The moment Chen Ping’an began to draw the talisman, the Dragon Serpent Trench, at the urging of the golden old serpent, had already begun its assault. It was a lion going all out to catch a rabbit. Hundreds upon hundreds of serpent dragons lurking in the trench surged with the towering seawater towards Osmanthus Island.

Only the direction where the golden old serpent coiled remained strangely calm.

The ferryman old man tossed the Dragon King basket at his feet. The life and death of a young serpent dragon no longer mattered in the grand scheme of things. The old man glanced at the sword-bearing youth who had his back turned to him. The young man seemed to be shrouded in pure moonlight, one person, one brush, one talisman paper, forming a unified whole, like a small world within a square inch.

The old man praised silently in his heart. This young fellow possessed a certain grandeur, although it had little to do with realm or cultivation depth. However, the old ferryman admitted that he did not have this kind of temperament when he was young.

The old man quickly retracted his gaze and said softly, “Madam Gui, Osmanthus Island is in imminent danger. Chen Ping’an and this talisman will be protected by me for now. Madam Gui, just go and oversee the ferry. Also, have Ma Zhi and several stewards quickly explain the situation to all the guests on the island, and tell them not to hide their cultivation anymore. All personal grudges, as well as rewards and compensation, can be discussed after Osmanthus Island survives this calamity.”

“The old serpent’s attack this time is very strange, and judging by the means it used to kill that Golden Core swordsman, it has either broken through its realm and ascended to the upper five realms, or someone has secretly set up a formation in the Dragon Serpent Trench, turning this place into something akin to a Confucian academy. Perhaps some unorthodox expert has taken a fancy to this enclave, which is why the old serpent has the confidence to challenge the Confucian sage of the Poso Continent. But whether it is the Jade Purity Realm or a pseudo-sage, once it goes all out, without me here, it will be difficult for you to handle alone.”

Madam Gui hesitated, not rushing to Osmanthus Island. She even deliberately slowed down her speech, weighing the pros and cons during this time. In her long cultivation career, Madam Gui knew that in a situation where she was surrounded by uncertainty, doing ten or a hundred things was not as good as doing one thing right.

Seawater from three sides surged like a breached dam, crashing down on the ferry in the “bottom of the bowl”.

On Osmanthus Island, apart from the ancestral Osmanthus tree on the summit, the remaining thousand-plus Osmanthus trees shed their leaves simultaneously. The leaves flew into the air before they could fall to the ground, not in a chaotic manner. After the Osmanthus leaves hovered in the air, they formed a semicircle, enveloping Osmanthus Island. Then, the Osmanthus leaves instantly burned to ashes, disappearing into smoke, leaving only a wisp of emerald spiritual energy in place, condensing into spheres the size of wild chestnuts. Between these spiritual spheres of Osmanthus leaves, strands of faint green silk spread out in all directions, interweaving and connecting with each other.

The seawater was turbulent, and the ferry was like a small boat. The spiritual energy contained in the Osmanthus leaves was interconnected, like a large net cast out by the ferryman with all his might. However, this “net casting” was not for fishing, but only for shielding against the rain.

When the seawater crashed on the net, the waves surged, but not a single drop of water seeped through the net and fell on Osmanthus Island. The ferry only swayed slightly. Moreover, when the ancestral Osmanthus tree showed a mysterious posture of rapid branch and leaf growth, the ground on the summit cracked, revealing numerous ravines and the tangled roots of the old Osmanthus tree. The entire Osmanthus Island then began to rise slowly, as if to withstand the impact of the seawater, suspended in the air, forcibly breaking away from the Dragon Serpent Trench.

Many Water Dragons with horns on their foreheads charged the most fiercely, landing on the large net one after another, tearing at the Osmanthus leaf formation with their claws, or ramming it with their heads.

These Water Dragons were considered noble members of the dragon serpent clan, relatively close to the true dragons that originally controlled the five lakes and four seas, vastly different from snakes and carp. However, the addition of the word “water” made them inferior to the single-character “dragon”. Compared to these veritable royal relatives, they were still inferior. Water Dragons were the offspring of ancient dragons and green sea snakes, hence they were also known as Green Dragons. White Dragons, which liked to hide in majestic mountains, were in the deep sea and on land, often appearing in the writings of literati and poets, and were frequent guests in immortal-themed poems.

