Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn
Chapter 117 - 80: Catastrophic Calamity (Part 2)

Chapter 117: Chapter 80: Catastrophic Calamity (Part 2)

"Look at me, I’m such a scatterbrain. Thank heavens for you, old man," Zhu Shijun’s words hit Jin Dafu like a bolt from the blue, snapping him back to reality. With the situation as it is, he was still fixating on those fanciful notions, "I’m going right out to get all the men in the village to help with the evacuation and the relocation of resources." Jin Dafu didn’t care about the fierce winds and pouring rain outside and was about to rush out.

"I’m coming with you," Zhu Shijun insisted, not willing to be left behind. After more than a year, he had formed a deep bond with this village.

"Old man..." Jin Dafu choked up, turned around, and wiped the corner of his eyes. He wanted to refuse, but most of the men left in the village were over fifty, and in such an emergency, every extra hand could help reduce the losses, "Alright, let’s go out now."

The two, draped in raincoats, charged into the curtain of rain. The raincoats were hardly sufficient to cover them in such a storm. Several figures dashed ahead, "Village chief," it was San Gouzi’s voice; he had just finished securing his family’s tin-roofed cart when he heard the cries of Sister-in-law Wangcai’s children and women.

"San Gouzi, gather everyone. I and the old man will go to Sister-in-law Wangcai’s house to rescue people first. You get someone and immediately check on Granny Bai’s house. After rescuing people, meet at the village entrance, and push out all the carts from the households to transport the rice to the village broadcasting station," Drenched by the rain and standing beside Zhu Shijun, Jin Dafu felt a surge of confidence and began to give organized commands.

The village broadcasting station was built halfway up the mountain, positioned high on a solid foundation, ensuring the safety of the transported rice and the people who were relocated there.

"Old man, did you leave Xiao Xian alone at home? Should we send him to our house?" San Gouzi knew that Sister-in-law Lian had returned home. It wasn’t good to leave a child alone at home during such a storm.

Zhu Shijun didn’t say much, and even if he had replied, his voice would have been swallowed by the wind and rain. He wasn’t worried about Xiao Xian, Miao Village was probably safer than the village, as long as Xiao Xian wasn’t walking on the mountain roads, he would be safe.

Under the pitch-dark sky lay a seemingly endless mountain path. Small figures like ants staggered through the storm. Xiao Xian dared not breathe heavily; once he did, the wind mixed with rainwater would violently rush into his throat, almost suffocating him.

Almost there, just a few more steps. Closer to White Dragon Pond, the storm intensified, and a slight misstep could sweep a person into the pond. Standing near the pond, the usually tranquil White Dragon Pond had transformed into a raging sea.

The surging waves could swallow driftwood and flying birds, the water growing deeper and rising higher, threatening to overflow the bridges and break the mountain banks.

Xiao Xian took a breath, his feet gaining strength, firmly planting themselves at the edge of the bank. Looking around, mud and water overflowed from the mountain, and farther away, in the direction of the village broadcasting station, a twinkling light flickered like fireflies.

In the middle of the pond, the source of the soaring water dragon, lay a bottomless whirlpool voracious enough to swallow everything. Sounds akin to dragon roars or beast howls emanated from the bottom of the pond. Glancing toward the mountain, Xiao Xian thought, "If I can find that felled Dragon Tree, the Immortal Liquid could regenerate it. In doing so, the Evil Flood Dragon at the bottom of the pond could be suppressed again." This was his sole thought.

The suspension bridge to Leigong Mountain hovered over the water’s surface, perilously rocking in the wind and waves. The suspension bridge from Black Mountain to Leigong Mountain, about two hundred meters long, was beyond what Xiao Xian’s Cloud Ascension Technique could cross at such a distance.

Centipede-shaped lightning tore through the sky, and the clouds, heavy as someone’s depressed throat, rumbled with the brewing of thunder.

With a "swish," Xiao Xian tore off a long piece of bark from an ancient camphor tree by the shore. "Sorry, I can’t concern myself with your dignity right now," the lightning illuminated her face, anyone seeing Xiao Xian now would be astonished by the aura she exuded, which was not at all fitting for a child.

Just a moment ago, this bark was still part of the tree, exuding the scent of camphor wood. The bark was tough and strong. Xiao Xian tugged at it forcefully, and after ensuring it was secure, she walked toward the iron chain bridge.

The single iron chain swung back and forth like a swing, the planks had been flipped and blown away, leaving just the iron chain swinging ceaselessly in the wind, struggling furiously.

Behind her, Yezi ran up, panting heavily, "Xiao Xian, come back, come back with me." His shouting was cut off before it could begin. It was too late; Yezi covered his mouth, unable to believe what he was seeing, and dared not make a sound, fearing any distraction might cause Xiao Xian to fall into the pond.

In the sky, thick clouds burst with thunder, and the pond churned with torrents.

Taking the bark in her hands, Xiao Xian stood with one foot on a rock by the shore, the wind blowing her body light as a reed crossing a river, sharp as an arrow cutting through the storm.

Wind lashed and rain poured, but none of that stopped Xiao Xian’s progress. In a few strides, she was on the opposite bank, Xiao Xian gasped for breath and immediately ran toward the broken Dragon Tree.

"Yezi. Go back to the village immediately, instruct the villagers to lock their doors and windows," A hand appeared on Yezi’s shoulder, it was the Red Locust Great Wizard, her face pale, watching the vortex and Xiao Xian running up the mountain.

"Granny, I want to help her," Yezi bowed his head, tears spinning in his eyes. Why were granny and Xiao Xian telling him to go back? He wanted to help too.

"Go back immediately, you can’t help here," the Red Locust Great Wizard dressed in a Miao Clan’s long robe; the blue fabric soaked in water had turned black.

Yezi hesitated, at only thirteen, it took a lot of courage to control the hurt and stubbornness in his heart, but eventually, reason overcame recklessness, and he turned and ran back to Miao Village.

"Evil Flood Dragon, do you really intend to devour the entire Ge Village?" The Red Locust Great Wizard looked up at the sky, seeing the clouds above gather into the shape of a flood dragon, its mouth wide open, directly targeting the direction of Leigong Mountain, the situation perilously dire.