Chapter 2344: Eternal Dragon of All Ages

Let’s call the so-called "Near Sea" the **Cang Hai**. It's actually quite vast, so you can't call it small. You just can't cross the boundary of confusion to the east; both to the south and north, there’s almost infinite space for development. The further you go to distant places, the more treacherous the waves become, and the more danger you see.

Cao Quan, praised by the Qi Emperor as "the world's good warrior," says he’s only done two things in his lifetime of warfare:

Lead his brothers to victory, and lead his brothers home.

This time, Jing Country's determination is too great, and their preparations are too sufficient.

Rising from small ripples of green duckweed, they've now wildly surged to touch the sky!

No wonder they dared to sit and wait for the Qi people’s reaction.

No wonder they opened the ancient heavenly road, allowing him, Cao Quan, to lead the army to seize merit.

Ling Chen True Monarch even arrived in person, and the Penglai Island holy land even projected.

Who could snatch anything from the Jing Country people in this situation?

To snatch a bird feather, or a fish scale, you'd have to watch the Jing Country people’s expressions.

In the current situation, if the Qi people truly want to share a cup of soup, I’m afraid the Qi Heavenly Emperor must personally arrive, and they can't bring fewer than four branches of the Nine Ranks – and even with the entire army assembled hastily, glimpsing an opportunity, they still need to consider if it's another carefully laid trap.

Who would have thought that merely a Cave True level giant turtle could actually serve as a guide, crossing time and space to attract Ba Xia’s power?

Li Longchuan “escorted” the giant turtle away. By the time that intelligence came back, everyone knew it was the great turtle from Heaven Bless Country, but no one knew what event it could serve as the starting point for. At the time, they imagined nothing more than releasing the turtle into the sea to raise a Derivation Dao war force.

Who would have thought that the battlefield of the boundary of confusion, which has spanned tens of thousands of years between two races and swallowed the flesh and blood of countless warriors, would actually be crossed by the Jing Country people?

This is truly too crucial a step; it's a step that breaks “common sense” and breaks through “imagination.”

Cao Quan still can’t understand how this ancient heavenly road, which simultaneously crosses time and space and can bear immense power with almost no upper limit, was paved open. He knows a few points about the approximate principle, but exactly how this glorious road was realized, how each pass within it was crossed… it’s too complex a problem.

The Jing Country people definitely won't kindly explain; he can only wait until after this war, collect more intelligence, and then add analysis.

The Sea Race relies on the boundary of confusion like a dangerous pass for self-protection. But once the ancient heavenly road was paved open, it instantly became a vast plain. The power of the Jing Country people projected directly from Heavenly Capital City from Penglai Island to the Cang Hai, not only stunning the Sea Race but also catching the Qi people off guard. The fine maritime hegemony was suddenly torn open.

Seeing that the Cang Hai was about to be exhausted, and with the East Sea Dragon King and Ling Chen True Monarch clashing fiercely there, "jointly destroying the world," Cao Quan led his army to escape back without hesitation.

As the highest commander of the Qi army currently overseas, he knew very clearly that the consideration was no longer "striving for merit," but "stopping losses."

The division of maritime rights is almost fixed, but how can the losses be reduced?

When the Drought Demon body leaped back to the Near Sea and saw the East Heavenly Master Song Huai standing beside Ye Hen Shui on Tianya Terrace, waving and smiling towards this direction, Cao Quan was not surprised at all!

The Jing Country people haven’t had major actions for many years. The war with Mu Country in previous years was a passive acceptance of a challenge. This time, with the merit of permanently eliminating the sea trouble, Jing Country will definitely want to squeeze out every bit of victory value and maximize the results of the victory.

There’s no need to mention the Cang Hai side; it’s already in the Jing people’s net. Whether they station troops in the Cang Hai, build islands, or even temporarily relocate Penglai Island there, in short, it’s territory conquered by the Jing Country people. Next, whether the East Sea Dragon King dies or leaves, the Cang Hai is just a blank paper falling onto Ji Feng Continent’s desk, letting him draw as he pleases.

