Chapter 277 - Tragedy…
Chapter 277: Tragedy…
Translator: Noodletown Translated Editor: Noodletown Translated
In the East Ocean Dragon Palace, 60 elite soldiers were guarding the main gate with weapons.
Five meters from the gate stood a respectful man in his 60s. He was wearing a bright red robe with a belt and a pair of black boots.
Behind him was a luxurious carriage full of treasures.
With his bent hunched, Premier Xia strolled from the gate in the company of a young general of the Palace.
“Premier Xia, how are you doing?” The man in the bright red robe immediately stepped up to greet him,
Premier Xia looked at this man and said, “Premier Lu, the dragon king is not in the palace. Your unexpected visit to our East Ocean Dragon Palace with treasures put me in a difficult position.”
Premier Lu’s fawning smile turned to bitterness. “It has been three days, and you still can’t find the dragon king?”
“The dragon king is very busy. Could you wait a few more days? I can’t let you in without the dragon king’s permission.” Premier Xia seemed to be in a dilemma.
Premier Lu, who had traveled from the distant West Ocean Dragon Palace, felt like crying at this answer.
At Oldman Zeng’s order, he came to East Ocean with precious gifts as the extension of an olive branch. However, East Ocean only sent out Premier Xia to deal with him, and he received a cold treatment and wasn’t allowed into the East Ocean Dragon Palace.
He waited for three days outside the gate of the dragon palace, eating and sleeping in the open.
However, it was what West Ocean deserved. Since Oldman Zeng had rudely broken into East Ocean by force, East Ocean was just returning the favor.
With their Crown Prince still imprisoned in the East Ocean Dragon Palace, they had to keep their heads low despite East Ocean’s cold attitude.
“Sorry, but I have business to tend to. Premier Lu, I’m afraid that you will have to wait here a little longer.” Premier Xia cupped his hands and slightly bowed at Premier Lu before turning around and walking toward the palace.
Premier Lu gritted his teeth.
Giving up his dignity, he hurried over and stopped Premier Xia with a hand on his arm. “Brother Xia! Brother Xia!”
“We’ll offer five more pieces of West Ocean Mystic Ice. How about that?” He begged with a bitter expression on his face.
Premier Xia shook his head and lightly removed Premier Lu’s hand from his arm. “I’ll report it to the dragon king…”
Premier Lu gritted his teeth. “Eight pieces!”
They were offering 20 pieces of West Ocean Mystic Ice! When Premier Xia’s expression softened at this offer, Premier Lu immediately said, “We are offering these treasures as a thank-you for the excellent care the East Ocean Dragon Clan has given to our Crown Prince. However, we’re afraid that we have troubled you guys for too long and hoped that he would return to West Ocean to recover from his injuries.”
He skipped the part about Oldman Zeng’s intrusion into the East Ocean Dragon Palace as if these unpleasantries had never happened.
20 pieces of West Ocean Mystic Ices were the bottom line that Oldman authorized to him in this negotiation. Including many other treasures, West Ocean was indeed offering a fortune to get Zeng Yitao back.
“Premier Lu, please wait here while I talk about it with the other elders. If they are just thank-you gifts, I think we might be able to accept them.” Premier Xia relented.
Zhao Guang had ordered him to make West Ocean’s envoy wait for three days before seeing them.
If West Ocean got more anxious and offered more gifts, then this whole thing wouldn’t be a trap.
When West Ocean offered 20 pieces of West Ocean Mystic Ice which were important strategic resources, it showed that they were at their limits.
Premier Xia returned to the dragon palace and reported West Ocean’s offer to Zhao Guang. He finally nodded. “Release him!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Premier Xia immediately walked out with Zhao Guang’s order and went to the rear of the palace.
Since West Ocean and East Ocean were not officially at war, it was troublesome for East Ocean to keep the Crown Prince of West Ocean captive. It was a good deal for them to trade off the burden for many treasures including 20 pieces of West Ocean Mystic Ice.
The only thing that Premier Xia didn’t understand was why Oldman Zeng suddenly submitted to them. Just a few days ago, he had broken into the East Ocean Dragon Palace and took away 16 elders by force.
He mulled over it and couldn’t think of anyone who could have changed the situation. In the entire East Ocean Dragon Clan, there was only one person he was not certain about, and that person was Hao Ren, the Fuma.
Because Zeng Yitao had been cussing Hao Ren all day long since he was imprisoned in the palace, Premier Xia knew that it was Hao Ren who had beat Zeng Yitao and threw him into the sea.
Obviously, the 16 elders who fell into the sea with Zeng Yitao were also the victims of Hao Ren.
Besides, Hao Ren had forced Qin Shaoyang back at Zhao Yanzi’s birthday party, got the trust of Inspector Su Han, and even absorbed the last lightning power in Zhao Kuo’s Heavenly Tribulation… In Premier Xia’s eyes, the Fuma had given them lots of surprises.
Even Zhao Kuo had told him this before leaving the dragon palace, “Keep an eye on Hao Ren. I’ll count on him when I charge at the Heavenly Dragon Realm next time!”
“Indeed, the dragon king has sharp eyes.” Premier Xia smiled while he walked to the back of the palace.
Zeng Yitao had been fed simple meals each day in the East Ocean Dragon Palace, and he was grumpy when he was released from the palace. He shouted immediately when he walked out.
“East Ocean Dragon Palace, you dared to imprison me?! One day, I’ll dismantle the whole place!”
“My grandpa will come with troops and trample you!”
“Yuck! What garbage did you feed me each day?!”
While he walked out, he cussed with the hatred that had been accumulating in his mind over the past few days.
The guards of the dragon palace were angry at his arrogance. However, they had to keep their anger in check since Premier Xia was with him.
“Who’s making such noises?!”
Little Daoist Zhen, who had been collecting herbs in the nearby Hundred-flower Palace, couldn’t bear the noises and jumped out.
He had been slapped in the face by Oldman Zeng a few days ago, and the handprint on his cheek had finally receded a bit. Today, he went to the Hundred-flower Palace, getting some herbs to heal the swelling. After that, he was planning to go to the West Ocean Dragon Palace and make trouble for that old *ss.
Now, he ran into the Crown Prince of the West Ocean Dragon Palace who was just released.
“Where did you come from, dirty urchin? How dare you block my way?” Zeng Yitao was burning with rage. Since he couldn’t defeat Premier Xia, he decided to vent his anger on Little Daoist Zhen. He immediately kicked Little Daoist Zhen.
Bang!
Unprepared, Little Daoist Zhen was kicked hard on the chest. He fell back and slid half a meter on the stone path; the herbs in his hands flew into the air.
Not expecting such viciousness from Zeng Yitao, Premier Xia wasn’t quick enough to block for Little Daoist Zhen. He gasped at the sight.
In the past 100 years, Little Daoist Zhen had been making fires for Qiu Niu, but his status as Qiu Niu’s only disciple was extraordinary.
He was a demon beast who had transformed into the human form 100 years ago. He restarted the cultivation since then, and he was now only at Li-level despite his arrogant attitude.
Qiu Niu had not taught him any cultivation techniques, ordering him to focus on the fields of making elixirs and dharma treasures since this ancestor of Dragon Tribe didn’t think that anyone would dare to mess with his disciple.
While Little Daoist Zhen tried to get up, Zeng Yitao walked over and gave him two more stomps. “These are what you get for your big mouth!”