When Second Prince Ao Yi collapsed, the scene immediately descended into chaos.

Li Changshou felt numerous powerful gazes from the Dragon Palace lock onto him, their hostility growing increasingly intense. Having roughly understood the Second Prince’s puzzling behavior, Li Changshou quickly contemplated countermeasures. Though the young prince’s acting was unconvincing, his status remained significant – if the Dragon Palace used this as an excuse to cause trouble, it would truly be unfortunate.

Master Jiu Jiu stood before Li Changshou, using her diminutive frame to shield half his position. She asked softly, “Junior Nephew Changshou, are you injured?”

“Just some qi fluctuations, Senior Master need not worry. The second Prince’s attacking force was too strong, but this disciple is unharmed,” Li Changshou replied quietly. Having already formulated a strategy, his expression showed both concern and slight shame as he sighed: “I wonder about Second Prince’s injuries. My talisman techniques shouldn’t have been able to break through his immortal armor. Perhaps because I kept dodging with movement techniques and lacked the courage for confrontation, His Highness became anxious and his power went astray. Senior Master, should you help diagnose him? I’m not sure about the Dragon Palace’s medical expertise, whether they can properly diagnose such conditions.”

Jiu Jiu couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation, chiding: “The Dragon Palace is filled with experts. How could they not diagnose this? Stop worrying needlessly!”

Hearing this, the gazes of the Dragon Palace’s ministers and generals all turned to Ao Yi. Prime Minister Tortoise, who had first supported Ao Yi, quickly spoke: “Second Prince is fine. His power circulation merely went askew, causing his external armor to rupture. Currently, His Highness is just unconscious from being struck by his power. He will wake shortly, there’s no major concern…”

A Dragon Palace general in silver armor immediately asked, “Then Prime Minister, how should this match be judged?”

Prime Minister Tortoise fell into deep contemplation, looking at the boundary and then at the unconscious Ao Yi.

This time, Li Changshou didn’t need to worry further.

An immortal cultivator from Du Xian Gate laughed: “Naturally, the Second Prince is the victor. After my humble Junior Nephew stepped out of bounds, the Second Prince suffered minor injuries from his power surge. The result is clear. This poor Daoist has Du Xian Gate’s secret qi-regulating pills – though I imagine the Dragon Palace wouldn’t look twice at such ordinary medicine, it’s still a small token of our sect’s goodwill.”

“Many thanks for the immortal’s kindness.”

Prime Minister Tortoise gestured for the Dragon Palace general to accept the pills, effectively concluding the matter. He immediately summoned several dragon-transformed soldiers to place the unconscious Second Prince Ao Yi on a jeweled chair and carry him away.

The several immortal cultivators from Du Xian Gate each cupped their hands in salute, protecting Li Changshou as they returned to their seats.

While walking, Li Changshou suddenly whispered to Jiu Jiu beside him: “Senior Master, I seem to recall reading in ancient texts that those grapes on our table are particularly effective for this type of cultivation-induced qi deviation.”

“Those grapes were given by the Dragon Palace, how would they not know?” Jiu Jiu responded irritably, “And you – why did you step out of bounds? If you had stayed a moment longer, you might have won outright!”

Li Changshou smiled bitterly: “This disciple could no longer hold on.”

Jiu Jiu immediately became quite displeased, launching into a lecture of Li Changshou:

“After returning, this Senior Master will supervise your cultivation personally. What use is spending all day refining pills and studying formations when you can’t raise your cultivation? Truly, personal cultivation is the foundation of reaching the Dao! Otherwise, even if powerful magical treasures fall into your hands by chance, you won’t be able to manifest even half their power!”

“Yes, disciple acknowledges his error.”

Li Changshou lowered his head in acknowledgment, while internally feeling somewhat relieved. He could sense that the gazes previously focused on him were beginning to rapidly disperse…

Approaching from ahead, Qin Yuanya came forth carrying her great sword, her eyes showing traces of urgency.

“Senior Brother Changshou, are you truly uninjured?”

“I’m fine, really – just affected by the qi shock,” Li Changshou replied with an ashamed expression, “To make Junior Sister and fellow disciples worry – it’s due to my limited abilities bringing shame to our sect.”

