In Li Zhuiyuan’s hands was Zhao Wuyang’s remnant spirit.

Though incomplete, it was more than enough to temporarily elevate Yu Dibei’s status and complete that missing fragment of Dragon King energy. After all, this Dragon King, who rose from obscurity, had no shortage of that indomitable, forward-looking spirit.

When the Zhao family of Jiujiang fell, it was the remnant spirit of the Zhao family’s Dragon King that actively chose Li Zhuiyuan, lamenting in the ethereal realm, “Your family’s spirit is all gone.”

Before his death, Zhao Wuyang had made arrangements, not hesitating to decompose his own body to suppress evil Jiao. After his death, he showed no concern for his broken legacy, but instead felt pity for another family’s child. And this child was the very culprit who had destroyed his legacy.

Li Zhuiyuan, of course, understood the importance of the Dragon King’s spirit. With it by his side, he would not only receive constant protection from fate but also gain an additional means of defense within his spiritual consciousness. Yet, the young man gave it away without hesitation. To Li Zhuiyuan, this was the best resting place for the Zhao family’s Dragon King. He would transform into a spark, igniting this Yu family Dragon King. Although Yu Tiannan would awaken next, when Yu Tiannan suppressed this demonic riot, there would undoubtedly be a shadow of Zhao Wuyang behind him.

Indeed, as soon as Li Zhuiyuan finished speaking, the blue light slowly ascended and merged into Yu Dibei’s body. Instantly, the concentration of pressure intensified, and the ripples on the surrounding pool of blood became denser. Even though Yu Dibei remained seated and motionless, the continuously accumulating invisible sharpness was so palpable that it made people instinctively want to retreat. This scene was utterly different from when the little yellow dog had been patting his hand, licking his blood, and crying for its master to awaken while lying in Yu Dibei’s arms.

Diting stood there, and this time, not only its yellow right eye but also its golden left eye showed astonishment. It marveled at the young man’s grand gesture and even more at his ability to turn decay into wonder. Diting extended its tongue and licked its lips. After all, it had just spent another adult life with Yu Dibei in the memory created by Li Zhuiyuan, effectively becoming the little yellow dog again. So, the lick felt a bit nauseating as it brushed its own nose.

“Boy, a spirit that wanders outside the Dragon King’s lineage, even a remnant one, and you just gave it away? What magnificent courage.”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Diting. The young man’s gaze was calm, with only a subtly imperceptible curve at the corner of his mouth. The old dog, controlling Diting’s body, naturally utilized Diting’s incredibly keen insight. He noticed that the young man was now expressing a very pure emotion towards him, subtle and faint, yet clear. This was… disdain. Regardless of whether it was a former Dragon King’s companion beast or a notorious demon of heinous crimes, it had successfully drawn in the river water, attracting the “river-walkers,” yet its final task was not as well-executed as any of the “river-walkers.” Diting now felt a sense of being a demonic entity, scorned by this righteous person for not being demonic enough. Yet, it couldn’t refute, because the young man had truly done it with his own hands, and indeed done it much, much better than Diting had.

Diting said, “Boy, you’re from the Dragon King’s family too, aren’t you?”

Li Zhuiyuan did not answer.

Diting continued, “The current Jianghu is not what it used to be.”

Li Zhuiyuan stepped out of the pool of blood onto the “shore.” His lower trousers, repeatedly soaked in the blood, were covered with layer after layer of congealed blood scabs, making him very uncomfortable.

Diting asked, “Boy, which family are you from?”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “I see two smaller altars on either side of the large main altar outside, where relics of the Yu family’s Dragon Kings’ companion beasts are enshrined. I want to know if there are tombs specifically built for these companion beasts in the Yu family’s ancestral home, whether they were buried as sacrifices, and if their bodies are well preserved?”

Diting said, “You answer my question first, then I’ll tell you.”

Li Zhuiyuan stated, “I am a successor of the Qin family, and also a successor of the Liu family.”

Upon hearing this answer, Diting instinctively looked at the rotting Ming Yuwan in the pool of blood: “Do you know, this girl once dreamed of becoming the world’s first inheritor of two Dragon King lineages, hehe. Qin family members, I met one with my master back then, truly a respectable opponent. My master said that in that fierce battle, if not for sudden environmental changes, he might not have won against that person. As for the Liu family, her sword is very sharp. You should have seen my physical body; there’s a deep sword wound on it, visible to the bone, that has never healed—it was left by a Liu family member. When I took that blow, I didn’t even see how she drew her sword. It was as if she was still a mountain away, and then the sword suddenly landed on me.”

Li Zhuiyuan had indeed seen the old dog’s physical body, but by then it was already rotting, and the injuries were unclear. Only the two prominent, dangling testicles under its crotch were conspicuous.

The young man asked, “Location, place.”

Diting replied, “Southwest Dragon-Phoenix position, Di Jiu Kun… Forget it, you don’t even need to find an entrance. Once you’re in that area, just find a crack and go down.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Diting asked, “What are you going to do there now? The Dragon King’s stele has cracked, and all those previously restrained demonic entities will swarm towards the main entrance. Your subordinates are there; shouldn’t you be rushing to help them?”

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent. After completing the awakening of Yu Tiannan, the young man wasn’t keen on wasting words with this old dog. That phrase “stupid dog” was certainly deliberately chosen, but it also reflected Li Zhuiyuan’s true assessment of the old dog.

Diting pressed, “You’ve finished your task, and you no longer have any leverage to threaten me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you for treating me this way?”

Li Zhuiyuan countered, “Do you think my arrangements include the possibility of unforeseen circumstances after my death?”

Diting gnashed its teeth. It wouldn’t believe others would act so recklessly, but precisely because it had “witnessed” the young man’s true nature, it dared not gamble.

Diting said, “You remind me a lot of someone my master once mentioned. My master said that person was also a generation’s Dragon King, yet no trace of him remains in history, as if the Dragon King’s lineage itself broke off in his generation. But the Jianghu and the human world in his era were exceptionally clean. After my master finished speaking, he patted my head and described it as: ‘Clean, like a plate I’ve licked clean.'”

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the council hall. As he passed Diting, Diting spoke again: “So, are you the inheritor of the Qin and Liu families’ Dragon King lineages, or are you that person’s inheritor?”

“Rumble! Rumble!”

The ancestral home began to tremble again. The demonic entities, no longer confined by the Dragon King stele, surged madly towards the main gate of the Yu family. Breaking through the blockade, escaping this place, and returning to the human world was their sole belief at that moment.

Li Zhuiyuan stopped and looked at Diting: “Yu Tiannan still needs some time to awaken. Are you going to stay here and wait?”

Diting replied, “All I wish for is to see my master once more.”

Li Zhuiyuan said, “If you stay here, you will only see Yu Tiannan once. But if you appear at the gate to block those demonic entities, when Yu Tiannan awakens, he will first suppress those entities, and then deal with you. That way, you’ll get to see your master many, many times.”

Diting fell silent.

Li Zhuiyuan left the ancestral hall. The outside was now turbulent, but not particularly dangerous. Firstly, because of the old dog and the special nature of the Yu family ancestral hall, the demonic entities dared not come here directly. Secondly, they were currently too busy to hunt down any stragglers. As long as they could leave the Yu family ancestral home, there were countless living people outside for them to indulge in.

However, this path was indeed the most dangerous Li Zhuiyuan had walked recently. There was no one to protect him, and all around him, incessantly passing through, were beings that once required the Dragon King himself to suppress. Fortunately, despite the twists and turns, he safely arrived at the location the old dog had told him. Li Zhuiyuan then leaped down, sliding along the crevice. Before landing, he had intended to turn sideways to roll and dissipate the inertia, but seeing the white fur cushion before him, the young man simply did nothing and landed directly. It was very soft and springy, though the fur was a bit prickly.

After getting down from it, Li Zhuiyuan saw a massive wolf head and cracked skin on its chest. It should have stood there majestically, but almost all its Qi and blood had been drained, causing it to shrivel. In the corner was a gleaming dagger, which Li Zhuiyuan recognized as Liang Li’s weapon. It seemed Zhao Yi had gotten what he wanted here. However, this snow wolf was a Dragon King’s companion beast. After absorbing its Qi and blood, Chen Jing must have already succumbed to “deviating from the righteous path.”