Many dragon serpent descendants followed behind, fiercely ramming the large net, and also casting their innate water spells, each carrying ten thousand jun of seawater, attacking the large net together.

The ferryman old man felt heartache when he saw this scene. Madam Gui was risking her hard-earned Earth Immortal cultivation, allowing the fundamental essence of her true form to be rapidly depleted, all in order to seek a glimmer of hope for everyone.

Ma Zhi, who was staying on the island, should have already negotiated with the guests, but he did not know if they could unite as one and overcome this difficulty together.

At the moment when Chen Ping’an was painstakingly writing the Talisman of Severing Shackles, the golden old serpent, in addition to issuing orders and letting the Dragon Serpent Trench break through Osmanthus Island in one go, had no intention of attacking himself. After a little thought, he shook his hundred-zhang golden scale body and slowly swam to the edge of the clear seawater. Finally, a dignified old man in a golden robe walked out of the ripples, with extremely long eyebrows hanging down to his chest. He walked forward in the air. The old serpent, transformed into human form, ignored Madam Gui, who needed to be distracted to control Osmanthus Island. Even the life and death of that young serpent dragon were of no concern to the golden-robed old man. He was like a mountain climber slowly walking down the hillside, looking down at the two small boats and three people at the foot of the mountain.

The old serpent looked at the back of the young man, not stopping his footsteps, and said with a smile, “Little fellow, tampering with the Dragon Subduing Pole and writing the Talisman of Severing Shackles without permission, I only took it as your youthful ignorance, letting you secretly hide two flying swords. But if you take an inch…”

The ferryman old man steered the small boat under his feet, blocking Chen Ping’an’s person and boat behind him, looking up at the old beast whose temperament had changed drastically, and sneered, “What if we take an inch? Should we stretch our necks and ask for a more comfortable death? Beg you beasts to swallow us whole, without chewing slowly?”

The old serpent glanced sideways at the old ferryman and said with a smile, “You broke the rules, so you are going to die anyway. As for how you die, it doesn’t really matter. Have you forgotten that your souls after death, if they are extracted bit by bit by my subordinates, and made into dozens of candle lanterns, lit and placed in the deepest part of the Dragon Serpent Trench, to endure the cold, this sin is more difficult to endure than the five horses dismembering and a thousand cuts in the human execution ground, especially for old Golden Core cultivators like you. The higher your cultivation, the higher the quality of the incense candles…”
The golden-robed elder sighed, halting his advance. He placed one hand behind his back and twirled the long, golden eyebrow hanging before his chest with two fingers, a helpless expression on his face. “Little fellow,” he said, “this old boatman of the Fan family and I have stalled for you for so long. Just a chain-severing talisman from the Yushi Imperial Edict, and it’s still not finished? Are the disciples of the Daoist talisman sect becoming more and more useless these days? Or is it that your own skills are lacking, your talisman-drawing abilities inadequate? Or is the talisman too powerful, the talisman paper too precious, making your brush strokes a bit…stiff? It’s alright, I haven’t witnessed or experienced a chain-severing talisman in many years; I miss it dearly. Therefore, I can wait a little longer. Young man, take your time, don’t rush.”

Lady Gui let out a mournful sigh.

The old boatman shared a similar sentiment.

This was the terrifying aspect of a Sage governing a region of the world.

Just as a Confucian Sage resided in an academy, a True Lord in a Daoist temple, a Arhat in a Buddhist temple, or a Martial Sage commanded a battlefield.

Lady Gui, her face pale, said sternly, “Acting with such brutality and violence, are you not afraid of the Confucian Sage of Suvarna Continent holding you accountable?!”

The old Jiaolong’s eyes showed pity. “Lady Gui, ah, Lady Gui, you shouldn’t have stayed in this mud pit of Old Dragon City, trapping yourself. So many years of fruitless effort, turning a deaf ear to the world outside, you have no idea that under the grand tide, those who submit prosper, and those who resist perish. Lady Gui, although I have coveted your true form for many years, considering your noble origins, I can give you one last chance: submit to me, and together we can build a great undertaking with Jiaolong Gulch. What do you say?”

