The sun rose and set. Three days passed.
[Ding! The host slept in the water while eating bamboo, occasionally kicking up a few splashes. Lazy Fish Points +3, magical power +1.]
"Snore, snore, snore... ┗`O′┛ Rawr~~" Oblivious to the system's incessant notifications, Gungun snored away. Suddenly, he sat up in the water, raised both arms, opened his mouth, and roared like a ferocious beast bursting out of its cage.
Then, with a splash, he toppled backward again, plunging straight to the bottom of the waterfall pool.
"Bubble, bubble~" A surge of spiritual water flooded his nostrils, sending bubbles streaming from his nose. A few seconds later, his eyes snapped open, and then...
Bang! An explosion erupted at the bottom of the pool. A huge, fat black-and-white bear sprang out and landed firmly on the bank. The ground beneath his feet shuddered violently several times as he touched down.
"Mmm, mmm, mmm~" Gungun stood up and shook his bear body vigorously, flinging all the water from his fur. Then he looked up at Hou Yi, who was directing the Witch Race army to line up neatly with their spoils. Rubbing his eyes, he said, "Morning, Great Shaman Hou Yi."
The earlier roar had told Hou Yi that Gungun was about to wake. He turned and smiled at him. "Brother Gungun, you slept for three whole days. Still, you woke up just in time. We're heading back to Mount Buzhou."
"Three days? No wonder I'm still a little sleepy. I really should've slept for three years. Yawn~" Gungun walked toward Hou Yi as he spoke, yawning again.
Hou Yi: "..."
Three years? Then I'd have had to get someone to carry you back.
"Where are the Ancestral Witch and Great Shaman Xingtian?" Gungun looked around before asking Hou Yi.
"Ancestral Witch Dijiang urgently summoned Ancestral Witch Houtu back, saying there was an important matter to discuss. As for Xingtian, he took some of our people back ahead of us. My group is leaving a little later," Hou Yi answered.
"Oh." Gungun nodded, then opened his paw and conjured an ice pop, which he stuck in his mouth. Next, he took the Treasure Map out of the little world he carried with him.
We're heading back. Before we leave, I should get that golden Dragon Pearl.
"Brother Gungun, what are you looking at?" Seeing Gungun studying something that resembled a piece of animal hide, Hou Yi asked curiously.
"Great Shaman Hou Yi, I have a Treasure Map here that marks the location of a golden Dragon Pearl. Could you go find it for me? It's a little over nine thousand nautical miles southeast of Penglai." Gungun stopped in front of Hou Yi and handed him the Treasure Map.
"A Treasure Map? Like the one Xingtian said you gave him, marking a treasure like the Warrior God Battle Axe?" Hou Yi asked as he took it.
"Mm." Gungun nodded.
Hou Yi unfolded the Treasure Map and studied it carefully. At first, he looked surprised, but then he frowned. "Golden Flood Dragons... Brother Gungun, you've probably only visited the East Sea once before. You haven't heard of the Golden Flood Dragons, have you?"
"Nope. Why? Are they really strong?" Gungun asked.
In the Primordial World, the Dragon Race had once reigned supreme and remained a top-tier power even now. But... what was so impressive about flood dragons?
I, the mighty Gungun, once broke an Ice Phoenix with my fists and trampled a Fire Qilin underfoot. Why would I fear two flood dragons?
Even I'm not afraid. What does Hou Yi have to fear? Is he worried about tiring himself out?
"Very strong. Golden Flood Dragons are different from ordinary flood dragons. They draw in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and absorb the essence of the sun and moon. Their bodies are even stronger than those of most True Dragons. And as far as I know, there are only two Golden Flood Dragons in the East Sea at present. They were born from the same source and never abandon each other. Together, they can fight a Quasi-Saint!" A solemn look crossed Hou Yi's face as he spoke.
"Huh?" Gungun's mouth fell open. Even flood dragons can fight a Quasi-Saint? That's unheard of... wait.
They can fight a Quasi-Saint. Flood dragons. Golden Flood Dragons. Two of them. Doesn't that sound a little like... no way. The Golden Flood Dragon Scissors?! Gungun blinked, suddenly remembering a certain magical treasure.
