One by one, smiles appeared on the faces of the officials, but their eyes instinctively turned toward Yi Tianxing. Clearly, despite the generous gifts from the Dragon Palace, no one showed any disloyal intentions.The dragons' attempt to win over hearts was blatant, without the slightest pretense. Naturally, everyone waited to see Yi Tianxing's response—how would he treat the Dragon Clan?
"Alright then. Since the Dragon Palace has offered such a grand gift, I shall respectfully accept it. On behalf of all Da Yi officials, I thank the Dragon King for his generosity."
Yi Tianxing smiled as he spoke. He showed no particular reaction to the gift. The dragons wanted to buy over the upper echelon of the Da Yi Dynasty with such offerings? That was nothing more than wishful thinking. Still, a gift like this ought to be acknowledged.If they're throwing sugar-coated bullets, then we might as well eat the sugar. Otherwise, wouldn't that be a waste?
These were tangible benefits—how could one reject them?If he truly wanted to stop it, he could have simply resealed the Sea Eye. After all, in the Da Yi Dynasty, he was the heavens—his will reigned supreme, unchallengeable by anyone.
"Many thanks to the Dragon Palace!!"Huang Chengyan and the others echoed with cheerful expressions.
Ao Qi accepted the gratitude with grace.Gifts were gifts. Whether accepted or not, it didn't change the fact that they had been offered. As the Hanhai Dragon King had said: with giving and receiving comes karma. And with karma, many things naturally follow.
"There's more," Ao Ying said, pointing behind her.
"These are three thousand beauties handpicked from the mermaid tribe. From now on, they'll stay in Da Yi, gifted to Sister Qing and Sister You. My royal father was worried you might not be used to life here, so he sent them to serve your daily needs. From now on, they belong to Da Yi."
The three thousand women were all mermaids—chosen from the finest. Truly one in a million, each of them outstanding and breathtaking.
Giving them to Ao You and Ao Qing? That was essentially giving them to Yi Tianxing.
First came the sweet talk, now the beauties.
The mermaid tribe was famed for producing unmatched beauties. Sending them to the imperial palace—what was the real purpose? Was the Dragon Palace trying to fill the court with its eyes and ears, or hoping Yi Tianxing would be seduced by pleasure and neglect his duties?
Did they want him to drown in indulgence and abandon court affairs?
Yi Tianxing's eyes briefly glimmered with depth. Inwardly, he pondered the Dragon Palace's true intentions. These gifts clearly served a deeper strategy—one that was anything but trivial.
"Very well, I shall accept them," he said calmly. "Tonight is the Immortal Delicacy Banquet and New Year's Eve. Please, both of you, enjoy Da Yi's finest dishes."
He accepted everything casually. After all, what was one more louse on a tiger's back?
"Perfect, I've been wanting to try Da Yi's cuisine," Ao Qi smiled.
She had long looked forward to Da Yi's culinary delights. She had sampled them before, but this banquet was a different league altogether.
This time, she intended to indulge herself fully.
"Let the feast begin!!"Yi Tianxing gave a light gesture.
With that, the Immortal Delicacy Banquet officially commenced.
Palace maids flitted like butterflies, gracefully placing delicacies on every table and clearing empty dishes. The banquet was dazzling; no one held back. Chopsticks moved swiftly as people ate and drank heartily.
Throughout the year, many new spiritual plants and vegetables had been discovered and cultivated. For example, the Snow Continent offered exotic produce—Snow Jade Radishes, White Jade Cabbage, and even rare beast meat like the Frost Goose—all premium ingredients.
And with the imperial chefs' supreme skills, every dish was a top-tier delight.
Some dishes even glowed.
These gourmet meals replenished vitality. Paired with Dukang Immortal Wine, one sip could chase away sorrow and immerse the soul in bliss.
The banquet was a flowing feast, with an endless stream of dishes.
Spiritual fruits, modern treats like milk tea and coffee—everything appeared.
