Chapter 45: The River God Golden Seal
Chapter 45: The River God Golden Seal
Vast spiritual pressure crushed the void.
Thunderlight flickered faintly around Lin Yuan’s form. The five rogue cultivators’ faces changed drastically. At this moment, Lin Yuan could feel the power of his true form. The boundless spiritual energy was under the control of his Primordial Divine Demon Dao Body.
A mere sneeze filled the sky with thunderbolts.
“Why aren’t you moving?”
The colossal, ten-zhang tall true form stared levelly at the five rogues, a fierce grin on its face. With a raise of his hand, Lin Yuan shredded the masses of black sand hurtling down towards him.
“If you won’t act, then I won’t hold back!”
Lin Yuan casually grabbed at the air. A whip formed of vast primordial thunder appeared. He snapped it through the air. Instantly, the five rogues, pinned down by the terrifying spiritual pressure and unable to move, were engulfed.
“Ancestor, save us!”
The five screamed in horror, their cries desperate and simultaneous. Their faces drained of all color.
By the Lingjiang River, green mountains stood facing each other on either bank. Small villages could faintly be seen dotting the surroundings. The river itself was like an ocean, resembling hundreds of streams converging into the Eastern Sea. Here, plumes of crimson flame shot skyward. Accompanying this was a pained dragon’s roar. A huge, white dragon tail flashed once within the Lingjiang River’s ocean-like waters and disappeared, leaving behind faint traces of pale-golden blood.
Inside the nearby array gate lay over a hundred cultivators. Each was sealed tight, their breaths unknown, alive or dead. Whispers of flame swept through the gate.
At the center of the array gate, after repelling the small white flood dragon, the Fire Spirit Ancestor focused his gaze intently towards Wenchang County.
That enormous Divine Demon Dao Body became visible. The Fire Spirit Ancestor’s pupils instantly contracted.
“A Primordial Dao Body?!”
Legends of body-refining techniques existed across the cultivation world, but these techniques were notoriously difficult and demanding to cultivate. Unless flush with abundant resources, cultivators rarely chose to pursue them alongside other paths.
Yet, once perfected, the Dao of body refinement unleashed exceptionally fearsome power!
Something like that terrifying figure transforming into a massive, ten-zhang Primordial Dao Body was utterly astonishing.
A flicker of ruthlessness crossed the Fire Spirit Ancestor’s face. Although his cultivation was profound and his divine abilities formidable, it was utterly unwise to provoke such a powerful enemy willingly.
Better to swiftly retrieve that treasure from the Ancient Water Immortal’s mansion before circumstances changed!
BOOOOOM!!
Suddenly, from the surging currents of the Lingjiang River, a tyrannical, immeasurable immortal light swept forth. It violently struck the entire array gate.
The Flame Immolation Array trembled violently.
The Fire Spirit Ancestor’s body shuddered. His sharp eyes shot towards the depths of the Lingjiang River. One glance, and a sliver of terror sprouted in his heart.
“Not good! Defeat the juniors, and the old comes looking!”
The Fire Spirit Ancestor inwardly cursed his bad luck. The Golden Lake Dragon Palace was one of the renowned great lakes of Dongyue Province, overflowing with water veins. The Dragon King presiding there was at least an Earth Immortal!
Thoughts raced through his mind. He grew anxious. He had to empty the Water Mansion before the Dragon Clan Earth Immortal arrived!
Just then, the Fire Spirit Ancestor leapt to his feet, his face paling dramatically as he stared into the Lingjiang’s depths.
A golden treasure radiance surged beneath the waves.
The Water Mansion, originally shrouded by his array’s force, had been breached. The blow from the Dragon Clan Earth Immortal had ripped an opening in his barrier.
The Fire Spirit Ancestor had barely looked up when a beam of intensely divine golden light shot towards the heavens. It flew straight towards Wenchang County.
What treasure was it? He couldn’t tell!
But it was certainly no ordinary object.
The Fire Spirit Ancestor forcibly suppressed his shock and fury. His gaze followed the golden ray. His impulse was to chase immediately, but he feared another treasure might escape the Ancient Water Immortal’s Water Mansion.
He immediately redoubled his focus, channeling bursts of spiritual fire to refine the mansion, desperately trying to shatter the defensive formations guarding the underwater palace.
“Not good! It’s the River God Golden Seal!”
Down in the Lingjiang River, the figures of the Golden Lake Dragon Palace clearly recognized the golden light’s origin.
