The Dragon

Bound by the contract, no slave could defy Gu Fuyou’s will.

In the Thirty-Three Skies, battles raged on. Clusters of flames ignited across the islands. The roaring flames, accompanied by battle cries, grew more fierce, turning the night sky a deep, blood-red.

The defensive formations of the Thirty-Three Skies were now vulnerable. Gu Fuyou, having regained some of her spiritual power, stood up.

Feng Sui supported her, advising, “Leave the rest to us, you should rest for a while.” Gu Fuyou, however, pushed him away, leaped off Yuan Shan’s hand, summoned her sword, Yinhen, and with a single strike, completely destroyed the formation.

“Burn it.”

Feng Sui, left with no choice, ordered his men to set the fire.

The Thirty-Three Skies, with their comprehensive array of formations, were resistant to ordinary fires. At her peak, Gu Fuyou could’ve reversed all these formations, turning the skies into a sea of flames. But her power had not yet fully recovered. Only a few palaces caught fire, the flames scattered and weak.

Gu Fuyou glanced at Zuo Yuezhi’s corpse, her irritation growing the longer she looked.

It wasn’t enough. The restlessness in her heart couldn’t be appeased. Even after killing Zuo Yuezhi, the satisfaction she felt was fleeting, replaced mostly by a deeper sense of emptiness.

She had conquered the Thirty-Three Skies and avenged her enemy, but still, a fire burned within her, leaving her restless.

Holding Yinhen, Gu Fuyou was about to re-enter the battlefield.

A young voice, filled with seriousness, called out, “Ah Man Mother.”

Surprised, Gu Fuyou spun around at the sound of the voice. Yi’er was rushing over, with Thirty-Three and Liu Niang following close behind her.

Grasping Gu Fuyou’s hand firmly, Yi’er said with conviction, “You need to rest now. Feng Junior Brother Feng will handle the rest.” Her little face was stern and determined.

Gu Fuyou frowned, her gaze turning icy as she looked at Thirty-Three and Liu Niang, “Who allowed you to bring her here!” But then she remembered that the Xinghan and Yinhe were here; Yi’er must have come up on her own.

Upon Gu Fuyou’s sharp scolding, Thirty-Three immediately knelt halfway to the ground, while Liu Niang lowered her head, choosing to remain silent.

Yi’er said, “Ah Man Mother, don’t blame them. I wanted to come. Mother told me to watch over you and not let you act recklessly. I promised her, so I must do it.”

Hearing that Yi’er was sent to monitor her, Gu Fuyou suddenly became silent, her gaze distant, lost in thought.

Just then, the world shook violently.

It wasn’t just the tremor of the earth, it felt like the heaven and the earth were cracking apart. Both the floating islands in the sky and the cultivators flying on their swords felt the impact.

As if a celestial hand outside the universe had stirred the cosmos.

This tremor shook three times. Gu Fuyou initially thought it was a powerful formation in the Thirty-Three Skies being triggered and became alert, but then realized that wasn’t the case, and the tremors soon subsided.

It came suddenly and left just as quickly.

This disturbance wasn’t confined to the Thirty-Three Skies. Far away, at the border between the southeastern continents, both the Dragon Clan and the cultivators from the Biluo Sect felt it clearly. Everyone was startled, unable to understand the cause. They could only speculate that it might be a phenomenon caused by a clash between Soul Splitting stage cultivators.

On the river that marked the border between the southeastern continents, the Dragon Clan was to the south and the Biluo Sect cultivators to the north. The river, usually calm under the control of the Dragon King, now churned with massive waves.

Behind Zhong Michu were thousands of elite Dragon Clan cultivators, adult Golden Dragons gathering together, their anxiety casting a gloomy cloud, the night wind burning like fire, scorching from within.

Zhong Michu stood in front of a group of fierce beasts. Though she appeared frail, no one dared underestimate her. The Dragon King, having reverted to her original form, eclipsed the sun and was far more massive than the other dragons.

“Sect Leader, have you made your decision?” A voice echoed over the roaring river, as if absorbing the river’s coldness.

“Dragon King, in your heart, do you see our Biluo Sect as a sect that abandons its subordinates in pursuit of peace?” The Dragon King’s personal involvement was something Li Mingjing, the leader of the Biluo Sect, couldn’t ignore lightly.

