Chapter 238: Carving Flesh to Eat to Vent Resentment; Nezha Visits Guanjiangkou

Fang Longye, having savored the moment for a long time, came to his senses, cast a glance at Yang Chan who remained hidden deep within the palace, and smiled.

He turned, stepped out of the palace, stood before the entrance, and looked all around.

He saw that this dojo of Yang Chan's was filled with golden, jade-like pavilions and lush flowers and trees.

Radiant light reflected off the windows, and peach-colored clouds bathed in rain mingled with the shadows of bamboo, falling before the door.

Not far away stood crystal-clear pearl trees with delicate, sparse shadows. Various musical notes hung upon them, emitting clear tones at the slightest collision.

Fang Longye surveyed the beautiful scenery all around, his heart filled with joy.

He had finally won the beauty's heart—or at the very least, he had confirmed that Yang Chan, this Third Holy Mother, was not without inexplicable feelings for him.

Otherwise, she would not have let him succeed.

Even after he succeeded, she had only run away in shy annoyance, without shouting to beat or kill him.

What this signified was self-evident.

It was just a moment ago, after Yang Chan followed his avatar out of his Inner World, that she naturally had a long conversation with his true body.

It was during this process that Fang Longye continuously and ambiguously drew close to her, finally seizing an opportunity when she was off guard to steal a kiss.

This could be considered a qualitative breakthrough in their relationship.

"With this relationship with Yang Chan, my future safety has increased by a few points," Fang Longye muttered to himself.

Just as Yang Jian had perceived before, it was not that Fang Longye did not understand his own situation; he knew that being identified by various great powers as the bearer of Xihuang's legacy meant he was currently walking a tightrope.

It appeared to be smooth sailing, with almost everyone showing him favor, like flowers embroidered on brocade. But he had never let these appearances cloud his judgment; he understood his situation was not exactly wonderful.

He dared not guarantee that those who were currently showing him every favor would not turn hostile later.

In this world, there are no eternal enemies and no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

Even if it were him, facing such a sweet treat, he would drool with greed and wish to find an opportunity to extract the marrow and bones, squeezing him dry.

He did not believe there was no one harboring thoughts of "farming gold coins" from him. Therefore, establishing a connection with Wa Palace through Yang Chan was naturally a very necessary thing.

After all, given the relationship between Wa Huang and Xihuang, he, as the "bearer of Xihuang's legacy," still had high hopes of gaining the favor of Wa Huang Niangniang.

Although, he still had not confirmed whether his Golden Finger, the 'Equivalent Balance', was indeed the handiwork of the Xihuang of this world.

"But there is one thing—why do I feel a chill all over my body?"

Fang Longye could not help but shiver, and only then did he remember to look up at the void above his head.

He saw indescribable black energy descending from the sky, falling above his crown, swaying constantly, yet hovering without landing.

It gathered and dispersed in an instant, rippling like water.

"Could it be that this behavior of mine has been discovered by Yang Chan's second brother, Erlang Shen?"

"That shouldn't be! I have been using my Golden Finger to conceal myself, leaving no gaps and not a single trace; how could he have sensed it?"

Fang Longye was completely baffled.

Yet he did not know—

Those who calculate against others are constantly calculated against themselves.

He wanted to rely on crooked paths, such as the special resonance produced by melting the Lotus Lantern from another world, to stir Yang Chan's heartstrings.

But in this process, he was also involuntarily influenced in his own state of mind to a certain degree.

Specifically, it was as if he had been hit by an intelligence-lowering halo; he often failed to consider things thoroughly, and his schemes and calculations frequently revealed flaws.

If not for Yang Jian being afraid of damaging the surroundings and thus shifting his fury onto the Four Sea Dragon Kings who belonged to the same Dragon Clan, Fang Longye would have long since fallen into a state even more miserable than the former—after all, strictly speaking, he was the real culprit, while the Ao Guang brothers currently suffering in Guanjiangkou were merely victims of an unprovoked disaster!...

