The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 303 Welcoming You from Ten Thousand Miles Away

Holding the Jade Emperor's decree, Ding Lin naturally had no obstacles along the way. After exiting the South Heavenly Gate, his view opened up, and he could see the stars and the sun and moon amidst the rolling clouds. He slightly increased his speed, but still maintained restraint out of consideration for the heavenly soldiers in the clouds.

An hour later, the surrounding spiritual energy suddenly became thinner, like the boundary between clear and turbid seawater, and he crossed the realm between immortals and mortals.

By this time, Ding Lin's eyesight had allowed him to see the lower realm clearly. The entire continent was enveloped by the sea, with mountains and rivers crisscrossing it, interspersed with cities. Nanchanbuzhou truly lived up to its reputation as a sacred land of humanity; even from this distance, the scent of incense wafted over.

Among those mountains and rivers, the Five Sacred Mountains and the Four Great Rivers are the most prominent.

Ding Lin's gaze lingered on Mount Hua for a while, then turned to the four waterways that traversed the continent, finally settling on the winding, but generally eastward-flowing, major river.

The white clouds seemed to fall even lower.

Ding Lin could begin to hear the rushing sound of the water crashing against the bank, and the misty air enveloped his face. At this distance, the true face of this great river was revealed.

When we were high up, all we could see was a silver ribbon of water. It was only when we got closer that we felt the awe.

The waterfall plunges down from the towering cliff, creating countless sprays of water, and the waves rise thousands of feet high.

In this mythical world, things are often measured in hundreds or thousands of miles, and the Yellow River is no exception. It is terrifyingly vast. Not to mention that it stretches for hundreds of millions of miles at a glance, its width is also tens of thousands of feet. Standing on this side of the river, a mortal could never cross to the other side in his entire life.

This is the true meaning of the Four Rivers.

The turbid waves surge eastward, their flow endless throughout history.

At Ding Lin's waist, the jade seal shimmered gently, guiding him to the location of the Dragon Palace. The white cloud then traveled upstream along the riverbank.

At a certain moment, a large amount of energy suddenly appeared in my senses.

The waves ahead have disappeared, and the water is calm.

Beneath this tranquility, in a corner unseen by the naked eye, tens of thousands of aquatic creatures were waiting respectfully.
There were seven or eight hundred people ahead, all dressed in celestial court robes, ranging from dark blue to light green, and then to a mix of blue and gray. They were arranged according to their official ranks, and without exception, they were all celestial officials of various ranks.

Behind them stood shrimp soldiers and crab generals, their armor gleaming and their ranks neatly arranged.

At the very front of the line stood an old man with a white beard. Like all the enlightened turtles, he was short in stature, and the turtle shell hanging on his back was deeply grooved, exuding an ancient and gloomy aura. His aura was obscure, indicating that he had already reached the peak of the immortal realm and was only one step away from becoming a golden immortal.

Ding Lin waved his hand to disperse the clouds in front of him. In the mist, the figures of the heavenly soldiers appeared and disappeared, concealing the battles and killings. He stood among them, his bright red robes fluttering.

Under the sunlight, the red robe appeared extremely deep, almost turning purple, which further accentuated its majesty.

Ding Lin sensed that this place was about 100,000 li away from the Dragon Palace. He glanced at the old tortoise in front of him and, if he was not mistaken, this should be the 'Tortoise Prime Minister' of the Yellow River. It was 100,000 li away. This old tortoise was quite discerning and might be useful.

He glanced at the old tortoise to the left and right. To the left was a shrimp general with fiery red scales, and to the right was a crab general with bluish-gray scales. Of the more than a thousand aquatic creatures, only the shrimp and crab generals were worth a second glance, apart from the old tortoise. Both of them were at the peak of the Immortal Realm.

Beside Ding Lin, Xin Jia's expression turned solemn. Looking at the welcoming party stretching for miles, his lips tightened slightly as he sensed a threat.

"Your humble servant respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"

The old tortoise bowed slowly, its movements deliberate yet meticulous, displaying utmost respect.

Wow!
Like harvesting wheat, the old tortoise started, and all the aquatic creatures behind him followed suit. Those above the Immortal Realm could maintain their dignity by bowing, but the rest could only kneel down.

Without uttering a word, thousands bowed their heads!
This is the power of the Four Rivers Dragon Gods!
Even though Ding Lin wasn't obsessed with it, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pleasure. He smiled smirked, then quickly pulled himself out of the pleasure.

He waved his hand, signaling the old tortoise and the others to get up.

"Go back to the palace!"

Ding Lin said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The old tortoise stood up, and the more than ten thousand aquatic creatures behind it followed suit.

Ding Lin dispersed the clouds, revealing his true form as five hundred armored soldiers lined up behind him.

The Turtle Prime Minister flew over, and with a glance from Ding Lin, the soldiers around him did not obstruct him, allowing the old turtle to reach Ding Lin.

"Your Majesty, please allow this old tortoise to guide you," said the Tortoise Prime Minister.

Ding Lin nodded.

