Chapter 643: Hundreds of Dragons Emerge from the Desolate Sea

Though Jiyuan spoke little, each phrase or two he uttered prompted others to ask questions, elaborate, and discuss details. While Jiyuan felt he didn't know much, sometimes a crucial question would lead him to unconsciously reveal a great deal. The true dragons and jiaos debated and argued amongst themselves, frequently bringing up issues like the dragon corpse worms, so the discussion lasted a long time before concluding.

That evening, the Old Dragon Ying Hong and three other True Dragons discussed internal dragon affairs in a part of the Crystal Palace, while Ying Ruoli and Ying Feng accompanied Jiyuan on a stroll.

Thunder rumbled and lightning cracked and flashed.

Rain lashed down continuously.

A heavy storm raged ceaselessly, with lightning streaking and flashing across the clouds overhead, occasionally making the Crystal Palace shimmer even more brilliantly.

The vast palace now seemed somewhat empty. Some dragons and jiaos had either transformed into their original forms and lay on the palace floor or roof, or rested in human form. As the heavy rain fell into the Crystal Palace, its force softened, the drops like gentle taps, making it more comfortable for the dragons to doze.

"Uncle Ji, I think my father and the others will definitely send messages across the Four Seas to inform all the Dragon Lords about what we discussed today. Perhaps more dragons will come."

As Ying Ruoli spoke, her gaze drifted to a dark red jiao coiled on the distant palace roof. Its amber dragon eyes were fixed on them; it was Gong Xiu, whom she had personally incapacitated.

Jiyuan remained silent, also looking into the distance. The jiao then lowered its head, closing its eyes as if resting.

"Hmph, Uncle Ji, the matter of that eunuch-jiao has already spread throughout the dragon clan. If I were him, I'd either seek a death match with Ruoli according to the dragon clan's rules, and even if I died, my dragon soul would return to the waters with some dignity. But now, hmph, there's a eunuch-dragon in the South Sea, and the name 'Xiu' truly wasn't ill-chosen."

Ying Feng spoke with far more venom than his sister, Ying Ruoli, repeatedly using the insult "eunuch-dragon." Jiyuan couldn't help but smile, realizing that despite some personality differences, this family shared a similar fiery temper.

"But Gong Xiu is, after all, the son of Dragon Lord Gong. While he himself might not be a threat, Dragon Lord Gong might not be pleased, might he?" Jiyuan knew that there were internal conflicts within the dragon clan, though they were generally stronger and more united than other demon clans, so he feared this matter might escalate too much.

"Heh heh, Uncle Ji, you don't know the half of it. Although Gong Xiu is Dragon Lord Gong's son, he's far from a favored one. Failing to ensnare a dragon and ending up castrated has long made him a laughingstock among the Four Sea Dragons. Dragon Lord Gong wouldn't even give him a second glance. My father didn't act out that day and even suggested seeking a spiritual root fruit from an immortal friend, which already showed Dragon Lord Gong more than enough respect."

Ying Feng sneered again, his gaze sweeping over the distant palace roof before returning to his sister, then continuing to Jiyuan.

"Uncle Ji, my father only has my sister and me as his children, but that doesn't mean other dragon clans are the same. Dragon Lord Gong has hundreds of offspring, born from jiaos, sharks, whales, fish, porpoises, horses... and various other creatures. Dozens of them have already transformed into jiaos. What does Gong Xiu even count for?"

Jiyuan couldn't help but inwardly exclaim "holy cow!" Dragon Lord Gong was truly prolific. In comparison, his friend Ying Hong, even with marital issues, was practically a model of chaste devotion.

A distant dragon's roar approached, from far to near. It was unclear if nearby dragons were playing in the sea or if more dragons were arriving. Within the day Jiyuan had arrived at the Crystal Palace, over a dozen jiaos had already gathered.

Although the Crystal Palace was a treasure of the dragon clan, the palace rooms were fully equipped with items like sheets and bedding. Jiyuan stayed there for several days, during which dragon sons and daughters took turns serving delicious food. Half a month later, a great chorus of dragon roars erupted throughout the Crystal Palace and the surrounding waters.

