Yinglong Sneaks, Ge Xian Establishes Foundation

"Bao Mingjing, you are shameless."

For a moment, several people in the field cursed loudly.

Clearly, everyone knew that the [Meteorite Spell] was a renowned divine ability of the Straight and Curved Spirit God lineage, also called "Justice from Heaven" by these Righteous Spirit Demons.

Bao Hanzhang had cultivated this technique to an inconceivable level, able to summon a sky full of meteorites with a mere thought. This was one of the reasons he was almost evenly matched with Yelü Tianzheng.

Before they could curse, Ge Huolang had already cursed. This was because the Meteorite Spell was destined to accidentally injure him, the "great hero."

The reason the Eternal Life Cult's conspiracy failed was precisely due to Ge Xian's efforts behind the scenes. He had sold the same piece of intelligence multiple times, earning significant favor and thus thwarting the Red Pill Army's refinement.

Now, this hero was about to be hit by a Meteorite Spell. Where could he even begin to seek justice?

Ge Xian had sensed it when Bao Mingjing was halfway through his speech, and he foresaw the scene of everyone scattering. Lu Hualong, Yelü Yuyan, and Faxian and Shi Er, who were fighting them, were naturally fearless and could easily evade with a casual movement.

However, many Ancient Tomb Sect Disciples did not have time to escape.

He also didn't have time.

Unless he revealed his Evil Dragon Dharma Body, there was the risk of being caught on the spot by Yelü Yuyan.

Fortunately, he always had a quick wit. As the meteorites broke through the clouds, drawing everyone's attention, he suddenly flashed out and, following the secret passage, rushed towards the depths of the mountain.

Inside, there was an unused Spirit Pool.

Previously, the Wang Family Eldest Daughter-in-law had leaked information that the Spirit Pool was formerly a Nine Nether Cold Pond, directly connected to the Earth Core's Water Veins.

Since that was the case, it could help him escape this calamity.

To make things smoother, as he fled into the mountain, he transmitted a message to the Wang Family Eldest Daughter-in-law, asking her to sneak attack and knock out any Ancient Tomb Sect Disciples who might hinder him.

As expected, the path ahead was clear.

The moment he entered the mountain, his clothes began to tear. Dragon Scales, Dragon Claws, Dragon Tail, and so on appeared one after another. Ahead was the Spirit Pool, still emitting a chilling cold, Yin-Sha Spiritual Qi, and a large amount of Spirit Materials and flesh and blood. At first glance, it looked no different from a pot of murky soup.

Yet, this murky soup exuded a powerful fragrance.

It was originally intended for "Spirit Embryo Li Su" to advance to the Mortal Transformation Realm. The formula was almost identical to the Flesh Altar. Li Su had only consumed half of it before being forced to merge with Li Wa.

Therefore, half of the nourishing Spirit Materials remained in this pool, which was quite tempting.

Ge Xian was very certain that even throwing a Mortal into it and pulling them out would transform them into an extraordinary being. However, what kind of Demon Body they would become, what Vicious Habits they would develop, and what price they would pay could not be guaranteed.

"Well, it all benefits me, doesn't it?"

"Under the meteorites, all things turn to ash."

"Without anyone knowing, who would know that it was I, Ge Huolang, who stole it?"

As the thought arose, the fellow revealed his Evil Dragon Body and plunged into the Spirit Pool with a splash.

Without a single dragon's roar, a dark, cold, and indifferent Evil Dragon appeared in the pool. With a flick of its dragon tail, it hurtled towards the bottom.

As it moved, a barely perceptible Charm Qi Fragrance was released from its body.

The people outside the mountain noticed nothing.

But the Spirit Materials and flesh within the pool, those in close proximity to him, seemed to respond to a primal call, clinging to him madly.

And so!

Within a passage connecting the Earth Core's Water Vein to the Spirit Pool, a passage that ran through the entirety of Sunset Mountain, an Evil Dragon burrowed deep underground. Numerous Spirit Materials followed its every move, Spiritual Qi surging, as if desperate to merge into Ge Xian's body.

As Ge Xian plunged into the pool, the Skyfire Meteorite also arrived.

With a thunderous roar, dust and smoke exploded.

