Chapter 314. The South Sea's Solution (2)

The problem that had plagued the South Sea Dragon Gate for so long was finally over.

What had been thought to be the wrath of a dragon—the incarnation of the sea itself—caused by a dispute over the rights and interests of Hainan Island, was revealed to be the result of the imoogi’s rage.

There was no longer any reason to fight.

And so, the South Sea Dragon King began negotiating a ceasefire.

Although considerable damage had already been inflicted, that didn’t mean they could continue creating victims needlessly.

Both the Hainan Sword Sect and the South Sea Dragon Gate were exhausted. They agreed to put aside their hostility for the time being and call a ceasefire.

"Tsk, just stay still. I’ll be done in an instant if you don’t move."

The Divine Physician’s medical skills were famous throughout the South Sea.

Although there were many wounded, this wasn't difficult for the Divine Physician, who had devoted his entire life to medicine.

He had treated people in even worse conditions, so he handled the wounded with ease.

"I still can't believe it," Wei Yihai muttered as he adjusted his dislocated finger bones.

"A dragon, no, an

imoogi...

"

The others nodded in agreement.

Although an

imoogi

wasn't as divine as a dragon, it was still an incredible spiritual beast. Seeing something like that for the first time was enough to make one lose the will to fight.

It was the kind of being no one would dare to oppose. Encountering one at sea was basically a death sentence.

However, Zhou Xuchuan had not only survived, but also subdued it. Even after seeing it with their own eyes, it was hard to believe.

He had run and walked across the sea, plunging into its depths and rising again with a towering pillar of water in his wake. It was impossible not to gape at such inhuman power.

No one questioned Zhou Xuchuan’s place among the Seven Empyrean Overlords anymore.

"Really... it's a cultivation that can't be described."

"We’ll never see anything like this again."

"No one would believe me even if I recorded this, right?"

"It feels like a dream."

In the Central Plains, absolute masters like the Seven Empyrean Overlords appeared regularly in each era. Thus, their prowess was something that was easily verified.

However, that wasn't the case for the South Seas

murim

or for Hainan Island. Only one or two masters like the Seven Empyrean Overlords appeared across several eras.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Their shock was indescribable.

It was from their reactions that Zhou Xuchuan could somewhat understand why the Central Plains was so highly regarded.

Everyone trembled before his overwhelming strength. It was fortunate that they were allies, not enemies.

As for the South Sea Dragon Gate, they were simply relieved their heads were still on their shoulders.

Long ago, the divine tree had been divided into nine pillars for the Dragon Palace.

But after the

imoogi

arrived, the pillars began to collapse, unable to withstand the repeated shock of its attacks.

While the South Sea Dragon Gate tried to repair the damage, the Dragon Palace's blacksmiths weren't skilled enough. Eventually, they searched for the land men's blacksmiths and contacted Gan Yezi. Since the existence of the South Sea Dragon Gate was at stake, their attitude was polite, and threatening him was their last resort.

Fortunately, Gan Yezi, a natural-born blacksmith, readily agreed due to his curiosity, and was invited to the Dragon Palace.

"The fine adjustments are finished,” he said, dusting off his hands. “Unless there’s another disaster like the one just now, or a major earthquake, it won’t collapse."

"Really?" The South Sea Dragon King still looked uneasy.

"Of course. But seriously... you don’t know who built this absurd thing?"

When Gan Yezi first saw the Nine Children of the Dragon Pillars, he could hardly believe his eyes.

From beginning to end, everything about them was extraordinary. Not only was the structure perfectly designed to keep the underwater cave from collapsing, but the balance of force and the detailed craftsmanship were so precise, they almost felt surreal.

It was so amazing that it was painful to explain each and every perfect detail. As a person, and a blacksmith, he was overwhelmed.

Wasn't there a saying that one would only be able to see as much as one knew? It was similar to how a lower-level warrior felt awe towards a high-level expert. No, it was more than that.

"I'm sorry, but the records are so old that they've either been lost or are illegible."

"How regretful."

Gan Yezi clicked his tongue and turned around.

"Now, putting that aside... Zhou Xuchuan, was it?"

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Zhou Xuchuan, a fourth-generation disciple of Mount Hua Sect. I'm called the Sword God within the

murim

."

