Chapter 63: Hongjun Arrives at the East Sea

"How much water qi remains in the Four Seas?"

Zu Long's tone was flat; he had a bad premonition.

"Elder brother, I went to check the Sea Eye; the water qi I had stored before is now only half left."

"I also checked the other three places: the West Sea still has forty percent, the South and North Seas haven't changed much, totaling about eighty percent or a bit more."

Qing Long was slightly worried; over the past three yuanhui, hardly any water qi has entered the East Sea or West Sea.

But the heavens and earth are baked by the great sun, and the water qi that evaporates each day is not insignificant; these are fixed losses, and although rain replenishes some, it's hard to sustain an entire ocean.

Furthermore, some water gods have borrowed water qi, and now the East and West Seas lack the replenishment from inland river mouths, so they have long been running a deficit.

Now, the water transport and the Dragon Clan's fortune have both become listless due to insufficient water qi, with both their condition and total amount greatly reduced.

Zu Long pondered for a moment, then said:

"First, we'll transfer a batch of water qi from the South and North Seas to replenish the East and West Seas, each contributing twenty percent: South Sea water qi goes to the East Sea, North Sea water qi goes to the West Sea."

Qing Long found it difficult and said:

"Elder brother, but the South Sea's water qi is relatively warm, while the North Sea's water qi is relatively cold; once they enter the two seas, the impact would be huge."

"The East and West Seas' water temperature has always been stable; if only a little of the South Sea's warm flow entered, it would still be fine, but twenty percent of water qi entering is too much!"

"Such an impact is too great; with the current water qi of the East Sea, it's hard to neutralize, and the East Sea's temperature would likely spike, evaporation intensifying—no different from quenching thirst by drinking poison."

"The West Sea is even worse, with even less water qi; if the North Sea's cold current enters, causing a sudden drop in the water sea, the West Sea's living beings would likely suffer heavy casualties."

Qing Long's voice was full of anguish; the water qi of the Four Seas differs, and arbitrary allocation would have a huge impact, possibly bringing karmic burden upon the Dragon Clan.

"I know, but unless inland water qi returns, the East and West Seas will be in trouble."

Zu Long also knew the consequences, but the water qi of the East and West Seas has already reached the warning line; if it continues, what evaporates will no longer be water qi but the seawater of the East and West Seas.

"By that time, it won't just be the other two seas' water qi flowing in as the outcome, after all, allocating water qi also takes time."

"For now, we can at least balance things a bit; only then will it be true suffering for all living beings."

He issued such an order, which is also a helpless move; if there were any more possibility, he would absolutely not be willing to do this.

The Dragon Clan's plans cannot be halted now; as this war chariot keeps moving forward, they can no longer stop.

"Either they soar to the heavens, or they can only forever retreat to the Four Seas, with no chance of turning things around; even keeping Ying Long around merely prevents the Dragon Clan from vanishing entirely in the primordial wilderness."

"Even mighty beings like the flow of ferocious gods-defying beasts—didn't they also perish in the great calamity? How many of those ferocious beasts remain today?"

Suddenly, a visitation notice entered the Dragon Palace; after Zu Long sensed it, he instantly drew it into his hand.

"Ah, I see; it looks like we've found the true mastermind behind the scenes."

Zu Long said through gritted teeth, then turned to Qing Long and said:

"Clear the ceremonial guard; let's go greet the venerable Hongjun!"

Hearing that, Qing Long immediately turned and headed for the palace gate, while also sending word to all sides to prepare for the reception.

"Zu Long respectfully greets the venerable Hongjun; please, venerable one, instruct us."

At this moment, Zu Long's expression was full of joy, showing no trace of his earlier grimace, as if he truly welcomed Hongjun's arrival.

It turns out the visitation notice just now was sent by Hongjun, who claimed to have a solution to the Dragon Clan's predicament.

"I am the humble Daoist Hongjun; I have met Fellow Daoist Zu Long before, and now I pay an unexpected visit; I hope Fellow Daoist will not blame me."

Hongjun still looks as before, holding a bamboo staff, with the air of an immortal sage.

"What, what; venerable one coming to our Dragon Clan, I, the junior, am hardly worthy of such welcome—how could there be any blame?"

"Please, venerable one, regarding the matter you mentioned, do come inside the palace to discuss it in detail."

Zu Long invited Hongjun to enter the Dragon Palace.

"Fellow Daoist, please."

Faced with Zu Long's invitation, Hongjun exchanged a few polite words and then stepped through the palace gate.

Hongjun felt Zu Long's attitude was odd; clearly he had come to resolve the Four Seas' water qi issue, yet for some reason he sensed a black pot being placed on his head.

He felt this was an opportunity to retrieve the fragments of the Creation Jade Disc, and since he also had a little standing among the myriad primordial deities, being able to solve this problem, he came.

But it seemed his arrival was like falling into someone else's scheme, making him feel something was off, though he couldn't tell why.

"Fellow Daoist Zu Long, I have come this time with two matters to discuss with you."

Hongjun could only set these aside for now; attending to the main business is urgent.

"Please, venerable one, speak plainly."

Zu Long also knew why the venerable Hongjun had come, but he could not say it outright.

"I, the humble Daoist, have come this time first to resolve the Dragon Clan's water qi predicament, to avert this great calamity."

"Second, to retrieve the fragments of the Spirit Treasure I lost earlier; I've heard some pieces have fallen into your hands, Fellow Daoist, so I've come specifically to reclaim them."

Hongjun didn't beat around the bush, directly stating that his purpose this time is to solve the East and West Seas' water qi problem and to recover his own Creation Jade Disc fragments.

Hongjun's bluntness caught Zu Long off guard; in his view, the behind-the-scenes black hand has become so brazen as to not even bother covering up a thing or two.

"I won't hide it from you, venerable one: it's true that some Creation Jade Disc fragments fell into the Dragon Clan's hands earlier, and returning them to you is only proper."

"I don't know how the venerable one should resolve our Dragon Clan's water qi predicament."

Zu Long asked the question he cared about most.

"Fellow Daoist, rest assured; I, the humble Daoist, still have a little standing among the primordial deities, and by stepping forward to mediate, the Four Rivers Water Gods will surely understand your predicament."

Hongjun was full of confidence; he could use the Creation Jade Disc to calculate the water qi they needed, so there was no need to keep excess water qi in hand.

The Dragon Clan's crisis would naturally be resolved, the fragments of the Creation Jade Disc could be restored to their proper places, and he would have a better chance against Rahu.

Perhaps he could even bring the Dragon Clan into his camp and promote the Immortal Dao.

"Then please, venerable one, lend a hand; Zu Long here thanks you for your great kindness, and will have the Creation Jade Disc fragments presented to you."

Zu Long promptly expressed his stance, after all, the present Dragon Clan cannot afford to wait.

He also wasn't worried that Hongjun might take the fragments and fail to accomplish anything, for as Hongjun said, he still has considerable standing among the primordial deities.

Regardless of how things end, at least the current dragon clan crisis can be eased, rather than gathering water vapor from two sea regions to quench thirst with poison.

"You can rest assured; since I've already arrived, I'm not lacking this bit of time. After solving the water vapor problem first, I won't delay in taking it."

Hongjun said with a laugh.

(End of chapter)