On the Flood Dragon's Back

Lu Chang supported Lu Ming, and after a long while, he whispered, "Brother Ming... can we believe what he said?"

Lu Ming did not answer immediately. He gazed in the direction Ren Han and the others had left, then looked down at his still throbbing wound. The residual Blood Qi poison on it was being forced out little by little by the pills, but the injury was still serious. If Qixia Temple wanted to kill the two of them, why go through all this trouble?

But even if you say "believe," he can't believe it.

The two men were not yet born when the White Sand Lu Household was massacred.

The two were originally ordinary people from the Lu Household, but fortunately they possessed spiritual abilities, which led them to the secret realm of the Cibi Lake Water Palace Secret Realm.

The lake god told them many stories about what the abbot of Qixia Temple had done at White Sand Mountain.

As for Qixia Temple returning White Sand Mountain and the Spirit Artifact five years ago, was it charity? Remorse? Or some other calculation? They were all unclear, and the Lake God of Cibi Lake was very secretive about the matter.

"Go to Cibi Lake." Lu Ming withdrew his gaze, his voice low and steady. "Regardless of whether what he said is true or false, Cibi Lake is now Qixia Temple's territory. If we really wanted to make a move, this would be the best opportunity. The fact that he didn't means that, at least for now, Qixia Temple doesn't want to kill us. Besides, there's nowhere for us to hide outside now..."

Lu Chang nodded upon hearing this.

Just as they were about to activate the Black Armor Golden Screen, a voice suddenly rang out behind them:

"Get on my back, I'll take you both Water Palace Secret Realm."

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw the water rippling. Then a giant black dragon emerged from the bottom of the water, its body coiled like a black mountain. A golden ring swirled on its single horn, and runes were faintly visible. The dragon's eyes were like two dark lamps, falling on Lu Ming and Lu Chang, its aura as deep and unfathomable as an abyss.

The two were very familiar with this energy, so they quickly bowed and said:

"Greetings, Lake God."

Ao Xiao did not respond immediately. His massive dragon head slowly lowered, his gaze lingering for a moment on the blood-soaked wound on Lu Ming's chest and the scorched pink mark on Lu Chang's shoulder before he spoke:

"Five years ago, you two left the Water Mansion without permission, and I didn't stop you. Now, do you have a clear understanding of the situation outside?"

Lu Ming and Lu Chang exchanged a glance and remained silent.

Seeing that the two remained silent, Ao Xiao swayed his dragon body, coiling his massive form into a circle within the reeds, protecting them. His voice was deep and resonant, like the undercurrents of deep water:

"When the Lu Household was massacred, you two weren't even born yet. Furthermore, Qixia Temple had a twenty-year ban on your practice. Only after the ban was lifted did I go to the mortal world to find you, bring you into my Water Palace, and teach you the arts of Witch Talisman, to repay the kindness of my old friend. You two have cultivated for decades; though your talent is ordinary, you have been diligent. Five years ago, I didn't allow you to go out on your own because I wanted you to see for yourselves what Nanzhao is really like now."

He paused, tilted his head slightly, and looked towards the direction of White Sand Mountain:

"Do you understand now? The Demonic Dao dared to come because Qixia Temple didn't explicitly say it would protect you two; Qixia Temple dared to kill the Demonic Dao because they genuinely didn't want you two to die. But your lives, from beginning to end, were never in your own hands."

Lu Chang couldn't help but ask, "Lake God, then what should we do...?"

"Let me finish," Ao Xiao interrupted him, a complex look flashing in his dragon eyes. "You two now have three paths. First, return to White Sand Mountain and continue guarding your Lu Household's old territory. But if the Demonic Dao can come today, it can come tomorrow, and Qixia Temple won't always be there to protect you. Second, go to the Nanzhao Royal City and seek the royal family's protection. But the royal family is too busy to care about two Foundation Establishment cultivators like you. Third..."

He paused, his gaze falling on Lu Ming's face:

"Return to the Water Palace. Within the secret realm, I can still protect both of you. We'll make further plans after this matter is resolved."

