Chapter 684: Flooding Chentang

The Dragon King of the East Sea was on his way to the Heavenly Court to lodge a formal complaint. He aimed to use the Heavenly Court's influence to counteract the pressure from the Chan School, which had temporarily pacified the dragon race. The Heavenly Court's momentum now surpassed that of the Saint's teachings, making this a strategic move for the dragons.

While some dragons still felt they should not submit to the Heavenly Court, suggesting a guest minister role like in the ancient Demon Court, the idea of utilizing the Heavenly Court's might was not unwelcome.

The old Dragon King assembled his retinue, accompanied by two elders and three turtle ministers, with guards clearing the way and maidservants following, as they headed towards the East Heavenly Gate. By the time the Dragon King arrived near the gate, Li Jing, who had set off half a day earlier, was still rushing to get there, flying through the misty expanse and navigating the azure skies to reach the central gate.

Upon reaching the East Heavenly Gate, the old Dragon King ordered his carriage to stop and, leading the elders and turtle ministers, proceeded towards the gate. Several heavenly generals guarding the gate stepped forward, bowing respectfully. One of them chuckled, "Dragon King, why the haste? Is there something urgent? Oh, we have no intention of hindering you; we just need to know the purpose of your visit."

It was a clear assertion of dominance.

The Dragon King of the East Sea frowned slightly. From behind him, a dragon elder spoke, "A disciple of a great sect has killed the Third Prince of our East Sea Dragon Palace. Our King has come today to ask the Heavenly Court for justice on behalf of the Dragon Palace."

The generals exchanged glances, each showing a degree of surprise. One of them, feigning indignation, trembled his hands and exclaimed loudly, "Oh my! Who would be so audacious? To just kill the Dragon Palace Prince!"

Another general added, "What a coincidence, Marshal Ao Yi is not in the Heavenly Court. He's gone to command troops in the Three Thousand Worlds. Otherwise, if Marshal Ao Yi knew about this, I can't imagine how heartbroken he would be."

The Dragon King of the East Sea calmly asked, "Generals, may I enter the Heavenly Court now?"

"Please, please do." The generals gestured him forward. The Dragon King of the East Sea nodded and moved forward on his cloud.

But then, the generals looked at the two elders and three turtle ministers. Above the Heavenly Gate, the Demon-Slaying Sword, one of the three divine swords, began to subtly tremble.

One general immediately stepped forward and said, "Dragon King, you are a righteous deity of the Heavenly Court and the leader of the dragon race, so you may enter directly. However, the two elders and three dragon palace civil officials are not part of the Heavenly Court's hierarchy…" As he spoke, the general pointed to the three divine swords above the Heavenly Gate. The dragon palace entourage all frowned.

Another general suggested, "How about this? Dragon King, you go in first, and we'll go report to the Hall of Universal Brightness. Once we get the pass, we'll let your companions in."

"Very well," the Dragon King said indifferently, and proceeded forward on his cloud.

The generals sighed in relief and hurried to the Hall of Universal Brightness to report. The two dragon elders and three turtle ministers merely frowned, watching the Dragon King of the East Sea's retreating back with some concern. Their expressions suggested the Dragon King of the East Sea was as fragile as a sea maiden.

Shortly after the Dragon King flew forward, a heavenly general approached from the side to guide him. The Dragon King and the general exchanged glances. The Dragon King's tightly furrowed brow immediately relaxed a little, and the general made a simple gesture to him. The newcomer was, of course, Li Changshou. The Dragon King saw through his disguise at a glance.

When the Dragon King of the East Sea came to the Heavenly Court to make his complaint, it would have been ideal to have the dragon elders and turtle ministers accompany him to relay what they saw and heard back to the Dragon Palace. Logically, the Heavenly Court shouldn't have stopped them, and the Dragon King was somewhat puzzled by this. However, when Li Changshou proactively sought him out, the Dragon King of the East Sea immediately understood why his entourage was temporarily held outside. It was simply to stick to the script.

"Dragon King, my condolences," Li Changshou said.

"Alas," the Dragon King sighed softly, "I ask for your mediation, Star Lord, so that my son does not die in vain."

The old Dragon King truly spoke flawlessly. To an outsider, his words would simply sound like the Dragon King asking Li Changshou to preside over the case and punish Li Jing and Nezha. But to those at the highest level of planning, it could also be interpreted as 'requesting Li Changshou to continue this grand play, to achieve the goal of internal self-reform within the dragon race.'

