But it wouldn't take long to return, and on the way, he could still ponder the Wuji Treasure Book and the Prajnaparamita Holy Scripture.

"There are matters at the Dongling Dragon Palace, and we are not seeing outsiders," a shrimp soldier proclaimed, hands on his hips, as they reached the surface of the sea.

"Well then..." Wang Mu took out the Water Repelling Dragon Scale Armor. "This is a Supreme Treasure of your Dragon Palace. I am returning it to your Old Dragon King."

The shrimp soldier blinked in confusion. "Eh? The Water Repelling Dragon Scale Armor? Hiss... Are you, are you our Prince Consort of the Dragon Palace?"

Wang Mu was puzzled. Didn't I reject that earlier?

"Let me go and report to the Dragon King..." With a WHOOSH, the shrimp soldier dove back into the sea.

Another Crab General spoke respectfully, "So it's Lord Prince Consort... We did not expect your visit..."

"Wait!" Wang Mu waved his hand. "When did I become your Dragon Palace's Prince Consort?"

"With this Water Repelling Dragon Scale Armor, if you are not the Prince Consort, then who is?" the Crab General clamped his pincers together. "The scales on this armor were made from the scales shed by the Third Princess when she came of age. True Dragon Clan members only shed their scales once like this when they mature, making them precious beyond measure."

"Any armor made from this Dragon's Scale is a Supreme Treasure."

"The Dragon King himself commissioned Shen Jizi, a master of Artifact Refining from among your human sects, to craft this personally. He decreed that whoever weds the Third Princess would be gifted this armor."

"Our Sea Clan all know this. Back in the day, your human race must have also heard something about it..."

Wang Mu was speechless.

Wang Mu took a deep breath. Fortunately, I took off the armor soon after obtaining it and haven't worn it much! Otherwise, this could have been a major issue! This Old Dragon King is a real piece of work.

"Why doesn't your Dragon Palace allow others in?" Wang Mu casually asked. "Can't they even pay a visit?"

"Of course, they can," replied the Crab General. "Our Dongling Sea Dragon Palace has trade relations with other sea areas and some of your human sects. However, something recently came up in our Dongling Sea, prompting a temporary suspension of visits."

Wang Mu nodded, asking no further.

Not long after, the shrimp soldier reemerged, saying, "The Dragon King says if you want to return the armor, you must meet with him personally."

Wang Mu nodded. That was no problem.

Reentering the Dragon Palace, Wang Mu felt a slight tension in the water. The atmosphere felt subtly tense, and the Sea Clan patrolling around the Dragon Palace looked extremely solemn, as if some great event had occurred. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Upon reaching the grand hall of the Dragon Palace, the Old Dragon King, dressed in a Dragon Robe, approached Wang Mu with a beaming smile. "Son-in-law, have you come to our Dragon Palace to complete the marriage with Qing'er?"

Wang Mu was silent.

After speaking, the Old Dragon King glanced at Wang Mu, and his Dragon's Horn stiffened. He's reached the Nascent Soul stage! Not long ago, he was merely at the Golden Core stage, but now he's at the Nascent Soul stage. Quite impressive indeed! No wonder he could be a companion to an Ascending Immortal Ancestor. This talent... these resources... unparalleled!

"Dragon King, don't force me to call off the engagement," Wang Mu chuckled. "You know why I came here, right?"

"You kid..." the Old Dragon King sighed. "You've seen Qing'er's body and think to be so irresponsible?"

"Old Dragon King, don't slander me," Wang Mu said. "When did I ever see your daughter's body?"

"Last time," the Old Dragon King said. "You took Qing'er's Reversed Scale, did you not see her body then?"

Wang Mu thought, Does that even count? What could I possibly have seen?

"Well, no matter..." the Old Dragon King sighed. "It's just a daughter. No harm done if her body was seen, as long as her virtue is intact. Even if the Reversed Scale was taken, it's fine as long as she's safe."

At this moment, a warrior clad in armor, nearly seven or eight feet tall, riding a shark-like sea beast approached, muttering a few words to the Old Dragon King.

The next second, the Old Dragon King exclaimed in shock and anger, "What? Something happened to Qing'er?"

"Can you clarify that?"

The general muttered again.

"What?" The Old Dragon King was thunderstruck. "Qing'er was hit in a vital spot while dueling with a sea beast because she didn't have her protective Reversed Scale, and she's injured? Is it serious? Very serious? How serious is 'very serious'? She's dying? Eh... it's fine. After all, she's just one daughter. If she's dead, then she's dead. I still have other daughters."

Wang Mu remained silent.

Shortly thereafter, the Sea Clan warrior left.

The Old Dragon King then turned to Wang Mu, managing a strained smile. "Little cultivator, you're not the Prince Consort of our Dragon Palace, so this has nothing to do with you. You may leave."

Wang Mu didn't respond.

Wang Mu thought, This Old Dragon King must have been quite the expert in his younger days.

"What happened with the Third Princess?" Wang Mu pondered for a moment before asking.

He didn't believe anything could truly happen to Ao Qing. Especially since it supposedly occurred just as I arrived... The Old Dragon King is definitely putting on an act. Still, I should ask.

"Little cultivator, do you really want to know?" the Old Dragon King asked. "Then I will tell you."

"Recently, an Immortal Island appeared suddenly in our Dongling Sea," the Old Dragon King began. "The arrival of the Immortal Island should have been a fortuitous event of great auspice, and indeed it was. It turned out that a powerful cultivator of our kind had been in seclusion on that island for countless years."

"This adept possesses my True Dragon Bloodline and Cultivation that reaches up to Heavenly Communication!"

The Old Dragon King said, "It mentioned that in a while, it plans to ascend. Before its departure, it intends to summon the Nine Provinces Sea Clan to bestow upon us a great benevolence. It plans to take a few Direct Disciples and pass down its True Dragon Bloodline and Heavenly Dragon Path."

"It asked that we send younger, highly talented members of the Sea Clan—preferably those of the Dragon Clan with the True Dragon Bloodline—to go."

"As for the other members of the Sea Clan, if they go to the Immortal Island for Cultivation, it will also provide guidance."