281: Chapter 278: Destruction of the Flood

On the isolated island of Shuibo, the clamorous arguing gradually ebbed, but the tension and antagonism permeating the air did not dissipate in the slightest.

Chieftain Song He stood in the center of the crowd, his black robes fluttering. His complexion alternated between pale and ashen, while his eyes were a tapestry of grievance and unwillingness...

"Am I, Chieftain Song He, the type to fear death? I did it all for my brothers, only to be betrayed by them now!"

That was true; he was at fault.

But his fault was not some monstrous ambition or actively colluding with the Void Realm; it was the result of being poisoned, his life no longer his own. It was a compromise he had to make in a desperate situation to preserve himself and the entire Shuibo.

When natural disasters descend, it is certainly not something that they, a group of Loose Cultivators surviving in the cracks, could resist.

Chieftain Song He was merely a pitiful man forced onto the roasting fire by an unexpected catastrophe.

Wu Yang and Yang Chi remained at Yuan Chen's side, standing tall and firm in their stance. Although there was disdain in their eyes for Chieftain Song He's selfishness, there was also a hint of complex sighing that they could not hide.

They had been lurking in Shuibo for a long time and had witnessed with their own eyes how Chieftain Song He had managed Shuibo for years, sheltering a crowd of exiled Loose Cultivators.

But the Canglan Realm was their home; they could not betray it by allowing outsiders to enter and destroy it.

Yuan Chen, dressed in a plain imperial robe that was spotless, stood in a lazy and casual posture with one hand behind his back. His features were refined and calm, and there was not a shred of the violent, chilling pressure of slaughter around him.

Yuan Chen's gaze swept lightly over Wu Yang and Yang Chi, who were frowning slightly, their breath faintly stagnant. His lazy voice sounded slowly, indifferent yet clearly resounding across the entire isolated island: "You two, infected by the residual poison of Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao, still dared to send me a message. Your Heart-Nature is indeed resilient."

Wu Yang was slightly stunned upon hearing this, then bowed and said in a low voice: "We did it for ourselves."

Yang Chi followed closely behind, his tone steady: "Dragon Emperor is too polite."

As the two spoke, a faint gray-black turbid Qi emerged around their bodies, and the flow of their Meridians was obviously stagnant and unsmooth. This was the typical symptom of long-term contamination by Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's exotic poison from the Void Realm.

Yuan Chen chuckled. With a flick of his hand, a light flashed at his fingertips, and three ancient jade bottles appeared out of thin air, hovering steadily in mid-air before slowly drifting into the hands of Wu Yang and Yang Chi.

The jade bottles had a warm, smooth texture, and their bodies were surrounded by a faint, golden light of order. As soon as they held them, a pure and warm medicinal power spread along the Meridians of their palms, instantly dispelling most of the cold and stagnant feeling in their bodies.

"These are three bottles of Medicinal Pill, the Dust-Free Marrow-Cleansing Pill, which can cure all poisons in the world."

Yuan Chen's tone was casual and light, as if the Divine Pill he was giving away, capable of curing peerless exotic poisons, were merely common street-market pills. "Share one bottle between the two of you, and keep the remaining two with you. Once all the residual poison is cleansed, this poison will never be able to infect you again in the future."

Wu Yang and Yang Chi were invigorated, their eyes instantly brimming with extreme surprise and gratitude. They bowed solemnly and cupped their hands: "Many thanks to the Dragon Emperor for the bestowal of the pill!"

The two looked at each other; they had guessed correctly. Yuan Chen's methods were heaven-defying; what problem could stump him? This step had indeed been the right one.

The two did not hesitate any longer, quickly pulling out the bottle stoppers and pouring out two round, pearly-white Medicinal Pills with pure spiritual light that melted the moment they touched their tongues.

As the Medicinal Pill went down their throats, a vast, gentle, yet pure and overbearing medicinal power instantly swept through their limbs, bones, and Meridians.

Their originally stagnant and stiff Meridians instantly became clear and relaxed. The gray-black poison lingering in their Dantian, bones, and deep within their Bloodline melted, evaporated, and dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye, like snow encountering a scorching sun.

