Stealthily cultivating in the chaotic world of demons and martial artists
Chapter 965 - 821: Enemies Meet (Extra Episode, Subscribe Please)

Chapter 965: Chapter 821: Enemies Meet (Extra Episode, Subscribe Please)

Panlong Lake.

Inside the Water Mansion Dragon Palace.

Fang Xi, with a Mussel Girl in his arms, watched many Bell Girls dance gracefully below and took a sip of "Icy Jade Liquor". His demeanor was lazy and content, "Indeed... Leaving everything to the God Path Incarnation is just so comfortable."

Since arriving in this world, he actually hadn’t done much.

He’d merely followed his whims, killing a few people here, saving a few there... And then he transformed into a great demon in the guise of a loach, stirring trouble and even driving away the Lord of Panlong Lake.

Had it not been for the sake of his daughter, he would have shown the Lord of Panlong Lake who the true loach was!

"The ’Hei Shan Mountain God’ has recently been promoted to a proper Third Grade... To reach the First Grade, one would need to expand to other states, bringing disaster upon countless living beings..."

"Actually, that’s unnecessary. The Nine State Sect already has enough faith and Deities in reserve... Especially since the sect obtained a First Grade Divine Position when they killed that Grand Tutor. It’s a pity it still couldn’t advance... But with the First Grade divine seat, forging a ’small Taoist Court’ presents little difficulty."

"At that time, if the Innate Godhood Position were to become the master of the Taoist Court, assembling many Deities and faith... It should be possible to break through above the First Grade... and enter the realm of a Heavenly Rank."

"Once the Hei Shan Mountain God advances, it can continue to confer numerous First Grade and even superior Godhood Positions... creating a virtuous cycle. Conservatively estimated, within a thousand years, there should be Heavenly Dukes or even more superior beings!"

If a Heavenly Duke is akin to the perfection of Returning to Emptiness, then a Heavenly Rank has already entered the Integration Level, and even within the Earth Immortal Realm, one would be considered a significant power.

If the Monster Clan and the Alien Alliance were to invade recently, and a grand army of the God Path were to join the battlefield, it would undoubtedly cause a qualitative change.

It might even become the key factor affecting the outcome of the Four races competition!

"However, this can only be considered as making steady progress..."

"If I were to accept the Godhood Position from ’Lord Qingtong’, upon reaching the Earth Immortal Realm, I could immediately confer numerous Heavenly Ranks, creating a significant force in a blink of an eye!"

"This treasure of Lord Qingtong is indeed interesting... If the God Path Incarnation were to refine this seal in the Earth Immortal Realm, there surely wouldn’t be any issues. Moreover, it’s actually an Innate Divine Position that can continue to ascend on its own..."

"Then, what comes next is resolving grudges and incidentally cleaning up karma, right?"

Fang Xi, wielding the Fortune Worm and with a sufficiently high cultivation, was already able to foresee most of the karma surrounding "Lord Qingtong’s Treasure", which lay in the direction of the Taoist Court’s capital city!

"This capital city, I really need to visit at least once..."

"But I wonder if it will be a peaceful recruitment, or perhaps a journey... Perhaps I should feign agreement to the recruitment first, then give the Emperor a fright?"

A mischievous smile appeared on Fang Xi’s face, startling the Bell Girl who was pouring him wine at the table.

Despite twenty years having passed, she remained the size of a palm, struggling with a white jade liquor pot taller than herself, looking quite laborious.

Fang Xi, however, paid no heed, simply enjoying the delicacies of the Dragon Palace at his leisure.

The days of leave would eventually end, and once he returned to the Earth Immortal Realm, he would no longer have such leisure time...

"Hmm?"

Just then, his brow furrowed as he looked up towards the sky of the Water Mansion.

...

Thud!

A headless corpse fell into the water, with crimson blood dispersing in the ripples.

Not far away, Gan Yu was enveloped in a faint radiance, hiding at the bottom of the water, daring not to move at all.

