Chapter 841: Jiangshan Still Remains

Du Changsheng was about to continue the pursuit when Ji Yuan's voice reached his and Yin Zhaoxian's ears.

"Master Yin, Imperial Advisor Du, if you've come concerning Lady Ying's manifestation of water, please stop. I, Ji, guarantee there will be no flooding."

'Mr. Ji?'

Du Changsheng and Yin Zhaoxian's hearts lifted. Du Changsheng halted his spiritual wind, and both men looked up to see Ji Yuan slowly descending on a cloud of magic.

Upon Ji Yuan's appearance, the Old Dragon and Dragon Mother, who had recently reconciled, also materialized and slowly descended.

"Greetings, Mr. Ji!"

Du Changsheng quickly bowed respectfully to Ji Yuan. Yin Zhaoxian, his face lit with joy, was a step slower in cupping his hands in greeting.

"Mr. Ji, it's been a long time!"

Ji Yuan had originally intended to visit Yin Zhaoxian after the Dragon Girl's situation was settled. In just a few months, nearly ten million people were expected to arrive in Da Zhen, effectively adding ten million displaced individuals. Beyond just accommodation, food supply would pose a significant challenge. Even deploying officials to count the population would lead to a period of disorder; it was not a simple problem to solve.

However, since they had met, Ji Yuan decided to greet them immediately. He landed nearby, returning their salutations with cupped hands as he spoke.

"Master Yin, Imperial Advisor Du, it has indeed been a long time!"

The Old Dragon and Dragon Mother were now close by. Yin Zhaoxian, recognizing the Old Dragon, bowed to him.

"Elder Ying, I presume this is Lady Ying?"

Though the age difference was considerable, Yin Zhaoxian's discernment was keen enough to notice.

"Master Yin, it's been a long time. This is my wife, Miao Li."

He recalled how, long ago in the Ju'an Pavilion courtyard, the Old Dragon had made Yin Zhaoxian drunk with a cup of dragon's saliva incense. At that time, Yin Zhaoxian had been a scholar with jet-black hair; now, he was a distinguished white-haired Confucian, enjoying both fame and prosperity.

"Master Yin."

The Dragon Mother also gave Yin Zhaoxian a respectful 'wanfu' greeting. Even without her connection to the Old Dragon and Ji Yuan, a scholar like Yin Zhaoxian commanded respect.

"My greetings to both of you. I am Du Changsheng, the Imperial Advisor of Da Zhen."

Du Changsheng was both respectful and enthusiastic towards the Old Dragon and Dragon Mother. The Old Dragon, for his part, did not entirely disregard him; given Da Zhen's favorable destiny, Du Changsheng, as its Imperial Advisor, possessed some inherent worth.

"Hmm, Imperial Advisor Du."

The Old Dragon cupped his hands in acknowledgment, while the Dragon Mother simply nodded. This response secretly thrilled Du Changsheng. Despite his attempt to maintain a serious expression, a smile involuntarily crept onto his face. With someone named Ying appearing here and being acquainted with Mr. Ji, it wasn't hard to guess his identity.

"We were sent by His Majesty to discuss Lady Ying's manifestation of water, but from what Mr. Ji just said, it seems there are no major issues now."

"Exactly. Master Yin and Imperial Advisor Du can return to report to the Emperor. I, Ji, and Elder Ying will accompany Lady Ying throughout her manifestation. However, there is one matter for which I hope Da Zhen will prepare in advance."

"What is it?"

When Yin Zhaoxian inquired, Ji Yuan leaned in and provided a general overview of the Human and Animal Kingdom. While not highly detailed, it was sufficient for the intelligent individuals present to grasp the situation.

"Ten million people? Is that true?"

Both Yin Zhaoxian and Du Changsheng were considerably startled. How many people did Da Zhen currently have? This influx would represent more than ten percent of its total population.

"Absolutely true. Of course, if Da Zhen genuinely cannot accommodate such a large population, then we'll have to reconsider."

Yin Zhaoxian nodded.

"Da Zhen is currently expansive, and a significant portion of the population has also relocated to the former Zuyue territory. This is precisely when we need more people. As long as everything is properly coordinated, it shouldn't be an issue. We have enough food, and once the next harvest comes in, we can arrange for them to cultivate fertile land. I, Yin, will manage this properly."

If Master Yin declared it was manageable, then it certainly was. Ji Yuan exchanged a few more words with the two before departing with the Old Dragon and Dragon Mother. They still had to accompany the Dragon Girl through her entire manifestation. In the distance, the intensifying sound of thunder clearly signaled the arrival of the second wave of lightning tribulation.

Only after seeing Ji Yuan and the other two depart on their clouds did Du Changsheng withdraw his gaze. He then turned to Yin Zhaoxian, who stood beside him, already deep in thought, his brow furrowed, clearly pondering how to accommodate the impending population influx.

After a considerable time, Yin Zhaoxian finally looked up at Du Changsheng.

"Imperial Advisor, let's return to the capital."

"Very well."

Du Changsheng assented, then escorted Yin Zhaoxian back.

Back in the imperial city, the morning court in the palace was still in session. The two pieces of news brought by Yin Zhaoxian and Du Changsheng indeed caused a stir throughout the court and among the populace. During that same morning session, the Emperor issued relevant imperial decrees, and shortly after court concluded, a series of directives were dispatched through various officials.

In addition to numerous messenger officials galloping out of the capital, cultivators from the Celestial Master's Bureau also used magic to transmit messages, either traveling in person or relaying information via enchanted artifacts and spells.

Instantly, relevant regions across Da Zhen sprang into vigorous action, akin to wartime mobilization. The entire bureaucratic system of Da Zhen began to operate at full capacity, from top to bottom.