"The Investiture of the Gods has already stirred. The Dragon King's third son has not been annihilated. For all other matters, Chang Geng will do his utmost."

The old Dragon King said, "Between the human race and the dragon race, there's no need for a great war; we can coexist."

Li Changshou replied, "The selfish desires of living beings can also be suppressed by living beings."

The dragon and the human exchanged glances, each showing a slight smile. Li Changshou bowed and gestured for the Dragon King to follow, concealing all his spiritual aura and mimicking the general's usual demeanor, leading the Dragon King directly to the Hall of Universal Brightness.

Meanwhile, in the High Heavens Palace, the Jade Emperor sat smiling on his throne, his white robe immaculate. There were no other ministers in the main hall. All the Heavenly Court's high-ranking officials were gathered in the Hall of Universal Brightness, and Marshal Quanzhong was naturally present, waiting in a corner for the grand performance to begin.

The Jade Emperor knew well that for the Heavenly Court, curbing the dragon race's momentum and preventing them from expanding too quickly was a good thing. This wave was a joint suppression by the Heavenly Court, the Chan School, and the human race. Today, the Heavenly Court only needed to play the role of mediator, and the dragons' anger would naturally intensify. Next, they would wait for the dragon race to make a mistake, and then the Heavenly Court would punish them.

"Chang Geng is truly formidable," the Jade Emperor praised, "He analyzed this matter so simply with just a few words. It serves the dragon race right for their misfortune; why did they have to interfere in the great tribulation?" The Jade Emperor sighed in admiration, then remembered that Li Changshou would leave the Heavenly Court within a few decades, and couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. He still hadn't found a brilliant reason to make Chang Geng stay.

At the Central Heavenly Gate, a streak of light flashed, and Li Jing appeared, breathing a little heavily. Holding his sword, he stepped forward, bowed to the guarding generals, and announced firmly, "Li Jing, General of Chentang Pass in Shang Kingdom, Southern Jambu Continent, requests an audience!"

"General Li, no need for further explanation!" A guarding general leaped forward, bowed to Li Jing, then turned and gestured, "The carriage is ready. There's no time for lengthy explanations; please get in."

Inside the Heavenly Gate, two teams of celestial steeds pulled a carriage, flying from a distance. The celestial steeds neighed, the carriage rumbled, and their speed was indeed considerable.

"Thank you," Li Jing said, bowing his hands, and immediately rushed towards the carriage. The three divine swords above the Heavenly Gate showed no reaction.

Once Li Jing entered the Heavenly Court and was taken to the Hall of Universal Brightness by the celestial steeds, the guarding general immediately crushed a jade talisman in his sleeve. At the East Heavenly Gate, a heavenly general hurried from the direction of the Hall of Universal Brightness on a cloud, holding a token. From afar, he shouted, "By order of the Hall of Universal Brightness, the two dragon elders and three civil officials are permitted to enter the Heavenly Court!"

The Demon-Slaying Divine Sword instantly quieted. The dragon entourage also breathed a sigh of relief and, surrounded by heavenly soldiers and generals, entered the Heavenly Gate, rushing towards the Hall of Universal Brightness. After they left, the guarding generals exchanged glances and chuckled softly. A general emerged from a corner and retrieved a thin thread attached to the Demon-Slaying Divine Sword. Actually, the three turtle ministers could barely be considered auxiliary deities within the Heavenly Court's system, even a bit higher in rank than the sea-patrolling yakshas. It was just a little trick. Everyone there had stood guard outside the Grand White Palace. Even if they hadn't personally heard Star Lord Grand White preach, they had seen his majestic presence riding on clouds. Star Lord Grand White was a seasoned schemer.

To continue, when the old Dragon King arrived before the Hall of Universal Brightness, the general who had led him there naturally went to wait by the side of the hall. More than ten elderly Heavenly Court officials emerged from the hall, the foremost among them being Duke Dongmu.

Duke Dongmu let out a few hearty laughs and bowed to the Dragon King. The Dragon King naturally returned the bow, but with a wry smile.

Duke Mu asked, "Dragon King, why do you look so distressed? Has something happened?"