Swoosh!

In the sky, a Sword Light flashed by from time to time.

’This is troublesome... how did I run into the "Dead Sword Immortal"?

Gan Yu complained silently to himself.

He had originally led a squad of soldiers not daring to venture deep into Zhu State, hoping to grab a small triumph and then immediately retreat.

But to his surprise, most of the land gods in Zhu State had already ’defected’!

The lesser land gods were manageable, but the city gods already held Seventh Grade Divine Positions, with God’s Prestige comparable to Foundation Establishment, and possessing Core Formation power within their own Divine Domain!

Even though Gan Yu was a warrior of the Taoist Court, he was chased like a homeless dog and unwittingly went deep into Zhu State, arriving near Panlong Lake.

Since the land gods were Earth Deities, the only escape was through the water veins!

Although the plan wasn’t bad, on the surface of the river, he encountered the "Dead Sword Immortal"!

That Sword Immortal, with his swordsmanship, was truly awe-inspiring, enough to make the heavens and the ghosts weep...

Not to mention, he had distinguished himself with great merits, and the Mountain God had even bestowed upon him an External Pill.

Gan Yu’s little troop was exterminated by a few sword strikes.

He could only hastily use a water-escape spell to hide at the bottom of the river, waiting anxiously for judgment...

’Every few decades, that Sword Light sweeps by, obviously searching for me...’

Gan Yu thought anxiously, "It’s time to find another place..."

Just as he was preparing to flee along the water veins, in the nearby water, more fierce and monstrous creatures emerged.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

The leading Lake Patrolling Yaksha, terrifying in appearance, bowed politely, "Human scholar... The Saint invites you!"

"The Saint?"

Gan Yu was stunned, then quickly understood. Could it be the ’Muddy Water Saint’?

He heard that its original form was a fish demon that took advantage of the chaos caused by the Hei Shan Mountain God to stir trouble and now had taken over Panlong Prefecture, also a rebel!

As he was about to refuse, he saw the Lake Patrolling Yaksha’s body flicker with divine light, feeling a faint pressure emanating.

Knowing that in the advantageous terrain underwater, he was no match for this Yaksha.

Moreover, even if he managed to kill this Yaksha, could he really escape from the lake? Above the surface of the lake, there was the Dead Sword Immortal!

Between two evils, choose the lesser!

Gan Yu clenched his teeth, "The Saint’s renowned might is something I’ve long yearned for..."

"That’s very good, please!"

The Lake Patrolling Yaksha waved his steel fork, and a large amount of water parted, forming a waterway.

Gan Yu formed a water-repelling gesture and, surrounded by the Yaksha and shrimp soldiers and crab generals, was escorted like a prisoner to the front of the Water Mansion Dragon Palace.

’This Saint really does not understand how to entertain guests... This forceful invitation is more like being taken into custody.’

Gan Yu felt indignation in his heart, but then his spirit was captivated by the grand and vast Dragon Palace.

The palace walls were built from gold bricks, the pillars from red sandalwood, and even the tiles were made of jade that constantly emitted brilliant, translucent light.

After entering the Dragon Palace, along the way, he saw corals of various colors each several feet high and fists-sized luminous pearls embedded in the walls.

Occasionally passing Mussel Girls wore gossamer fabrics, their winsome smiles and graceful figures provoking deep longings.

For a moment, Gan Yu was dazzled by the colors and almost forgot where he was.

Fortunately, being a scholar, decades of cultivated breathing techniques came in handy, and he just managed to compose himself as he arrived at a grand hall.

In the center of the hall, a group of Bell Girls was dancing graciously, their beauty surpassing that of the maidens he had seen earlier.

A man in a black robe sat in the seat of honor, his table laden with all kinds of exquisite delicacies. A tiny maidservant the size of a palm was sweating profusely as she refilled his drink and arranged his dishes.