Finally...

The opportunity to recruit Gan Yezi had finally arrived.

The South Sea Dragon King stepped aside to allow them privacy for their conversation.

"I heard you were looking for me. What do you need?" the blacksmith asked.

While his tone was a bit rough, it didn't seem hostile.

"Yes, it's nothing bad, you see..."

Gan Yezi was the only blacksmith they could rely on at the moment, so Zhou Xuchuan spoke with care.

He explained the situation delicately, trying not to upset him.

He had originally wanted Li Yicai to handle this part, but the merchant couldn’t enter the underwater cave, so Zhou Xuchuan had no choice but to handle it himself.

For now, he set the actual negotiation aside and just explained the situation.

"Hmm."

Fortunately, the blacksmith seemed a little interested. He perked up his ears at the mention of a new mechanism that he had never seen before.

The people you call blacksmiths have always been slightly crazy about making and fixing things, especially geniuses like Gan Yezi. They're naturally curious about things that haven't been invented yet. Please emphasize this part.

Li Yicai's advice before Zhou Xuchuan had come to the Dragon Palace was helpful.

"Good. Then, let’s go up to the surface and discuss things in more detail there," Gan Yezi said.

"Yes, understood... Oh, by the way, elder, how did you make it down to the underwater cave?"

The Dragon Palace was located deep underwater. Even if Gan Yezi was a martial artist, he couldn't have dove this deep if he hadn't trained in a water immersion art.

"With an artifact."

The one who answered that question was none other than Chi Shuishui.

Her long hair, usually flowing down her back and around her shoulders, was now tied up, revealing her pale, bandaged skin.

Like the Phantoms, she was always dressed in tiny clothing, making it difficult to know where to look. Zhou Xuchuan hadn't realized it when they had been fighting, but now that he looked at it, it was really quite lewd.

It was too

revealing

to be called an outfit made to minimize water resistance.

"Um..."

Most of her wounds, including the hole in her shoulder, had been caused by Zhou Xuchuan himself. That was why seeing her face was awkward.

However, Chi Shuishui didn't seem to care much.

"It's an artifact. We call it the Qi Pearl."

She showed him a jewel sitting on her palm, a pearl with a beautiful rainbow color.

"Are you done with your conversation?" She asked.

"Yes."

"The Dragon King is waiting. Please come with me."

Zhou Xuchuan and Gan Yezi followed Chi Shuishui as they ascended from the great cavern of the Nine Children of the Dragon Pillars. Soon, the entrance came into view.

They went around the back of the throne and saw the armored South Sea Dragon Gate warriors standing in a row on both sides.

Their gazes towards outsiders had changed. Instead of being wary, hostile, or angry, they were filled with awe.

"Come, heroes of the Dragon Palace."

Heroes?

Gan Yezi was definitely a hero. If it hadn't been for him, the Nine Children of the Dragon Pillars would have collapsed long ago.

However, the Dragon King had just said heroes, not hero.

"Warrior from the land, Zhou Xuchuan. You have subdued the

imoogi

, whom we had thought was the wrath of the sea, and saved the Dragon Palace from danger. For this, we sincerely thank you."

Ahem...

Zhou Xuchuan's conscience was pricked a little—no, a lot. Although he hadn't intended to, he was the reason why the

imoogi

had knocked into the Dragon Palace.

As a result, he felt bad about being treated as a hero so openly.

"I hope you understand that we can’t hold a grand ceremony, as our ceasefire negotiations with the Hainan Sword Sect are still ongoing."

"I-it's nothing." Zhou Xuchuan replied, his stomach twisting.

"If there's anything you want, please tell me. I'll give you anything. You too, Gan Yezi."

"Could I have just one of the Nine Children of the Dragon Pillars?"

"..."

Gan Yezi wasn't an ordinary person either.

"I..."

In the end, Zhou Xuchuan couldn't bear the pangs of guilt and decided to tell the truth. If he left things like this, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

He confessed everything to the Dragon King—from his childhood encounter with the Water Spiritual Fruit in the underwater cave in Shaanxi, to the

imoogi’s

memories.

"I never imagined things would turn out like this. I’m no hero. On the contrary, I endangered the Dragon Palace. Also, the Dragon’s Roar technique, which you had lost—I obtained it by chance from a villain in the Central Plains."

