Chapter 839: You want to play me to death

Once the Dragon Girl began her Water Journey, she committed herself entirely. Even with extensive preparation and years of dedicated effort, the transformation into a dragon and the control of water flow were critical, allowing no room for distraction. As for her parents, she could only place her hopes in Uncle Ji and her elder brother.

Although the waters of Tongtian River had been gentle, they immediately surged at this moment. Torrential rain poured down along the riverbanks, and the water level rose rapidly.

Fortunately, the changes in Tongtian River had been evident in recent years. Many talented individuals and seers within the Great Zhen territory had foreseen these events, either cautioning the populace or finding ways to advise the emperor. Consequently, the Great Zhen authorities had already made arrangements along the Tongtian River.

At this moment, the Dragon Girl finally understood the terrifying pressure involved in her Water Journey. The river, normally so docile, now seemed unruly, like a gentle mount suddenly transforming into a wild, fierce horse. The Dragon Girl had to exert several times her usual energy just to barely control the currents, and even the rain from the heavens seemed to carry an oppressive, divine might.

The river waves, every tributary flowing into Tongtian River, and even every raindrop falling from the sky seemed to converge, their combined pressure bearing down on the Dragon Girl with immense weight. This force was not only mental; it caused a tearing pain in her physical body.

This overwhelming weight nearly pressed the Dragon Girl's true form, a Flood Dragon, into the mud at the bottom of the Tongtian River. She had to swim with great effort to slowly escape the sensation of being dragged down.

Dragon roars echoed from the riverbed, blending indistinctly with the rumbling thunder, making the storm even more violent.

Each time the dragon roared, the nearby Tongtian River and its tributaries became more turbulent, with massive waves even surging towards the banks. This was the Dragon Girl, in her Flood Dragon form, struggling to maintain her dominion over the waters under the immense pressure from heaven and earth, using it to alleviate her pain.

However, the Dragon Girl had cultivated a "dragon heart" many years ago, and her mental fortitude was far beyond that of ordinary flood dragons. While other flood dragons undergoing this process might become irritable, she remained calm. No amount of physical pain or torment could disturb her composure as she exerted herself to control the water flow.

A wave of divine consciousness surged forward along the water, carrying the clear, cold, and sacred voice that Ying Ruoli presented to others.

"All aquatic creatures within the Tongtian River basin, retreat immediately."

The voice carried at least a hundred miles underwater, permeating every part of the waterways. Hearing it, aquatic creatures scurried into their various hiding places. Although it was somewhat safer underwater than on the surface, it would still be very dangerous if they were accidentally swept away by the current as the Flood Dragon passed.

Standing in the clouds above New Scholar's Crossing, Ji Yuan watched the Dragon Girl embark on her Water Journey, and then saw the Old Dragon and Dragon Mother transform into dragons, trailing clouds and mist as they followed. With that, he lowered his hand, abandoning the pretense of casting a spell.

Ji Yuan neither knew how to fully suppress water spirit energy and tribulation nor had he ever heard of such a method during dragon transformation. But the Dragon Mother was unaware of this. At such a crucial moment, Ji Yuan hadn't refuted the Old Dragon's claims, so how could she not believe them?

So, watching them depart into the storm, Ji Yuan smiled faintly. He ascended higher and higher, pursuing them into the distance. Far from suppressing any tribulation, he intended to intensify it.

The dragon's shadow in the Tongtian River only left the capital region after about half an hour, reaching a sparsely populated river section by the mountains. By this time, the dark clouds in the sky had grown increasingly thick.

Ji Yuan, standing high above the clouds, could vaguely perceive, through his spiritual eye and the dense dark clouds below, the two dragons soaring through the sky and the turbulent Tongtian River.

At this moment, the Thunder Decree Talisman reappeared in Ji Yuan's hand. Although its power had been nearly exhausted during the Black Desolation Monster Extermination, and its light now seemed dim, the foundation built through long refinement remained. Even without its inherent power, it could still assist Ji Yuan in his spellcasting.

With the Thunder Decree Talisman hovering before him, Ji Yuan extended his left hand, which pulsed with lightning. Then, with a sword-finger gesture, he channeled his sword intent, applying a lightning-transforming technique to the talisman. His magic power surged into it like raging waves.

A thin bolt of lightning, shimmering with gold, purple, and white, shot forth from the talisman and instantly plunged into the dark clouds below, which were already swirling with lightning. The thunderclouds, already brewing, rapidly expanded at this moment, taking on a swirling form.

"Boom..."

A terrifying thunderclap shook all directions. All creatures beneath the heavens felt a buzzing in their ears from this single roar of thunder. The sound startled the Old Dragon and Dragon Mother, making them look up at the sky, where they saw the terrifying lightning brewing.

The Dragon Mother's true form was a black Hornless Dragon, her dark scales shimmering in the lightning. Her body was much smaller than the Old Dragon's Flood Dragon form beside her. Her crystal-clear dragon eyes were filled with horror.

"Impossible! Ruoli has a righteous heart, cultivates goodness, and shows compassion for the world. How could such a lightning tribulation form?"