"Alas," the Dragon King sighed deeply, tears streaming down his face, "My poor son, barely a hundred years old, was brutally murdered and died prematurely! I implore the Heavenly Court to administer justice for my Dragon Palace!" As he spoke, the Dragon King bowed forward. Duke Mu quickly stepped forward to support him.

"Dragon King, please, no need for such formality, Dragon King," Duke Mu said, "What exactly happened? Come, let's discuss it in detail inside the hall. All the ministers are here for a meeting; they can all bear witness."

The old Dragon King nodded, a bitter smile appearing on his draconic face, and entered the Hall of Universal Brightness with Duke Mu.

The Hall of Universal Brightness served as the Heavenly Court's 'hub' for managing various affairs. From here, one could directly reach the High Heavens Palace, connecting with all celestial departments and divine bureaus. Several fourth-rank righteous gods were on duty around the clock, rotating their shifts. Today, however, the Hall of Universal Brightness was somewhat crowded. Not only were there clerks from the Hall of Universal Brightness in various corners, but also two-thirds of the Heavenly Court's civil and military officials were seated throughout.

Soon, the Dragon King of the East Sea sat in an armchair. The armchair was a bit narrow, and the Dragon King's imposing figure barely fit, making him appear quite constrained. Duke Mu sat at the main seat in the hall, a long writing desk before him. Behind him, more than ten elderly ministers collectively displayed benevolent, warm, and pleasant smiles.

"Dragon King, please accept our condolences first," Duke Mu said gently. "The Heavenly Court deeply regrets what happened to your son, and we share the Dragon Palace's pain. Dragon King, you've come to the Heavenly Court to file a complaint; against whom exactly is this complaint directed?"

The Dragon King of the East Sea sighed, "I complain against Li Jing, the human general of Chentang Pass, for harboring his son and abetting his violent acts. I complain against Nezha, Li Jing's son, for running rampant in Chentang and killing my son."

"Hiss—which Li Jing?" Duke Mu gasped, then quickly asked, "Is this person a disciple of the Human School?"

"He is, of course, the named disciple of Daoist Du'e from Kunlun Mountain," the Dragon King stated solemnly. "This person does not cultivate purity, disregards righteousness, covets worldly luxury, marries and has children, and clings to mundane power..."

Duke Mu said, "Dragon King, calm your words, Dragon King. Attendants, investigate Li Jing's background and see if there's anything unusual."

"Yes!" an answer came from a corner, followed by the rustling sound of turning pages.

The Dragon King of the East Sea closed his eyes and waited. During this time, the two dragon elders and three turtle ministers arrived at the Hall of Universal Brightness, positioning themselves behind the Dragon King, standing in the center of the main hall. They looked as if they were being interrogated.

A carriage sped across the horizon. Li Jing, concealed by a heavenly general, hid his presence and entered the sea of clouds, approaching the Hall of Universal Brightness.

"Found it!" In a corner of the hall, Wang Lingguan stood up, hurried to Duke Mu holding a jade talisman, and whispered as he handed it over, "Duke Mu, Li Jing's background is all here."

"Speak it aloud," Duke Mu said calmly.

Wang Lingguan whispered, "Duke Mu, perhaps you should look at it first..."

"Speak it!" Duke Mu glared at Wang Lingguan and chastised him, "Is there something you're afraid of? This is the Heavenly Court! This is the Hall of Universal Brightness! Behind us is His Majesty the Jade Emperor! Cowardice! Are you not afraid of the Dragon King laughing at us? Just read it out loud!"

"This..."

"Read!"

Wang Lingguan showed a helpless expression, lowered his head with a wry smile, and holding the jade talisman, he read aloud, "Li Jing, born in Chentang Town, witnessed the ravages of demons in the northeastern part of the Southern Jambu Continent in his youth. With a strong desire to protect his homeland, he traveled across mountains and rivers to the Eastern Continent to seek his immortal destiny. By chance, he was brought before the Immortal Du Sect and joined it. Having achieved some success in immortal cultivation, he gained the appreciation of Star Lord Grand White, a righteous deity of the Heavenly Court and a former disciple of the Immortal Du Sect. He was granted many blessings and later returned to Chentang Town to slay demons, accumulating merits. He was then adopted as a godson by Star Lord Grand White... Li Jing's reputation grew, earning the appreciation of the Human Sovereign. He was appointed General of Chentang Pass, consolidating the northeastern part of the Southern Jambu Continent. He has three sons: the eldest, Jinzha, is a disciple of Manjushri Bodhisattva, a Saint's disciple from the Jade Void Palace; the second, Muzha, is a disciple of Guanyin Bodhisattva, a Saint's disciple from the Jade Void Palace; and the third, Nezha, is a disciple of Taiyi真人, a Saint's disciple from the Jade Void Palace. It should be noted here that Nezha is the reincarnation of Lingzhu, who was a disciple of Taiyi真人 and had served as a beloved general of Star Lord Grand White in the Heavenly Court for many years."

