29: Qiantang changes, dragon appears

Qiantang County.

Xianheng Teahouse.

“Waiter, a pot of tea and two plates of dried scallop snacks.”

“Coming right up, please wait a moment.”

Gu Changsheng gracefully took a seat on the second floor of the teahouse, observing his surroundings from the corner of his eye.

On the stage downstairs, the storyteller spoke rapidly, like a machine gun, recounting local county legends.

The onlookers whispered amongst themselves, nobody knew what they were discussing.

This place was a hub for people from all walks of life, where various news circulated, and among them, there were not a few Cultivators.

At least in this small teahouse, Gu Changsheng noticed several Spirit Building Stage cultivators.

‘Qiantang County is a major town in the south, so it’s not surprising to have Cultivators stationed here.

But the number… it’s a bit too many.

So many Spirit Building Stage cultivators gathered in one teahouse.’

Gu Changsheng lightly tapped the table with his fingers, deep in thought.

Three days ago, he arrived in Qiantang and secretly inquired about information.

Qiantang had already been occupied by the White Lotus Sect, but fortunately, the White Lotus Sect did not slaughter the city; instead, it maintained daily order, and public security was even more stable than before.

The only strange thing was that over these three days, Cultivators came and went, their numbers increasing daily, and the White Lotus Sect seemed to let them be, showing no intention of managing them.

At this moment, the storyteller on stage suddenly slammed the gavel and exclaimed, “Speaking of Lord Qiantang, seeing the Qiantang River suffering from floods and the evil Dragon wreaking havoc, he was filled with rage… He led thirty thousand soldiers and battled the evil Dragon in the Qiantang River for ten days and ten nights, finally beheading the Dragon on a high platform.

That day, Dragon resentment soared to the heavens, and the rivers flowed backward.

Lord Qiantang, unable to bear the suffering of the common people, established a temple for him to suppress the Qiantang River’s water veins… Thus, Qiantang County enjoyed three hundred years of peace.”

The storyteller on stage spoke with great eloquence, and many onlookers below applauded loudly.

To Gu Changsheng’s surprise, among them, a burly, bearded Foundation Building swordsman looked quite agitated, with tears in his eyes.

‘The story of Lord Qiantang is widely circulated.

Half-true, half-false, it’s unknown… It’s one thing for Mortals to believe it, but even a Spirit Building Stage cultivator showing such emotional fluctuation… is a bit strange…’

Gu Changsheng silently sipped his tea.

At this moment, his expression shifted, and a purple-patterned bee flew to his ear.

This was a Gu insect that Gu Changsheng had tamed using Gu raising techniques—the Purple-patterned Spotted Bee, which had evolved from Mortal to Spiritual, and whose speed and lethality far surpassed the previous Scorpion-tailed Bee.

The Purple-patterned Spotted Bee flapped its wings, emitting a faint buzzing sound, and Gu Changsheng’s face suddenly changed as he looked out the window.

“Oh no, the Qiantang River has flooded, and an evil Dragon has sprung out of the river!”

A young servant suddenly rushed into the teahouse, panting heavily as he reported the news.

Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn, and they looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw the distant Qiantang River, far on the horizon, surging with turbulent waves, raising colossal waves, hundreds of feet high.

Amidst the blurry mist, a towering Jiao Dragon phantom appeared, spewing floodwaters that scoured the riverbanks.

The faces of the teahouse onlookers turned pale.

After more than three hundred years of hearing the legends of Lord Qiantang, who would have thought that a Jiao Dragon would truly wreak havoc?

The attitude of several Cultivators was quite different.

“Haha, it finally came out.

It wasn’t in vain that this old Daoist has been waiting for so long.”

The blue-robed old Daoist waved his horsetail whisk, and black Evil Qi billowed around him.

“This Jiao Dragon has a powerful Evil Qi, and at least ten streams of jiaolong evil qi can be extracted from it… This is an Opportunity for the True Core Realm.”

“Go quickly, go quickly.”

One after another, Foundation Building Realm auras rose from Qiantang County, all rushing towards the Qiantang River.

Soon, various Daoist techniques flew across the sky, besieging the Qiantang River Jiao Dragon.

Gu Changsheng rested his chin on his hand, gazing into the distance, frowning slightly: “So they came for the Qiantang River Jiao Dragon… That makes sense, this Jiao Dragon’s body is filled with water Qi essence, clearly born from the combination of Dragon Qi and water vein essence, and the jiaolong evil qi extracted from its Dragon blood is of decent quality…”

Just as Human Evil can be extracted from the human body, Evil Qi can naturally be extracted from demons and monsters.

Among them, some Evil Qi are of quite high grade.

For example, the Qiantang River jiaolong evil qi, the Earth Vein Tortoise Evil… but in Gu Changsheng’s eyes, he found them somewhat disdainful.

