Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 751 Dragon Palace Family Banquet
"Not an outsider..."

It's really worth thinking about this sudden statement.

Is it because he came all the way here to return the Taixuan Dragon Pearl?

Or because...

Chen Mu's eyes flickered as he pondered silently when the golden-armored demon urged, "Fellow Daoist Chen?"

Chen Mu nodded slightly and started to follow him.

Since the Dragon Palace Mistress had invited him, he probably had no reason to refuse, so he should just adapt to the situation...

Passing through the pavilions and corridors, along a jade path, you will arrive at a spacious, clean, bright and luxurious palace deep in the Dragon Palace.

Chen Mu is no longer the narrow-minded little cultivator from Beiyuan. As the Palace Master of Shangzhen Palace, he has naturally seen many extremely luxurious decorations.

But after seeing it today, I feel that it pales in comparison to the giant...

There are carved railings and painted door sills, white jade floating in the mist, beams made of cloud-top sandalwood, lamps made of crystal jade walls, curtains made of pearls, and column bases made of gold.

The thin and transparent gauze embroidered curtain fluttered in the wind, revealing the embroidered pillars, carved pillars with dancing dragons and phoenixes, and various furnishings in the depths of the palace. Palace lanterns were hung high on each pillar, and the pale yellow light illuminated the water palace and cloud room.

And around the palace, there were teams of maidens in aqua-green embroidered skirts standing there to serve, smiling but not daring to breathe, just smiling and greeting.

In this atmosphere, even the golden-armored demon lowered his voice unconsciously and pointed to Chen Mu, "Fellow Daoist Chen, please attend the banquet in the inner room. I won't go in."

Chen Mu nodded and said, "Thank you."

He strode forward, and Bei Nu, who was standing beside him, had already pushed open the door of the palace before him.

In an instant, Chen Mu heard only happy laughter and chatter, mixed with affectionate titles such as "Second Brother" and "Seventh Sister". It can be seen that there must be a scene of loving mother and filial son, and brothers are friendly and respectful to each other.

He looked up, but his view was blocked by a gold-lacquered screen inlaid with jade and gems.

At this time, the people inside also noticed his arrival and immediately said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, please come in quickly."

Chen Mu's heart moved, and he recognized that it was Ao Chun's voice.

He stepped forward and walked around the screen. The first thing that caught his eye was the dragon girls in brightly colored dresses and beautiful looks.

The Fourth Princess, the Seventh Princess, the Ninth Princess, the Thirteenth Princess, and the Seventeenth Princess who had just transformed.

Dressed in a variety of flowing palace attire, some light red, some vermilion, some light green, some dark blue, and some light yellow, accompanied by her maids, she looked over with a smile that was sometimes serene, sometimes shy, sometimes romantic, and sometimes bright...

It seems that in the bleak winter when everything is withering, flowers of all colors are blooming.

Seeing this scene of competition and beauty, Chen Mu became more suspicious. He turned his head and saw the second prince and other dragon sons.

As the saying goes, a dragon gives birth to nine sons, each one is different.

What I saw before my eyes was just as the words said...

In addition to the deceased tenth prince, there are still three other princes: the fifth, eighth and eleventh.

Apart from them, Chen Mu actually saw two familiar faces.

One of them was a jade-faced male cultivator wearing a star robe, and he was Ling Kongzi from the Feixing Taoist Palace.

The other one was wearing a Hengyun robe and had a slightly gloomy expression. Who else could he be but Master Hengyun?

"A perfect son-in-law from the Dragon Palace..."

Chen Mu's heart moved, and he thought to himself: "It really is a family dinner, even they are here."

He raised his eyes again and met Ao Yi's gaze, but did not linger for long. He just nodded silently and their eyes met.

"My name is Chen Mu, nice to meet you, Senior."

After looking around, the focus finally fell on the Dragon Palace Mistress who was sitting firmly in the top position.