The Ancient Tomb Sect, which Li Wa used to conceal her identity, was instantly devastated, all disciples and elders annihilated.

Simultaneously, the entire [Flesh Altar] was smashed and rendered useless. Sunset Mountain was nearly halved. The meteorite, enveloped in Skyfire, struck halfway up the mountain. The vast amount of fuel used to ignite and release the "Spirit Desire Blood Cloud" clearly had strict requirements for ignition sources.

It had to be the Spirit Desire Fire transformed by Li Wa, not Skyfire.

Ignited by Skyfire, what rose was no longer a blood cloud, but waves of agitated, fragrant smoke. Within it was clearly refined Spiritual Qi.

Even a slight whiff would benefit any cultivator.

This, however, was a boon to the many Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators present. From sect leaders and elders down to ordinary disciples, they all became like avid smokers, unhesitatingly circulating their energy to inhale the Qi smoke. Especially those young heroes and prodigies who had been excessively Cai Bu'd, they wished they could make up for their losses in this single wave.

"Bao Mingjing!"

"In this life and all future lives, I, Li Wa, will carve you into a thousand pieces."

On the side of Sunset Mountain, Li Wa, also affected by the Meteorite Spell, was now almost insane.

She continuously writhed her Flesh Demon Body, attempting to gather back the splashing, gushing Flesh Desire Sea that flowed in all directions, trying to salvage some of her losses.

The result, naturally, was futile.

The mother and daughter, their two heads, one large and one small, were both wailing.

This reaction was understandable to anyone!

What should have been a grand feast, a Great Merit, allowing the Eternal Life Cult to dominate Jiangzhe Province, and for her to claim the foremost position, accumulating benefits that would allow her to easily Step Into the Spirit Connection Realm in the future... everything was so beautiful.

But who could have foreseen the sudden turn of events, leading to utter ruin in a single moment?

And crucially, Li Wa would transform from the primary contributor to the key to failure.

Afterward, if the Eternal Life Cult sought accountability, she would be the first to bear the brunt, with nowhere to hide.

Suffering such a blow, it was no wonder Li Wa was almost out of her mind. Clearly knowing the situation was lost, she didn't flee the scene immediately but instead charged madly towards Bao Mingjing, the son of Bao Hanzhang.

Perhaps she still held a sliver of hope in her heart: what if the mastermind of this grand plan, Yelü Tianzheng, still had a contingency? What if he could defeat Bao Hanzhang? There might still be a chance for salvage.

Both were in the [Mortal Transformation Realm]. After the mother and daughter merged, Li Wa's magical power was even greater.

But Bao Mingjing was no ordinary cultivator. He had followed his father to worship the [Straight and Curved Spirit God]. The Dao Qi and spells of this Spirit God were extremely effective at restraining evil gods and wicked cultivators.

Even if he was slightly weaker, he could still fight Li Wa to a standstill, with back-and-forth exchanges.

When their Innate Divine Abilities clashed, he did not fall behind.

The Lu Hualong couple were both cunning individuals. Seeing that the "red pill matter had failed," they turned to flee.

But it was at this very moment that the Auspicious Beast [Bai Fugui], who had been present for some time but had not acted, suddenly spoke. (She) addressed Faxian, Shi Er, and Yang Bi loudly:

"Sirs, I am Bai Fugui, the Deputy Envoy of the Department of Rectification and Investigation here. I am also aware of your backgrounds."

"However, as long as you three can lend the court a hand and keep Lu Hualong and Yelü Yuyan, this couple, occupied for a while, I can promise to let you leave when my army arrives."

"You three now have families to consider. You must know that without my permission, you won't be able to leave Jiangzhe Province."

"My credibility should be enough to guarantee this, what do you say?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

Everyone present, including Ge Xian, who had been quietly lurking in the Underground Water Vein, was startled.

Good heavens!

This was clearly no longer a simple matter of "suppressing bandits" or "quelling the Evil God Dharma Lineage." It clearly involved other matters.

A brief thought revealed the root cause.

It must be that Yelü Tianzheng's mortal enemy had decided to use this opportunity to completely uproot the Yelü Family's influence in the government. They had likely even included the Imperial Princess that Yelü Tianzheng had married.