After all, having cultivated the Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique, he would never lack top-tier Evil Qi as long as he fused with famous mountains.

The jiaolong evil qi was good, but it was still quite far from being top-tier Evil Qi.

“This Qiantang River Jiao Dragon has a strong aura, especially its water vein scales, which are impenetrable, making it quite extraordinary.

Even if a True Core Realm expert were to attack, they wouldn’t be able to take it down in a short time.

However, as the saying goes, ‘ants can kill an elephant if there are enough of them,’ with so many Spirit Building Stage cultivators attacking, the outcome is quite predictable…”

After some thought, Gu Changsheng decided to go and observe the battle.

If he was lucky, he might even be able to snatch some Dragon blood to refine Evil Qi.

Even if he didn't need it himself, he could exchange it with other Cultivators for Materials.

After all, the various Divine Abilities and secret techniques recorded in the Yuanshan Body Fusion Technique required a lot of precious Materials for fusion.

With a thought, Gu Changsheng dropped a silver note, transformed into a blood-red rainbow, and flew away.

On Wangjiang Tower.

Xuan Xin gazed at the Qiantang River Jiao Dragon wreaking havoc in the distance, her eyes filled with fervent anticipation.

“Who would have thought that the passage connecting to the Yellow Springs was hidden beneath the Qiantang River… All that’s needed is to behead the Jiao Dragon and pave the way with its flowing blood.

The Yellow Springs Great Emperor truly possessed remarkable means.”

Xuan Xin gripped the railing, sighing with emotion.

“Dear disciple, that is a powerful Cultivator at the Peak of the Profound Cave Realm.

When your Grandmaster and I first stepped onto the path of cultivation, the Yellow Springs Great Emperor was already a legend, his might shaking both the demon and monster realms.

It was only by chance that I was able to discover the Legacy of that person hidden beneath the Qiantang River.

Unfortunately, before I could explore it, I was betrayed by that wicked disciple…”

The shadowy figure’s voice was hoarse, tinged with indignation and resentment.

Upon hearing this, both of them fell silent simultaneously.

It was Xuan Xin who broke the stalemate: “The Qiantang River Jiao Dragon was born from the essence of the water veins, immortal and indestructible.

Even if it is killed, it can be reborn after a sixty-year cycle.

However, to maintain the Yellow Springs Road for a long time, sufficient Qi and blood sacrifice is required… Now, let the people of this entire city pave the way for me.”

A cold murderous intent flashed in Xuan Xin’s eyes.

In her every word and action, she held the power of life and death.

On the Qiantang River, the Jiao Dragon rampaged, swinging its tail and striking with its Dragon claws… Each attack effortlessly claimed the life of a Cultivator, and blood stained the river red.

The group of Spirit Building Stage cultivators, however, remained undeterred, continuing to cast their Daoist techniques.

Suddenly, thick, water-bucket-sized chains emerged from the Void Realm, coiling around the Dragon’s body. At the ends of the chains, twelve burly men, shirtless and with taut muscles, stood on the river surface.

Immediately, the Jiao Dragon let out a long roar, its body unable to move.

“The Twelve Fiends of Heavenly Lake, why are they here too…”

Someone recognized them.

“The Twelve Fiends of Heavenly Lake, each of them is at the Peak of the Foundation Building Realm, skilled in combined attack techniques, having cooperated for decades, their combined strength can contend with True Core Realm Cultivators.

This Qiantang Flood Dragon is surely doomed.”

The leader of the Twelve Fiends of Heavenly Lake laughed, “Haha, the jiaolong evil qi extracted from this Qiantang Flood Dragon can increase strength and replenish Qi and blood, which is perfect for us.

And there’s enough of it, True Core is within reach!”

“Big brother is absolutely right. Haha.”

Suddenly, the Qiantang water veins surged, and a stream of azure water vein essence poured into the Jiao Dragon’s body. The Jiao Dragon, originally dozens of zhang long, suddenly grew several times larger, and its Qi mechanism even broke through to the True Core Realm.

With a tremor of its scales, the profound iron chains snapped, shattering into countless fragments.

A Dragon claw struck.

“Not good!”

The leader of the Twelve Fiends of Heavenly Lake’s pupils constricted. He wanted to dodge, but the speed was too fast. He watched helplessly as the Dragon claw landed on his body.

Bang—

With one claw, blood mist filled the sky, and there was no trace of a person left.

“Big brother!”

“Evil Dragon, I’ll fight you to the death!”

“Die!”

The muscular men were heartbroken, pulling out various Magical Artifacts to attack, but unfortunately, none could break through the Jiao Dragon’s water vein scales.

Three breaths later, an azure Dragon breath swept across the river, and the Twelve Fiends of Heavenly Lake were all dead.