Chapter 267 - 185: Questioning Lord of Water_2
The dense downpour and turbulent river currents were unable to obscure his vision. He could see that this Water Monarch only had a pair of front claws and no hind ones. Furthermore, it only had three toes on its front claws, hidden underwater.
Yet even so, the Wave River Water Monarch possessed a formidable strength that Feng Qing’an alone could not resist.
“Identify! ”
[Species: Jiaolong]
[Attributes: Dragon, God, Water, Thunder] [Potential Level: Monarch.Medium Grade] [Battle Power Level: Monarch.High Grade]
As the younger brother, the Bailang River Water Monarch Hongxi, compared to his older brother, was indeed a worthy younger sibling. Just based on the identification results, Feng Qing’an could conclude that if the red Jiaolong in front of him extended a single claw, it could crush Hongxi.
“You’re very similar to him, even your aura is very similar, but you’re not him!”
As Feng Qing’an was scrutinizing the Jiaolong, the materialized True Self Wave River Water Monarch was also examining Feng Qing’an. How could he not recognize the face of his father’s killer? “What’s your relationship with him?”
“Siblings of the same parent!”
Feng Qing’an looked at the Dragon Lord, who under the storm and lightning, exuded boundless divine might. He calmly replied, completely unafraid of stimulating the Jiaolong, who with just his head alone, was larger than both Black Mountain and Bai Yao combined.
“Does Water Monarch have any thoughts towards me?”
“You are not him!”
The Wave River Water Monarch responded again. His gaze was full of indifference, but there was no trace of madness. It seemed that he didn’t harbor any thoughts of killing Feng Qing’an out of vengeance.
It was unclear whether the sword by Feng Qing’an’s waist had calmed him down, preventing him from any kind of rash behavior.
“Well, since the Water Monarch doesn’t have any thoughts, we should discuss serious matters!”
Feng Qing’an’s smiling face turned severe and his tone became aggressive,
“Why haven’t you been performing your duties as the Water Monarch to provide rain over these three years?”
“Provide rain? Ha, whenever mortals pray to me for rain, I’ve mostly responded. What do you have to complain about?”
The Jiaolong’s voice, thick and rumbling like a thunderclap, stirred in the downpour, carrying a hint of mockery.
Indeed, he had been a bit lax, perhaps even disheartened over these three years. But what he should have done, he did. When offered sacrifices and prayers from mortals, he responded, but that was all. Whether it was a torrential downpour or just a drizzle, what did it have to do with him? He had made it rain!
“The rain in Nanshao Prefecture has been reducing yearly. The crop yield in these farmland areas has sharply declined, with some places even experiencing a halved harvest. Are you aware of this?”
Feng Qing’an questioned assertively, as if to accuse. The worried spirits didn’t dare to speak out.
“This is a human matter, what does it have to do with me? The sharp decrease in grain yield, you should consider if it’s due to your own human issues.”
Upon hearing Feng Qing’an’s response, the Water Monarch coldly shrugged it off, not considering it his problem, and retorting sarcastically,
“Perhaps the farmers are lazy and uninterested in farming. Or maybe the officials are heavily taxing and conscripting, causing the loss of labor resources. It could also be because your emperor is immoral, causing heaven to send down calamities. Or maybe there is some wicked person manipulating the officials, causing political disorder…”
“So, for the past three years in South Shao Prefecture, the grain yield has been decreasing yearly, and you claim this has nothing to do with you?” Feng Qing’an’s hand was already gripping the hilt of his sword.
“Maybe it does have a little to do with me, but ultimately it’s still an issue caused by your human race!”
The Wave River Water Monarch replied nonchalantly.
Oh?
“You are the younger brother of that man, so you ought to know what your elder brother has done. I, as the Dragon Child, was devastated by the tragic news of my father’s death. I lost my appetite and had no heart to handle the affairs of the rivers. In the human’s world, this would be a common reaction, yet you come to me seeking blame. What kind of logic is that?”
The vertical pupils of the Jiaolong, larger than any human’s, were fixed on Feng Qing’an. Added to the unscrupulous dragon weis, the Jiaolong exuded an enormous pressure on the surrounding martial artists and spirits. Despite this, Feng Qing’an remained unmoved, his face exhibiting no change.
“That’s why we humans have a mourning period. If you cannot fulfill the duties of the River Water Monarch, then you should abdicate. If you can’t be the Monarch, just don’t be. Once you abdicate, you can do whatever you want. Even to mourn your father’s grave, no one will stop you!”
