Dragon's Soul Chapter 189: Banquet Crashers
Keep up the suggestions and comments on the other post about the current arc :D I'm reading them all and taking note and using some of them in the story :), cough cough Anglerfish >_>
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Shortly after Lord Long Feng arrived another flying chariot could be seen cutting through the sky. This time, the chariot was decorated with carvings of toads and a chubby looking middle-aged man whose face was covered in warts could be seen manning the chariot while what appeared to be a beautiful young woman dressed in a colorful robes stood beside him.
“That is Lord Chan Chu, in terms of power he is slightly inferior when compared to Shen Yu however due to the fact that his true form is that of a Violet Eye Toad he is an adversary that few would dare to face in direct combat.” Hai Xing said in a low tone.
“Violet Eye toad? That’s funny since his eyes aren't even violet.” Zhang said with a chuckle.
“My lord it appeared you're looking at the wrong person. If you look closely to the person on the right.” Hai Xing said.
“To the right?” Zhang mumbled as he shifted his gaze to the beautiful young woman beside the ugly man manning the chariot.
“You mean that is...” Zhang whispered to Hai Xing in a low tone.
“Yes you're not mistaken, Lord Chan Chu often pretends to be a young woman when going outside…Something about women being easier to get close to when they believe they are in the presence of their own kind. He has a reputation for courting many of the city’s beauties thanks to his unusual methods.” Hai Xing said in a way that made it seem like Lord Chan Chu’s antics were very well known within the city while also having a very disgusted expression on her face.
“So that's a man…” Zhang thought as Lord Chan Chu’s chariot landed.
“I'll make sure to keep Ling, Ai, Yuying and Lingqi away from him… To think there was a way to court women by pretending to be a woman.” Zhang also thought as he felt a powerful aura entering through the castle’s main gates.
Looking in the direction of the main gates, Zhang spotted an extremely beautiful young woman who could be comparable to the beauties. Standing beside her was an elderly woman with a hunched back and a broad smile plastered on her face. Oddly enough while the young woman did not give off even a hint of her power, simply laying eyes on this elderly woman made a shiver run down Zhang’s spine, telling him that this woman could mean trouble. But he knew for certain that between the elderly woman and the beautiful young woman, he had to keep an eye out on the younger woman.
“That's Madam Diao Yi, of the three remaining full saints within the city she is the trickiest to deal with since not much is known about her besides the fact that her true form is that of a Nightmare Angler Fisher. That there is her attendant, I'm not familiar with her name nor her origins though.” Hai Xing said to Zhang while gesturing at the elderly woman first and then pointing at the beautiful young woman.
After a brief introduction of Madam Diao Yu from Hai Xing, Zhang made his way back to the table where the beauties were seat while Chu Shou and Hai Xing made their ways to a large stage set in a corner of the courtyard.
“Since our all of our esteemed guests have arrived, let the festivities commence!” Chu Shou said as he clapped his hands and teams of maids filed into the courtyard with trays of food in hand while a wide variety of large sh.e.l.ls were brought into the stage by musicians. Before long a symphony of music began emitting from the sh.e.l.ls.
While Lord Chan Chu made his way to where Zhang and the beauties were currently seated, Lord Long Feng and Madam Diao Yi strangely closed in on the middle-aged lesser saint who had been made into Yuying’s faithful servant earlier in the day.
“Xiao Haishi, a source of mine told me that you've gotten your hands on something that someone of your caliber shouldn't have laid hands on.” Madam Diao Yi said as she sat beside Yuying’s new faithful servant who sat silently without uttering a single word at all.
“If you value your life you'll turn over the piece of the painting that you got your slimy hands on.” Madam Diao Yi said in an unhappy tone despite having a smile still plastered on her face as Xiao Haishi continues to remain silent.
“Madam, you think the likes of you is fit to possess something that the Dragon G.o.d Palace wishes to acquire?” Lord Long Feng said after sipping a cup of wine.
“Showing your true colors now it seems.” Madam Diao Yi said as she looked at Lord Long Feng from the corner of her wrinkled eyes.