"Alright, alright! Is your voice the only loud one here?!" Duke Mu frowned, interrupting Wang Lingguan's "loud and emotional" reading. He snatched the jade talisman and scrutinized it, his expression gradually changing. Seeing this, the Dragon King's expression grew increasingly cold. The two dragon elders, seeing the same, had eyes filled with grief and indignation.

In the Hall of Universal Brightness, all the righteous gods were somewhat silent.

A military general first pondered for a few moments, then slowly said, "Since Li Jing earned the appreciation of Star Lord, he surely isn't an evil person. The problem most likely originated from the Chan School..."

"Watch your words! The Chan School has always valued disciples' backgrounds and their own karmic blessings. I have seen Lingzhu; he is gentle and well-mannered, not someone who would casually kill others."

"Exactly, exactly. I also heard about Lingzhu's reincarnation. There's no way he would kill a dragon prince without reason."

"That's right, such a handsome young immortal, and a good friend of the Lunar Star Lord's handmaiden too."

A loud shout came from a corner: "My third brother's reincarnation would absolutely not senselessly kill my second brother's own brother! This must be a misunderstanding!" All eyes turned to the corner. Bian Zhuang, who had just shouted, immediately shrank his neck and whispered, "This is what I, your humble general, surmise."

The Dragon King closed his eyes, saying nothing, as if he had already understood the situation today.

Duke Mu cleared his throat and quietly said, "Dragon King, look, about this matter... does it not require a detailed investigation? We should summon Li Jing and his son to the Heavenly Court for questioning, and then decide how to pass judgment?"

Before the Dragon King of the East Sea could speak, a dragon elder sighed, "Is the Heavenly Court also going to show favoritism and disregard justice? Our Third Prince was brutally beaten to death by Nezha!"

"Logically, the deceased should indeed be given paramount respect," Duke Mu sighed, "but this matter concerns Star Lord Grand White's godson. How about we go to the High Heavens Palace and ask His Majesty the Jade Emperor to make a decision?"

"No need," the Dragon King of the East Sea stood up, his dragon eyes filled with a touch of melancholy. "The Heavenly Court only needs to say whether it can deliver justice for my Dragon Palace."

"This..." Just then, a shout came from outside the Hall of Universal Brightness: "General Li Jing of Chentang Pass! Summoned by the Hall of Universal Brightness to explain the conflict with the dragon race!"

The Dragon King and the two dragon elders' faces darkened with anger. One elder even turned to glare at Duke Mu and the other righteous gods, as if about to strike. These two elders and the three turtle ministers were not fools; how could they not understand? They had been talking here for a long time, while the Hall of Universal Brightness had already secretly informed Li Jing to come up and confront them. While the Dragon Palace was somewhat in the wrong in this matter, the Heavenly Court had chosen to side with Star Lord Grand White's godson from the very beginning, rather than the East Sea Dragon Palace!

An elder was about to question them, but the Dragon King raised his hand, signaling him not to speak further. The dragon palace entourage's faces were ashen, their eyes fixed on the entrance of the Hall of Universal Brightness.

Li Jing strode in quickly, his ceremonial sword in hand. Upon seeing the Dragon King, he first bowed respectfully. He then easily stepped over the hall's threshold and bowed deeply to all the righteous gods inside.

"Li Jing greets all the heavenly deities, and pays respects to the Dragon King."

Duke Mu nodded with a smile and said gently, "My dear nephew, no need for such formality, no need. Attendant, bring a seat; let's all sit and talk."

Wang Lingguan immediately hurried to the side and brought an armchair identical to the one the Dragon King had just sat in, placing it next to the Dragon King's seat. Then, Duke Mu looked at the Dragon King of the East Sea and smiled, "Dragon King, why don't you sit down and talk properly? Let's lay everything out. The Heavenly Court is willing to mediate between your two families, what do you say?"