As for who it was?

Bao Hanzhang, and even the current Prime Minister Tuotuo, were both possibilities.

As for this stern-faced Dairy Cow Spirit Demon, Bai Fugui, (she) might not have fully grasped the intricate details behind it all, perhaps just being an executor.

But the few who heard the words were all Chief Spies.

Without even needing to think carefully, they understood the reason in an instant.

"Deal!"

"Agreed!"

The moment he agreed, Monk Faxian, who had been about to flee, turned around directly and faced Yelü Yuyan again, laughing heartily:

"Madam Lu, there's no need to rush!"

"The Buddhist Qi I possess was obtained at no small cost. Even if I don't use it, it will dissipate, which would be a terrible waste. Why don't I use it all on you, Madam?"

"Haven't you always wanted to consume this monk's Buddha heart? Why the hurry to leave? Come and eat."

As the Lecherous Monk from the Maitreya Cult clung to Yelü Yuyan like a stubborn stain.

Gaining a moment to breathe, Lu Hualong looked around, his mind racing with thoughts of whether to flee now or save Yelü Yuyan and escape together.

Choosing the former meant freedom, but also the loss of all future assistance and the pursuit of the Yelü Family.

Choosing the latter meant facing the prospect of being controlled once more.

However, he wouldn't have to choose for long.

Yang Bi, in a similar predicament to Monk Faxian, suddenly entangled him, saying with a sinister grin:

"Look at County Magistrate Lu, wanting to save his wife but not wanting to save her. How painful."

"Don't panic, I, Yang, am here to help you."

"This Dao Qi I possess was also borrowed, at the cost of many of my loyal subordinates' lives. It truly cannot be wasted."

"It must all be used. Let's make you two a pair of doomed lovers, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

With the four of them locked in combat, Shi Er was left with no one to fight.

But it was clear he hadn't intended to intervene from the start. Seeing that the dust had settled and the Eternal Life Cult had no chance of forging the Red Pill Army to seize Jiangzhe Province, he cupped his hands towards Bai Fugui and left without a word, taking the many Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators he had rescued with him.

It wasn't that Mr. Shi was benevolent!

Rather, he was the most impatient. He needed to return as soon as possible to advise Zhang Shicheng.

Taking advantage of the current vacuum, he intended to launch a direct assault, ideally taking Jiangzhe Province in one fell swoop.

He had believed what the Auspicious Beast Spirit Official of the Dayuan Dynasty had said.

But there was no need to believe it now. Shi Er had already concluded: the Dayuan Dynasty was terminally ill and needed to be completely overthrown and rebuilt. Rebellion was paramount, and everything else could wait. Moreover, the imperial court's strength was currently tied up by the Eternal Life Cult. He believed he could safely escape with these people, without needing to get involved in the ensuing chaos.

Shi Er's actions were the best possible choice, as Zhang Shicheng's army was already approaching Jiangzhe Province and could attack at any time, and could also provide support at any time.

Monk Faxian and Yang Bi's respective factions were still some distance away. Their task was to safely escort their Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators away, while simultaneously allowing the Dayuan Dynasty and the Eternal Life Cult to fight and weaken each other. Especially since the outcome of the battle between Yelü Tianzheng and Bao Hanzhang was still unknown.

All are the best choices, with no right or wrong.

And as the melee erupted once more, deep beneath Sunset Mountain's underground water vein.

Ge Xian, who had already revealed his "Evil Dragon Dharma Body," was now too preoccupied to care about the fighting above. He couldn't even spare attention for the numerous spirit materials and flesh he had lured in.

He stared intently, fixed on the surging, endless underground water vein below, which seemed to pierce through the Earth Core.

Its width was no match for the Qiantang River.

Yet its power surpassed it.

The tremor he had forcibly suppressed earlier surged anew.

A Dragon Heart pounded with immense force.

A craving, even a "desire," began to rise.

Dragon Transformation!

No cultivator practicing Dragon Clan Secret Techniques in this world could bypass this trial.

Ge Xian was an anomaly, capable of suppressing it for so long.

But now, as he surveyed his surroundings and himself, he realized.

The conditions, once so difficult to gather, had all coincidentally come together.

