Chapter 450: Chapter 435: On the Jiao
As he stepped into the Cloud Dragon Market, Zhouyang first went to the famous restaurant "Dragon Viewing Pavilion" within the marketplace and ordered a table full of gourmet dishes made from the various water demons and aquatic spirit plants of the Long River.
The Long River is long and wide, with water that is deep and swift, reaching depths of over a thousand zhang in some places. Countless aquatic demon beasts dwell in the river, among which there are even Tier Six Demon Kings.
Compared to the land-dwelling creatures, these aquatic demon beasts are even more challenging for cultivators to handle. Even water element cultivators find it hard to gain the upper hand in underwater battles with demons of the same tier.
The gourmet dishes at the "Dragon Viewing Pavilion" are all made from the spiritual flesh of various demon beasts and some aquatic spirit plants found in the Long River.
"Steamed Golden Water Crab, prepared by placing a whole Tier Two Lower-Grade demon beast, the Golden Water Crab, unique to the Long River, into a steaming pot for three hours. The crab must be alive, and the steaming water is drawn from the Hidden Dragon Spring on Cloud Dragon Island, mixed with a secret spirit wine concoction from the Dragon Viewing Pavilion..."
"Braised Silver Dragon Fish, made by braising a whole Tier Two High-Grade demon beast, the Silver Dragon Fish, which is native to the Long River..."
"Eight Hundred Dragon Eel Soup, made by feeding a Tier Two High-Grade demon beast, the Golden-Scaled Dragon Eel, with eight types of hundred-year-old spirit elixirs, including Red Ginseng, Snow Lotus, Purple Reishi, Yellow Ginseng, He Shou Wu, Earth Polyporus, Water Cloud Reishi, and Golden Silk Lotus, before placing the whole eel in a soup pot and simmering it over high heat for six hours..."
One famous dish after another from the "Dragon Viewing Pavilion" was brought to the room by the restaurant staff. With each dish served, a maid would explain to Zhouyang and his companions the name of the dish and how it was prepared.
Some dishes required specific tasting methods: either they needed to be eaten immediately after lifting the pot lid to savor their flavor, or they had to cool for a while before tasting better.
This single table of food and drinks cost Zhouyang three thousand seven hundred low-grade spirit stones!
It was only because he was quite wealthy at this point, surpassing many Golden Core Stage cultivators, that he could bear to spend so many spirit stones to indulge his palate.
Fortunately, cultivators have excellent appetites, and since these dishes are prepared from spirit elixirs and demon beast meat, containing rich spiritual qi that can be absorbed and refined to enhance cultivation, there was no fear of overindulgence.
They ate and drank for half a day, and after having their fill, Zhouyang looked at the maid and asked, "Earlier, when I entered the marketplace, I heard that the Cloud Dragon Market is about to hold some Dragon Slayer Conference. Could you elaborate on this for me?"
The maid, having benefitted from Zhouyang’s generosity by being allowed to taste a meal usually only afforded by Golden Core Stage cultivators, quickly replied to his inquiry. "Elder, let me enlighten you. This event has to be traced back to a tradition of the Cloud Dragon Market..."
It turns out that since the establishment of the Cloud Dragon Market, there has been a tradition of holding a "Dragon Slayer Conference" whenever a flood dragon is found causing trouble in the Long River, widely sending out invitations to cultivators from all directions to join in slaying the flood dragon.
Each time the "Dragon Slayer Conference" is held, the Cloud Dragon Market offers generous rewards to attract participants. If a cultivator manages to slay a flood dragon, not only can they leave their name engraved on the "Dragon Slaying Stone," but they can also receive hefty rewards from the Cloud Dragon Market.
About three years ago, a sudden flood broke out in the Long River, and the raging waters submerged over a dozen mortal cities along its banks, causing the deaths of tens of thousands.
Afterward, cultivators spotted the silhouette of a flood dragon in the flooded area and realized that the flood was caused by a Tier Four flood dragon advancing to Tier Five.
The Jiao Dragon race carries the bloodline of true dragons and, barring premature death, can definitely advance to Tier Five.
When a flood dragon advances to Tier Five, although it does not need to undergo a celestial thunder tribulation like other demon beasts, it naturally awakens its bloodline traits and surfaces to churn the waters.
If this occurred in a large lake or sea, the flood dragon’s actions would not matter much, as it wouldn’t impact land creatures significantly.
However, in a major river like the Long River, if a Tier Five flood dragon emerges to churn the waters, it will inevitably cause a catastrophic flood affecting the mortal beings along the banks.
Mortals are the foundation of cultivators. If the foundation is damaged, cultivators won’t simply stand by and do nothing.
Moreover, flood dragons are celestial spirit beasts, with bodies full of treasures, and, like true dragons, they are fond of collecting various treasures. Slaying a flood dragon yields ten times the rewards of an ordinary demon beast of the same tier.
Therefore, whenever a flood dragon appears on the Long River, cultivators are immediately drawn to the area to slay the demon and dragon!
This time, after a flood dragon’s antics caused a flood and the deaths of tens of thousands of mortals, the Cloud Dragon Market followed tradition by holding a "Dragon Slayer Conference," broadly inviting cultivators to come and hunt the demon dragon.
The rewards offered by the Cloud Dragon Market for this "Dragon Slayer Conference" were enticing, even making Zhouyang himself eager to participate.
Ten top-grade spirit stones, a hundred-year ownership of a marketplace shop, and a token redeemable for a favor from a Tier Five Refining Master to help refine an artifact for free.
These rewards were offered by the Cloud Dragon Market for the "Dragon Slayer Conference."
However, although the rewards are attractive, very few can actually claim them.