Even if the Cang Hai is already dead and no longer produces any resources, they can still create land from the air and exist as an overseas military fortress to deter.

And for Jing Country, there’s also a re-appropriated entry point on the Near Sea side – Fishing Sea Tower!

No matter how silent Fishing Sea Tower was during Jing Country’s Calm Sea event, whether the Tower Master left the island, or the sect's first heavenly pride Zhu Biqiong went into seclusion. The arrangements made by Shen Du True Monarch before his birth propelled the completion of the Calm Sea plan. How could Jing Country, which can now suppress the Cang Hai and permanently eliminate sea trouble, not discuss the merit of Fishing Sea Tower? How could they not discuss merit and reward?

Jing Country, relying on the Cang Hai, can greatly expand its influence in the Near Sea archipelago. In this process, supporting Fishing Sea Tower to rise again and contend with the Qi people's discourse rights in the Near Sea is also an extremely feasible thing.

Has Fishing Sea Tower been lying low for years, waiting for just such an opportunity?

What is the East Heavenly Master doing appearing on Tianya Terrace?

Perhaps he's afraid that Fishing Sea Tower might be accidentally destroyed by the afterwaves, afraid that Fishing Sea Tower might get lost if it becomes too strong!

Still that sentence, in an external war, everyone naturally unites against the outside, there is no division between Qi Country and Jing Country, after all, they are in the same great tide of heaven and earth, riding the same human path boat.

Behind closed doors, there must still be distinctions between high and low. After all, there is only one position of Six Harmonies Heavenly Emperor.

With Cao Quan’s ability, putting himself in the perspective of a bystander, he cannot think of any possibility for the Sea Race to be saved in this situation. But in the "after Sea Race era," Qi Country will undoubtedly face a more powerful opponent at sea… how to respond?

The Drought Demon body fell on Huai Island. One hundred thousand Xia Corpse great army was resting in the military camp on Huai Island. Cao Quan exited the military formation and landed beside Song Huai: "East Heavenly Master, what elegant interest! At this wave time, why are you not in the Cang Hai for war, but appreciating the scenery here?"

Ye Hen Shui had long been unable to bear chatting with the East Heavenly Master about heaven and earth, talking about many Dao poems, but he couldn’t extricate himself until Cao Quan returned. He exchanged a look with Cao Quan and then quietly left.

The Xia Corpse army is stationed on Huai Island, and the Tian Fu army is stationed on Jue Ming Island. If a conflict were to occur, these preparations are still not enough. Qi Country’s many years of operation at sea should also be reflected at this time – taking advantage of the fact that the Cang Hai side is not completely finished yet.

Song Huai seemed completely indifferent to Ye Hen Shui’s departure, just as he had previously kept Ye Hen Shui there not for his sake, but only said to Cao Quan: "The waves in the Cang Hai are wicked; the old man just doesn’t join that crowd."

He sized up Cao Quan’s state, and said with great righteousness: "To prevent the Sea Race from jumping over the wall like dogs, impacting the Near Sea. I should be here, shielding it for the world!"

"You are truly the East Heavenly Master!" Cao Quan clapped his hands and praised: "Heaven Gate can be guarded; with you here, what is there to worry about with Sea Gate? Xia Corpse guards Tianya; I dare to ask the Heavenly Master to withdraw, to support this Cao’s back and courage!"

If you trace back history, the Heavenly Masters are indeed "gatekeepers." But to truly regard the four great Heavenly Masters as "gatekeepers," you really need courage.

Cao Quan is quite brave.

Song Huai waved his hand: "The old man just won’t go to Sea Gate Island. When you were small, the old man even held you; you don’t know the old man as a person – this life, I take responsibility and take risks, not willing to be behind others. Today, the old man will stand here at Tianya, not retreat a single step. And look at that Sea Race, how much ability do they have, to dare to invade our sea border!"

Living a long time has this one advantage: there’s no pressure to rely on being old and selling old. Who knows if they were held when they were small?

