It was said that one could search everywhere for something without finding it, only to stumble upon it without any effort at all.
Perhaps the bonds of fate in the mortal world were simply this wondrous. Because Yang Jian would not be at Guanjiang Kou during this period, Di Xin had gone to Chentang Pass instead—only to encounter Yang Jian, who was carrying a mountain and driving back the sea, in the East Sea beyond Chentang Pass.
His destiny must have been flourishing. Everything he did came true as he wished.
"Who are you? Judging from your tone, you're looking for me? Are you a lackey of the Heavenly Court?"
Yang Jian abruptly rose to his feet and warily prepared himself. Howling Celestial Dog also transformed into a creature over ten feet tall at the first opportunity, baring its fangs and glaring at the suddenly appearing Di Xin as it emitted a series of low growls.
"A lackey of the Heavenly Court? Does Haotian even deserve that title?"
Di Xin cast a contemptuous glance at the sky. His gaze seemed to pierce through layer upon layer of space, meeting and clashing with the gaze of the ruler of the Heavenly Court high above the Ninth Heaven.
The Heavenly Court had no generals?
The immortals of the Three Teachings refused to submit to your control?
This was all because you lacked the ability and the means, yet in the end, you made me take the blame!
You ruined the entire Cheng Tang realm, incited the greatest civil war among humanity since Xuanyuan and Chi You, and ultimately reduced the nine continents of the Great Desolation to only four. All of this was caused by you, who knew only to cry complaints at Zixiao Palace!
Yet in the end, you were the one who gained the greatest benefits. You completed the three hundred and sixty-five orthodox gods of the Heavenly Court, crushed humanity's backbone, and turned the mortal world into a playground for immortals and Buddhas.
And you even called yourself the "Haotian Golden Palace, the xxxx Jade Emperor." Bah!
Seeing the disdain in Di Xin's eyes, much of the hostility on Yang Jian's body faded, and his tone softened as well.
"Since you aren't the Jade Emperor's lackey, when did Yang Jian offend you? Why would you travel all the way across the East Sea to find me?"
"Yang Jian, is it? Let me ask you: Were the waves over the East Sea your doing?" Di Xin asked coldly.
"This... It was indeed Yang Jian's doing. My master passed down a Supernatural Power and instructed me to temper myself in the East Sea. That was why I disturbed the peace of these waters. However, my master has already visited the East Sea Dragon Palace and explained the matter to the old Dragon King of the East Sea. May I ask why you have come here...?"
Confusion appeared in Yang Jian's eyes. His master had said no one would come looking for trouble over this. What was going on now?
"Do you know that the waves you stirred up have flooded a hundred miles of coastline, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless? Your master informed the East Sea Dragon Palace, but did he ever inform the king of Yin Shang?"
Di Xin's expression turned solemn. The Kongtong Seal released its full power, broadcasting his identity in all directions.
"So it is the Human King himself. Yang Jian has been discourteous."
Yang Jian's brows drew tightly together. He openly clasped his fist and saluted, showing respect for half of his own human bloodline.
However, his teacher had said that a dragon was helping him calm the waves in the East Sea.
Could it be...?
"May I ask, Great King, were the waves Yang Jian stirred up carried all the way to the coastline?"
"Then do you think I crossed the East Sea just to amuse myself by playing with you?"
Di Xin snorted angrily. Although that was precisely his purpose, how could he let it show?
"Yang Jian wouldn't dare! It's just that..."
Yang Jian had just begun to speak when he remembered that the Dragon Clan had no obligation to help him calm the waves. Although the Dragon Clan had been in the wrong for abandoning him, he could not take people to the East Sea Dragon Palace to demand an explanation, either.
Others could be unkind, but he could not be unrighteous.
"Great King, Yang Jian has been cultivating in this valley for the past two years and has not taken a single step outside it. I had no idea that I had caused such a disaster for the ordinary people living by the sea.
