Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 104 - 100: Dragon King of the Jing River (Please Follow)

Chapter 104: Chapter 100: Dragon King of the Jing River (Please Follow)

"Xiao Wang only speaks the truth!"

"Good! I’ll ask you then!"

Li Ping’an, staring at the bizarre appearance of the Beheaded Dragon King, inquired:

"Who exactly are you?"

"Xiao Wang was the Dragon King of the Jing River, who, five hundred years ago, contended in magic with Yuan Shoucheng and violated the heavenly decree," Ao Lie hastily explained.

"It really is you!"

Li Ping’an nodded in satisfaction, not at all surprised by the answer, and continued to ask:

"Why do you linger here as a restless spirit, solely harming others?"

The Dragon King of the Jing River, Ao Lie, hurriedly explained:

"After Xiao Wang was killed in a dream by Wei Zheng from the Heavenly Court, my dragon soul, along with the dragon head, fell into this place, but I have never harmed anyone; I just specifically scare people."

"Scare people?"

Li Ping’an furrowed his brows, puzzled:

"Scaring people? Why scare people?"

"To keep a secret..."

Ao Lie hesitated in his reply.

"Keeping what secret..."

"That’s..."

Seeing Ao Lie stop speaking, Li Ping’an raised the Hundred Plays Steel Rod to intimidate him:

"Not talking, huh? Then don’t blame me for being rude!"

"I’ll speak, isn’t that enough?"

Ao Lie, this evil spirit, faced with Li Ping’an who was even more troublesome than an evil spirit, reluctantly accepted his fate and finally said:

"In the Southern Continent, below the Four Great Continents, lies the land of Maitreya Buddha and Venerable Lord. Tathagata Buddha also aims to spread Mahayana Buddhism here through the journey of retrieving scriptures, which triggered the dispute between Buddhism and Daoism, and Xiao Wang became the first sacrifice..."

"Hm? What situation?"

As Ao Lie was speaking, Buddhist Incantations and Taoist Mantras emerged at the severed dragon’s mouth, tangling around and trapping his mouth, preventing him from continuing to speak another word, while the two barriers that had disappeared reappeared faintly.

After a moment, the Buddhist Incantations and Taoist Mantras on the Beheaded Dragon King’s mouth completely vanished, and Ao Lie, fearing Li Ping’an might lose his temper, hurriedly explained:

"Immortal, it’s not that I won’t tell, but I truly have unspeakable difficulties, as you have seen. The Barrier Formation is present here, and the secret Xiao Wang knows simply cannot be disclosed!"

"I’m not blind, and I’m a reasonable person, you don’t have to worry."

Li Ping’an then asked further:

"Who exactly set up this barrier?"

"I can only say Deities and Buddhas, who exactly I cannot tell."

"This is indeed curious."

Li Ping’an laughed:

"Since you know such a tremendous secret, why didn’t the Deities and Buddhas who set up this barrier just disperse your soul back then instead of going to such trouble?"

The Dragon King of the Jing River helplessly said:

"Xiao Wang was also deceived by them. They initially promised that after the event was completed, Xiao Wang would enter reincarnation and be thus liberated, but after it was completed I was trapped in this Dragon Locking Well, forever suffering from the Barrier Formation’s torment. One peculiarity of this formation is that when night falls, Xiao Wang uncontrollably comes out to claim lives and frighten people!"

"I was wondering why your behaviors were so inconsistent, sometimes dazed and sometimes alert. Now I understand."

Li Ping’an nodded, recalling Ao Lie’s initial reaction when they met, he realized that the Dragon King of the Jing River was not lying, and curiously said:

"With so many extraordinary people and remarkable talents in the world, aren’t the Deities and Buddhas who set up this Barrier worried that such individuals might come here, subdue you, and discover that immense secret?"

"They are naturally not afraid!"

The Dragon King of the Jing River, Ao Lie, said angrily:

"Immortal, you must have seen how formidable this Barrier is. I, Xiao Wang, scare people away within the Fallen Dragon Pit precisely to keep them at a distance. Anyone daring enough to approach must indeed possess great skills and courage. To prevent these individuals from learning that immense secret from Xiao Wang, this Barrier will control me to use the Thunder Technique and kill the intruders."

