If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1204 River God Selection
Xiaoyu had met Qin, a disciple of her sect, once before.

At that time, Qin Feng, the master of the sect, was ordered by the Empress Dowager to release a female dragon named "Zhao Juhua" into the Zhang River. There, he encountered "Old Taoist Wuyazi" who was teaching Xi Juan how to dive.

Last time, Zhao Juhua turned into a spotted dog and was led around on a leash.

This time he was leading thirteen dogs, including white dogs, black dogs, a big yellow dog, a spotted dog, and a mangy dog.

After paying their respects to Grand Master Yu, Master Qin pointed to the dogs sitting in a line on the ground and said, "Currently, there are still fifty-four dragons left in the Dragon Cave, and three hundred dragon fish that are transforming into dragons."

Of the thirteen of them, not only were they the most capable, but they were also the most honest and virtuous, and they made the fewest mistakes over the centuries.

Of course, it wouldn't be accurate to say that they are the most outstanding dragons raised in the Qin Dynasty's Dragon Cave over the past few centuries.

In the past, whenever a dragonfish successfully transformed into a dragon and learned the complete set of dragon clan secrets, it would be sent to mountains, lakes, deep pools, and old wells after passing the test to guard the area and become a water god.

The best dragon from before has already been released.

However, those thirteen were probably the luckiest, fortunate enough to encounter the Grand Tutor.

These dragon dogs all knew the purpose of this trip and understood that once they were chosen by Grand Tutor Yu, it would be equivalent to ascending to heaven on the spot.

The magnitude of its ascension surpasses even the transformation from a dragonfish into a real dragon in its early years.

At this moment, they dared not bark, but just stared at Grand Tutor Yu with wide, pitiful eyes and a hopeful expression.

Xiaoyu scanned them one by one.

I felt both satisfied and disappointed.

I'm satisfied with the hybrid dragons raised in the Qin Dragon Cave; the quality is quite good.

Although his appearance and demeanor made him look like a fresh college graduate, he was actually very healthy, strong, with a robust physique and good spirits.

If she hadn't known beforehand that they came from the Dragon Cave, she would have had almost no chance of distinguishing them from the dragon sons and grandsons of the Four Rivers Dragon Palace at a glance.

This is not surprising.

Dragons rely heavily on bloodlines, but their bloodlines are not static.

With diligent practice, perseverance, and never giving up, and with enough good fortune, one's bloodline can continuously improve. From an ordinary river fish, one can transform into a three-clawed dragon, and then gradually ascend to a five-clawed divine dragon.

If a five-clawed true dragon does not enter the divine path and continues to cultivate, it can revert to its ancestral bloodline, awaken the ancient dragon's divine powers, and gain control of the ancient dragon's innate water rights.

Therefore, as long as the hybrid dragons in the Dragon Cave are self-reliant and strive for excellence, they will be no less powerful than the Dragon Palace prince, regardless of their bloodline or strength.

But these "little dragons" in front of us are only no worse than the Dragon Palace princes, and are far more outstanding, but they are not.

This disappointed Grand Tutor Yu somewhat.

She wants to choose a "River God" and a "Ji River Dragon Lord".

"What are your achievements and strengths? Please introduce yourselves one by one."

"Grand Tutor, I am Zhao Dezi of the Ao clan. I am very strong and once pulled the emperor's carriage for 130 years! I could pull a 100,000-jin steel carriage at lightning speed, faster than a warhorse!" The big black dog barked first, raising its head.

Xiaoyu nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Grand Tutor, Zhao Run of the Little Dragon Ao Clan is skilled at controlling clouds and rain. With a single breath, he can swallow rain clouds within a radius of ten miles," the spotted dog exclaimed.

"Grand Tutor, Ying Gang of the Ao clan, the Little Dragon, has lived in the Dragon Pool for five thousand years and has always been loyal to the Great Qin. Whatever task the court has, I will do my best to complete it."

"Grand Tutor, do you need any oxen or horses to pull your carriage? I, Xiaolong Aozhong, ask for nothing else but to pull your carriage. That would be the greatest blessing of my life."

"Grand Tutor, Xiaolong Ao Shi Li Yu is quite skilled in combat techniques. Now that the traitor Chen Sheng has rebelled, if you wish to personally lead the expedition, Xiaolong is willing to serve as a guardian dragon general."

