Chapter 420: The Dragon Dances in the Sky, Cutting Through the Waves

Amidst the pitch-black heavens and earth, a fierce gale swept through as torrential rain poured down in an instant. Enormous bolts of lightning, accompanied by deafening thunder, pierced through the sky and sea, illuminating the stormy clouds and the relentless downpour.

“

Rumble

...”

In the face of nature’s overwhelming power, the small boat seemed as insignificant as a mere speck of dust. It struggled within the tempest of wind and waves, appearing both precarious and oddly calm—a contradiction that defied description.

Lady Calico turned her head and shouted to the Daoist, “The boat is taking on water!”

“I’ll leave it to you, Lady Calico.”

“Got it!”

With that, Lady Calico raised her Water-Dividing Blade, pointed at the water accumulating in the boat, and issued a gentle yet commanding order, “Out you go!”

The water instantly transformed into a stream and shot out of the boat. Another bolt of lightning slashed across the sky, momentarily brightening the heavens and earth.

In the distance, a large sailing ship came into view. Even though it was much larger than the small boat, it was still at the mercy of the violent storm, tossed around like a toy, easily lifted by towering waves only to crash back down.

“

Boom

!”

The thunder arrived moments later, rolling across the sea.

The lightning, as brief as it was, vanished in an instant, and the large ship was once again swallowed by the darkness.

Suddenly, another flash of lightning tore through the sky.

The lightning was almost a purplish-red hue, branching out in countless directions. Unlike an instant flash that connects the heavens and the sea in a split second, this bolt unraveled gradually, descending from the sky as a thick electric column that split into countless cracks. It lingered momentarily in the air before fading away slowly.

Once again, it illuminated the large ship swaying amidst the storm, but this time, it also revealed something beyond the ship, deep within the thunderclouds: a massive, dragon-shaped silhouette twisting and writhing in the sky, momentarily resembling the ruler of the storm and the heavens.

“

Rumble

...” The thunder followed, as slow and belated as before.

“There’s a ship!”

“And something else...”

Lady Calico, now in her human form and gripping her Water-Dividing Blade, tilted her head upward and stared dumbfounded at the scene. After a moment, she turned her gaze toward the Daoist beside her.

Several more bolts of lightning struck in quick succession.

This time, everything became even clearer—

That colossal figure coiled and spiraled within the clouds, as if it were bathing in them. At times, it slithered through the air, either soaring upward into the heavens or diving downward toward the ocean. Occasionally, it would burst out from the water’s surface, and at other times, it appeared simultaneously in the thunderclouds, the sky, and the sea.

Its size was beyond comprehension.

The creature’s body stretched for hundreds of zhang, and with the low-hanging storm clouds, it seemed to bridge the sky and sea like a living bolt of lightning. Compared to this dragon, even the pods of whales they had encountered before seemed like insignificant playthings.

Its wet scales glistened under the lightning’s glow, their texture vivid and intricate, as if declaring to the world that this was no illusion—this was real, and its majesty was undeniable.

“How spectacular...” Song You couldn’t help but marvel at the sight.

The wind and waves pushed the large ship closer and closer to the small boat.

Under the flickering glow of the lightning, Song You saw the chaotic and frantic figures on the wooden ship. The crew hurriedly performed emergency measures against the storm, yet they couldn’t help but glance toward the massive dragon whenever lightning illuminated it. Those seeing it for the first time were stunned in place, while others stopped their tasks to point at it and shout in alarm.

“A dragon! There’s a dragon!”

“The Sea Dragon King has appeared!”

“The Sea Dragon King is showing his power!”

“Quick, throw the pigs, sheep, and dogs overboard! Hurry!”

Their shouts were desperate, strained to the point of hoarseness. Even with the roaring storm raging around them, their voices pierced through, refusing to be drowned out.

“

Boom

!”

Lightning once again connected the heavens and sea, but this time, it struck dangerously close to both the large ship and the small boat. The electric glow reflected vividly on the surface of the water, revealing what appeared to be a distant mountain.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a mountain at all—it was a towering wave, as high as a cliff face, surging toward them with terrifying force.

The crew aboard the large ship were all struck dumb. For a moment, the chaos on the ship fell silent.

“Daoist priest...”

“Lady Calico.”

“Hm?”

“May I borrow your Water-Dividing Blade?”

“Of course!”

In the pitch-black night, only the lightning could provide fleeting glimpses of visibility. Despite the number of people aboard the large ship, none of them noticed the small boat trailing behind.

As they frantically worked on their emergency tasks, their attention remained fixed on the distant, colossal dragon stretching its body between the sky and sea, wielding control over the storm. They had no time to worry about the massive wave creeping up behind them.

By the time they saw it, the wave was already dangerously close.

It truly resembled a mountain—dark, looming, and suffocating. With each burst of lightning, the wave grew larger, closer, and more ominous, its overwhelming presence making the sailing ship seem minuscule in comparison.

“Quick, get inside the cabin!”

“It's over...”

“Sea Dragon King, save us!”

“Sea Dragon King, show your divine power...”

How could a small wooden ship possibly withstand a mountain-sized wave?

At the critical moment, a streak of silver light suddenly shot through the night, cutting through the storm-filled sky and the torrential rain.

The light resembled lightning, but it wasn’t quite the same. If one were to say it looked like a bolt of lightning, it would be even further from the truth. It looked more like the flash of a blade described in the tales of storytellers—a dazzling strike that came from behind the sailing ship, slicing toward the giant wave.

The light stretched rapidly from near to far, growing larger and brighter, and in an instant, it streaked across the stormy sea, disappearing into the night.

“

Whoosh

!”