Lu Ming was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Lake God, we just met people from Qixia Temple in the reeds. They said that the Devil Cultivator from those two sects have all been killed."

Upon hearing this, Ao Xiao's dragon-like eyes narrowed slightly. "Those Foundation Establishment disciples from Qixia Temple?"

"Exactly."

Ao Xiao was silent for a moment, then slowly raised his enormous dragon head, gazing into the depths of the Great Void, as if sensing something.

After a moment, he gave a low hum, his tone unreadable:

"Su Yao is quite the schemer. The men who killed the Devil Cultivator are his men, and the men who saved you two are also his men. You two owe him a life, and you owe White Sand Mountain peace. This debt is one that neither you nor I can settle."

Lu Ming lowered his head and remained silent.

Ao Xiao stopped pressing for answers, simply coiling his dragon body around himself and saying in a deep voice, "Get on. I'll carry you back to the Water Palace."

Lu Ming and Lu Chang bowed again, intending to refuse, but seeing Ao Xiao's cold dragon eyes, they still carefully climbed onto the dragon's back. The dragon's scales were cold and hard, as if cast from iron and stone. After the two were seated, Ao Xiao flicked his dragon tail, and his huge body silently sank into the lake.

The lake water surged in from all directions, but automatically parted three feet away from the dragon's body, forming an invisible protective barrier. Lu Ming looked down and saw that the bottom of the lake was as dark as ink, with occasional flashes of spiritual light like fireflies, which pointed to the direction of the Water Palace Secret Realm.

Ao Xiao's voice came from in front of the dragon's head, deep and resonant:

"In these past five years, I've learned more about what's happening outside the Water Mansion than you have. You continue to guard White Sand Mountain, but don't hold out to the death. Bow your heads when you should. The entire Lu Household was slaughtered because they refused to bow their heads. If you continue to refuse to bow your heads, you won't even be able to preserve these last two Spirit Artifact or the Lu Household bloodline."

Lu Ming lay on the dragon's back, feeling the giant dragon's steadiness and composure as it moved through the water, but his heart was churning like the undercurrents at the bottom of a lake. He thought of the scorched earth outside White Sand Mountain, of Ren Han's salute when he sheathed his sword, and of the injuries on his body.

"Lake God," he whispered, "What exactly does Qixia Temple want from us?"

Ao Xiao did not answer immediately. His dragon body passed through a deep underwater canyon, where a hazy golden halo faintly appeared—the entrance to the Water Palace Secret Realm. Only when he was about to enter the mansion did he slowly speak, his voice carrying an indescribable meaning:

"They might have something they want on you two. But it's not time for them to take it yet."

The dragon's body disappeared into the golden light, and the gates of the Water Palace Secret Realm closed silently behind it.

On the lake, the ripples gradually subsided, the reeds closed up again, and the morning mist remained unchanged.

Within the Great Void, two figures stood silently, one in purple and one in yellow, none other than Zilin and Ying Qi.

From their vantage point, Cibi Lake resembled an unpolished bronze mirror, nestled amidst the verdant landscape of Nanzhao. The lake's surface was calm and still, with reeds swaying gently in the wind; no one could discern the silent escape and confrontation that had just occurred.

After a long silence, Zilin finally spoke:

"Back then... Wu Nuo, a disciple of the Spirit Witch Dao Lord, stayed at White Sand Mountain for several days, which led to the birth of the Lu Household ancestor. Later, he took in a Fu Water Dragon as his mount, rode the dragon into the Purple-Blue Secret Realm, and went into seclusion to seek gold, ultimately perishing..."

She paused:

"Today, the descendants of Wu Nuo are here again, riding the Fu Water dragon back to Cibi Lake. It is quite fitting. The Purple-Blue Secret Realm is finally about to open."

There is a word cloud:

The dragon carries the old surname back on its back, and the cold waves gently roll in the heart of the lake.

The fire that ravaged the white sands left only weeds.

Five years on a dusty road, a promise fulfilled over wine.

The secret gate of the Dao is about to open, amidst swirling purple smoke and yellow mist.

An old friend once fished for the mythical giant turtle here.

The scenery is different upon returning; I dare not inquire about the past dynasties.