The Dragon Hall's front plaza was extremely vast. Before the formal longevity feast began, it became a place for guests from all sides to socialize. The Dragon Palace specially arranged exquisite seating on one side of the plaza, with spirit fruits and nectar for guests to freely enjoy.
As time passed, more guests arrived. The atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Younger generation cultivators especially gathered in groups, sizing each other up, their eyes full of eager battle intent. This grand gathering was not only an opportunity to build connections but also a stage for making names.
Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu found a relatively quiet corner to sit. Zhao Tiezhu had no resistance to those uniquely shaped, aura-rich Dragon Palace spirit fruits—eating heartily, juice flowing. The rabbit spirit crouched on the table, its little paw holding a pearl-like fruit bigger than its head, nibbling with squinting eyes, face showing bliss.
Xiaoqi was more observing. He saw many familiar faces, like several disciples from Crimson Star Sacred Land (Mu Xue didn't appear), also many powerful cultivators and demon experts with exotic attire. Among them, a group of young cultivators wearing dark-green scales, single horns on foreheads, (arrogant) gazes, were especially eye-catching. They emitted abundant water vapor and a faint pressure—clearly from the Northern Sea's dragon subspecies.
Though not true dragons, drakes had dragon bloodline, were powerful, second only to dragons among the four seas, known for bravery and combat.
Indeed, shortly after, among those Northern Sea drake clan, a seemingly leader-like young man, tall, (sinister) features, after scanning the crowd, finally fixed his gaze on Xiaoqi's table. Especially seeing Xiaoqi with "only" Foundation Establishment Great Circle cultivation and Zhao Tiezhu eating messily with inelegant appearance, he curled his lips with disdain.
The drake young lord, (bringing) several companions swaggered over, unceremoniously blocking before Xiaoqi's table. Looking down at him, his voice carried a sea smell: "Hey! That human kid, you look unfamiliar. Which mountain ditch did you crawl out from? How do you deserve attending the Dragon Palace feast?"
Behind him, several drake youths burst out laughing, eyes contemptuous.
Zhao Tiezhu immediately wasn't pleased. He slapped the half-eaten spirit fruit on the table, standing abruptly, glaring: "What did you say? Looking for trouble?"
The drake young lord didn't put Zhao Tiezhu in his eyes at all. His gaze stayed on Xiaoqi, provocatively saying: "What? Dare not speak? Heard you're that third place from some Heavenly Axis conference? Humph! Human cultivators from land are getting more useless these days. Any stray dog can get a ranking. Dare to spar two moves with this young lord? Let everyone see your substance?"
Many surrounding guests were attracted by the commotion, looking over withgood (watching a good show) expressions. Dragon Palace guards seemed to have instructions, didn't come forward to stop. As long as no one died, such young-spirited sparring before the feast was common.
Xiaoqi slowly put down his jade cup, raised his head, looked calmly at the drake young lord. He wasn't angry, just said placidly: "Northern Sea drake clan, truly 'well-deserving of its reputation.' However, this is Dragon Palace sacred grounds. Martial display may breach decorum."
"Decorum?" The drake young lord sneered. "We water tribe always values strength as paramount! Less nonsense, take this!"
He didn't give Xiaoqi a chance to refuse. Before his words even finished, his right hand already extended, fingertips instantly covered with fine dark-green scales. Carrying a fishy wind and powerful water elemental force, he grabbed toward Xiaoqi's face! This grab seemed casual yet contained power to tear through metal and stone. It also drew surrounding water elemental qi, forming an invisible binding force covering Xiaoqi's body.
This move already displayed strength not weaker than Foundation Establishment late stage peak!
Several soft gasps sounded around. Seemingly thinking this human youth would suffer.
Zhao Tiezhu roared and was about to rush forward, but was stopped by Xiaoqi's gaze.
Facing this swift, vicious grab, Xiaoqi still sat in place, didn't even show intention to stand. Just when that claw was about to make contact, his right hand's index and middle fingers came together, seemingly casually thrust forward.
No (sharp) sword qi, no (mighty) spiritual energy eruption.
But when his fingertip thrust out, the Azure Dragon Soul Crystal within his body that had long merged with the jade pendant, (moved slightly). A pure yet vast Azure Dragon aura (though extremely faint, essence extremely high) integrated into his mobilized spiritual energy. Simultaneously, his understanding and control of water elemental spiritual energy, empowered by the Azure Dragon Soul Crystal, instantly elevated to a mysterious level.
His thrust wasn't attacking, but pointing at the core node of water elemental qi flow that the drake young lord's claw technique had drawn!
"Pu!"
A slight, nearly inaudible crisp sound.
The drake young lord only felt his condensed water elemental force, as if meeting a natural nemesis and ruler, actually under that casual thrust, instantly collapsed and dissolved! That originally overwhelming grab, losing water elemental force support, immediately became merely superficial, power reduced to less than a tenth!
His forward momentum couldn't help but stall. A shocked expression appeared on his face.
And Xiaoqi's finger, like a ghost, (following the momentum) pushed forward, gently tapping his wrist pulse gate.
A soft yet with trace of majestic dragon might water-type spiritual energy penetrated his body. The drake young lord felt his entire right arm go numb and sore, the condensed force instantly dissipated. He groaned, stumbled backward three steps, barely steadying. His face alternated between green and white. His gaze at Xiaoqi filled with shock and disbelief.
Silence!
Complete silence around.
Everyone hadn't seen clearly what just happened. Only seeing the Northern Sea drake young lord aggressively grab forward, and that human youth casually thrust a point, then the young lord himself retreated? And seemed to have suffered a little loss?
Only a few cultivators with keen eyes and hidden Dragon Palace experts had sharp glimmers. They saw clearly—the human youth wasn't breaking technique with force, but using an nearly "Dao realm" control, precisely dissolving the opponent's attack foundation! Especially that trace of faint yet extremely high essence water elemental pressure within, made them suspicious.
"Kindly acknowledged." Xiaoqi retrieved his finger, as if having done something trivial. He picked up his jade cup, continuing to sip tea.
The drake young lord's expression shifted several times, ultimately didn't dare strike again. He knew the opponent had shown mercy just now. If that fingertip had contained attacking spiritual energy, his arm would probably be crippled. He gritted his teeth, glared fiercely at Xiaoqi, (with companions, dejectedly) retreated into the crowd.
After this incident, no one dared underestimation of Xiaoqi because of his cultivation or background. Many water tribe cultivators' gazes at him even carried a trace of friendliness. After all, he could, as a human, so exquisitely control water elemental force, and faintly carry dragon might that made them feel close—this itself won their favor.
Sitting at the distant main area, chatting with several Dragon Clan elders, Crown Prince Ao Qin also witnessed the scene. His lips curved slightly, eyes with deeper appreciation.
"Rather interesting..." he murmured to himself, then instructed an elder beside him. The elder nodded, quietly withdrew.
The feast hadn't even formally begun, but the name "Tang Xiaoqi" had quietly spread among the Dragon Palace guests.