“Sigh...”
Nan Zhi lowered her voice. Remembering everything in the Locust God's memories, she could not help but sigh softly:
“You really shouldn't die here. If you live, you can at least keep the Rakshasa Sea Market safe, and the North Province will not fall into a land of demons, completely devoid of spiritual energy and teeming with Sky Demons. When that time comes, whether they are humans or demons, the spiritual energy they rely on to survive will gradually diminish until they are forced to retreat to the Three Provinces. The surviving demons will only be able to cultivate by devouring blood and qi, turning into savage beasts devoid of spiritual intelligence. As time goes on, karmic retribution will weigh heavily upon them, and they can only die under heavenly lightning.”
What Nan Zhi described was indeed the original historical end of the Four Provinces Continent, without a single shred of falsehood.
The Dragon Girl could naturally discern the horror in her words. Heat puffed from her draconic snout, as if she had been infected by this hopeless future.
The calamity of the Sky Demons had already threatened the twelve nations of the four directions. Perhaps other human cultivators had not noticed it yet, but as the master of the Rakshasa Sea Market, she could feel it most acutely. Wherever the Sky Demons went, not a blade of grass would grow, and even the seawater would turn completely dead. The Sea Dragon people living in that area, regardless of gender, had difficulty conceiving. Their bodies grew increasingly frail until they degenerated into ordinary sea dragons, completely losing their spiritual intelligence and retaining only their beastly instincts.
Such an outcome...
The Dragon Girl's breathing grew even more rapid. Although she was suspicious by nature, she would not doubt the words of a Great Witch.
The Witch race had not been involved in worldly affairs for ten thousand years. Even if members of the Witch race occasionally traveled, they were mostly young, inexperienced minor witches. A Witch like the mysterious woman before her, who could travel freely through the Wuwang Sea and call wind and summon rain at will, was someone the Dragon Girl had only heard of but never seen. There was no need for the other party to deceive a dying dragon like her.
If she perished here, the Rakshasa Sea Market she had managed for so many years would surely fall into the hands of others in the dragon palace. How could the Dragon Girl be willing to hand over her life's work to someone else?! Moreover, someone had to carry the news of the Great Calamity of the Four Provinces back alive.
Some of the confusion in her heart gradually dissolved: why had the gods and Buddhas of the Heavenly Court hidden themselves, and why had the spiritual energy of the mortal realm vanished? As it turned out, while the cultivation world was completely oblivious, a catastrophic calamity was about to arrive!
She could not die! She absolutely could not die!
Thinking of this, the Dragon Girl immediately used the last of her strength. Her massive aqua-blue dragon head lowered, showing her submission with absolute obedience:
“Ao Mingzhu greets Master. From now on, I am at your disposal and dare not disobey.”
It was done.
Nan Zhi threw out the Gold Quality Spirit Beast Contract in response. A drop of essence blood drifted out from the center of the dragon's forehead, falling straight onto the contract. In an instant, she felt an additional connection in her soul. There were now two connections in total: one from Hongluo, and the other from the dying true dragon before her.
Fearing that her background might be exposed, Nan Zhi did not offer any pills. She simply retrieved the Spirit Beast Talisman and waved her long sleeve, and the colossal creature before her instantly disappeared.
“A Gold Quality Spirit Beast Contract is indeed useful. As long as the Dragon Girl doesn't die, the Sea Market won't fall into chaos. Moreover, once this news is sent back, the three major sects will definitely react.”
Nan Zhi noticed the warning from the gentle breeze brushing against her face, realizing that a High-level Sky Demon was approaching. She immediately collected the flood dragon's corpse on the ground, not even sparing the scattered dragon scales and bones, before fading back into the mist just before the newcomers arrived.
...
Within less than ten breaths, the surrounding seawater boiled. Billowing waves of black mist churned endlessly, lunging toward the small island like boiling water, but they were a step too late after all.
Eight White Bone Heavenly Maidens carried an exquisitely beautiful crane sedan, landing with extreme agility on the small island. Beneath the layers of gauze curtains sat a bald-headed monk. If Nan Zhi were here, she would have certainly recognized his identity.
“Strange, truly strange.”
The monk had a smile on his face as the Buddhist beads in his hand spun continuously. He projected his divine sense to investigate thoroughly, but in the end, he could find no trace of the dragon's corpse:
“Could it be that the two dragons fought, and the corpses have already been completely devoured by the Sky Demons of the sea?”