As cups clinked and laughter echoed, New Year's Eve became a night of joyous celebration.Some guests even broke through in cultivation while eating—proof that the Immortal Delicacy Banquet was a fortunate opportunity in itself.
With the added benefit of Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Refinement, the joy of the guests reached new heights.
The atmosphere grew increasingly festive.
DONG DONG DONG!!
Without realizing it, midnight arrived. As the bell tolled to ring in the new year, in Xuanhuang City and across all of Da Yi's immortal cities, fireworks exploded simultaneously, illuminating the sky.
Night turned into day—radiant and dreamlike.
As the Immortal Delicacy Banquet ended, guests departed one after another.
At that moment, the calendar turned to Eternal Era, Year Eleven.
After New Year's, Ao Ying returned to the Dragon Palace with the entourage. Carrying the Sea Eye, she dared not linger. If anything went wrong with it, the consequences would be unbearable.
However, Ao Qi stayed behind, casually touring Xuanhuang City for three full days.
On the fourth day, in the imperial garden—
Yi Tianxing and Ao Qi sat across from each other in a pavilion.
"Princess Ao Qi, recently the number of sea beasts in our surrounding waters has surged. Many of them are dragon-blooded beasts that received bloodlines from the Dragon Gate. Their numbers are increasing rapidly and have become a serious threat to our cities. Many of our citizens have been injured or killed. Can the Dragon Palace restrain them to prevent further conflict?"
Yi Tianxing spoke calmly.
Ao Qi had remained for diplomatic purposes. Yi Tianxing saw through this and invited her for an official talk after the festivities ended.
"Impossible. My father already mentioned this matter," Ao Qi replied, shaking her head.
"The Dragon Gate granted dragon blood to the world's scaled beasts, forming a connection with our Dragon Clan. However, the blood is thin. These sea beasts are essentially still wild beasts—mindless and fierce. Even with the bloodline, their savagery has only intensified. Without awakened minds, it's very difficult for us to suppress them. And we can't dispatch large numbers of pure-blooded dragons."
Yi Tianxing frowned slightly. Her words were difficult to fully believe, but his attitude needed to be made clear:
If a beast tide truly erupted, then even dragon-blooded beasts would be slain.
Blood would flow if necessary. No city or inch of land would be abandoned—Da Yi had fought hard to earn it.They would never give it up.
"We were told that these dragonkin must undergo a savage period of growth. Through fighting and killing, their bloodline may eventually awaken and evolve. At that point, their minds will awaken," Ao Qi continued."Also, dragonkin instinctively fear true dragons. If Da Yi builds Dragon King Temples in surrounding areas and my father leaves a divine imprint, it may deter the beasts from attacking and reduce casualties."
"Dragon King Temples..."Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed momentarily with a strange glint, quickly hidden—even Ao Qi failed to notice.
Building temples was no small matter—it would directly affect Da Yi's customs and even influence the faith of the people. This touched on incense offerings, divine power, and much more.
Opening this door could spiral out of control.
Yi Tianxing had no desire to see such a scenario unfold.
He immediately understood: this idea came from the Dragon Palace, from the Hanhai Dragon King himself. It was a move to indirectly infiltrate Da Yi's foundations.
"What a strategy. Truly brilliant," Yi Tianxing thought inwardly.
A knife in one hand, a candy in the other—forcing one to choose. Either path benefits the Dragon Clan.
It was a blatant open scheme. Everyone knew what the Dragon Clan was doing, but no one could refuse.
Still, Yi Tianxing wouldn't yield so easily.
"If those sea beasts lack intelligence, then they shouldn't be considered dragon kin. Should they attack our cities, Da Yi will be forced to suppress them. We hope the Dragon King won't take offense."
The conversation ended there.
A few days later, Ao Qi returned to the Dragon Palace.
She reported everything in full.
"How interesting," the Hanhai Dragon King said with a calm smile."This Emperor Yi is no ordinary man. His ambition runs deep. He truly wants to resist the dragonkin beast tide himself and use it to show the strength of his Da Yi Dynasty. If he succeeds... I might just admire him a little."