Chapter 130: The Dragon Palace

When the fishing boat reached the center of the river, the boatman said, "Please be careful and stand steady."

No sooner had he spoken than the boat began to tilt, slowly submerging beneath the surface. Before long, it was completely underwater, yet a faint, translucent barrier enveloped the entire vessel, keeping the water at bay.

As the boat traveled through the depths, the boatman transformed into a soldier with the head of a fish. Moving faster than it had on the surface, they soon arrived at the Zhang River Water Mansion. Stepping inside, they were quickly met by Ao Jinyu.

Liu Ping sensed her aura and could not help but be surprised. "You have truly achieved full divinity?"

Ao Jinyu smiled with self-satisfaction. "Naturally. But this is not the place to talk; let us go inside."

Liu Ping nodded, and the two moved into a side hall.

"If I had to refine my divinity slowly, I would never have achieved this so quickly. It is all thanks to the Dragon King," Ao Jinyu explained. "As for the position of Zhang County Water Administrator, he has already reported it to the Heavenly Court. I expect an imperial envoy will arrive soon to bestow the title..."

Liu Ping nodded. "I see. Tell me, regarding the matter I helped you with—the Dragon King must be aware of it, even if those fools tried to hide it. Has he expressed his stance?"

Ao Jinyu nodded. "How could he not? Inviting you to the Dragon King’s Banquet is his way of doing so. But do not worry, Young Master; you showed great restraint and did not take any lives. The Dragon King likely seeks you out now because of that secret technique of the Dragon Clan."

Just as Liu Ping nodded in agreement, a thunderous roar erupted in the sky, clearly audible even within the underwater mansion. The expressions of both shifted; such a sudden disturbance of the heavens was clearly no natural phenomenon.

Ao Jinyu’s face lit up with excitement and nervousness. "Young Master, it must be the Heavenly Envoy. Such a phenomenon could only be caused by them."

"Very likely." Although he had never seen a heavenly messenger, given Ao Jinyu’s intuition and logical deduction, it was almost certain.

Ao Jinyu quickly led a contingent of aquatic soldiers to the entrance of the mansion. Liu Ping did not follow; he was not of the divine path, and it was inappropriate for him to appear at an investiture.

Moments later, three or four massive golden chains pierced through the water and anchored themselves into the riverbed. As these chains appeared, vast banks of auspicious clouds began to form underwater. Standing atop these clouds was a divine general wearing a golden crown and golden chainmail, holding an imperial decree. His aura was not overwhelming, but his presence was impossible to ignore, possessing a unique quality that made it impossible to harbor any defiance. This was the special aura bestowed by the fortune of the Heavenly Court.

Ao Jinyu and her soldiers knelt. The envoy did not waste words and unfurled the decree. From his vantage point, Liu Ping could clearly see that the decree was imbued with a deep, pure purple hue—a sign of such intense divine fortune that it was truly startling.

"By the mandate of Heaven and the benevolence of the Celestial Emperor, I have long heard that the Zhang County Water God, Ao Qing, was diligent and devoted to his duties, managing the waters of the county without error. His loss to the trials of fate and the paths of the Dao is a matter of great sorrow. Now, as his daughter has successfully refined the Water God Seal and ascended to divinity, it is hereby decreed that Ao Jinyu is appointed as the Water Administrator of Zhang County! May you swiftly master the affairs of the county, inherit your father’s legacy, and serve me well! So it is decreed!"

The envoy finished reading and watched Ao Jinyu in silence.

Ao Jinyu took a deep breath. "This subject accepts the decree!"

As she spoke, the decree floated from the envoy’s hands, suspended in the water, and dissolved into specks of crystalline light that surged into her body. This was the recognition of the Celestial Emperor, and the influx of the Water Administrator’s fortune had an immediate effect: Ao Jinyu’s previously unstable Earth Immortal cultivation settled and became firm.

By the time the light faded, the envoy, the clouds, and the golden chains had vanished.

Watching this, Liu Ping felt a pang of sentiment. The divine path was indeed swift! Despite all his own toil and his newfound insight into the seeds of Heavenly Flowers, he was still far from a breakthrough, yet Ao Jinyu had already reached the realm of an Earth Immortal.

When she returned, her aura was entirely renewed, radiating a holiness so profound that even in her beauty, one could not feel the slightest urge to desecrate her.

"Because this is what a true goddess is," Liu Ping muttered to himself. Then he reconsidered: why was it that he could still act as he pleased with Meng Shang, who was also a goddess? It seemed that aside from cultivation levels, intimacy played a major role; as long as one was familiar enough, one could become immune to such sacred auras.

"What are you muttering about, Young Master?" Ao Jinyu asked with a giggle, clearly overjoyed that her long-held wish had finally been fulfilled. Liu Ping, however, could not share in that joy, so he merely shook his head.

The Dragon King’s Banquet was tomorrow, but they had to depart today, as the venue was quite a distance away. Ao Jinyu transformed into a green dragon, and Liu Ping sat unceremoniously atop her head as they swam through the Zhang River. Various fish spirits and monsters scattered in fear, watching her with trepidation.

Soon, they reached the end of the Zhang River. It did not empty into the sea, but into a main artery—a great river, known here as the Nine Rivers. Ao Jinyu stopped, as this territory belonged to another river god. It was a coincidence that this was the domain of Ao Hong, the one Liu Ping had once used as a whip and beaten half to death. Though Liu Ping was confident he could trounce him again, he preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble; having recovered, and with the advantage of his own Water God Seal on home turf, Ao Hong would be a difficult opponent.

Instead, they took to the sky and soon arrived at the county seat where the banquet was held: South River County. This was the final county before the Nine Rivers reached the sea, a strategic location from which one could command the water affairs of the entire Yangzhou region and beyond.

"Young Master, we have arrived," Ao Jinyu said, looking up.

Liu Ping nodded as they descended. Having reached the rank of Earth Immortal, Ao Jinyu possessed the strength to remain hidden without needing to shroud herself in clouds, which proved quite convenient. With a splash, they submerged into the water.

Moving through the depths, they reached a river eye. "The Dragon Palace is inside."

"Inside the Return Ruins?" Liu Ping asked, slightly surprised.

"Yes."

Ao Jinyu dove in without hesitation. At first, it was pitch black, but after descending thirty fathoms, Liu Ping saw a massive, translucent golden dome—dozens of times larger than the one protecting the Zhang River Mansion. Inside sat a magnificent Dragon Palace.

The palace was grand, with banners fluttering and spears gleaming in the light. Aquatic soldiers patrolled in tight, disciplined formations, while beautiful maids in sheer attire moved gracefully through the halls. The complex was a sprawling expanse of carved beams, painted rafters, blue bricks, green tiles, coral trees, and giant night-shining pearls. Precious gems and pearls from the mortal world were embedded casually into the floors. Floating silently in the darkness, the palace emitted a soft, mesmerizing glow that was visually breathtaking.

"Truly magnificent," Liu Ping muttered. The stories of the Dragon Palace’s wealth were certainly no exaggeration.

"Indeed. After all, this is one of the Dragon King’s primary palaces, second only to the South Sea Dragon Palace," Ao Jinyu said calmly, her eyes clear and devoid of envy.

As they entered, a troop of guards approached. "What business do you have here, my lady?" the captain asked respectfully, his posture humble; they knew better than to offend a member of the Dragon Clan, especially a county-level Water Administrator.

"Is the Dragon King not in the palace?" Ao Jinyu asked, surprised by the soldier’s question.

The captain nodded. "His Majesty has returned to the Dragon Sea to prepare for tomorrow’s banquet."