The Buddhist beads spun faster and faster, mirroring the monk's complex thoughts:
“This Lord Jiao was truly useless. Even with two Nascent Soul Sky Demons and the assistance of the White Bone Heavenly Maidens, he was still killed by that Mingzhu woman... And that Qinglong was also completely incompetent. Could it be that anyone with ‘dragon’ in their name is incompatible with this humble monk?”
It turned out that after Daoist Qinglong was exposed, Huiyuan had fled to the Rakshasa Sea Market. He had lurked and gathered information for many days before finding an opportunity to instigate Lord Jiao to fight the Dragon Girl for power.
He frowned, his bald head reflecting the light. A wisp of black mist slowly descended upon the place, and Huiyuan hurriedly got out of the sedan to welcome it. It was the Sky Demon Duanyu, who had fled earlier.
“A low-level Sky Demon reported that the dragon escaped.”
Its head had been sliced in half by Zong Zheng, but it had already grown back now. A mocking expression appeared on its humanoid face:
“Is this the foolproof plan you beat your chest and guaranteed to my lord?”
“It should have been flawless, but who would have thought a mishap would occur at such a critical juncture!”
Huiyuan's expression was somewhat unsightly, but he immediately sneered:
“Although the Mingzhu woman is difficult to deal with, even if she can escape the black mist alive, her cultivation realm will surely plummet, and she won't last long.”
At this, he conjured the image of a demonic creature in the void—one with a human form but a dragon's head, clad in silver armor with a bright pearl hanging from its waist:
“If the Demon Lord wishes to take over the Rakshasa Sea Market, even if we cannot eliminate that Mingzhu woman, this humble monk has other methods. In the past, that Dragon Prince was killed by me and died on Yin Yang Road. Not many people know of this. This humble monk still keeps a soul of the Dragon Prince in hand. Since the Mingzhu woman is heavily injured, if the Dragon Prince goes to contest the Rakshasa Sea Market now, he will have a perfectly legitimate excuse, and even the old Dragon King won't say anything.”
“You want me to pose as that Dragon Prince.”
Duanyu glanced at the illusory Dragon Prince. Though it was phrased as a question, it spoke in a flat statement:
“For the glory of our race and the honor of our king, it is worth a try. However, this time, I do not wish to see any more mishaps.”
“You can rest assured on that.”
Huiyuan's eyes were sinister, and he said through gritted teeth:
“The only one who knew about this back then, and the only one who has a chance to expose it, is a single human female cultivator. A little ghost reported that the female cultivator has already headed to the Qingjing Sect, intending to participate in next year's sect selection. I have already ordered two White Bone Heavenly Maidens to pursue her all the way, assassinate her, and reclaim the evil treasure.”
Besides, the Sea Market was ten thousand miles away from the Qingjing Sect. No matter how capable a minor female cultivator like her was, it was impossible for her to know what was happening thousands of miles away. He possessed a strand of the Dragon Prince's soul. Even if the Dragon King came in person, he wouldn't be able to spot any flaws! This plan was seamless!
“Very well. Once I succeed and claim my reward from our king, your contribution will definitely not be forgotten.”
Duanyu measured itself against the Dragon Prince's soul and opened its mouth to swallow it. In the next instant, flesh-colored skin grew all over its body, and within moments, it transformed into a naked, majestic-looking Dragon Prince.
“It is better to be cautious.”
Huiyuan narrowed his eyes and shook his body, transforming into a hunched Prime Minister Turtle carrying a turtle shell on his back. He wore an official's hat, and two points of ridiculously funny makeup were painted on his face. The remaining eight White Bone Heavenly Maidens also giggled as they tore off their face skins, transforming into shrimp soldiers and crab generals to accompany them.
The “Dragon Prince” tried to open his mouth, and half of his cheek sagged. He expressionlessly pushed it back into place, and mimicking the remnant memories in the soul, he said haughtily:
“To the Sea Market. This prince hasn't seen my dear sister in a long time; it's about time we catch up. Since she is heavily injured, as her elder brother, I should naturally share some of her burdens.”
“Clothes.”
Prime Minister Turtle wiped his sweat and whispered a reminder: “You forgot to conjure clothes.”
The “Dragon Prince”: “...”
The Demon race was truly troublesome; they even had to wear clothes when taking human form.
Rate on N.U.
