What the Eastern Depot Won't Do, the Western Depot Will! (Important Information Inside)

"Dragon-slaying?!"

"That's right. Rumor has it that the one slain was the East Sea Dragon King's thirteenth son, killed in Great Dragon Pool of Dragon-Tiger County. The Dragon King flew into a rage over it and swore not to grant Dragon-Tiger County so much as a drop of rain for thirty years."

Lu Chen only felt like his mind was a tangled mess.

He'd long guessed that Dragon-Tiger County must have done something to anger the Dragon King.

But he'd never imagined there had been such a fearless warrior.

Someone who'd dared slaughter a divine dragon?!

"Sis Sun, this valiant brother... was he from Dragon-Tiger County?"

"That much isn't clear. All we know is that he was a Sixth-Grade Spirit Cultivator. He fought the Dragon King's thirteenth son for three days and three nights before finally slaying him in the pool. Afterward..."

Sun Yourong paused, her expression shifting slightly. "He pulled out its sinews, flayed its skin, and ate its dragon flesh raw."

Pulled out its sinews and flayed its skin?

Nezha, Third Crown Prince?

No, they'd said he was a Sixth-Grade Spirit Cultivator.

Besides, even Nezha hadn't been said to eat dragon meat raw.

Lu Chen sucked in a sharp breath.

"What kind of grudge was that? What was the cause of it all?"

Lu Chen felt that surely no one would slaughter a dragon for amusement without cause, right?

Dragons were, after all, spirit beasts that reached the heavens, totems of the human world.

Though they weren't Innate Spirits, their status was noble. How could ordinary people casually torture and kill them?

"If we're talking about the cause, then it's complicated."

"Take your time. It'll take an hour to drive there anyway, no rush." Lu Chen adjusted his sitting posture, ready to listen closely.

Sun Yourong nodded. "All right. To tell this story, we have to start with the Four Seas Dragon Kings overstepping their territories.

"You should know that among the Three Realms, only the Sea-River Dragon Clan were deities who lived alongside us humans in the mortal world.

"They oversaw the clouds and rain, ensuring favorable weather and abundant harvests across the land.

"Yet the mortal world was vast. Based on where they dwelled, the dragon clan was divided into Sea Dragon Kings, River Dragon Kings, River Dragon Kings, and even Pool Dragon Kings and Well Dragon Kings.

"Originally, the Dragon Kings of every region each had their own jurisdiction, with clearly defined duties.

"But as the Four Seas Dragon Kings' influence in the human world continued to expand, they, who possessed the strongest power among dragonkind, were no longer satisfied with ruling the oceans and coastal regions.

"To seize more Incense Fire and broader territory, to gain richer offerings and sacrifices,

"the Four Seas Dragon Kings began driving their sea clans to hunt River Dragon Kings and other lesser dragon deities.

"If those lesser Dragon Kings were willing to submit, they would be absorbed into the Four Seas Dragon Palace. From then on, they could only obey its commands and were no longer allowed to establish temples and receive worship independently.

"But if they refused... the consequences went without saying.

"Records of the Sea and River Dragon Kings clearly recorded that over a hundred years ago, the Four Seas Dragon Kings invaded the rivers. Many River Dragon Kings, unwilling to endure such oppression, rose in resistance. In the end... most of them were slaughtered by the four great Dragon Kings, their palaces destroyed and their domains wiped out.

"Since then, the Dragon King temples you and I see today have all enshrined the Four Seas Dragon Kings.

"That is the root of it."

Lu Chen frowned. "The Four Seas Dragon Kings did something like that, and the Heavenly Court just stood by?"

Sun Yourong responded with a cold laugh. "Though the dragon clan falls under the Heavenly Court's authority, they've always answered summons but not proclamations. Besides, this was ultimately an internal dispute of the dragon clan, so the Heavenly Court couldn't conveniently interfere too much.

"Moreover, among the Orthodox Gods of the Heavenly Court's Water Department, only the Four Seas Dragon Kings held exalted positions.

"Even if those River Dragon Kings held posts in the Heavenly Court, their ranks were lowly.

"In the Heavenly Court's eyes, they were probably hardly better than shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

"If it were you, would you make a huge fuss for their sake?"

"Fuck!" Lu Chen couldn't help cursing under his breath. "Then what's the point of holding a post in the Heavenly Court? They collect your offerings but don't protect you? That's worse than working an illegal job!"

A nameless fury surged up in Lu Chen's heart.

He only felt that the Four Seas Dragon Kings acted tyrannically, while the Heavenly Court was cold and inhuman.

They accepted the offerings, yet when trouble came, they treated their subordinates as expendable pawns?

That was utterly shameless!

"Why be surprised? Aren't there plenty of similar things in the human world?"

Sun Yourong replied with a meaningful remark.

