A Dog Driven to the Wall! Water Spirit of Creation!

The atmosphere froze, and space fell silent.

The smiles on Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang's faces abruptly vanished. Together, they turned to look at Ao Guang, their eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.

The Dragon Clan had languished for hundreds of millions of years. Could it be that they did not wish to seek a way out?

Thoughts surged through Ji Meng's mind, but he swiftly raised his voice. "What are the Dragon Kings hesitating over or wary of? My Demon Court stands backed by two Heavenly Dao Saints. Could it be that we are still unworthy of the Dragon Clan's allegiance?"

"The Dragon Clan currently occupies the Four Seas, yet its control over the aquatic tribes of the Four Seas is steadily weakening. If you continue to decay like this, I fear the position of ruler of the Four Seas will no longer belong to the Dragon Clan!"

His words carried both temptation and threat.

So long as the Dragon Clan pledged allegiance to the Demon Court, the Demon Court could seize the Four Seas without lifting a finger. This was the scheme Bai Ze, Patriarch Kunpeng, and the others had devised together, all for the sake of strengthening the Demon Court's foundations.

Yet now, Ao Guang had rejected them so casually. Ji Meng simply could not understand it!

Hearing this, Ao Guang shook his head. "The Demon Court is grand and powerful, while my Dragon Clan is merely a race barely clinging to life. How could we trouble the Demon Court into expending such painstaking effort?"

"The Dragon Clan only wishes to guard the Eastern Sea Spring Eye and seek Heavenly Dao Merit to cleanse away the karmic debts of sin. I ask that Senior Ji Meng and Fellow Daoist Immortal Dingguang cease this entanglement."

"If the two of you wish to be guests at the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, we will receive you with utmost sincerity. But if you insist on having my Dragon Clan join the Demon Court, then let us leave it at that!"

Compared to the Demon Court, Ao Guang favored the Heavenly Court.

Haotian and Yaochi had once been the Dao Ancestor Hongjun's attendants. Now, Lingxiao, the Qinghua Emperor of the Eastern Extremity, had followed the will of Heaven and answered its call, with Zhenyuanzi, Daoist Hongyun, and Wangshu supporting him from behind.

Most importantly, Lingxiao cared for all living beings and would not treat the Dragon Clan as chess pieces!

But if they pledged allegiance to the Demon Court, Ao Guang knew the Dragon Clan's fate would certainly be no better than that of the Phoenix Clan. They might even be wiped out entirely.

"Outrageous!"

Immortal Dingguang barked angrily, murderous intent sweeping forth.

"This poor Daoist and the Demon Sage have been entirely sincere from beginning to end, yet I never expected the Dragon Clan to be so incapable of recognizing kindness. If you remain stubborn and unrepentant, then do not blame us for being impolite."

With a light sweep of his jade sleeve, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace trembled, and a nearby throne crumbled into dust.

Immortal Dingguang considered himself Lord Tongtian's most favored disciple, which was why he acted with such arrogance. Although the Dragon Clan was a race passed down through countless ages, he showed not the slightest restraint.

At once!

Ao Guang and the others slammed their hands against the table and rose, their auras confronting Immortal Dingguang's.

If not for the shackles of the Heavenly Dao binding them, they would have long since attained the Dao of Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals.

In terms of foundations and experience, Ao Guang and the others surpassed Immortal Dingguang. Moreover, they had already planned to visit Lingxiao on Penglai Immortal Island before joining the Heavenly Court.

How could they yield even the slightest bit now?

"Immortal Dingguang, calm yourself!"

"Since the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas have made their choice, then let us grant them their wish! But before long, calamity will erupt throughout the Four Seas. When that time comes, I trust you will beg this Sage!"

Ji Meng's mana stirred slightly as he spoke with deep meaning.

Within the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, he did not dare attack the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. He did not know whether the Dragon Clan still possessed hidden contingencies. After all, figures such as the Ancestral Dragon, Candle Dragon, and Azure Dragon had once been renowned far and wide.

Furthermore, Azure Dragon suppressed the far eastern reaches of the Primordial World, posing no small threat to the Demon Court!

Thus, they could only proceed gradually; they could not openly force the Dragon Clan.

Very soon!

Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang flicked their sleeves and departed, leaving only the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas staring at one another.

"They harbor evil intentions, and now they have become dogs driven to the wall."

"Brothers, immediately summon all Dragon Clan warriors to the Eastern Sea. If this King's premonition is correct, the Demon Court will incite the aquatic tribes of the Four Seas to strike at the Eastern Sea Spring Eye. We cannot allow the sacrifices of our ancestors to be in vain!"

"This King will head to Penglai Immortal Island to pay respects to the Qinghua Emperor of the Eastern Extremity!"

Ao Guang was beside himself with rage, gritting his teeth as he spoke.

Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang were insidious and cunning, and this filled him with boundless fury.

Coercion and temptation, open extortion.

From Ji Meng's words, Ao Guang deduced the Demon Court's scheme. That was why he was going all in, ordering the Dragon Kings of the other three seas to summon every member of the Dragon Clan to the Eastern Sea.

"We shall obey Elder Brother's command!"

"A camel starved to death is still bigger than a horse. Our Dragon Clan is not so easily bullied! If the aquatic tribes of the Four Seas collude with the Demon Court, then we can use this opportunity to reshuffle the board and restore the Dragon Clan's former might!"