Guanjiangkou.

It was already evening; outside the Erlang Xiansheng True Monarch Temple, there was a stretch of pines and cypresses, verdant and colorful. The nightfall startled the birds, which flew past in flocks, their wings spreading like wheels.

Yet within the dojo opened by Yang Jian, it was a scene of bright and sunny weather. However, the four Dragon Kings he had captured and brought here were in deep water and scorching fire.

It was truly deep water and scorching fire, not just a metaphorical catchphrase.

Pavilions and kiosks crisscrossed, surrounded everywhere by auspicious smoke and colorful clouds.

It looked as if fragrant dust covered the ground and bright colors filled the air.

What a Blessed Land and Grotto-Heaven! Only, the smoke and fire of the mortal world within one courtyard ruined the immortal atmosphere of Yang Jian's dojo.

This courtyard was spacious, with three large furnaces—a wok, a deep-fryer, and a steamer—set up in the center. The furnace fires were roaring, mist swirled, and the oil was boiling hot.

A barbecue grill was also set up to the side, smoky and scorched, burning bright red.

Yang Jian lay half-reclined on a Vine Chair, feeding a piece of roasted meat into his mouth, chewing fiercely, looking as if he were gnashing his teeth.

While doing so, he did not forget to lecture the Four Sea Dragon Kings, who were tasked with the culinary duties beside the furnace fires.

"Why are you all pulling such long faces? It's making the meat on your bodies taste less delicious!"

"Looking at your mournful faces makes me lose my appetite!" "How truly unlucky!"

Yang Jian extended his chopsticks, picked up a piece of dragon liver from Ao Shun, tasted it in his mouth, and then spat it out with a 'pfft'.

He casually tossed the entire plate of dragon liver to Xiaotian Quan, who had transformed into his celestial dog form nearby.

"Ao Shun, stir-fry another plate for this lord! Pay attention, keep a smile on your face the whole time—"

"Otherwise, it ruins the texture too much!"

North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun stood by the wok, and upon hearing Yang Jian's command, tears were about to fall.

This was bullying people too far! Not only did they have to force the four brothers to pull their own tendons and bones, and carve out their own flesh and livers.

He even forced them to cut the flesh and parts from their own bodies, and prepare them by hand into dishes for his enjoyment.

And if that wasn't enough, he complained about the poor taste and fed it directly to a dog! To fry another plate and keep a smiling face the whole time—was there any law? Was there any heavenly principle? This was truly bullying the dragons too much!

However, catching the gaze Yang Jian cast over, cold and heartless, Ao Shun was startled and hurriedly put on a smiling face to greet him.

Enduring the humiliation, he cut open his own chest, carved out a large piece of dragon liver, and began to stir-fry it, maintaining a cheerful expression throughout the entire process.

Yang Jian's gaze fell upon the smile on Ao Shun's face, and the pent-up resentment in his heart finally dissipated quite a bit.

He snorted coldly and thought to himself: "Still feeling aggrieved in front of me? It was you who sent a whole bunch of dragon maidens to fill the backyard of that rotten loach surnamed Fang!"

"Assisting the tyrant in his evil deeds! Truly heinous—and you still have the face to feign innocence?"

At the mere thought that if he were to let his younger sister jump into this fire pit that was Fang Longye, she would have to spend her future fighting for favor among a large group of women.

Yang Jian felt his anger rising from nowhere.

The gaze he cast toward Ao Shun became increasingly unkind.

Over on the side of West Sea Dragon King Ao Run, he turned pale as he channeled his True Fire, burning the stove until it was glowing red, and then tossed the dragon heart he had just personally excised into the boiling oil pot.

For a time, the sizzling sound of deep-frying was incessant, and an aroma that made one drool wafted everywhere.

"What kind of gunpowder did this True Lord Erlang eat! He's actually gone mad to this extent! If this continues, even if I don't die, my cultivation realm will plummet~"

Ao Run roared repeatedly in his heart, his despair laced with terror.