The rainwater pooling on the deck instantly split apart.

The blade-like light had clearly passed through the ship, but it caused no damage to the vessel itself. Instead, it only affected the water on the deck and carved a visible path across the rain-swept surface of the sea.

“

Boom

!”

Another bolt of thunder illuminated the scene ahead.

Those still on the deck, who hadn’t yet managed to seek shelter inside, widened their eyes in shock.

The mountain-like wave had been split down the middle. It was now collapsing and spilling apart to either side.

For a moment, it seemed as if the water had transformed into solid earth, and the wave had truly become a mountain. But whether it was water or earth, fluid or solid, wave or mountain, all of it had been cleaved by that blade of light.

“Sea Dragon King has manifes—!”

Someone began to shout, but their words trailed off mid-sentence. Because they suddenly realized that the light, though incredibly fast, had a traceable path—and it had come from the opposite direction of the massive dragon.

The crowd quickly turned their heads to look.

The sea was a vast expanse of darkness, with hidden waves lurking beneath its surface.

“

Boom

!”

A crack of thunder illuminated the night—

Not far from the sailing ship, a small boat was being lifted high by the waves. Despite the turbulence, the boat remained steady. A man in a Daoist robe was bent over, handing a dagger to a young girl.

The flash of lightning quickly faded.

That scene lasted only for a fleeting moment before the sea returned to its pitch-black state, leaving only the sound of crashing waves in the air.

“...”

Everyone’s eyes were wide open. That image seemed to remain imprinted on their retinas. They knew they would never forget it for the rest of their lives.

“

Rumble

...”

Suddenly, the ship rocked violently, as if on the verge of capsizing. Even seasoned sailors, with years of experience, couldn’t stay on their feet. The jarring impact threw them to the deck in an instant.

It wasn’t until they struggled to get back up that they realized the truth: although the massive wave had been split apart, it had only saved them from immediate disaster. The storm had not yet passed, and the sea’s raging waves had not calmed. The split wave hadn’t vanished into thin air—it had merely dispersed into smaller, yet still formidable waves, which posed a continuous challenge.

The deck was no place to stand any longer.

With no time to spare, they stored the image of what they had just witnessed deep in their hearts, then scrambled and crawled their way into the safety of the ship’s cabin.

***

By the next morning, the thunderstorm had completely dissipated.

Thanks to Lady Calico, who held the Water-Dividing Blade, not a single drop of excess water remained on the small boat. Even the few coconuts they had onboard were still intact.

Song You lay sprawled on the boat, asleep. He slowly stirred and opened his eyes.

At this moment, the sea was already calm and serene. There wasn’t the slightest breeze or ripple to be found. The surface of the water was as smooth as a mirror, but it reflected nothing except for the small boat. This was because a thick fog had risen over the sea, reducing visibility to less than ten zhang.

Song You sat up and looked around. The cat lay beside him, clutching the Water-Dividing Blade as she slept.

The swallow stood at the bow of the boat with his eyes closed.

As Song You moved, the small boat swayed slightly, finally adding a few gentle ripples to the mirror-like sea, the waves spreading slowly into the depths of the fog.

The swallow’s eyes snapped open, dark and alert.

The cat hugged the Water-Dividing Blade with one paw while the other paw curled around to cover her eyes. Her fluffy paws, round and soft like they were wearing white gloves, gave off an irresistibly tender vibe.

She had clearly felt the motion of the boat and instinctively pressed her paw harder over her eyes before shifting her body slightly. After a moment, she lowered her paw and squinted at Song You, still half-asleep.

“Good morning, Yan An. Good morning, Lady Calico,” Song You greeted them warmly, as if the storm from the previous night had never happened.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Morning, Daoist priest...” Lady Calico responded while lifting her head to glance around. “Why is it so quiet?”

“The sea has calmed.”

“The sea has calmed...”

“Maybe last night’s storm drained all the energy the sea had built up,” Song You said with a smile. Then, turning to the swallow, he asked, “When you used to sail overseas in search of superior crop seeds, did you ever run into storms?”

“We saw storms from afar, but they were never as intense as last night. And whenever we saw one approaching or felt the warning signs, we always steered clear in advance,” The swallow replied honestly.

“Last night must have been quite a shock for you,” Song You said.

“Not really...” the swallow whispered, though he turned his gaze upward toward the sky.

The scenes from the previous night seemed to linger in his mind.

It had been a spectacle unlike anything he had ever witnessed—an awe-inspiring storm, a force of nature that he had never experienced firsthand. It was something he knew he would carry with him for the rest of his life. Even when he grew old and gray, last night would remain one of the most unforgettable and extraordinary nights of his entire existence.

But the swallow didn’t say any of this, nor could he find the words. When he finally lowered his gaze from the fog-covered sky and looked back at Song You, he simply said, “Do you want me to fly up and see where we are?”

“There’s no need. This place is dangerous, and with the fog so dense, you might fly too far and not be able to find your way back.”

“I agree—this place feels strange,” the swallow admitted.

“Mm...” Song You nodded but didn’t say much more. Instead, he turned his head and looked in a specific direction.

Amid the dense fog, a faint shadow emerged, only slightly darker than the surrounding mist. It was barely noticeable at first, but once spotted, it became clearer and clearer. The shape vaguely resembled that of a ship.

Tiny ripples spread across the water from that direction.

“

Creak

...”

There was the strained sound of wooden planks shifting, mixed with the faint splashing of water.

A large ship slowly emerged from the fog, gradually becoming more visible. As the two vessels drew closer, the details of the large ship became increasingly distinct.

Onboard the large ship, facing their direction, stood a crowd of people—all of them staring intently at the small boat.