C872 Fighting
A massive water dragon burst forth from the depths of the Nimo River below, its presence commanding and formidable. The spirit energy of the water coalesced, powering the silver behemoth that must have weighed a hundred tons, as it surged upward with ferocious momentum and crushing force.
Yu Yuan didn't have a chance to warn Yu Yiyi before the water dragon, like a waterfall in reverse, slammed into the bottom of the Evil Cauldron with a thunderous crash.
Boom!
Inside the cauldron, Yu Yuan was thrown into disarray, the world spinning chaotically around him, leaving him disoriented.
A dense fog of water poured into the cauldron, with countless tiny streams that appeared to seep into Yu Yuan's acupoints.
"Humph!" With a mere thought, the refined spiritual energy from the Yellow Court Little World spread instantly throughout his meridians, shattering the intrusive water streams one by one.
For any other cultivator at the Yin God Stage, such a torrent would have left them lacerated and bleeding. But for Yu Yuan, whose body had been forged and refined through relentless trials, this level of assault was nothing more than a tickle.
"Yang Chuhe, is that the best you can do?" Yu Yuan taunted.
At that moment, above the Nimo River, strands of bright water light wove together in the sky, forming a net that ensnared the Evil Cauldron and yanked it downward with great force.
Hua! Hua!
The water dragon, having collided with the Evil Cauldron and fallen back into the river, surged out once more in a frenzied assault. Alongside it, a colossal water elephant, towering like a small mountain, emerged and joined the water dragon in a relentless barrage against the Evil Cauldron.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ensnared by the "fishing net," the pitch-black cauldron endured a series of punishing blows as it plummeted.
Inside, Yu Yiyi's furious roar echoed through the cauldron's small world. She was ready to unleash the cauldron's fierce and savage Evil Demons upon the river below, to shatter the water-formed dragon and elephant into a shower of droplets.
"No need."
Yu Yuan, having regained his composure within the cauldron, issued the command and leapt out.
Qin Yun had already made his exit just before him.
As soon as the two emerged, the water dragon and water elephant, fixated on their assault, abruptly shifted their focus to the pair.
Yang Chuhe chuckled softly, "My skills? You'll get to experience them in due time."
The water dragon and water elephant came to a halt atop the water's surface, while the "fishing net" woven from water light continued to ensnare the Evil Cauldron, dragging it down into the Nimo River.
The cauldron plunged rapidly, as though clutched in the jaws of a Demonic Beast, ready to be gnawed upon at the riverbed.
The Yin God, having journeyed far and merged with the Nimo River, now possessed a body refined from the river's essence, clear and distinct.
Perched upon the towering head of the massive water dragon, he declared, "You two have traveled a great distance, treating my Rainier Empire as if it were unoccupied territory. Isn't that a bit presumptuous? Brother Qin, even though you've advanced to the Soul Wandering Stage, you must realize that I am not the same as I once was. Surely you understand that you're no match for me now?"
With a cold huff, Qin Yun's features transformed, aging him by decades in a mere moment.
He shifted from a dashing young man to an aged scholar clad in green, his true visage revealed. Drawing three Azure Yang Arrows, he gripped one between his fingers before challenging, "Yang Chuhe, how does the Emperor condone such a method of cultivation?"
The Rainier Empire was known for its scorching climate, abundant mountains, and scarce waterways.
Within the entire empire, there were but three significant rivers: the Nimo River, the Vastriver, and the Nine Winding River.
Yang Chuhe had refined these three mighty rivers, causing the trees along their banks to gradually perish and the aquatic life within to dwindle. In time, this could even lead to drought, resulting in grievous loss and suffering for the common folk who depended on these rivers.
Yang Chuhe's method of refining the rivers was through nefarious techniques, not the harmonious Unity Stage.
Refining was the act of monopolizing the water's essence for personal gain.
Unity, on the other hand, was about mutual enhancement; as one's own realm benefited from the river, it would, in turn, nourish the river, creating a symbiotic relationship.