Li Zhuiyuan noticed footprints on the ground and the corresponding skid marks from a sprint. Looking a little further, he could see some bloodstains on the ground. Was that all? In a state of “deviating from the righteous path,” one would attack indiscriminately, killing anyone in sight. This implied that Chen Jing had attacked Zhao Yi, but the attack was not prolonged, seeming to be just a single strike. Moreover, there were no signs of a team battle nearby, indicating that Zhao Yi had not joined forces with his subordinates to suppress and control Chen Jing. As for the scenario of using love and friendship to convert Chen Jing and bring him to his senses, Li Zhuiyuan didn’t believe it.

Therefore, after absorbing the snow wolf’s Qi and blood, Chen Jing was influenced by the snow wolf itself, causing him to have a clear attack priority even in his “deviating from the righteous path” state. Li Zhuiyuan surveyed the other powerful deceased demonic beasts standing around.

“Then you… should have it too.” After all, these were beings that had followed the Dragon King from the river-walking to suppressing the Jianghu and fighting for a lifetime. Suppressing evil was an instinct ingrained in their bones.

The reason Li Zhuiyuan needed to consider these things was that these demonic beasts were of too high a caliber. His black-skinned book secret technique, “Awakening,” was extremely difficult even for one, and if he were to control it as a puppet, his own consumption would be even greater. Furthermore, such beings, even in death, were imbued with conviction, and if he wasn’t careful, they could break free from his control, causing a backlash. Just look at the old dog’s loyalty to its master; apart from their former masters, they would never allow themselves to be enslaved by anyone else. Moreover, taking such a huge risk and paying such a high price to simply get one out wouldn’t help. To last through the period before Yu Tiannan’s awakening, a big commotion was necessary. Although the overall situation could be said to be settled, if some demonic entities managed to escape in the chaos, even just one, it would cause immeasurable harm to the nearby populace.

Li Zhuiyuan announced loudly, “Your masters’ spirits have dissipated. Now, it is time for you to take their place and continue the fight.” The young man intended to transform all the demonic beasts here into undead. They could not be controlled by him and would only act on instinct. Now, he could only hope they would be like Chen Jing and rush out to deal with the demonic entities above. Even if it failed, it didn’t really matter. There were so many demonic entities above that a few more, even large ones, wouldn’t make much difference.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to a giant roc. Its wings were spread as if preparing to soar, and even though it stood motionless, its imposing aura was still overwhelming. The young man placed his hand on the roc’s body and began to reverse the black-skinned book secret technique. In the fish pond deep within his spiritual consciousness, countless fish with bloated bellies flew into the sky. Due to the mass slaughter of demonic beasts in the Yu family ancestral home, a vast amount of demonic resentment permeated the air, condensing into the blood pool, then absorbed by Li Zhuiyuan. Now, after a roundabout journey, it was returned by Li Zhuiyuan into the bodies of the ancient great demons. Li Zhuiyuan felt he was merely a transit station.

With the influx of massive resentment, the roc’s body slowly changed. Its form, initially identical to its living state, first became lifeless, then copious amounts of thick liquid dripped from it. Subsequently, the resentment further intensified, causing the roc’s bright, clear eyes to gradually be covered by black and white. Li Zhuiyuan released his hand at the right moment, allowing it to ferment a little longer.

The young man walked up to another tiger. This tiger had two exposed fangs, and its fur was purplish-green. As he approached it, one could even feel a slight numbness in their hands and feet. When Li Zhuiyuan pressed his finger against the tiger’s forehead, the stinging, lightning-like sensation was almost palpable. Only with Li Zhuiyuan’s resilient nature could he endure this torment.

Following the exact same procedure, the black-skinned book secret technique was reversed again, and another batch of fish from the fish pond deep within his spiritual consciousness flew into the sky. The tiger’s body began to soften, the “drip-drop” of water remarkably clear. Its tiger eyes gradually whitened, and its entire demeanor rapidly transformed. After retracting his hand, the young man shook it vigorously. From his fingertips to his arm, everything was twitching and convulsing.

However, Li Zhuiyuan didn’t delay and hurried to the next one. Thus, one by one, he infused them. On the last elephant covered in scales, the young man extracted every last bit of stock from his fish pond and injected it. The fish pond, which had previously been as nutritionally rich as a spicy blood curd dish, once again became clear and transparent, with not even a slightly larger fry to be seen inside. It was truly a case of “what the Yu family earned, the Yu family spent,” not a single shred of resentment was brought home.

At this point, the atmosphere within this underground demonic beast great tomb was entirely different from before. Previously, it was solemn and awe-inspiring, each deceased demonic beast an unmarked monument, subtly recording the Dragon King’s legendary stories of yesteryear. Now, it resembled more of a demon’s lair. All the demonic beasts were dripping with thick liquid, and under the propulsion of resentment, a terrifying aura was brewing. Many demonic beast corpses already showed unconscious movements, as if coming back to life.

Li Zhuiyuan stood at the center, the preliminary preparations complete. Next, he needed to ignite the final spark for all of them. He had entered the path by reading Wei Zhengdao’s books. Wei Zhengdao’s books had a peculiarity: the straightforward methods of righteousness were glossed over, while demonic arts and evil techniques were detailed. Sometimes, it was indeed like this: the fault lay not in the technique, but in the person. For example, in this current wave, he first helped the old dog defy a major taboo to “resurrect” Yu Tiannan, and now he was mass-producing powerful evil spirits here. Any single one of these actions, if made public, would be enough to brand him a heinous villain in the Jianghu, deserving of death. Yet, he was doing all this for the sake of righteousness.

He opened his right palm, and a Jiao spirit, thick as a small snake, emerged. Now, Li Zhuiyuan no longer needed to condense formation flags from his blood mist; he could simply hold the Jiao spirit to set up formations. The Jiao spirit was remarkably intelligent and could cooperate on its own. It could even re-arrange some of the formations previously used. Li Zhuiyuan looked down at it, and the Jiao spirit gently rubbed the young man’s fingertips with its head. Was he not, in a way, nurturing another “Yuanbao”? If he were to meet with an accident in the future, and this Jiao spirit did not die with him but was lost, then perhaps it would gain some fortuitous opportunities, reshape its physical body, and at the same time, its ferocity, unchecked, would once again erupt. In a number of years, this world would see a malevolent Jiao adept at formations, stirring up a new catastrophe.

Dismissing his thoughts, the young man, wielding the Jiao spirit, set up formations. Ripples of light spread from his feet, washing over the surrounding demonic beasts. This was a very risky move. If the young man misjudged, and these undead demonic beasts, upon awakening, did not immediately rush to attack the evil spirits, then he would face the consequence of being devoured by a multitude of undead demonic beasts. But some risks had to be taken.

Because according to Li Zhuiyuan’s calculations, in the interim period before Yu Tiannan’s awakening, if the defending side did not gain enough new strength, then when a large number of evil spirits arrived later, there would inevitably be massive casualties, perhaps even total annihilation.

Li Zhuiyuan commanded, “Awaken.”

The next moment, all the surrounding demonic beasts raised their heads, a terrifying aura swirling, their roars shaking the air.

Zhao Yi commanded, “Runsheng, block!”

The ghostly face above puffed out its cheeks, then exhaled a fierce gust of Yin wind. This wind carried sharp shards resembling ice chips. Legend has it that such evil spirits could exhale a ghostly wind that stripped flesh from bone, leaving only skeletons behind. Runsheng, holding his Yellow River shovel, stood at the front, gathering momentum.

Zhao Yi then ordered, “Xu Ming, protect!”

Xu Ming, forming hand seals, caused wooden strips to grow out from beside Runsheng, rapidly intertwining to form a barrier above Runsheng, covering him entirely. The defensive capability of this barrier was, at best, better than nothing. But Zhao Yi’s purpose in arranging it this way was to obscure vision, preventing others from seeing that Runsheng was using the “Qin Clan’s Jiao Observation Method.” In a normal skirmish, this wouldn’t be noticeable, as Runsheng’s physique was already astonishing enough. However, when it came to the application of aura in such a large-scale manner, it was hard not to associate it with the once famous Qin Dragon King of Jianghu. The reason Runsheng could use it casually before was much like how most people who encountered someone surnamed Li and heard them announce their family origin would die. But this group of people now might not all die cleanly in the end. Hence, it still needed to be concealed. Zhao Yi knew that the person surnamed Li was unwilling to make a name for himself in Jianghu.

“Boom!” The Yin wind riddled Xu Ming’s wooden cover with holes, and then Runsheng’s own energy surged forth, directly blasting the wooden strips apart, causing two waves of energy to violently collide in the air.