"Grand Tutor, Xiaolong Ao Shi Zhao Mudan has been studying Taoist scriptures since childhood. Her masters all praise her for her wisdom and clear Taoist heart. Xiaolong is willing to follow Grand Tutor and serve as a fan-bearing maid, forever serving Grand Tutor."

Most of the thirteen "dragon dogs" followed the example of the late Emperor Qin Shi Huang and adopted "Zhao" as their surname.

They introduced themselves by name and then took turns describing their strengths and achievements.

They were all ordinary and unremarkable, nothing special.

Grand Tutor Yu looked at Master Qin and praised, "Your sect lives up to its reputation. The dragons you have cultivated are all outstanding, no less than the dragon princes of the Dragon Palace."

However, the mission I am about to entrust to them is not something that can be accomplished easily.

They still lack experience and are not quite there yet.

Are there any others with exceptional abilities and talents? Even if they're not entirely obedient, it's fine.

Master Qin said, "There really were a few unruly, cunning, and ferocious dragons before."

The dragon race's supernatural powers of controlling clouds and rain are superior to those of these other dragon species.

Since the death of the late emperor, the Qinling Ancestral Dragon has also died, and the dragon energy flowing into the Dragon Cave has gradually become scarce.

The reason why dragonfish are willing to be fed by the imperial court is mainly so that they can cultivate by borrowing the dragon energy of humans.

The evil energy that dragon veins release when they are active in the earth is like the leftovers from a wealthy family.

It's not very useful to the Ancestral Dragon, but once it's guided into the Dragon Cave, it can be absorbed and refined by the dragon fish.

This remnant of dragon's malice is to the dragonfish what a rare elixir of heaven and earth is to human cultivators.

Now that the First Dragon is dead, the dragon energy is insufficient, and many dragon species cannot survive.

In addition, a large number of the Celestial Masters of the Imperial Observatory were lost, leading to a relaxation of the guard over the Dragon Cave and the Dragon Seeds.

Some of the cunning dragons then quietly fled.

"Since they escaped, consider them unlucky. Has the escaped evil dragon caused any trouble in the local area?" Grand Tutor Yu asked.

Master Qin said, "Two of them were eating people outside, but the Empress Dowager sent people to kill them and drag them back for the nobles to share."

Some of the dragon meat was also sent to the north as military rations to reward the soldiers.

The remaining dragons, though eager to commit evil, were too afraid. They probably found a deep ravine to hide in, preparing to emerge and wreak havoc only after the Qin Dynasty has fallen.

Xiao Yu stared at the dragon dogs for a moment and said, "Fellow Daoists of the sect, I would like to conduct a major assessment of all the dragon species still remaining in the Dragon Cave, and select the best performers from among them."

Master Qin asked, "Shall I go and bring all the dragons from the Dragon Cave over now?"

Xiaoyu stood up and said, "No need. The Imperial Observatory is not spacious enough. Let's go to the Qinling Mountains, to the Dragon Cave."

The so-called Dragon Cave is actually a long and narrow mountain ravine, nestled between two towering peaks. It is two hundred miles long, and at its widest point, it is no more than three hundred meters wide.

It doesn't look very big, but the surface of the water is like the mouth of a gourd, while the bottom is the huge belly of a gourd.

The key point is that it is also connected to several underground water veins and has always been connected to nearby major rivers such as the Wei River and the Jing River, so the water volume is very sufficient.

Xiao Yu floated above the dragon's cave, observing the surrounding feng shui layout. After a few calculations, she immediately understood why the dragon's cave was located here: this place was the swallow's tail of the ancestral dragon of the Qinling Mountains.

If the Qinling Mountains are the soul of the Qinling ancestral dragon, then the Qinling Mountains are the body of the ancestral dragon.

This narrow and secluded mountain ravine is known as the "Buttock Gully" of the Qinling Mountains.

The mixed and chaotic earthly evil energy emitted by the Qinling Ancestral Dragon all converges here.

Before the Dragon Cave was built, this place must have been shrouded in mist all day long, or even covered in a murky yellow miasma.

The dragon cave was built, and dragon fish were raised there. The evil spirits and turbid energy of the dragon were absorbed and digested, and the surrounding environment became beautiful and full of life.