Zhou Cangmin, during his reign, had recognized Yang Chuhe's boundless ambition and understood that his practice of secret arts would endanger the empire, and thus, he never permitted such reckless behavior.
This was precisely why, when their levels of cultivation were comparable, he held the title of Sect Master of the Seven Divine Sect.
His Spiritual Spell of choice was aligned with fire, which suited the Rainier Empire perfectly, with its multitude of mountains and its dry, sweltering climate.
In an empire already scarce in rivers and frequently plagued by drought, Yang Chuhe's refinement of three rivers would only exacerbate the arid conditions, bringing untold suffering to the common folk.
He was convinced that Liu Xu, the Crown Prince, must also recognize the peril, yet why did he permit Yang Chuhe's reckless actions?
"As long as I advance rapidly enough in my cultivation, I can resolve the looming threat within the Rainier Empire," Yang Chuhe declared with indifference. "Once I've refined the rivers of the Silvermoon and Divine Might Empires, I'll possess the might of a cultivator at the Unrestrained Stage."
"With me here, the empire is well-equipped to rival the Luan Bird Empire and vie for dominance over the Profound Sky Continent."
"Even the Imperial Advisor might not match my cultivation speed with this strategy."
Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, Yang Chuhe nonchalantly outlined his lofty aspirations. "Qin Yun, with your practice of the Azure Yang Arts, a hundred years wouldn't suffice for you to attain the Unrestrained Stage. It was the Imperial Advisor's interference that made you the Sect Master of the Seven Divine Sect. Had he not held me back, allowing me to refine those rivers earlier, I'd be at the pinnacle of the Soul Wandering Stage by now, ready to ascend to the Yang God Stage."
Years of pent-up resentment were finally unleashed.
Yu Yuan watched the Evil Cauldron being drawn into the Nimo River by the shimmering 'net'. After a brief exchange with Yu Yiyi, he eased his worries.
"To refine the mighty rivers, to channel their flow through one's meridians like veins, drawing upon the vital essence of an entire nation for personal gain... Tsk, tsk." Yu Yuan shook his head, his face etched with scorn. "Yang Chuhe, your ruthlessness surpasses even the Blood God Cult of the Quietus Continent. It seems you intend to use the Rainier Empire as the dowry for your breakthrough."
"What would a green youth like you understand?" retorted Yang Chuhe, visibly irked.
With a flick of his wrist, a colossal water elephant soared from the river, its shadow looming large as it bore down upon Yu Yuan.
Looking up, Yu Yuan saw the elephant's hooves glistening in the sunlight, revealing what seemed like countless fish and prawns arrayed within, as if marshaling an aquatic army to bolster the mighty stomp.
With a sneer, Yu Yuan clenched his fist and met the challenge head-on. A massive, vibrant sphere of light blossomed from his fist, encapsulating a fist aura that roared like a legion of demon bulls. It burst forth, shattering the colossal elephant's hooves.
Puff!
The towering, mountain-like body of the water elephant was obliterated with a single punch, transforming into a torrential rain that showered down upon the Nimo River.
"The Evil Sect's body refining techniques are indeed quite formidable," Yang Chuhe admitted, somewhat taken aback. His water-formed giant elephant, with its mighty and heavy hooves, was a force to be reckoned with—one that ordinary Yin God Stage experts couldn't handle without the aid of magical artifacts. Yet Yu Yuan, relying solely on his formidable physique, had countered it effortlessly.
'If only I possessed the Evil Sect's authentic Devil Spell, why would I need to resort to such extremes, cultivating that perverse art of refining the river?' Yang Chuhe mused to himself, a tinge of envy for Yu Yuan's fortune creeping into his thoughts.
In an instant, three more giant elephants coalesced from the water, accompanied by a Qilin, a Giant Snake, a Spirit Turtle, and a host of other alien beasts, all converging on Yu Yuan in a concerted assault.
"Brother Qin, you survived the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area only to linger there—why court death by rushing out?" Yang Chuhe's attention shifted from Yu Yuan to Qin Yun. "You think you're the only one with a powerful arrow? Don't tell me you've forgotten about my Water Cloud Arrow?"