A senior brother immediately transmitted: “That Dragon Palace Second Prince clearly meant to cause trouble deliberately, and specifically chose you, Junior Brother Changshou! Just watch later – I’ll make sure the dragon princes and princesses who appear next know their place!”

Li Changshou immediately cast a grateful look toward this senior brother.

“Senior Brother Changshou, please sit and regulate your breath, don’t remain standing.”

“The Dragon Palace truly went too far, and that Second Prince was especially despicable.”

Jiu Jiu said: “Everyone sits down and stops complaining! There are so many Celestial Immortals watching above us!”

Though the disciples were being scolded, several still spoke up for Li Changshou, only to be reprimanded by other Du Xian Gate immortal cultivators.

These reactions from his fellow disciples…

It was quite normal.

Li Changshou understood clearly that their reactions correlated with their individual sense of collective honor, having little connection to him personally.

Returning to his seat, Li Changshou’s fluctuating qi quickly stabilized. Qin Yuanya finally departed from his side, looking back with every third step.

Subsequently, the concern faded from Qin Yuanya’s beautiful face, growing increasingly cold.

This top-ranked disciple of the current Du Xian Gate gradually showed traces of anger in her eyes.

She removed the great sword from her back, placing it on the low table. Her sword fingers touched various points on the blade, forming the Blue Lotus Heaven-Opening Treasure Seal. Flame patterns appeared across the great sword, slowly transforming into numerous slender flying swords…

The temperature in the seating area for Du Xian Gate’s young disciples suddenly dropped slightly.

She took out two bottles of pills to check, confirming she had enough medicine to rapidly restore spiritual power;

Then she took out a handkerchief, methodically wiping these flying swords, her cold beautiful face expressionless, but her gaze slightly…

Intimidating.

“Junior Sister Qin.”

Li Changshou’s voice entered her ear, still transmitted directly;

Qin Yuanya’s movements paused as she turned to look.

“If you wish to make a move later, you must still show some restraint. This is the Dragon Palace – there’s no need to meet them with direct opposition.”

Qin Yuanya nodded slightly, and that gaze that had been seeking a fight softened considerably.

It was hard to tell if she was pursing her lips or smiling at that moment, perhaps both;

But her expression and gaze meant to tell Li Changshou ‘Don’t worry’.

The three Du Xian Gate disciples seated between Li Changshou and Qin Yuanya were seeing this kind of expression from her for the first time. Beyond their surprise, they also strangely felt somewhat out of place…

And superfluous.

Qin Yuanya continued carefully wiping her flying swords, and from her manner, hadn’t changed her mind despite Li Changshou’s transmitted words.

Li Changshou simply stopped trying to manage the situation, as there wasn’t much he could do anyway.

He cast the Wind Speech Spell, this time mainly to hear the discussions in the venue, to conduct a ‘post-performance real-time audience feedback’.

Streams of conversation rode the wind to his ears, near and far, quite noisy…

“This Du Xian Gate disciple was quite good, but that Dragon Palace Second Prince was truly too impetuous, completely unable to display his true capabilities.”

“Didn’t the Prime Minister Tortoise just say? The Second Prince is only ten years old, his temperament being a bit hot-headed is inevitable.”

“This poor Daoist might have been able to defeat the Second Prince, but unfortunately, this Du Xian Gate disciple was forced out of bounds first…”

After careful analysis, Li Changshou felt somewhat more at ease internally.

At this point, his image as an outstanding Du Xian Gate disciple was three-dimensional, full-bodied, and without flaws.

Yet when seated among the sect’s top ten talented disciples, he would quickly be overshadowed, naturally preventing others from seeing any particular brilliance in him or continuing to pay much attention.

Prime Minister Tortoise officially announced once more that the Dragon Palace Second Prince had won the previous exchange;

However, due to the Second Prince’s impetuous nature, his qi had deviated, causing internal injuries, and he had returned to the Dragon Palace for treatment. The subsequent birthday celebration events were thus canceled.

This small disturbance temporarily came to an end.