“A-You, attack!” Lin Shuyou leaped to the side of the ghostly face. Although he held twin maces, the maces were imbued with phantom trident images. When he attacked, it seemed like a chop but was actually a slicing motion. The ghostly face was immediately cut into pieces, wailing and continuously retreating.

On the other side, Chen Xiyuan, pulling Tan Wenbin, was moving rapidly while sustaining her Domain. The pink skeleton in front of them emitted seductive sounds, but the effect was completely blocked by Chen Xiyuan’s Domain.

Zhao Yi commanded, “Pre-position, scatter!”

Chen Xiyuan flung Tan Wenbin away. Just as she was about to push forward with her flute, another command came from Zhao Yi behind her: “Counter-pressure, left flank!”

Chen Xiyuan had no choice but to retreat while bringing her flute to her lips. The music began, blending with the tones released by the pink skeleton, serving to maintain the distraction. Meanwhile, Tan Wenbin descended above the pink skeleton. Taking advantage of its distraction, he unleashed the “Five Senses Deterrence”! The pink skeleton let out a shriek, and large cracks appeared in its bones.

Retreating, Chen Xiyuan once again clutched her jade flute, flashed to the left, and struck the zombie with her flute, halting its movement. Immediately, the Liang sisters followed. Liang Li threw her dagger, and Liang Yan swept her soft sword, embedding all the daggers into the zombie’s body. The two sisters each freed a hand, pressed them together, and formed a seal. The daggers glowed, igniting the Daoist talismans affixed to them. A series of explosions immediately erupted in front of the zombie, causing its corpse qi to continuously leak out.

With the two groups joining the battle, after the initial period of chaos, Tan Wenbin said nothing, and Zhao Yi asked nothing. In short, Zhao Yi naturally took over the command of the team. Except for Chen Xiyuan, everyone else found it perfectly reasonable. Even Chen Xiyuan, seeing Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou begin to follow Zhao Yi’s commands, started to fight according to his instructions, despite her earlier reservations about him. The effect of their fighting was indeed very good. In this kind of chaotic battle, the side that fought with more structure was not only more effective but also conserved more energy.

Chen Xiyuan finally understood the meaning of the “former outer team” that Tan Wenbin always spoke of. The key to the term wasn’t the first two words, but the “team” in “team leader,” because at certain moments, when their “little brother” wasn’t around, the “outer team” could truly be used as a leader. Chen Xiyuan also had to admit that Zhao Yi was truly capable, able to untangle such a complex situation with great clarity.

Zhao Yi actually had a similar feeling. “Damn it, Li’s subordinates are getting more and more outrageous!” The time at the museum, when both sides feigned a fight, was just a small test; no one was serious. But even then, he noticed that Runsheng and the other two had significantly improved in strength. Now, in a real life-or-death struggle, even more was revealed. They could handle many intricate and complex techniques on their own, as if they had practiced them countless times at home. Especially after Chen Xiyuan also started following his commands, this feeling was truly off the charts. No wonder Li had insisted on saving her back then and kept her by his side, enduring her incessant chatter. The Chen family daughter was truly strong.

Zhao Yi divided the two teams into three combat directions to handle different threats. Only Chen Xiyuan could constantly move back and forth between the directions to provide support, and each time she acted, it wasn’t as an auxiliary, but as a main force. As long as she expanded her domain, no matter how wicked the evil spirit, she could restrain it. Zhao Yi was truly grateful that the Chen family daughter had already lit her lamp and started “river-walking” long ago. If she hadn’t, and Li had encountered her and taken her as his Dragon King, then how could other “river-walking” teams compete with Li’s side? Other Dragon King lineages—no, even forces in the Jianghu that considered themselves somewhat prominent—would not allow their inheritors to bow to another’s “river-walking.” But Dragon King Chen might actually be an exception… most importantly, this Miss Chen might actually be tricked onto another’s ship.

The battle continued. If it were one or two demonic entities, then after knocking them down, if they couldn’t be killed in time, one could seek sealing or other methods, entrusting them to the suppression of time. But the current number of demonic entities was simply too great, and they also responded to each other. After being sealed by the Yu family for so long, they didn’t want to be sealed back. Therefore, in battle, if one was suppressed, other surrounding demonic entities would actively rush over to relieve it. Furthermore, among this batch of demonic entities, there were several very powerful ones, or ones that had retained more of their strength. It was fortunate that those old fellows had gone all out to confront them; otherwise, these young people truly wouldn’t have been able to hold the line. Therefore, although the current situation seemed stable, in the long run, in terms of attrition, everyone truly couldn’t outlast this bunch of unbreakable, untearable things.

Moreover, the biggest drain wasn’t physical strength or condition, but mental energy. If it were merely doing one’s best and letting fate decide, fighting this battle just to avoid lighting the lamp a second time and admitting defeat, then facing such a sticky fighting style would easily lead to despair. One might even harbor thoughts of rather dying quickly for a swift release or a clear conscience. Zhao Yi noticed that other “river-walking” teams generally had this mentality now. Putting himself in their shoes, Zhao Yi felt he would be the same. This was also why, as soon as he emerged from underground, he immediately searched for Li. You need to know that your resistance is meaningful so that you can hold onto hope and continue to find ways to persevere. Without that hope, so-called perseverance and righteousness would appear very pale and powerless.

“Everyone, cheer up! There’s always a way out; trust me, the river water won’t arrange a certain death for us. I firmly believe that as long as we can keep holding on, the situation will definitely change! I don’t know what you think, but I, Zhao Yi, haven’t lived enough yet. I still want to contend for this Dragon King position! If you’re tired, if you’re weary, then go down. One less good-for-nothing, and I’ll have some peace on the river, hahahahaha! To be honest with you, from meeting in Jiujiang all the way to Luoyang, I haven’t thought much of any of you aristocratic heirs! In my eyes, you’re all nothing!”

It was a very low-level provocation, yet very effective. Most importantly, when everyone’s hearts were numb, someone could still bravely stand up and shout such words. You couldn’t help but admire that person’s state of mind, which was superior to your own. Although this wasn’t the final result, it meant that you had fallen behind. How could these young elites be willing to accept that? No one was angry; instead, everyone laughed.

Tao Zhuming said, “Brother Zhao, I’ve long said you were tired of pretending. Today, I’ve truly witnessed the ‘Jiujiang Zhao Yi’ of Jianghu. It’s a pity my family’s gate is too large and too heavy; I can’t follow your example in building my own lineage, haha!”

Ling Wuxing declared, “Today I admit to being a step below Brother Zhao, but until the very end, victory is still uncertain!”

The scholar chimed in, “If we survive this wave, I’ll treat you to barbecue. I killed some old man from an unknown family; I can’t eat him, but I’ve cured a lot of his meat.”

The bald man asked, “Much fat?”

The scholar replied, “Dry as a bone, skin and bones, no fat at all!”

The bald man retorted, “Then it’s not my uncle; save me some meat!”

Xu Mofan said, “Brother Zhao, the gun in my hand now listens to your command!”

Tao Zhuming added, “Brother Zhao, together!”

Ling Wuxing, “Brother Zhao, my apologies!”

The scholar, “Following the crowd, I guess.”

The bald man, “Brother Zhao, send someone to save me first!”

The scale of command grew larger and larger. Zhao Yi rushed tirelessly from place to place, needing to familiarize himself with each person’s fighting style and strength while also issuing new deployments. It was busy, yet incredibly fulfilling. Most importantly, once everyone’s spirits were lifted, this combined effort actually managed to turn the tide, and they even had spare capacity to support the old timers at the front.

Tao Wanli remarked, “Miscalculated. Should have thought more about accidentally killing this Zhao Yi back then.”

Ling Zhuxing agreed, “Indeed, this child already has the potential to transform from a commoner into a Jiao, then into a Dragon.”

Tao Wanli sighed, “A missed opportunity, a missed opportunity.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “It seems he didn’t even go deep into the mansion, so we couldn’t even encounter him.”

The two old men from Dragon King families, while mercilessly attacking the powerful demonic entities in front of them, didn’t forget to continue their “petty machinations.” Anyway, they were already old, and their natures couldn’t be changed. Moreover, their families sent them both precisely because of their personalities, hoping they could play a role in this situation. Their conversations were not hidden from others, their voices loud and clear. At this point, it served to further ignite the young people and was also a form of acknowledgment for Zhao Yi.

Xu Fengzhi exclaimed, “Under the Dragon King’s command, all heroes gather! Suppressing the Jianghu, it should be so!”