If it were only a single dragon heart, it would be no big deal for him, as he had long been capable of regenerating flesh and blood.

Even for an organ as vital as the heart, it would only require consuming a bit more of his origin to regenerate. Furthermore, he was already a person of the Taiyi realm; his entire essence, energy, and spirit were integrated as one, and he had his True Spirit and mark entrusted to the Dao Sea. Aside from feeling some humiliation, he fundamentally did not care about the loss of a heart.

But this great master had already forced him to excise, regenerate, and excise his heart again for one or two hundred times!

Moreover, for every regenerated dragon heart, he was not only forced to nourish and refine it with his origin but also to consume the laws he had comprehended and brand them upon it.

This method, which was akin to a Demon sacrifice, let alone him, even his eldest brother Ao Guang could not endure.

South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin was roasting a whole rack of dragon ribs with a dejected look on his face. Naturally, these were also extracted directly from his own body.

"What a truly unlucky year~"

"It was so hard to find out what a lucrative job it was to escort that Monkey. I had to beg everyone I knew and pull strings just to land this assignment."

"And yet, before I even stepped out of the South Sea, I suffered this disaster for no reason at all."

"I don't know which bastard among us three brothers offended True Lord Erlang?"

"If I find out, even if it's the eldest brother, I'll have to peel his skin off!"

Ao Guang remained silent, steaming a piece of rice-steamed meat made from his own dragon body, his mind turning rapidly as he kept thinking about where exactly he had offended this True Lord.

Yet no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure out how he had offended this True Lord Erlang Xiansheng—"It seems that if we survive this Tribulation, I must properly discipline the second, third, and fourth brothers!"

It was obvious that since it wasn't him, it must be his three younger brothers! The four Sea Dragon Kings suffered and endured while suspecting one another. They were completely unaware that Yang Jian was merely venting his anger on them—but with Yang Jian nearby, the four Sea Dragon Kings dared not use divine sense transmission, naturally giving rise to groundless misunderstandings.

Because Ao Guang and the others knew very well—although among the four brothers, any one of them was far older than Yang Jian by countless epochs.

But when it came to cultivation realm, Yang Jian, this heaven-gifted talent, far surpassed them by an unknown margin.

Divine sense transmission was no different from loud plotting in his eyes; every action was clear to him.

Under these circumstances, they were terrified that whispering to each other would anger Yang Jian. Naturally, they all kept their mouths shut—and a long time passed again.

Just as the four Sea Dragon Kings were suffering, the arrival of a person interrupted the difficult situation Yang Jian had imposed upon them while venting his anger.

It also allowed Ao Guang and the others to temporarily stop and gain a moment of respite.

……

Guanjiangkou, Temple of True Lord Erlang Xiansheng.

Originally, as night fell, it was silent and soundless.

Just at this moment, there was suddenly a clanging sound, like jade ringing in an empty valley, echoing all around, saying, "Is the Second Brother in?"

As soon as the voice emerged, the doors opened wide, and a young man in silver armor and a silver helmet with sword-like eyebrows walked out from within. A bright silver spear was on his back, and his whole body exuded a sharp aura.

However, upon seeing the visitor outside, he immediately restrained his sharpness and revealed a smile that made one feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze, saying: "Third Prince, why have you come to Guanjiangkou so late?"

The visitor was none other than the good younger brother of his own True Lord—the Three Altars Sea-Meeting Great Deity, Nezha Third Prince.

"Is Brother Li Huanzhang on duty today?"

Nezha was not polite; without waiting for Li Huanzhang to lead the way, he moved his Wind Fire Wheels and entered the temple with familiar ease.

With a blur before their eyes, the two had already arrived in another world.

It was vast and boundless, with high skies and wide earth, permeated with graceful auspiciousness, the scenery as beautiful as a painting.

Everywhere one looked, spiritual energy surged from time to time, turning into water droplets that chimed with a tinkling sound.

It was full of vitality, with all things competing to flourish.

