Only at the Mahayana Stage Does the Reversal System Appear - Chapter 499

Chapter 497 The Five Degenerations of Heaven and Man

Jiang Li’s frequent changes in surname and appearance weren’t without reason; his presence was enough to make everyone overlook everything.

Seeing the looks in their eyes, Jiang Li wanted to remind them that this was the old Dragon King’s birthday party, not his.

“Is Grandpa Long feeling unwell? Then quickly contact Uncle Su Wei at the Alchemy Peak.” Li Nian’er felt that there was no elixir Su Wei couldn’t refine, no illness he couldn’t cure.

The East Sea Dragon King shook his head gently, not explaining further.

…

“What birthday gifts have you prepared?”

The dragons gathered in groups of three or five, eager to know the other’s birthday gift before celebrating.

“Twelve two-inch radius night-shining pearls.” One of the dragons quietly opened the gift box a crack, revealing a faint green light.

A night-shining pearl this large, with a little refining, could be made into a fine spiritual treasure or ornament.

This dragon had painstakingly found it within his territory.

“Mine should be inferior to yours. It’s just a reverse scale left by a true dragon.” While the other dragon admitted to being inferior, he was actually beaming with joy.

A true dragon’s reverse scale is worth more than a night-shining pearl.

“Look at my birthday peaches. Eat one and you’ll extend your life by twenty years.”

“Your gifts are so thoughtless. These things always come up at our birthday banquets, which happen only once every ten years.”

The dragon sons sneered, “Then what do you want to give Grandpa Long? Bring it out and let me see.”

“The Qingxiang Pill, personally refined by Chiwu Lu. Carrying it on your body gives off a faint fragrance that suppresses all foul odors.”

“What’s the use of this thing?” The dragon sons scoffed. They wouldn’t even want such a useless pill if it were given to them for free.

“You don’t know this, do you? I paid a large sum of money to buy a tip from Grandpa Long’s maid. She says Grandpa Long has a taste for these exotic, scented things lately.”

“In terms of value, the night-shining pearl and reverse scale are certainly more valuable than my embroidered Qingxiang Pill. But what’s the use? If you don’t cater to his taste, it’s all for nothing.”

This dragon son wasn’t worried about them changing their birthday gifts. While scented items might be inexpensive, they were rare, and they wouldn’t be able to find them just because they wanted to.

“Is your information accurate? I heard that Grandpa Long has been replacing his maids lately. The old ones keep mysteriously disappearing, and the Dragon Palace is hiring new ones. Could your maid be a new one? She doesn’t know Grandpa Long’s preferences, so she made it up to rip you off.”

“Impossible.” The dragon son felt guilty. After giving him the information, the maid quickly lost contact, and a new one replaced her.

“The maid is missing?” Li Nian’er frowned.

“It’s Sister Nian’er.” The other dragon sons treated Li Nian’er politely. This was the daughter of a true dragon, and the only daughter in the Tribulation Crossing Stage. In terms of worth, even if they were put together, they wouldn’t be worth as much as Li Nian’er.

They didn’t dare show off their birthday gifts in front of Li Nian’er. A birthday gift from a daughter in the Tribulation Crossing Stage would surely be more valuable than theirs.

“What happened to the maid? Tell me in detail.” Li Nian’er sensed something was seriously wrong.

“This…” The dragon sons looked at each other.

“We’re just saying it casually. Don’t take it seriously.”

“Recently, a rumor has spread from somewhere, saying that Grandpa Long is nearing the end of his life. To break through the Tribulation Period, he’s been bewitched by demonic forces and is practicing magic, killing many of his maids. To conceal this, the Dragon King of the East China Sea has claimed that the maids are missing. But how could a group disappear? They’ve disappeared in batches.”

“That’s impossible. Grandpa Long isn’t that kind of dragon.” Li Nian’er shook her head vigorously, not believing them. Grandpa Long is a very kind dragon, and wouldn’t do such a thing.

“So it’s just a rumor, don’t take it seriously. But the maids’ disappearances are true.”