The cold, oppressive feeling that had clung to them completely faded away. Their Spiritual Qi flowed freely without obstruction, and their spirit and vitality were instantly renewed. Their cultivation foundation, which had been suppressed by the poison, fully recovered, becoming even more refined and profound than before.

In just a few breaths, the two had completely purged the poison and recovered. Their aura climbed steadily, and the Spiritual Qi around them was clear and pure, without any trace of Impurities.

"The poison is completely gone!" Wu Yang's eyes were bright, his heart filled with shock. He couldn't help but sigh in a low voice, "A product of the Dragon Emperor is truly incredible!"

Yang Chi also let out a long breath of turbid air and bowed solemnly: "The deep poison in my body has completely dissipated, my Meridians are clear, and there are no more shackles on my cultivation. Many thanks to the Dragon Emperor for the grace of rebirth!"

This scene was witnessed clearly and without missing a detail by every Cultivator in Shuibo.

The people of Shuibo, who had been holding out and competing in secret, instantly changed their expressions. All the luck, stubbornness, and unwillingness in their hearts collapsed by more than half at this moment.

Especially the core leaders like Chieftain Song He, Li Gui, Hua Rong, and Mei Yong—their pupils constricted, and their breathing became suddenly rapid. All the stubbornness, grievance, and resentment on their faces instantly vanished, replaced by extreme fanaticism and desire.

They had originally thought that they would be bound by the poison for the rest of their lives, either becoming a Puppet pawn of Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao or dying from the poison, their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, with no other path to take.

But at this moment, Yuan Chen had casually given away a few bottles of Medicinal Pill, easily neutralizing the peerless exotic poison that had plagued them for months and had been considered incurable. The difference was clear!

At this moment, Chieftain Song He could no longer maintain his previous stubborn posture. The paranoia and fierce intensity on his face faded away, replaced by extreme humility and earnestness.

He stepped forward quickly, his knees hitting the ground heavily. His body trembled slightly, and his tone was extremely soft and pleading, with no trace of his previous argumentative madness: "Dragon Emperor! I am guilty! I know I was wrong!"

"Everything before was because I was poisoned and forced into it! I never intended to defy the Imperial Dynasty or collude with the Void Realm! Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's poison technique is overbearing and incurable. For months, I have suffered day and night from the poison's erosion, unable to live and unable to die, and could only be forced to endure and cooperate!"

"The Dragon Emperor's Divine Ability is peerless; with a wave of your hand, you can cure a hundred poisons. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and save us! I am willing to turn over a new leaf and repent for my past mistakes. I swear to be loyal to the Dragon Emperor and the Daming Dynasty for the rest of my life, with absolutely no disloyalty!"

With Chieftain Song He taking the lead in showing weakness and begging for mercy, the leaders on the side, including Li Gui, Hua Rong, and Mei Yong, immediately followed suit, kneeling and kowtowing in unison. Their attitudes were humble and earnest, a complete transformation from the fierce appearance they had displayed while arguing earlier.

Li Gui pressed his head against the ground, his tone fearful and pleading: "Dragon Emperor, please forgive us! We were all coerced into causing trouble, and we couldn't help ourselves! I beg Your Majesty to bestow the medicine and cure the poison. We are willing to serve the Imperial Dynasty for the rest of our lives, toiling for you and never fearing death!"

The steady-natured Mei Yong also kowtowed repeatedly: "We were wrong, we were truly wrong! For the rest of our lives, we will follow the Dragon Emperor's lead and never harbor even a shred of disloyalty!"

For a time, all the core leaders of Shuibo were kneeling and begging for mercy, their tones humble and their attitudes submissive. The entire scene no longer had any of the previous confrontational hostility, leaving only the sound of earnest pleading, filled with the hope of receiving a chance to be cured and survive.

Watching the people before him, who had gone from arrogant to humble, surrendering at the sight of profit, Yuan Chen's lips curled into a lazy, cold, and callous sneer.