Jiyuan stood alongside the four True Dragons outside the Crystal Palace. The Yellow Dragon Lord opened his mouth, exhaling a whirlwind from his abode. The entire Crystal Palace gradually shrank within this whirlwind, eventually being swallowed by the Yellow Dragon Lord. Only a bare, large reef remained beneath their feet.

"Fellow Dragon Lords, and Mr. Ji, we shall now proceed as planned to the dark currents of the desolate sea. If any scoundrels dare to oppose our dragon clan, not even the Eight Desolate Seas shall tolerate them."

After Huang Yucong finished speaking, he ascended directly on wind and clouds. Jiyuan, the several Dragon Lords beside him, and some jiaos also took flight. They were followed by countless more jiaos; most soared in their dragon forms, with only a few maintaining human shape.

The heavy rain continued to fall, and the sea waves surged, reaching heights of dozens of meters. The entire sea was truly tempestuous. Including the dragons already present and the jiaos that had gathered during this time, there were nearly three hundred in total. The collective flight of these dragons was enough to churn rivers and overturn seas.

Jiyuan, of course, flew on a cloud with the three members of the Ying family. Dragons soared all around him, above, below, and on every side. The immense dragon energy stirred up fierce winds, agitating the sea and sky. This sight moved Jiyuan, who couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"The sight of so many dragons soaring is truly magnificent! No wonder the dragon clan can rule the Four Seas!"

The momentum of these three hundred flying dragons felt like that of ten thousand, showing their immense power.

The Old Dragon looked ahead, his gaze also taking in the surrounding dragons and their surging energy, his expression solemn. He spoke in a deep voice, looking forward.

"Mr. Ji, the divination for this journey is unclear. Although the Eight Desolate Seas are plagued by fierce winds and chaotic miasma, making it difficult to discern everything, the five of us going together should have brought forth auspicious signs..."

Jiyuan, of course, understood what the Old Dragon was saying and offered reassurance.

"Unless the dragon corpse worms can be entirely eradicated and the cause of their return found, none of it can be considered truly auspicious. A single effort may not be enough. Elder Ying, you need not dwell on this. Furthermore, although the fate of the desolate sea is chaotic, we are not without direction. Since the current matter is no longer solely about dragon corpse worms, it's naturally impossible for the expedition to yield only auspicious signs."

The Old Dragon slowly stroked his beard, squinted, and looked ahead, nodding.

"Mr. Ji is right. We can also take this opportunity to clear and reorganize the desolate sea we pass through."

While the Four Sea Dragon Clan held great influence in the waters of the Four Seas, it didn't mean they couldn't enter the desolate sea. The main reason was the desolate sea's extremely harsh environment; the Four Seas and inland rivers were far more suitable habitats. At most, dragons might go to the desolate sea for training. Moreover, aquatic creatures aspiring to transform into dragons needed suitable land and water for quiet cultivation, drawing upon earth and water veins, and gathering the spiritual essence of the five elements to achieve dragon transformation. Thus, no dragon was willing to reside in the desolate sea for long.

However, the desolate sea was still rich in life, with numerous aquatic demons. And compared to those in the waters within the Four Seas, the demons of the desolate sea might not pay heed to the dragon clan. Among them were even some monsters who had cultivated into jiaos, who delighted in causing trouble and stirring up chaos. These types of aquatic demons were precisely what the orthodox dragon clan most despised. This time, as the dragons journeyed through the desolate sea, any "unpleasant" encounters would likely end up as dragon food.

Ten days later, they spotted the murky waters that marked the boundary between the desolate sea and the East Sea. Again, dragon roars erupted all around them.

"Roar!" "Roooaaarr!"

The dragon daughter and son also let out long roars beside the Old Dragon and Jiyuan, echoing the shouts of the dragon multitude. The dragon daughter observed several dragons flying low, circling each other ahead, carving out a mile-wide waterway through the sea. She suddenly spoke.

