Snap!
Above Longmen Gorge, dark clouds obscured the sun, torrential rain poured down, and lightning danced furiously across the sky.
After dividing some of its fortune into several streams, the seven-colored auspicious clouds had already shrunk significantly, and now they were completely devoured by the white dragon.
Letting out an excited cry, the white dragon revealed a sacred land beneath the broken stone tablet in its original waters, suddenly radiating brilliant light.
On the horizontal tablet above, the four characters “Hebo Water Palace” gleamed with golden light. Bronze tripods were scattered all over the ground, and the buildings were in ruins, appearing somewhat dilapidated.
At this moment, aided by the spiritual power of the water tide, a layer of radiant glow emerged from the surface of the water palace.
Within the main hall, two bronze doors swung open. A golden talisman, exuding immense authority and manifesting a golden seal’s illusory shadow, shot forth as if attempting to merge with the white dragon.
Boom!
Instantly, the power of heaven and earth surged severalfold, vast and boundless.
“This… is the divine position of Hebo?”
Seeing this, Tianhe Tongzi (Tianhe Boy) exclaimed softly, “I never expected that Hebo’s divine position from those days would have been sealed all along within the water palace…”
In that moment, everything became clear.
This white dragon was originally the son of Hebo, who had cultivated into a dragon and become the most powerful being among the aquatic creatures of Nulong River.
In terms of both lineage and strength, it was the undisputed heir. Precisely for this reason, Wang Zhong had determined to seal it away long ago.
If not sealed, with Hebo’s presence dividing the faith, Wang Zhong’s attempt to become the local city god would inevitably face more obstacles, not to mention that the two were mortal enemies.
Only after sealing it for a hundred years, gaining the upper hand, and reaching the moment when it had to be released did Wang Zhong begin his gradual maneuvering.
“Wang Zhong’s expression must be quite unpleasant right now!”
Tianhe Tongzi and Wu Ming shared the same view.
Each local deity has its fortune. If Wang Zhong had followed the previous methods, he might have still used his grace to establish a restraining situation over the white dragon. But now, once the white dragon ascended to Hebo’s position, things would become significantly more complicated.
“Fiendish beast!”
Indeed, along with a mighty voice, a golden figure appeared above the ancestral hall.
The figure radiated a golden glow three feet wide around its body, dressed in the official robe of a county magistrate of the fifth rank in the imperial court. Its entire body shimmered like gold, clear and bright as crystal, with only a tinge of red in its eyes. The face bore an expression of immense majesty. It was none other than Wang Zhong, the local city god of the fifth rank!
“He has come out in person from his magical domain? It seems he is truly desperate…”
Tianhe Daoist remained composed, while the several elders like Yunping Zhangyuan nearby felt a tremendous pressure descending, causing them to breathe rapidly.
“This dragon has escaped its shackles; it is its destined fortune. From now on, its life and death, success or failure, will entirely depend on fate!”
With a smile, Tianhe Tongzi waved his hand, releasing a layer of clear light that enveloped the Daoists, separating the inside from the outside, not even allowing raindrops to penetrate.
At this moment, as the city god roared in fury, a golden beam shot toward the white dragon like an arrow, filled with malice.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, the earth shook violently, and streams of black qi emerged. Among them, several bore a blood-red hue, carrying a terrifying aura, rushing toward the sky with the same target—the divine position of Hebo!
This divine position of the river god was of the fifth rank, bestowing full control over the spiritual energy of Nulong River. If an ordinary spirit or monster obtained it, it would signify achieving true cultivation success, naturally inciting fierce competition.
“This river god position is a great power from heaven and earth, naturally formed. If one can hold it firmly, one immediately becomes a golden-decreed true god, even possessing complete supernatural abilities, with little need for human devotion through incense offerings. No wonder all sorts of evil spirits and monsters are coming out, risking everything for it…”
Seeing this scene, Wu Qing couldn’t help but shake her head inwardly: “These evil spirits and mountain monsters with insufficient virtue still want a shortcut? They should beware of being crushed to pieces!”