“True colors? When have I ever tried to pretend to be something or someone that I am not? Simply because I reside here does not mean my loyalties aren't directed toward the Dragon G.o.d Palace. Even Shen Yu knew of this when he was alive.” Lord Long Feng replied with a snort.
“Madam since we've been acquainted for a very long time I'll give you a word of warning, despite maintaining a neutral stance amongst the forces of the sea, the Dragon G.o.d Palace’s ancestral master had issued an edict stating that all who have relations to the palace are to scour the sea and obtain all of the pieces of the Ascending Beauty Painting. He specifically stated that we can use any means at our disposal and as long as we retrieve the piece of the painting then the palace will offer us it's backing.” Lord Long Feng also said.
“I apologize to the both of you but the piece of the painting is no longer in my possession.” Xiao Haishi said in a cold emotionless voice.
“No longer in your possession? Lies will do you no good little sea lion.” Madam Diao Yu said.
“Lord Chan Chu was a step ahead of the rest of you. Forgive me for saying this but he told me to tell you both that a mere lizard and a stupid lantern fish shouldn't even attempt to compete with him.” Xiao Haishi said while a few tables away, Yuying could be seen making a series of simple hand signs while Ling who was seated beside her was talking to Lord Chan Chu.
While Lord Long Feng and Madam Diao Yu had been talking to Yuying’s new servant, Lord Chan Chu had intruded upon Zhang’s table and began trying to converse with the beauties one after the other.
Despite Zhang’s efforts to get him away from the beauties, Lord Chan Chu insisted on staying at the table and continued to try to talk to the beauties. As this man who was as beautiful as a young maiden continued to try to talk to her, be it with no ill intentions or not. Yuying’s patience was soon expended. So when she saw Lord Long Feng and Madam Diao Yu arrive at Xiao Haishi’s table and listened to their conversation through secret means, a glint had appeared in her eyes.
Using a simple incantation Yuying activated her binding on Xiao Haishi and made him voice her thoughts, which of course was definitely going to stir trouble for Lord Chan Chu while also making it so that no one would suspect her husband of obtaining the piece of the painting.
“Now to sit back and watch the show.” Yuying thought as Lord Long Feng and Madam Diao Yu both stared at Lord Chan Chu with fiery eyes as they both go up from their seats.
“Chan Chu you d.a.m.n crossdresser, hand it over to me right now!!” Lord Long Feng roared as his hand slapped down onto a table beside him, causing it to split into two halves. In an instant, all of the chatter in the courtyard ceased and all eyes were focused toward either Zhang’s table or the table where Lord Long Feng stood.
“Stupid lantern fish… How dare you… Wretched toad you…” Madam Qiao Yu’s attendant said as she appeared out from nowhere.
Confused and having no idea what was going on, Lord Chan Chu who was actually starting to having a fairly engaging conversation with Ai, looked at his two peers with a silly look on his face.
“Old Long if it's that young maid from your mansion that you fancy so much that you're talking about I already returned her home! I can't a.s.sure you she won't come looking for me later but for now, she's safely back in your manor. As for you Granny Diao please don't give me that look I have never called you a lantern fish in front of anyone else… Sure I've called you that in private a few times but I'm sure I'm not the only one.” Lord Chan Chu said while an innocent looking expression was present on his face.
Upon hearing what Lord Chan Chu said, Zhang couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
“This one is a strange one. Besides being armed with toxic skin he's also equipped with a sharp tongue.” Zhang thought with a chuckle as his impression of Lord Chan Chu increased a tiny bit.
“Quit playing dumb and hand over the Ascending Beauty Painting!” Lord Long Feng said in an angry voice.
“Ascending Beauty Painting? I have many naked beauty paintings at home if you want one, however, I've never heard of any Ascending Beauty Paintings.” Lord Chan Chu said with a laugh which in turn caused Zhang to chuckle some more.
“If it's paintings of naked beauties you want Lord Long Feng, I have a small collection of my own. Although it's sort of a private collection and not one to be shared.” Zhang said with a chuckle, prompting the faces of four beauties beside him to glow bright red.
“Don't tell other people about those!” Lingqi, Yuying, and Ling said as she pinched Zhang in succession one after the other.
“Silence! I don't care if you're the new ruler of the Blood Coral Cove, this matter doesn't involve you!” Lord Long Feng said in an enraged voice.