There's a saying: "It's not the depth of the water that matters, but the presence of a dragon that makes it sacred."

After raising dragons, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the mountain streams and mountains was greatly enhanced.

Dragon urine and dragon dung are still the best fertilizers.

A spiritual field was also established nearby, where common medicinal herbs such as Polygonatum and ginseng were planted. The Qin Dynasty established hundreds of similar spiritual fields. The medicinal herbs grown there monopolized the market for the Nine-Turn Bone-Changing Elixir.

Spirit fields, spiritual herbs, and elixirs are all under the control of the Celestial Master of the Elixir Division of the Human Emperor's Palace.

It's only because Grand Tutor Yu's cultivation level has increased that ordinary spiritual medicines and pills are no longer useful to her, which is why she hasn't gone to the Pill Refining Department to beg for alms.

Master Qin stood by the Dragon Cave, making hand seals and chanting incantations, calling out repeatedly, "Grand Master has arrived, all dragons, come quickly to pay your respects."

"Splash~~" Dark shadows flashed through the depths of the pool, transformed into human form, rushed out of the water, landed on the shore, and knelt down to respectfully bow to Grand Tutor Yu, "Little Dragon greets Grand Tutor Yu!"

Besides the real dragon, various kinds of dragonfish also crowded on the surface of the water, blowing bubbles, their eyes blinking, very intelligent.

"The River God is dead, and the Dragon King of the Ji River is dead, but the great river cannot be without a master for even a day."

In the past, when the imperial court had a vacant position as the water god, it would try its best to assign it to you.

Today, following the old custom, the positions of River God and Dragon Lord of the Ji River will both be reserved for you.

As soon as he finished speaking, the group of little dragons were filled with excitement and shouted, "Thank you for your grace, Grand Tutor!"

"I will never forget the kindness of the Grand Tutor!"

"Grand Tutor, would you like a mount? I'm willing to serve you like a beast of burden!"

The dragonfish in the water started jumping around wildly with a "plop, plop" sound.

Xiaoyu waved her hand, silencing them. "To become a true god in the Heavenly Court, at least three conditions must be met."

First, he possesses exceptional abilities, including the magical skills of controlling clouds and rain and regulating the volume of rivers.

Secondly, you must have outstanding natural talent, good fortune, and great merit so that the Heavenly Court will take notice of you.

Finally, a compassionate heart that pities all living beings.

Today, I will arrange a fair and just assessment for you, with your teachers as witnesses.

The above three criteria will be used to select the two most outstanding individuals to inherit the divine positions of the River God and the Dragon King of the Ji River.

The dragons clenched their fists, looking at her with a mixture of tension and anticipation, waiting for her to explain the content of the assessment.

Grand Tutor Yu waved his hand at them, "Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~"

A wisp of purplish-yellow fog drifted in on a gentle breeze.

As the mist spread, one after another, the dragons' eyelids drooped, and their bodies went limp to the ground.

Soon, snoring filled the air.

"Fellow Daoists of the Shimen Clan, come here!" Grand Tutor Yu beckoned to the dragon keeper.

The Shi Men clan, who raise dragons in the Dragon Cave, consists of seven people, including Shi Men Qin. They include men and women, old and young, and are all close relatives by blood.

They were not all members of the Shimen clan, but they were the most skilled at raising dragons among the Shimen clan.

"Grand Tutor Yu, are they asleep? Could it be that, like the last selection of princes, they are being tested in their dreams?" Master Qin asked in surprise.

Xiaoyu nodded and said, "You are the witnesses, come with me to see their performance!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the group of disciples who had come to her side saw the space-time around them being rapidly eroded by purplish-red bubbles.

They stood still, yet they had traveled from the picturesque Qinling Dragon Cave to a gray-purple void.

There was no sky above, no earth below. A ring of large holographic projection screens surrounded the area, displaying scenes flashing rapidly across the screens.

Upon closer inspection, Master Qin spotted Zhao Mudan, one of the "Thirteen Disciples".

The scene unfolding in the video is exactly what happened in front of the Dragon Cave earlier: Zhao Mudan and a group of dragons are kneeling on the ground, and Grand Tutor Yu loudly announces: "Zhao Mudan, you have not let down the expectations and recommendations of your fellow disciples."