Indeed, witnessing the surging black qi, vast and overwhelming like a tide, immediately enraged a certain figure.
“Master Chuan? Please take care of yourself…”
A young scholar assisted an elderly Confucian scholar, visibly frail and advanced in years, out into the rain, his face filled with compassion.
“I am fine!”
The old Confucian scholar pushed away the young man, allowing the rain to soak his clothes. Seeing the black qi covering the mountains and fields, he sternly shouted: “In the light of day! In the clear sky and bright sun! You demons and devils! You shall face the law of the king!”
Boom!
With the shout, a straight stream of spiritual energy rose like a smoke signal, carrying righteous and mighty thoughts, piercing straight into the heavens!
This was not the martial artist’s blood qi, but the righteous qi of the Confucian scholar!
Heaven and earth possess righteous qi, which is endowed in various forms. Below, it becomes rivers and mountains; above, it becomes the sun and stars! Though Confucian scholars may lack the strength to tie up a chicken, their cultivation of righteous qi enables them to rebuke ghosts and gods, expelling evil and bringing retreat!
This old man was clearly a great Confucian scholar!
“This… this is…”
To the eyes of the Daoists who had already opened their spiritual vision, this appeared as a white sun, radiating mighty and bright light, rising slowly from the foot of the mountain.
Wherever the light reached, the numerous black qi shrieked in agony, vanishing like snow meeting scorching sun, their forms and souls destroyed.
Even the few thick streams of black qi tinged with blood-red could only endure for a few more breaths compared to their peers, before revealing several struggling, almost unrecognizable phantom forms, which slowly dissipated.
When a sage appears, all laws retreat!
“I wonder which great Confucian scholar has arrived?”
Tianhe Tongzi shrugged his shoulders. Under this righteous aura, even the Taoist’s primordial spirit within his body felt somewhat uneasy.
At this moment, the righteous qi shaped like smoke signals, resembling long spears, charged toward Wang Zhong and the white dragon hovering in the sky.
“Ahh…”
From within the golden arrow came Wang Zhong’s furious roar: “I am a legitimate divine god, bearing a golden decree! How dare you harm me?”
Amidst the thunderous sound, the smoke-like righteous qi caught up with the golden arrow, even beginning to slowly dissolve the divine power.
Wang Zhong roared even louder. His golden decree flashed again, transforming into a large seal. On it were scenes of fishermen, woodcutters, farmers, scholars, bustling crowds of people… the aspirations of the common folk, crashing down with immense force.
Although a great Confucian scholar could rebuke false gods, Hebo and Wang Zhong were both legitimate deities of heaven and earth, bearing imperial decrees, making them legally recognized gods, which was an entirely different matter.
Peng!
With a loud bang in the void, the golden seal trembled. Specks of starlight fell, each containing a vision of a person devoutly kneeling and praying.
This was the combined power of the people’s wishes and the intense thoughts of incense offerings.
Within this golden light mixed with the incense offerings and wishes, the original righteous qi smoke signals inevitably became tainted, slowly fading away.
“Master Chuan?!”
Seeing his teacher faint and collapse, the young scholar immediately rushed forward, lifting him into a carriage and hastily departing.
“Roar! Roar!”
In the meantime, the white dragon, seizing the moment, merged with the golden decree’s seal. Suddenly soaring to the ninth heaven, it bathed in thunder and lightning, its expression ecstatic. It grew two more claws, transforming into a single-horned, four-clawed dragon, and then into a deity wearing a crown, clad in noble robes, with a solemn expression.
The clouds dissipated, the rain ceased, and a rainbow appeared in the sky.
The spiritual energy of the 300-mile-long Nulong River surged forth, as if offering a tribute.
“The calamity has passed; the rightful Hebo has taken his place!”
