They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 204 Audit
Above the Azure Wave Pool, Nezha hovered in the clouds, his Fire-Tipped Spear pointed diagonally, his starry eyes scanning the area below. He was only here on imperial orders to assist Chen Guangrui, and for the time being, he would remain an observer of the drama unfolding at the Azure Wave Pool.

Cold sweat poured down the forehead of the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints. The formidable reputation of Nezha, the Third Prince, and the countless golden-armored heavenly soldiers were like two invisible mountains, completely crushing his previous vain ambition to "appeal to the Heavenly Court".

"Lord Inspector..." The old Dragon King's voice was dry and hoarse, trying his best to squeeze out a bit of respect, "This old dragon is blind and does not recognize a true god. It's all a misunderstanding. His Highness the Third Prince's arrival has made Bibo Pool shine. This old dragon welcomes you with the utmost respect and has no other intentions."

Princess Wansheng held onto her father's arm, her pretty face tense, yet her eyes still held a hint of stubborn resentment. She looked at the disheveled Ao Lie, then at the majestic Nezha in the sky, biting her lower lip and remaining silent.

Yellow Wind Monster was already prepared to destroy the Dragon Palace, but unexpectedly, he had helpers. Moreover, he knew Nezha and had an estimate of Nezha's strength.

Chen Guangrui, along the way, seemed to be picking up treasures, keeping a low profile, and after several days, he had actually managed to gather almost all the helpers he needed.

Now, when he reassesses the situation, even if he can't win, he can't afford to lose too badly.

However, the soldiers were on their way.
Looking at the heavenly soldiers Nezha brought, he could only say they were impressive in spirit, but their numbers were still far fewer than those of the Lion Camel Ridge forces. He wondered what tricks Chen Guangrui had up his sleeve this time.

Chen Guangrui's gaze calmly fell on the old Dragon King's face.
"Your Majesty is too kind. Whether there is a misunderstanding or not, let's set that aside for now."

His voice was not loud, but it clearly overpowered the sounds of water and wind. "It is my duty as the patrol officer to protect the safety of the Dragon Prince and to investigate whether the Dragon Palace in the mortal realm is abiding by the heavenly rules and whether there is any dereliction of duty, abuse of power, or collusion with evil spirits."

"I'm innocent, Your Majesty!" The old Dragon King trembled, as if his tail had been stepped on, and cried out in protest, bowing even lower.
"Although the old dragon resides in a small pool and holds a lowly position, since being bestowed this title, he has always been diligent and conscientious in managing the aquatic creatures and dredging the waterways, never daring to slacken in the slightest. As for colluding with demons and evil spirits... there is absolutely no such thing. The old dragon's heart is as clear as day. If you do not believe me, my lord, you may investigate within a thousand miles of this Azure Wave Pool. The Ten Thousand Saints Dragon Palace has always acted with integrity and uprightness!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, as if he had truly suffered a great injustice, even trembling with grief and indignation. "In the past, my Bibo Pool did indeed have some grudges with the Third Prince of the West Sea Dragon Palace. If Your Excellency intends to frame my Bibo Pool today because of personal grudges, this old dragon will risk his soul being scattered to the winds to go to the Lingxiao Palace, to strike the golden bell outside the South Heavenly Gate before the Jade Emperor, and beg for justice!"

His words sounded tough, but in reality, he was all bark and no bite. His eyes were fixed on Chen Guangrui, trying to find even the slightest hint of weakness on his face.

"Personal grudge?" A faint smile played on Chen Guangrui's lips, but his eyes grew even colder.

"The Dragon King is certainly good at turning the tables. However, since you say that you are upright and have nothing to fear, then that's all the better."

He abruptly changed the subject, "Then tell me, that Mighty Bull Demon King, who occupies Moyun Cave on Jilei Mountain, gathers demons to cause chaos and wreak havoc in the area. I was ordered to subdue him this time, but he has already fled to avoid punishment, and his whereabouts are hard to find. Your Bibo Pool is adjacent to his, and you have a long-standing relationship with him..."

