Chance Encounter with the Dragon Clan's Crown Prince

Not far from the mouth of the great river, at the bottom of the East Sea, lay a Sea Clan settlement stretching for countless miles. At its heart, within a water palace, the East Sea Crown Prince Ao Jia, clad in blue battle armor, was discussing military affairs with the Turtle Prime Minister at his side.

"Report! A Sea Yaksha seeks an audience with the Crown Prince! He says there's a Human Race expert on the shore requesting to see you!"

Hearing the messenger's words, Ao Jia slowly raised his head and said, "Let the Sea Yaksha in."

Before long, the Sea Yaksha rushed in, flustered. "Crown Prince!"

"Speak! Weren't you sent to test the Great River Water Tribe's strength? And what's this about a Human Race expert?"

Ao Jia sat on his throne, picked up the wine cup before him, and took a light sip.

"Reporting to the Crown Prince, the Great River Water Tribe was no match for us. As we were cleaning up the battlefield, that human appeared. He said he recognized this armor you bestowed upon me! He claimed his name is Jiang He and wanted to see you!"

The Sea Yaksha recounted the whole story.

"Pfft! What did you say? What was that human's name?"

Ao Jia, who had just taken a sip of wine, spat it out the moment he heard the name Jiang He.

As the Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan, he naturally knew the name of the Human Race's Clan Leader. Not to mention he had once studied at the Human Race's Martial Arts Academy for a time.

"I think it was Jiang... Jiang He!"

The Sea Yaksha's words hung in the air, met with a long silence. He slowly looked up to find no one around. Turning his head, he saw the Crown Prince's figure racing away into the distance, with the Turtle Prime Minister trailing behind. He swore he had never seen a turtle move so fast!

Standing on the shore, Jiang He was explaining something to Feng Li Yue when he saw the sea surface suddenly churn with a spray of foam. A blue figure shot forward and came to a stop before him.

"Ao Jia, Crown Prince of the Dragon Clan, greets the Human Race Clan Leader!"

The Turtle Prime Minister, hurrying close behind, quickly added, "Turtle Prime Minister of the East Sea Dragon Palace, greets the Human Race Clan Leader!"

"No need for such formalities. My wife and I were merely passing through today. When I heard from that Yaksha that you, Crown Prince, were here, I thought I'd come see you. Rather, it is we who have disturbed you," Jiang He said with a chuckle.

"Clan Leader, you flatter me. Not only is my Dragon Clan an ally and totem of the Human Race, but I, Little Dragon, once studied at the Martial Arts Academy for a time. By that alone, you are my elder. It is only right that I treat you with respect!" Ao Jia replied excitedly, seeing that it truly was Jiang He.

Once burdened by karma and unable to cultivate, Ao Jia had been perpetually downcast, nearly giving up on himself. But ever since allying with the Human Race, thousands of Dragon Clan members had stationed themselves in rivers and waters across human territory, slowly shedding their karmic debt. One could imagine how thrilled he was now!

To meet the Human Race Clan Leader and nearly leave him waiting outside—if his father the Dragon King found out, he'd surely be thrashed!

"Senior Jiang, this is no place for conversation. Please, you and your lady must come to our Sea Clan camp and allow me, as your junior, to offer proper hospitality!"

"Indeed, indeed! Please, let us honored immortals and your wife be well received! Before we set out, the Dragon King repeatedly instructed us to treat any human with utmost respect, let alone the Clan Leader himself!" the Turtle Prime Minister urged from the side.

"Very well, then let the Crown Prince show us the wonders of the Sea Clan!"

The group led Jiang He and his wife back to the central water palace camp. Clam Spirit Maids brought out a feast of Sea Clan delicacies, and Jiang He and Feng Li Yue began to enjoy the banquet under Ao Jia's company.

"Senior Jiang..."

"Ah, Crown Prince, don't call me 'Senior.' I am on equal terms with your father the Dragon King. Just call me Uncle Jiang. There are no outsiders here—no need for such distance!"

Ao Jia had barely spoken when Jiang He cut him off. Being called "Senior" felt awkward.

"Yes! Uncle Jiang! You may call me Ao Jia."

"Good, then I won't stand on ceremony. Ao Jia, I just saw you clashing with the water tribe on the shore, and you have so many troops deployed on the seabed. It looks like you're preparing for a major battle. Would you mind explaining it to me?"