The Da Zhen court's strategy was to disclose all factual information to the public, with only minor retentions, to prevent officials and commoners from being caught off guard later.

Since Yin Zhaoxian rose to prominence, countless talented individuals, cultivated over several decades for Da Zhen's bureaucracy—especially in mid-to-lower-level positions—now had the opportunity to prove themselves. Numerous ambitious young people saw this as their chance.

In the Tongtian River basin, the Dragon Girl, in her true form as a *chijiao*, steadily moved forward, bearing an increasingly heavy pressure and weathering intermittent lightning tribulations. Along her path, aquatic creatures either cleared the way or worshipped her from afar in relatively safe zones.

With no inner demons or external evils to assail her, and no interference from spirits, gods, immortals, or Buddhas, the Dragon Girl possessed every advantage in terms of timing, location, and human harmony. The pressure and pain she endured were trivial; this pain was the agony of rebirth and metamorphosis.

More than ten days later, in the *chijiao*'s wake, the Tongtian River's water level had risen a full hundred *zhang* above its banks, creating a peculiar top-heavy phenomenon. The higher the water rose, the wider it became, while the lower river flow remained confined to the original riverbanks.

If anyone dared to approach the Tongtian River during the storm, they might witness the astonishing sight of a vast expanse of water forming a canopy overhead, extending for tens of miles.

After more than ten days of manifesting water, the Dragon Girl's *chijiao* form was covered in wounds. Few of her scales remained intact, and torn wounds often bled. Along the way, aquatic creatures would frantically search for any trace of dragon blood left behind after the *chijiao* passed.

Even under these circumstances, the Dragon Girl firmly held control of all the river surges, intending to carry the entire flood out to sea. After enduring agonizing, "death by a thousand cuts" pain, the *chijiao*'s beautiful, crystalline dragon eyes finally caught sight of the Tongtian River's mouth and the boundless azure ocean in the distance.

"ROAR————"

The moment the *chijiao* entered the sea, a resounding dragon roar erupted from its mouth. The sound shook the heavens and earth, reverberating far and wide, lingering long after. The endless floodwaters surged into the ocean along with the *chijiao*.

In the sky, the Old Dragon, Dragon Mother, Ji Yuan, and the Dragon Son Ying Feng, who had caught up, all finally breathed a sigh of relief, their minds truly at ease as they watched the *chijiao* carry the floodwaters deep into the sea. Ji Yuan immediately offered his thanks to the Old Dragon and Dragon Mother.

"Congratulations, Elder Ying and Lady Ying, on your true dragon daughter! With Ruo Li's successful manifestation of water, her transformation into a dragon will now proceed naturally!"

"Thank you, Mr. Ji!" "Hahahahahahaha, congratulations indeed!"

The Old Dragon and his wife were naturally overjoyed, and Ying Feng was equally delighted. Yet, amidst his beaming smile, he secretly resolved to succeed in manifesting water himself one day.

The Imperial Historian of Da Zhen lifted his brush to record: "In the autumn of the Gui Chou year, land-ships crossed the sea, bringing millions of citizens..."

At that moment, the historian was writing in his official residence. His ink-dipped brush trembled slightly with excitement, yet when it met the paper, his strokes were incredibly steady, firm enough to show through the other side.

The land-ship was now less than half the size it had been when it crossed the sea from Heihuang. The old beggar stood above it, gazing at the distant land of Da Zhen now visible before them. Beside him stood his second disciple, Yang Zong, and Lu Xiaoyou. Yang Zong's eyes, fixed on Da Zhen's territory, were filled with emotion.

"Yang Zong, I'm entrusting you with the negotiations with the Da Zhen court."

"Yes, Master! Senior Brother, will you accompany me?"

"Oh, absolutely! The imperial palace must have delicious food!"

Lu Xiaoyou readily agreed, then rode the wind with Yang Zong towards Da Zhen's capital. The Da Zhen court, having made extensive preparations, soon welcomed the two trans-oceanic immortals into the palace with a grand ceremony. The Emperor, along with his full court of civil and military officials, waited in the Golden Hall for the immortals' arrival.

"Immortals of the Qianyuan Sect, enter the Hall!"

With a powerful announcement from the summoning eunuch, Yang Zong and Lu Xiaoyou stepped into the Golden Hall. The gazes of all ministers and the monarch immediately fell upon them. Yang Zong appeared somewhat dazed, failing to notice the greetings from the court officials and the reigning emperor.

"Junior Brother! Junior Brother!"

"Huh? Oh!"

Snapping out of his daze, Yang Zong quickly cupped his hands in greeting to the Emperor, following his Senior Brother's lead.

"A cultivator of the Qianyuan Sect greets Your Majesty!" "Lu Xiaoyou of the Qianyuan Sect greets Your Majesty!"

"Two immortals, you may dispense with the formalities!"

Yang Zong did not state his name, identifying himself merely as a cultivator of the Qianyuan Sect. The Emperor, of course, paid no heed to such details.

Yang Zong was not in a rush to speak. Instead, he carefully observed the person seated on the dragon throne.

'So it's Sheng'er. When I left, he could barely walk...'

His gaze swept across the civil and military officials on either side. Few familiar faces remained among the high-ranking officials of the court. After his eyes briefly rested on Yan Chang, his final glance settled on Yin Zhaoxian.

The realm remained, but few old acquaintances endured.

As he looked at Yin Zhaoxian's aged yet upright figure, Yang Zong's heart swelled with relief. He could now clearly perceive the bright and vast righteousness radiating from him, and he understood even more profoundly what an extraordinary power it was.