As the two immortals vanished from sight one after another, the crowd of the East Sea let out a long breath of relief.
Good thing they left. Good thing they left! The pressure an immortal battle exerted on them was simply overwhelming; even the mere aftershocks could have blasted them into powder.
The divide between immortal and mortal was evident in full.
"Ever since ancient times, this is probably the very first time an immortal battle has taken place, isn't it?" Even the Tribulation Transcendence stage ancestors felt the glad relief of surviving a catastrophe, and amidst their relief, they recognized the historic weight of this clash.
What sort of bizarre luck was this? Something that hadn't happened in three hundred thousand years, yet they had run right into it!
Ao Ling felt secret relief that Yun Zhi was on her side. Such combat power would have been invincible even back in the ancient era, on par with Elder Sister Immortal.
Man Gu mused that going out with Brother Lu and Brother Meng truly broadened one's horizons.
True Monarch Ma felt he shouldn't have come to this birthday banquet at all. Or rather, the moment he saw Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou at the banquet, he should have turned around and bolted.
The East Sea had been peaceful and tranquil for tens of thousands of years, yet as soon as Lu Yang and the others arrived, they turned it completely upside down—first Ancient Ancestor Ao Ling revived, and then actual immortals took the stage.
"Looking at things now, it feels like whether I cultivate or not doesn't make much difference..." Originally, True Monarch Ma had felt he needed to cultivate hard and reach the Tribulation Transcendence stage as soon as possible to become a qualified Dao Protector.
Now it seemed that even the Tribulation Transcendence stage might not qualify to be a Dao Protector.
The birthday celebrant, the Old Dragon Emperor, stepped forward and cupped his hands to the assembly. "Everyone, today's events unfolded without warning, and we can no longer host all of you. Please forgive us."
The Dragon Clan truly could not entertain guests any longer. After enduring a clash of three half-immortals followed by a battle between two immortals, the Dragon Palace had been razed to the ground. Gold, silver, and jewels were scattered across deep undersea trenches, and there was no telling how long it would take to rebuild the palace.
However, this would not affect the Dragon Clan's position as the overlords of the East Sea. With Ao Ling's return, the clan's status would only be far greater than before.
Originally, people had still hoped to pay their respects to Ancient Ancestor Ao Ling, but since the Old Dragon Emperor had personally stepped up to see guests off, lingering with thick skin wouldn't yield any results, so they could only give up.
Even Venerable Black Feather, who had been watching the excitement with keen interest, was dragged away by Clan Head Xiao.
With everyone's departure, only the Dragon Clan, the Dao Seeking Sect, and Young Cult Master Lu remained at the scene.
"Ancient Ancestor, to think you are also a member of the Heavenly Court!" Ao Ya said excitedly, full of adoration for Ao Ling. This was, after all, the number one combatant among half-immortals and the pride of their Dragon Clan.
"Ao Ya greets the Ancient Ancestor, and greets Senior Lu."
"Allow me to introduce the two of you to my Dao companion, Daoist Lord Hanhai, Fang Wuya." Ao Ya was open-minded and didn't bother with wedding ceremonies; since Daoist Lord Hanhai had already dual-cultivated with her, he was her Dao companion.
Daoist Lord Hanhai had no choice but to cup his hands. "Junior Fang Wuya greets the Ancient Ancestor of the Dragon Clan."
Daoist Lord Hanhai and Ao Ling were both half-immortals and could have addressed each other as Fellow Daoist. Although he was now relegated to a junior, Daoist Lord Hanhai felt sweet and pleased inside.
Meng Jingzhou shot Daoist Lord Hanhai a look of disdain. Patriarch, you can barely suppress the grin on your face, and yet you had the nerve to claim you envied my Bachelor Spiritual Root?
"Wuya, you haven't finished greeting everyone yet," Ao Ya whispered to Daoist Lord Hanhai.
Daoist Lord Hanhai wore a puzzled expression. Who else did he need to greet?
Ao Ya nudged her chin toward Young Cult Master Lu. This one was the Ancient Ancestor's senior brother; going by generational seniority, he was their senior as well.
Daoist Lord Hanhai's face darkened.
Me? Bow to *him*?
Under Ao Ya's relentless urging, pressured by her, Daoist Lord Hanhai had no choice but to offer Young Cult Master Lu a greeting with a stiff, forced smile: "Junior Fang Wuya greets Young Cult Master Lu."
Lu Yang felt that once he returned to the Dao Seeking Sect, he was going to have a *wonderful* time.