Ao Jia's heart tightened at this. Could he be here to demand an explanation? With the Dragon Clan about to wage war, not informing their ally seemed hard to justify.

"Uncle Jiang, here's the situation. Lately, the East Sea Water Clan has been repeatedly invaded by water creatures from this great river. My father ordered me to investigate. According to my scouts, there seems to be a force called the Water God Palace backing them, so I brought the army to probe their strength," Ao Jia answered truthfully.

Jiang He didn't press the matter of them not reporting it—after all, it was their internal affair, and he couldn't meddle too much.

"Oh? The Water God Palace. Have you found out who their leader is?"

"Not yet, but captured prisoners say they serve Ji Meng of the Witch-Demon clan."

At the mention of the Witch-Demon clan, Jiang He grew alert. Have the Witch-Demons already extended their reach here?

Ji Meng! As one of the ten great Demon Generals of the Demon Heavenly Court, Ji Meng was the god of rain—a human-bodied, dragon-headed being who commanded the primal power of water, able to summon wind and rain. During the ancient Witch-Demon War, he led water forces against the Drought Demon, a core water-power general of the Demon Heavenly Court.

"It seems the Witch-Demons have set their sights on this place. Now that the Dragon Clan is allied with the Human Race, we won't stand idly by. I'll order the Xuanwu Legion to move closer and support the East Sea Dragon Clan at any time," Jiang He said.

In truth, Jiang He was thinking this was a perfect opportunity to shift the Human Race's focus, push forward reforms, and temper the army. Only blood and fire could truly forge a fighting force.

Ao Jia's face lit up with joy at Jiang He's words. With the Human Race joining in, their burden would be greatly lightened. He had been somewhat panicked upon learning the Witch-Demons were behind this, but now he didn't feel so afraid.

"Ao Jia!"

"Uncle Jiang, your nephew is here!"

Hearing Jiang He call his name, Ao Jia quickly responded.

"Now, send troops in waves into the Great River Water Palace, advancing toward Human Race territory. Your goal is to take all the surrounding waters! But don't be reckless—fight where you can, stall where you can't. Spread out and force their hand to reveal their intentions!"

"Yes, Uncle Jiang! I'll see to it at once!"

Unsure of the Witch-Demons' plans, Jiang He decided to follow the wisdom of the greats: expose the paper tiger's true nature.

With Ao Jia's orders issued, wave after wave of Sea Clan soldiers split into multiple routes, advancing from the great river inland.

Jiang He watched the elite Sea Clan troops march past. Even the lowest Shrimp Soldiers were at the Heavenly Immortal Realm, Crab Generals at the Mystic Immortal Realm, and most commanders at the Golden Immortal Realm. All were led by mixed-blood Dragon Clan generals.

Feng Li Yue watched with great curiosity as squad after squad of Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals rode past on seahorses—she had never imagined seahorses could be ridden! (This was inspired by a childhood memory of a traditional opera film; I can't recall the name, but the water tribes riding seahorses left a deep impression on me.)

Deep within the Primordial River, the Water God Palace.

At this moment, E Yan, the Crocodile Race general serving under Ji Meng, was burning with fury as he received word of his forces' defeat and saw his own son returning wounded and humiliated.

Before E Yan could even begin his reprimand, a minor demon soldier rushed in to report: "Great King, a vast army of the Sea Clan has arrived outside. All our brothers outside the water mansion have been slaughtered, and they are now advancing to attack the mansion itself!"

"This is an outrage! Sound the conch horn and muster the army!"

Beneath the great river, the dense ranks of the Sea Clan army slowly advanced in formation toward the Water God Palace.

After all, they had once been overlords—a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. These Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals were well-equipped and marched in disciplined battle formations, each formation exuding an invisible pressure that bore down on the Water God Palace's water tribes.

At the center of the great formation, a member of the White Flood Dragon Race held a long spear, directing the movement of the entire array.

Each battle formation supported the others like interlocking horns, their defenses tight and impenetrable.

In contrast, the water tribes on the opposing side were scattered and disorderly, completely lacking any tactical structure. E Yan felt a deep shame at the sight! As a high-ranking general under the Demon Saint Ji Meng of the Demon Race, to have the enemy array their battle formations right at his doorstep was an utter disgrace. If only Ji Meng had not forbidden him from deploying his own elite demon troops, he would never have suffered such humiliation!