Mentioning "Mighty Bull Demon King," the old Dragon King's heart skipped a beat, and his face instantly paled.

Chen Guangrui stared intently at him and asked, word by word,
"As the water god appointed by the Heavenly Court, have you carefully investigated the whereabouts of the Bull Demon King, the true nature of his cave, and the evidence of his crimes over the years? Have you truthfully reported this to the Heavenly Court? Or did you know about it but failed to report it?"

"Bull... Bull Demon King?" The old Dragon King's voice was filled with obvious panic and disbelief. "He... he's escaped? Such a vast empire as Mount Jilei..."

He was genuinely shocked. The Bull Demon King was a drinking buddy of many years and a major source of income for his Jade Pool Dragon Palace. How could that powerful old bull be so easily defeated? A chill ran from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, making him realize that this seemingly weak scholar was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

He forced himself to remain calm and hurriedly explained, "Your Excellency, please understand! The relationship between Old Dragon and that Bull Demon King is merely a superficial friendship between neighbors who occasionally visit each other and share a drink! He is a demon, and Old Dragon is a god; immortals and demons are on different paths. How could Old Dragon dare to associate with him? As for investigating and reporting, Mount Jilei is not within Old Dragon's jurisdiction, and it is truly inconvenient for Old Dragon to overstep his authority! Old Dragon has always acted cautiously and would never commit any wrongdoing!"

"Neighbor?" Chen Guangrui repeated softly, the sarcasm in his tone making the old Dragon King's heart pound. He stopped looking at the old Dragon King, turning his gaze to the ornately decorated, jewel-encrusted entrance to the Dragon Palace behind him, and to the dazzling treasures on Princess Wansheng's body, and slowly said...

"What a fine example of acting cautiously, and what a fine example of never committing any crimes."

“Then,” Chen Guangrui’s voice suddenly turned sharp.
"Your Jade Pool Dragon Palace is nothing more than a small pond in a corner of the world. In terms of the vastness of the water area, the number of aquatic creatures, and the abundance of water veins, it cannot even compare to a corner of the West Sea Dragon Palace! Yet your Dragon Palace is filled with magnificent palaces and jade pavilions, with rare treasures piled up like mountains, which is no less than the main hall of the West Sea Dragon Palace. The extravagance of your father and daughter's clothing and daily life is even greater than that of the princesses and princes of the Four Seas Dragon Kings!"

His hand suddenly pointed to a dazzling nine-phoenix hairpin with pearls in Princess Wansheng's hair. "Tell me clearly the origin of such a celestial treasure! How much Heavenly salary has your Bibo Pool received over the years? How much offerings have your aquatic creatures made to you? How much has the pool produced? Is it enough for even one ten-thousandth of what you need to build this palace? Is it enough for this hairpin on your daughter's head?"

"Everyone says you're selfless and dedicated to public service, but is your salary enough to cover your food, clothing, and other expenses?"

"Today, I am acting on the Jade Emperor's orders to conduct an inspection on behalf of Heaven. The first thing I will do is to investigate the accounts of your Jade Pool Dragon Palace!"

The words "inspect the accounts" struck the crown of the Ten Thousand Saints Dragon King like two bolts of lightning from the heavens.

Boom!

The old Dragon King felt a sudden darkness before his eyes; his legs could no longer support his obese body, and his knees buckled.
His most shameful secrets, his most shady dealings, were about to be completely exposed by a single sentence from this "Inspectorate." All the ill-gotten gains from "doing business" with the Bull Demon King, all the treasures he had plundered, all those shady dealings—which one could withstand scrutiny? Which one wasn't evidence worthy of confiscation of his property and the extermination of his entire family!

"Father!" Princess Wansheng exclaimed in surprise, her face pale, and she quickly knelt down to help him up.

