ATPnovel Chapter 167 The Water Mansion's Relics
Chapter 167 The Water Mansion's Relics
Boss Wang sighed and said, "Who knows? Three months ago, the Huai River suddenly rose, and several villages were flooded overnight."
"The government sent people to control the flood, building dikes and dredging waterways, but it was no use. The water just wouldn't recede. Some people said it was because the river god was angry."
Zhou Ning asked, "River God? Isn't the water god of the Huai River the Angry Dragon Lord?"
Boss Wang shook his head.
"The Angry Dragon Lord? What kind of deity is that? We only know that there is an evil dragon in the Huai River that stirs up trouble."
"A master once suppressed it, but recently, for some reason, it has resurfaced."
Zhou Ning's heart skipped a beat.
Evil dragon?
That shouldn't be the Angry Dragon Lord he knows.
Has the water god been changed?
He thanked Boss Wang, left the tea stall, and headed towards the Huai River.
Upon reaching the riverbank, he leaped into the water.
His protective aura, honed during the Nascent Soul stage, kept the water at bay, allowing him to walk as if on flat ground towards the Water Palace.
The Water Palace is built in a cave at the bottom of the river; it is a palace constructed of crystal and coral.
When Zhou Ning last visited, the Water Palace was magnificent and full of spiritual energy.
Now it is a ruin, with moss growing on the walls, mud piled on the ground, and a stench of decay filling the air.
He entered the water palace and found it completely empty, without a single person in sight.
He arrived at the main hall of the Water Palace and saw the stone statue of the Angry Dragon Lord lying on the ground, broken into several pieces.
Beside the stone statue was a black magic circle, from which black mist continuously poured out, emanating a chilling aura.
"As expected, someone was up to no good."
Zhou Ning crouched down and carefully examined the magic circle.
The runes on the magic circle were very complex, but it was clear that it was some kind of summoning array used to summon demons and monsters from the water.
He reached out and poured his true essence into the magic array. The array lit up with a black light, which then gradually dimmed.
"break."
Zhou Ning shattered the magic array with a single palm strike.
The moment the magic array shattered, the entire water palace trembled violently.
Then, everything returned to calm.
Zhou Ning stood up and looked around.
Although the Water Palace is dilapidated, its spiritual energy is slowly recovering.
He left the water palace and returned to the shore.
Just then, a huge figure burst out of the water.
It was a black dragon, about ten zhang long, covered with black scales, and its eyes burned with eerie green flames.
It opened its blood-red maw and lunged at Zhou Ning.
Zhou Ning was prepared and dodged the dragon's kiss with a swift movement.
At the same time, he drew his Qingfeng sword and slashed it down on the dragon's head.
"Ding!"
The sword blade struck the scales, sending sparks flying.
Only a faint white mark remained on the dragon's head.
Its defense is strong, but it's far inferior to the Heavenly Demon's clone.
Zhou Ning snorted coldly and poured his primordial spirit power into the Qingfeng Sword, causing the sword to shine with a dazzling purple-gold light.
He slashed out with his sword, and the purple-gold sword energy went straight for the dragon's belly.
"Pfft!"
The sword energy pierced through the dragon's abdomen, and black blood gushed out.
The dragon let out a desperate roar, crashed to the ground, and remained motionless.
Zhou Ning sheathed his sword, walked to the dragon's corpse, and took out its inner core.
The inner core was black and exuded a cold, eerie aura.
"So it was a dragon that practiced evil magic. No wonder it could stir up trouble."
He carefully stored the inner core, then used magic to redirect the floodwaters back into the river.
The water level began to recede, revealing the submerged villages and towns.
When the floodwaters receded, the people knelt down and kowtowed, thanking Heaven.
Standing by the river, Zhou Ning watched the floodwaters recede and felt a sense of satisfaction welling up inside him.
"Another problem has been solved."
He turned and left Huaiyang.
After the flood in Huaiyang was resolved, Zhou Ning did not rush back to Lanruo Temple, but stayed in the Huaiyang area for a few days.
He helped the people rebuild their homes, clear away the silt, and repair the dikes.
The people were so grateful to him that every household wanted to invite him to stay for a meal.
Zhou Ning couldn't refuse, so he ate at each of the different restaurants in turn, until his stomach was round and full.
"Even those who cultivate themselves are not immune to worldly desires," Zhou Ning said with a wry smile.
On this day, he was meditating on the bank of the Huai River when he suddenly felt the communication jade talisman in his bosom getting slightly warm.
He took out the jade talisman and infused it with a wisp of true essence.
Xuanzhenzi's voice rang in his mind, tinged with excitement.
"Young Master Zhou, something big has happened in Yunmeng Marsh. Recently, the spiritual energy in the marsh has been surging abnormally. Someone has discovered the ruins of an ancient water mansion, which is said to contain the opportunity to form a core."
"All the major sects are gathering manpower, preparing to enter the ruins to explore. Are you interested?"
Zhou Ning's heart skipped a beat.
The opportunity to form the Golden Core?
He is now a Nascent Soul cultivator, and the Golden Core stage is a thing of the past for him.
However, many of his friends and like-minded people are still stuck in the Golden Core stage or even the Foundation Establishment stage.
If they could obtain the opportunity to form their core, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous boon for them.
"Master Xuanzhen, where are those ruins located in Yunmeng Marsh?"
Xuanzhenzi said, "On a solitary island in the middle of the marsh, there is a place called 'Penglai Island'."
"It is said that this island is usually submerged underwater and only surfaces at specific times."
"The recent surge of spiritual energy may be a sign that the island is about to emerge."
Zhou Ning thought for a moment and said, "Okay. I'll go take a look."
He bid farewell to the people of Huaiyang, stepped into the air and transformed into a rainbow, speeding towards the direction of Yunmengze.
The distance from Huaiyang to Yunmengze is nearly a thousand miles.
Zhou Ning soon arrived at the edge of the marsh.
Yunmengze covers an area of eight hundred li, with a dense network of waterways and numerous swamps.
The lake is shrouded in mist and covered with reeds, looking like a green ocean from afar.
But unlike the last time I came, the spiritual energy in the swamp was indeed exceptionally abundant. A faint spiritual mist filled the air, and taking a breath made me feel refreshed.
Many cultivators have already gathered by the marsh.
Some were wearing Taoist robes, some were wearing tight-fitting clothes, some were riding spirit beasts, and some were flying on swords.
They were in twos and threes, some talking in hushed tones, some closing their eyes to regulate their breathing, and others cautiously observing their surroundings.
A tense atmosphere hung in the air, like the calm before a storm.
Zhou Ning found a high place and landed.
He looked around and saw many familiar faces.
Yu Zhenzi from Qingcheng Mountain, Xuan Zhenzi from Qingfeng Temple, Han Wei from the Demon Suppression Division, and some other rogue cultivators whose names I don't know.
"Young Master Zhou!"
Han Wei saw him and greeted him with a smile.
"You're here too?"
Zhou Ning nodded: "Lord Han, how much do you know about the ruins of Yunmeng Marsh?"
Han Wei said, "I only found out about it recently. It is said that this water palace was the residence of a water god in ancient times, and it contains a large number of treasures and cultivation techniques."
"After the water god fell, the water palace sank to the bottom of the marsh, only surfacing once every hundred years. We just happened to be there when it surfaced this time."
He lowered his voice and continued, "However, the news has already spread, and all the major sects have sent people here."
"The righteous sects include Qingcheng Mountain, Longhu Mountain, and Maoshan Mountain, while several unorthodox sects have also sent people. A struggle for power is inevitable."