He raised his eyes indifferently, his gaze sweeping over the crowd kneeling on the ground. His tone was lazy and casual, yet every word was piercing: "You know you were wrong now? You're begging for mercy now?"

Yuan Chen shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a hint of playful mockery: "You lot are truly realistic; your ability to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, to change with the wind, has truly been practiced to perfection."

These words, merciless and direct, pierced through the selfish calculations in everyone's hearts, making the kneeling leaders flush with shame. Yet, no one dared to argue a single bit, and they could only hang their heads tightly, letting themselves be reprimanded.

The atmosphere of the entire scene was silent and oppressive; no one dared to make a sound.

In this extreme standoff, Wu Yang and Yang Chi exchanged a glance. Their eyes were full of complex struggle, but in the end, they couldn't bear it. They stepped forward half a step together, bowed solemnly to Yuan Chen, and pleaded.

Wu Yang's tone was earnest, carrying a softness of old friendship: "Dragon Emperor, the people of Shuibo are indeed at fault. Hiding chaos, condoning hidden dangers, and being controlled by the Void Realm—their guilt is undeniable. But apart from a few leaders like Chieftain Song He and Li Gui, most of the low-level brothers on the island are innocent and implicated."

"Most of them are down-and-out people who have fled from all directions. They are helpless and wandering, having spent half their lives drifting before finally finding a place to settle in Shuibo. They were only passively dragged into this; they never actively did evil or colluded with the Void Realm."

"Most of them are kind-hearted by nature and mean well; they were just in a desperate situation and were coerced by others. I hope the Dragon Emperor will show mercy, lift your hand, and spare these innocent people, giving them a way to survive."

The two knew well that Yuan Chen's personality appeared lazy and casual, but in reality, he was decisive in killing and clear about right and wrong. If the Dragon Emperor were to get angry today, it was highly likely that none of the hundreds of Cultivators in the entire Shuibo would survive.

Even if Chieftain Song He and the others were selfish, cowardly, and disappointing, the low-level brothers were innocent victims and truly shouldn't all be buried with them.

Yuan Chen looked down at the two people bowing and pleading before him. He raised his hand lazily and spoke lightly, his voice calm and final: "Very well, for the sake of your intercession, I will give everyone a path to survive."

As soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of everyone kneeling on the ground instantly lit up. Wild joy surged in their hearts, and countless people couldn't suppress their excited breathing, their bodies trembling slightly.

A path to survive! They had a path to survive! Everyone stared fixedly at Yuan Chen, holding their breath, waiting for the final amnesty.

"After today, all members of Shuibo shall belong to me and take orders from the Daming Dynasty."

Yuan Chen's tone was calm and casual, carrying an absolute authority that brooked no argument. "From now on, all of you are Cultivators under the Imperial Dynasty. You will be subject to the Imperial Dynasty's regulations, work for the Imperial Dynasty, guard the territory for the Canglan Domain, and clear away hidden dangers. Those who perform their duties faithfully will be cured of the poison and allowed to cultivate."

"If anyone dares to harbor disloyalty, feign compliance, or rebel against the trend, they will be killed without mercy."

The conditions were clear, the rewards and punishments distinct, with no room for ambiguity.

"We are willing! We swear to be loyal to the Dragon Emperor and the Imperial Dynasty until death!"

"We will strictly follow Your Majesty's orders! We will never have any disloyalty in this life!"

"We are willing to go through fire and water for the Imperial Dynasty, and we will never fear death!"

In an instant, the sounds of loyalty rose one after another, resounding across the entire isolated island of Shuibo, fervent and earnest.

The core leaders kneeling to the side, including Chieftain Song He, Li Gui, Hua Rong, and Mei Yong, felt their hanging hearts suddenly drop. Wild joy surged into their hearts, and they scrambled to express their stance.

Chieftain Song He's tone was urgent and humble, fearing that being a step late would mean missing the chance at survival: "Your Majesty! I am also willing! I am willing to step down from the position of Shuibo master and serve Your Majesty for the rest of my life, turning over a new leaf and performing meritorious service to atone for my crimes! I beg Your Majesty to forgive my past sins and grant me a chance to be cured and survive!"