Feng Qing’an said calmly, but the words he spoke were more shocking than thunder from the heavens.
“Hahaha, you ask me to abdicate the position of Water Monarch? Do you think anyone can just ascend to this position?”
Upon hearing Feng Qing’an’s words, the River Water Monarch of Wave River laughed instead of expressing anger. After laughing, he gazed fiercely at the youth whose face bore a striking resemblance to the man who killed his father.
Suppressing his internal rage, blamed him,
“Who do you think you are? You think that by wielding that man’s secondary sword, you can easily command the spirits and demand my abdication? What do you take me for?”
“In my eyes, you are nothing more than a god without virtue. If virtue is absent from a position, disaster is inevitable!”
Feng Qing’an responded.
“I lack virtue? Your elder brother killed my father, yet I still responded to your human race’s rain prayers— be it a lot or a little, I always responded. On what grounds do you say that I’m unvirtuous?”
“Crop production has been decreasing for years, and you’re the chief culprit!”
On hearing this, one might feel compelled to sympathize with the aggrieved Water Monarch. But, considering his responsible position, even a slight negligence or a simple vent of emotions could cause massive devastation to the human race.
“If there were abundant rainfalls, the commoners wouldn’t need to pray for rain. If people frequently have to pray for rain, it’s proof of your failure as a Water Monarch. What are you trying to imply?”
“This is also because you humans are ungrateful. I have ensured suitable weather for good harvests for the human race on both banks, yet with each successful harvest, the offerings made to me have been decreasing year by year!”
The River Water Monarch of Wave River did not think that he was at fault. Instead, he mocked the commoners of both banks,
“Now that I am in a state of apathy, the incense offerings to me are increasing daily, hahaha, you humans are truly despicable!”
“So you admit, you controlled the rainfall, forcing the commoners to make incense offerings to you?”
“I didn’t force anyone. This is a mere exchange between me, a deity, and the humans. You offer me incense, and I bless you with the desired rainfall. An appropriate recompense, where is the crime in that?”
“You have neither a merciful heart nor the sense of responsibility that a deity should possess. You are proud of your divine power and despise the commoners of both banks. Considering your past efforts, I allow you to abdicate.”
Feng Qing’an lowered his eyes.
“Returning to my original question, who do you think you are? Your sword may command spirits, but it cannot intimidate me. You are not your elder brother, recognize your superiority, little ant!”
The Jiaolong lowered its head and expelled a hot breath from his nostrils, staring at the youth’s frail figure and mocking him ruthlessly. In response, the youth unsheathed his sword silently to respond.
Zing
The snowy sword light shone across both shores in an instant, sweeping away the clouds accumulated due to the Jiaolongs presence, like in the legend of Dragon Father Giant who stood ten thousand feet tall sweeping the sky with his sword. The stars and moon appeared behind the clouds, casting a gentle gleam onto the waves of the river.
A faint golden streamer hovered over the lifeless Jiaolong, the current of the river stilled as if time itself had come to a halt, only to flow again the next instant.
With the dramatic clearing of the skies, thick dragon blood spewed from the neck of the Jiaolong. The massive dragon head fell from the sky, crashing on the embankment. The headless body of the Jiaolong didn’t struggle, it was about to be swept downstream by the surging river.
However, Sen Miao, beneath Feng Qing’an, responded swiftly. With no Water Monarch to suppress it, she controlled the river in front of her, preventing the headless body of the dragon from being carried away by the current. Instead, she pushed it onto the shore. The hundred-foot-long Jiaolong laid flat on the banks, its severed head presented a dreadful sight to spirits too.
“Alas!”
Staring at the plain sword in his hand, which didn’t have a drop of blood on it, Feng Qing’an looked at it for a moment. Soon after, he let out a light sigh, sheathed his sword, and cast his eyes on the small mountain-like dragon head lying before him. The eyes of the dragon head were wide open, seemingly holding a trace of disbelief.
“You didn’t want to abdicate, so I helped you. I wonder if you’re satisfied with such a result?”
The Water Monarch of Wave River, who had ten to hundred times more life force than large demons, currently lay lifeless under the sword stroke, even less resilient than an average demon. One sword stroke has slain all chances of his revival.
Blood, vitality, soul… every chance of resuscitation was ruthlessly erased, there wasn’t even time for regret or remorse..