Seeing this, Tianhe Tongzi muttered under his breath: “This dragon is truly fortunate… to have escaped the calamity so easily… The dragon qi it previously absorbed must have been the key!”
“Wang Zhong! You killed my father god and sealed me away for a hundred years. I will surely avenge this grudge!”
The dragon Hebo gazed at Wang Zhong, his eyes revealing a trace of hatred as he pointed from afar.
Buzz!
A howling mass of water vapor surged forth, the spiritual energy raging like swirling waves, faintly revealing the phantom image of Nulong River, crashing down.
When a dragon emerges, storms and rain follow!
Ascending to the position of Hebo in the form of a white dragon was precisely appropriate. At this moment, its strike carried the immense spiritual power of the 300-mile-long Nulong River.
Wang Zhong, however, was caught off guard, having previously clashed with the righteous qi, losing the initiative. Instantly, his golden glow rippled, his cloud aura scattered, and he fell into the ancestral hall.
Even the golden seal bore several visible cracks.
After repelling the city god, the Hebo fixed his gaze downward.
“White dragon!”
Tianhe Tongzi stepped forward, unafraid, and said solemnly: “Today, since you have escaped your shackles and ascended to the position of Hebo, it means your hardships are over and blessings have come. In the future, you must strictly follow the will of heaven, bring rain and clouds, and benefit all living beings. Otherwise, divine punishment and human calamity will surely follow!”
The Hebo’s eyes narrowed, and a great majesty pressed down.
However, Tianhe Daoist remained fearless in his posture. After a brief exchange of glances, the Hebo turned around, landed on the river surface, and vanished in an instant.
“Truly worthy of being a true immortal. We Daoist practitioners appear shallow in cultivation when standing before a river god…”
At this moment, elders like Yunping Zhangyuan could finally breathe again. They exchanged glances and sighed.
One of them stepped forward: “Immortal… this dragon… regarding the main Daoist lineage…”
The Yuqing Daoist sect was a prominent school in the current era. The power of a single county was not particularly significant. However, if they truly took action, even a dragon, even a river god, might not be able to suppress it.
“Now that things have reached this point, what more is there to say?”
Immortal Tianhe said: “Let it come and go as it pleases, observe its actions. Whether it commits many injustices or brings blessings to the people, the choice is its own!”
In other words, there was no need to intervene now. But if this dragon caused heavenly wrath and people’s resentment, then they could act in accordance with the will of heaven and the people.
“Understood the law’s decree!”
All the Daoists bowed. Wu Qing, however, turned her head, her beautiful eyes deep in thought.
She saw that Wang Yu of the Lieyang Sect had already disappeared without a trace.
…
“Uncle, why didn’t you attack?”
In a mountain hollow, the boy watched his uncle, who had drawn his bow several times, only to lower it again. As they watched the white dragon ascend to become the true Hebo and vanish into the river, he couldn’t help but ask.
“It’s not that we wouldn’t act; it’s that we couldn’t. To insist on action when it’s clearly impossible is the behavior of a foolish Confucian scholar, not a strategist of the military school!”
The middle-aged man slowly put away his arrows and said: “Let’s go. From the very beginning, when the dragon escaped half a moment earlier than expected, it meant our operation had already failed… Cough, cough…”
As he spoke, his coughing grew worse, causing bitterness to rise on the boy’s face: “But… without the white dragon’s blood as a medicinal ingredient, Uncle’s old injury…”
“Just a minor ailment. It won’t kill me… Cough, cough…”
The middle-aged man cut him off decisively: “Now the most important thing is your path to officialdom! With the southern and northern Feng provinces embroiled in continuous warfare, it is the perfect opportunity for us to rise!”
“Understood!”
The boy’s tiger-like eyes brimmed with tears, but he clearly understood that with the few family heirlooms of the military school, there had been a chance at the beginning. But his uncle had given up for his sake. A heavy burden settled in his heart.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage