Chapter 94, Silent Agreement and Big Scene

Translator: Raznick

 

Zhou Daoyi came alone.

 

According to his account, Zhou Chun and the others didn’t need to stay in this dangerous place anymore—they could all withdraw. 

 

As for the dragon blood items Zhou Chun had been eagerly seeking, he said he’d keep an eye out for them, and Zhou Chun just needed to pay him once he found any.

 

However, Zhou Chun had already spent nearly half a year in Cloud Province, and now the grand spectacle was about to begin its performance. He couldn’t just leave like that.

 

So after he pleaded with Zhou Daoyi, revealing that he had broken through into the second stage of cultivating Hard Gold Sword Energy, he was permitted to stay and watch the showdown.

 

“I can let you stay for experience, but you must promise me—no matter what happens—you won’t interfere in this affair, can you do that?”

 

Zhou Daoyi looked intently at Zhou Chun, his tone as serious as ever.

 

Zhou Chun answered solemnly, “Clan Leader, rest assured. I know my own worth and will never undertake something beyond my capabilities!”

 

“Then take this bamboo hat with you. With this as a shield, the member of that mysterious sect you mentioned should no longer be able to locate you.”

 

As Zhou Daoyi spoke, he gestured to his waist storage bag and pulled out a hat adorned with a black veil, handing it over to Zhou Chun.

 

This hat was clearly an artifact. Wearing it would block others’ Divine Sense and eyes while allowing the wearer’s own senses to function normally.

 

After putting it on, Zhou Chun added another layer of cotton clothing to his body and puffed himself up a bit. Even those familiar with him would struggle to recognize him before he spoke.

 

He then followed close behind Zhou Daoyi, waiting quietly for the grand spectacle to unfold.

 

The wait was short-lived.

 

On the third day after Zhou Daoyi arrived at Flying Horse Mountain, five Violet Palace Stage cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery appeared in the air above Flying Horse Mountain and boldly headed straight for the Flood Dragon’s lair.

 

There were also twelve Green Lotus Monastery Foundation Establishment cultivators following behind them.

 

When Zhou Chun spotted this from afar on top of the mountain, he turned to Zhou Daoyi and asked, “Clan Leader, if I may, there’s something that puzzles me. Why are the Flood Dragons causing such a ruckus here and yet no Golden Core Stage cultivator is coming to slay them?”

 

“Because this is an unspoken understanding between high-level human cultivators and high-level demon beasts,” Zhou Daoyi replied.

 

He explained, “Take the Flood Dragon, for example. They are high-grade demon beasts with many race members. Their numbers include countless strong three- and four-stage demon beasts, along with numerous five-class.

 

“If any Golden Core Stage cultivator were to pick on the weaker demons and attempt to slay them, it would inevitably provoke retaliation from five-grade demon beasts, which would be a losing proposition.

 

“However, the reverse is also true. If a four-stage demon beast dared to attack a human cultivator’s territory or slaughter their kind outside of their own domain, then Nascent Soul cultivators could come to kill the demon and take its core.”

 

Fearing that Zhou Chun might misinterpret this and bring trouble upon himself, Zhou Daoyi emphasized, “But you must remember that this is just an unspoken understanding. Many times, unless things escalate as they have now, higher-grade demons or Nascent Soul cultivators may not even be informed.

 

“Also, if you don’t have a strong backing, sometimes even if you are harassed, there may not be anyone willing to stand up for you!”

 

Zhou Chun thought for a moment and nodded, thinking that this explanation was quite reasonable.

 

But he frowned quickly and asked again: “But Cloud Province is a human area. Two Flood Dragons made trouble in the Grey River, killing no less than 10,000 mortals. Doesn’t this count as breaking the rules?”

 

“Of course not!”

 

Zhou Daoyi shook his head and replied with emotion: “Not to mention mortals, even if Qi Refining cultivators and Foundation Establishment cultivators were killed by Flood Dragons, it would not count as breaking the rules!

 

“The so-called silent agreement between the two races is actually only effective for cultivators above the Golden Core Stage and demon beasts above the fourth level.”

 

[Was there such a restriction?]

 

Zhou Chun frowned slightly, unsure how to judge the situation. He couldn’t tell if those high-level human and demon beasts had reached this understanding because they were evenly matched and couldn’t gain an advantage over one another, or simply because they didn’t want to take on more responsibility or trouble for themselves. Either way, such restrictions were bade for lower-tier cultivators.

 

“Let’s head over closer and see what Green Lotus Monastery senior cultivators have prepared in terms of dragon-slaying!”

 

Before Zhou Chun could think further, Zhou Daoyi quickly announced their plan with a wave of his sleeve. Then he set off toward the Flood Dragon lair, taking Zhou Chun along.

 

Halfway there, the two heard the noisy Flood Dragon screeches in their ears.

 

The ear-piercing thunderous roar soon echoed in the distant river’s sky.

 

Along with it, colorful mystical art lights began to rise.

 

When Zhou Daoyi saw this, he hastened his pace immediately.

 

After covering a bit more distance, the situation some ten miles ahead became clear to both Zhou Chun and his companion.

 

On the river’s surface, the Black Flood Dragon, surrounded by black clouds, was fighting alone against five Green Lotus Monastery Violet Palace cultivators.

 

Unlike the five before, this group from the Green Lotus Monastery were obviously far superior to their counterparts from Cloud Province in terms of strength.

 

They worked with precision, some specialized in using mystical arts to disperse the dark clouds summoned by the Black Flood Dragon, denying it the chance to control the winds and rains. Others were tasked with setting fires to incinerate the beast, their intense flames breaking through its protective layer of black clouds and boiling the river’s waters. Two individuals took on the role of defense, intercepting and repelling the Black Flood Dragon’s attacks. The final member, who would deliver the decisive strike, was a robed figure of great power—a swordsman as well! However, instead of wielding a single blade, he commanded two: one black, one white. These twin swords, under his command, moved like two ethereal dragons, coiling and spiraling around the Black Flood Dragon, relentless in their assault.

 

The very same creature that had once left the esteemed Violet Palace cultivator from the Singing Sword Mountain’s Lu Clan, Lu Jianqiu, utterly helpless, now bared its scaly body to the onslaught of these two contrasting blades. Each scale cracked and split under their force, releasing streams of crimson essence, the lifeblood of the Flood Dragon.

 

This clearly defined battle was a pleasure to watch, almost like viewing a spectacular performance rather than a battle to the death. Compared to the assault launched by the Cloud Province’s group months ago, this one put it to shame.

 

When several Cloud Province Violet Palace cultivators arrived at Flying Horse Mountain and witnessed the scene, they all wore expressions of embarrassment, feeling inadequate in comparison. This was the difference between a regular army and a makeshift force!

 

From afar, even someone like Zhou Chun, a Qi Refining cultivator, could see that the battlefield was completely dominated by the Green Lotus Monastery cultivators. The Black Flood Dragon was like a bird caught in a spider’s web, struggling desperately but unable to break free.

 

The end result would likely be that, after exhausting its strength, it would quietly perish. So he couldn’t help but whisper aloud, “It has no chance of resisting at all. If there are no unexpected developments, I’d say the Black Flood Dragon won’t last much longer.”

 

Zhou Daoyi shook his head, speaking with a tone that carried a hint of reprimand: “Do you really think so? How could the Violet Palace Stage cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery ever compare with ordinary Violet Palace Stage cultivators?

 

“They’ve been preparing for this matter for nearly a year. If they still can’t emerge victorious, wouldn’t that be a great disgrace to themselves?”

 

Zhou Chun caught the drift of his words and quickly defended himself: “I don’t mean that at all. It’s just that the impressive record of the Blue Flood Dragon left me in awe. I thought this battle would surely be fraught with danger!”

 

“I’ve also heard about that battle. If it weren’t for the timely arrival of the Black Flood Dragon, the Blue Flood Dragon, who had already risked exposing its inner core, would have been defeated and killed shortly after. You can’t let that inflate your view of Flood Dragons’ power.”

 

Zhou Daoyi sighed lightly as he continued: “Flood Dragons are already quite powerful. Under normal circumstances, it’s almost impossible for a human cultivator to defeat one in single combat, even if they’re of the same stage. It usually takes multiple many working together to take them down.”

 

He spoke with great authority on the matter.

 

After all, during the battle between the five cultivating clans and the United Cloud Alliance earlier, he had used his secret art to awaken the Flood Dragon bloodline within his spirit pet, the Sky Cloud Python. This transformation allowed it to temporarily assume the form of a Flood Dragon.