The Dragon King of the East Sea seemed to hesitate, looking at Li Jing, then at the hall full of immortals and gods. The two dragon elders were truly seething with indignation, while the three turtle ministers dared not utter a single word throughout.

"Enough," the Dragon King of the East Sea sighed softly. With a sweep of his long sleeve, the armchair next to Li Jing shattered instantly. The Dragon King slightly turned his head to look at Li Jing. Li Jing's face was solemn, but his gaze was unyielding as he met the Dragon King's eyes.

A moment later, the Dragon King said calmly, "Let's go." He then swept away with the dragon elders and turtle ministers.

Duke Mu quickly rose and said, "Wang Lingguan, see off the Dragon King and his entourage!"

"Yes!" Wang Shan accepted the order and quickly pursued the Dragon King's retreating figure.

Inside the Hall of Universal Brightness, Li Jing slightly relaxed. Feeling the sympathetic gazes around him, he stood up and bowed several times in various directions. "I, Li Jing, thank all the righteous gods for your concern. This matter was provoked by the Dragon King's son, who sought to set a trap and harm my son Nezha. Fortunately, Nezha had many treasures bestowed by Taiyi真人 to protect him, which allowed him to survive. If I, Li Jing, utter a single falsehood, I am willing to endure heavenly punishment and be instantly annihilated."

Duke Mu smiled, "General Li, no need to say more. Please return to Chentang Pass quickly."

"Indeed," an old immortal worried, "The dragon race is clearly upset. We mustn't underestimate their power; they are an ancient great race."

"Our Heavenly Court should also do something; we cannot let General Li be bullied by the dragon race."

"The human offspring favored by Star Lord will naturally not be lacking."

"The dragon race is in the wrong yet still files a complaint, truly... tsk, hard to say, hard to say."

Li Jing sighed, lowering his head, a slightly bitter smile on his face. He bowed to the immortals and gods, then turned and left in haste, taken back to Chentang Pass by the celestial horse carriage from the Central Heavenly Gate.

Inside the Hall of Universal Brightness, the various immortals and gods had not yet dispersed. Li Chang Geng, the white-browed, white-haired, ordinary but powerful minister of the Heavenly Court, arrived on a cloud and began discussing the Heavenly Court's next development path with everyone. It was as if what had just transpired had never happened at all.

***

Crash— In the grand hall of the East Sea Dragon Palace, the Dragon King of the East Sea, who had endured countless monotonous years, finally showed his wrath today. He swatted away the fine wine offered by a sea maiden and kicked over his throne, a magnificent seat adorned with pearls and agates. The Dragon King of the East Sea sat grim-faced on his throne. Beside him, the Dragon Kings of the West, South, and North Seas sat in silence. Inside the hall, hundreds of dragon elders and princes stood, not daring to breathe loudly.

A dragon, gathering courage, asked, "Was your visit to the Heavenly Court... less than smooth?"

"More than just 'less than smooth'," a dragon elder who had accompanied the Dragon King to the Heavenly Court stepped forward. One by one, they recounted their ordeal in full, each adding a bit of detail to make the story more vivid: the shifting expressions of the heavenly gods, the tyrannical might of Star Lord Grand White; Li Jing's sudden arrival, and the gods' blatant favoritism.

A dragon master exclaimed angrily, "The Heavenly Court acted like this! Like this!"

"Star Lord Grand White truly wields absolute power, but he mustn't forget that without the support of our dragon race, he wouldn't have gained the Jade Emperor's appreciation so smoothly before!"

"Those words are a bit much. Star Lord Grand White has the Grand Pure Saint backing him. Without Star Lord Grand White's help, we would have long become playthings in the hands of the Western Teachings, and by now our kin's lives would have been exhausted. Star Lord Grand White has shown great kindness to our dragon race. It's just that this matter involves his godson, which is why the Heavenly Court immortals and gods dared not speak up. Do not be disrespectful to the Star Lord."

"Since when do our dragons have to live at the mercy of others?!"

"This infuriates me!"

"The Third Prince cannot die in vain! We must make Li Jing and his son accompany him in death!"

"Yes! Make the father and son martyrs!"

"If our dragon race yields this time, we will lose all dignity and become the laughingstock of all races!"