The lightning tribulation hadn't even fully formed, yet the Dragon Mother already felt the terrifying power of endless heavenly might. And she wasn't even the one undergoing the tribulation. It was hard to imagine what would happen if such lightning were to strike her daughter entirely.

"CRACK... BOOM!"

As the Dragon Mother stood aghast, a purple bolt of lightning struck from the thunderclouds. It split mid-air like a tree, one branch extending into the Tongtian River, and the other heading directly for the Flood Dragon and the Hornless Dragon.

All thoughts and senses paused at that moment. The lightning contained terrifying heavenly might and an aura of destruction, alarming even the Old Dragon, while the Hornless Dragon fell into a brief daze.

In that moment of crisis, the Old Dragon reacted quickly, throwing caution to the wind. With a cry of alarm, he coiled his true dragon body around the Hornless Dragon, moving upward to shield her.

"Li'er, be careful!"

"BOOM!"

The lightning struck directly onto the Flood Dragon's magnificent body. Endless lightning enveloped the massive form, appearing like purple whips lashing against him. Terrifying crackling sounds echoed in the Dragon Mother's ears.

"Bellow—"

The Old Dragon couldn't help but let out a painful bellow, while inwardly cursing.

‘Ji Yuan, you really are ruthless!’

Below in the Tongtian River, Ying Ruoli, who also endured the lightning, let out a painful dragon roar. However, she bore only the portion she was meant to; all the "extra" power added by Ji Yuan was striking the Old Dragon in the sky.

As the purple lightning dissipated, the Dragon Mother was completely unharmed, but the Old Dragon was in considerable pain. The Dragon Mother could clearly sense her true dragon companion's distress, feeling a slight pang of anxiety. Yet, before the Old Dragon could catch his breath, thunder roared again from the heavens.

"CRACK... BOOM!"

A bolt of lightning, several times thicker than the previous one and imbued with purplish-gold light, descended. It was as if the heavens had drawn a straight line of lightning with a brush, like an enraged deity specifically punishing the two dragons who were enduring this tribulation on behalf of the water-journeying Flood Dragon. Not a single trace of this lightning branched towards the Tongtian River.

High above the thunderclouds, Ji Yuan pointed with all his might, channeling his magic power as it surged forth like a bursting dam, though without any intent to kill.

Knowing his friend was tough and resilient, Ji Yuan instead began to experiment with the lightning magic he had conceived. Having previously understood the power of the Qianyuan Sect Master, who could transform lightning into a sword, Ji Yuan, skilled in swordsmanship, was inspired to develop his own method: the art of controlling lightning with a sword.

‘Old Mr. Ying, don't blame me for being heavy-handed! Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll mess up the act.’

With these thoughts, Ji Yuan's sword-finger remained perfectly steady, and his actions were unflinching.

The moment the lightning struck, purplish-gold light filled the eyes of both the Hornless Dragon and the Flood Dragon. The former was terrified, the latter aghast.

‘Ji Yuan, you're trying to kill me!’

This was the Old Dragon's last thought before the lightning struck. Then, instinctively, his dragon body tightly shielded the Hornless Dragon.

"BOOM!"

The lightning, like a heavenly sword descending, struck the Old Dragon, causing both his head and tail to arch upwards. Within the destructive power of the thunderous bolts was the piercing sharpness of tearing golden winds. Even though the Dragon Mother was only slightly grazed, her dragon scales stung.

At that moment, Ying Hong, in his true form as a Flood Dragon, let out a dragon's cry that sounded like a scream.

"Hong Ge!"

The Dragon Mother cried out, attempting to activate her magic power to share the heavenly lightning's might with the Old Dragon. However, he firmly suppressed her with a dragon-coiling technique, preventing her from doing so. This rough dragon technique, far from causing her any resentment, instead filled her heart with a profound sense of security.

The prolonged single strike of tribulation lightning finally passed. The Old Dragon withdrew his dragon-coiling technique, releasing his hold on the Hornless Dragon.

The Dragon Mother's gaze fell upon the Flood Dragon before her, and she could no longer suppress her heartache. Swimming close to him, she saw numerous scorch marks on his back, and several scales were even cracked, with faint traces of dragon blood seeping out, only to quickly flow back into the wounds. It was clear how terrifying the lightning had been.

The Old Dragon's voice resonated in the Hornless Dragon's ear.

"Li'er, this tribulation is too dangerous. Please don't leave my side, okay...?"

The Old Dragon's voice was slightly weary but carried a hopeful expectation that he tried to hide but couldn't. The Dragon Mother's amber, crystal-clear dragon eyes were slightly hazy as she softly assented.

"Mmm..."

Everything was understood without words. Ecstatic joy appeared in the Old Dragon's eyes, and he couldn't help but let out an excited dragon's roar towards the sky.

High above the thunderclouds, Ji Yuan also heard the dragon's roar, and his brows furrowed slightly.

‘So spirited? He truly is a genuine dragon. It seems my lightning magic was still a bit too weak, after all.’