Hun Zhou Government Office

This terrifying earthquake that had erupted so suddenly was actually not a natural phenomenon at all, but the result of an extremely powerful supernatural force!

And now, that supernatural force was charging straight toward Jing Qian at a speed of two hundred kilometers per hour!

Though more than ten miles away, he could already sense that terrifying pressure, as deep as an abyss and vast as the sea!

It was a purple Dragon Python spanning the sky, its enormous body so massive that it made one's heart tremble. At a glance, it seemed to have no end.

Its physical body was more than three hundred zhang in diameter. The Python's head alone was twice as wide as its body.

Its scales flashed with a cold, austere light, containing the weight of mountains. As it sped onward, the scales grated against one another with a bone-chilling sound, like ancient war drums echoing through the air.

The Dragon Python's eyes were like two deep, icy pools, radiating a frigid light capable of slaying gods, as though they could see through every illusion in the world.

Its breathing transformed into violent gales that swept up everything around it, sending dust flying and plunging heaven and earth into chaos.

Whenever it moved, the earth trembled. The terrifying earthquake Jing Qian had felt had been born from this very movement.

As the terrifying Dragon Python charged straight at him, Jing Qian felt as though the entire world had frozen at that instant.

A tremendous terror stimulated his whole body into trembling, yet he stubbornly refused to dodge!

Even though the pressure of the Dragon Python had nearly caused his consciousness to collapse,

he actually stood there and bore it head-on, straightening his body and stiffening his spine!

A perfectly standard Subduing Dragon Stance emerged instinctively, carrying an air of soaring pride.

It was as if he truly meant to seize the Dragon Python!

The enormous wind pressure nearly blew him off his feet.

Yet he did not retreat even a single step, remaining there until the terrifying Dragon Python swept past him at arm's length.

Only then did he roughly make out that the Dragon Python's body was more than ten miles long!

So that supposedly dried-up riverbed Jing Qian had once believed he was seeing was merely the Serpent Path left behind when this Dragon Python had swum past!

And the stone platform where the Dragon Drinking Plate stood had avoided the Serpent Path, allowing the Dragon Python and Jing Qian to narrowly pass one another.

The Dragon Python traveled along the Serpent Path. After passing through the Hun Zhou Sea Market, it plunged headfirst into that sinkhole.

It continued onward, soon arriving at the cavern dock.

Then the Dragon Python opened its enormous mouth and began sucking in the Muddy River.

An immeasurable volume of seawater poured through the Muddy River and into the giant serpent's body.

The so-called "dragon drinking" was actually meant exactly as the words suggested!

The Dragon Python drank from the river for a full hour, lowering the water level of the barrier lake by half.

The boats of every size in the lake suffered terribly as well. The falling water level forced many of them to run aground, while others listed and toppled in disarray.

On fewer than one-fifth of the boats, a strange magical radiance rose up to protect them from harm.

Those were treasure ships that had entered the ranks.

However, the boats in the lake had been quick to evade, so they were not the most unfortunate ones.

The truly pitiable ones were the boats already on the Muddy River, sailing from outside the island toward the dock!

Three boats had nowhere to evade and could only be swallowed into the Dragon Python's belly in despair.

Of the entire fleet, only one great monk who had refined a White Elephant Dharma Form saw that things were going badly and abandoned ship ahead of time to flee.

But after personally witnessing his own fleet being swallowed by the giant python, he completely broke down as well.

With such enormous losses, even a Dragon Elephant cultivator could not shoulder the responsibility!

After drinking its fill of the Muddy River, the Dragon Python turned around and returned along the route it had come by.

It left behind a scene of utter devastation, which gradually returned to normal under the silent irrigation of the Muddy River.

Everyone who was still alive released a deep sigh of relief!

For everyone active around the cavern dock, every "dragon drinking" was an unavoidable trial of life and death!

The so-called cost of "dragon drinking" was primarily used to compensate for the damage caused by the Dragon Python's movements.

The Dragon Python itself continued on leisurely until it stopped before the Dragon Drinking Platform. It opened its vast mouth, seemingly intent on swallowing heaven and earth.

And before it stood a tiny masked figure who did not dodge in the slightest!

Jing Qian forcibly suppressed his urge to escape into Sumeru and hide, relying entirely on his own willpower to contend with the Dragon Python's pressure.

The Subduing Dragon Stance beneath his feet became even more firmly rooted!

Looking ahead, he saw that within the open mouth of the Dragon Python stood a fairly large government office.

This was the core of the Hun Zhou Divine Dynasty—the government office's administrative seat!

Three thousand years ago, a Dragon Python had wreaked havoc across the region. Fortunately, a divine being descended into the world, captured the dragon and dispelled the disaster, carved the land into an island, burned stoves and raised furnaces, and built this Sixth-Rank Destiny Island. Only then did the later territory of Hun Zhou come into existence, with its splendid mountains and seas.

The Sixth-Rank purple-eyed Dragon Python before him was history stepping into reality—the origin of everything in Hun Zhou.

As the Python's mouth opened, revealing the Hun Zhou Government Office within, a plump cultivator dressed in azure official robes soon walked out with unhurried grace!

He followed the Dragon Python's tongue until he reached a point a hundred meters from the stone platform. Then, with a sudden leap, he landed before Jing Qian.

He looked Jing Qian up and down before speaking:

"You're that boy from the Jing Household?"

"You've got quite some nerve. The Dragon Python's aura didn't scare you off."

"However, you dared to strike the Dragon Drinking Plate. Do you know that all the destruction this Dragon Python caused across the island on its journey must be paid for by the person who struck the plate? This will cost a fortune."

"If you can't produce the money, you'll have to pay with your life!"

The fat man's tone was unfriendly, but Jing Qian remained completely calm. He merely replied:

"Sir, allow me to explain. This junior is from the Jing lineage, and my ancestor once served as the commander of the Hun Ling Number."

"According to what my household has passed down, my ancestor once reserved an opportunity to strike the Dragon Drinking Plate as a fallback for his unworthy descendants. I would not dare deceive you, Sir. A single investigation will make the truth clear."

At his words, the plump cultivator could not help slightly furrowing his brows.

His cultivation had already reached the Eighth Rank Dragon Elephant Realm. He looked harmless enough, but once he became serious, an imposing might naturally radiated from him.

"If that's the case, then come with me to meet the landlord!"

With that, he circulated his Destiny Essence and Magic Power, then stomped one foot onto the stone platform.

Stimulated by his Magic Power, a stone pillar actually extended from the platform, reaching all the way to the Dragon Python's tongue.

The cultivator stepped onto it, and Jing Qian followed closely behind.

As he walked, Jing Qian spoke:

"Sir, which household's landlord are we going to meet?"

The cultivator glanced back at him from the corner of his eye, then continued walking as he said:

"You don't recognize me? I'm Qian Yuan!"

"You're a descendant of the Water Master, so naturally you're here to meet Landlord Zhu of my Sea Household."

At this, Jing Qian stopped speaking and lowered his head as he continued forward.

This plump cultivator was actually the culprit behind the destruction of the Jing lineage.

He truly was a smiling tiger!

Jing Qian silently circulated his Sumeru Magic Power, prepared to escape into the void at any moment.