"Ancient Ancestor, our clan has two other Tribulation Transcendence cultivators. Would it be convenient for you to meet them?" the Old Dragon Emperor asked gingerly, watching Ao Ling's expression.
An audience with Ao Ling was a rare opportunity; those two ancestors were in slumber and had missed this chance, which the Old Dragon Emperor found regrettable on their behalf.
"You have more Tribulation Transcendence cultivators? Looks like you've been doing fairly well for yourselves in the East Sea," Ao Ling said, slightly surprised. Although the Dragon Clan lacked a half-immortal, having five Tribulation Transcendence cultivators already made them a top-tier superpower.
In Lu Yang's memory, only the Great Xia imperial court surpassed the Dragon Clan in the number of Tribulation Transcendence experts.
Oh, wait—now there was also the Demon Empire.
Having obtained Ao Ling's consent, the Old Dragon Emperor hurried to the depths of the Dragon Palace to awaken the two slumbering ancestors. They were ancestors from twenty thousand and thirty thousand years ago, representing some of the Dragon Clan's most vital foundation.
Pushing aside the rubble, the Old Dragon Emperor entered an undersea secret chamber where three crystal coffins rested. One was empty; that was where Ao Ya had resided.
Inside the other two crystal coffins lay two humanoid dragons. The Old Dragon Emperor channeled a secret technique, resonating with the patterns etched upon the crystals.
*Hummm—*
As the resonance synchronized, the crystals blossomed open like flowers, and the two Dragon Clan ancestors slowly woke.
"Who awakens us? Has the Dragon Clan encountered a crisis of life and death?"
According to ancestral teachings, they were only to be awakened when the Dragon Clan faced an existential crisis.
The Old Dragon Emperor said respectfully, "Ancestors, the Dragon Clan is in no danger at present. It is simply that someone wishes to see you both, which is why I awakened you."
The two ancestors erupted in fury. "Nonsense! What status do we hold? Are we people whom someone can just request an audience with whenever they please?!"
"It's me," Ao Ling said, calmly looking at the two Tribulation Transcendence true dragons.
"Who do you think—" The two ancestors reflexively snapped, but the moment they turned around and saw Ao Ling, expressions as if they had seen a ghost washed over their faces, so terrified their hearts stopped beating.
"Ao-Ao-Ao-Ao-Ao-Ao Ling Ancient Ancestor?!"
Honestly, if not for the latter half, Lu Yang would have thought they were just howling.
"Do you have a problem with it?"
The two ancestors scrambled out of the crystals and fawned with obsequious smiles. "Ancient Ancestor, for you to wish to see us juniors is our greatest honor! If anyone dare have an objection, we'll beat them to death!"
Seeing how lively and full of vigor her descendants were, Ao Ling was in quite a good mood.
The Old Dragon Emperor beamed as he said to the two ancestors, "Two Ancestors, the Ancient Ancestor only wished to meet you both; there was nothing else. You two may go back to sleep now."
The two ancestors glared daggers at the Old Dragon Emperor. After finding out the Ancient Ancestor had awakened, who the hell could possibly go back to sleep?!
"I'll return to the Heavenly Court for a time. Once I've finished meeting familiar acquaintances, I shall return." Ao Ling did not linger long with the Dragon Clan, leaving together with Young Cult Master Lu.
Daoist Lord Hanhai bid a reluctant farewell to Ao Ya and led the people of the Dao Seeking Sect back.
The two parties parted ways from the Dragon Palace, but once they departed the palace grounds, they merged back together, and Lu Yang recalled his avatar.
Ao Ling had heard a great deal from the Immortal Fairy, most of it concerning the Dao Seeking Sect, and she was very eager to see this sect that Elder Sister Immortal couldn't stop praising.
A graceful figure returned. Seeing her, Lu Yang hurriedly stepped forward and bowed. "Eldest Senior Sister, you're back. That person—"
Yun Zhi's tone was calm. "Heavily wounded. Escaped."
"Junior Brother, and Senior Ao Ling, both of you come with me. Tell me exactly who it was that I fought."
She wanted to know where this Huang Doudou had popped out from.
Watching the receding backs of the three, Daoist Lord Hanhai was somewhat dazed.
Thinking back carefully over this trip to the East Sea: first he helped Lu Yang act out a play, then he took a strike from an immortal, and in the end he somehow became Lu Yang's junior for no rhyme or reason?
By all rights, wasn't I supposed to be strutting around untouchable in the East Sea?
Chapter 877