He had sent people to the south to aid the Xu Ling Sect, and upon hearing about the movements in the Eastern Sea and the dragons emerging, he was greatly alarmed, fearing the rumors of the Dragons colluding with the Azure Phoenix Clan to settle old scores were true. He quickly gathered his disciples for battle.

The Dragon King, leading her people, did not confront them directly but headed to Nanzhou.

The Dragon Clan did not strike first, and they didn’t want to break ties completely, nor could they truly engage in a fight. The standoff allowed the Dragon Clan to reach Nanzhou and block the reinforcements Biluo Sect was sending to Zuo Yuezhi.

“It’s not about seeking peace, Sect Leader, but an opportunity for you to get out of this tough situation,” Zhong Michu said decisively. “My grudge lies with the Zuo and Lu families. If the Biluo Sect severs ties with the Zuo family and hands over Du Pan and the Lu family of Gu City, all past grievances will be wiped clean. As for the loss of a city, its land, and resources, the Eastern Sea will compensate you for it.”

Zhong Michu’s tone shifted. “However, if the Biluo Sect chooses to stand with the Zuo family and turns down our offer, a conflict between us becomes unavoidable. As of now, Zuo Yuezhi controls only the Thirty-Three Skies, and soon, even that will fall into the hands of others. I’d advise you, as the Sect Leader, not to make the same mistakes he did.” Despite her light tone, no one took her words lightly.

Li Mingjing was in a dilemma, as the terms proposed by Zhong Michu were indeed tempting.

He wasn’t worried about Zhong Michu making empty promises. The Dragon King’s word was known to be binding throughout the four seas.

The reputation of the Dragon King was very good, too good.

This Dragon King was neither impulsive nor arrogant, nor did she bear petty grudges. She was incredibly rational, and her rule, even the other Divine and Golden Dragons had changed a lot.

Once, due to the Dragon Clan’s nature, many coastal cities in the Eastern Sea held festivals, selecting beautiful men and women, along with treasures, to be sent into the Eastern Sea for good weather and bountiful harvests.

After Zhong Michu took charge, she expressly forbade this practice.

She was a unique figure among all the previous Dragon Kings.

The humans within the borders of the Eastern Sea adored the Dragon King, and even those in Dongzhou felt the same, almost returning to the times when the Azure Phoenix and the Dragon Clan led the humans, swaying their hearts away.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been caught off guard, only learning of the Dragon King’s presence when she was nearly in the heart of Dongzhou. They scrambled to assemble forces to halt her advance, but she had already crossed into Nanzhou by then.

Lu Yandong was also present. Seeing that the sect leader was silent and didn’t outright refuse, his face turned pale. He stepped forward, “Sect Leader, everything I did back then was for our sect. You cannot abandon me.”

Li Mingjing hesitated. Could he really betray his own people for a few threats from the Dragon King? If he betrayed the Lu family today, could he also betray the Wang and Liu families in the future?

Such acts would only chill the hearts of his people.

A grey hawk fluttered its wings and landed on Zhong Michu’s shoulder. Gently patting its head, she turned to Li Mingjing, remarking, “Take your time, Sect Leader. Once you’ve decided, tell this girl, she will take over Gu City.”

Zhong Michu pointed at Si Miao, instructing her guards to protect her, briefed them on some matters, and then left with the grey hawk.

She traveled until she reached a low mountain with an apricot grove on its slope. Two figures stood before the grove: a woman in a purple dress and an elderly man with a long beard, wearing a gray robe, his face showing signs of fatigue.

Zhong Michu approached them and greeted, “Master.”

Shou Yi nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Zhong Michu then turned to the other person, “Dongli.”

Dongli smiled, “The two of you have made such a commotion in Nanzhou that now even Dongzhou is involved. Now, the whole world knows about it.”

“Now that she’s back, do you really think she’d stay silent? She’s bound to seek revenge on the Zuo family for all they’ve done to her,” said Zhong Michu with a soft sigh. After a pause, with a hint of tension in her voice, she asked, “Did you come to find me about the matter of resurrecting the dead? Has there been any progress?”