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and gave a snort. "Sis Sun, it wouldn't be strange for me to say that. But hearing it from you... doesn't seem quite appropriate, does it?"

Sun Yourong didn't mind. Her gaze swept over the scenery rapidly retreating beyond the car window as she said calmly, "Perhaps in your eyes, we are a Great Clan, renowned across the region and basking in endless glory. But above us, aren't there still Prominent Houses and Aristocratic Families? How can you be certain that one day, people like us won't become those River Dragon Kings?"

Lu Chen glanced at her. His throat bobbed, but in the end, he didn't pursue the topic any further.

"Then how did this end up involving humans slaying dragons?"

"The Four Seas Dragon Kings planted evil causes, so naturally they couldn't bear good fruit. Back then, a great number of River Dragon Kings were slaughtered, but there were still many mortals in the world who worshipped them devoutly. That hatred thus spread to the Four Seas Dragon Kings and these Spirit Cultivators."

"That Spirit Cultivator from three years ago was said to have had ancestors who worshipped a River Dragon King. He studied tirelessly and finally mastered the art of dragon slaying. In the end, carrying out his ancestors' will, he slew the East Sea Dragon King's thirteenth son, who had been entrenched at the bottom of Great Dragon Pool, avenging the River Dragon King of old."

"When the East Sea Dragon King learned of it, he flew into a towering rage and immediately stirred the winds and waves, intending to flood the city and force our human race to hand over the culprit."

"Did they hand him over?" Lu Chen couldn't help asking.

"They did... but you could also say they didn't."

"What does that mean?"

"Because after that Sixth-Grade Spirit Cultivator fought a fierce battle with the Dragon King's thirteenth son, he'd already been gravely wounded. The thirteenth son's strength was practically equal to that of a Sixth-Grade Spirit Cultivator. If they fought in water, he could even rival a Seventh-Grade one! For that Spirit Cultivator to slay such a powerful dragon against the odds while at the sixth grade, he must have used some secret technique that traded life for life."

"When the authorities found him, he was already dead. His body had turned to flying ash, leaving behind only a Dragon-Slaying Sword."

"Our human race handed that sword over to the East Sea Dragon King, but how could the Dragon King be willing to let the matter rest? He still intended to stir up trouble."

"In the end, it was only when one of our human Great Sages stepped forward that the situation was barely stabilized."

"It was said that during this time, the Heavenly Court had also sent divine envoys to mediate."

"Finally, both sides took a step back. The East Sea Dragon King swore an oath: for thirty years, not a single drop of rain would fall upon Dragon-Tiger County. Only then was the matter temporarily settled."

After hearing the entire chain of events, Lu Chen was completely dumbfounded.

"No... if that's the case, this mission was only rated S-class? Forget SSS-class, it should at least be SS-class, right?!"

Sun Yourong laughed. "You underestimate the difficulty of S-class missions too much.

"But this mission was indeed deliberately rated lower. After all, if this matter were fully exposed, it would likely affect the relationship between the entire human race and dragon clan.

"That was why the matter was quickly sealed off completely.

"If it were truly rated SS-class as you said, not only would the impact be greater, it would also be harder to conceal.

"Knowing it was a dead end, who would still take on this nearly unsolvable mission?

"If that happened, the people of Dragon-Tiger County truly wouldn't be able to see even the slightest hope.

"But it was different when rated S-class. Every year, it could still attract several groups of Spirit Cultivators who didn't know the truth yet were exceptionally confident enough to come challenge it. So long as someone was willing to try, the people of Dragon-Tiger County would still retain a thread of faint hope.

"Though after these past few years, they'd probably already been disappointed beyond measure."

At this point, Sun Yourong smiled at Lu Chen. "So, when I heard you'd accepted this mission, what do you think was the first thought that came to my mind?"

"You thought I was doomed to fail?"

"No, my first thought was..." Sun Yourong raised a thumb. "You really are a great man who 'delivers warmth'~"

Lu Chen: "..."

"But the die is cast, and it's too late for regrets now. Just treat it as a trip for fun, except the price is a little steep—four million in cash, plus eight hundred military merits. But it's fine. You're still young. You'll have chances to earn it back in the future."

Sun Yourong gave him a somewhat sympathetic look.

Lu Chen sighed instead. "Sis Sun, you've got it wrong. I'm not worried about the mission itself at all. I just think it's a pity. It was clearly SS-class difficulty, yet it got pushed down to S-class. That means for the same effort, I'm earning at least several thousand fewer military merits and tens of millions less in reward money! Tell me, isn't that bullying an honest man?!"

Sun Yourong's expression froze at once. She turned to stare at Lu Chen in disbelief. "You mean... you really have confidence that you can complete this mission?"

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth lifted. He waved a hand and said, "What's so difficult about it? They just refuse to make it rain, right? What the Eastern Depot doesn't want to do, then I'll find the Western Depot to do it!"