Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 247 Qianning Mission
Moreover, there seems to be another interpretation of this sea eye, which forms a certain feng shui pattern with this body of water, and is probably of great benefit to both cultivation and weapon crafting.

However, Chen Shunan's perspective was too limited; as an outsider to the Daoist path, he was not very clear about the specifics.

Even so, Chen Shunan was incredibly envious!
How could my water elemental energy, which suppresses the sea eye of the divine palace, have been lost outside?
at this time,

From afar, the sound of ten thousand thunderclaps and roars could be heard coming from the eye of the sea, echoing each other and shaking the heavens and the earth.

However, this giant octopus was also quite bold, actually using its body to block the sea eye, preventing even the slightest sound of the earth-shattering roar from escaping.

In particular, the sea eye was constantly rotating, and beams of cold light shot out from it, seemingly the flow of primordial magnetism and earth fire. When these beams landed on Zhang Ju, they tore off large chunks of flesh, and scales flew off, making a 'sizzling' sound as they fell into the water.

But as soon as the injury appeared, Zhang Ju's body surged with demonic energy and his magical power surged like a tide, instantly healing the wound and restoring his scales to their original neatness.

Injury, healing, injury, healing... this cycle repeats itself endlessly.

For Zhang Ju, this seemed to be a kind of cultivation, constantly tempering its demonic body.

Presumably, the injuries sustained by this giant beast, along with the blood and scales that have spilled out, are from this source.

"Good heavens, not only did this giant block the sea eye, but he also built his cave on top of it? Judging from the looks of it, it seems he's even planning to build it around the sea eye? Isn't he afraid that if the sea eye riots and the rivers flow backward, it will be reduced to ashes?"

Chen Shunan was secretly alarmed.

But in an instant, he noticed something strange again.

In the clear, mirror-like eye of the sea, ripples suddenly appear, like reflections in the water, showing a scene of another world.

That seemed to be a distant sea, with three thousand islands and countless pagodas.

Twelve ocean-going Fujianese ships and one ten-masted bronze ship with a carrying capacity of 1,000 tons are sailing through the waves.

A huge banner with the inscription "Heaven and Earth in Two Colors, Qianning" fluttered in the wind.

It seems to be going upstream along this sea eye.

This fleet is sailing from overseas to the Funiu River!

"That's the fleet of the Qianning Mission?"

"This fleet did not originally travel via the Holy Dynasty's shipping route, passing through customs to reach the Grand Canal, but instead sailed upstream along the sea eye?"

"This sea eye really reaches overseas?!"

Chen Shunan was shocked, never expecting that the crucial checkpoint for the Qianning delegation's visit to the emperor would be located here.

Chen Shunan's thoughts raced through his mind, then he lowered his gaze and sent a telepathic message to Tun Mengzi.

The dolphin was stunned for a moment, then swam over to Zhang Ju and quickly said,

"Your Majesty, this palace cannot be repaired properly!"

"what?"

Zhang Ju suddenly sat up, poking out his dragon head, and asked in bewilderment,
"Why?"

"The foundation is unstable!"

Tun Mengzi waved his fins, pointed to the loose, still-flowing white sand below the palace, and said...
"The mud at the bottom of this river is loose and floats like cotton, with the soil veins shifting with the current, completely without any fixed shape. Even if a palace were to be built here, it would collapse into a pile of mud within a few months due to the flood!"

"Oh no? What do we do then?!"

Zhang Ju was getting anxious.

No wonder its palaces and water mansions, after months of construction, are still just a rough draft, and several walls are on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

only……

Why didn't those humans and lesser demons say so before?

Zhang Ju glanced curiously at the group of strong men who were enjoying the treasure fish and seven-treasure lotus root, circulating their qi and blood.

Tun Mengzi said, "We need to drive the piles in hard! We need to use some special building materials, such as black iron and fine iron forged by humans, or even divine weapons!"

"Alright, go out and help me look for it."

"Just let me out, Your Majesty... Hmm?!"

Tun Mengzi thought she had misheard and tentatively asked,
"Your Majesty, is this a sign that you are willing to let me leave?"

"Yeah, how can you find it if you don't go out and look for it? I don't have it here!"

Zhang Ju looked at Tun Mengzi with a pitying gaze, as if he were looking at a fool.

"..."

Not to mention Tun Mengzi, even Chen Shunan hadn't expected that this ferocious-looking and terrifying demon would actually retain the 'simplicity' that was extremely rare in the Holy Dynasty.

Or rather, self-confidence.

It wasn't worried at all that the pig-like creature would break its promise and run away under some pretext.

Kidnapping? Zhang Jumen Qing'er is an expert on this.

Never failed...

Hmm, no, I only messed up once.

Tun Mengzi's eyes darted around, and she whispered again,

"Your Majesty, this matter still requires human involvement. I alone am not enough. I must trouble Your Majesty to be lenient and release that person as well, so that he may come with me."

As he spoke, Tun Mengzi pointed with his fin at Lu Jing, who was silently sitting cross-legged in meditation.

"it is good."

Zhang Ju nodded, and without saying a word, used his tentacles to pull Lu Jing over.

"this?!"

Lu Jing felt an irresistible force strike him, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Zhang Ju's massive body.

When he learned that he had actually been 'released' and was to go collect good materials for piling, he breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully cupped his hands in greeting to Tun Mengzi.

However, a faint sense of regret still welled up in his heart.

It's tough here, and people aren't very nice to talk to.

