My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

Huang Youde and the little monkey stared wide-eyed, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets. Huang Youde knew his stuff; the power and demonic aura of that water arrow were unmistakable!

But this Taoist priest in green robes... actually blocked it with a wisp of ordinary fire he borrowed at random?

And he still seemed so relaxed? The immense sense of absurdity and the shock of reality almost made his already chaotic mind explode.

So the clown was actually me?!

The "dragon shadow" in the sky was now filled with shock and rage.

It had developed intelligence, and although it was not as cunning as humans, it understood that the tiny human below seemed somewhat strange.

The pale golden flame aura made it instinctively feel disgust and a trace of... fear?

But more than anything, it was a furious rage after being provoked!

"Gurgle... Roar—!" It let out an even higher-pitched, violent dragon roar.

Its massive body churned within the mirage, its golden vertical pupils locked onto Ye Qingfeng, its menacing glint almost tangible.

Clearly, the failed probing attack did not deter it; instead, it completely ignited its ferocity.

This time, it held back, its giant mouth opening wide, its belly swelling, and the colorful mirage surrounding it resonating violently with the river water below.

The entire river surface began to churn restlessly, clearly brewing an even more powerful water-based demonic spell!

Wang Dashan's heart, which had just been half relieved, jumped into his throat again. His face turned pale, and he subconsciously moved closer to Ye Qingfeng, his voice trembling.

"Master, Master...it...it seems even angrier! Should we...should we take cover for now?"

Although he had gained confidence in Ye Qingfeng, the terrifying power emanating from the "Dragon Shadow" was something that an ordinary woodcutter like him could not withstand.

Ye Qingfeng finally withdrew his gaze from "Dragon Shadow" and glanced at Wang Dashan.

"It's alright." He only said two words, then looked back at the monster poised to strike in the sky.

This time, his gaze was no longer merely scrutinizing, but held a hint of understanding and a calm readiness to act.

At this moment, it was clear that most of the villagers present believed that he was no ordinary person, but a Taoist priest with real skills.

In that case, I can proceed with the next step.

Just as the demonic aura around the creature reached its peak, and several thick, turbid waterspouts wreathed in black demonic energy rose from the river's surface, about to hurtle towards Ye Qingfeng—

Ye Qingfeng suddenly stepped forward, subtly shielding Wang Dashan to his side.

Facing the earth-shattering power of the demonic magic, and the horrified, bewildered, or expectant gazes of everyone present, he slowly raised his hands.

One hand gently presses down on the surging river below, while the other hand, with fingers pointing like a sword, points diagonally towards the sky.

For the first time, his voice carried a strange, grand resonance that seemed to echo with the heavens and earth.

Clearly, word by word, it resonated in everyone's heart:

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. This river has been tainted by your evil influence for a hundred years, becoming murky and polluted. Yet, the nature of water is utmost gentleness and purity; how could it wish to remain forever associated with filth?"

His words sounded like he was questioning the monster, or perhaps speaking to the river itself.

It was also a declaration to all the people in the arena who had been shrouded in the shadow of the "Dragon King" for a hundred years and had long forgotten the true nature of the river!

He finally understood that with his cheat code, no matter what he said, as long as others believed it, it was fine.

As for the meaning of this statement, it's all very cryptic, so you can interpret it however you like.

As long as he can perform miracles, great scholars will naturally come to debate the classics for him.

As he spoke, the raging, roaring river, which seemed to be completely controlled by the demon, showed a faint, discordant stillness!

The rotation speed of the water jets seemed to have slowed down almost imperceptibly!

Ye Qingfeng sensed that the Qi within his body was not decreasing, but rather increasing rapidly because of the villagers.

At this moment, the flow of energy accelerated with his declaration, and it resonated faintly with the earth beneath his feet and the river before him!

That's not enough! We need a stronger "faith" and a clearer declaration of "rules" to truly interfere with or even reverse the influence of the water's power, which is being manipulated by demonic forces!

His gaze swept across the astonished faces on the shore, his voice suddenly rising, carrying an undeniable certainty and a guiding mystique:

"Today, this humble Taoist will cleanse this land of its filth—"

He took a deep breath and poured all the Qi he could muster into the "declaration" that followed.

His finger suddenly changed from pointing to the sky to being outstretched, vaguely facing the rolling river, and he uttered the earth-shattering second half of the sentence:

"—Temporarily strip you of your power over the water! Let the water be a mirror, reflecting your true form!"

"Condense water, create a mirror! Reveal!"

As he uttered the last word "显" (xiǎn), a faint golden light suddenly burst forth from the tips of Ye Qingfeng's index and middle fingers, which were held together.

It wasn't flames, but a highly condensed special spiritual light, which shot into the nearest and thickest demonic water tornado like an arrow released from a bow!

A miracle happened!

The waterspout struck by the pale golden light jolted violently! Its raging spin came to an abrupt halt!

Instead of falling, the turbid river water defied all logic and rapidly spread, unfolded, and condensed in mid-air, much to the astonishment of the onlookers!

The silt and impurities in the river water seemed to be filtered out by an invisible force, becoming clear and transparent.

In the blink of an eye, a huge water mirror, more than ten feet in diameter, smooth as a mirror, and faintly glowing with a pale golden halo, floated on the surface of the river!

The edge of the water mirror was also rippled with tiny, Dao-like patterns.

This enormous water mirror, perfectly aligned with the ferocious roar of the "dragon shadow" in the sky, which was preparing to unleash its full power.

The mirror was crystal clear, reflecting the majestic and sacred image of the "Dragon Shadow," with its scales and claws flying.

However, just as the reflection of the "dragon's shadow" entered the water mirror—

Mutation and regeneration!

The pale golden halo on the surface of the water mirror suddenly brightened, like strange golden ripples spreading out on the surface of water after a pebble has been thrown in.

Ripples swept across the reflection of the "dragon shadow" in the mirror, and the majestic image began to twist, deform, and peel away, as if it were a sand painting being wiped by an invisible hand!

The "horns" in the mirror softened and collapsed, the "golden scale patterns" faded and crumbled, and the outline of the "majestic dragon head" became blurred...

Instead, there was the reflection of a huge, ugly, bloated toad head covered in dark green bumps and slimy mucus.

Its enormous mouth, filled with tiny fangs, was wide open, its eyes filled with horror and disbelief!

The water mirror hangs in the air, revealing the true form of the demon in every detail!

On the riverbank, time seemed to be held captive by an invisible hand.

All sounds—cries, gasps, the murmur of the river, even the slightest rustling of the wind through the treetops—vanished in that instant.

Only hundreds of pairs of eyes, wide open to the extreme, remained fixed on the enormous water mirror that floated above, reflecting the incredible scene.

And the grotesque reflection in the mirror, so different from the "divine dragon shadow" in the sky, was disgusting.