"My meditation method has the Yinglong Immortal Lord Scroll."

"While I can't reach great rivers that can alter the land's course like the Tianqian River or the Yellow Turbid River, this underground water vein before me has a long, powerful flow. The Yin Cold Fiend Qi within it was formed from Earth Qi, and it carries the momentum of the Qiantang River. Even if it's not the absolute best method in the world, it's not much weaker. If I spend more years searching painstakingly, I might not find anything better."

"The scroll says that true dragons born from Dragon Nests and Dragon Palaces, when performing the Dragon Transformation technique, will also cast a [Blood Replenishing Secret Technique], making their transformed Dragon Body even more formidable."

"Rogue cultivators don't know this method, and even if they did, it would be useless, as performing that secret technique requires a vast supply of Blood Food Spirit Pills."

"Broke rogue cultivators can't find these."

"Originally, I didn't intend to... but now, I have them too."

As this thought crossed his mind, Ge Xian turned and looked at the many spirit materials and flesh clinging tightly to him.

Another thought arose, and he looked up again at the surface. With the altar destroyed, the great lake of flesh should have spilled out in all directions.

This flesh contained potent Spiritual Qi and also Blood Poison. Some was burned by the Skyfire summoned by Bao Mingjing, while Faxian, Shi Er, and Yang Bi each took a significant portion. Those Guǐ Wǔ Cultivators also secretly pocketed some, and a portion was consumed by the mother and daughter pair, Li Wa and Li Su.

But a considerable amount still remained, forming scarlet streams that flowed outwards.

If nothing unexpected happens!

The area around Sunset Mountain for dozens of miles will henceforth become a Fierce Blood Land, bringing endless harm.

"Unless... unless I'm the one to cleanse it?"

"If I cultivate other Dragon Gods' Meditation Methods, the commotion during my transformation into a dragon would be immense, and it would surely not escape the notice of the warring factions above."

"But the Yinglong is different. I can first cast the [Water Summoning Incantation] to lure this Underground Water Vein to burst forth from the mountain, disguising it as a result of Bao Mingjing's Meteorite Spell. After it merges into the Qiantang River, I can then meditate on the Yinglong, hiding in the depths, undetected by all factions. I can also control the great river to avoid human settlements like Qiantang County..."

These thoughts arose, like a vicious habit, utterly unstoppable.

Ge Xian seemed to have no intention of suppressing them further. Instead, he took out the map previously given by Yang Bi and studied it intently, growing more delighted the more he looked.

It perfectly matched his expectations.

At the same time, within his mind, a secret verse from a treasure scroll appeared: The Yinglong hides in the mire, where fish and turtles play, yet none see its power to stir its spirit and virtue, to summon wind and cloud, to transcend the boundless, and ascend to the heavens. Thus, the one who coils in mud but flies in the sky is the spirit of the Yinglong!

This secret verse also made Ge Xian finalize his plan completely.

"Heaven offers, yet I refuse to take? That would be a transgression."

"If not now, then when!"

After Ge Xian laughed heartily and uttered these two sentences.

His Evil Dragon Body no longer hovered in the air.

Instead, it suddenly plunged into the surging water vein below. The next instant, accompanied by a low dragon's roar reciting the Water Summoning Incantation from within, the immense water vein exploded. It formed a vortex and river out of thin air, instantly expanding the original, small "waterway" that was heading upwards, even breaking through Sunset Mountain.

Amidst the thunderous roar, the warring factions fighting nearby couldn't help but look over.

They saw that at the base of Sunset Mountain, the meteorite, whose Skyfire had extinguished, was being forcefully pushed upwards. Then, they witnessed an imposing and chilling Underground Water Vein erupting from the mountain.

In an instant, it washed away all the Blood Filth on the mountain and merged into the lower tributaries, flowing directly into the Qiantang River and rushing towards the East Sea.

No one saw it!

Deep within this surging water vein, a terrifying dragon shadow was hidden, constantly transforming and expanding, lurking amidst the mud and filth, yet seemingly ready to soar into the nine heavens at any moment.

ps: I'm quietly saving drafts. I hope to have a few chapters ready by the time it goes on sale. Could everyone please support me? Fatty Fish thanks you all.