The old tortoise glanced at Xin Jia beside Ding Lin. The latter's expression turned serious, but he showed no intention of moving aside. The old tortoise chuckled lightly, not taking it to heart, and stood on the other side of Ding Lin.

Then, the waves parted, and the group headed towards the Dragon Palace.

Half of the tens of thousands of aquatic creatures following the Dragon Palace officials went ahead to clear the way for Ding Lin, while the other half followed after Ding Lin and his five hundred personal guards had passed. As for the officials other than the old tortoise, they followed behind the five hundred men and were positioned in front of the half of the aquatic creatures at the rear.

"Are these my Dragon Palace officials?" Ding Lin asked.

"Reporting to the Dragon Lord, there are 9,300 officials of the ninth rank and above in the Yellow River basin and its tributaries. Of those who came to welcome you today, the 532 are from the Dragon Palace. As for the other departments, without the Dragon Lord's order, I dared not let them move lightly. Otherwise, if there were no one to guard each place and trouble broke out, it would inevitably cause Your Majesty some worry," the old tortoise slowly explained. "You've done very well," Ding Lin nodded. "Then these ten thousand-odd water spirits are merely armored soldiers from the Dragon Palace."

"Indeed, Your Majesty has discerning eyes," the Turtle Prime Minister replied.

"Then how many aquatic creatures along my entire Yellow River have gained sentience, and how many of them are usable?" Ding Lin asked again, his eyes flashing.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, most of the Dragon Palace's sailors have come to welcome you, leaving only a thousand or so on duty. Including those thousand or so, the Dragon Palace has a total of 11,932 sailors, all of whom have achieved the Nascent Soul stage. As for the entire Yellow River, there are still 173,961 registered sailors. I remember that 63,221 of them have broken through to the Nascent Soul stage. If we're talking about usable ones, besides the more than 180,000, there are some others who haven't cultivated enough to begin condensing their Seven Souls and accumulating Pure Yang, but they have condensed their demon cores. In total, there should be more than 300,000." The old tortoise replied while pondering.

"It's remarkable that the old prime minister could remember all such detailed numbers," Ding Lin said. He had handed over the aquatic roster when he came, and now, after glancing at it, he found that what the old turtle said matched exactly what was recorded in the roster.

"The Dragon King is busy with countless affairs of state and naturally cannot afford to be distracted by these mundane matters. Since I, the old tortoise, have no hope of achieving immortality, I have recorded the details in detail so that I can share some of the burden when the Dragon King needs it," the old tortoise said with a smile.

On the other side, Xin Jia's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes dimmed slightly.

With Ding Lin's spiritual sense, he could naturally sense Xin Jia's changes and understand what Xin Jia was worried about. However, this was a scene he was happy to see. He was going to spend a lot of time on cultivation and didn't usually concern himself with worldly affairs. Although Xin Jia didn't have the guts to betray him, everyone has selfish desires. If Xin Jia was in charge of his subordinates for a long time, some filth would inevitably arise over time.

Previously, he only had Xin Jia as a subordinate, and there was no other way.

Now, why not bring this old tortoise in? As long as he can get things done, the transition between the old and the new might create a better balance. As for loyalty, how can there be loyalty if we don't give him a chance? He's the superior, and as long as he doesn't have ulterior motives, loyalty will naturally be with him. In time, he'll naturally become a confidant.

Even if he truly has ulterior motives, it doesn't matter. He has an absolute advantage in cultivation level, and as soon as he discovers any clues, he can immediately suppress them.

"I was transferred here in a hurry, and I don't know where the former Dragon Lord is now?" Ding Lin said. Since he was interested in recruiting the old tortoise to his own use, he might as well find out his background first.

"Reporting to the Dragon Lord, the position of Yellow River Water Lord had been vacant for over three hundred years before your arrival. This old tortoise has served two Dragon Lords here. I served the previous lord for eighty thousand years. Later, the Water Lord ascended to the Heavenly Realm and was granted the title of a Venerable One. The East Sea Dragon Palace saw this as an opportunity and dispatched a Azure Dragon who had just entered the Golden Immortal realm to temporarily manage the Yellow River. However, without the strength of a late-stage Golden Immortal, the position of Yellow River Water Lord could not be suppressed at all, and he soon died mysteriously."

"The Dragon Palace of the Four Seas has not sent anyone else. For the past three hundred years, the Yellow River has been under the care of the old tortoise. He has reported everything, big or small, to Heaven. The old tortoise has lived for over ninety thousand years. If it weren't for the peaches of immortality that the Lord sent before, he would probably have already passed away. The old tortoise's days are numbered, and his official position is not worthy of his post. He is truly exhausted. Some time ago, I heard that His Majesty the Jade Emperor appointed you as the Yellow River Water Lord. The old tortoise was truly relieved. After the decree was issued, he and the Dragon Palace staff eagerly awaited your arrival. Finally, today, we have welcomed you." the old tortoise said.

