Unlimited priesthood

Chapter 136 Usury
Yueyang Prefecture, Dongting Lake, fish market wharf.

The fish market is still the same fish market, and the dock is still the same dock.

Some things remain the same as before, while others have changed beyond recognition.

The imperial court still exists, the government still exists, and the fishermen and common people still exist.

The Goldfish Gang is gone, but the Black Sand Gang has arrived. We'll still eat and do what we need to do.

Inside the tavern, Shen He sat alone by the window, listening to the patrons' conversation.

They talked about recent events, and although there were a few reminiscences of the past, they were nothing more than boastful talk about the birth of the fish-dragon and the descent of immortals to earth. No one mentioned that legend at all.

It seems to have become a taboo!
But it is only right, after all, trouble comes from the mouth. The government and the court are still here, who would dare to talk about the escaped criminal?
Everything has passed, and the world changes but nothing remains the same.

Shen He put down a piece of silver, got up and walked out of the tavern, heading straight out of the city.

Soon, they returned to Dongting Lake and sailed on the lake.

The familiar sound of wind and waves, the familiar smell of fish.

After sixteen years, I have finally returned to my hometown.

As Shenhe floats on the lake, gazing at the misty rain over Dongting, a sense of nostalgia shines through his eyes.

suddenly……

"Wow!!!"

A cry echoed through the sky.

Then a strong wind swept in, blowing away the misty rain, and a giant shadow descended from the sky, its heavy force creating raging waves.

However, the small boat on the lake remained motionless. Shen He looked up and raised an eyebrow: "How could this be?"

The giant shadow was clear, standing at the bow of the ship. It was a ferocious bird with golden feathers, a bright and shiny body, an eagle's head, and roc's eyes.

Golden-winged Eagle

Spirit Beast Rank: Fourth Rank (Spirit Lord Species)
Mythical Beast Type: Birds (Eagles)

Spirit Beast Combat Skills: Golden Feather Sword Wings, Piercing Through Clouds and Sky, Roc Spreading Wings, Ten Thousand Swords Traversing the Sky...

Golden-winged Eagle!
When Shen He left Dongting Lake, he only took this one contracted spirit beast with him. The Copper-backed Alligator Dragon and the Seven-Star Dragon Carp were left behind to guard the exotic flowers and plants on the island in the middle of the lake.

Although the iron-feathered eagle was by his side and could not show its face in public, it secretly provided him with all kinds of supplies, including spirit rice, spirit pills, spirit wine, and spirit meat.

With Shen He's careful training, it naturally entered the fourth tier in fifteen years and evolved from an elite Iron-feathered Eagle into a Spirit Lord Golden-winged Eagle.

A fourth-tier spirit beast, corresponding to Foundation Establishment, and being a Spirit Lord Golden Eagle, along with Xingyi Quan and Emperor Battle Techniques taught by Shen He, its combat power should be above that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But now...

The golden-winged eagle stood at the bow of the ship with its claws clasped together, looking rather aggrieved. It had several obvious wounds on its body, and some of its feathers had been broken off, revealing its bristly skin. It looked quite disheveled.

Shen He was also surprised by this.

Because he was worried that someone might be lying in wait for him, he did not return directly to his lair, but instead sent out a golden-winged eagle to scout ahead and check the situation.

The Golden-Winged Eagle's current state clearly indicates that it has been severely beaten.

Given its fighting prowess, who could possibly defeat it?
Core Formation cultivator?

Wasn't it said that the righteous and demonic paths, and the four major sects, were engaged in a great battle at Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain? Where did this Core Formation cultivator come from?

Even a Core Formation cultivator wouldn't be able to escape.

Not to mention that the spirit contract between the Copperback Alligator Dragon and the Seven-Star Dragon Carp has not been broken, and there has even been feedback of further enhancement, indicating that they are not only alive, but also thriving.

So, what's going on?

"Cuckoo!"

Faced with Shen He's questioning gaze, the golden-winged eagle flapped its wings and angrily began to recount its story.

"Um!?"

After listening to its account, Shen He raised an eyebrow: "Such a thing is true?"

"Cuckoo!"

The golden-winged eagle nodded, its eyes burning with hatred.

"Is this so..."

Shen He pondered for a moment, then leaped up and landed on its back: "Let's go back."

"Wow!"

The golden-winged eagle let out a cry, then flapped its wings and soared into the sky and clouds, transforming into a golden ray of light.

……

Meanwhile, in the deep waters of Dongting Lake.

A lake island, shrouded in mist and clouds, revealing hidden wonders.

On the island in the lake, there is a thatched hut, which was once the dwelling of a hermit, but it is now dilapidated and the cultivated fields have spread out in large tracts, without any of the original plans.

Strangely, the fields were not overgrown with weeds, and the exotic flowers, plants, and rice planted by the hermits did not wither but instead grew vigorously, each blossoming and bearing fruit.

In the center of the lake island, the lotus ponds and lotus roots that were once cultivated have now become a lake within a lake, and even the entire lake island has expanded several times over, with a large lake outside the island and a small lake inside the island.

Within this small lake, streaks of light flashed, and upon closer inspection, it was revealed to be a crystal palace. Though situated in the lake, it was not deep, and through the crystal-clear walls, one could see shadowy figures within, suggesting that someone might be inhabiting it.

"Your Majesty, this is the freshest harvested spirit lotus root!"

A woman dressed in a pink lotus-patterned robe, with a pearl adorning her head, entered the hall. She knelt before the dragon throne, presenting a plate of snow-white, jade-like lotus roots, brimming with spiritual energy. "Mmm~!"

On the dragon throne, a figure lay reclining, but it was not human; rather, it was a large carp, three zhang in size, with a golden body and six golden whiskers on its lips.