Lady Gui sneered, “I truly wonder if a Confucian Sage were here, would you still dare to spout such nonsense! Not to mention a Sage, even a Junzi would be enough to make you tremble, wouldn’t it?”

The golden-robed elder smiled and shook his head. “Times have changed. That’s why I say your vision is too narrow, Lady Gui. Enough, those who walk different paths cannot plan together. After devouring you, I can smoothly enter the Jade Purity Realm. By then, even if the Confucian Sage of Yingyin Chen Clan leaves the academy and comes here to hold me accountable, what can he do?”

The old man grinned, his smile sinister. “I know you haven’t given up, thinking I was just bluffing earlier, still harboring the侥倖 (jiǎoxìng, fluke/vain hope) that the young man could draw the chain-severing talisman to scare away all the Jiaolong except me. Look, I still granted your wish. Do you still think I’m bluffing now?”

The old man took a step, instantly arriving a dozen zhang away from the small boat Chen Ping’an was on.

Chen Ping’an seemed like an old monk in deep meditation, oblivious to the world, slowly drawing the talisman.

Lady Gui and the old boatman acted simultaneously. She tossed a sprig of osmanthus onto the bow of the boat, and the woman murmured, “Roots take hold, clinging to the azure sky.” The sprig instantly grew into a small osmanthus tree, its branches and leaves swaying, blooming with clusters of golden osmanthus flowers, fragrant and sweet. The osmanthus tree was ten chi tall, its shade covering Chen Ping’an.

The old man rapidly formed hand seals, chanting incantations. He heavily stamped his foot on the small boat he stood on, pressed his palms together, interlaced his fingers, and brilliant light bloomed from the gaps between his fingers. The old boatman pressed his thumb against his chest, pointed his little finger at the golden old Jiaolong. After the old man formed the hand seal, fiery red light swirled around his body, like a heavenly official clothed in red robes. His forehead was covered with scarlet seal characters, and he roared, “Golden Crow spreads its wings, Fire God boils the waters!”

From the small boat under the old man’s feet to the golden-robed elder, the surface of the sea resembled boiling water in a hot pot, misty and steaming. Then, golden crows flew out from within, each dragging a trail of billowing flames, swiftly pouncing towards the old Jiaolong.

But the golden-robed Jiaolong merely waved his sleeve, drawing two azure dragons from the seawater on either side, colliding with the golden crows. Dozens of golden crows were instantly devoured by the two azure dragons. Although the azure dragons had a hearty meal, flashes of fire flickered in their bellies from time to time. Ultimately, they perished together, their bodies shattered, returning to the sea. However, the old man’s hand seals were swift, his attack powerful, with a grand display, but compared to the golden-robed Jiaolong’s nonchalant ease, the difference in strength was obvious and vast.

The golden-robed Jiaolong sneered, “Fire God? These kinds of ancient deities are too mixed, and because of a great calamity, the deities who inherit this lineage are often illegitimate and lack proper standing. Compared to the water department gods who have a clear and orderly inheritance and are deeply trusted by the Celestial Emperor, they are simply not worth mentioning. You, a mere Golden Core, probably don’t even know that the phrase ‘Fire God boils the waters’ is itself a sign of weakness, right? The earliest Fire God once declared he would boil the four seas dry and burn the five lakes to make clouds in the sky. Later generations of Fire Department gods only dare to say ‘boil the waters.’ What waters? The great rivers are water, the small streams are water. After boiling the water, are you going to brew tea?”

The old man’s technique was easily broken by the golden-robed Jiaolong, but he was not discouraged. During the latter’s rambling words, he changed to another technique, clenching his fists and heavily striking them together, stepping out in a unique formation. The image of the Fire Department heavenly official disappeared, replaced by an angry glare, with the appearance of a Dharma Protector Vajra. A ring of lightning beads swirled around the old man.

The old man finally separated his fists, striking his chest and abdomen three times in succession, agitating the spiritual energy in the three qi centers. The other fist turned back into a palm, facing the sky. “Insects Awaken drum the belly, Thunder Marsh opens, hear my command, punish on behalf of Heaven!”