Although she is called the mistress, at first glance, her noble and graceful demeanor is no less than that of her daughters, and may even surpass them.

Her hair was covered with pearls and jade, her hair was in a bun with a phoenix hair, and her clothes were in rainbow colors. Her eyes were bright and shining, and she seemed like the center of heaven and earth, intoxicating everything.

The Dragon Mother's name is unknown, only the word "Jin" is known, so Chen Mu didn't know what to call her for a moment, but after all, the senior would not make a mistake.

"I've long heard that Mr. Chen is handsome and has an extraordinary temperament. Seeing him today, I can see that his reputation is well-deserved. Please take a seat."

The sound was soft and gentle, and spread throughout the place in an instant.

"Thank you, senior."

Chen Mu bowed, and immediately Miss Bei came forward and led him to a seat.

I don't know if it was a coincidence or there was no extra seat, but he was arranged next to Lingkongzi and Hengyun Zhenren.

"God's will, God's will!"

The fifth prince Ao Yun suddenly burst into laughter with ambiguous meaning.

The fourth princess Ao Yu and other dragon sons and daughters who had never seen Chen Mu were also staring at him with interest.

If it were an ordinary person, he would be confused at this time, with constant guesses in his mind, and inevitably feel like a mountain of pressure. Not to mention trembling, he would definitely be sweating profusely and looking ugly.

But Chen Mu smiled faintly, sat down calmly, and even took the time to greet Ling Kongzi and asked, "How are you, Daoist Xuancheng?"

As a fellow traveler from Beiyuan, even if I was a little dirty in the past, how could I be negligent now?

"I am grateful for your concern, Brother Xuancheng, and I hope everything goes well for you."

Chen Mu nodded and said no more.

At this moment, Princess Thirteen, Ao Ling, suddenly smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, do you still remember me?"

The two had met once on Langya Island, but they had no interaction, so she asked this question.

Chen Mu smiled and politely replied, "The Thirteenth Princess is a kind and elegant lady, I will naturally remember her."

Ao Ling was delighted when he heard this and blinked his eyes: "I often heard Seventh Sister mention you, saying how you shined at the sword fighting event, which really fascinated me. It's a pity that I couldn't go with you then..."

"I heard you went to the Black and White Dao Palace and became the Palace Master of the Shangzhen Palace? You're not much older than me, so how come you're so powerful?"

"I really admire you..."

She talked a lot, which caused her brothers and sisters to burst into laughter.

Ao Yun clapped his hands and raised his head, saying, "Since Thirteenth Sister admires Fellow Daoist Chen so much, why don't you spend some time together and form a happy marriage?"

"This will suit your wishes and also help me find a good husband for the Dragon Palace. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

Ao Lingxia's cheeks flushed, and although she was very shy, she still said, "Fifth Brother said it simply, but this matter also depends on Brother Chen's opinion."

"Isn't this simple?"

Ao Yun was about to ask Chen Mu when he heard Ao Chun say in a sly voice, "Fifth Brother, why are you so partial to Thirteenth Sister? Fellow Daoist Chen is my guest, why are you pushing it to her?"

Ao Yun smiled up at the sky and apologized, "It's Fifth Brother's fault. I almost forgot about Seventh Sister. When it comes to admiring Fellow Daoist Chen, who among us can compare to you?"

The dragon son and daughter laughed heartily, but Chen Mu frowned and looked at the Dragon Palace Mistress calmly.

The Dragon Mother noticed something and said softly with a hint of a smile, "My dear Chen, do you have such an intention? If you have taken a fancy to one of my daughters, you can tell me directly and I will happily agree to it."

At this moment, Chen Mu suddenly understood. He must have known about his relationship with Ao Yi.

At this moment, Ao Yi's expression was calm, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or sad. But sometimes, a calm expression could explain everything.

Although Chen Mu didn't know much about the details, he was aware of the shady relationship between Ao Yi and the Dragon Mother lineage, so he wouldn't follow her wishes. "Senior, you're joking. I'm focused on the Great Dao and don't have such thoughts."