Praise after praise reached Zhao Yi’s ears. Zhao Yi felt deeply gratified in his heart, yet also a little bit ashamed. He knew that his optimism and carefree attitude were entirely built on his trust in Li. However, it didn’t matter. After all, it wasn’t the first or second time he had taken the credit for Li, so one more time wouldn’t hurt.

At this moment, Xu Fengzhi was almost completely burned out. After delivering his final spear thrust, his body swayed violently. A black shadow appeared behind him, ready to claim his life. Zhao Yi, having anticipated this, had already sent Chen Xiyuan there in advance. A jade flute dispersed the black shadow. Xu Fengzhi, meanwhile, had already raised his long spear, intending to pierce himself at the last moment, and then thrust through the evil spirit behind him. Chen Xiyuan coming to save him actually made him feel a tinge of regret. He thought this way of dying was quite beautiful.

Chen Xiyuan grabbed his arm and pulled him backward. “Miss Chen, this old man has only a few days left to live. Why not let this old man exert his last bit of strength?”

“In half a day, things will turn for the better.”

Xu Fengzhi was flung out, landing on the steps of the Yu family’s main gate. Having fought to exhaustion, he could only sit down and murmur, “If Jianghu can produce another Chen family Dragon King, it would truly be a purification of the current atmosphere.” The Chen family either produced no Dragon Kings, or when they did, they would dominate an era. Xu Fengzhi saw the demeanor of the three historical Chen family Dragon Kings in Chen Xiyuan.

The current Jianghu was truly in a chaotic state. The reason Xu Fengzhi came here had nothing to do with his own family members walking the river here. In fact, he had always been in seclusion and did not concern himself with his family members walking the river. He came purely in response to the call. Only after arriving did he discover that so few people had gathered this time. Fewer people… meant it was easier to divide the Yu family’s legacy. If it had been a proper gathering with more people, if the various families had genuinely been willing to pay some price, and if there had been less infighting during the earlier darkness, the situation would truly not have deteriorated to such a mess.

The old woman with a flower in her hair also wilted. Her palm failed to send the evil spirit flying. When the evil spirit extended its tentacles, the old woman sighed. The jade flute reappeared, first entangling the tentacles, then forcefully twisting, sending the evil spirit reeling. Chen Xiyuan, as before, grabbed the old woman’s shoulder and pulled her backward. Once they reached a safe distance, she swung her backward as well.

“Thump!”

“Ouch!”

The old woman fell onto the steps. The previous fighting had only overdrawn her potential; now she was genuinely out of strength and fell, bleeding from her head.

Xu Fengzhi asked, “Are you alright?”

Yu Xian Gu retorted, “You didn’t even know to catch me.”

Xu Fengzhi replied, “I’m also out of strength; catching you would crush me to death. You’re terribly heavy.”

Yu Xian Gu snapped, “Bullshit!”

With the young people now able to take command, Zhao Yi began specifically assigning Chen Xiyuan to rescue the exhausted old-timers. Zhao Yi wasn’t entirely sure why he was doing this. These old men had used life-burning tactics from the start; even if rescued, they wouldn’t live much longer. Perhaps it was because he knew the situation would definitely turn around, and he wanted them to preserve their last breath to witness the end of this catastrophe. Compared to Li, Zhao Yi understood the unpleasantness of Jianghu better. The old folks who had left didn’t matter, but the old seniors who were willing to stay truly deserved to be called the treasures of this Jianghu.

In fact, he himself had gradually changed his attitude. It was worth noting that his initial plunge into the battle was to protect his precious Chen Jing. Now, Chen Jing was completely disregarding commands, wildly rushing and biting through the hordes of evil spirits, often encountering perilous situations. Yet, Zhao Yi did not order Chen Xiyuan or other teams to attend to him. He was the one who ignited this atmosphere, and at the same time, he was being changed by it. If A-Jing truly fell here, then that would be A-Jing’s fate, and also my, Zhao Yi’s, fate!

Zhao Yi declared, “The old folks are old, they can’t fight anymore; it’s our turn to step up!”

Under this cry, the young people immediately unleashed even more potential. Many even directly advanced their realms or understanding in this battle. All were individuals who had toughly survived the onslaught of the river, none of them simple. Coupled with their youth, what they lacked least was potential and miracles.

Beside Xu Fengzhi, besides Yu Xian Gu, several other old men were seated, all thrown back by Chen Xiyuan one by one.

Yu Xian Gu commented, “This Jiujiang Zhao Yi is good at manipulating people.”

Xu Fengzhi countered, “Manipulating people is a minor skill; being able to unite people is the true path.”

As Chen Xiyuan was rescuing another old man, a scythe suddenly slashed out from behind her. Chen Xiyuan’s Domain, under this scythe, actually showed obvious distortion and deformation. She was tired and caught off guard. Constantly moving through the chaotic battle, any accident could happen, especially since this evil spirit had been hiding until now, not making a move. But this first strike was lethal.

A square seal on Tao Zhuming’s chest shattered, and he pointed his hand towards Chen Xiyuan’s direction. A new barrier appeared behind Chen Xiyuan. The scythe cut through Chen Xiyuan’s Domain but was blocked by this barrier. Chen Xiyuan, pulling the old man in front of her, quickly retreated, escaping danger.

“Pfft!” Tao Zhuming himself spat out a large mouthful of blood, his chest cracked, and several ribs fractured. However, he still delivered a blow to the evil spirit he was facing, repelling it.

He shouted, “Miss Chen, Tao owes you a life, and it’s repaid!” This referred to the encirclement at the museum.

Ling Wuxing shouted to his elders still fighting at the front, “Uncle, please repay my debt for me!”

Ling Zhuxing cursed, “Get lost!”

Tao Wanli called out, “Girl from the Chen family, we’re also running out of strength. Remember to give us a hand later!”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Exactly, exactly! Don’t forget, our three families are old friends!”

Chen Xiyuan ignored them. All the old people outside, except for the two strongest fighters, had been rescued by Chen Xiyuan. She herself didn’t enter other battles, instead helping out while catching her breath and recovering. The concept of “foundation” only truly reveals itself at critical moments.

Initially, the strongest demonic entities were handled by a group of old folks. After the other old folks left the field, everyone was surprised to find that Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing, these two old men… were still able to cope! At this moment, the group of old men and women sitting on the steps all looked a bit displeased. Xu Fengzhi was even so angry that his beard bristled: “These two fellows were still holding back earlier!”

Cursing is one thing, dissatisfaction is another, but you still couldn’t help but admire the strength of these two old fellows. What was most terrifying was that, even so, even now, they showed no signs of fatigue. Moreover, they were still fighting and chatting casually, lamenting which young person they hadn’t taken the opportunity to kill earlier in the darkness, who would later become a major threat to their own juniors when pursuing the Dragon King.

Young people from Dragon King families generally had a clearer understanding of this, while young people not from Dragon King lineages gained a new appreciation for the power of the Dragon King families. What were famous Jianghu powers, what were top sects, what was not inferior to the Dragon King lineage? Those not from legitimate Dragon King families were truly not on the same level.

However, the most curious ones were Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou. There was nothing they could do; the one they could match up with had never genuinely made a move, spending all his days either farming or hauling goods. Zhao Yi felt the most deeply, after all, he once had the opportunity to test Uncle Qin’s depth. Now, looking at the terrifying performance of these two in front, he was truly glad that he had proactively demonstrated his depth to Uncle Qin with three slashes and six holes.

Tao Wanli asked again, “Which of you killed Ming Qiushui?”

Ling Zhuxing added, “If that old woman from the Ming family were here, the three of us would be even more relaxed. Now we’re really exhausted.”

No one answered. However, everyone couldn’t help but inwardly wonder, if Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing were already so formidable, could Ming Qiushui, also from a Dragon King family, truly be killed by their younger generation? Zhao Yi waited for a moment, and after confirming that no one claimed responsibility, he immediately knew who had done it. Li was most skilled at destroying corpses without a trace, so if Li did it, it was as good as he himself doing it. Zhao Yi immediately shouted: “Alas, I can only blame Senior Ming for trying to scheme against me.”

Tao Wanli exclaimed, “Good fellow, boy, you’ve got guts!”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Alright, you’ve openly admitted it. As long as you’re still on the river, the Ming family won’t dare touch you!”

Tan Wenbin, Lin Shuyou, and Runsheng were already accustomed to this. Chen Xiyuan, seizing the moment, shot a glance at Zhao Yi: This person, truly shameless!