"What 'all races'? Now it's just immortals, spirits, humans, demons, ghosts, and devils. Our dragon race doesn't even have its own name, already reduced to one of the Six Paths, an insignificant small tribe among all spirits."

"Go find them!"

"Demand an explanation from them, and if they refuse, we'll raze Chentang Pass!"

"Silence, all of you!" From his throne, the short-tempered Dragon King of the West Sea roared. All the dragons immediately quieted down.

The Dragon King of the West Sea rose, bowed to the Dragon King of the East Sea, and said firmly, "Brother, how should this matter be handled? Please make a decision soon, and don't let everyone keep arguing."

The Dragon King of the East Sea pondered, remaining silent.

The Dragon King of the South Sea also said, "Given the Heavenly Court's attitude, we are now essentially facing combined pressure from the Heavenly Court and the Chan School. Furthermore, Li Jing's human background is also a factor we must consider. In other words, we might suffer joint suppression from the Chan School and the Heavenly Court. Although Star Lord Grand White hasn't interacted much with us, we should know that he is extremely protective of his own."

"The human race's previous attack on the heavens is still fresh in our minds," the Dragon King of the North Sea shook his head. "If this matter alarms Huoyun Cave, or if an ancient Human Sovereign gives an order, summoning the human immortals from the Central Divine Continent... we must approach this with caution."

The Dragon King of the South Sea shook his head, "But if we just let it go, our dragon race will be ruined. If we collapse under a single push from the Heavenly Court and Chan School, what will become of us in the future?"

"Let the elders decide," the Dragon King of the East Sea sighed softly. "Summon all the elders from the Four Seas, excluding those guarding the sea eyes, to come here. Whether to fight or seek peace, the whole race shall deliberate."

The other three Dragon Kings nodded in agreement. The dragons below remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

Three days later, in the somewhat crowded grand hall of the East Sea Dragon Palace, dragon-headed elders and dragon warrior generals stood silently. The Dragon King on the throne made a simple gesture, and half of the dragon race's masters began to move. Among this half of the dragon masters, one-third stood on the left, and two-thirds on the right. Immediately after, several elders from both the left and right sides stepped forward, beginning to persuade the dragons who had not yet made their choice.

The dragon elders on the right constantly articulated the dragon race's current predicament. In their words, the human race was the protagonist of heaven and earth, and the dragon race had been recuperating for many years; the two had originally coexisted peacefully. However, with the Third Prince's death at Nezha's hands, if the dragon race remained silent, all beings under heaven would assume the dragons were easily bullied. This was not a matter of right or wrong; it was about the dragon race's dignity and lifeline, concerning whether the dragon race could continue to stand firm in the Five Continents of the Primordial World.

"If we swallow this humiliation now, we might as well move to the Three Thousand Worlds later. Staying here will only make other races mock us!"

Most of the elders on the left side appeared aged, and their faces were now filled with worry. A dragon-headed elder earnestly admonished, "The dragon race has just begun its resurgence. Why must we oppose the human race? We do have some foundation and many masters, but how can the human race's strength be ignored? The Heavenly Court now represents the human race's stance; its heavenly soldiers and generals are all of human origin! If we contend with the human race, even if we win for a time, it is our own destiny that will ultimately be lost. What does this have to do with dragon dignity? Dragon lifeline? The Third Prince was killed by a child, and we are not even entirely in the right. How does admitting a mistake become abandoning our dignity? Since when has our dragon race become so arrogant? Have you forgotten the Ancestral Dragon's teachings? If you continue this recklessness, the dragon race will soon be self-destructed!"

The half of the dragon race that had remained still now made their choices, moving to either the left or right side.

Half an hour later, all the elders had made their choices. Three-quarters were on the right side, advocating for war. One-quarter were on the left, advocating for peace.

On the coral throne, the Dragon King of the East Sea sat composedly, his expression neither joyful nor sorrowful. Seeing the results below, he slowly nodded, "For this matter, we will fight a battle at Chentang Pass. Everyone return to your positions, then we will decide how to fight."

Immediately, the dragon elders shuffled their positions again and made their choices once more. This time, those advocating to 'take the lives of Li Jing and Nezha' comprised seventy percent, while those who wanted to 'give the human race a profound lesson' were only ten percent. The remaining twenty percent abstained from choosing.

