Emperor Qiankun

Chapter 318 The Northern Underworld Dragon Palace!

"See? So what if your cultivation level is high? If you want to enter the Dragon Palace, you have to pay an entrance fee and obediently listen to this demon's instructions..."

The crab demon watched the four figures disappear into the distance, not only without anger, but also chuckling to himself, looking quite smug.

The shrimp soldiers beside him immediately fawned and echoed:

"My lord is mighty!"

"Of course, the majesty of an adult is not something a few mere humans can bear..."

"Hey... keep a low profile, keep a low profile."

The crab demon waved its claws, feigning humility, and then raised its arms and shouted.

"Come on, another group is coming. Let's go and meet them again."

Having said that, he led his shrimp soldiers toward the newly arrived cultivator. In the murky waters, another "rules lesson" was about to begin!

......

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The moment Li Qingyuan stepped into the underwater city, the scene before her eyes changed drastically.

The once crystal-clear underwater world is now filled with densely packed stalls, lined up one after another along the coral reefs and shipwrecks.

Various demon cultivators moved among them, their scales, horns, and tentacles shimmering in the deep blue sea light;

The air was filled with a stench of fish and herbs, like a lingering cloud of smog.

This magnificent city, built of coral and seashells, hides an unspeakable filth within!

The four walked along the winding waterway, the seaweed swaying in the current like countless beckoning ghost hands.

The items in this underwater city are only slightly better than the treasures on the outside coast, but not many.

Everyone had a clear goal—rare medicinal herbs!

After an hour, they finally arrived at the underwater palace at the end of the city.

Without the slightest hesitation, the four of them stepped straight into the palace.

The scene inside the hall made Li Qingyuan frown slightly:

The entire palace has a five-tiered circular structure, with a huge pearl chandelier hanging from the dome, yet the light is insufficient to dispel the shadows in the corners.

The four of them were standing in the lobby on the first floor, which was bustling with people.

Everywhere you look, little demons of various shapes and sizes are busily working:

The octopus demon carried a seashell filled with elixirs on its tentacles; the turtle demon slowly crawled along, carrying a heavy wooden box on its back; and the seahorse demon carried guests through the corridors...

The air was filled with the smell of rotting seaweed and the stench of monsters, mixed with the pungent aroma of unknown spices. It was very unpleasant and made one's stomach churn!

......

Wang Anran, however, seemed oblivious to this, and explained in a low voice:

"Demons are naturally inclined to eat raw food and are keen on refining elixirs with their essence and blood; this flavor has long permeated every inch of seawater..."

"This place is a playground for demons; the more secluded the corner, the more shady dealings are hidden there..."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and summoned a small fish demon.

The little fish demon had a fish's body and a human face, with scales that shimmered with bluish-gray. It also had two slender tentacles on its forehead, and its eyes darted around, revealing a clever and mischievous spirit.

"Distinguished guests, are you here for the first time, or are you regular customers?"

The little fish demon bowed respectfully, its voice sharp and whistling.

Wang Anran remained calm and said lightly:

“We’re regulars, of course. Just take us up to the third floor.”

The fish demon immediately understood and swung its tail to lead the way.

The four followed closely behind, passing through the spiraling seashell-shaped staircase.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, Wang Anran explained telepathically:

"The first to third floors here are public sales areas, with a wide variety of rare items, most of which are rare treasures."

"The fourth floor is an exclusive place for important guests to discuss big deals. It is not usually opened to the public. Only guests of high status and with huge transaction amounts are qualified to enter."

"The fifth floor is the dwelling place of that thousand-year-old dragon. Although the old fellow is not here all year round, that place is regarded as a forbidden area. No one is allowed to go up there without permission, otherwise they will be severely punished."

"The medicinal herbs you need will definitely not be found on the first or second floor, but there's a possibility that rare items might be hidden on the third floor. Let's go take a look..."

The four followed the little fish demon along a special passage, slowly making their way to the third level of the Dragon Palace.

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As you ascend along the spiral-shaped shell passage, the luminous pearls inlaid on both sides emit a faint blue light, like pairs of peering eyes.

As the light swept across Li Qingyuan's body, he keenly sensed a faint divine consciousness seeping into his body through his pores.

The aura was like a gentle breeze across a lake; though it lacked any sharpness, it carried an indescribable sense of probing, slowly 'swimming' through the soul and every part of the body.

He felt a slight chill in his heart, but remained outwardly calm, his steps steady, pretending to be completely unaware, silently following behind the little fish demon, secretly on guard.

The old ox shuddered, and golden light suddenly burst forth from its body, shining like a golden sun in the passage.

The golden light surged outwards, rippling across his body. It was as if a "divine consciousness" was instantly shattered and vanished into nothingness under the impact of this power.

The little fish demon was leading the way when it suddenly felt a surge of immense power behind it, startling it so much that it quickly turned around.

The old ox was surrounded by golden light, exuding an extraordinary aura...

Its expression changed drastically, its gill covers twitched rapidly, and its bluish-gray scales trembled slightly with fear, as if it had thought of the taboo in the legend!

However, after waiting for a while, nothing happened. There was no terrifying attack, nor any unusual noise...

The little fish demon shook its head, its face full of confusion and its eyes full of bewilderment.

After a long while, seeing that everything was normal, it cautiously continued to lead the way.

At this moment, Wang Anran frowned slightly and asked Li Qingyuan telepathically:

"Young Master Li, what's wrong with Brother Yun? Did he perhaps break a taboo in the Dragon Palace?"

......

"?"

Li Qingyuan paused, her steps faltering slightly, and asked in return via telepathy:

"Didn't you sense a 'divine consciousness' probing into your body?"

"Divine consciousness?"

Wang Anran's beautiful eyes widened as she warily scanned her surroundings, carefully sensing her surroundings before shaking her head and saying:

"No, it's just that the pearly light shines on my body."

"This light is quite soft and comfortable, warm and gentle. There's no way any divine sense could be spying on it..."

"Uh......"

Li Qingyuan was speechless for a moment, silently pondering to himself:

Wang Anran's cultivation level was much higher than his own, yet she was completely unaware of that divine sense...

Looking at Yue Qinghuan, she also looked confused, clearly unaware of what was happening!

Was that aura only directed at him and the old ox?

It was only because of the remaining Azure Dragon power within him and the old ox's demonic bloodline that this spying had attracted attention.

Or something else...

But where does this power come from, and what is its purpose?

Li Qingyuan was completely baffled.

However, before he could think about it, a coral archway appeared at the end of the passage.

We've arrived at the third level of the 'Northern Underworld Dragon Palace'!

......