Li Gui kowtowed repeatedly in agreement: "Me too!"

"You?" Yuan Chen's tone was light, yet cold and piercing. "You do not have the qualification to be the same as them."

As the words fell, the entire scene fell into instant silence.

The smiles on the faces of Chieftain Song He and his cohorts, who had been filled with wild joy, instantly stiffened and froze. The color drained rapidly from their faces until they were as pale as paper, and the frantic joy in their eyes was thoroughly replaced by extreme panic.

"Dragon, Dragon Emperor... what do you mean by this?" Chieftain Song He's voice was dry and trembling, his body shaking violently as a monstrous despair welled up from the bottom of his heart.

"If I recall correctly, you have targeted me quite a few times already, haven't you?"

Yuan Chen's indifferent gaze swept over Chieftain Song He. "It is time we settled our old scores."

Every word was resonant and forceful, leaving no room for negotiation.

"No! That's impossible!" Chieftain Song He's composure completely collapsed in an instant. "It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! Besides, didn't Wu Yang and the others participate as well? Why are you only targeting me?"

Li Gui also instantly shed his humble demeanor, his face twisted with resentment and rage as he roared sharply, "You beast! If you were not going to grant us a path to survival, why did you pretend to forgive us and toy with us just now!"

Mei Yong gritted his teeth, his Spiritual Qi surging wildly, his eyes filled with the ferocity of a desperate struggle. "Since surrender means death and begging is useless, then let us fight to the bitter end! My Shuibo has hundreds of Cultivators; if we fight to the death, we might just carve out a chance for survival!"

As the few men roared in fury and completely tore off their masks, the previously silent scene erupted once again.

The core confidants who had followed Chieftain Song He for years, deeply involved in concealing the chaos and colluding with external forces, all rose in a rage. With their Spiritual Qi fully unleashed and weapons drawn, their killing intent was frigid as they stood in a fierce standoff against Yuan Chen.

"That's right! Rather than waiting to be slaughtered like cattle, we might as well fight to the death!"

"We of Shuibo will never yield, even in death! We will never let ourselves be slaughtered!"

"Yuan Chen wishes to massacre the heroes of our Shuibo; how tyrannical! Today, we shall fight until one of us dies!"

Angry curses, rebukes, and unwilling roars rose one after another, and a thick, murderous aura instantly enveloped the entire isolated island.

Wu Yang and Yang Chi, standing to the side, watched with complex expressions but did not step forward to intervene. They had pleaded only to protect the innocent clansmen and had never intended to pardon these unforgivable ringleaders. Chieftain Song He and his cohorts had misled the clan for their own selfish interests and condoned the chaos; their current fate was entirely of their own making.

Yuan Chen stood where he was, watching the Shuibo leaders before him, who were baring their fangs in a death struggle. His expression remained lazy and carefree, without a ripple of emotion, even carrying a hint of playful amusement.

He raised his eyes nonchalantly, his tone casual and composed, carrying the confidence and disdain of someone absolutely invincible. "What? Since begging for mercy didn't work, you want to turn hostile and resort to force?"

"Since that is the case."

Yuan Chen lifted his hand gently, his posture relaxed and lazy, as if he were merely brushing away dust. "Then come ahead."

"I will allow all of you to attack, with your full strength. Otherwise, in a moment's time, you won't even have the chance to make a move."

Such extreme arrogance, such extreme invincibility. He did not intentionally release any pressure, yet it caused everyone present to hold their breath, their minds trembling.

This relaxed posture, which completely disregarded the crowd of Cultivators, was more despair-inducing than any monstrous slaughter.

Chieftain Song He's eyes were blood-red, his murderous aura surging to the heavens. He had long been blinded by fear and rage, and hearing Yuan Chen's disdainful words now, he became utterly crazed with fury.

"Since you insist on us dying! Then let us perish together! Activate the Formation!"