Cao Quan raised his eyes to look ahead. Lou Yue was still mastering Hun Dong, suspended high in the air, with his back to Tianya Terrace and facing the Cang Hai.

The six huge Nine Sons bloodline strange beasts in front of him, after extreme sublimation, had completely withered, leaving only their shells – their powers had all been swallowed by the Eternal Heaven Stele, becoming some engraved pattern on it.

The withered shells were like six floating islands.

At this time, Lou Yue spread his large hand, his long robe fluttering, his foot stepping on ascending cloud boots, and he just headed towards the ancient heavenly road. He was unable to welcome the sublimation self into a battle, but observing the death of the Cang Hai from a close distance also had some benefits for his cultivation.

He’s truly composed!

And indeed, it’s all within his grasp.

"Regarding how the Cang Hai war will end, I’ve thought about it many times, and the Military Affairs Hall has deduced it many times," Cao Quan said with emotion: "I didn’t expect it to come in this way. The world is not only plotting for Qi; I should repeatedly think about it!"

Song Huai said with interest: "Your expression, Marquis, looks like you’ve suffered a great grievance."

Cao Quan said expressionlessly: "This Cao has just become a bit bitter."

Song Huai, with an 'I understand you' expression, smiled slightly: "General Cao, your distant expedition to the Cang Hai was hard; quickly go and rest a bit. With the old man sitting here, there should naturally be no loss –"

The word “loss” was only half-said when he suddenly jolted, like a piece of jade falling to the ground and being smashed to pieces!

The ground was shaking.

The entire Huai Island trembled violently.

This largest island in the Near Sea, which can accommodate tens of millions of military and civilians and is more stable than in the past after being rebuilt, was shaking madly at this moment. It was like a piece of fried egg stirred in a pot, about to be flipped out of the sea!

Crack!

That huge statue of Fishing Dragon Guest, which had received incense fire and already gained divinity and divine power, actually broke the entire stone-carved fishing rod in its hand. Half of the broken piece fell into the sea with the wind, and was swallowed by the flipped-up sea wave. The sea wave lapped against Tianya.

Looking into the distance, shocking waves swept through, and all the islands were shaking!

It turned out that not only Huai Island was shaking, but the entire Near Sea…

Cao Quan suddenly turned his head, his shock hard to hide –

And not just the Near Sea archipelago.

But the entire present world, which the Sea Race calls “Divine Land”!

From the North Pole wild tomb, south to Soldier Ruins, west to Snow Plain, east to Blue Sea… the entire present world was moving.

There was no mountain collapse or ground cracking. The present world’s surpassingly stable origin made it impossible to be destroyed. At this moment, this world was being shaken, not destroyed.

Perhaps in the feelings of the vast majority of people, this is just an experience similar to bumping while on a carriage. But the entire present world is bumping! Where will this out-of-control carriage drive to next?

This… this is truly an unprecedented shock in ten thousand ages!

The present world may not be a world that can be casually destroyed.

The present world is the positive center of all heavens and ten thousand realms, having endured countless disasters and existing eternally. Especially since the new start of the Dao Calendar, after the super detachers signed a common agreement, at most, the limited power of the present world could turn within this world. How could such a movement occur?

Looking through the past and future, carefully counting the Six Harmonies and Eight Wastelands, in the current era, there are actually only a few possibilities that could shake this world so much.

For example… that strip, “the source of all waters,” “the ancestor river of the present world”!

In a quiet courtyard in Chang Country, where Jiang Wang would buy wine and exchange stories at night and read books behind closed doors during the day, he instantly pressed his sword and drew his body, his momentum rising like a green pine. The weeds in the entire courtyard, which hadn’t been cleared yet, instantly straightened towards the high sky, like bright swords against the heavens.

The floating clouds in the sky all opened, and thousands and thousands of threads of sunlight were all like swords.

His mind was all against the heavenly way, his sharpness was almost impossible to converge, and his killing force was unparalleled in the world!

