Water Department

Biodata

Responsibilities

History

For years, the Water Department lacked sufficient personnel for difficult assignments. The Third Sea Eye’s suppression, formally shared with the Dragon Clan, was ultimately handled by Qingxiaozi, a peripheral Jie Sect disciple, for two thousand years. Water Department officials had found the post too dangerous or secured transfers away. 7 11 12

When the Jie Sect recalled its disciples to Golden Turtle Island, the department was unable to fill the resulting vacancies. Haotian ordered the Water, Dou, and Thunder Departments to replace departing Jie Sect personnel, but the Water Department was already short-handed. 8 Its replacement officials at the Third Sea Eye were injured immediately, and the spiritual tide surged backward into a regional demon tide. 10

The crisis escalated after Water Department personnel forcibly activated Qingxiaozi's Sea-Suppressing Array. Seven Water Department immortal officials died in the backlash. Rather than accept fault, the department alleged that Qingxiaozi had supplied incorrect formation diagrams and dispatched Divine General Xuan Lang with Heavenly Soldiers to seize him. 11

Zhao Xuan exposed the accusation using four jade slips: Qingxiaozi's formation-map copy, the Water Department's receipt seal, two millennia of spiritual-tide records, and evidence of Qingxiaozi's accumulated injuries. The records established that Qingxiaozi had completed his handover and that the Water Department possessed the necessary materials. 12 13

Haotian subsequently sentenced Xuan Lang to guard the Third Sea Eye for one thousand years and ordered a strict investigation of all Water Department officials involved. 14 The department nevertheless remained unable to stabilize the Sea Eye, while the Thunder Department's attempted intervention further disrupted its water veins. 14 16

Haotian eventually formalized a petition appointing Qingxiaozi to temporarily act on the Water Department's behalf at the Third Sea Eye. The petition assigned his merits to Qingxiaozi, placed the karma on the Heavenly Court, and required compensation for any further damage to his Dao foundation. 16 19

After Qingxiaozi restored the array, a second sealed order prohibited the Water Department and Dragon Palace from altering formation flags, the formation eye, or their assigned duties without his authorization. Any resulting backlash would be borne by the Heavenly Court. 21

Notable Personnel

• Divine General Xuan Lang — Water Department general who attempted to detain Qingxiaozi without producing proof that the formation map was flawed. He later misrepresented the confrontation to Haotian. 11 12
• Water Department immortal officials — Replacement personnel whose forced activation of the Sea-Suppressing Array caused the deaths of seven officials and triggered the accusation against Qingxiaozi. 11
• Formation-map recipient — A Water Department official who left the confirmation mark acknowledging receipt of Qingxiaozi's map, token, and records; the official later died at the Third Sea Eye. 12 13

Relationships

• Heavenly Court — Parent institution; the department receives imperial orders and was investigated by Haotian after its handling of the Third Sea Eye crisis. 8 14
• Haotian — Heavenly Emperor who ordered the department to fill Jie Sect vacancies, then punished Xuan Lang and approved restrictions on the department's conduct at the Sea Eye. 8 14 21
• Qingxiaozi — Jie Sect disciple who performed the department's Third Sea Eye duties for two thousand years; later became its temporary appointed representative for the site. 11 19
• East Sea Dragon Palace — Shared nominal responsibility for the Third Sea Eye; both the Dragon Palace and Water Department were barred from unauthorized changes to the array. 7 21
• Thunder Department — Requested Water Department support during the broader Heavenly Court personnel shortage; its thunder-art intervention worsened the Third Sea Eye's instability. 10 14

Third Sea Eye Incident

• Qingxiaozi departed under the Jie Sect's recall decree after handing over the formation map, token, and historical records. 11
• Water Department replacements failed to control the Sea Eye and forcibly activated the Sea-Suppressing Array, killing seven of their own officials. 11
• Xuan Lang accused Qingxiaozi of leaving false diagrams and sought to take him to the Heavenly Court for interrogation. 11
• Zhao Xuan's evidence established that the Water Department had received Qingxiaozi's handover materials and that its confirmation seal was genuine. 12 13
• The department's personnel shortage and unauthorized interference forced Haotian to request Qingxiaozi's aid under formal, sealed terms. 16 19
• Qingxiaozi identified that an array flag had been displaced and a water vein severed by thunder arts before reconnecting the array's four key points. 19
• The subsequent order made Qingxiaozi temporary commander of the Third Sea Eye formation and prohibited Water Department interference without authorization. 21