Dongli shook her head, “There’s nothing recorded in the Xuan Miao Sect’s scriptures. I called you here because Master Shou Yi wishes to see you.”

Zhong Mi Chu looked towards Shou Yi. Stroking his beard, Shou Yi pondered for a long time as if he just remembered what to say, and slowly spoke, “My worthy disciple.”

Dongli corrected, “Master, it’s your grand-disciple…”

Without hesitation, Shou Yi replied, “My worthy grand-disciple, disciples and their grand-disciples have their own destinies. Once you’re on the path of immortality, it’s best not to meddle too much in the affairs of others. However, considering our bond as fellow sect members, I feel I should offer you some advice to pass on to that girl.”

Zhong Michu was surprised, initially thinking the advice was for her, but it turned out to be for Gu Fuyou. She replied, “Yes.”

Shou Yi continued, “Tell her to deal with the Zuo family’s people as she sees fit, but not to go too far in killing. Excessive killing harms her own self. She won’t survive the retribution of Heaven.”

Zhong Michu frowned, feeling a sense of heaviness in her heart. “If there really is a Heavenly Dao, Heavenly Justice, or Heaven’s Retribution in this world…”

She repeated the word ‘Heaven’ three times, each time more uneven and helpless than the last.

Realizing she was getting overly emotional, her voice returned to its usual calm, “The Zuo family should have faced their retribution seven hundred years ago when Xiaoyao City was destroyed, not enjoying seven hundred years of peace.”

Shou Yi suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze bright as stars, “How do you know she is not the Zuo family’s divine retribution!” he declared emphatically.

Zhong Michu was speechless.

“Since seven hundred years ago, starting with the discovery of the Qilin Marrow, what real benefits has the Zuo family gained? The Qilin Marrow was destroyed; they subdued Xuan Miao Sect but provoked the Eastern Sea’s Dragon King; destroyed Xiaoyao City, earning the resentment of the entire Nanzhou, leading to dissent and attracting the souls from the underworld. Until today, they’ve lost their power. Their thousand-year foundation, don’t you think it was lost too easily?’

“Resurrecting with another’s body, unheard of in ancient and modern times, how did it just happen to her? Who could have such great power? It’s a chance from the unknown, a manifestation of Heavenly Justice!”

Shou Yi, hands behind his back, looking up at the night sky, said with emotion, “The Zuo family initially founded their sect to seek the Dao and immortality, with a pure heart. It was a good start, but they fell deeper into the trap of power, betraying their true nature, committing great evil, thus Heaven could not tolerate them.”

Shou Yi turned to Zhong Michu, his tiredness gone, and spoke seriously, “That girl’s quest for revenge and her defeat of the Zuo family is understandable. However, if she becomes too consumed by it, she’ll be lost in deeper hatred. Disregarding human lives will trap her in dark paths, leaving her desires unsatisfied. With her current power, she risks turning into another Zuo Family, and there will be another Gu Fuyou to be her retribution.”

Zhong Michu said, “She won’t.”

“If you can make her stop in time, she won’t. But if she falls too deep, she won’t be able to turn back.”

These words struck Zhong Michu’s heart heavily, echoing in her mind even as she left.

When she returned to the river, it was already bright daylight.

The Biluo Sect had already left, and Si Miao was no longer there.

She learned from her waiting subordinates. The Biluo Sect had agreed to her terms, exchanging Gu City for a city in the Eastern Sea. Si Miao went to take over Gu City, but Du Pan was not with Biluo Sect, so they couldn’t hand him over.

Her subordinate said, “It’s hard to tell if it’s true or not.”

Another person laughed, “Before the king showed up, the Biluo Sect was really in chaos. One side wanted to protect themselves and avoid provoking the Eastern Sea, talking about renewing past alliances. Meanwhile, the other group was passionately arguing against leaving their allies behind, ready to die if necessary, unafraid of the Dragon Clan. Li Mingjing had quite the headache…”

Someone argued, “You think Li Mingjing is just a pretty face? He’s very cunning. He’s just acting, letting his subordinates speak of sacrificing Lu Yandong, keeping himself clean and maintaining a good reputation.’

Zhong Michu didn’t pay attention to these words and headed to Gu City to meet Si Miao.