He also gave a rough explanation of the Sound God, Shao Leijin.

Zhou Xuchuan watched the Dragon King’s expression closely. In the worst-case scenario, he might have to fight again. Still, he believed telling the truth was the right thing to do.

Afterward, he felt lighter. Carrying that secret for life had been a burden.

But contrary to his fears, the South Sea Dragon King burst into hearty laughter and slapped his knee.

"Hohoho, I never would have expected there to be such circumstances. But you need not feel so guilty. Yes, you were indirectly involved—but you didn’t do it on purpose, did you?"

The South Sea Dragon King didn't seem to care at all.

Zhou Xuchuan searched his face but found no hint of anger.

"Things might be different if you had controlled the

imoogi

and attacked the Dragon Palace directly. But you're not even a god, so how could you have intended something like that? It was just bad luck. I, the ruler of the South Sea, the Dragon King, am not so small-minded as to question you because of something like that."

Zhou Xuchuan had certainly been the indirect cause. However, it was difficult to blame him for what had happened as the swordsman hadn't known about it.

"Only humans on land would hold grudges over something like that."

It was a sharp observation.

In the

murim

of the land, such as in the Central Plains or Hainan Island, people would kill or hold grudges over trivial things.

Even if one wasn't the direct cause, there were frequent cases of people taking revenge on those who were involved.

It was natural in the

murim

, but it was incomprehensible from the perspective of the South Sea Dragon Gate.

If they were to do something like that, the Dragon Palace, which was already small in number, would quickly fall apart.

"I thank you for your kindness, South Sea Dragon King," Zhou Xuchuan said, bowing with genuine relief.

"Oh, and I'll return the Dragon's Roar to you."

"That really is good news."

The South Sea Dragon King's face brightened. It was good news that he could recover a lost art of his gate.

Inwardly, he had been wondering how he could have persuaded the outrageous monster in front of him, Zhou Xuchuan, to return it.

"By the way, when did you lose Dragon's Roar?"

From what he had heard, the South Sea Dragon Gate had been closed for hundreds of years.

It was strange that the Dragon's Roar had been discovered outside when there had been no need for them to go out. Zhou Xuchuan wondered if it was related to the Dark Heavens Association.

"I don't remember it that well, but it was about twenty years ago... during a fierce battle with the humans who were wandering around the sea near us, the South Sea Dragon King was defeated and his cultivation method lost."

Even though the South Sea Dragon Gate had isolated itself, that didn’t mean they stayed underwater all the time.

They attacked fishing boats and pirate ships to prevent the location of the dragon gate from being discovered, or they subjugated deep-sea monsters.

Moreover, they had to hunt schools of fish underwater to survive.

Was it the Eastern Pirates?

Based on the described circumstances, the only culprit could have been the Eastern Pirates. The technique had probably made its way to Shao Leijin through them.

The Dark Heavens Association had its hand in everything. Their shadows could be seen everywhere.

"So, back to the matter at hand, if there is anything you want, tell me."

"Then, please lend me the power of the South Sea Dragon Gate sometime."

"I promise in the name of the South Sea's Dragon King. The South Sea Dragon Gate swears to help the fourth-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, Sword God Zhou Xuchuan, no matter the reason, if he asks for help."

That was enough. Zhou Xuchuan didn’t want anything else.

"As for you, Gan Yezi..."

"I'll give up on the Nine Children of the Dragon Pillars, so if you have any good materials, please give them to me."

"We have some Cold Iron in the Dragon Palace's treasury, so I will give that to you."

Gan Yezi nodded, satisfied.

"By the way, I still can’t believe someone could have that level of cultivation. You truly are impressive. Actually, if you hadn't mentioned that your quick sword was from the Mount Hua Sect, I would have thought that you were the Sword Saint of Eagle Grotto."

"The Sword Saint of Eagle Grotto?"

Zhou Xuchuan had heard that name somewhere.

"Do you not know him? Well, since his sect is a hidden sect, I guess you wouldn't know. Moreover, his time has passed."

I'll have to look into it later.

There was something more important right now.

The South Sea affair was settled.

I'm finally going back.

To his longed-for hometown, the Central Plains.