Facing the Dragon Maiden’s gaze, Zhang Jian smiled faintly and did not deny that the Dragon Pearl was indeed with him.
He just said, "Lady Bai, you are merely the Dragon Monarch’s daughter, not the Dragon Monarch himself. I’m afraid your words may not hold true. It’s best you discuss this with the Dragon Monarch before making a decision!"
"Moreover, what I require may be beyond your imagination!"
Zhang Jian’s eyes remained calm as he looked at the Dragon Maiden serenely.
Rescuing the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch is possible, but the issue lies in ensuring that the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch isn’t of a cruel disposition, at the very least.
Otherwise, rescuing him might not only fail to bring timely rain to relieve the drought across Fengyang County and its surrounding commanderies but could also cause new celestial disasters, leading to unending evil power.
Bai Liying was momentarily stunned by Zhang Jian’s direct gaze, then slightly flustered, with a blush sweeping across her charming face.
She obviously thought of something as she looked at Zhang Jian with complex eyes and then nodded.
"The benefactor’s request will be reported back to my father..."
Saying this, she waved at Zhang Jian, and her figure transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the water mist before the door, her graceful silhouette plunging into the depths of Bai Shui River.
Zhang Jian watched the Dragon Maiden leave with a shy face, feeling somewhat bewildered.
"Wait, my request, I haven’t even mentioned my request yet..."
But then he recalled the Dragon Maiden’s rosy lotus-like face before she left, and his eyes held a strange look.
He felt a bit amused and helpless.
Zhang Jian shook his head; what he wanted was not the Dragon Maiden.
But something more.
Even an opportunity to truly establish his Supreme Dao Foundation.
...
Subsequently, Zhang Jian returned to the Qi Mansion and, perhaps deliberately, walked past the well by the flower beds, but unfortunately couldn’t extract any useful information from the two Well Dragon Kings at the bottom of the well again.
Eavesdropping was also futile!
However, from the Dragon Maiden’s attack incident today, it seems there might be some connection between the two Well Dragon Kings and the Commandery Governor’s Mansion.
Otherwise, the Dragon Maiden wouldn’t have been ambushed by the Heterodox Sorcerer from the Commandery Governor’s Mansion so swiftly after escaping Bai Shui.
If these two are working together, it indeed poses a significant problem for the three major families.
Yet Zhang Jian speculated that even if the Commandery Governor’s Mansion collaborated with the two Well Dragon Kings, their cooperative aim might not be against the three major families, but rather targeting the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch?
"The two Well Dragon Kings might be targeting the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch for the divine position, but what could the Governor’s reasons be for targeting the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch?"
The crux of the matter was unclear to Zhang Jian.
...
Deep within Bai Shui, the muddy waves roared.
The Dragon Maiden, this time, took a different route while returning to the Water Eye.
There are many underground rivers around the Bai Shui Water Eye, which makes it difficult to blockade if one is truly prepared.
In the depths of the Water Eye, a massive White Flood Dragon waited impatiently.
Its natural spiritual sense is sharp, able to sense an extreme danger approaching, yet it was unable to resist, making it exceptionally irritable and uneasy.
The Water Eye was stirred by its inherent divine techniques, conjuring large whirlpools beneath the water.
At this moment, a stream surged from the underground river; Bai Liying’s figure emerged from the water, looking disheveled with her spiritual mechanism dimmed.
The White Flood Dragon had long noticed this scene, lowering its dragon head to watch Bai Liying closely.
"Who has harmed you in this manner?"
The White Flood Dragon roared lowly, greatly enraged.
Bai Liying, however, appeared composed. After a slight courtesy, she recounted everything she had recently witnessed, including Zhang Jian’s final request.
At this moment, clouds and thunder seemed to vibrate around the White Flood Dragon, anger evident in its expression.
"These little demons deserve death, for daring to attack the princess of my Bai Shui Dragon Palace! How dare they!"
Its eyes sparked with azure thunder, containing the wrath of thunder, as if its dragon whiskers had been ruffled.
The heavy breath carried a dense coldness that swept through the surrounding water whirlpools.
However, the White Flood Dragon also sensed the danger within. Zhang Jian could surmise some facts, and so could the White Flood Dragon.
"The Commandery Governor’s Mansion, the City God, and those lurking in the shadows controlling the Bai Shui Spirit Monster with covetous eyes..."
The White Flood Dragon felt restless.
Without the Dragon Pearl, it lost at least half of its Dao practice, and coupled with the forbidden technique’s restraints in front of the Water Eye, it had little ability to resist.
This feeling of being at someone else’s mercy left it deeply uneasy.
Yet, regarding Zhang Jian’s ’terms,’ the White Flood Dragon remained intensely irate, snorting as frost appeared, its body restlessly stirring.
"For a mere mortal to wish to wed my daughter, the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch’s daughter, how utterly arrogant! Does he believe that a trapped dragon allows him to extort the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch as he pleases? What nonsense!"
Bai Liying looked towards the displeased Dragon Monarch, her gaze lowered, her mind uncertain.
Seeing this, the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch said, "Daughter, what do you think?"
Bai Liying raised her head, her eyes calm, and said, "So long as that Daoist brother can truly aid father in breaking free, what harm is there in becoming his concubine? So long as my father can safely overcome this ordeal!"
In the air, the White Flood Dragon’s expression froze, then it snorted coldly and said, "My daughter, the Bai Shui Dragon Monarch’s daughter, could never be a concubine. Nonetheless, considering he saved you, it’s not impossible to offer him a chance to wed you as the principal wife. Yet, not just anyone can wed the princess of the Bai Shui Dragon Palace!"
With a slight pause, the White Flood Dragon advised Bai Liying further before allowing her to head to the Water Eye’s depths to retrieve a Heavenly and Earthly Treasure that had emerged there for healing.
The White Flood Dragon gazed overhead, knowing that the time left for preparations was running short.
"The hidden hands left over the years, it’s time to put them to use!"
...
The next day, as dawn broke.
Zhang Jian, accompanied by Zhang Lu and a group of veteran soldiers, headed towards the western part of the city, this time intending to find a paper shop to purchase some gold and silver yuanbao for another ancestral offering.
In the western part of Fengyang County, several old streets are lined with paper shops specializing in selling funeral supplies.
However, finding a shop as dedicated as the Fengxi Zhang Shop proved extremely difficult.
Of course, it’s not impossible.
Enough silver can always find a way.
Several veteran soldiers led the way, vigilant, while Zhang Jian glanced around, noticing some small tails following them.
Zhang Jian gave them a quick glance, his thoughts racing. He instructed the veterans to choose some gold and silver yuanbao while he turned away aimlessly wandering inside the city.
He suspected those tails might be repercussions from last night’s actions. Although all traces were cleared at the time, for some, suspicion alone suffices without needing evidence.
Just then, Zhang Jian suddenly paused, noticing some commotion ahead, where a crowd had gathered, animatedly discussing something.
There were even people loudly bidding.
Curious, Zhang Jian approached and understood the situation with a little inquiry.
It turned out that a fisherman had caught a rare item from Bai Shui last night and was selling it.
Zhang Jian pushed through the crowd and approached to find a turtle the size of a basin. This large turtle was entirely white jade in color, its shell adorned with patterns of heaven and earth, quite an extraordinary sight.