Chapter 705: The Water Monarch's Banquet

With this in mind, Lü Zhong silently swam into the queue.

When a Flood Dragon suddenly appeared, the Demon Cultivators who had transformed prematurely all panicked and scurried out of the way. Only the true Transformed Great Demons dared to maintain their course, but even they adopted a guarded posture, terrified that this Water Flood Dragon might attack them without a word.

‘It seems the Flood Dragon Race really has an infamous reputation!’

Lü Zhong chuckled to himself and paid them no mind.

Before he had swum for long, his surroundings began to brighten. At a thousand zhang below the surface, sunlight naturally couldn’t penetrate, so the area should have been pitch-black.

The reason it was now as bright as day was all thanks to a floating Treasure Bead, about ten feet in diameter, at the very top of the Coral Palace ahead.

“What a huge Daylight Bead!” Lü Zhong exclaimed in surprise.

A Treasure Bead of this size would be worth a fortune on land, and it was likely a top-tier treasure in the water as well. It wasn’t merely a decoration; it was probably also a way for the master of this place to display their power.

After swimming forward a while longer, a translucent barrier appeared ahead. The Demon Cultivators who had been riding on Sea Beasts all dismounted, ordering their mounts to find a place to forage. They then landed on the sandy ground and passed through the barrier in their humanoid forms.

Lü Zhong followed their example and passed through as well.

As soon as he entered, a cacophony of voices filled his ears. Some were shouting and toasting, while others were cursing loudly. It sounded like he had walked into a wet market.

The aromas of wine and roasted meat, mixed with the stench of fish and various other smells, wafted over at the same time.

Having felt rather bored before, he couldn’t help but feel his spirits lift.

Following the crowd, he walked over and immediately saw a row of Black-skinned Fishmen at the entrance. It was unclear what kind of Sea Beast they had transformed from. They had large, oily fish heads but were dressed like humans, standing there and collecting gifts.

All arriving guests were expected to present a gift.

“Lord Ferocious Ray from Flesh-rend Ridge presents a pair of Seven Treasure Corals!” a Black-skinned Fishman announced.

“A pair of Seven Treasure Corals!” a fishman wearing a hat recorded on a jade tablet.

Lü Zhong, who was listening from a distance, understood their conversation without any difficulty.

What the Water Race spoke was actually the common Immortal Text of this realm. It was just that their accent was quite strange, with a few minor grammatical differences, and it carried a sticky, slippery quality.

‘He couldn’t help but maliciously wonder if it was because their vocal cords were perpetually waterlogged.’

Soon, it was Lü Zhong’s turn. He took out a stalk of Lamp Shadow Grass.

This item was of great use to Sea Beasts, as it could make their scales much tougher. It was also an important Spirit Medicine for cultivators. Because Lamp Shadow Grass was so indispensable, people would bite the bullet and continue to plant it, even though the Spirit Medicine Gardens where it grew were often attacked by Sea Beasts.

A Black-skinned Fishman darted forward and looked Lü Zhong up and down. Seeing this was someone of unknown origin, he didn’t think much of it. After all, in this Coral Sea, the great figures he didn’t recognize were as numerous as pearls in the ocean.

It wasn’t surprising for people to travel thousands of miles to obtain the benefits offered at the Water Monarch’s grand banquet.

So, he made a respectful gesture:

“Sir, where might you be from? And what treasure are you presenting to the Water Monarch?”

“Shui Lan of Black Water Cave. One stalk of Lamp Shadow Grass,” Lü Zhong said calmly.

“‘So, not from the Water Palace…’ the Black-skinned Fishman muttered, then announced in a high-pitched voice, ‘Shui Lan of Black Water Cave, one stalk of Lamp Shadow Grass! Come, Lord Shui Lan, this way, please. The banquet has already begun. Please, take your seat inside.'”

Seeing that he had passed through without a hitch, Lü Zhong flicked his Flood Dragon Tail and strode forward.

Passing through a large coral gate, he saw a grand hall glittering with pearls and jewels. In the center, Clam Maidens danced gracefully. He didn’t know what kind of dance it was, but it continually drew waves of cheers from the crowd.

The hall was filled with Transformed Demon Cultivators. The higher their cultivation, the closer to the front they sat, and the more lavish the dishes on their tables were. As for the Little Demons who had transformed prematurely, they could only huddle in the corners, filling their bellies with the scraps and leftovers discarded by the Great Demons.

At the head of the hall sat a Golden Armor Elder, his mouth stuffed with food, chewing incessantly.

Next to the man’s throne, a row of petite Snail Maidens stood in waiting. Each held a clamshell filled with either fragrant dishes or various kinds of meat. Whenever the elder reached out his hand, they would take turns presenting their offerings, moving in a continuous, flowing line.

The man on the throne saw Lü Zhong and simply pointed to an empty seat by way of a greeting.

‘Late-stage Transformation,’ Lü Zhong thought. ‘This must be the so-called Water Monarch!’ He followed the man’s gesture, saw the empty seat, and walked over to it.

As soon as he sat down, the Demon Cultivators on his left and right turned to look at him. Both were at the Mid-stage Transformation. One was an old Daoist with a turtle shell and a handlebar mustache, CRUNCHING noisily on some Spirit Grass. The other was a burly, dark-faced man with the head of a whale. A pair of Golden Melon Hammers rested beside him. He was SLURPING his wine while complaining that it had been watered down.

The old Daoist glanced at Lü Zhong and drawled, “You look unfamiliar. Where might you be from?”

The dark-faced man, however, was completely different. He was instantly friendly, urging Lü Zhong to drink. “Come on, come on, drink up! Damn it, watered-down wine is still wine! We can’t let it go to waste!”

“Shui Lan, from Black Water Cave,” Lü Zhong said politely, cupping his hands in a salute toward the two of them. “And who might you two be?”

“How strange. Fellow Daoist, you aren’t from the Water Palace?” The old Daoist looked surprised. He sized Lü Zhong up for a long moment before finally swallowing his mouthful of Spirit Grass. “This old Daoist is the master of Golden Turtle Abyss, the Golden Turtle Daoist.”

Having said his piece, he picked up another stalk of Spirit Grass and went back to CRUNCHING on it.

His attitude was aloof, and it was clear he had no intention of saying anything more.