He, who was deeply immersed in the heaven-human state, was the first of all people to feel the change in the long river.

"Heaven and earth change, all sense in the heavenly way." Especially a long river like this, spanning time and being the ancestor pulse of all waters, truly touches the foundation of the present world and can change heaven and swap earth. Its arbitrary movement first shocks the heaven-human!

The heavenly way is too complex and too mysterious a "thing." Jiang Wang still doesn't know what the heavenly way "needs."

Regarding the heavenly way’s "requirements," they are almost immeasurable. Jiang Wang doesn't understand based on what reason the heavenly way drives the heaven-human; he only passively feels it. Then he chooses to accept, ignore, or resist.

According to reason, if the long river undergoes change and shakes heaven and earth, the heavenly way should drive him to suppress it and return to the existing order. But the heavenly way doesn't.

Or rather, the heavenly way will let him help liberate the long river, releasing the "natural" of the ancestor river, but it also doesn't.

Although the heavenly way gave feedback on the long river’s change, causing him to awaken from his study, the heavenly way itself seemed indifferent to this matter.

Jiang Wang’s pressing sword and rising up was purely because he had not yet exhausted that point of emotion – the long river moving and shaking heaven, if the long river breaches its dike and overturns the nine towns, the residents on both banks of the long river will inevitably die and be injured countless times. Since he felt it, he couldn't not manage it.

But in an instant, he sat down again.

He seemed to look thoughtfully at the courtyard next to him – in that courtyard, the current Fishing Sea Tower master Chen Zhi Bo was just closing the courtyard door, sitting alone under a tree, thinking bitterly about the possibility of sealing the second heaven-human state.

Jiang Wang let go of the hand gripping the sword, picked up the book again, and seemed to be talking to himself, seemed to be explaining: "The long river has no intention of swallowing people."

Emotion told him that perhaps he should go and see again. Although he didn't feel the long river's destructive intent through the heavenly way, it was such a big matter after all, with heaven and earth shaking! To prevent the unexpected, he could still go and see, and do some things he could do.

But reason told him that this was meaningless. The long river couldn't possibly breach its dike, and the common people on both banks were not in danger. It was the same whether he went or not.

That point of emotion in his deep heart, which cared about the innocent common people on both banks of the long river, also sank quickly like a stone falling on the sea surface, slowly disappearing.

The end of the heaven-human, perhaps, is just "indifference."

At this very moment, the long river was indeed surging angrily, rising ten thousand li, and shocking waves rushed to the sky. The stone bridges of the nine towns, which spanned the long river and suppressed the head and tail of the dragon脉, were being impacted with rumbling sounds, as if the heavens were about to fall. Great water rolled on both banks, and the entire Divine Land was shaking.

After the death of the Six Friends of Jing Tian, the person representing Jing Country, sitting in Jing Tian Fu and responsible for monitoring the water level of the Yellow River section of the long river, is a former fierce general on the battlefield, and later a true person who cultivated body and mind – Qiu Tie.

It is said to be "removing armor and returning to the fields," but in fact, it is exhausting loyalty for the country with a freer identity. For many years, he has done not a few dirty and tiring jobs that cannot be recorded, and has often been blamed by people.

This true person is born like an iron tower general, with a strong Dao body and majestic momentum. Holding a magical tool for measuring water level in his hand, he stands alone on the north bank of the long river, yet looks at the shocking waves and cannot get close by half a step!

Monitoring water level?

The Yellow River's water level has already reached the sky!

Now, it is still being pressed by the nine towns. Once it struggles out of the river path and floods both banks, the consequences are unthinkable.

South Heavenly Master Ying Jiang Hong arrived at the long river for the first time, standing alone at the seventh town of the stone bridge, suppressing the mad tide on both sides of the great bridge with supreme divine ability, yet he was only in a stalemate. Jing Country's great array protecting the country responded and rose, but it only barely protected the central empire's territory and could not fully guard the water banks of the central domain.