"Inspect the accounts?" Princess Wansheng looked up abruptly, her beautiful face contorted with shame and indignation. She glared at Chen Guangrui, then gave a hateful glance to Ao Lie, who was being held back by Yuan Shoucheng on the shore.
“My family has accumulated a great fortune over generations, and we are rich! We are much more impressive than some of those empty-headed, impoverished dragon palaces that have only a name but are actually poor and destitute. I refused to marry into the West Sea because I thought it was too poor and shabby. So what? Is that a crime? Is being rich a sin?”

"Wan Sheng, shut up!" The old Dragon King was terrified, struggling to cover his daughter's mouth, but his body trembled so much he couldn't even lift his hand.
really,

"You wretch, what did you say?" Ao Lie on the shore instantly turned bloodshot! Yuan Shoucheng's strength was no match for the enraged Third Prince of the West Sea.
"Ouch, my back..." Yuan Shoucheng cried out in pain, no longer caring about his disheveled state. Looking at Ao Lie, who was like a mad dragon, he slapped his thigh in panic, "It's over, it's over, my ancestors, this is going to kill me!"

Ao Lie ignored everyone else, his eyes burning with humiliated rage as he locked his gaze on the arrogant Princess Wansheng on the water's surface. He let out a low, fierce dragon roar, ready to pounce on her again without a care in the world!

Nezha, who had been hovering in mid-air observing coldly, frowned slightly. He had come to help subdue the demon, not to watch the dragon clan's infighting. The red tassel of his Fire-Tipped Spear moved without wind, instantly freezing Ao Lie in place.

Chen Guangrui shifted his gaze from the distraught Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints to Red Boy, who was standing beside him with his arms crossed.

"Dragon King," he said calmly, pointing a finger at Red Boy.
"Do you recognize this man, Red Boy, the only son of the Mighty Bull Demon King and Princess Iron Fan?"

Red Boy, who was seething with anger, immediately frowned upon hearing the mention of the Bull Demon King. He let out a harsh "humph," turned his head away, and refused to look at anyone, as if the name had tainted his ears. The Dragon King of Ten Thousand Saints, slumped in his daughter's arms, trembled violently. He struggled to lift his cloudy eyes and looked at the child in the red bib, with a golden ring around his neck, whose face was etched with arrogance.

Yes, that's right! Every time the Bull Demon King comes to the Dragon Palace for drinks, after three cups, he always boasts about how extraordinary his "own son" Red Boy is, how he was born with Samadhi True Fire, and how he dominated Mount Hao at a young age... Every time, he has to emphasize again, "He is my own son!"
This left a deep impression on the old Dragon King.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared in the old Dragon King's mind.

Chen Guangrui not only provoked the Bull Demon King, but also found out everything about the Bull Demon King's family and even captured his most precious son.

That Bull Demon King seems to have truly fallen from grace, and fallen so far that even his underwear has been exposed.

The seemingly weak scholar before me possesses methods, background, and knowledge far more terrifying than the mere revelation of the Heavenly Court's Inspection Office or the arrival of Nezha, the Third Prince. He holds in his hand a fatal handle that can condemn someone to eternal damnation and ensure their eternal damnation.

The last bit of the old Dragon King's remaining strength dissipated with a "poof".

All I can say is that he has resigned himself to his fate.

……

"Mr. Chen, thank you for arriving in time, and thank you also to the Third Prince for your help. Otherwise, I would probably be stuck in this filthy pool today!"

The Third Prince Ao Lie looked at Chen Guangrui with gratitude in his eyes, clearly taking Chen Guangrui's nonsense about "the Heavenly Court's Inspection Department" as an excuse for helping him out.

Chen Guangrui nodded slightly, his tone conveying a sense of "I understand you."

"You listened to my advice back then, gave up the comfort of the Dragon Palace, and dared to venture into this dangerous place, which shows that you are indeed ambitious and want to do something great. This setback is just a small pebble on the road."

"Yes! It's a big deal!" Ao Lie seemed to have been struck to the core; his eyes brightened, his previous frustration vanished, and he straightened his back.
"Sir, you understand me! How could I, Ao Lie, be content to live under someone else's roof and depend on them for my life? This is not my desire! What I want to do is something that will shake the heavens... or at least make the Three Realms take notice!"

