Chapter 213: Calamity Rises in the South China Sea, The Sparrow is Not Yet Determined

This guy, this time, can he handle it?

Wen Jing Dao Ren stood quietly in the seawater, enveloped by layers of mist that blocked immortal senses and sight. This was her essential preparation every time she set out to do something nefarious.

To those of her kin, the puppets behind her, and the large group of demon clans and ferocious beasts that had been recruited by the Western Cult, this queen and mysterious woman appeared...

Cold, aloof, ruthless, and cunning.

She looked down on everyone except the saints and a few deputy leaders of the Western Cult.

Yet, what these vicious creatures could not see was that deep in Wen Jing Dao Ren's heart...

I spit on that!

That stinky golden cicada is trying to steal credit from me, the great queen!

Hmph, does he think that by flattering the great leader and getting on his good side, he can become a true saint's disciple?

What a pipe dream! We're both just being used!

Still, I'm the one with foresight, having found a new backer early on, heh heh!

Wen Jing Dao Ren glanced at the young Daoist not far away, calmly withdrew her gaze, and curved her lips into a charming smile.

Then, she furrowed her brow slightly, starting to worry whether her "new backer" would make a misstep this time.

She didn't want to see the one she would serve in the future suffer defeat, as that would make her feel like she'd backed the wrong horse.

The hidden experts mobilized by the Western Cult were several times more numerous than Wen Jing Dao Ren had anticipated.

Her force was one of the six attacking the South Sea Dragon Palace, comprising two thousand of her kin, six thousand puppets, sixty thousand deep-sea demon soldiers, and twenty thousand miscellaneous troops.

With such a lineup, if the Western Cult's saint disciples struck from the shadows, the South Sea Dragon Palace would likely suffer heavy casualties.

Although among the Four Seas Dragon Palaces, the South Sea Dragon Palace ranked second in strength with many experts...

But...

Wen Jing Dao Ren caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye at those behind her, her brows furrowing deeper.

The experts the Western Cult had brought out this time were indeed quite substantial.

Like that golden cicada nearby, Wen Jing Dao Ren had been captured before the two saints of the Western Cult had attained sainthood.

She was quite familiar with the Western Cult's hidden forces; in fact, many experts had joined the Western Cult through her schemes.

In the late stages of the ancient witch-demon war, a large number of demon clans were secretly detained by the two Western Cult saints and sent to the three thousand worlds for training, turning them into a fighting force.

The deep-sea demon clans were also wiped out in secret operations at the end of the ancient era through efforts like Wen Jing Dao Ren's, ultimately leading them to fully submit to the Western Cult.

As for vicious experts like her, who originated from primordial ferocious beasts, the Western Cult had quietly gathered quite a few over the years...

It was unavoidable, really.

With the six saints controlling the heavens and the Daoist sect dominating, humanity rising and receiving heavenly protection...

The living space for non-human creatures grew increasingly narrow, and ferocious beasts like Wen Jing Dao Ren were targets for anyone to hunt down.

The Daoist sect looked down on such forces, and their saint disciples would immediately "act on heaven's behalf" to eliminate these beasts, often earning merit from the heavens as a reward.

So, when the Western Cult recruited beasts like them, demon beasts, or experts burdened with karma, it was almost effortless.

Every advantage has its downside, though.

Precisely because of this, that twelve-grade golden lotus was already overburdened, and its effect in suppressing destiny would only worsen over time...

Heh, probably no one would believe that someone like me, the great queen, once received merit protection in the Blood Sea during ancient times.

As Wen Jing Dao Ren thought of this, her eyes showed a hint of helplessness and melancholy.

Even queens have their bitter tears, and even the ruthless have their moments of helplessness.

She had walked in the shadows, witnessing the end of several eras. As the heavens continued to perfect themselves, there was less and less room for her in the world.

Ferocious beasts like her had mostly fled into the chaotic sea by the end of the ancient era...

But Wen Jing Dao Ren was unwilling to accept that. After leading her kin away from the Blood Sea, she wanted to carve out a refuge in West Ox Continent.

Then...

She ended up as a caged mosquito.

Originally, Wen Jing Dao Ren thought she would stick to one path until the end, but the words "Ren School" unexpectedly burst into her monotonous life.

That nameless man was incredibly strong, terrifyingly so...