 

It was this trump card that enabled him to effortlessly slay three Foundation Establishment cultivators, earning him a reputation that preceded him.

 

After chatting for a few moments, the two fell silent and refocused on the battle.

 

As time passed, Black Flood Dragon’s wounds multiplied, its injuries grew more severe, and its mental state became increasingly agitated and furious.

 

——

 

Suddenly, the Black Flood Dragon let out a piercing, high-pitched roar. Massive water columns erupted from the river surface, skyrocketing toward the Violet Palace cultivators) in the sky.

 

Then, it whipped its head around and dove back underwater.

 

“Watch closely—the most thrilling part is about to begin. This is also the hardest part of hunting a Flood Dragon in rivers, lakes, and marshes!”

 

At Zhou Chun’s side, Zhou Daoyi saw the Black Flood Dragon submerge and immediately grew serious. He whispered a warning to Zhou Chun.

 

Before Zhou Chun could ask what Zhou Daoyi meant, the five cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery shifted into action again.

 

The five individuals refrained from risking an underwater pursuit, instead signaling a group of twelve Foundation Establishment cultivator spectators who were observing the scene from the sidelines.

 

The twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators sprang into action like clockwork. They swiftly flew to the banks of the river and began extracting metal rods from their storage bags. These rods were engraved with complex seals and driven into the ground.

 

Each cultivator retrieved a small blue flag and channeled spiritual power into them. In short order, the small blue flags transformed into large banners, which they gripped firmly in both hands. United in purpose, they activated the array they had earlier set up.

 

As a result, two massive, ethereal-blue threads of spiritual energy coalesced into the shapes of Flood Dragons, ascending into the air before diving headfirst into the turbulent river currents.

 

And then, the incredible happened! The torrential waters, which had been surging downstream with unrelenting force, were suddenly diverted by an unseen, magical influence. They swerved toward both banks, obliterating the surrounding terrain and redirecting the river’s course entirely!

 

With the river’s altered path, a stretch of the riverbed measuring over three miles became exposed as water levels dropped, revealing the muddy river bottom beneath.

 

Grey River was no less than the Yangtze River, and perhaps even greater in flow! Such a mighty river could be rerouted and redirected with such ease—this was nothing short of incredible!

 

Before Zhou Chun had a chance to fully grasp the implications of this jaw-dropping feat, the five cultivators from Green Lotus Monastery struck again. The man’s flag whipped through the air, conjuring a massive tornado that stretched from sky to earth over the muddy riverbed. It mercilessly scooped up piles of silt and debris, carting them off to who-knew-where.

 

Meanwhile, one of the defensively minded cultivators flicked his fingers, sending down a beam of yellow light onto the mountainside overlooking the river. The impact sent shockwaves reverberating through the entire peak.

 

Under this onslaught, the entrance to the Flood Dragon’s lair, which had been hidden by the Black Flood Dragon, was suddenly exposed. The gaping black cave, wide enough for seven people to walk side by side, revealed depths that were impossible to gauge. Only the faint flow of water could be seen seeping through its innards.

 

Staring at the pitch-black entrance, the cultivator who had just summoned the earthquake slammed his fist and bellowed, “Wretched beasts! If you don’t come out now, I’ll level this mountain and burying you all alive!”

 

He wasn’t just bluffing; he truly had the power to tear mountains apart and flatten hills. Of course, even if he could destroy a mountain, it wouldn’t necessarily kill the Flood Dragon inside. Otherwise, there’d be no point in all this talk. But the Black Flood Dragon definitely didn’t understand any of this.

 

When it saw that the river water had been diverted and its nest was exposed, facing an imminent threat of destruction, how could it possibly stay hidden in its lair?

 

Suddenly, within the cave, a shadow darted about. It was the Black Flood Dragon that had previously retreated into the riverbed.

 

In just half an hour, those horrifying wounds on its body were mostly healed. Such recovery was absolutely terrifying.

 

The black-clothed Daoist, wielding his sword arts, immediately berated the Black Flood Dragon with fierce reproach: “Monster, you have wreaked havoc with your floods, causing countless civilians to lose their lives and become refugees. Today is the day you will face your execution!”

 

Hardly had these words escaped his lips when he swooped down, commanding the black and white swords to descend upon the Black Flood Dragon.