"Oh? My friend, you are a man of one mind?" The Dragon Mother raised her eyebrows slightly, as if she was a little surprised.

Chen Mu nodded calmly without blushing or beating his heart, and said, "Of course it is so."

Seeing this, the Dragon Mother smiled slightly and said slowly, "That's the best. With your talent, it's really inappropriate for you to be distracted by other things..."

Chen Mu also smiled, but didn't say anything else.

Ao Ling didn't know what the Dragon Mother meant. After hearing that Chen Mu had no such intention, he felt a little sorry and returned to his seat in a depressed mood.

The banquet continued as usual. The fifth prince Ao Yun was a restless person. After finishing the matter with Chen Mu, he turned to talk about many interesting things in the Dragon Palace.

Chen Mu looked at his nose and his heart, as if it had nothing to do with him and he was indifferent.

Just as the banquet was about to end, the second prince Ao Yin walked towards him with a wine cup in hand.

Chen Mu noticed something and looked up slightly.

Ling Kongzi and the other two standing by did not have his same composure, and they all stood up to greet him.

"Second Prince..."

Ao Yin continued walking, and after giving a slight smile, he turned to Chen Mu and said, "After more than ten years of separation, Fellow Daoist Chen's aura has changed. I believe you have made considerable progress."

Chen Mu stood up and said with a smile, "How can my modest progress compare to that of Fellow Daoist Ao?"

With his keen eyesight, it was not difficult to see that at this time, Ao Yin's body was gradually filled with pure energy, which was a sign of an imminent breakthrough.

Only ten years have passed since the hundred-year demonic calamity, and Ao Yin is already about to reach the late Nascent Soul stage. At this rate, it will not be difficult for him to reach the perfect realm when the demonic calamity appears.

Seeing the two of them talking and laughing, Hengyun and the others couldn't help but feel envious.

Although they are the sons-in-law of the Dragon Palace, their status and position are much lower than that of the Second Prince. On weekdays, they can only bow and smile humbly. How could they be respected by the Second Prince like Chen Mu?

"Without sufficient foundation, my identity has become a shackle..."

Hengyun forced a smile on his face, but sighed deeply in his heart, making the already slightly depressing atmosphere even more breathless.

Ao Yin, however, was not interested in noticing his mood changes. After offering a toast to Chen Mu, he said in a deep voice, "Ao, I still say the same thing. Fellow Daoist Chen and my Dragon Palace have a destiny. If you need anything in the future, please let me know."

Chen Mu chuckled, cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Ao, you are too polite."

How could such a good thing happen in the world? As for the price involved, the two of them knew it all...

After the banquet, the Dragon Mother left, and the dragon sons and daughters returned to their respective palaces.

Chen Mu did not delay and went straight to Ao Chun and handed the Taixuan Dragon Ball to her.

Ao Chun was extremely happy. He took the dragon ball, looked at it from left to right, and couldn't let it go.

"We made a promise in the past, and I will keep it today. Princess, we are even now."

Ao Chun curled his lips, put the dragon ball on his back, and suddenly leaned closer, chuckling softly, "Good brother, have you ever really thought about becoming my son-in-law in the Dragon Palace?"

Chen Mu was startled, and after seeing the mischievous look on her lips, he couldn't help but smile faintly: "I thought about it, but it wasn't you."

Now it was Ao Chun's turn to be stunned. She never expected Chen Mu to answer like that.

"Are you kidding, good brother?"

She asked again, but Chen Mu said no more. He bowed and turned away.

She followed him for a few steps, shook the dragon ball in her hand, and murmured, "Is he really involved with my eldest sister?"

"This is bad. Should I help my second brother or him..."

Chen Mu rose up like a beam of light, broke through the surface of the sea in an instant and ascended into the sky, fleeing towards the southern border at a high speed.