In the cloudless blue sky, a huge vortex of lightning and thunder appeared out of thin air. A snow-white bolt of lightning flashed, twisting several times in the air, striking towards the top of the golden-robed Jiaolong’s head.

The golden-robed elder’s figure disappeared from the spot, but the lightning that struck down did not dissipate. It directly pierced through the seawater, plunged deep into Jiaolong Gulch, then bounced back, illuminating the seabed with a snowy white glow. Many of the Jiaolong hidden in the seabed, who had not participated in the encirclement, were startled by the lightning technique. All of them subconsciously closed their eyes, not daring to face it directly.

The lightning darted out of the sea, flying towards a location. The golden-robed Jiaolong revealed his true form. Faced with this somewhat illogical lightning, the old Jiaolong finally seemed a little annoyed. He lost his previous leisurely demeanor, and no longer dodged. He stood still, frowning slightly, pinched two fingers together, and clamped down on a golden eyebrow respectively. He quickly wiped across them, sliding two golden sword lights from his fingertips, about three chi long, the same length as a worldly sword. One sword met the lightning, and the other sword stabbed directly into the vortex above his head that connected to a small Thunder Marsh.

The golden-robed Jiaolong’s two eyebrow-swords succeeded, incinerating themselves with the lightning and the vortex once more, exploding in brilliant light on the sea surface and in the high sky.
The old boatman, indeed a rare Golden Core cultivator who had personally witnessed the splendor of a terrestrial immortal, possessed a myriad of tricks. He rose from the ground, extended an arm, and grasped a silver, dazzling, eighteen-foot-long serpent spear, thrusting it directly at the golden-robed old flood dragon. “Monster, meet your end!”

The golden-robed old flood dragon smirked and vanished once more.

The old boatman’s spear thrust showed no sign of weakening, instead gathering even greater force. At the tip of the spear, a ripple of darkness appeared. The snow-white spearhead encountered no resistance as the spear pierced through the air like chopsticks entering water, creating a visible distortion.

A strange scene then unfolded. Dozens of figures of the golden-robed old flood dragon appeared around the old man, each with a spearhead, ranging from a foot to a yard in length, pointing towards the center of their brows.

Almost all the golden-robed old flood dragons said in unison, “Truly a desperate strike from a terrestrial immortal, a difficult feat for your Golden Core realm.”

They reached out a hand and grasped the spearhead.

Sparks flew in all directions, and the world turned snow-white.

Only one golden-robed figure remained silent, standing directly behind Chen Ping’an’s small boat, able to clearly see Chen Ping’an sitting in the shade of the osmanthus tree. The azure talisman paper, of unknown origin, was filled with righteous aura, and the writing brush was a fine treasure, coveted even by the old dragon.

Seeing that the “Severing Lock” talisman paper was blank, only seventy or eighty percent complete, and that the youth’s arm, fingers, and brush tip were not yet trembling, but his mind was already wavering, it was evident that writing this talisman was too forced. The old dragon grew increasingly curious. Although the “Severing Lock” talisman was of decent rank, the youth had successfully drawn talismans on the bamboo pole earlier, indicating that the talisman itself was not the problem. Instead, it was the azure material of the talisman paper that made it difficult for the youth to write, like a child climbing a mountain with a heavy burden, an agonizing struggle.

It was a high-grade “Severing Lock” talisman inscribed with the “Rain Master’s Edict.”

If this were before he became a sage, the golden-robed old flood dragon would still be somewhat wary, as it was inherently counteractive. During the era when the Rain Master and River Earl still belonged to orthodox deities, dragons would respectfully treat such beings as their superiors.

But now, no matter how “tough” this talisman was, the golden-robed old flood dragon did not take it seriously. He even longed to see the “Severing Lock” talisman again.

After all, during a long and humiliating period, the old dragon was young, but what he saw and heard was deeply engraved in his heart.

The old dragon wanted the other aging fellows deep within the Flood Dragon Gulch, who were unwilling to follow him, to witness this significant talisman again, hoping to rekindle their courage.

A unified Flood Dragon Gulch, working as one, was not something that could be compared to one or two ancestral immortal abodes.

Dozens of golden-robed old flood dragons simultaneously crushed the spearhead.

This was the old boatman’s natal treasure, and he immediately slumped onto the boat, coughing up blood.

