White Cang.
Azure waters churned, wood qi spread, and pulses of Divine Ability rippled from the temple atop the verdant peak.
An aura on the verge of extinction emanated from within. Even that eternally evergreen Jia Wood qi could scarcely shelter it.
An azure demon fish slowly swam out. Its head resembled a flood dragon or serpent, its body a whale or giant salamander. Jade-like scales covered it, its eyes were clouded, and its flesh occasionally dissolved into ocean currents, dispersing into heaven and earth.
The Demon King, Cang Water, truly was nearing the end of his lifespan.
His thoughts raced, recalling the words of that True Person from Yinguang Hall long ago.
"Jia and Yi are close kin, so why change paths? Vast Wood and Li share one palace, destined to suffer the flames."
Back then, he had borrowed Yinguang's might to make friends across the overseas Dao lineages, enjoying a period of prestige. But ever since Great Li destroyed Qi, all of that had become history. He could only huddle in the temple, his Dao Path severed as well.
Such was the meaning of gain and loss. Yinguang had given him the opportunity to attain a Divine Ability, but it had also bound his fate completely to Vast Wood's rise and fall.
Now, this Demon King who had lived through Yinguang's reign was truly about to depart.
In the past, he had felt little allegiance to this lineage, thinking only of raising a mighty banner and borrowing the tiger's ferocity like a fox. Yet as he gazed at the great Origin Net star at the edge of the sky, Cang Water's thoughts gradually changed.
"I am... the Western Sea protector under Yinguang Hall, stationed here by the command of Great True Person Xu Gong. You lot-"
Cang Water