Is it only True Person Qiu Tie who is like this? Is it only the South Heavenly Master who is powerless here?

On the south bank of the long river, Great Wei Heavenly Emperor Wei Xuan Che also wore his crown dress, personally commanding. He opened the emperor boat inscribed with "Great Wei Heavenly Emperor controls water," and the national array pressed against the long river. However, even with his immense power, he could not force these shocking waves back!

That year, Emperor Wei Ming rode this boat, leading the Great Wei navy, patrolling the long river, showing the world the power of Wei Country. Only then was there the later "Jing Wei Heavenly Emperors meet."

Now this boat is back at the long river, but the long river is not as peaceful as in the past.

The shocking waves do not reflect the shadow, and the emperor boat also sways.

Between the fluttering crown dress, Wei Xuan Che stood alone at the bow of the boat, overlooking the mad tide, his voice pressing down the wind and thunder's anger: "Jing Heavenly Emperor should bear his responsibility!"

After the opening of Martial Dao, Wei Country did indeed rise with the momentum. Wei Xuan Che even dared to publicly criticize the Great Jing Emperor!

Ying Jiang Hong responded loudly on the great bridge: "It's like a poisonous sore; the earlier it’s cut, the better. Once it's delayed for a long time, many will fall ill and die!"

Among the world's four great academies, Longmen Academy, which originally stood there precisely because of View River Terrace, has always taken monitoring the long river as its duty. Its history of controlling the long river is far longer than Jing Country’s.

When the matter happened, Academy Head Yao Fu was just writing characters in his study.

Xu Xiang Qian, with a shiny forehead, was beside him, praising a sentence every time he saw a stroke, his hands not stopping, grinding ink diligently.

Zi Shu was lying back in a very unladylike manner, her face covered by an open book, the back of her head resting on the chair back, already asleep.

As the saying goes, "Summer tired, autumn lacking, not my wish."

Zhao Wu Yan, on the other hand, with a fine brush and a new book volume, was concentrating on reading and annotating. No matter what good new book was published in the world of literature, she would certainly buy it and savor it for the first time. Zi Shu's breathing, Xu Xiang Qian's diligence, and the sound of the academy head putting down his pen could not distract her. Her body was in this place, as if she were alone in a realm, truly "with two ears that hear nothing of the outside world."

Yin Wen Hua of Song Country stood alone outside the door, unwilling to go in, unwilling to see. How could that Xu with the high forehead be so natural? Does he truly take this place as his home? He is seen wandering around Longmen Academy every day, and every time he comes back, he sees him… He is not from Qingya Academy!

The paper read: "One river of spring water –"

This pair of characters was written halfway when Yao Fu threw away his wolf hair brush, casually picked up the Candle Bright ancient sword from Yin Wen Hua’s waist, and killed his way out the door.

Everyone inside and outside the room was shocked, not knowing what had happened. The academy head hadn't mentioned his sword in many years!

But Yao Fu at this time had already directly killed into the middle of the long river.

Rolling waves, rising like white dragons.

Yao Fu’s body was like a mayfly, yet dressed in light clothes and holding a sword, he stepped on the "dragon spine," casually splitting the rapid current and cutting open the flood.

But even with his swordsmanship covering the world, and his sword energy spanning ten thousand li with a raised hand, he could not exhaust or break this vast flow of the ancestor river!

The twenty-four solar terms sword canon encompasses all things, but the surge of the long river was outside of "all things."

But see the ten thousand li tide surging, wave after wave, seemingly without end.

The nine stone bridges that seemed eternal, at this moment, made people doubt "eternal."

That View River Terrace, which suppressed ten thousand ages and was called "the world's first terrace," for a time released brilliant light. Above the majestic View River Terrace, however, there were thick clouds deeply covering it. The black cloud tide was so thick that no light could pass through; fierce thunder rolled like the sea, and a sea of thunder poured onto the high terrace.

The long river has been peaceful for too long, so long that people have almost forgotten its terror.