As his roar fell, Chieftain Song He formed a seal with one hand. His Spiritual Qi surged wildly, his black robes flapping violently. Beneath the isolated island in the middle of the lake, spiritual light surged instantly, and the Formation patterns lit up.

The power of the Shuibo lake veins and the momentum of the water mist took shape, layered and overlapping, filled with hallucinatory killing intent, trapping enemies and locking away their Spiritual Qi.

Hum—!

The entire isolated island shook violently. The lake water surged backward, and the water mist spiraled wildly. Countless pale blue water-element Formation patterns shot up from the ground, the lake surface, and the trees, crisscrossing and enveloping the entire area, instantly sealing the island into a lethal death trap.

Gale winds howled, water mist towered to the skies, Formation patterns locked the void, and killing intent permeated the air.

Chieftain Song He, Li Gui, Hua Rong, Mei Yong, and other core ringleaders all flew into the core of the Formation, driving their full cultivation to desperately bolster the power of the Formation.

However, the extreme killing momentum and monstrous pressure they had envisioned did not fully take shape.

The Zhou Tian Great Array, which should have had everyone working in unison with all their power united, was now incomplete and riddled with flaws.

Countless Shuibo Cultivators who were supposed to guard the Formation eyes and drive the Formation stood where they were, watching coldly from the sidelines. Not a single one stepped forward to help.

Wu Yang and Yang Chi even took a half-step back, completely detaching themselves from the Formation system, making their stance clear: they would absolutely not participate in this desperate, doomed battle.

There were also a large number of mid-level and low-level Cultivators who had already recognized the situation and were passively avoiding the battle, refusing to contribute any power.

For a moment, the massive Zhou Tian Great Array was driven by only a mere twenty or so of Chieftain Song He's confidants, leaving less than thirty percent of its power.

"Damn it, you all deserve to die! You are betraying Shuibo!" Seeing this, Chieftain Song He was so angry that his eyes turned blood-red and his blood surged. He couldn't help but roar sharply, filled with despair and rage.

Li Gui gritted his teeth and roared, "You abandon us today, but you will surely regret it in the future!"

But no matter how they roared and berated, none of the Cultivators present were moved, and no one stepped forward to help.

The hearts of the people were lost, and the situation was beyond saving.

Hua Rong's delicate body trembled slightly, her eyes filled with sorrow and despair, yet she still gritted her teeth and drove her Spiritual Qi to bolster the Formation. "Things have come to this; there is no retreat. We can only fight to the death! Even if the Formation is incomplete, we must exhaust our last remnants of strength. Brother, I love you!"

Chieftain Song He's back stiffened, and the Formation almost dissipated right then. "Stop saying useless things, kill for me!"

Countless killing patterns crisscrossed, and the gale winds swept up the overwhelming water momentum, carrying the final, desperate killing intent as they bore down on Yuan Chen.

The momentum appeared vast and terrifying, with water mist filling the sky and chilling killing intent, but in reality, it was weak and fragile, unable to withstand a single blow.

Yuan Chen stood in the center of the killing Formation, his posture still lazy and composed. He didn't even lift an eyelid, his face bearing a hint of faint boredom.

"This is even worse than last time. Is this all the means you have?"

He lifted his hand gently and waved it casually, his movement soft and lazy, as if brushing away a breeze in front of him.

There was no earth-shattering explosion of Divine Ability, no vast and majestic pressure sweeping across the area; it was merely a light palm wind swept out.

Boom—!

An earth-shaking roar exploded!

The killing Formation, which had been raging through the sky with chilling intent, crumbled like bubbles bursting and ice melting under that casual palm strike, instantly collapsing inch by inch and dispersing completely.

The water mist filling the sky was instantly swept away, the crisscrossing Formation patterns vanished without a trace, the raging winds suddenly calmed, and the violent water blades all turned into nothingness.

The power of a single palm strike broke the island's ten-thousand-year protective killing Formation!

The backlash from the crumbling Formation surged along the Formation eyes and struck Chieftain Song He and his core Cultivators.

Pfft—!