In that mysterious realm, seeing him through the water curtain from afar, the fear and dread she felt brought back memories of her youth as a naive little mosquito.

In ancient times, in the Blood Sea, she had grown and strengthened step by step amid such fear.

She could hardly imagine how unsettling—how thrilling—it would be to stay by such a powerful man's side.

She was already eager for it!

She couldn't wait to leave the Western Cult and serve Ren School, just to formally meet that man!

What's more, Ren School wasn't just about that great mage; that little mage was also so intriguing...

The former relied on his Dao realm and power, instilling direct fear in her.

The latter used his schemes and mystery, making her go through the motions and still feel a bit of fear...

Heh...

Wen Jing Dao Ren suddenly let out a cold laugh, sending a shiver through the six-winged golden cicada and the experts lurking in the seawater behind her.

Suddenly, a beam of golden light fell on Wen Jing Dao Ren, its Dao rhythm flashing briefly.

Wen Jing Dao Ren glanced smugly at the six-winged golden cicada, then used her divine ability to enhance her voice, making it heard and forgotten by those behind her.

Set out.

Today, we will bathe the South Sea Dragon Palace in blood.

With that, her figure slowly moved forward, gradually picking up speed, while using her divine abilities to maintain the concealment of herself and the army behind her.

The shadows trailing her hugged the seafloor and swiftly followed...

A moment later, this army turned into a surging undercurrent, charging toward the South Sea Dragon Palace!

Half an hour later, on the outskirts of the South Sea Dragon Palace, enemies were spotted approaching from the west, north, and south directions simultaneously!

The Dragon Palace responded swiftly.

War drums boomed in the sea as teams of immortal flood dragon soldiers and sea clan elites quickly formed defensive formations!

Huge waves hundreds of feet high surged in the depths of the South Sea!

Dark clouds blanketed the area for thousands of miles, and millions of creatures on the seafloor were on the verge of a massive battle!

Not far from the South Sea Dragon Palace, in several seafloor crevices, a few paper figures poked their heads out before ducking back into hiding.

They're here!

In a corner of the East Sea Dragon Palace, in an empty side hall, Li Chang Shou opened his eyes.

The young Daoist dozing nearby immediately woke up...

The great mage sat up straight, his face breaking into an elegant smile. He calculated with his fingers and nodded slowly, his expression turning serious.

The great mage said softly, "The calamity of the sea spirits."

Li Chang Shou nodded slowly, his expression grave.

Although the deaths of seafood—er, sea clan creatures—had nothing to do with him, as a living being, one should still have some empathy.

By now, the two of them had changed locations.

In just half a day, Ao Yi's wedding would officially begin.

As for why they moved, it was a bit awkward.

A few hours earlier, the Dragon Mother had led several dragon maidens to prepare the bed in the warm chamber.

Although the great mage's abilities, along with the borrowed power of the Taiji Diagram, could keep them hidden from the dragons...

A group of dragon maidens, chattering and graceful, discussing matters related to the wedding night... those embarrassing words made the great mage listen for a bit before taking Li Chang Shou and that crystal mirror...

And leaving.

They found a quiet spot, where the great mage even set up some simple arrangements.

The great mage could nap casually, but Li Chang Shou had to work hard, monitoring various parts of the Dragon Palace while searching for possible spies hidden among the guests.

His efforts paid off—Li Chang Shou indeed found two "Heaven Immortals" acting suspiciously.

Unfortunately, one of them had issues with his Dao body from drinking too much immortal brew...

This reminded Li Chang Shou of the time he was tricked by Wine Uncle into the East Sea Dragon Palace gathering.

The taste of the vast sea was still fresh in his memory.

"Chang Shou," the great mage asked from the side, "what are your thoughts on the life and death of living beings?"

Li Chang Shou thought for a moment; he couldn't just say "watching it happen."

Knowing the great mage was testing his mindset, Li Chang Shou struck a balance between profundity and simplicity, discussing the principles of true spirits' reincarnation and the dialectical relationship between heaven and earth and living beings' coexistence and mutual harm.

The great mage soon smiled in satisfaction.

Reports like this, Li Chang Shou could write six or seven unique ones a day these days.

They were all empty rhetoric anyway.

After chatting with the great mage for a while, a general in the East Sea Dragon Palace hurried to the Dragon King's side and whispered a few words in his ear.