He didn't go to Ao Yi to inform him as usual. After all, with the Dragon Mother at the Spiritual Transformation stage beside him, it wouldn't be safe for them to say anything...

……

Two days later, two more beams of light quietly approached the outskirts of Dragon Palace.

The first one was a group of gray clouds in the sky, and following closely behind it was a sword-like rainbow that spanned the sky. It made a whistling sound as it flew, and both were extremely powerful.

Suddenly, the two beams of light stopped, revealing two figures.

The man in front was wearing a red brocade robe and had an imposing demeanor. Although he looked to be about forty years old, he had the aura of a young man.

The latter was dressed in white, with a stern expression and dark eyes. He carried a rare snake-shaped sword on his back, which complemented his temperament.

"Brother, has anything happened?" Jiang Qianrui asked in a low voice.

Jiang Rongzang stared at the jade slip in his hand and said in a deep voice, "It shows that the Beiyuan thief stayed in the Dragon Palace for a while before heading to the Southern Frontier."

Jiang Qianrui frowned upon hearing this and snorted coldly, "That villain is indeed involved with the Dragon Palace!"

"How despicable! My Jiang family is related to the Dragon Palace by marriage, yet they protect us like this. They really don't take us seriously!"

Jiang Rongzang sneered: "It's all Jiang Zhengchu's fault!"

"He wanted to use the power of the Dragon Palace to help him fight for power, but in the end he chose Ao Yi, who was not valued by the Dragon Palace. How can my Jiang family be valued by the Dragon Palace?"

Jiang Qianrui's heart moved, and he couldn't help but ask, "Brother, Ao Yi is the eldest daughter of the Dragon King, and her cultivation is also among the best. Why is she not valued as you said?"

As a hidden man of the Jiang family, he has been practicing hard in the clan land and has rarely been involved with the outside world, so he is unaware of the situation in the Dragon Palace.

Jiang Rongzang didn't keep the secret and said coldly, "If he's not my biological child, how could I value him?"

"Hmm?" Jiang Qianrui felt a little uncomfortable.

"Ao Yi's biological mother died in her early years while undergoing a calamity. The current Dragon Palace Mistress has risen to power and is naturally biased towards her biological children. She sees Ao Yi as a thorn in her side."

"Even if they won't make things difficult for me openly, they'll definitely be bullying me secretly. Jiang Zhengchu chose a dragon girl like this as his helper. What else could he be but a fool?"

"It's a good thing I died early. If my Jiang family had really fallen into his hands, you and I would have been killed by him sooner or later!"

Jiang Rongzang cursed heartily, but Jiang Qianrui knew his own identity and did not respond.

After a moment, he asked, "Since the Beiyuan thieves have turned to the southern border, should we hurry and chase them?"

Jiang Rongzang had already fallen silent. Upon hearing this, he shook his head and smiled, saying, "Qian Rui is inexperienced and doesn't know how to adapt."

"Think about it for a moment. You and I have chased this villain all the way from Central Continent, but we haven't been able to catch up with him. Now if we chase him, will we be able to catch up?"

"In my opinion, you and I can set up defenses along the thief's return route. With the magical jade slips bestowed by our ancestors, there's no need to worry about him escaping!"

Jiang Qianrui's eyes darkened, and he bowed and said, "I was wrong. I will follow your orders, brother."

"Um……"

Seeing Jiang Qianrui, whose cultivation was higher than his, being so respectful, Jiang Rongzang felt even more proud. He reached out and patted his shoulder, saying with the attitude of someone who had come over:
"You have great talent, but you are inexperienced. You need to learn more in the future."

"Now that Jiang Zhengchu is dead, if you and I eliminate the Beiyuan villain and make great contributions, the two ancestors Jiang and Liu will definitely nominate me as the Taoist disciple of the clan. When that time comes, I will not treat you unfairly."

Jiang Qianrui lowered his eyes and bowed, simply nodding in agreement.

……

(End of this chapter)