantly, he needs to talk to this kid alone!
Lord Jingjiang forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions, forcing a slightly stiff expression onto his resolute face. He turned his head to face Dansha, deliberately lowering his voice:
“You… never mind.” He waved his hand. “Dansha, now that you have obtained the token to travel through the Dragon Palace, the most important thing now is to cultivate! Don’t waste this great opportunity! I have some things to discuss with Gao Jian privately.”

Upon hearing this, Dansha immediately pouted, her clear eyes filled with "I don't believe it!"
What do you mean, "go cultivate first"? He's clearly just trying to get rid of me! My uncle is definitely going to do something else behind my back, or interrogate me about things I don't want to hear!
"Uncle!" Dansha raised her voice slightly, with a hint of coquetry and dissatisfaction, "Gao Jian is leaving tomorrow!" She emphasized the word "tomorrow" as if to remind Jingjiang Jun of the urgency of time.

Jingjiang Jun's eye twitched!
That heartless girl, all she can think about is that kid leaving tomorrow, she doesn't consider her own uncle at all.

An indescribable irritation mixed with the bitterness of an old father welled up in his heart, making his already stern face even darker, and his voice involuntarily rose, like muffled thunder:
"What do you know, child?! Go cultivate! How precious is the spiritual vein of the Vast Ocean Dragon Court?! Now the world is desolate and everything is withered, it is the only blessed land in the entire East Sea that can reproduce the ancient scene of abundant spiritual energy! Every minute and every second is priceless! You're holding the token and still dawdling here?! It's a complete waste! Get out! Immediately! Get to the Dragon Court to cultivate right now!" Lord Jingjiang was truly anxious, his tone urgent and impulsive, almost spitting out saliva, causing the surrounding seven-colored aura to tremble. He was already burly and imposing, and now that he was angry, he was like an underwater volcano about to erupt, radiating murderous intent.

Dansha shrank back as he yelled at her, knowing that her uncle was really angry.

She stuck out her tongue and made a face. Normally, she would have obediently run away, but at this moment... she subconsciously looked at Gao Jian, her eyes questioning.

Gao Jian met Dan Sha's gaze with a blank expression, but quietly raised his right hand and made a clear gesture—six.

Dansha's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood!

Six hours!

It means that he will be waiting for her at the Vast Ocean Dragon Court in six hours!

Dansha nodded vigorously, a smile returning to her face. Then, without lingering, a silver-red light shone, and her slender, beautiful dragon body reappeared.

She gently nodded her dragon head in the direction of Gao Jian, letting out a short and light dragon roar. With a flick of her tail, she stirred up a gentle stream of water, which shot out like a silver-red arrow towards the direction of the Vast Sea Dragon Court, breaking through the seven-colored light curtain and quickly disappearing into the distance of the deep blue sea forest.

Watching Dan Sha's figure disappear completely, the bright color merging into the boundless deep blue, Jingjiang Jun slowly withdrew his gaze. The anger on his face dissipated, leaving only deep weariness and a sense of helplessness, as if "a grown son is no longer under his mother's control."

He certainly saw the silent exchange between Gao Jian and Dan Sha, and he saw the gesture of the number "six".

"Damn it..." A deep, complex curse escaped from the mouth of the black dragon, known for his bravery and violence, as if releasing the last bit of pent-up anger in his chest.

He turned around, and his dragon eyes locked onto Gao Jian again. His gaze was still sharp, but it lacked the previous vigilance and scrutiny. Perhaps it was because Gao Jian's protection and arrangement of the cinnabar were indeed impeccable.

Gao Jian remained calm and cupped his hands in greeting to the imposing black dragon, who stood a full ten feet tall: "Lord Jingjiang, where shall we go to talk now? What do you wish to say to me?"

Lord Jingjiang did not answer immediately. His imposing figure leaned forward slightly, like a mountain collapsing, carrying an invisible pressure. He first walked up to Gao Jian, looked down at him, and exuded a strong sense of oppression.

Gao Jian looked at him, completely bewildered.

Soon, he turned and left, and the hard rock beneath his feet silently sank in by an inch, leaving a clear footprint outline.

Instead of heading deeper into the forest, he walked toward a natural platform formed by huge, rugged, dark green sea-eroded rocks.

The platform, like the spine of a giant beast, rises above the surrounding coral reefs, bathed in the thin sunlight filtering through the cracks in the ocean above, refracted by the water waves, creating a bizarre and surreal scene.

He walked to the edge of the platform, turned his back to Gao Jian, and looked down at the shimmering, vibrant sea forest.

Giant giant clams opened and closed on the sand, exhaling pearl-like halos, while colorful, highly poisonous sea anemones stretched out their alluring tentacles; a group of swordfish shimmering with metallic luster swept past the platform like silver shuttles, leaving behind a string of fine bubbles.

It's beautiful, but this isn't a typical view of the East China Sea.

If left unchecked, this place will soon become a killing field. This is the way of the world in the East China Sea. The reason it is so beautiful is because Lord Jingjiang is here.

"Come here." Lord Jingjiang's voice was deep and unquestionable.

Gao Jian followed the instructions and went up to the platform, standing behind and to the side of Lord Jingjiang.

From this angle, you can feel the other party's chilling aura.

The silence lasted for a moment, broken only by the soft sound of water flowing over the rocks and the distant swishing of fish. Patches of iridescent light danced on the resolute profile of Lord Jingjiang, shifting between light and shadow.

“Boy,” Lord Jingjiang finally spoke, without turning around, his voice sounding as if squeezed out from the deep sea, “you just said… you fought with that mudfish from the Yuan family and even chased him away?”

He used the derogatory term "loach," but his tone was not contemptuous at all; on the contrary, it was full of solemnity.

"Yes," Gao Jian answered readily.

"Use that knife?" Lord Jingjiang tilted his head slightly, glancing at the unremarkable rusty knife at Gao Jian's waist. He remembered this knife; he had seen it in Cangzhou, but at the time he thought it was nothing special.

"Yes." Gao Jian did not deny it.

Lord Jingjiang suddenly turned around! His movements were as fast as lightning! His large, fan-like hand, carrying the power to crush divine iron, grabbed Gao Jian's shoulder without warning!

This grab was incredibly swift and cunning, containing the immense power unique to a true dragon, and also carrying a probing meaning—he wanted to personally assess what this kid was capable of injuring a true dragon!

Gao Jian's pupils contracted slightly, but his body did not move! He did not dodge or block, but the thick blood and internal energy in his body instantly gathered in his shoulders, his muscles and bones tensed up like the toughest alloy, and at the same time, a martial arts internal energy protected his body.

boom!
Lord Jingjiang's hand firmly gripped Gao Jian's left shoulder! The touch was not the soft flesh and blood he had expected, but an overwhelming and irresistible force mixed with a profound and heavy Daoist aura, which made Lord Jingjiang's fingers feel a slight numbness!
What alarmed him even more was that the power contained in his grab was enough to easily crush a small mountain. However, when it landed on Gao Jian's shoulder, it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea. It was forcefully borne by the seemingly thin body of the other party. Although the rock under Gao Jian's feet also shattered silently due to the transmitted power, he himself only swayed slightly, and his expression remained unchanged!

Lord Jingjiang's expression changed.

What a powerful physical body! What profound internal energy! What a mysterious method of deflecting force!
With this foundation alone, he is enough to stand out among all the heroes in the Seven Realms!
But... that's not enough, far from enough to harm the true dragon!

"If you can't harm the Yuan family's dragon, what other tricks haven't you used?"

(End of this chapter)