Li Nian’er sensed something more serious, perhaps hiding a terrifying secret. Instead of investigating on her own, she went straight to Jiang Li and told him what she had heard.

Ao Chengcheng and Mo Ruoyu were also listening.

“So what do you think the old Dragon King has to do with the maids’ disappearances?” Jiang Li smiled.

“I, I don’t know.” Li Nian’er’s anxious eyes welled with tears. Her heart told her that the rumors might be true, that Grandpa Long practiced magic, but emotionally, she didn’t believe them. A

fusion-stage cultivator could live for two thousand years, and the dragon clan was no exception. Longevity pills and other longevity-extending items could add another eight hundred years to their natural two thousand years.

The old Dragon King was indeed nearing the end of his lifespan.

This was also why Li Er was reluctant to attend the birthday banquet.

The longevity of a Tribulation-crossing stage cultivator would make the old Dragon King jealous.

“Human Emperor, my father invites you over,” the Dragon King of the East China Sea respectfully invited Jiang Li.

“That’s perfect, Nian’er, you too, come and meet your Grandpa Long.”

Jiang Li led Li Nian’er, Ao Chengcheng, and Mo Ruoyu to the old Dragon King’s chambers.

The old Dragon King’s chambers stood in stark contrast to the outside world, hushed and silent.

As Li Nian’er entered, she was met with a pungent aroma.

The scent should have been refreshing, but the intermingling of the various aromas created a strange, unnatural aroma that evoked a sense of disgust.

The source of the fragrance was none other than the Old Dragon King.

The Old Dragon King looked listless, surrounded by various spices.

The Old Dragon King was sweating profusely, and the busy maids wiped the Old Dragon King’s body back and forth. As soon as the sweat was wiped clean, new sweat would be secreted from his body.

This was obviously not the normal state of the Fusion Period.

Li Nian’er was about to say something, but Jiang Li motioned her to be silent.

“Old Dragon King, how are you feeling lately?” Jiang Li smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, chatting with the Old Dragon King.

“I feel okay, but I don’t have much energy and I’m not in a good mood. Maybe I haven’t rested well recently.”

“Then get more rest, and you’ll get better.”

“Thank you for your concern, Human Emperor. Speaking of which, you were once in the Tribulation Period. Can you tell me how to break through the Tribulation Period?”

“That might be a bit difficult. The method of breaking through the Tribulation Period can only be understood but not explained. Why don’t you think about it yourself, Old Dragon King?” Jiang Li refused with a smile.

“I can’t figure it out.”

“Think about it more.”

“I really can’t think of it. Can you tell me?”

“Not really.”

The old Dragon King’s face was old and wrinkled. He frowned, as if dissatisfied with Jiang Li’s blunt rejection, or simply wanting to drive Jiang Li away.

“In that case, then, Human Emperor, please return.” Despite

being expelled, Jiang Li showed neither anger nor any intention of leaving. Instead, he said solemnly, “Old Dragon King, do you know you’re going to die soon?”

Ao Chengcheng and Mo Ruoyu’s eyes widened, having not expected Jiang Li to say that.

Both they, and the East Sea Dragon King, both at the Fusion Stage, could tell that the old Dragon King was nearing the end of his life. The grime and sweat that formed on his body, the foul odor, and the change in his demeanor… these were the signs of the Five Decays of a Celestial Being.

The old Dragon King refused to admit his impending death. He used spices to mask his stench and had his maids wipe his sweat. He also forbade the outside world from knowing his condition. Therefore, any maid who revealed their work was relegated to a secret residence by the East China Sea Dragon King, forbidden from communicating with the outside world until the old Dragon King passed away. The

old Dragon King was unwilling to admit it, and the other Fusion Stage cultivators tacitly avoided mentioning the matter, pretending that nothing was wrong with the old Dragon King and even holding their birthday banquet as usual.

Who could have imagined that Jiang Li would directly shatter the old Dragon King’s illusions?

For a moment, the atmosphere was heavy.

(End of this chapter)