"However, Yang Jian was responsible for what happened, so I naturally will not evade it. Please allow Yang Jian to personally inspect the situation along the coast and find a way to make up for the losses I caused.
"If anyone died because of Yang Jian, then please give me some more time, Great King. Once I have finished the matter I must attend to, I will go to Chaoge, confess my crimes, and submit myself to execution."
His words were upright, majestic, and grand. Even Di Xin had to admit that he could not have done what Yang Jian had done.
"What a fine man! Hahaha, don't worry. If you had caused anyone's death, I wouldn't be speaking with you so calmly."
Di Xin clapped his hands and laughed heartily. The way he looked at Yang Jian was like a father-in-law looking at his son-in-law; the more he looked, the more satisfied he became.
"My Yin Shang border commander isn't just sitting around doing nothing. Li Jing evacuated the refugees long ago and found them new places to live."
That was not right. Di Xin suddenly stiffened his expression. Li Jing had said that the waves in the East Sea had only risen when Nezha had been ten months in the womb, yet Yang Jian said he had been cultivating here for two years. There was almost an entire year missing between the two accounts!
"Yang Jian, let me ask you this. You said you have been cultivating here for two years, but the waves in the East Sea only began rising a year ago. During that missing year, did someone suppress the waves on your behalf?"
Who had been interfering from the shadows? Why had they released the waves just when Nezha began displaying unusual signs, making Li Jing believe his son was a monster and that all this misfortune and disaster had been brought about by his son?
After Nezha was born, he went to play at the mouth of the sea, killed the Third Crown Prince of the East Sea Dragon Palace, and eventually ended up cutting flesh to repay his mother and carving out his bones to repay his father. Could all of that have also been secretly plotted by someone?
"This..."
Yang Jian had not expected Di Xin to be so perceptive, deducing from just a few words that someone had been helping him. Now, he was caught in a dilemma: he could neither speak nor remain silent.
However, the Human King had said that no civilians had died. It should not be a problem to mention the Dragon Clan, right?
So be it. He would say it and bear the responsibility himself.
Having made up his mind, Yang Jian clasped his fist and said:
"To be honest, Great King, the East Sea Dragon Palace did agree to send a dragon prince to help Yang Jian calm the waves and prevent them from disturbing the coastline. However, perhaps something happened at the Dragon Palace. The dragon prince returned to the palace and forgot to inform Yang Jian, which led to this disastrous outcome.
"However, the root of the matter still lies with Yang Jian. If Great King wishes to punish me, Yang Jian will certainly not evade or shirk the responsibility."
"The dragon prince of the East Sea Dragon Palace? Could the Dragon Clan also be trying to get involved?"
Di Xin muttered to himself. After all, the Dragon Clan was one of the three primordial clans. Since the Phoenix Race had Kong Xuan surviving in the world, the Dragon Clan might well have hidden cards of its own.
True Person Huang Long, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals; Nine Heavens Yinglong, who had helped the Human Emperor Xuanyuan defeat Chi You; and Zhulong, who was said to make day when he opened his eyes and night when he closed them—not to mention Azure Dragon, one of the Four Divine Beasts...
On the surface, the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas appeared timid and submissive. But what about in reality? Did any of them possess the pure-blooded lineage of the Ancestral Dragon?
But if the Dragon Clan intervened, what could it ultimately gain?
Di Xin had too little information and could not deduce many useful clues from it. However, every plot would surface with the passage of time. When that happened, he would naturally learn who had been scheming behind the scenes!
"Yang Jian, I see that you are imposing and heroic, with extraordinary courage. How about it? Would you like to come serve as an official in my Yin Shang?"
"Thank you for your kind offer, Great King, but Yang Jian still has a more important matter to handle. If I survive after completing it, I will naturally come serve Your Majesty."
Yang Jian cupped his hands and politely declined. Aside from Split the Mountain to Save His Mother, he would consider nothing else.
"Do you have a karmic connection with the Heavenly Court?"
Before you continue