"How bold!"

An elder with a dragon head beside the East Sea Dragon King snorted, "These deep-sea demon clans are ungrateful wretches!

How dare they attack the South Sea Dragon Palace on the day of our clan's wedding!

Your Majesty!

Please give the order for us to go and eliminate these vermin!

We still have half a day until Ao Yi's wedding, enough time for a round trip!"

The Dragon King nodded slowly and said listlessly, "Very well, take more troops with you to aid the South Sea Dragon Palace."

With that simple command, immediately two-thirds of the dragon experts present stood up and, led by several dragon-headed elders, rushed out through the side door of the hall.

Seeing this, the guests knew the dragon clan must have been prepared.

Soon, over a thousand azure dragons flew out of the East Sea Dragon Palace, roaring as they sped through the sea and vanished in an instant.

Batch after batch of dragon troops also headed aggressively toward the South Sea, though not at full speed...

Li Chang Shou, seeing this, felt no relief.

The pressure from the experts detected by his paper effigies near the South Sea Dragon Palace was about 20 percent more than he had expected.

Moreover, based on Li Chang Shou's judgment, both the Western Cult and the Dragon Palace had fallen into their own traps.

Each thinking the other had fallen for their scheme, each hiding their cards, and sinking deeper...

The Dragon Palace: We've already countered the Western schemes!

This time, we'll win for sure—ambush them and hit back with the Ten Thousand Dragons Array!

The Western Cult:

The dragons are doomed today; even heaven can't protect them, I say!

Li Chang Shou could only shake his head slightly at this...

From the current situation, he might be the one force still hidden until the end.

Six thousand miles south of the East Sea Dragon Palace, on a desolate island.

Two figures were sneaking around in a cave—one calculating with his fingers, the other performing divination with a turtle shell.

The one on the left calculating was dignified and full of energy, with bright eyes under thick brows and a beard that exuded righteousness. This was Zhao Gong Ming, the senior outer disciple of Jie School.

The other elder, tall and thin with a unique face, long eyes, and high cheekbones, shook the turtle shell as he divined. This was Huang Long Zhen Ren, who had come with Zhao Gong Ming to help the dragon clan.

Huang Long Zhen Ren divined for a long time with the turtle shell, but the results were murky—one moment inauspicious, the next auspicious, sometimes mixed or even greatly ominous.

In short, the dragons' fate was uncertain.

"Gong Ming, my junior brother, how does it look?"

"Just as Sea God mentioned, the fighting has started in the South Sea."

Zhao Gong Ming sighed, "Hundreds of thousands of troops clashing, countless sea creatures caught in the crossfire—another great calamity."

"This calamity has truly arrived..."

Huang Long Zhen Ren frowned deeply, his earlier hope fading.

"No need to worry, Huang Long senior brother," Zhao Gong Ming said with a smile. "With Sea God planning on the side, the dragon clan won't suffer major losses.

Still, since the Western Cult is involved, the dragons will definitely take some hits.

If we can use this, as Sea God suggested, to push the dragons to ascend to heaven and benefit the Three Realms, it will be a net gain for them in the long run."

Huang Long Zhen Ren said softly, "That's easier said than done."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"The dragons still cling to the freedom they had in ancient times, roaming the heavens and earth as they pleased," Huang Long Zhen Ren shook his head with a bitter smile. "Even a devastating blow might not make them bow their heads."

"Not entirely," Zhao Gong Ming replied. "I've discussed this with Sea God a few times.

He has an eighty percent chance of success. Though he thinks it's not foolproof yet, if we lend a hand, it should work out."

"Hopefully."

Huang Long Zhen Ren put away the turtle shell and began calculating with his fingers.

Gradually, the two Daoist experts gazed toward the southwest.

Though they couldn't directly see the undersea battle, they could sense the changes in the bloodthirsty aura between heaven and earth...

The fighting had just begun, and both sides were already suffering heavy casualties.

Huang Long Zhen Ren exhaled slowly, "No matter what, we'll do our best today."

"Right," Zhao Gong Ming nodded. "Now, we just wait for Sea God's signal. As soon as it comes, we'll rush to the East Sea Dragon Palace for support!"

Huang Long Zhen Ren suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, what's the signal?"

Zhao Gong Ming blinked. That was exactly what he wanted to ask...