Once everything was settled, the Four Sea Dragon Kings rose together. With a command to muster troops and an order to move out, the Crystal Palace erupted in a clamor, and large numbers of Dragon Palace masters flew out of its main gate.

A short while later, majestic dragons emerged from the sea, circling continuously above the East Sea, unleashing their divine powers and conjuring clouds. Vast dark clouds appeared between heaven and earth, and an unending stream of figures emerged over the ocean. Shrimp soldiers, crab generals, immortal flood dragon soldiers! Their numbers were immeasurable, stretching across a hundred square miles of the deep-sea surface.

Murderous aura surged, rage soared to the sky, war drums thundered like rolling thunder, echoing across tens of thousands of miles!

The Dragon King of the East Sea swept his hand, and massive waves surged across the East Sea!

"To Chentang Pass."

Hundreds of majestic dragons followed the Four Dragon Kings, dragging along the almost boundless expanse of thick dark clouds, leading countless soldiers and generals, and a water wall tens of zhang high, surging towards the East Sea coast!

Half a day later, Chentang Pass was now entirely deserted.

In a large mountain not far outside the city, more than a hundred thousand mortals who had completely evacuated there yesterday were now drawn by the sound of thunder, all looking towards the East Sea. They had only been told that a tsunami would strike soon, and to take their valuables and food rations to higher ground for shelter. Evacuating over a hundred thousand mortals was no easy feat. Li Changshou secretly assisted with paper effigies, and the Chentang Pass army handled logistics and stability, allowing for a timely evacuation. As soon as the dragon race began its "elders' public vote," Chentang Pass had started making preparations. Not just Chentang Pass itself, but also various towns and villages near the East Sea were largely empty, with nine out of ten households having moved to higher ground to escape disaster.

But on the city wall of Chentang Pass; right on the city wall of Chentang Pass! Li Jing and hundreds of qi practitioners, long-time residents of Chentang Pass, stood quietly, watching the East Sea. A white line appeared at the horizon where water met sky. Li Jing narrowed his eyes and said quietly, "Everyone, step back for now. Let's avoid unnecessary casualties."

The hundreds of qi practitioners behind him had already felt the boundless pressure, but they remained silent, unwilling to retreat even half a step. What if they were dragons, what if they were demons? Those who invaded Chentang Pass were all their enemies!

"Everyone!" Li Jing slightly turned his head and said firmly, "I have a plan to repel the invaders, but if you remain here, it will be inconvenient to execute! Retreat quickly and protect the populace. Do not make things difficult for me. You and I are certainly not direct opponents of the Dragon Palace."

The qi practitioners nodded and then retreated, moving quickly towards the various mountains and forests.

In the backyard of the Li residence, little Nezha was completely unaware of what was happening. He merely watched his "cheap" master pacing back and forth, and a three-eyed man, who claimed to be his senior brother, wiping a strange long spear nearby.

Nezha muttered softly, "Master, what's wrong?"

"Nothing to do with you. Just stay here."

Boom! The ground suddenly began to tremble, as if countless troops were surging towards Chentang Pass. A vast, thick cloud cover, stretching for tens of thousands of miles, enveloped Chentang Pass, turning day into night. Massive waters surged onto the land, but instead of dissipating, they remained coherent and rushed straight towards Chentang Pass, sweeping away countless empty villages and towns along the way.

Just then, an old yet majestic voice echoed from the clouds: "Li Jing—and Nezha, come with me to the Dragon Palace to confess your sins, or today, Chentang will be flooded!"

On the city tower, Li Jing tightened his grip on his sword hilt with his left hand, took a shallow breath, and then suddenly drew his long sword with his right hand. The three-foot long green blade vibrated softly, ripples of water shimmered on its surface, reflecting Li Jing's resolute, stubbled face. The sword's tip pointed directly at the dark clouds in the sky!

"Li Jing, General of Chentang Pass, is here! To those who harm my child, I, Li Jing, as a father, must fight! To those who invade my defended territory, I, Li Jing, as a general, must fight! If anyone disregards justice and righteousness, intending to harm my people or take my child's life, then today, Li Jing will shed blood and fight with his life!"

Above the dark clouds, the Four Sea Dragon Kings' expressions were exceedingly grim. Beneath the earth, Li Changshou stood with his hands behind his back, calculating the optimal moment for his appearance.

Today, the dragons must be suppressed.