Nezha did not feel any surprise at this; having been here many times, he was very familiar with every blade of grass and every tree here.

He understood that the True Lord Erlang temple outside was merely an entry point where Yang Jian's dojo connected with the mundane world.

Nezha and Li Huanzhang, one of the Meishan Six Generals, walked for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea and arrived at the courtyard where Yang Jian was.

"Second Brother!"

Nezha stepped on his Wind Fire Wheels, the lotus leaf skirt at his waist shimmering in layers of light, the precious rings on his wrists emitting clear sounds, his brows full of joy.

"Virtuous brother, coming to see Second Brother so late, is there something the matter?"

Seeing Nezha, Yang Jian was also very happy; he immediately left the four Sea Dragon Kings aside, came before Nezha, and embraced him by the shoulders.

With a smile on his face, there was a sense of sincerity; the two had known each other since the Conferring of the Gods, having shared hardships and prosperity, their spirits in harmony, and their relationship was excellent.

They were not biological brothers, but they were closer than biological brothers.

Nezha lifted his small, powder-dusted face and laughed: "Second Brother has now achieved the status of a master of Great Divine Ability, so naturally I had to come to congratulate you~"

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Nezha looked around and caught sight of the miserable state of the four Sea Dragon Kings, bursting into a laugh, "Hahaha! Second Brother, how did they offend you?"

"I have to say, Second Brother, you really have some talent in this regard!"

With red lips and white teeth, he laughed until he was swaying back and forth.

Then he lifted his small nose and sniffed, his eyes brightening, and he said with great delight: "Why didn't I think of this back then? What a waste, such a waste!"

Hearing this, Ao Guang, who was standing to the side, immediately felt that all the offerings he had made to Nezha over the years had been fed to the dogs.

He had originally thought that this Three Altars Sea-Meeting Great Deity had come to Guanjiangkou to visit Yang Jian to plead for them! Only now did he realize that this young master was actually so unreliable~

Nezha was naturally unaware of Ao Guang's silent criticism.

After he finished laughing, he walked straight to West Sea Dragon King Ao Run and picked up the crispy, golden, and fragrant dragon heart that had been deep-fried in the oil pot.

He took a bite with his small mouth, finding it delicious, and muttered: "Delicious! So delicious! Second Brother, this frying oil isn't simple either, is it!"

"The way I see it, it looks like a type of Buddhist oil produced by that bunch of bald donkeys in Xiniu Hezhou~"

"Another day, I'll find a few wild dragons and raise them too. I'll learn this method of yours~"

Yang Jian smiled, then came to Nezha's side, tossed him a pot of Immortal Brew, and began eating meat in large chunks and drinking wine from large bowls with him.

It was as if they were back in the time of the Conferring of the Gods ten million years ago, only they were no longer on the battlefield.

……

After eating and drinking their fill, the two tidied up, sat in a pavilion, ate dessert, drank clear tea, and chatted idly.

"Right~ almost forgot!"

Nezha finally remembered the main business, handed a Jade Box to Yang Jian, and said, "Here~ Master asked me to pass this congratulatory gift to you. He said he will be in seclusion for a very long time to come~"

"I'm afraid he won't be able to attend the celebration Yuxu Palace is holding for you~"

Yang Jian took the Jade Box without looking at it, but his heart gave a start, and he exclaimed, "Could it be that Uncle-Master Taiyi can no longer suppress it..."

"It hasn't reached that point yet~" Nezha waved his small hand and said, "It's not that easy for that old mongrel Donghuang Taiyi to return!"

"Master's seclusion seems to be because he has some new ideas, but I'm not particularly clear on it either~"

Regarding the reason for his master's seclusion, Nezha was also not very clear.

After shaking his head, he immediately pointed at the Four Seas Dragon Kings, who were still being restrained in the distance, and asked curiously, "Second Brother, how did these four old mud-loaches offend you?"

"Sigh!"

"It's a long story~"

(End of this chapter)