Gan Yu caught a glimpse of the little maid from the corner of his eye and felt a pang of pity for her.

But at this moment, he quickly steadied his heart and performed a salute toward the figure sitting at the front, "The young Gan Yu pays his respects to the Saint!"

"Gan Yu?!"

Fang Xi’s voice suddenly rose, shaking the entire palace.

As someone who had defeated the Lord of Panlong Lake, his mere presence frightened the shrimp soldiers, crab generals, the Lake Patrolling Yaksha, and even the Turtle Prime Minister into prostrating on the ground, "Grand Saint, please calm your anger... Grand Saint, please calm your anger..."

"Hahaha!"

Fang Xi laughed heartily, "You’ve finally come!"

"The Saint knows of me?" Gan Yu pondered, for he had led an upright and honorable life, as the saying goes, "One who has done no guilty deeds does not fear ghosts pounding at his door in the night," and thus he asked in surprise.

"Good question, now take another look, who am I?"

Fang Xi bellowed, and a cloud of darkness surged from his head.

This cloud seemed to be condensed from endless mist, every strand heavy as a mountain, spreading out enough to fill ponds and lakes.

Within that dark and heavy mist, a Flood Dragon emerged.

It was pitch-black all over, with a horn on its head, fine and tight scales, four claws on its belly, and two long whiskers that gave it an elegant appearance.

But for some reason, Gan Yu found this Flood Dragon strangely familiar.

Suddenly, his memory sparked, recalling the Well Dragon King he had eaten on a whim in his not-so-prosperous past!

"Is it you?!"

He could no longer contain himself, his face turning pale as he slumped to the ground.

At that moment, Gan Yu even thought, ’Oh no... that Well Dragon King must have encountered some fortunate opportunity to have transformed into a Flood Dragon, and even became the Muddy Water Saint... If I had known this, I might as well have surfaced and been slain by the Dead Sword Immortal to prevent such agony!’

In his mind, now that this Well Dragon King before him was an enemy for whom the sight of him would be especially enraging, the least dreadful fate for himself would likely be to be boiled in oil or eaten alive!

After all, he had directly consumed the other’s divine body back then...

Such profound hatred, to fall into the other’s hands again, how could he possibly escape retribution?

"Hahaha... Scholar, now that you’ve fallen into this great Saint’s hands, what last words do you have to say?"

Fang Xi cackled with pleasure.

"I only ask for a swift death..."

Gan Yu closed his eyes.

Just then, a clear and pure voice like jade rang out, "Wait a moment!"

Gan Yu waited for a long time but did not find himself being killed, so he finally opened his eyes to see the Muddy Water Saint glaring at him with an unhappy expression.

"Having offended this great Saint, you would undoubtedly have been doomed to die, but now there is another way out for you, are you willing or not?"

Fang Xi said with a sly smile.

"The Saint may speak..."

Gan Yu looked around, not seeing the person who had spoken before, aware that the voice had been transmitted through a spell.

Only a few could do such a thing, and the prime suspect was the Hei Shan Earth God!

At that moment, Fang Xi said, "The Earth God has decreed that this great Saint must take a trip to the capital city... Just in time to use the Taoist Record Restrictions on your body to conceal this great Saint’s Demon Qi..."

’Indeed, both the Earth God and the Saint are of the same ilk, no, the Muddy Water Saint actually heeds the command of the Hei Shan Earth God!’ thought Gan Yu, managing to keep his face unchanged, "If you go to the capital and defy the Taoist Laws, I would not be spared from a thousand cuts and dismemberment..."

"If you comply, you can spare your family from suffering. This great Saint will first send your relatives to Hei Shan for protection."

Fang Xi said cheerfully, "If you refuse, then your whole family will hit the road together!"

Such a demon’s actions were simple and direct, cruel and bloody.

After long contemplation, Gan Yu merely gave a bitter smile, "Great Saint, what a strategy, it seems that I don’t really have any other choice..."