Aside from the old dragon who silently gazed at Chen Ping’an drawing the talisman, the other old dragons, their ferocity aroused, laughed wildly and simultaneously stomped down hard. There was no great commotion under their feet, but the osmanthus leaf array protecting Osmanthus Island was like a fragile city gate being heavily rammed by countless siege vehicles, shaking violently and in imminent danger. Once the great array was breached, the flood dragons would instantly rush into the island, engaging in close combat with these naturally strong and sturdy beasts.

Not to mention ordinary Qi refiners, even sword cultivators with the greatest killing power and military cultivators with the strongest physical defenses were unwilling to do so.

Many middle-fifth realm Qi refiners, who were unwilling to bring out their trump cards no matter how much Ma Zhi tried to persuade them, suddenly changed their expressions and dared not hide anything. They launched their magical treasures and spiritual instruments, and for a time, the island was filled with colorful lights, soaring towards the sky to help Madam Gui and the ancestral osmanthus tree resist the golden flood dragon’s trampling attacks.

But when the island’s Qi refiners exerted their full strength, some of the Flood Dragon Gulch’s powerhouses, who had been watching from afar, finally used their water-based divine abilities, showering Osmanthus Island like a rain of arrows.

As a result, even with the Qi refiners’ assistance, Osmanthus Island was still at a disadvantage.

At this critical moment, a tall, thin old man flew over from the sea outside Flood Dragon Gulch, but he was clearly hesitant to venture deeper.

It was the Nascent Soul guardian beside the Jade Decree Sect’s Young Master Jiang.

He ultimately chose to wait and see.

Madam Gui had to return to Osmanthus Island. She had not expected the array to be so fragile. She could no longer worry about Chen Ping’an’s talisman. If she remained separated from her body and soul, the Osmanthus Island array would not withstand another attack. Even if the talisman was successfully drawn, the island would have already been breached, and the rampaging flood dragons would be like entering an uninhabited land, resulting in a tragic defeat.

Madam Gui flew away, turning her head to say helplessly to the old man, “Take care of Chen Ping’an!”

The old man nodded with a bitter smile, struggling to stand up.

He could only do his best and leave the rest to fate.

All the golden-robed old flood dragons slowly walked towards the two small boats.

Only the golden old dragon who stood in place from beginning to end, staring at Chen Ping’an, told him with a mental message: “Little fellow, if you don’t finish drawing this talisman and quickly turn the tide of the battle, all of you will die. Madam Gui will die, the old boatman will die, you will die, all will die.”

“What to do, what to do, Rain Master’s Edict.” Of the eight characters of the “Severing Lock” talisman, Chen Ping’an only wrote six, and extremely irregularly. This talisman, barring any unforeseen circumstances, could be considered a waste.

In fact, after Chen Ping’an finished the first four characters, although it took a long time, much longer than drawing talismans before, Chen Ping’an could not write even the horizontal stroke on the “Rain” character, no matter how he circulated his Qi. The azure talisman paper seemed unwilling to accept this word at all. Like two armies facing each other, Chen Ping’an fought alone, facing a towering high city, what could he do?

Human strength has its limits, unchangeable by ambition and perseverance.

Chen Ping’an stubbornly persisted for a long time but still could not put down the brush. When Chen Ping’an’s arm trembled for the first time, a mouthful of blood surged to his throat, but he forcibly swallowed it. Forced to do so, Chen Ping’an skipped the “Rain” character. The “Master” character was another impassable barrier. Chen Ping’an bypassed it again. Fortunately, he barely managed to write the characters “Edict,” and with the last of his pure Qi, he finally finished.
Having exhausted his energy, Chen Pingan’s arm, holding the small snow awl, hung limply. He had already forced himself to continue, and the failure to draw the talisman was like adding frost to snow. At this moment, the Qi and blood within his body surged. Besides the mouthful of blood essence that had already damaged his foundation, countless blood droplets seeped out from within, extremely minute, flowing and coalescing from his spirit, Qi palace, tendons, bones, and skin.

The golden-robed old Jiao was enraged for the first time, angrily cursing, “Useless trash! I’ve waited for you for so long, and you can’t even write the two characters for ‘Rain Master’?!”