The scholar flung a piece of dried meat from his backpack towards Runsheng. “Little scholar is a fake evil, brother, you are truly evil!”

Runsheng, completely unconcerned, took a large bite of the dried meat during a break in his breathing. His eyes immediately lit up, and he asked, “Is there more?”

The scholar replied, “Plenty! My kitchen is full of smoked meat. If we survive this wave, you’ll have enough to eat!”

Runsheng exclaimed, “Good!”

Ling Wuxing anxiously called out, “Miss Chen, please take a risk and rush forward again; I want to save you once.”

Chen Xiyuan retorted, “Idiot.”

Ling Wuxing: “…”

Originally, the situation, though difficult, was calm. But this state was suddenly shattered by explosive sounds.

“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”

All the Dragon King steles shattered. Behind them, a much larger horde of demonic entities surged towards them.

Tao Wanli muttered, “Well, we’re done for.”

Ling Zhuxing sighed, “Alas, as expected.”

The first batch of demonic entities that rushed out due to the absence of Yu Tiannan’s stele could be blocked, but what was the point of blocking them when there were many more behind? The two old men had been so hesitant and unwilling to act earlier precisely because they felt that their efforts, apart from a brief burst of youthful vigor, would make no difference to the outcome. Moreover, this first batch of demonic entities had also suffered greatly from these gatekeepers. Although they were difficult to kill, being repeatedly struck down and severely injured not only accelerated the loss of their power but also subjected them to round after round of pain. Therefore, upon perceiving the approach of the mass of demonic entities behind them, the first batch instinctively changed tactics, no longer focusing on rushing the gate but instead engaging in entanglement. They did not want this group of people to have any chance to withdraw.

The old people sitting on the back steps fell silent. There was no chance left. With such a massive number of demonic entities, they truly couldn’t even block one wave of attack. Among the young people, at this moment, even Zhao Yi wavered. “Li, I trust your abilities, but it seems there’s no time left.”

Xu Mofan said, “I just had a new insight for a spear technique; I can try it before I die. Please, Uncle Master, critique it!”

A smile immediately appeared on Xu Fengzhi’s face as he stroked his white beard: “Permitted!”

Then, Xu Fengzhi’s gaze fell upon Runsheng. It was only at the beginning, in that sea of maggots, that he saw the “Qin Clan’s Jiao Observation Method” on Runsheng. But subsequently, every time Runsheng used it, Zhao Yi would help conceal it. Xu Fengzhi didn’t understand; were they at the final moment of life and death, and still needed to conceal it? Moreover, how could a Qin family member possibly bow to the Chen family’s Dragon King for “river-walking”?

A vast number of demonic entities approached. Tao Wanli, pointing his right finger to the sky and his left to the ground, let out a great roar, blood mist swirling around him. “Boom!” A massive seal, like a descending sea of clouds, crashed down. Ling Zhuxing tore off his broken clothes, flung them forward, and chanted a spell. A flash of lightning and thunder on the ground erupted with a terrifying sound. These should have been extremely formidable techniques, but now they seemed like a drop in the ocean.

Tao Wanli sighed, “Let’s each find our own way to die.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Hmm, let’s die with some dignity.”

Ling Wuxing declared, “Miss Chen, die behind me. I’ll repay a life first.”

Zhao Yi’s black Jiao skin spread out. He had previously only focused on commanding and had not fully engaged in battle. At this moment, darkness enveloped him. “Li, this is a new technique I’ve developed. I wanted to let you see it, but unfortunately, you won’t have the chance!” Everyone prepared to unleash their newly comprehended or previously imperfect ultimate moves, hoping to die without regret.

However, at that very moment, a dog’s bark echoed through heaven and earth.

“Woof!”

Immediately after, a massive white dog crashed into the midst of the demonic entities. It bit at the surrounding demonic entities while unleashing waves of Buddhist light, specifically counteracting Yin and evil. For a moment, its timely appearance actually caused the entire wave of demonic entities to halt.

Tao Wanli asked, “Could this be…”

Ling Zhuxing finished, “Diting.”

Tao Wanli queried, “It wasn’t accompanying the Bodhisattva in hell?”

Ling Zhuxing exclaimed, “It’s actually fighting for us against the Yu family’s demonic beasts?”

Zhao Yi, who had just opened his black Jiao skin and created an extremely dramatic scene, felt his eyelids twitch. He knew the inside story, and seeing the big white dog’s two different colored eyes, he immediately guessed that the old dog was truly controlling this Diting body. So, what was going on? Had the old dog defected? No, if it was on their side, then who the hell were the enemies that had come charging over in this wave?

Chen Xiyuan and Tan Wenbin, on the other hand, appeared much calmer. Because they had witnessed Little Brother Yuan directly call the old dog a “stupid dog.” Since it was a stupid dog, being ordered by Little Brother Yuan to guard the gate seemed… understandable.

At this moment, Diting suddenly looked back and saw Zhao Yi, who was completely surrounded by darkness above, like a giant black butterfly. Its yellow right eye immediately turned red, accompanied by a sharp pain in its lower body. An infinite hatred suddenly emerged, without memory, only an instinct of phantom limb pain.

Zhao Yi: “Oh no, the old dog holds a grudge!”

Diting opened its mouth, letting out a roar, followed by a golden light that struck Zhao Yi directly. “Pfft!” Zhao Yi spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward. Fortunately, he managed to forcefully change his direction slightly at the last moment, otherwise many of the old people sitting on the steps behind would have been crushed to death by him.

Tao Wanli commented, “It’s not on our side.”

Ling Zhuxing asked, “Who is it trying to help?”

Diting suppressed the intense urge to pounce and tear Zhao Yi apart. Master was about to awaken. If Master awoke and saw it attacking their side, Master would surely eliminate it with the first move. This wouldn’t do, it wouldn’t do. It had to stand on the opposite side of the evil spirits. Only then could it see Master a few more times. At this moment, loyalty to its Master outweighed the resentment from its “dog’s tool.”

Diting continued to crash, bite, and strike through the horde of demonic entities. Soon, numerous wounds appeared on its body. Even it, facing such a situation, felt powerless. After all, it was currently only borrowing Diting’s not fully recovered body and could not unleash its true power from when it followed its master to suppress the Jianghu. But even so, as it fought, though injuries and pain came in quick succession, it unexpectedly felt a sense of peace in its heart. As if this was the life it was most accustomed to, baring its fangs and striking with its claws at those demonic entities. No matter when, no matter who it faced, it would not fear, because it knew its master would appear soon. This time… was no exception.

However, unwavering conviction could not alter the reality of the situation. As Diting’s injuries worsened, the demonic entities it had previously intercepted continuously bypassed it, once again charging towards the main gate.

Tao Wanli slapped his chest, conjured a blood seal, and blasted it out. Ling Zhuxing tore off his tattered clothes, flung them forward, and chanted a spell, creating a terrifying flash of lightning and thunder on the ground. These were supposed to be formidable techniques, but now they still seemed like a drop in the ocean.

Tao Wanli said, “Let’s each find a way to die.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Hmm, let’s die with some dignity.”

Ling Wuxing declared, “Miss Chen, die behind me. I’ll repay a life first.”

Zhao Yi’s black Jiao skin spread open. He had previously only focused on commanding and hadn’t fully committed to the battle. At this moment, darkness enveloped him. “Li, this is a new technique I’ve developed. I wanted you to witness it, but alas, you won’t have the privilege!” Everyone prepared to unleash their newly comprehended or previously incomplete ultimate moves, seeking to die without regret.

However, at that very moment, a dog’s bark echoed through heaven and earth.

“Woof!”

Immediately after, a massive white dog crashed into the midst of the demonic entities. It bit at the surrounding demonic entities while unleashing waves of Buddhist light, specifically counteracting Yin and evil. For a moment, its timely appearance actually caused the entire wave of demonic entities to halt.

Tao Wanli asked, “Could this be…”

Ling Zhuxing finished, “Diting.”

Tao Wanli queried, “It wasn’t accompanying the Bodhisattva in hell?”

Ling Zhuxing exclaimed, “It’s actually fighting for us against the Yu family’s demonic beasts?”

Zhao Yi, who had just opened his black Jiao skin and created an extremely dramatic scene, felt his eyelids twitch. He knew the inside story, and seeing the big white dog’s two different colored eyes, he immediately guessed that the old dog was truly controlling this Diting body. So, what was going on? Had the old dog defected? No, if it was on their side, then who the hell were the enemies that had come charging over in this wave?

