Chapter 89, Flood Dragon Three River Joint and Xu Kaishan’s Invitation

Translator: Raznick

 

The news of a Flood Dragon appearing in the downstream of the Grey River was impossible to contain, so the cultivators from Cloud Province were bound to get wind of it. This outcome was not unexpected for Zhou Chun, but there was something that left him puzzled.

 

He wondered why the senior cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery did not warn the local cultivators in Cloud Province about the Flood Dragon laying eggs. It would prevent these locals from disturbing the Flood Dragon, which could otherwise jeopardize their plans. Perhaps they were confident that no matter how the local cultivators of Cloud Province acted, they would not manage to disturb the Flood Dragon?

 

Though he was puzzled, Zhou Chun knew it wasn’t his place to interfere in such matters.

 

He only needed to focus on doing his part.

 

He took the map that Zhou Jiapeng had handed him and studied it alongside the locations where the Flood Dragon was reported. After comparing this information with what he had gathered from mortal towns, he circled several key points on the map.

 

Then, turning to Zhou Jiapeng and the other person, he said, “To be honest, we still don’t know where exactly the Flood Dragon has made its nest. It’s also not wise for us to go searching blindly.

 

“I suggest to keep one person at each of these three locations,” he continued, pointing at the circled spots. “Each should spend some time every day gathering intelligence from passing cultivators and nearby mortal towns.

 

“If any new information about the Flood Dragon’s appearance surfaces, we should immediately head to the scene, observe it, keep detailed records, and then discuss the situation together as a group,” he added.

 

His proposal was sound and carried little risk, so Zhou Jiapeng and the other person quickly agreed.

 

After discussing how to keep in touch, they parted ways.

 

As for Zhou Jiapeng and the other person, there’s no need to dwell on them—what matters was what Zhou Chun did after separating from them. He disguised once more and resumed his travels in the cultivation world, now adopting the identity of the rogue cultivator known as Han Sanse.

 

He had designated his post as the Three Rivers Joint, a place where two tributaries of the Grey River converged into the main river. Previously, there had been reports of a Flood Dragon causing disturbances in that area.

 

Upon arriving at the Three Rivers Joint, he didn’t have to look far to notice several cultivators also keeping watch. Their cultivation varied—some clearly belonging to established clans, while others unmistakably appeared to be rogue cultivators.

 

It was no mystery why they were all here for the same reason.

 

“Are you, Fellow Daoist, also here seeking the Flood Dragon? Would you care to share your thoughts on the matter?”

 

On the riverbank, Zhou Chun sat cross-legged atop a large boulder, gazing at the turbulent currents as he pondered. Suddenly, a loud voice echoed from some distance behind him.

 

He turned to see a middle-aged man in gray robes and a young man clad in black staring intently at him.

 

When he glanced back, the middle-aged man even managed a smile of greeting.

 

After a moment’s consideration, Zhou Chun rose from his perch and made his way towards them, stopping about thirty feet away. With a respectful gesture, he addressed them: “I am Han Sanse. How do you two, Fellow Daoists, wish to be addressed?”

 

“Xu Kaishan is my name, and this is my friend Ding Yizhen,” said the middle-aged man, returning the greeting and introducing both of them.

 

Then he turned to Zhou Chun and said, “I’ve been observing  Fellow Daoist for a while now, and it seems you are also a rogue cultivator. That’s why I took the liberty to approach and introduce myself.”

 

Zhou Chun’s eyes flickered with surprise as he asked, “Oh, are Fellow Daoists also rogue cultivators?”

 

Xu Kaishan readily answered Zhou Chun’s questions without holding back, explaining that they traveled far and wide without a fixed residence. “When it comes to where we cultivate, we’ve spent more time at the Jiang Clan in Stone Dragon Ridge practicing our cultivation.”

 

Then Xu Kaishan asked Zhou Chun, “And you, Fellow Daoist Han? Where do you typically practice your cultivation?”

 

Zhou Chun responded without blinking an eye: “As for me, I am not a native cultivator from Cloud Province. I arrived here from Mist Province just over three months ago and have yet to settle down in one place.”

 

“Fellow Daoist Han, it seems, is from Mist Province, a great disrespect on my part,” said Xu Kaishan, his tone immediately softening.

 

Xu Kaishan felt a chill. Low-level rogue cultivator generally wouldn’t wander too far. It was rare for a Cloud Province rogue cultivator to go seeking livelihood in Mist Province, just as it was uncommon for a Mist Province rogue cultivator to come to Cloud Province. Usually, those who did so were either overconfident in their abilities or had offended powerful figures and were forced to leave their homeland. Either way, they were not easy to deal with.

 

After exchanging names and origins—some true, some likely fabricated—for a while, testing each other out through conversation, Zhou Chun, at Xu Kaishan’s invitation, joined him and his companion at a nearby mortal town. The three of them sat in a tavern discussing the matter of the Flood Dragon appearing along the Grey River.