But they eat rare and precious herbs and drink exquisite nectar; it's practically a paradise on earth, a sacred place for cultivation. If one could study here for a few years…

A thought suddenly arises, and the mind becomes arrogant.

Lu Jing immediately became alert and decisively suppressed him.

How could I, the upright and honorable head of the Military Academy, be reduced to a prisoner?!
"Alright, you can go now... Once you've gathered the best materials, come here, and I can trade them with you all sorts of treasures!"

I won't take advantage of you!

Zhang Ju patted his chest with one of his tentacles, producing a muffled sound like a drumbeat or thunder.

Seeing that this great demon also seemed to be someone who would be deceived by reason, Chen Shunan gestured for Tun Mengzi to step forward and asked,

"Your Majesty, there seems to be a fleet of ships opposite the Sea Eye?"

"Oh? You saw it? Yes, it's from Qianning Kingdom..."

"The little demon thought they would pass through the customs in the South China Sea Prefecture, switch to inland waterway transportation, head north to the Grand Canal, and finally arrive in the capital."

"Oh my! You little demon know quite a lot... However, the overseas countries are tens of thousands of miles away from the capital of the Holy Dynasty. There are countless pagodas and islands among them, and the Daoist sects and Dharma lineages are divided. If we honestly sail north, wouldn't it take forever?"

Besides, even if they entered the Holy Dynasty, would those old fogies in the lower prefectures really be willing to just watch this envoy's fleet swagger past them? Wouldn't they at least offer some benefits first?

Zhang Ju clearly knew a lot about the inside story of the Qiankun delegation's visit to the Sage, but his intelligence was still somewhat confused, and he couldn't even lie. Before Chen Shunan could even signal Tun Mengzi to get information out of him, he started rattling off a string of words.

Moreover, Chen Shunan could tell from Zhang Ju's accent that he was a genuine demon from the capital!

Zhang Judao: "We definitely have to go through the sea eye!"

Tun Mengzi asked curiously, "Then Your Majesty, you still dare to build palaces and water mansions here? Aren't you afraid that when the delegation arrives in the capital, the immortals will welcome them and it will affect your water mansion?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ju casually sat back down, covered his head with all his tentacles as if it were a blanket, indicating that he also needed to rest and recuperate.

"What's there to be afraid of? I'm building this house specifically to wait for demolition and compensation!"

"Those powerful figures in the county and city, for a little bit of profit, they scheme and plot, collude with outsiders, and even betray the country... Unlike me, I can just wait for the demolition and get rich!"

"Everyone says I'm silly and withdrawn... Hehe, I'm actually very wise!"

……

After leaving the Funiu marshland, Lu Jing rode a pig.

After the heavy snow stopped and the weather cleared up, the fog on the river gradually dissipated.

The cold wind blew against Lu Jing's face, but he felt no joy at escaping with his life.

When they arrived, there were nine people, all of whom were the most powerful fighters in the Wuqing martial arts world.

When he returned, he was alone.

That great demon kidnapped a total of five people, including him.

Four people are still missing.

Guo Quan deserted during the battle, and the remaining three were separated during the initial demon tide.

Judging from his appearance, he is probably in grave danger.

The key is……

The old man, Chen Shunan, also disappeared in this vast marshland.

How could a great demon fail when it makes a move?
If Lu Jing's guess is correct, all the surviving martial artists have been kidnapped by that great demon.

Naturally, those who weren't kidnapped or appeared in the water palace were in grave danger and had no chance of survival.

The death of Chen Shunan is a minor matter; the major issue is the translation of the idiom.

The most crucial question is, how will I explain this to Zhao Guangxi when I get back?

Zhao Guangxi may seem carefree and easygoing, but he's fiercely protective of his own.

If he knew that Chen Shunan had an accident, even if he had a thousand excuses and ten thousand reasons, he would definitely hold a grudge against Lu Jing and would not give Lu Jing a good look.

Thinking of this, Lu Jing's face turned ashen.

He couldn't say for sure whether the demon-slaying attempt was a failure or a success.

Failed?
At least we can figure out the nature of this great demon. It is not as vicious as we imagined, and it has no intention of expanding, stirring up a demon tide, or flooding Wuqing County.

They treated humans and demons equally, kidnapping them all to be beaten to ashes.

This means that the demonic scourge in Wuqing will not spread further.

It will enter a persistent state.

And it succeeded?

People were kidnapped and forced into labor, and now they're being ordered to collect timber for piling. How can that be considered a success?!
"Sigh, I'm going back alone. How am I going to explain this to my fellow villagers?"

"Cough cough..."

Just then, a figure slowly emerged from an inconspicuous iceberg in the distance.

Chen Shunan shook off the shards of ice from his body, took out an ice bead he held in the air to prevent his breath from escaping, and forced a look of relief at surviving a close call onto his old face.
"And I am still alive."

"Officer Lu, can we go back now? I've been hiding here for ages, my legs are numb."

Lu Jing: "..."

Lu Jing was shocked.

No, where did you come from, old man?
"you are still alive?!"

Lu Jing realized the inappropriateness of his words and changed the subject, saying,
"How did you survive?!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Shunan looked embarrassed and said,
"I ran fast. As soon as I spotted the monsters lying in ambush, I rode my finless porpoise and escaped from the Funiu Marsh without looking back... By the way, Chief Lu, just now in the direction of the Funiu Marsh, there were dark clouds covering the sun and thunder rumbling. What happened?"

Lu Jing paused for a moment, his face twitching involuntarily, before giving a brief explanation and leading Chen Shunan back to the crossroads.

(End of this chapter)