"Father, Uncle Ji, Ruoli wishes to undertake the 'Water Travel' to become a true dragon within twenty years."

Jiyuan and the Old Dragon showed a flicker of surprise on their faces, glancing at each other, but their expressions quickly became calm. The dragon daughter had been cultivating steadily for so long; she indeed had the qualifications to attempt it.

"If you have made up your own mind, what I can do is clear all waterways for you, integrate earth and water veins, make countless aquatic creatures yield, prevent changes in the qi of heaven and earth, deter immortals, Buddhas, ghosts, and gods, and ensure human lords do not disturb you!"

As the Old Dragon spoke, he recalled his own difficult dragon transformation, which was fraught with tribulations. Logically, many tribulations during transformation were not necessarily a bad thing; enduring these trials was part of the transformation process and could lead to self-realization. However, Ying Ruoli truly didn't need them. The dragon daughter had a solid cultivation foundation and already possessed a dragon heart, so she didn't require self-realization.

Nevertheless, dragon transformation, if not the most dangerous stage of dragon cultivation, was at least one of the most perilous. Jiaos who undertook such a feat were those with lofty ambitions within the dragon clan. For someone like Bai Qi to survive repeated failed transformations was truly a miracle. Many dragons cultivated their entire lives, feeling they could not transform, yet dared not easily try until their dying day.

The Old Dragon's words made Jiyuan realize the distinct advantage of having a good father. He had nothing else to add, only nodding and offering a few encouraging words.

"Nothing can be absolutely perfect, and cultivation is the same. After long cultivation as a jiao, one can possess a dragon heart. If one's resolve is firm, one can attempt it. As for the timing, within twenty years..." Jiyuan paused, then continued.

"Zuyue and Dazhen are bound to have a war. When that time comes, the land of Zuyue may be annexed by Dazhen. You can use Dazhen's Tongtian River as the source for your 'Water Travel' and wait for that moment to ride the rising fortune of Dazhen."

"Thank you, Father, thank you, Uncle Ji, for your guidance!"

Ying Ruoli, seeing that neither Jiyuan nor her father objected, felt greatly reassured and smiled. Beside her, Ying Feng's expression was exceedingly complex.

"Little sister... I wish you in advance a successful transformation into a true dragon!"

"Brother..."

Ying Ruoli sensed Ying Feng's disappointment and didn't know how to comfort him. The Old Dragon glanced at his son, then out of the corner of his eye at Jiyuan, remaining silent. A father knows his son best; how could he not understand the dragon son's dejection?

Jiyuan looked at the dragon son's demeanor and couldn't help but chuckle, realizing that he, as an "uncle," seemed rather unqualified.

"Prince Ying, you know that after I, Elder Ying, and four other fellow Taoists refined treasures that day, we created a celestial book. That book is at Yunshan Temple. My intention is that, regardless of whether Ruoli succeeds in her transformation, you can go to Yunshan Temple to read this book afterward. The path of dragon transformation is not unlike forging a spiritual tool within oneself. If you have any doubts then, you can come directly to me."

Jiyuan knew that his previous help to the dragon daughter was both coincidental and her own fortune. For the dragon son's transformation, he could only try his best to assist.

Ying Feng was slightly startled by these words, then overjoyed.

"Excellent, excellent, it's settled then! Your nephew will go and borrow it at that time. Oh, and Uncle Ji, you call my little sister Ruoli, but you still call me 'Prince Ying.' I'm your junior, you can just call me Feng'er or Ying Feng. Oh, by the way, your nephew originally wanted to brew some fine wine to offer, but unfortunately, I haven't mastered the method yet..."

"Ahem, this old one still has a small jar of ambergris."

The Old Dragon said with a smile, offering a hint, and slightly bowed to Jiyuan. Jiyuan was not modest at all.

"Since you've put it that way, you must intend to give it all to me. I'll take you at your word then!"

"When has this old one ever been stingy?"

"Hahahahahahaha..." "Roar!"

"Roooaaarr!"

Amidst the laughter, the dragon son couldn't help but let out a long roar, and even the Old Dragon roared once.