Chen Xiyuan and Tan Wenbin, on the other hand, appeared much calmer. Because they had witnessed Little Brother Yuan directly call the old dog a “stupid dog.” Since it was a stupid dog, being ordered by Little Brother Yuan to guard the gate seemed… understandable.

At this moment, Diting suddenly looked back and saw Zhao Yi, who was completely surrounded by darkness above, like a giant black butterfly. Its yellow right eye immediately turned red, accompanied by a sharp pain in its lower body. An infinite hatred suddenly emerged, without memory, only an instinct of phantom limb pain.

Zhao Yi: “Oh no, the old dog holds a grudge!”

Diting opened its mouth, letting out a roar, followed by a golden light that struck Zhao Yi directly. “Pfft!” Zhao Yi spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward. Fortunately, he managed to forcefully change his direction slightly at the last moment, otherwise many of the old people sitting on the steps behind would have been crushed to death by him.

Tao Wanli commented, “It’s not on our side.”

Ling Zhuxing asked, “Who is it trying to help?”

Diting suppressed the intense urge to pounce and tear Zhao Yi apart. Master was about to awaken. If Master awoke and saw it attacking their side, Master would surely eliminate it with the first move. This wouldn’t do, it wouldn’t do. It had to stand on the opposite side of the evil spirits. Only then could it see Master a few more times. At this moment, loyalty to its Master outweighed the resentment from its “dog’s tool.”

Diting continued to crash, bite, and strike through the horde of demonic entities. Soon, numerous wounds appeared on its body. Even it, facing such a situation, felt powerless. After all, it was currently only borrowing Diting’s not fully recovered body and could not unleash its true power from when it followed its master to suppress the Jianghu. But even so, as it fought, though injuries and pain came in quick succession, it unexpectedly felt a sense of peace in its heart. As if this was the life it was most accustomed to, baring its fangs and striking with its claws at those demonic entities. No matter when, no matter who it faced, it would not fear, because it knew its master would appear soon. This time… was no exception.

But the persistence of belief could not change the reality of the situation. As Diting’s injuries worsened, the demonic entities it had previously intercepted continuously bypassed it, once again charging towards the main gate.

Tao Wanli struck his chest open, offered a blood seal, and blasted it out. Ling Zhuxing pulled a whip from between his eyebrows and made a final sweep. Xu Mofan thrust out his newly comprehended spear; the scholar ignited his favorite book; the bald man punched with a blow that caused his body to crack. Everyone unleashed their final, hidden techniques. They halted the surging tide of demonic entities for an instant, and it was only for this instant.

Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing fell. Chen Xiyuan appeared by their sides, grabbing their shoulders, and pulled them back.

Tao Wanli gasped, “Miss Chen, there’s really no need to save us.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “It’s just dying a little later.”

Chen Xiyuan tossed the two old men backward, simultaneously pulling a square seal from Tao Wanli’s body with her left hand and a thunder whip from Ling Zhuxing’s waist with her right. Miss Chen wasn’t saving these two old fellows; she was afraid they would fall into the tide of evil spirits and lose even their treasures. Her little brother was very poor, after all. The two old men naturally noticed Chen Xiyuan’s action. They didn’t understand what use treasures would be at this point. However, it didn’t matter.

Tao Wanli said, “It’s yours.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Take it.”

“Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!”

At that moment, roars erupted from underground. Immediately after, massive fierce beasts burst through the ground, emerged above, and without hesitation, charged into the demonic entities. The wave of demonic entities that was about to overwhelm everyone was intercepted once again. Everyone was utterly exhausted, with not many still able to stand. Most lay on the ground, experiencing multiple close calls with death in a single day.

Tao Wanli asked, “Why do I feel like hope has arrived?”

Ling Zhuxing wondered, “Can we get our things back?”

Tao Zhuming exclaimed, “These are the companion beasts of the Yu family’s Dragon King from yesteryear!”

The scholar asked, “How did they become like this?”

Ling Wuxing retorted, “Nonsense, they’re dead!”

The scholar then asked, “Will you also become like this after you die?”

Ling Wuxing mused, “Are you implying that another river-walking team has intervened?”

Tao Zhuming chuckled, “Heh, if there truly is a river-walker, always hiding in the dark, then…”

The scholar continued, “It should be so. If all of us were guarding the gate here, then who would drive the turning point in this wave?”

Ling Wuxing questioned, “Then wouldn’t we just be his backdrop?”

The scholar replied, “We rely on him for our lives, but we also helped him complete this wave.”

Tao Zhuming declared, “We guard the gate, but not for him.”

Ling Wuxing added, “I don’t want this credit.”

They preferred to believe that the meaning of their guardianship was to spare the ordinary people outside from another round of harm.

The scholar sighed, “Alas, I truly want to meet him.”

Tao Zhuming replied, “It’s him who doesn’t want to meet us.”

The appearance of a multitude of fierce beasts pushed back the tide of demonic entities. Diting, heavily injured, felt the fierce beasts冲 past him one by one. Although their eyes were murky, clearly in a ferocious and evil state, not truly their former selves, they still adhered to the oath they had made with their master to suppress the Jianghu and were fulfilling their mission. Diting remembered that he had once followed his master to pay respects at the underground demonic beast tomb. His master had smiled and said to him, “Yuanbao, you will also be buried here someday. The silver coin around your neck will be enshrined alongside my memorial tablet in my Yu family ancestral hall.”

At this moment, Diting’s body suddenly trembled. Before these fierce beasts, he was the most clear-headed. But now, he was also the most fearful and uneasy. Especially, they did not attack him, clearly treating him as a “kindred spirit.” But was he truly their kindred spirit? Originally, he should have been. At this moment, a feeling of regret arose in Diting’s heart.

The ground was too chaotic, the situation too complex, so Li Zhuiyuan did not go up. If Li Zhuiyuan had seen Diting’s condition at this time, he would have instantly recognized that the old dog wasn’t repentant or felt it had done wrong. The old dog was afraid. Because the old dog knew its master was about to awaken, it gradually reverted to its state as “Little Yuanbao” before its master. If it had done something wrong, it would be punished by its master. The old dog had been immersed in its past memories with its master, like playing a one-sided scenario game.

Tao Wanli asked, “Who made this? Such a feat?”

Ling Zhuxing replied, “Which family’s child do you think it is?”

Tao Wanli exclaimed, “If it really is some family’s child, wouldn’t we be sick to our stomachs?”

Ling Zhuxing added, “Not killing him when it was dark, that was a real loss.”

Tao Wanli declared, “This child cannot be allowed to live.”

Ling Zhuxing countered, “This child has already grown into a formidable force. Be careful, it’s we who cannot be allowed to live.”

To collectively transform the Dragon King’s companion beasts into fierce beasts, what was terrifying was not just such an inconceivable method, but also the uninhibited way of acting. If the mastermind behind this was truly a young person on a “river-walking” journey, then once he reached the end, it would be a nightmare for the entire Jianghu.

Zhao Yi was familiar with this move. Although he had sustained internal injuries from Diting’s roar, Zhao Yi quickly got up, wiped the blood from his mouth, and shouted, “This is our chance to turn defeat into victory! Everyone, let’s charge again!”

Tao Wanli said, “These fierce beasts are not as strong as they once were; they won’t last long.”

Ling Zhuxing added, “To resolve this situation, unless the Yu family’s Dragon King is resurrected.”

Zhao Yi said undauntedly, “Anything is possible.”

Tao Wanli asked, “Young Zhao, how do you manage to always be so confident?”

Zhao Yi replied, “My ancestor!”

Ling Zhuxing nodded with a bitter smile, “If the Zhao family’s Dragon King were to revive today, this catastrophe would immediately dissipate.”

“Buzz!”

A majestic aura, as if capable of transcending all, ascended from the very center of the Yu family’s ancestral home. In the sky, a circle of blue rain curtain appeared, displaying a myriad of changes, each raindrop containing the vicissitudes of time. All present, old and young, were not lacking in knowledge. Even if they were not familiar with the core techniques of the mainstream Jianghu forces, they had at least witnessed one or two.

Ling Zhuxing asked, “Is this the Zhao clan’s core technique being manifested?”

Tao Wanli complained, “Not enough brotherhood; you secretly went to bless your mouth without calling me.”

Xu Fengzhi confirmed, “This is the Zhao clan’s core technique, indeed!”

Yu Xian Gu exclaimed, “This is the Dragon King’s aura!”

