“Delicious!”
“Really delicious!”
Humans eat salmon raw with soy sauce for that fresh taste. The dragon clan had probably long grown tired of such freshness to the point of nausea.
So Lu Zheng still turned this bluefin tuna into squirrel fish.
There were also braised in soy sauce, oil-stewed, sweet and sour, grilled, and fried varieties.
Heavy salt, heavy spice, heavy heat, heavy oil.
The group of young dragon sons, daughters, and grandchildren ate until their mouths glistened with oil, praising it endlessly.
Lu Zheng blinked, feeling he could no longer look directly at these orthodox true dragons.
“So tasty!”
Ao Qian raised her glass of orange juice, clinked it with a little dragon girl beside her, then tilted her head back and drained it in one gulp.
Alright, Lu Zheng blinked. Perhaps he had not been able to look directly at them for a while already.
“Brother Lu, superb skills!”
Ao Kuo held a skewer of grilled fish in his left hand and a pot of huadiao wine in his right. His cheeks were smeared with oily residue. He raised his hand toward Lu Zheng and poured himself a mouthful.
Not far away, Yue Honghai, with his two new friends from the past couple of days, hid to one side devouring the food heartily.
Only Generals Xie and Jing, ordered to protect the many young dragon clan members, stood guard impassively with their three hundred water soldiers.
Well, aside from their eyes drifting occasionally and the odd slurp at the corner of their mouths, nothing else.
Lu Zheng raised a hand, and a stream of water suddenly coiled up from the sea. He dipped his hands in to wash off the grease. Then Liu Qingyan placed a piece of braised fish at his lips.
Lu Zheng swallowed it in one bite, and Shen Ying handed him a cup of yellow wine.
Lu Zheng took it, sipped lightly, and smiled at the crowd. “Seems not bad?”
“Delicious!”
“Amazing!”
“Brother Lu Zheng, just stay in the dragon palace!”
Lu Zheng laughed heartily, then sat opposite Ao Kuo. The several ladies and Ao Yun and Ao Run also sat nearby.
…
As everyone ate merrily, two figures suddenly appeared on the horizon, flying rapidly toward them.
“Hm?”
The newcomers made no effort to conceal their auras, so Generals Xie and Jing had noticed them early and watched warily.
“Zhuge Ye of Yuantong Sea pays respects to all!”
The black-bearded, black-haired middle-aged Daoist on the left cupped his hands in greeting. “This one is a friend of your noble Ao Chen. I beg to request an audience!”
The slightly gaunt man in black on the right also bowed respectfully, announcing, “Xue Li of Black Dragon Mountain pays respects to all.”
“Black Dragon Mountain?” Ao Kuo raised an eyebrow. “How did you find us?”
“What is it?” Lu Zheng asked curiously.
Ao Yun explained softly, “The ancestor of Black Dragon Mountain is a black water ink flood dragon with good talent. Later he went to the Northern Domain and founded Black Dragon Mountain.
However, his later-generation disciples have impure bloodlines. To advance in cultivation, they come to the East Sea seeking divine dragon grass to refine into pills.”
“Divine dragon grass?”
“Where dragon clans cultivate, divine dragon grass often grows alongside. It benefits pseudo-dragon clans in their practice.”
A hint of superiority flashed in Ao Run’s eyes.
“Coiled dragons, pan dragons, chi dragons, qiu dragons, kui dragons, and other half-dragons are alright. But for half-flood dragons, snake dragons, and other pseudo-dragons, divine dragon grass is greatly helpful.”
“I see.”
“Though divine dragon grass is plentiful, the East Sea is vast and boundless. To save trouble, naturally coming to one of the four dragon palaces to beg for it is best.” Ao Yun said. “That Xue Li knows Zhuge Ye, and Zhuge Ye knows Ao Chen. So the connection is made.”
“Does divine dragon grass benefit you?” Lu Zheng could not help asking.
“It’s quite tasty.” Ao Run answered.
Got it. It should be a herb that helps refine bloodlines, useful only to dragon clans.
“We are on duty outside. Friend Zhuge, please proceed to the dragon palace yourself.”
Facing Zhuge Ye’s inquiry, General Xie stepped forward, cupped his hands, and spoke to him.
The surrounding seas of the dragon palace domain were endless open ocean. So now they were several hundred li away from the palace’s sea area, having found an uninhabited island to light a fire and cook.
Zhuge Ye and Xue Li glanced this way, realising it was an outing for young dragon sons and daughters. To avoid misunderstanding, they did not linger, merely cupping hands again before flying off on the wind.
Lu Zheng clicked his tongue. “The East Sea truly differs from the Central Plains. Casually encountering two cultivators, both top-tier experts.”
The ladies like Liu Qingyan knew Lu Zheng was joking. Ao Kuo paused, thinking it made sense, but Ao Yun could not help saying, “But the East Sea is vast and boundless. Mortals cannot fly, sea fish cannot leap into the air. You hardly meet anyone!”
Ao Kuo immediately reacted, nodding repeatedly. “Exactly!”
A faint, almost invisible bead of cold sweat seeped from his temples.
“Are there mortals above the East Sea?” Du Yueyao seized the chance to ask.
“Yes. Near the Central Plains, there are many large and small islands with mortals. Some pay tribute to Central Plains dynasties as vassals, others establish their own countries and live freely.” Ao Run said. “The deeper into the East Sea, the fewer mortal commoners. Even in the deep East Sea there are a few large islands, but mortals there are scarce. They mostly trade with near-sea islands and have no contact with the Central Plains.”
“I hear many mortal nations are under great sea demons?” Wang Xiaowan asked.
“Mutual benefit. Mortals build palaces and caves for great demons, serve and attend them, offer food. Great demons shelter them from wind and rain, protect their lands.”
“That actually sounds quite good.” Du Yueyao said innocently.
Ao Yun smiled but said nothing.
Wang Xiaowan’s eyes flashed. “In the Central Plains under Great Jing’s rule, there are evil gods and licentious worship, river uncles that eat people, mountain gods that suck blood. How much more so the East Sea islands?”
Lu Zheng nodded. “Much like the Southern Border lands.”
“Precisely.” Ao Yun said. “Though the four great dragon clans dominate the East Sea, they cannot cover everything with one hand.”
Lu Zheng shrugged. Civilised society had always been thus since ancient times. Modern nations were a mess like that, let alone antiquity.
Du Yueyao’s face turned bitter. She sighed, but powerless about such matters. She could only shake her head and cheer up.
Cultivate well. At least in future, when encountering injustice, she would have the qualification to intervene.
The group changed topics and continued chatting. Then they saw four figures flying from the dragon palace direction.
“Qian Bao’er, you lot come out to play without calling me?”
“Cousin, you’re not keeping Sister Ao Yue company. Why join our fun?”
Lu Zheng turned to look. The earlier Zhuge Ye and Xue Li followed behind. The leading pair were wreathed in dragon qi, their cultivation profound, seemingly no less than Ao Qi.
Jade Dragon Ao Chen, Gold Dragon Ao Yue.
The two were childhood sweethearts, visiting each other’s dragon palaces for New Year. This year Ao Yue came to the Jade Dragon palace, so Ao Chen spent nearly all day with his girlfriend. Aside from appearing once at the evening banquet, he was usually nowhere to be seen.
But when his girlfriend was not around, he was the leader of the children, often taking groups of young dragons to play everywhere.
So, hearing Ao Qian’s words, Ao Chen laughed heartily. “Then I can bring Ao Yue along to join the fun!”
Thanks to reader Magic Realm Little Tiger and reader 08a for their hundred-point rewards.