Ao Run made a Daoist salute and spoke solemnly, then departed with the ocean currents.

The other two vanished as well!

Ao Guang entrusted the affairs of the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan to the Turtle Minister, then hurried anxiously toward Penglai Immortal Island.

Little did he know that this very move had been anticipated by Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang.

Beyond Penglai Immortal Island, hundreds of millions of li away.

Immortal Dingguang held his head high as he spoke to Ji Meng. "This poor Daoist sensed long ago that something was amiss. As expected, Ao Guang and the others harbor rebellious intentions. They are actually thinking of defecting to that little thief Lingxiao."

"I ask the Demon Sage to use his divine ability and trap Ao Guang within that patch of turbulent waters. So long as we do not give Lingxiao a proper excuse, he certainly will not meddle!"

"No matter what, reason is on our side in this matter. If Lingxiao rashly appears, then I ask the Demon Sage to erase him with a single move. At that time, my master will protect you!"

At these words, Ji Meng nodded lightly.

With a slight stir of his mana, boundless laws swept toward Ao Guang, trapping him in a hidden corner.

Then, Ji Meng observed everything from the shadows. Immortal Dingguang gathered several powerful Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals from the Demon Court and headed deep into the Four Seas, ordering the aquatic clans of the Four Seas to prepare a surprise assault on the Eastern Sea Spring Eye.

At the same time.

On Penglai Immortal Island, beneath the Ren-Water Peach Tree.

The blush on Wangshu's lovely face refused to fade. Whenever she recalled what had happened in the Purification-Creation Dao Palace, she found it difficult to speak of it, her heart filled with tangled emotions.

There was regret, but also joy!

Lingxiao's grin nearly reached his ears. With his head resting on Wangshu's jade-like thighs, he wore a leisurely, contented expression as scenes kept replaying in his mind.

Fair skin, smooth jade legs...

[ Ding! The God-Level Choice Mission has successfully refreshed! ]

[ Choice One: Save Ao Guang and shatter Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang's plot. Reward: top-grade Xiantian Spiritual Treasure, Dragon Transformation Pool. ]

[ Choice Two: Descend upon the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and recruit the dragon clan into the Heavenly Court. Reward: top-grade Xiantian spiritual root, Green Willow. ]

[ Choice Three: Decisively lie flat and let Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang court death as they please. Reward: Heaven-Opening Water Spirit. ]

The system's voice suddenly echoed through Lingxiao's mind.

"Ji Meng, Immortal Dingguang—two petty clowns!"

"They seek to coerce and tempt the dragon clan into becoming pawns of the Demon Court. They are simply inviting humiliation upon themselves. Still, the Four Sea Dragon Kings intend to join the Heavenly Court through me. They do possess some scheming and foresight."

Lingxiao raised a brow and murmured inwardly.

As the Eastern Zenith Qinghua Emperor and master of the Purification-Creation Dao, Lingxiao's art of deduction was quite profound. From the system's God-Level Choice Missions, he could also glean certain clues.

Very quickly, Lingxiao had more or less grasped the full sequence of events.

"If I help the dragon clan now, it would be an abrupt intervention, not an act of following the great trend! If I wish to ride the current, then Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang's scheme must proceed smoothly."

"Only then can I test whether the dragon clan is worth lending a hand to!"

"System, I choose Three!"

Lingxiao had long since deduced everything in his mind.

Borrowing strength to strike strength—that was his plan!

If Ji Meng and Immortal Dingguang led their subordinates to break through the dragon clan's defenses and turned the Eastern Sea Spring Eye upside down, the resulting upheaval would be enough to make both the Demon Court and the Interception Sect choke on a bitter cup.

[ Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the Heaven-Opening Water Spirit. ]

Within the system space, a droplet no larger than a fingertip radiated mysterious light.

Spiritual energy overflowed from it, nurturing all things; it was pure and flawless.

When Pangu opened Heaven and Earth, the first to appear were the four Heaven-Opening Spirits: the Heaven-Opening Earth Spirit, Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit, Heaven-Opening Wind Spirit, and Heaven-Opening Water Spirit, corresponding to the most primordial laws of earth, fire, wind, and water.

Even if the Eastern Sea Spring Eye exploded, Lingxiao could use the Heaven-Opening Water Spirit to restore it completely.

"Wangshu, I am going to refine the World-Destroying Black Lotus and the Merit Golden Lotus!"

Casting aside his thoughts, Lingxiao looked at Wangshu's lovely face and spoke.

He had remained at the middle stage of the Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm for far too long. He could no longer suppress his cultivation.

The World-Destroying Black Lotus and the Merit Golden Lotus—just how far could they raise his cultivation?

"Lingxiao, I will stand guard for you!"

Wangshu's face was filled with tenderness, her eyes soft as water.

Lingxiao sat cross-legged beneath the Ren-Water Peach Tree, placing an Enlightenment Tea leaf beneath his tongue. Then he circulated the Primordial Beginning Dao Scripture, absorbing the origins of the World-Destroying Black Lotus and the Merit Golden Lotus.

Nurturing himself, elevating his cultivation.

Elsewhere!

The Four Seas churned, and tribulation was about to rise...