"Even if the intruders cannot be killed by Xiao Wang, they will be forever trapped within this Barrier, until they die and turn to bones. That is the power of this Barrier."

Li Ping’an squinted his eyes and nodded, saying:

"I see, you are the focal point of this Formation, as long as you cannot see the people within this Formation, the Barrier will disappear, is that correct?"

The Dragon King of the Jing River, Ao Lie, flattered:

"Immortal can correlate things so effectively; your intelligence is indeed exceptional."

"Stop flattering me. It’s just that the Divine Skills I command happen to restrain you, otherwise you might have killed me as well."

Li Ping’an gave a cold look to the Dragon King of the Jing River, Ao Lie, and continued:

"Since you have told the truth, and you didn’t intend to kill me, fine, I’ll let you go today. I don’t know how long I still have to stay in the Fallen Dragon Pit, just don’t bother me in the future, to avoid getting beaten again, remember that!"

Having said this, Li Ping’an prepared to turn and leave, tired after so much turmoil, all he wanted now was to sleep.

"Immortal, please wait!"

"What else do you want?"

Li Ping’an stopped, asking impatiently.

"Immortal, you are the first person in five hundred years to walk out of this Barrier alive, surely a remarkable individual. Given this chance occurrence and hidden karma, Xiao Wang would like to ask for your help with a personal matter, and should you agree to help, a gift will surely be given in gratitude!"

The Dragon King of the Jing River bowed deeply in entreaty.

"What kind of help? Associating with a dragon like you, trapped by Deities and Buddhas, I suspect I won’t meet a good end!"

Li Ping’an, unwilling to listen further, turned and walked away without looking back, but the Dragon King of the Jing River, Ao Lie, immediately flew in front of him, blocking his way and knelt on the ground to plead:

"Immortal, you misunderstand; the favor Xiao Wang asks is not related to that immense secret, but rather a family matter."

Li Ping’an, listlessly tilting his head, responded:

"You’re even harder to deal with than Yiye Zhiqiu, hurry up and speak!"

Seeing that Li Ping’an was willing to listen, the Dragon King of the Jing River, Ao Lie, quickly said:

"Xiao Wang has nine sons, the first, Little Yellow Dragon, stays in the Huai River Basin; the second, Little Black Dragon, resides in the Ji River Basin; the third, Green-Backed Dragon, occupies the Yangtze River Basin; the fourth, Red-Bearded Dragon, guards the Yellow River Basin; the fifth, Futile Dragon, serves with the Buddha Ancestor; the sixth, Wen Shoulong, supports the Divine Palace; the seventh, Jing Zhonglong, stands with the Jade Emperor in maintaining the heavenly pillar; the eighth, Mirage Dragon, bases himself in the Eastern Sea establishing the great mount; and the ninth, Turtle Dragon, being young, went to the Dragon King of the Western Sea."

"Xiao Wang’s nine sons either serve the Heavenly Court, exert themselves for the Buddha Ancestor, or are too young and naive."

"Since that incident, Xiao Wang fears his nine sons will repeat his mistakes, used by various powers, ultimately meeting a tragic and manipulated demise."

"Therefore, Xiao Wang asks the Immortal to instruct them, should you meet any of my sons, to renounce their divine tablets, erase their Buddhist registries, find a quiet water body to properly cultivate, and prepare for the heavenly tribulation."

"Heavenly tribulation? What heavenly tribulation?"

Li Ping’an never expected the Old Dragon King to harbor so many earth-shattering secrets; no wonder he was eternally trapped here, curiosity piqued, he inadvertently asked another question.

"Immortal, it’s better left unsaid, have you forgotten the fierceness of this Formation?"

"Alright, alright, I understand."

Li Ping’an was most annoyed by people who never fully expressed themselves, but considering this Barrier Formation, he refrained from pressing further for the secrets within.