Many eyes at this moment focused on Zhao Yi. Everyone shared a common question: Why would the Zhao family’s Dragon King’s aura appear in the Yu family ancestral home?

Tao Zhuming commented, “Brother Zhao, you’re so deep, so very deep.”

Ling Wuxing admitted, “At least in this wave, I, Ling, am truly convinced.”

Zhao Yi couldn’t explain. Because the “ancestor” he had just referred to was not this ancestor. He was also puzzled now, because it seemed his own ancestor was truly about to appear. That aura belonging to the Dragon King was growing stronger and stronger. This had nothing to do with whether it was powerful or not, but rather that everything involving the Dragon King received special favor from the Dao of Heaven. Successive Dragon Kings could be considered executors of the will of Heaven in the human world.

But soon, the rain curtain in the sky dissipated. In its place, another Dragon King’s aura emerged, and it ascended with terrifying speed. Until, the entire Yu family ancestral home trembled, as if his will had descended once more. All the evil spirits at this moment showed terror. They were all vanquished foes of the Yu family’s Dragon Kings of yesteryear, and moreover, prisoners of the Dragon King. Now that the Yu family’s Dragon King’s aura had descended again, how could they not be terrified? They began to flee frantically. But those fierce beasts, already weary and scarred, were spurred on. Something within their bodies seemed to ignite at this moment, emitting an even fiercer malevolence, and they engaged in battle with these evil spirits with greater ferocity. Among them, the one performing the most fiercely and passionately was Diting!

Rain began to fall from the sky, black with hints of red. An atmosphere of suppression and despair permeated the entire Yu family ancestral home. Everyone felt a heavy sensation in their hearts, as if an emotion filled their chests, yet could not be vented, nor could it be vented. At the main gate of the Yu family, those who had been lying on the ground, no matter how severe their injuries, crawled up. Those who had been sitting also helped each other to their feet.

In the Yu family ancestral hall’s council chamber, the surrounding blood rapidly receded in an instant, surging into Yu Dibei’s body. The condensation of his aura reached its peak at this moment. Blood once again overflowed from Yu Dibei’s eye sockets. This time, however, it flowed slowly and faintly, its color very light. Yu Dibei… stood up. With this action, the countless seals on his brow fluttered down like confetti. The old dog had said that if its master merely wished to open his eyes, these seals could not hold him. The truth was, even if its master did not open his eyes, these seals were meaningless.

Yu Dibei stepped out, leaving the council hall. As he passed the altar, his figure paused slightly. On the altar, the memorial tablets of successive Yu family Dragon Kings were all split in half, their spirits utterly gone. Yu Dibei continued forward. The “Yu Tiannan memorial tablet” placed on the black box beneath the altar quietly turned to dust, dispersing without a breeze. Each step he took was light, yet its rhythm seemed to pound in the chests of everyone and every demon within the Yu family ancestral home. He walked out of the Yu family ancestral hall. Although this was the very center of the Yu family, still far from the main gate, when he appeared, every being present clearly perceived his arrival.

Yu Dibei’s eyes remained closed. But at a certain level, even without seeing, one could sense the changes in the surroundings. Yu Dibei was not Yu Tiannan. But now, whether in dreams or body, or that surge of Dragon King energy, Yu Tiannan had been successfully simulated. Truly, Yu Tiannan would never revive. But at this moment, it was as if Yu Tiannan had revived and returned to the Yu family.

If the Yu family had fallen due to struggles between Jianghu forces, or been severed by a powerful demonic invasion, or if the entire family had gone to uphold righteousness, then the Yu family, being gone, would simply be gone. In this world, there are no everlasting feasts, and as Dragon King, one often views such matters with detachment. However, the Yu family should have been fine. Broadly speaking, the Yu family’s misfortune stemmed from his failure to suppress that demonic entity at the very last moment of his life. But even so, that severely wounded demonic entity would certainly not have been able to come to the Yu family for revenge. Even in its peak period, that demonic entity would not have dared to overtly invade a Dragon King lineage with deep foundations. He could not deceive himself; ultimately, it was his failure to adhere to tradition that day, his moment of weakness, that ultimately led the Yu family to its current state. It was his, Yu Tiannan’s, fault.

His neck craned back, and black-red rain washed over his face, yet it could not cleanse the blood tears on it. In fact, he didn’t even have the right to cry. In his ears echoed the desperate cries and shouts of generations of Yu family members: the churning pigsty, the soul-piercing nails on the stone bed, the herds of pigs, the walking corpses. Countless people, from birth to death, never truly realized that they were human, nor even understood what a “human” was.

Everything seemed to have been brought to a halt. The previous battlefield, now, neither the evil spirits nor the fierce beasts were making a move. It was as if when he appeared, the outcome was already predetermined. He hadn’t moved yet. When he moved, everything would resume. But one side would plunge into a hysteria that even they knew was meaningless. This was not yet a true Dragon King, but when he exuded the aura of a Dragon King, it was enough to silence this place.

Diting prostrated on the ground, its scarred body, no longer white, covered in blood and pus from the evil spirits. It curled up, trembling, letting out whimpers. In the past, no matter what mistake it made, it knew that after being punished, its master would stroke its head and say, “Yuanbao, be good next time.” But this time, the old dog knew that its master would not forgive it, and there would be no “next time.”

Yu Dibei could let this dream awaken. He knew he was dreaming, and he also knew he had not revived. Death was the best release and escape. But he did not do so. Even in a dream, in this dream, he was still the Dragon King. And now, before him, there were still so many evil spirits. They had left the sealed land, they were to rush out of the Yu family, they were to wreak havoc upon the human world.

Yu Dibei took another step, lifting his right foot. The moment his foot landed, Yu Dibei’s figure, from the square in front of the ancestral hall, appeared directly in the center of the surging tide of evil spirits.

On the steps of the Yu family’s main gate, Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing, leading a group of elders, collectively bowed to the Dragon King. It was a worshipful bow, with bodies bent low, in reverence; not a gate禮 (menli, a lesser formality), because the Dragon King belonged not to an individual, a family, or a sect, but to the entire Jianghu, and even to the whole human world. Before the Dragon King, this group of people had no distinctions of commoner, sect, or family. Even those from Dragon King lineages automatically categorized themselves as ordinary members.

The Qin and Liu families had produced many Dragon Kings throughout history. Liu Yumei once pointed at the Qin and Liu family ancestral tablets on the altar, smiling and saying that almost every owner of these tablets had blood of the opposing family on their hands. The more Dragon Kings the two families produced, the deeper their ancient feud grew. Yet, in the end, the young master of the Qin family could still brazenly pursue the eldest daughter of the Liu family, and the eldest daughter of the Liu family could ultimately marry into the Qin family as a young mistress, wearing her wedding dress. Ancient feuds were ancient feuds, but even if the Dragon King of the opposing family had personally killed a “river-walker” of their own family, as long as he achieved the Dragon King’s position, under the Dragon King’s command, their own family would immediately comply, following the new Dragon King to suppress evil in Jianghu and eliminate human catastrophes. Therefore, the internal pressure and rejection within the Qin and Liu families during their marriage were less significant than the turmoil and fear within the entire Jianghu power structure. This was the reputation that generations of Dragon Kings had upheld, a legacy, a mission, and also a yoke.

For the younger generation present, although their current grand ambition was to compete as “river-walkers” and become Dragon Kings, this was also their first time seeing a Dragon King in person. Just this one step, appearing directly in the center of the evil spirits, silencing countless entities, this frozen image had already profoundly shaken their minds. A sense of good fortune welled up from their hearts. Even if they gained no opportunities or insights in this wave, this mere glimpse was already an immense stroke of luck! There were also many “lamp-lighters” who had not entered this wave, but those present had witnessed the Dragon King’s grandeur. So, when they continued against the current, no matter what obstacles they encountered, they would have a firm resolve that would allow them to grit their teeth and never give up.

“Greetings, Dragon King!”

“Greetings, Dragon King!”

Chen Xiyuan, Tan Wenbin, and others also bowed. Even though they were among the few here who knew how this Dragon King was “born,” the aura emanating from Yu Dibei at this moment still made them unconditionally submit. Tan Wenbin further understood why, under the Dragon King’s command, Jianghu heroes would immediately follow, one after another. Because a true Dragon King, simply by standing there, could instantly instill confidence and courage even in the selfish and cowardly, giving them a clear and unwavering acceptance of death.