Yuan Shoucheng, standing nearby, quickly stepped forward, his face plastered with a shrewd smile, rubbing his hands together in agreement.
"Yes, yes, yes! The Third Prince is blessed with great fortune and has lofty ambitions! With the help of benefactors, he is sure to achieve great things!"

Chen Guangrui gazed into the distance, his tone carrying a hint of guidance.

"Great ambitions require the help of opportunity. On the way west, there is a place called Little Thunder Temple. Perhaps the opportunity you need to break through the heavens is hidden there. Why not go there and try your luck?"

"Little Leiyin Temple?"

Ao Lie's eyes instantly ignited with a burning desire, as if he had already seen the opportunity to make a name for himself.

"An opportunity? An opportunity that will shake the heavens?" he murmured to himself, his excitement overflowing. "The path you've pointed out, sir, must be extraordinary! I'm going right now!"

Yuan Shoucheng wished he could kowtow to Chen Guangrui several times. Without Chen Guangrui's words, he would have needed more effort to persuade Ao Lie to go to Xiao Leiyin Temple.

Ao Lie solemnly clasped his hands in thanks to Chen Guangrui, "Sir, I am deeply grateful! Once I make a name for myself, I will repay you handsomely! Farewell!"

Having said that, he beckoned to Yuan Shoucheng, and the two of them, without glancing at Bibo Pool again, rode a gust of wind and hurriedly headed west.

Watching the two figures disappear into the horizon, Huang Fengguai, who had been silently observing with his arms crossed, frowned and spoke in a deep, muffled voice, thick with a Shaanxi accent.

"Brother Chen, what are you up to this time? We finally managed to find... cough, this Third Prince of the West Sea. Although his skills are mediocre, he's still a helper. And that old fortune teller, his quick wit can certainly bolster our reputation. We're almost at Lion Camel Ridge, and this is exactly when we need people. Why did you send them away again? What earth-shattering opportunity? Are you just fooling around with children?"

Chen Guangrui looked at Huang Fengguai, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

"Old Huang, what do you think the West Sea Dragon King Ao Run will think about how we avenged Ao Lie today and saved him from a deadly attack at Bibo Pool?"

Yellow Wind Monster was taken aback, stroking his bushy beard. "Then the old Dragon King? He must be incredibly grateful, right? After all, he's his own son. But..."

He hesitated for a moment, then said frankly, "Grateful as I am, would I ask him to offend the Buddhist sect for such a personal matter? That's impossible! The Buddhist sect is powerful, how could the West Sea Dragon Palace dare to openly oppose them? At most, he might give us some benefits in private, but he would never go and stir up a hornet's nest at Lion Camel Ridge for our sake."

“You’re half right.” Chen Guangrui’s gaze deepened. “The Dragon King of the West Sea is sentimental, but even more so, he is opportunistic and knows how to assess situations. He’s grateful to us for saving his son, and he acknowledges that favor. Asking him to go to war with Buddhism for us now? He would never do it.”

He paused, his tone suddenly turning cold, as if chilled to ice, "But human relationships are like seeds buried in the soil. They remain dormant most of the time, but once..."

Chen Guangrui's gaze turned westward toward Lion Camel Ridge, as if piercing through layers of mountains to see that ominous land inhabited by demons.
"Once Buddhism shows a weakness and declines, do you think a shrewd old friend like the Dragon King of the West Sea will offer help in times of need, or... kick him while he's down? Today's events are just giving him an excuse; the rest depends on our own efforts."

Yellow Wind Monster's burly body trembled slightly, and his copper bell-like eyes widened suddenly. He instantly understood Chen Guangrui's intention.

"My goodness..." Huang Feng muttered under his breath, looking at Chen Guangrui's calm profile, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Chen Guangrui withdrew his gaze, offering no further explanation. His tone returned to its usual calm, yet carried an undeniable resolve:
"Now we can set off. Destination: Lion Camel Ridge!"

(End of this chapter)