From this strange incident, Li Changshou saw the inconstancy of the primordial chaos and the complexity of dragon hearts. He lamented that he was still too young, having underestimated both human nature and dragon nature, failing to consider this matter thoroughly…

But who could have known this little dragon would pull something like this?

This Ao Yi’s approach was unexpectedly wild – he intended to deliberately lose to him?

Fortunately, he had stepped out of bounds to concede one step ahead; otherwise, the current situation truly would have been unpredictable chaos.

Next time encounters a similar situation, he might as well punch himself, inflict serious injury, and directly withdraw…

Thinking back to earlier, that seemingly calm yet absurd moment of confrontation;

In that instant when fist met palm…

Behind their somewhat awkward figures, two dark shadows seemed to appear, coldly observing each other.

‘You’re acting with me?’

‘Takes one to know one.’

No need to think further – this young dragon likely had other schemes.

Returning safely to the mountain gate was now Li Changshou’s greatest hope;

Weighing the advantages and disadvantages, even if he had to expose some of his trump cards later, it would be worth it to smoothly leave this dangerous environment.

After all, the purpose of hiding trump cards was to better survive.

Who knew what other dragon affairs and dragon plays lay ahead?

…

After the exhibition match, the Demon Vanquishing Assembly officially began.

The Dragon Palace arranged several grand spectacles, then brought out twelve treasure-grade magical artifacts as final rewards for the various sects’ disciples’ exchanges.

The exchanges took the form of defending and challenging platforms, with sect disciples allowed unlimited participation, and the venue was divided into several areas.

Each platform opening had one magical treasure as the prize. If someone could successfully defend nine times in succession and defeat the Dragon Palace’s appointed ‘platform master’, they could claim the magical treasure.

The platform masters were some young dragon children, their cultivation strength equivalent to normal standard Return to Dao Realm first or second-tier practitioners.

Though claiming treasures was not easy, the enthusiasm of the various immortal sects’ disciples ran high, as magical treasures were indeed hard to come by.

When the platforms opened and disciples from various sects displayed their abilities, the scene became quite magnificent at times.

In less than two hours, a disciple from a major sect at the initial Return to Dao realm won nine consecutive matches, earning the chance to face a platform master, but after an intense battle, was defeated by that young dragon.

At this point, Qin Yuanya slapped the low table, her figure soaring skyward, twelve clear glass flying swords circling her as she landed before that young dragon.

“Let us fight.”

That day, at the Dragon Palace assembly, Du Xian Gate disciple Qin Yuanya dazzled all present.

With her outstanding sword control and fire manipulation techniques, she claimed four magical treasures in succession, defeated dozens of practitioners, wounded four young dragons of the Return to Dao realm, and from this point forward gained fame throughout the East Victory Divine Continent.

After the great battle, this female practitioner – whose immortal path was destined to be extraordinary and who commanded the attention of all present – dragged her weary form, covered in wounds, carrying her great sword, step by step back to the Du Xian Gate seating area;

Refusing the support of several fellow disciples, ignoring the urging of several senior masters to immediately regulate her breath, she passed her own seat and continued walking several steps back…

Lowering her head, bending down, those delicate hands trembling slightly from excessive spiritual power consumption;

Ultimately, she successfully placed those four radiant magical treasures on the low table before that male disciple of the Return to Void second tier from Du Xian Gate, who had by now been forgotten by the vast majority…

Then, she gave that man who raised his head to look at her a tired smile…

At this moment, all the practitioners present showed deep respect for Qin Yuanya, while the immortal cultivators from various sects sighed continuously with emotion.

As for Li Changshou, his gaze was quite complex, words failing him as he stood and reached out to support her, but Qin Yuanya, mindful of his condition, immediately dodged away.

Thus, Li Changshou could only make a deep formal bow toward Qin Yuanya’s retreating figure, while secretly blessing Master Jiu Wu in his heart…

Several hundred times.

…

In a magnificent underwater palace.

The youth lying on the hundred-foot-long great bed suddenly opened his eyes, reaching back to grab the maid who was kneeling beside him peeling grape skin.

“Did I lose? Did I lose?”

“You- Your Highness need not worry, you won this match…”

“What? How could that be? I… Pugh!”

“Second Prince! Second Prince!

Someone come quickly! His Highness has fainted again!”