 

This exchange revealed to Zhou Chun that Xu Kaishan had actually been a firsthand witness of the Flood Dragon’s “appearance.”

 

He said, “During that time, it rained heavily and the floods overflowed, leaving countless ordinary people displaced and drowned in the floodwaters. Many were eaten by that evil Flood Dragon.

 

“But due to the heavy rain obstructing visibility, when I was on the mountain overlooking the riverbank at the time, I could only catch fleeting glimpses of the Flood Dragon’s scales…”

 

In the private room of the tavern, Xu Kaishan spoke with great enthusiasm and animation about his experience. His tone suggested he was quite proud to share this story.

 

His words lacked any sympathy for those ordinary people who perished in the floodwaters or were devoured by the Flood Dragon. He seemed completely indifferent to their fate.

 

Cultivators became desensitized to death, but when they witness large numbers of ordinary people being harmed by demon beasts, they should feel some modicum of empathy and anger.

 

There was no rule that strictly required a cultivator to risk their life to save ordinary people harmed by the evil beasts.

 

Those who lacked the ability could choose not to rescue them.

 

However, if one showed no compassion whatsoever and even treated the matter as gossip, it revealed an uncomfortably cold heart.

 

Such a cold-hearted individual was clearly someone unsuitable to befriend.

 

Xu Kaishan did not notice Zhou Chun’s subtle change, or perhaps he saw but could not discern Zhou Chun’s true thoughts.

 

He was lost in his own rhythm.

 

After recounting that day’s experiences, he turned to Zhou Chun and sighed： “To tell you the truth, Fellow Daoist Han, though you might laugh, I’ve always considered myself a bold person who’s faced numerous perilous situations throughout my life.

 

“But upon seeing the shadow of the Flood Dragon that day, I was utterly overwhelmed by its aura, unable to move even half a step. For the next two weeks, I was haunted by nightmares filled with horrifying scenes of being devoured by the Flood Dragon!”

 

The third-grade Flood Dragon’s aura was so overpowering it almost felt like a soul-binding attack or mystical art. It wasn’t unusual for low cultivators to be affected by its presence.

 

Xu Kaishan had been fortunate enough to stay far away back then; if he had gotten too close to that evil Flood Dragon, it wouldn’t have just been a nightmare that haunted him for half a month. He might have been instantly overwhelmed by its aura, his soul scattered or compelled to serve the evil dragon as a puppet.

 

The Zhou Clan once had a revered ancestor who slew a fourth-rank Flood Dragon. The detailed records of the Flood Dragon’s abilities left behind were legendary, with every Zhou Clan member, including Zhou Chun, having studied them extensively.

 

Thus, when Xu Kaishan recounted his experience, Zhou Chun didn’t express any surprise. Instead, he asked with concern: “Did Fellow Daoist Xu get a clear look at the evil Flood Dragon? Do you know what type of Flood Dragon it was?”

 

The term Flood Dragon referred to an entire race, much like how dogs have various breeds. Similarly, Flood Dragons had different kinds, such as:

 

The fire Flood Dragon that breathed flames and lava, the ice Flood Dragon that summoned snowstorms and froze everything in its path, the blue Flood Dragon that could summon winds and gather clouds, the black Flood Dragon that could call forth storms, a Flood Dragon that could manipulate lightning, a venomous Flood Dragon, and many others, all different in nature.

 

And since Flood Dragons came in various breeds, their powers naturally varried as well.

 

After hearing Zhou Chun’s words, Xu Kaishan simply shook his head repeatedly and said, “As for Flood Dragons, I cannot recognize them. I merely saw that the scales were black, with dark clouds swirling around it.”

 

“The scales were black, accompanied by dark clouds?”

 

Zhou Chun’s expression shifted slightly, as if deep in thought. According to his knowledge, there were roughly three or four types of Flood Dragons that matched this appearance. Among them, the Black Flood Dragon and Ink Flood Dragon seemed the most likely candidates.

 

The two shared very similar appearances and abilities, making it easy for cultivators with a superficial understanding of Flood Dragons to confuse them. However, in reality, the Black Flood Dragon was affiliated with water and had the potential to naturally command wind and thunder mystical arts. On the other hand, the Ink Flood Dragon, also of water, was venomous, reportedly possessing some abilities associated with plague dragons.

 

Both types were notoriously vicious and aggressive, fitting the standard definition of malevolent Flood Dragons. However, Zhou Chun didn’t want to appear overly curious in front of Xu Kaishan. “But I seem to recall that this recent appearance of Flood Dragons in the Grey River wasn’t just one—some even claimed to have spotted a blue Flood Dragon!” he promptly replied.

 

“Has Fellow Daoist Han also heard of this?”

 

Xu Kaishan’s face flickered with surprise before he nodded lightly: “Yes, I’ve also heard that someone saw the figure of the blue Flood Dragon at Westwind Crossing. But whether it’s true or not is uncertain!”