Ding Lin listened, and he naturally understood the meaning behind the old tortoise's words. The first Water Lord was a person of the Heavenly Court, and he had followed him for a long time, so he was naturally also under the Heavenly Court's command. Later, although the Dragon Palace of the Four Seas sent another Water Lord, he died soon afterward, and he didn't have much interaction with this Water Lord. As for his later concurrent management of the Yellow River, it was a helpless move. He specifically emphasized his age, implying that he was nearing the end of his life and had no desire for power. He also pointed out that the first Water Lord had bestowed upon him peaches of immortality, which meant that he was still trusted by the Heavenly Court.

The last sentence clearly states the attitude.

The old tortoise meant that even if I joined halfway through, you don't have to trust me, but I am also affiliated with the Heavenly Court, so at least it's okay to use me as a subordinate.

"Can Sihai really put his hand on land?" Ding Lin asked after a moment of silence.

"Your Majesty has been in Heaven for a long time and is not clear about the situation in the mortal realm, so let this old tortoise explain it to you," the old tortoise said. "In our Southern Toad Continent, ghosts and monsters are managed by the City God of the Underworld, and the Underworld is also under the rule of the Heavenly Court. Mountain gods and local deities are mostly appointed by the Heavenly Court, and occasionally some are born of Heaven and Earth and have their own divine positions. They have all been recruited."

"Whether in the underworld or on land, both are under the control of the Heavenly Court."

"Only in this water area, although the Four Seas Dragon Palaces are nominally subservient to the Heavenly Court, they are still self-contained. When I was young, I also traveled to the Four Seas. Don't be fooled by the fact that the current Dragon Kings and Dragon Princes are only at the Golden Immortal level. There are still many Dragon Gods who were active in the ancient times in the eyes of the Four Seas. They are just too badly injured to leave the eyes of the sea. But with this foundation, as long as the Four Seas are nominally obedient, the Great Heavenly Venerable will turn a blind eye."

"Beyond the Four Seas, the Four Continents and countless great rivers have gradually been occupied by our Heavenly Court. However, the Dragon Clan of the Four Seas has a long history, and although it is now showing signs of decline, they have built Dragon Palaces in many tributaries and even wells that the Heavenly Court has neglected along the way."

“In our Southern Toad Continent, now that Your Majesty has returned to your position, the Dragon Gods of the Four Rivers are all appointed by His Majesty the Jade Emperor. The other tributaries of the Four Seas account for about 30%. As for the countless ponds and wells, there is no way to account for them. Apart from the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas, I'm afraid no one knows how many there are,” said the Turtle Prime Minister.

Ding Lin understood. Now that the land and water are separated, the Four Seas Dragon Palace controls the Four Seas, and the Heavenly Court is somewhat wary of them. As long as they nominally obey orders, the Heavenly Court will not interfere. As for the famous water veins on land, most of them have been taken back by the Heavenly Court. The Dragon Palace is showing signs of decline and can only set up in some remote corners. The Heavenly Court doesn't care about these places and just lets them be.

"Does my Yellow River region also have the Dragon Lords of the Four Seas?" Ding Lin asked again. He had been sent down and had to do something to show his superiors. What could be better than expanding his sphere of influence?

"Reporting to the Dragon King, the Yellow River is a great river, and even its tributaries are under the Heavenly Court's jurisdiction. To this day, of the 3,600 tributaries under the Yellow River's jurisdiction, only 73 still obey the orders of the Four Seas. Originally, when the Old Water Lord was in power, he had already prepared to wipe them all out in one fell swoop, but the order came suddenly, and later... that's why it's been delayed until now. However, now that Your Majesty has taken office, these minor troubles can naturally be resolved with a wave of your hand. But there is one thing Your Majesty should pay more attention to," said the Turtle Prime Minister.

Ding Lin listened quietly without interrupting.

"It is the Jing River. This river is vast and ranks first among the tributaries of the Yellow River. Moreover, it relies on the East Sea. The Jing River Dragon King is also the brother-in-law of the West Sea Dragon King, so it is extremely troublesome. The previous Water Lord put pressure on him openly and secretly several times, but in the end, he could not drive him out," said the Turtle Prime Minister.

"I understand." Ding Lin nodded.

Before we knew it, we had covered 100,000 li.

Nearby, a scene of splendor unfolds.

Ding Lin squinted and saw a crystal palace at the bottom of the water, covering an area of ​​tens of thousands of feet.

The dragon palace underneath is really daring to build.

Ding Lin was amazed, but considering that he was the one who would soon enjoy it, he didn't say anything more.

Upon reaching the Crystal Palace, the thousands of aquatic creatures who had been leading the way naturally dispersed to both sides and formed ranks. Without Ding Lin needing to do anything, the white jade official seal at his waist flashed slightly, and the restrictions on the Dragon Palace were lifted, allowing him to enter first.

"Xin Jia, settle the men in first," Ding Lin casually instructed, then gestured for the Turtle Prime Minister to lead him to familiarize himself with the surroundings. After taking a few steps, Ding Lin seemed to remember something and waved to the Shrimp and Crab Generals not far behind, signaling them to follow.

"promise."

Xin Jia agreed, but his eyes dimmed again.

Ding Lin didn't turn his head back, but just strolled around leisurely, listening to the Turtle Prime Minister's introduction while looking at the exotic flowers and plants that were everywhere along the way.

(End of this chapter)