A Tier Five flood dragon, even one that has just advanced, is not something an ordinary Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator can compare to.
Engaging in combat with the dragon in the Long River, even a Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator cannot guarantee being able to slay it.
A flood dragon is the dominant ruler of the water, with a Water Escape Technique that surpasses all other demons. Slaying a Tier Five flood dragon in a major river like the Long River is an extraordinarily difficult task.
"Three Golden Core Stage Elders have already been invited to participate in the Dragon Slayer Conference. Besides Elder Li Yuan from the Celestial Cauldron Sect, who brought three Purple Mansion Stage disciples to assist, the other two elders are currently recruiting capable individuals to form teams and slay the flood dragon together."
"If Elder Zhou also wishes to participate in the Jiao Slaying Meeting, you can find those two elders to register and try. If you can join the team of Golden Core stage elders and successfully slay the flood dragon, you can leave your name on the Dragon Slaying Stone alongside them and share the rewards of dragon slaying!"
The maid didn’t eat Zhouyang’s food for free; she provided him with detailed intelligence about the "Jiao Slaying Meeting."
These maids, although with low cultivation, work in establishments like Dragon Viewing Pavilion, interacting closely with wealthy and powerful cultivators. Their information is often more current than many Foundation Establishment cultivators.
After listening to the maid, Zhouyang was indeed somewhat tempted.
His cultivation technique, "Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique," if he wants to advance into the second layer, requires refining the spirit blood of a flood dragon.
If he can join a team slaying flood dragons and find the one causing chaos, even if he can’t eventually kill the flood dragon, acquiring some flood dragon spirit blood would be enough to advance his "Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique" to the second layer.
"Perhaps I should go take a look first."
Thinking this, he immediately thanked the maid, settled the bill, and left Dragon Viewing Pavilion, moving into an Immortal Inn within the marketplace with his Dao Companion and niece.
Next, Zhouyang let Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang wander around shopping in the marketplace on their own, while he went to the venue where the "Jiao Slaying Meeting" was held.
At this time, there were still several days left until the official start of the "Jiao Slaying Meeting," but many cultivators had already gathered at the scene, mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators watching the excitement. However, there were some Purple Mansion cultivators intending to participate in the "Jiao Slaying Meeting."
Upon arriving here, Zhouyang quickly noticed the burly man riding a turtle, Wang Wei, whom he had seen outside the marketplace before.
Back at the Dragon Viewing Pavilion, Zhouyang had inquired about Wang Wei with the maid, learning that this man was indeed a well-known figure in Great Yun Country.
Wang Wei’s most famous feat occurred a hundred years ago when, with his cultivation at the Sixth-Layer of the Purple Mansion, he crossed realms to slay a Tier Four High-Grade Water Demon, the "Black Water Dragon Crocodile."
The "Black Water Dragon Crocodile" was not only a Tier Four High-Grade Demon Beast but also an exotic beast with a flood dragon bloodline, its strength comparable to a Ninth-Layer Purple Mansion cultivator.
Wang Wei could independently slay such a formidable demon beast with his Sixth-Layer Purple Mansion cultivation, making him renowned throughout Great Yun Country.
This time, upon hearing the news of the Jiao Slaying Meeting, he also rushed to Yunlong Square, evidently not content to be merely a spectator.
Just as Zhouyang spotted Wang Wei, Wang Wei, who was meditating under a big tree, also noticed him.
Seeing Zhouyang’s arrival, Wang Wei merely nodded slightly as a gesture of greeting without any other action.
Zhouyang responded with a nod and did not rush forward to converse with him.
He hasn’t yet decided whether to participate in the Jiao Slaying Meeting; everything depends on the situation.
Strolling around the venue, listening to the discussions among the cultivators, Zhouyang heard plenty of useful information.
For instance, he learned from the cultivators that aside from Li Yuan, the Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivator from the Celestial Cauldron Sect, another Golden Core stage cultivator from the third major sect of Great Yun Country, Golden Water Sect, named Di Long, had already recruited four Purple Mansion cultivators as teammates and would not recruit others.
Currently, only Zhao Hao, a Sixth-Layer Golden Core cultivator from Jinyang Country, was still selecting suitable Purple Mansion cultivator teammates.
Joining forces with these Golden Core stage cultivators, Purple Mansion cultivators obviously see the lion’s share taken by Golden Core cultivators, but even a minor share can be a considerable income for Purple Mansion cultivators.
Moreover, if the flood dragon is successfully slain, they can leave their name on the Dragon Slaying Stone in Yunlong Square, standing alongside Nascent Soul cultivators and numerous Golden Core stage cultivators—a substantial gain in reputation.
Coincidentally, about half an hour after Zhouyang arrived at the venue, that Golden Core stage cultivator from Jinyang Country, Zhao Gao, returned to the venue to select teammates again.
In the venue, a gaunt middle-aged man in green suddenly descended onto a high platform in the center, his eyes scanning all the Purple Mansion cultivators.
"As always, if anyone can withstand three moves from my sword, they qualify to join me in the flood dragon slaying. Now, there are still two slots open. Anyone wishing to join can register."
After Zhao Hao finished speaking, he sat down cross-legged on the high platform, waiting.
With Zhao Hao’s Sixth-Layer Golden Core cultivation, even if he didn’t go all out, Purple Mansion cultivators capable of taking three moves were extremely rare.
No wonder he had been recruiting for so long without finding enough teammates.
"Wang Wei of Great Yun Country requests Elder Zhao’s instruction!"
Just as Zhouyang wondered who would be the first to answer the challenge, Wang Wei, seated under the tree, suddenly leaped onto the high platform in front, cupped his hands in salute, and asked for Zhao Hao’s guidance.