The old Jiao stepped forward, “I’ll give you one more chance! Pick up the brush again! Draw another talisman!”

Chen Pingan stared blankly at the cyan talisman paper. The situation hadn’t worsened.

But it hadn’t improved either.

It was as if, after parting ways with the Daoist nun from the Divine Edict Sect on the Great Dao and leaving the Li Zhu grotto-heaven, Chen Pingan’s good fortune had begun to decline, as if he had once again returned to the Li Zhu grotto-heaven before its shattering and descent.

This time, he was directly trapped in a deathly predicament.

Chen Pingan raised his head and said, “You want me to finish this Lock-Severing Talisman so badly? What are you plotting?”

The golden-robed old Jiao carefully sized up the youth, smiling and nodding, “Naturally. But there’s no point in saying any of this now. You’ve wasted so much of my time. Your three souls and seven spirits will be made into candle wicks, burning at the bottom of the Jiao Dragon Trench for hundreds of years.”

Chen Pingan glanced at his left arm, which held the small snow awl, took a deep breath, and slowly raised it. Not only this arm, but his entire body was seeping blood from his orifices and skin, flowing like a stream. “Before I die, I must finish writing these two characters.”

The golden-robed old Jiao’s eyes darkened, and he chuckled, “Young man, you have ambition. I’ll watch and wait, and I won’t hesitate to personally protect you. Don’t disappoint me again.”

Chen Pingan grinned.

He raised his right arm, randomly wiped his eyes, clearing the blood from his blurred vision, and roughly made out the position for the “Rain Master” characters on the blank space of the talisman paper. Then, he closed his eyes and silently chanted in his heart, “What to do, what to do… What to do, what to do…”

In an instant.

Chen Pingan began to write on the talisman paper.

The golden-robed old Jiao sneered, “Boy, that’s not the character for ‘Rain.’ Are you too injured, and your mind is muddled?”

In another instant.

The golden-robed old Jiao’s smile vanished completely.

On the talisman paper, it was no longer a so-called spark of spiritual light from the talisman.

But a strand of divine light was rapidly condensing.

Chen Pingan merely maintained that posture, not because he didn’t want to move, but because he was truly unable to.

This Lock-Severing Talisman was no longer a Lock-Severing Talisman in the true sense.

Because it was no longer “What to do, what to do, Rain Master’s Edict.”

But “What to do, what to do, Land Submergence Edict.”

Land Submergence Edict!

And the golden-robed old Jiao was also motionless, his heart willing but his strength failing.

Chen Pingan’s lips moved slightly, silently feeling the warm divine intent under his brush, and his mind cleared. His voice trembling, he softly said, “I saw in a book that the Sage said…”

Chen Pingan coughed incessantly, finally managing to say the second half of the sentence, “Hidden Dragon in the Abyss.”

These eight words from his mouth seemed no less powerful than the eight characters on the talisman paper.

A total of sixteen words, falling in the Jiao Dragon Trench, were simply like a bolt from the blue, a thunderclap.

“Understood!”

“Respectfully obey the decree!”

Voices echoed from the depths of the Jiao Dragon Trench, rising and falling, continuous and unbroken.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

Dozens of golden-robed old Jiaos merged into one figure. He lowered his head, cupped his hands in obeisance, but his face was full of a savage grin. “Before I receive the decree, die, young man.”

Above the Jiao Dragon Trench, a golden sword light, as thick as a mountain peak, descended from the sky.

Falling directly towards the top of the youth’s head.

Some could save him, but were unwilling, such as the Nascent Soul old woman beside the bamboo-clad youth.

Some wanted to save him, but for the sake of the Fan family’s great enterprise, they could only choose to retreat, such as Madam Gui.

Some were helpless, willing to exchange their lives for the youth, such as the old ferryman who was close at hand.

More were just watching the show. The situation was already set, what need was there to be nervous?

At this moment, Chen Pingan seemed to have understood all the hearts of men and the ways of the world, but his expression was neither sad nor happy.

A pair of seals slid out from his sleeve, the mountain-water seal, stopping in the air above his head.

After the golden sword light shattered, only the water seal remained of the pair of mountain-water seals; the mountain seal was gone.

On the Great Dao.

A lone figure continued onward.