"Brother Gungun, the Golden Flood Dragons aren't to be trifled with. If Xingtian were still here, the two of us could fetch the Dragon Pearl for you without a problem. But with just me, honestly, I'm not very confident."
Gungun blinked at Hou Yi's words and couldn't help saying, "Great Shaman, among our Witch Race, you're a mighty expert second only to the Ancestral Witches!"
"Even if you say that, I really can't guarantee victory on my own," Hou Yi said awkwardly.
"What if you added me?" a voice suddenly rang out. Divine light flashed, and Ao Yue appeared, clad in purple divine armor with a pair of dragon horns on his forehead.
"Hm? Demon dragon!" Startled at the sight of Ao Yue, Hou Yi hurriedly raised his Eight-Direction Sun-Shooting Bow, drew a Four Symbols Sun-Shooting Arrow from behind him, and aimed it at Ao Yue.
"There's no need to be nervous, Great Shaman Hou Yi. The Dao Ancestor decreed that the Witch Race and Demon Race must not wage a great war for a million years. I'm not here to cause trouble for your race." Ao Yue frowned at the Sun-Shooting Arrow aimed at him as he spoke.
"Hmph. Then what are you doing here? If you're not here to trouble us, could you be here to kill the Eastern King?" Hou Yi snorted and questioned Ao Yue without lowering his arrow.
Ao Yue shook his head at the question. "The Eastern King is dead. Now, there is only Emperor Donghua on Penglai Immortal Island. I have no interest in him."
"Then what exactly did you come here for?"
Ao Yue shifted his gaze from Hou Yi to Gungun.
"Huh?" Gungun froze, then promptly scurried behind Hou Yi and hugged his thigh, slowly peeking out at Ao Yue.
He wasn't afraid that Ao Yue would suddenly attack him. He was worried that Eastern Emperor Taiyi still hadn't given up his wicked ambition to make him a mount.
I, the mighty Gungun, was born extraordinary and am bound to live until the immeasurable tribulation. How could I join the Demon Race and perish in this paltry Witch-Demon tribulation?
"Don't be nervous, Fellow Daoist Gungun. You showed me kindness. I won't harm you." Watching Gungun's actions, Ao Yue parted his lips, wanting to say something, but remained silent for a long while before finally speaking.
"Brother, what exactly do you need, then?" Gungun asked Ao Yue.
"When we were on the Softbone Prairie last time, I told you that if I ever had the chance to obtain nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peaches, I would bring you some. Today, I've come to fulfill that promise," Ao Yue said. He raised his arm, and purple light flashed in his hand, revealing a basket full of flat peaches.
"Oh? Nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peaches!" Hearing Ao Yue's words and seeing the basket in his hand, Gungun immediately began drooling. He raised a paw and started to step out from behind Hou Yi.
"Brother Gungun, watch out for a trap. He's Eastern Emperor Taiyi's Dharma Protector!" Hou Yi lifted his thigh to block Gungun's path and warned him irritably.
A mere basket of... fine, nine-thousand-year Ren Water Flat Peaches really are precious. They're one of the Ten Great Innate Spiritual Roots, possessed exclusively by the Queen Mother of the West. I've never even tasted one. But! Can't you show a little backbone? Can you just eat fruit offered by an enemy?
"Great Shaman, although he's the Demon Race's Dharma Protector, I think one thing he just said made a lot of sense." With his way blocked, Gungun looked up and spoke to Xingtian.
"What was that?" Hou Yi asked.
"The Dao Ancestor said the Witch Race and Demon Race must not wage a great war for a million years. If he came with ill intentions or poisoned the fruit and sparked a great war, the Demon Race would be responsible. They'd have to bear a Saint's wrath. He wouldn't dare, so..."
Bang! As he spoke, Gungun leaped out and landed in front of Ao Yue with a bang. He snatched the fruit basket from Ao Yue's hand, hugged it to himself, and dashed off into the distance at astonishing speed, shouting, "This fruit is safe to eat!"
Hou Yi: "..."
Fine, it's safe to eat. But why are you running?
Before you continue