 

At this point, Xu Kaishan fixed his gaze on Zhou Chun and asked in a soft tone: “Forgive my presumption, but what does Fellow Daoist Han intend to do by coming all the way to the Three Rivers Joint in search of the Flood Dragon’s whereabouts?”

 

[There it is!]

 

Zhou Chun’s mind stirred as he realized Xu Kaishan intended to confront him openly.

 

From the very beginning, he had known that Xu Kaishan and his companion’s real purpose for seeking him out had nothing to do with exchanging information about the Flood Dragon. That was merely a pretext to draw him in.

 

He also wished to gather more intelligence, and confident in his own abilities and wisdom, he hadn’t refused their invitation.

 

After giving him a taste of something sweet, Xu Kaishan had clearly decided to lay all cards on the table. But he wasn’t about to follow Xu Kaishan’s script. Without avoiding the other man’s gaze, he simply looked deeply into his eyes and countered, “Then tell me, Fellow Daoist Xu, what do you two intend to do? The Flood Dragon is cruel and strong; those of us with lower cultivation should stay far away from it. So why would you two actively seek out the Flood Dragon?”

 

This questioning caused Xu Kaishan to pause slightly, furrowing his brows as an expression of displeasure flickered in his eyes. However, recalling that Zhou Chun had reached the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining and was from Mist Province, having traveled alone all the way to Cloud Province, he managed to suppress his emotions.

 

Very soon, he replied, “We are well aware that our cultivation is low. We naturally have no intention of seeking trouble with the Flood Dragon. We merely wish to earn at least something out of this feast.”

 

“Why does Fellow Daoist Xu refer to it as such?” asked Zhou Chun, his gaze now filled with curiosity as he focused intently on Xu Kaishan.

 

“Seems Fellow Daoist Han hasn’t heard.”

 

Xu Kaishan let out a light sigh and said with a serious expression:

 

“The Flood Dragon is a divine beast of heaven and earth, every part of its body is valuable. This time, with a Flood Dragon appearing within the borders of Cloud Province, those high-ranking cultivators from sects and clans definitely won’t stand by; they’ll take action for sure.

 

“As I understand it, many high-ranking Violet Palace Stage and even Golden Core Stage cultivators from major clans in Cloud Province are already making connections and planning the dragon’s slaughter.

 

“It’s likely that once they’ve settled on how to divide the spoils, they’ll take action soon!”

 

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chun felt relieved. He thought that word of the matter regarding the planned slaughter had already spread even to Xu Kaishan, a rogue cultivator like himself. As for Xu Kaishan’s current claims about high-ranking cultivators in Cloud Province plotting against the dragon, Zhou Chun didn’t need to hear it—he could guess as much.

 

But he was all too aware that should the high-level cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery intervene, all these people’s schemes would come to naught. It occurred to him that perhaps those high-level cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery were currently harboring a notion of reaping where others had sown. They might be waiting to see if these individuals could first test the strength of the Flood Dragon. Meanwhile, as these thoughts raced through his mind, Zhou Chun’s face showed an expression of puzzlement and said:

 

“I still don’t understand. Even if those high-level cultivators were to make preparations for a dragon slaying venture, let alone whether they would succeed or fail, there would surely be numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators from various clans and sects present at that point. Should any Flood Dragon blood or scales fall during the clash, wouldn’t they be out of reach for lowly rogue cultivators like us?”

 

Xu Kaishan’s face immediately broke into a smile. He spoke with a hint of pride:

 

“Fellow Daoist Han, you’re unaware, I believe, that according to what I’ve heard, the Flood Dragon typically keeps other water demons as their personal attendants and backup food supply.

 

“As those high-level cultivators engage in battle with the Flood Dragon, its water demons will definitely come forth to protect it. At that point, the Foundation Establishment cultivators from various clans and sects would surely take action to eliminate these water demon servants. That’s when our opportunity arises.”

 

By this point, he couldn’t help but add temptation to his words: “Imagine, Fellow Daoist—if we manage to retrieve just a few scales or collect some blood essence from the Flood Dragon during that chaos, it would mean at least dozens, if not hundreds, of spirit coins in our possession. Wouldn’t that be far more profitable than going about searching for herbs all over the mountains?”

 

“Now I see! If it’s as Fellow Daoist Xu said, then this indeed has potential.”

 

Zhou Chun nodded in understanding, his expression showing interest.

 

Xu Kaishan, seeing this, wasted no time and pressed on: “If Fellow Daoist Han feels that the three of us aren’t safe enough, I still have a few friends nearby.

 

“If we can gather around ten people to enter together, even if some clan cultivators spot us, they should hesitate before attacking!”

 

By then, Zhou Chun felt there was no need to hold back any longer.

 

Plus, Zhou Chun wanted to see what Xu Kaishan was made of and what his intentions were. He also hoped to use this opportunity to gather more information about the Flood Dragon.

 

With that in mind, he lightly nodded: “If so, then count me in as well!”