The Sea Demon Clan was far from weak—on the contrary, it was one of the top-tier races among the aquatic tribes. Gifted in the art of song and zither music, the Sea Demons possessed a wide array of spiritual melodies, each with unique effects. Some were deeply bewitching, while others could alter the very heavens and earth. When combined with their natural singing voices and musical instruments, the power of their melodies soared exponentially. This was no mere case of one plus one equals two.
Often, to confront the Sea Demon Clan meant death before even getting close. Many enemies would perish while being toyed with like puppets.
Of course, they still couldn't compare to the Dragon Clan, who had long suppressed them. Compounding their disadvantage, the Sea Demons had low fertility rates, making large-scale expansion impossible.
"I wonder what kind of guests are attending the banquet at the Dragon Palace this time," Yi Tianxing thought as he shifted his attention away from the Sea Demons.
"I'm not too sure about the exact numbers," the shell maiden accompanying him replied with a soft smile, "but word has it that any power or individual of sufficient renown across the Vast Sea has received an invitation. That includes rulers of Destiny Dynasties, sect masters, lone cultivators, and tribal chiefs from various races. In total, 100,000 invitations were sent out. While I don't know how many will actually attend, it certainly won't exceed that number."
"One hundred thousand?" Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed with surprise. That meant, even if each guest brought just one companion, there would be nearly two hundred thousand attendees. A banquet of this scale was almost inconceivable—a gathering truly worthy of the Dragon Palace.
Compared to this, the Dragon Clan were the true wealthy elites.
With their pride, there was no way the Dragon Clan would treat their guests carelessly. The rare delicacies alone would constitute a fortune that could bankrupt entire factions.
But what concerned Yi Tianxing more was that these guests all hailed from the surrounding region of the Vast Sea. The Dragon Palace had clearly demonstrated its superior intelligence-gathering abilities. The mere ability to locate and invite so many prominent figures showed its formidable power. In this respect, the Dragon Palace had already placed itself above all others.
"Do you know which powers are among the attendees?" Yi Tianxing asked again.
Gathering intelligence on the major factions in the Vast Sea was one of the key reasons for his visit.
"I don't know too many," said the shell maiden, "but I've heard that among the guests is none other than the ruler of the Great Yi Dynasty, the first and foremost Destiny Dynasty in the world—His Majesty the Yi Emperor. He is considered one of the most honored guests."
The shell maiden didn't recognize Yi Tianxing. Her role was merely to escort guests from the Spiritual Shell Courtyard, the location designated for the invitation coordinates. Anyone emerging from there was automatically treated as a guest, so no verification of identity or allegiance was necessary at that point. As such, she had no idea that the very Yi Emperor she spoke of was standing right in front of her.
Upon hearing this, Green Emperor gave Yi Tianxing a sly grin, as if to say: See? Still not gonna boast a little? I know you're secretly pleased. Don't even try to hide it.
"Boast? Boast your ass," Yi Tianxing muttered under his breath as he shot Green Emperor a warning glare.
Despite the praise, Yi Tianxing showed no arrogance. The reputation of Great Yi had been earned through repeated efforts—from its founding as a kingdom to its rise as a dynasty. Unknowingly, its name had already become deeply entrenched in people's minds. This was the well-deserved legacy of Great Yi, and proof that its hard work had not been in vain.
"Are there any other top-tier powers aside from Great Yi?"
"Of course. There's also the Ten Thousand Beasts Imperial Court, a powerful faction on the same continent as Great Yi. Its leader, King Behemoth, is an incredibly strong figure. He received an invitation as well."
"There's also a territory ruled by the Golden Lion King of the Lion King Clan, another top-tier beast race. The Lion Kings dominate their land, wielding tremendous influence."
While the shell maiden didn't know too much, she still managed to share valuable intelligence. Some of this wasn't even accessible on land—like the distribution of power over the Vast Sea and the influential factions hidden among countless sea islands. Though many of these islands were small and couldn't be called "continents," their size was still more than enough to support tens of millions of lives.
In Yi Tianxing's region alone, land masses were scarce. But tiny islands? They were everywhere—uncountable and sprawling across the seas.
Some tribal races claimed entire islands and ruled them with absolute authority, reducing others to shivering submission.
Unknowingly, as they conversed and marveled at the seabed's wonders, they finally arrived at their destination.
"Honored guests, the Dragon Palace lies ahead. We've arrived," the shell maiden said with a smile.
Lifting his gaze, Yi Tianxing beheld an enormous palace whose true size was impossible to gauge. Known also as the Crystal Palace, it was not a single structure but rather a massive complex of palaces forged from a peculiar material—Dragon Pattern Crystal.
This crystal was said to be crafted from undersea coral, agates, and gemstones, refined through a unique process. The result was something like liquid glass, glistening and dreamlike under the water's shimmer. Every structure—from pavilions and bridges to artificial mountains—was made from this radiant material, etched with dragon motifs and radiating majesty.
Patrolling guards—shrimp and crab soldiers—were everywhere, as were countless handmaidens busily preparing the banquet.
"That massive structure is the main Crystal Palace, the personal palace of the Dragon King. It is also the venue for today's banquet. I can only escort you this far. Just present your invitation, and you'll be allowed entry," said the shell maiden.
Clearly, the Dragon Palace was bustling with activity.
In front of the grand palace stood elite guards, while mermaids greeted the guests—each one a peerless beauty, their fish tails swaying gracefully. The mermaids were a powerful aquatic race themselves, rumored to have evolved from fish and to possess unique aquatic abilities—akin to the Sea Demons, though they were a separate species entirely.
"Blood Spirit, chief of the Black Blood Tribe of the Blood Demon Race, presents her gift: one hundred blocks of Black Vein Blood Crystal," announced a ceremonial voice as a red-haired woman entered the Crystal Palace, her attendants delivering a lavish tribute.
This banquet also served as the Dragon King's birthday celebration, and nearly every guest had prepared a gift in advance. The items presented were not trivial—Black Vein Blood Crystals were a specialty of the Black Blood Tribe, and offering a hundred blocks was no small gesture.
Each time a guest presented a gift, the palace announcer would loudly proclaim it. In such a setting, one's offering was publicly known. A meager gift would only bring shame, and although no one would be denied entry for failing to bring one, it would tarnish one's reputation among the many powers present.
"The Dragon Palace really knows how to play its cards," Yi Tianxing said with a faint shake of his head.
It was clearly a clever ploy to provoke competitive gifting—inducing guests to offer more lavish tributes, lest they lose face. While one could enter without a gift, it was bound to leave a mark on their reputation: stingy and petty.
"For future interactions, that's no small setback," Yi Tianxing mused.
"Invincible General of the Undying Race has arrived! His tribute: a petal of White Bone Cold Flame!" the announcer called.
A towering figure clad in black battle armor stepped forward. The clatter of bones was audible as he moved, and cold fire flickered in his eye sockets, radiating an unrivaled battle aura.
"Invincible General? White Bone Cold Flame? It's him." Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed as he looked over.
He instantly recognized the man.
An old acquaintance had appeared at the Dragon King's banquet.