Chapter 338: Chapter 276: Dragon Gathering Bell

"This isn’t just about being frugal," Feng Jiu said softly, laughing.

Her gaze lingered on the treasury where countless treasures and wealth were being taken away. With these things, the Demon Court would no longer be an empty shell, for after all these years, the amassed wealth was significant enough to handle the present situation.

Ao Shun silently watched every move of the Demon Kings. Each time a treasure was stored in a magical storing tool, his heart violently throbbed.

To him, this scene was nothing less than a lingering death, watching his hard-accumulated wealth slowly ending up in someone else’s pocket, and the pain in his heart was unimaginable.

As time went on, the treasures in the treasury grew scarce, and Ao Shun’s expression turned even uglier.

This long torture finally ended with the last bit of wealth disappearing. Ao Shun watched helplessly as his painstakingly saved fortune was wiped out, yet he dared not voice any objection.

"Your Majesty, all the wealth is now yours. What are your plans for me now?" Ao Shun asked with a sycophantic smile.

At this moment, he was incredibly nervous, for he knew that the time had come to decide his fate.

It was a matter of life or death.

"Are you afraid of death?"

"Who isn’t afraid of death? Otherwise, what would be the point of our pursuit of immortality!" Ao Shun exclaimed with a sigh.

Though he had lived through long years, the fear of death still haunted him, and there was too much in the Mortal World he could not let go of—this was the reason all living beings longed for immortality.

"Indeed, death is a terrifying thing," Feng Jiu suddenly said with a sigh. No one understood that better than she did, after all, she had died once.

Having said this, Feng Jiu, accompanied by the Flood Dragon Demon King and others, left the Dragon Palace. They made no extra movements, not even sparing Ao Shun a glance, treating him as if he were air.

Watching these people disappearing into the distance, the Old Dragon King could no longer hold on and sat down heavily on the cold floor of the treasury.

Looking around, the treasury, once piled with treasures, now lay bare. They had cleaned the place so thoroughly that not even a speck of dust was left, as if a dog had licked it clean.

In the Crystal Palace, the hidden Dragon Sons and Dragon Grandchildren gradually gathered around Ao Shun, looking at the empty treasury with anger on their faces.

"This is too much! Father, we must teach these robbers a lesson!" one Dragon Son shouted angrily.

These riches had been slowly accumulated by the Dragon Palace, yet now they had been robbed by these unknown assailants.

Ao Shun cast a cold glance at the Dragon Son who was eager to show off, and whispered, "What do you think I should do then?"

"Such arrogant thieves, Father, you should summon your brothers to complain to the Heavenly Court, letting them know the consequences of provoking us," the Dragon Son said indignantly, glancing at the empty treasury, a share of which was originally his.

"Then let me tell you, the band of robbers that stormed into the Crystal Palace are people from the Demon Court, led by the Demon Emperor. What would you do then?"

Ao Shun’s cold voice echoed inside the Crystal Palace, instantly causing the group of angry Dragon Sons and Dragon Grandchildren to shut their mouths.

Although they were proud, they were not fools, especially since they, being situated in the Northern Sea and neighboring Luzhou in the North, knew better than the other three Dragon Palaces the power of the Demon Emperor.

He was the one who once contended with the Jade Emperor for the title of Master of Heaven and Earth, notorious and formidable. Even after countless years had passed, the Dragon Sons and Dragon Grandchildren still trembled in fear upon hearing his name.

"Didn’t the Demon Emperor fall?" a Dragon Son exclaimed in alarm.

You must understand, the fall of the Demon Emperor had been witnessed by all in the Three Realms, and the Heavenly Court had also declared the Demon Emperor’s demise.

"A centipede dies but never falls down completely. How could such a powerful being easily die?" Ao Shun sighed as he spoke.

He had also figured it out. The Heavenly Court had probably anticipated this situation and therefore decisively abandoned Luzhou in the North, focusing on defense to cope with the complex situation now facing the Three Realms.

But with this decision, the Northern Sea Dragon Palace, which had always relied on the might of the Heavenly Court to bully others, was now in trouble. Facing the returning Demon Emperor now was like trying to stop a chariot with sheer manpower.

For a time, the entire Northern Sea Dragon Palace was thrown into disarray. A group of Dragon Sons and Dragon Grandchildren stood as if they had lost their parents, completely lacking their usual arrogance.

In the face of absolute power, they realized how weak they were. The glorious days of the Dragon Clan had gone by, never to return.

"Strike the Dragon Gathering Bell. I need to consult with some older brothers!" Ao Shun announced resolutely.

Soon, a loud bell sound rose from the seabed, dispersing in all directions.

This was the Dragon Gathering Bell of the Dragon Palace. Once it rang, the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas could hear it, and they would naturally come to meet. However, this bell was suspended in the Dragon Palace and was generally not struck unless absolutely necessary.

Feng Jiu, who was still on the way, also heard this bell sound and couldn’t help but show a puzzled expression.

The Flood Dragon Demon King, often entangled with the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas, knew very well the specifics and chuckled after listening carefully for a while, "Your Majesty, that is the Dragon Gathering Bell of the Dragon Palace ringing. It seems Ao Shun, the old fellow, is scared and is summoning his brothers to discuss matters."

"Your Majesty, after all these years, relying on the Heavenly Court, Ao Shun has plundered countless treasures from Luzhou in the North and killed many monsters. Are we just going to let him off?" Green Flood Dragon asked curiously.

Feng Jiu, however, softly said, "Lin Fang once said something very sensible. If you want to contend with the Heavenly Court, you must have many friends and few enemies. Only then can you achieve ultimate victory."

"Although the strength of the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas is not the top, it is still one of the major forces in the Three Realms. Without their constraint, who among us could manage so many Aquatic Races? It’s better to let these old fellows live. They are timid and easier to deal with."

Upon hearing this, the crowd laughed and said, "It seems we will have to visit this Dragon Palace frequently in the future."

In the distant other Dragon Palaces, several Dragon Kings also heard the sound of the Dragon Gathering Bell. The last time this bell rang was when the Great Sage Equalling Heaven took Jingu Bang and demanded armor.

"What could happen in the Northern Sea for them to strike the Dragon Gathering Bell!" the Dragon Kings wondered in confusion.

However, they did not delay at all and hurriedly made their way towards the Northern Sea Dragon Palace.

The Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas had managed to survive in a hostile environment mainly because, apart from each Dragon King being adept at forming alliances, they were united.

Whenever any one of the Dragon Palaces was in trouble, the other three would come to aid without hesitation.

In the deep sea, the three Dragon Kings met, and Ao Guang was the first to speak up, "Do you know what has happened?"