In the banquet hall of the Hanhai Sect,
After the sudden appearance of the spiritual energy vortex, Empress Longji, who emerged from the main hall, declared that the anomaly was caused by her recent minor breakthrough.
The assembled Ascended Elders did not doubt her. After all, as the strongest in the Hanhai Sect, it was entirely normal for Longji to experience such an anomaly during secluded cultivation and breakthrough.
They were even delighted by this, and Longji, seizing the moment, decided to host a grand banquet to celebrate her breakthrough and entertain the friends brought by Linglong!
Within the banquet hall, precious lamps hung high, their spiritual light illuminating the space.
Guests were seated around the hall, with tables laden with all sorts of delicacies and seafood.
Elders took their seats in various directions, while Longji sat at the head of the table. Chen Luo was specially arranged by Longji to sit in the first seat to her right.
Chen Luo had by now changed into a specially made ceremonial robe of the Hanhai Sect. The well-fitting blue long gown lent him an air of scholarly elegance.
However, as Chen Luo savored the delicacies, his eyes would occasionally twitch involuntarily when he glanced at a certain seat.
Following Chen Luo's gaze, Elder Xie, disregarding his favorite Spirit Salt Purple Crystal Fish, was stealthily whispering to Elder Mo beside him:
"Old Octopus, I'm telling you, don't tell anyone else!"
Elder Mo blinked slightly, nodded gently, and signaled for Old Crab to continue.
Elder Xie said mysteriously, "I'm telling you! Empress Longji asked me to deliver clothes to Young Master Chen just now, and it was in Empress Longji's Gem Hall!"
Elder Mo blinked slightly and subconsciously cast a questioning glance. What was the big deal about delivering clothes? It was normal to change into a ceremonial robe to attend a banquet.
But seeing Elder Xie chuckle and reveal a look of knowing a big secret, he couldn't resist spilling the beans:
"I'm telling you! The moment that Immortal Crystal Gate opened, I saw Young Master Chen standing in the Gem Hall, completely naked!"
Upon hearing this, Elder Mo's eyes widened. He hadn't expected this! This young man, who appeared carefree and approachable, had such a peculiar habit in private?!
Seeing the Old Octopus's shock, Old Xie felt a great sense of satisfaction and continued, "I'm telling you! As a human, Young Master Chen's... that thing... is a formidable weapon!"
"Cough, cough!!!" Hearing this, Chen Luo finally couldn't help but cough heavily!
Old Xie, you with the thick eyebrows and big eyes, what gossip are you spreading! It's one thing for young ladies to discuss it, but why are you, an old crab, so gossipy!
Hearing Chen Luo's cough and looking at his clearly displeased gaze, Old Xie cast an uncomprehending look at him.
Among the demon race, that thing was also a manifestation of power. Although Old Xie was gossipy, he was describing Chen Luo's strength.
Well, cultural differences, there's no solution.
However, Longji, who had traveled among humans before, naturally understood Chen Luo's concerns. She, who had always maintained her purity, should have reprimanded Old Xie.
But thinking of her crying baby daughter, Longji chuckled slyly in her heart, "Young Master Chen, you can have this good reputation in the demon race."
Seeing Old Xie approach the next elder and begin another round of promoting Chen Luo with "I'm telling you, don't tell anyone else," Chen Luo was completely resigned.
After all, all the elders whom Old Xie had confided in, their gazes towards him had shifted from gentle to reverent?!
Chen Luo finally realized that Old Xie was trying to curry favor with him, thinking he was helping him!
But good heavens, is this what you demon races consider popular? Comparing this?!
In his frustration, Chen Luo could only grab a king crab as large as his face and eat it resentfully!
The demon race refers to all sentient beings outside of humanity that have gained intelligence due to spiritual energy. They form their own race. Although their customs and culture learn from humans, there are also significant differences.
For example, Old Xie, despite being a crab demon, did not mind others eating crabs. To the demon race, all beings not enlightened by spiritual energy were not of the same kind.
However, speaking of which, the "Sea Delicacies" of the Hanhai Sect were truly exceptional.
White and succulent, crisp and fragrant, whether it was the crab roe or the clam meat, Chen Luo ate with great satisfaction.
Although in terms of efficacy, they were not comparable to the food transformed by the "Food is Heaven" skill, which could restore energy and even enhance attributes.
But purely in terms of taste, it left Chen Luo with endless aftertaste.
During the feast, Longji and the elders also toasted frequently. The wine was amber-colored and intoxicatingly fragrant. Even though Chen Luo was not fond of drinking, he had to marvel at the beauty of the Hanhai Jade Wine.
As the atmosphere gradually heated up, Longji clapped her hands, and the precious lamps in the banquet hall gradually dimmed.
The light in the banquet hall gradually converged towards the center of the venue, while other areas turned into a dim background.
As Chen Luo's gaze shifted towards the gathering light, a melodious maiden's song began to resound from low to high within the banquet hall.
The content of the song seemed to be in an obscure language, which Chen Luo could not understand, but this allowed him to better feel the emotions contained within.
It seemed to be a melancholy of unfulfilled desire.
In a daze, a figure in a shimmering dress rose from beneath the light of the precious lamps. It was an incredibly stunning maiden, whose silver hair and dragon horns proclaimed her non-human identity.
No one spoke. All eyes in the hall were captivated by the Dragon Girl, and only the mournful song flowed gracefully from her lips.
When the melancholy in the song had been fully expressed, the maiden gracefully tapped her toes,
And within this Hanhai Dragon Palace, she began to dance gracefully!
Her immortal posture like a fish dance, her sleeves twirling lightly, the wind blowing like snow, her ethereal beauty leaving no trace.
When the light of the precious lamps brightened again, everyone was still immersed in amazement,
Only Chen Luo silently raised a cup of wine towards the disappearing silhouette at the entrance of the banquet hall.
...
In the following days, Chen Luo returned to the suspended mountain where he had first arrived. However, unlike before, Longji granted Chen Luo access to all the cultivation resources of the Hanhai Sect.
Whether it was elixirs to stabilize the dantian, spiritual herbs to increase cultivation, or the countless cultivation techniques accumulated by the Hanhai Sect over the years, even their secret immortal arts were all opened to Chen Luo.
However, Chen Luo merely glanced at the elixirs and spiritual herbs, understood the achievements in the path of alchemy, and then returned them as they were.
Given his aptitude, he did not need the assistance of these things. The world itself was the greatest spiritual medicine.
As for cultivation techniques and top-tier immortal arts, Chen Luo was more interested.
After all, spiritual energy was the foundation, and immortal arts were the amplifiers of spiritual energy.
These wondrous spells, born from spirit patterns, greatly enriched Chen Luo's methods of using spiritual energy.
Moreover, compared to the framework design of his system skills, after perusing the countless collections of the Hanhai Sect, Chen Luo had a vague feeling of touching the essence of spirit patterns.
Unlike his previous simple combination of magic skills, Chen Luo had a feeling that if he could truly master the art of spirit patterns, he might be able to grasp the missing link in what the system referred to.
However, corresponding to Chen Luo's rapid progress in the path of spiritual energy.
He had not seen Linglong again since that day.
Until a month later, a peerlessly beautiful woman in a moon-white robe, with a graceful posture.
With her slender arch of the foot, stepping in crystal shoes, arrived on this floating island.