Underground. Li Zhuiyuan held a can of Jianlibao, sitting on a broken stone. The young man did not bow in greeting. It wasn’t because this Dragon King was “created” by him, but because the young man knew that at this moment, the greetings and the cries of “Dragon King” were like knives scraping against “Yu Tiannan’s” chest.

Black and reddish rain dripped down through the cracks in the ground, hitting the Jianlibao in his hand. The sickeningly sweet drink, even with just one drop mixed in, tasted so bitter it numbed his tongue. But this was nothing compared to a fraction of “Yu Tiannan’s” current emotions. The young man wasn’t afraid of hardship, but he didn’t have the habit of seeking it out. So, he poured the now-tainted Jianlibao onto the ground. When he reached into his bag again, he found it was empty. The young man dropped his hands and sat there. His heart, too, grew bitter.

All the fierce beasts, even without their memories from life, still instinctively prostrated towards Yu Dibei’s direction, each placing its jaw on the ground in submission. The old dog, curled there, desperately sought its master’s gaze. When it finally caught it, it realized its master had not opened his eyes. It froze. All it wanted was to meet its master’s gaze again. But to achieve this long-cherished wish, the price was giving its master a “world” he couldn’t open his eyes to witness.

Yu Dibei opened his mouth and said, “Get back.” There was no excessive tone, very calm. But this voice was like thunder overhead, reverberating deep within the consciousness of every evil spirit. Although this was not the Yu family of yesteryear, these evil spirits were all personally brought back and suppressed by successive Yu family Dragon Kings. They might dare to transform into various curses and intimidations to target a Yu family child, but they dared not look the Yu family Dragon King in the eye openly. It was not because of his status as Dragon King that he possessed this majesty, but because generations of those who ascended to the Dragon King’s position had imbued this title with an inherent sacredness.

With a simple “Get back,” nearly ninety percent of the evil spirits in the horde began to turn and move backward. The old people on the steps trembled with excitement. Xu Fengzhi murmured, “The Dragon King’s might… the Dragon King’s might…” In their eyes, the arrogant and fierce evil spirits were like a group of inconsequential杂物 (záwù, miscellaneous items) before the Dragon King. At their peak, they were no match for the Dragon King, let alone now, after enduring prolonged suppression. Previously, the evil spirits had surged forward like a raging tide; now, they quietly retreated like an ebbing tide. Back to their pits, back to their sealed places. As for those remaining, unwilling to return…

Yu Dibei lifted his foot. The moment he stepped forward, Yu Dibei appeared beside one evil spirit after another. Without a word, without a sound, no trace of movement was visible; he merely appeared next to an evil spirit, and that evil spirit immediately turned to dust. Some evil spirits that could not be killed in the past, after being suppressed by time, could now be dealt with. Others were still difficult to kill but would be shattered into their most primitive state. In place, there were indestructible fragments, lingering remnants of color, persistently twitching tumors, and even flesh maggots that stubbornly divided no matter how many times they were crushed… But they no longer possessed their arrogant demeanor. Although still unkillable, it would take countless years for them to recover to a threatening level.

The rain in the sky grew heavier and heavier, gradually becoming torrential. Li Zhuiyuan underground watched the curtain of rain falling from the edge of the crevice in front of him. This rain was originally black and red, so those who had not personally orchestrated the Dragon King’s awakening could not discern that the concentration in the rainwater had exceeded normal levels. This meant that the Dragon King was bleeding.

Yu Dibei, after all, was not Yu Tiannan in the true sense. Although he was incredibly powerful now, truly an embodiment of the Dragon King, he could not match or unleash the Dragon King’s true strength. With the Dragon King’s might, he coerced the evil spirits to return themselves, and then with swift, decisive actions, he annihilated those evil spirits unwilling to return and daring not to resist. Yu Dibei’s body was already severely overtaxed. Even though the old dog had meticulously chosen the body for its master and improved all its conditions as much as possible, it still fell far short of the Dragon King’s requirements. But a Dragon King could not bleed. Therefore, the blood on Yu Dibei’s body could only be diluted and concealed by the rainwater.

Finally, under this nearly one-sided slaughterous pressure, some of the remaining evil spirits completely went mad. Some began to actively attack Yu Dibei, others started running wildly, and some more determined ones, like the evil Daoist in the kasaya, still maintained their inertia and rushed towards the main gate. Yu Dibei raised his hand. The rock walls above the Yu family ancestral home roared. In the curtain of water before Li Zhuiyuan’s eyes, the red became increasingly浓郁 (nóngyù, concentrated). The young man looked up, his eyes showing understanding. He finally knew why the Yu family had built their ancestral home beneath Mount Beiman. It wasn’t that the Yu family imagined becoming immortals like the royalty and nobles buried there. Rather, it was to utilize the unique geomantic veins of this place as a final means of suppressing evil spirits.

Beiman trembled, as if an earth dragon was rolling. Terrifying roars swept from afar, from the direction of the Yu family’s main gate leading to the outside world. The hands of Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing began to tremble at this moment. They had come from the entrance of Mount Beiman, passing through a long journey, through countless formations and restrictions, finally arriving at the main gate of the Yu family’s ancestral home. This meant that there was still a long way from the Yu family’s main gate to leaving Beiman and returning to reality. Moreover, to save energy when they came, they had not destroyed all the formations, restrictions, and mechanisms, only opening a path for entry and leaving markers for subsequent followers. Therefore, those leaving were destined not to be able to move quickly; they would have to reverse-engineer these obstacles to exit, which was not difficult in itself, only requiring time. Counting the time… the group of old fellows who had previously chosen to “plan for the long term” and “take their leave” were probably only halfway out by now. Even Tao Wanli and Ling Zhuxing had no chance of surviving under the might of this earth dragon and those thousand feet of earth. This meant that all of them were now buried alive under Mount Beiman!

Did the Dragon King know? The Dragon King could know, or could not know. A Dragon King’s command relied not only on the Dragon King’s benevolence; if disobeyed, the Dragon King would show you through actual actions what it meant to execute punishment on behalf of Heaven! The earth dragon descended, charging wildly, opening its mouth to swallow and crush all the surrounding evil spirits. Those that could be suppressed and those that could not yet be completely killed were all swept in. After the surroundings were completely cleared, the earth dragon soared again, finally smashing towards the Yu family ancestral hall, located at the very center of the Yu family’s ancestral home.

“Rumble!” A dragon-shaped high tower stood tall, each section of its dragon bones separately suppressing various evil spirits. In front of the Yu family’s main gate, in an instant, everything was clean.

Yu Dibei faced the fierce beasts prostrate before him and spoke, “You… are to be buried with me.” All the resentment on the fierce beasts collectively began to dissipate. Becoming undead was itself a form of cruel torment. At this point, being buried with him was actually a release for them. All the fierce beasts vanished, leaving behind a pool of putrid pus on the ground. Diting was immersed in it.

Yu Dibei walked towards Diting. “Master… Yuanbao… misses master so much… sob sob…” The old dog stared at Yu Dibei’s eyes. It wanted to see just one glance, just one, and its wish would be fulfilled! Yu Dibei raised his foot and brought it down on Diting’s head. “Bang!” Diting’s head exploded, and a small yellow dog rolled out from its body. “Master… I am Yuanbao… Master… Yuanbao made a mistake… Yuanbao made a mistake…”

Yu Dibei squatted down, grabbed the little yellow dog’s head, and lifted it. Rain poured down, drenching the little yellow dog in black and red. The little yellow dog froze. Besides Li Zhuiyuan, it was the second one present to taste its master’s blood. At this moment, its master’s blood was showering its entire body in this manner. Blood ignited, turning into fierce flames. It scorched its body and burned its heart.

“Master… Yuanbao…” The little yellow dog’s form gradually faded into nothingness. Along with it, its memories and all traces of its existence in this world were annihilated. The old dog died without ever seeing its master “once” again.

“Clink…” The silver coin fell to the ground, emitting a clear sound. Yu Dibei picked up the silver coin, clenching it tightly in his palm. The next moment, his figure vanished from its spot and reappeared before the tall tower he had just created by manipulating the earth dragon. This was also the original location of the Yu family ancestral hall.

Yu Dibei knelt down. The dream, it was time to wake. But “Yu Tiannan” did not allow the dream to end easily. The mistakes he had made, the sins he had committed, he would not allow himself to avoid. “Yu Tiannan” opened his eyes. The next moment, blood streamed from both eyes like a torrent!

Continued tomorrow with 20,000 characters. Please give me your monthly votes!