Congratulations, you are now the 'Female River Goddess'!

Zhao Mudan was overjoyed and repeatedly thanked the Grand Tutor and her master, Qin.

Her companions, suppressing their resentment and jealousy, congratulated her.

"Zhao Mudan, come with me." Grand Tutor Yu led the new River God back to the Imperial Observatory.

"With your current level of cultivation, you are far from being able to control the divine power of the Great River. Now I will impart to you the secret methods of the True Dragon."

Grand Tutor Yu took out a dragon pearl the size of a washbasin from his sleeve, made a hand seal and chanted an incantation, and the surface of the dragon pearl shimmered with divine light.

The divine light flew into the air and condensed into runes and pictures, all of which were divine arts, supernatural powers, and water-based Taoist techniques.

Through Zhao Mudan's gaze, Qin Qing, a member of the sect, clearly saw the contents of an image.

"This is the great supernatural power of controlling clouds and rain! The supernatural powers in my dream are all real?!"

He gasped in shock, then composed himself and turned to look at the other screens. Zhao Dezi, Zhao Run, Ying Gang, and other dragon offspring were experiencing the exact same storyline as Zhao Mudan.

Grand Master Yu declared them to be the River Gods, led them back to the Imperial Observatory, and taught them supernatural powers and secret techniques.

Grand Tutor Yu stretched out his right hand and tapped in the air, causing the scene on the screen to suddenly speed up ten thousand times!
"Grand Master, are you planning to transmit the Dharma in a dream?" Master Qin asked.

Xiao Yu said, "It's not really about passing on the teachings. The efficiency of comprehending the Dao in a dream is relatively low. This time, I don't expect them to learn many supernatural powers. The main thing is to distinguish their innate talent and comprehension."

As soon as he finished speaking, the image on the screen suddenly slowed down.

Zhao Mudan has become a novice He Bo after three years of practice.

Three years is the theoretical lifespan of the Qin Dynasty, and also the theoretical time that the Qin Dynasty can protect the new River God.

Zhao Mudan entered the Yellow River, inherited the Dragon Palace of the previous River God, and began to gather the river gods' followers.

This process was not easy, because the Yellow River is a vast and complex water system, and the River God has dozens of dragon gods under his command.

Most of them belong to the Ao family of Sihai.

Of course, Zhao Mudan's true dragon bloodline also comes from the Ao clan's true dragon. However, her bloodline is shallow; her parents weren't even true dragons.

With such a background, he naturally couldn't subdue the river gods.

The Shimenshi, who was watching from the outside, immediately understood that the second "test point" had arrived.

Half a month later, Zhao Mudan was assassinated in the same way that Zhao Juhua had done on the Zhangshui River.

Fortunately, Zhao Mudan was very cautious and, after entering the Yellow River, did not run wild like Zhao Juhua.

As soon as she entered the Yellow River, she immediately closed the Dragon Palace, opened the magic array, and hid deep within the Dragon Palace to cultivate diligently.

By the time the assassins infiltrated the Dragon Palace to kill her, she had already gained control of a portion of the Yellow River's water rights.

Zhao Mudan mobilized the power of the Yellow River, her magical power was terrifying, enough to kill the assassin on the spot, but she deliberately held back, allowing him to escape with serious injuries.

After that, Zhao Mudan continued to stay by the Yellow River and devoted herself to cultivation.

A celestial messenger brought the Heavenly Emperor's instructions, ordering her to cause disaster in a certain place, and to bring rain at a certain time and in a certain amount, without fail.

Zhao Mudan barely managed to complete her first attempt at summoning rain. She then immediately returned to the Dragon Palace and hid away to continue her secluded cultivation.

Master Qin smiled with satisfaction.

Grand Tutor Yu nodded slightly. The "Thirteen Sages of Dragon Cave" selected by Qin from his sect were clearly superior to the others in both talent and personality.

For example, in the "Second Test Point" assassination challenge, thirteen dragon species were eliminated.

Some of them were like Zhao Juhua back then, who, once they became gods, unleashed their true nature, indulging in frolicking and forgetting the dangers; others were like Zhao Mudan, who hid in the Dragon Palace to cultivate diligently, but were unable to gain control of the Yellow River's waters and were killed in the great battle.

(End of this chapter)