Chieftain Song He bore the brunt of it. His whole body shuddered violently, his chest collapsed, and he spat out a mouthful of scalding blood. His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string for dozens of zhang, crashing heavily into the lake water and splashing water everywhere.

Li Gui, Hua Rong, Mei Yong, and the others followed, all vomiting blood and flying backward. The sound of cracking bones rose one after another; everyone was severely injured and on the verge of death, their aura in chaos and their Spiritual Qi completely collapsed.

In a brief instant, the ringleaders who had fought to the death all lost their combat ability, looking utterly wretched.

Dust and water mist intertwined and permeated the air, shrouding the entire battlefield, making vision hazy and blurred.

Everyone strained their eyes to look, only to see, amidst the hazy mist, an extremely wretched black-robed figure suddenly flip over and step on the water, fleeing desperately toward the distant Void Realm.

It was Chieftain Song He!

He knew the situation was lost and he was powerless to resist. Unwilling to sit and wait for death or be captured, he took advantage of the chaos caused by the crumbling Formation, endured the excruciating pain of his severe injuries, and made a desperate break for it, fleeing in a panic.

"Brothers, protect me!"

While fleeing, Chieftain Song He's hoarse roar rang out through the heavens, reminding his few remaining confidants.

The remaining dozen or so severely injured confidants were slightly stunned at the sight.

Then, they all came to their senses and scattered, fleeing in different directions to find their own paths to survival.

Some ran wildly across the water, wanting to escape toward the distant lake surface; some soared into the air, wanting to break through the sky and escape into the sea of clouds; others dove deep into the woods, wanting to hide their figures and save their lives.

In an instant, the Shuibo isolated island descended into chaos, with the remnants scattering and fleeing in a sorry state.

Yuan Chen stood where he was, his expression lazy and calm. Watching the crowd fleeing in all directions, he felt not a hint of urgency, a faint, playful smile playing on his lips.

"Want to run?"

"I gave you a chance to leave earlier, but you didn't. Now that you want to flee, it is too late."

He raised his hand casually, and a faint light flashed on his fingertips.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The sound of things piercing through the air was continuous and rang out through the heavens!

Hundreds of Low Grade Immortal Artifacts, glowing with brilliant light and pearly white throughout, appeared out of thin air around Yuan Chen. They lined up neatly, hovering in mid-air, their Sword Intent frigid and the pressure of the artifacts monstrous.

Sabers, swords, spears, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks—every type of Immortal Artifact was present. There were hundreds of them, densely packed, covering the entire sky. The extreme pressure of these divine weapons instantly locked down the entire Shuibo airspace.

These Immortal Artifacts, which ordinary Cultivators dreamt of and could rarely encounter even one of in their entire lives, were like common weapons or expendable materials in Yuan Chen's hands, arranged at will and driven as he pleased.

"Go."

Yuan Chen uttered the word lightly, his tone casual and indifferent.

In an instant, hundreds of Immortal Artifacts broke through the air simultaneously, transforming into hundreds of brilliant streaks of light, pursuing every fleeing Shuibo remnant with pinpoint accuracy.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!!

A continuous series of violent explosions rang out, shaking the heavens, causing the lake water to churn and the isolated island to tremble.

Every time an Immortal Artifact landed, a mist of blood exploded.

"Ah—!"

Miserable screams rose one after another, endless to the ear.

None of those core remnants who had just fought to the death and scattered to flee could survive the pursuit of the Immortal Artifacts.

Some were pierced through the chest by Immortal Swords and fell instantly; some had their Dantians pierced by Immortal Spears, their cultivation completely destroyed and their lives extinguished; others were hacked to pieces by Immortal Axes, turning into a mist of blood and gore.

In just a few breaths, the twenty-plus unforgivable core ringleaders and stubborn confidants all died under the pursuit of the Immortal Artifacts, with none surviving.

Blood floated on the lake surface, severed limbs lay scattered, and a mist of blood filled the sky. A murderous aura shrouded the surroundings; the scene was tragic, shocking, and blood-pumping.