“Now, now, Old Long, that's no way to talk to the city’s new host.” Lord Chan Chu said as he winked at Zhang.
“Enough of this! Little road hand over the painting or else you'll regret it.” Madam Diao Yu as her brows furrowed.
“Granny even you’re interested in naked beauty paintings? If that's what you're into then I'm willing to share a bit of my collection with you, as long as you keep any self-portraits of yourself to yourself. Don't get me wrong I'm sure you were a beauty to behold back in the day but as you are now I don't want to see what's beneath those robes.” Lord Chan Chu said, causing all of the other people attending the banquet to chuckle.
With each laugh that entered her ear, Madam Diao Yu’s rage began to bellow as her veins began to bulge. As Lord Chan Chu continued to poke fun at her, Madam Diao Yu who always had a smile present on her face could no longer keep up her facade.
“Long Feng, help me kill this insolent brat and I promise that the painting will be yours.” Madam Diao Yu said as a fan made of jade appeared in her hand.
“Deal!” Lord Long Feng said as a spear made of black colored metal appeared in his hand.
“Simply because I gave you a little bit of face and not reprimanded you for your insolence you think that you can act unruly here? The lot of you settle down!” Zhang said as he enveloped the entire courtyard with an unbearable pressure that caused everyone’s hairs to tingle and stand on end.
Although the argument had sp.a.w.ned in part from due to Yuying’s actions and he could have simply remained silent and allowed for the three saints to slaughter themselves, Zhang figured regardless of the outcome he would somehow be dragged into the situation anyway so better to try to stop things before they got out of hand then to allow a huge mess to occur.
There was also the fact that Long Feng and Diao Yu were not even giving him a hint of face, which normally Zhang didn't really care about but due to being the new ruler of the Blood Coral Cove he had to establish his dominance in front of other or else how will he command the absolute obedience of his new subordinates.
“Hmph, a mere human demanding face from a divine beast? How laughable of you to try to order me around!” Lord Long Feng laughed as green colored scales began to appear on his skin while his nails turned into sharp looking claws.
In an instant, he unleashed his powers also and releases a terrifying pressure that clashed with Zhang’s.
“Acting haughty and prideful while only possessing the traits of a mere low tier Green Scaled Dragon? That's what is truly laughable. Realistically speaking green colored dragons are more closely related to lizards than dragons.” Yuying said mockingly as a sea of green colored fog appeared around her ankles while her pressure joined Zhang's and clashed with Long Feng’s.
“Don't you dare talk badly about my brother.” Ai said as a pressure as stronger than Zhang’s was released, causing a few of the people present who were lacking in cultivation to faint.
It was an undisputed fact that in terms of raw power Ai was the strongest within the group while Yuying possessed the most knowledge and Ling possessed what could be called the highest intelligent. As for Lingqi none could compare to her in regards to medical knowledge.
With combined might of the pressure released by Zhang, Yuying, and Ai, Lord Long Feng instantly found himself at a disadvantage as he felt a suffocating force envelope him, making his sense dull and his movements sluggish.
“Let me join in too!” Lord Chan Chu said with a gleeful tone as his pressure also erupted and pressed on Lord Long Feng causing the green scaled man to cough up a mouth full of blood.
“If the lot of you thinks that you can beat me by simply ganging up then you’ve made a terrible mistake.” Lord Long Feng said as he produced a red colored pill from his interspatial ring and placed it into his mouth. In next to no time at all the pressure he was emitting increased tenfold while his body began to morph, the color of his pupils turned into a magnificent golden color much like Ai’s, limbs began to bulge and grow larger while a spiked tail began to poke out of his robes.
“What an interesting pill.” Lingqi said as Lord Long Feng who had only inherited a minuscule amount of genuine dragon blood from his ancestors was only able to grow a few green colored scales and some sharp crawls is now giving off an oppressive aura, the aura of a true dragon. Of course with everything being said and done, sadly Lord Long Feng’s ancestor was only a Green Scaled Dragon so the aura and pressure that he was giving off couldn’t even be compared to a fraction of the powers that the Azure Dragon that Zhang and the beauties had seen in the Book of Beginnings.