It was the sacred relic held by the River God of the Water Mansion. Refining the River God Golden Seal granted control over the entire Lingjiang River.
The members of the Golden Lake Dragon Palace had come precisely for this divine artifact within the Water Mansion!
Several of its divine generals made to rise and pursue it.
Instantly, a cold, immortal light blocked their paths.
“Your Majesty?” The generals looked questioningly at their leader.
“It’s already too late!”
The Dragon Lord, majestic dragon horns prominent on his forehead, wearing pale-gold ceremonial robes, gave a dismissive wave. The generals’ expressions changed. The golden light was streaking directly towards where thunderclouds gathered.
“The River God Golden Seal chooses its master on its own?”
Several generals looked displeased. Many within the Golden Lake Dragon Palace had ambitions for the position of Lingjiang River River God.
One general, covered in jade-green scales, his triangular eyes gleaming with intelligence, could no longer restrain himself. He turned to the Dragon Lord, urgency in his voice.
“Your Majesty, this humble god offers to retrieve the River God’s Golden Seal for our Golden Lake Dragon Palace…!”
Hearing this, the Golden Lake Dragon Lord pondered briefly. The Lingjiang River was substantial, running through the Jiangnan Circuit and even extending into neighboring prefectures. Retrieving the Seal would indeed be advantageous. Yet, his Wisdom Eye observed that the Primordial Spirit Great True Lord was not someone to be trifled with. Someone so youthful likely had backing from a Mystic Gate Dharma Lineage. He wouldn’t be as easy to coerce as the rogue cultivators.
Thoughts flashing like lightning, the Golden Lake Dragon Lord’s gaze turned cold. He harshly rebuked, “Our Golden Lake Dragon Clan belongs to the orthodox Dragon Court! Should we stoop to stealing another’s destined good fortune?”
Hearing this, the generals fell silent, fearing even to breathe.
The one who had spoken still felt a flicker of indignation. “But the Water Mansion contains the Form-Stabilizing Pill that the Princess requires!”
The River God Golden Seal was the key to the Water Immortal’s mansion. Without it, forcibly attacking the mansion would trigger its defensive formations. Every Dao Scripture and treasure inside would be instantly destroyed.
“Enough, General Bai Yuan! His Majesty understands the matter!”
Beside him, a turtle spirit wearing a dark green shell snapped.
Hearing this, General Bai Yuan retreated sullenly, though privately fuming with dissatisfaction.
The Dragon Lord waved his hand, signalling for quiet. His gaze instantly shifted, landing above the Lingjiang River Water Mansion. It settled on the crimson flames amidst the array gate, a hint of coldness in his dragon eyes.
“We can ignore that Primordial Spirit Great True Lord for now. But this Fire Spirit Ancestor dared to injure my Golden Lake Dragon Maiden! This cannot go unpunished!”
Anger swelled in the Dragon Lord’s eyes. Black clouds and thunder instantly gathered overhead. He drew a treasured sword from his waist. With several swift slashes towards the array gate above the Water Mansion, bolts like furious thunder struck the gate.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The entire gate shuddered violently!
SPURT! SPURT! SPURT!
Inside the array’s core formation eye, the Fire Spirit Ancestor spat out several mouthfuls of bloody mist.
“Ancestor?!”
Inside the array, his disciples and concubines witnessed this sight, their faces changing drastically.
“It’s nothing! Hold the gate!” The Fire Spirit Ancestor waved their concern away, his gaze venomous as it pierced the Lingjiang’s depths. Dark fury coiled in his heart.
The Flame Immolation Array was one of the notorious sinister arrays of the heterodox path. Even ordinary Earth Immortals struggled to break it by force. Yet, this Dragon Lord wielded the power of the Golden Lake’s water veins. Each strike was devastatingly heavy.
His sole comfort came from the fact that after several strikes, the Golden Lake Dragon Lord ceased his attack, turned his entourage around, and departed.
The Fire Spirit Ancestor looked back down at the Water Mansion, then at his disciples and concubines. He issued another urgent command. “Apply all your strength! Breach that Water Mansion and retrieve the treasures in the shortest time possible!”
“Yes!”
…
Above the Iron Immortal Temple, moments after whipping the five heterodox rogues to death, Lin Yuan’s eyes flickered slightly. A golden light shot from the Lingjiang River a hundred li away. In the blink of an eye, it was before him. Instantly.