As early as ancient times, it was a battlefield where powerful water demons fought, and even with the Dragon Palace established, it could not completely suppress them all.

At that time, it often rampaged on both banks, and the ancient heavenly court had to come and suppress it, each time at a huge cost.

And people have forgotten why it has been so obedient for so many years!

When it awakens today like an angry dragon, impacting heaven and earth, shaking the sky dome…

All of this points to only one thing –

The long river Dragon Monarch Ao Shu Yi, who has been sitting in the long river for tens of thousands of years, a close war friend of Lie Shan Human Emperor, the highest banner of the present world's water race, and a solid ally of the human race… rebelled!

No water domain in this world can compare with the long river; none can compare with the importance of the long river.

In ancient times, the Dragon Race, relying on the long river, was almost independent outside the demon race heavenly court. In the upper ancient and middle ancient eras, the Dragon Race relied on the long river to divide and rule the world, sharing the highest authority in the present world with the human race. Even after the new start of the Dao Calendar, it still nurtured creatures numbered in the billions and trillions.

They always say "mountains and rivers," referring to "the world." When this word was first created, the "mountain" was the already tilted "Bu Zhou Mountain," and the "river" was this strip that still flows, "the long river"!

This river interprets the meaning of "river." It is Cang Jie’s initial explanation when he created the character "river."

When it turns over in the Divine Land, seemingly struggling to break free from the present world, it truly shakes the foundation of the present world.

The entire universe should be able to hear the sound of the waves!

What kind of character is the East Heavenly Master? How could he even fail to complete his sentence and let his voice shatter? He wouldn't even blink at a mountain collapse in front of him. It was precisely because he knew the seriousness of this matter for the first time that he lost his composure so much.

He looked back inland from Tianya Terrace, and for a moment his expression of shock was hard to stop: "How dare he? How can he?!"

Although for tens of thousands of years, the human race has never relaxed its guard against Ao Shu Yi.

There have always been voices saying "not my race, its heart must be different," saying that this old Dragon Monarch "could rebel against the Dragon Emperor in the past, and might rebel against humans in the future," saying that this monarch's "heart is hard to measure"...

But when this day truly arrived, it was still so unexpected!

After all, since Ao Shu Yi joined the human race camp, helping Lie Shan Human Emperor fight against Xi Hun Dragon Emperor, becoming a banner in the great split of the water race, too many years have passed. It is distant enough to use "ten thousand years" as the time unit. Even if the absolute peak strong ones line up their lifespans, they would still need to exhaust several tens of lifespans!

In these long years, the water race staying in the Divine Land was constantly suppressed, constantly divided, until the world's water veins fragmented and shattered, no longer called a whole. On the contrary, they were divided by countries, such as Yong Country water race, Zhuang Country water race... There was no independent water race force in the world!

In the human race's long-term scrutiny and vigilance, the authority of the long river Dragon Palace was constantly deprived, until nothing was left. The long river Dragon Palace was empty. Sitting on the great seat of the Dragon Monarch, one could often only hear the sound of footsteps echoing in the empty great hall.

All of this, as a super detacher, Ao Shu Yi endured silently.

From being the long river Dragon Monarch who truly ruled the world's water race, the master of the world's water, to having only symbolic meaning, only being invited to View River Terrace to sit for a while as a water race mascot at every session of the Yellow River Meeting… In this process, one can hardly see Ao Shu Yi’s resistance.

He applauded, he praised, he cheered for the human race's heavenly pride.

The "Dragon Palace Banquet," which once welcomed heroes of all races in the world and greatly displayed the Dragon Race's influence, had not been held for many years. It was with great difficulty that it was reopened once – no water race could participate, and few people truly cared!

He accepted everything.

He had repeatedly accepted in the past and should have continued to accept.

How could he suddenly not accept today?

At a time when the human race is like the sun at its zenith? At a time when the human race is just comprehensively preparing for war, just about to exterminate the Cang Hai Sea Race? At a time when the human race already has a great advantage and a great possibility of winning the Shen Xiao War?!