It reclined on the dragon throne in a very human-like manner, glancing at the woman out of the corner of its eye, before lazily swaying its fins: "Then why don't you feed it to this great king?"

"Yes!"

The woman smiled, stood up, picked up a piece of lotus root with her slender hand, and put it into the mouth of the golden-bearded carp.

"Ok!"

The carp chewed for a while, its six golden whiskers twitching, seemingly enjoying it immensely, but still somewhat unsatisfied, it called out to those around it, "You two, come here and massage my tail!"

As it spoke, it flicked its large goldfish tail forward, and then two figures, one golden and one yellow, rushed out from the left and right, landing beside it and acting attentively.

Upon closer inspection, the two golden figures turned out to be a Seven-Star Dragon Carp and a Bronze-Backed Alligator Dragon.

They remained in their original forms, landing on either side of the golden carp, tapping its tail with their fins and claws, and even using their magic to punch some of their primordial spirit into its body.

"Hmm~!"

This pleased the large golden carp greatly, and it let out a comfortable groan, leaning back on the dragon throne to continue enjoying the woman's feeding.

Besides the three fish, there was also an old man in the Crystal Palace, carrying a heavy tortoise shell, sitting to the side dozing off.

Outside the palace, in front of the Crystal Palace, soldiers stood guard, all of them shrimp soldiers and crab generals. Although they had taken on human form and had nine orifices, they still had shrimp heads and crab brains, looking neither human nor crab.

At a time when everything was both harmonious and discordant.

"Report!!!"

A shrimp soldier rushed into the palace, pounced on the dragon throne, and said in a panicked voice, "Your Majesty, that bird is here again!"

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, the golden carp on the dragon throne immediately sprang up with a flourish, shouting menacingly, "That hairy beast is truly courting death! I let him go, yet he still dares to bother me. Does he really think I can't handle him?"

Having said that, he ordered his men, "Go! Follow me out of the palace to meet the enemy!"

……

"Kill!"

On the island in the middle of the lake, shouts of battle arose. Waves spread out in the lake's innermost waters, and a group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals rushed out with all sorts of weapons, forming two rows in formation, which looked quite imposing.

In the center of the battle formation, golden light flashed, and the Dragon Beard Golden Carp came forward with its head held high. The woman in pink lotus dress with a pearl on her head and the old man carrying a tortoise shell on his back followed closely behind, with the Seven Star Dragon Carp and the Copper Back Alligator Dragon at the very end.

The group took their positions, and the golden carp raised its head, looking at the giant shadow circling in the sky. It spat and cursed, "Hey, you monster! You're in the sky, and I'm in the lake. We keep to ourselves, yet you keep coming to harass me. Do you really think I can't handle you? Come on, if you've got the guts, come down into the water and fight three hundred rounds!"

"Wow!!!"

Upon hearing this, the golden eagle responded decisively, flipping its body and swooping down from the sky.

"call!!!"

Suddenly, a fierce wind howled, like waves crashing in, blowing the shrimp soldiers and crab generals lined up on both sides until they were knocked off their feet. Only the golden carp in the center remained unmoved, instead slapping the tail of the large goldfish and soaring into the air like a dragon with the water waves, heading straight for the golden eagle. The two sides then engaged in a fierce battle.

Logically speaking, birds should have an advantage over fish.

But now that doesn't make sense. Since the golden eagle swooped down from the sky, it has used the power of heaven and earth and its own strength to strike with its sharp talons. It is probably made of steel and iron, and it is as fragile as straw and bean curd when it strikes.

But the six-whiskered golden carp was not afraid and met the attack head-on. Its large goldfish tail slapped out with the force of a dragon's tail, and collided with the golden eagle's sharp claws, exploding into streaks of fire and clanging sounds.

"Clap clap clap!"

"Behold the mighty dragon's tail sweep!"

The six-whiskered dragon carp grew stronger with each battle, its large goldfish tail creating afterimages, resembling a golden dragon baring its fangs and brandishing its body in the void, causing the golden eagle to retreat step by step.

"Wow!!!"

Upon seeing this, the golden eagle flew into a rage, flapping its wings and taking flight, its entire body radiating golden light.

Imperial Battle Technique - Ten Thousand Swords Unleashed!
The golden eagle flapped its wings and soared high, its feathers shining brightly, transforming into sword light that swept outwards. Thousands upon thousands of swords crisscrossed, attacking the six-whiskered dragon carp with overwhelming force.

"Little tricks!"

"Behold my True Dragon Immortal Technique!"

Seeing this, the six-whiskered dragon carp showed disdain, and directly moved its body, with waves surging around it and golden light flowing, transforming into a dragon shadow, its head held high, soaring into the sky.

"boom!!!"

The golden light shattered instantly, revealing a torrent of swords collapsing. The dragon's shadow soared into the sky, striking the golden eagle and causing it to wail and tumble over, scattering a shower of golden feathers before frantically flapping its wings and flying away.

"Humph!"

Upon seeing this, the Six-Bearded Dragon Carp sneered triumphantly. It stood in the void in human form, its golden fins even reaching its waist and abdomen in a very human-like manner, but they were not long enough to reach its chest, making it look quite comical.

But it didn't care at all and continued to put on a show.

"If you disturb me again, I, the Great King, will pluck your feathers, so that you won't even be a feathered beast!"

Having made a show of bravado and uttered some harsh words, the Six-Bearded Dragon Carp turned around and prepared to return to the Crystal Palace to continue enjoying its blessings.

But to his surprise, as soon as he turned around, he saw a powerful current rushing towards him.

Silently, the powerful current rushed towards us!

Like a raging sea bursting its banks, like Mount Tai collapsing!

It was a fist shadow, a terrifying fist shadow, growing larger and larger in its eyes...

(End of this chapter)