The impact brought by the heavy rain is extremely terrifying.
Especially when the floodwaters rose past the waist, countless livestock died in the torrents, and many villagers began to dismantle their door panels, preparing to build small boats to cope with the impending disaster.
Zhang Chen sat on the second floor of the inn, watching the flood on the streets. He could perceive that the floodwaters were flowing in the direction of Prince Pingbian's ancestral grave. Although the flow was slow, the invisible force was unwavering, defying the natural trend of heaven and earth, pushing the vast torrents toward the high mountains.
"Zhang, come quickly and see, something big has happened outside." At this moment, Chen Xu appeared outside the inn, rowing a small boat, raised his head, and called up to Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen looked surprised; anything Chen Xu referred to as a major event was certainly not an ordinary one.
Zhang Chen took an oiled paper umbrella, walked down the stairs, and saw Chen Xu had already rowed the small boat into the inn. Then Zhang Chen stepped directly onto the boat, activating the Water Control Technique. The boat, driverless, sped toward the outskirts, creating waves like those formed by a speeding boat on the water.
Only when the small boat left the city did Zhang Chen realize the situation outside was even more grave. The floodwaters outside the city were already three meters deep, flowing overwhelmingly against the latitude, towards the distant mountains.
At this moment, Zhang Chen didn't even need to row the small boat; merely following the current would allow him to quickly approach the remote hills and mountains.
However, the terrain outside the city was uneven, with some low-lying areas flooded and some higher areas unaffected by the flood. Zhang Chen maneuvered the boat upstream, weaving through the mountains, until they arrived at a mountain's foot, where both abandoned the boat to climb the mountain and couldn't help but gasp at the distant scene.
In the distance, there was a basin of a hundred miles square, perfectly embraced by hundreds of meters high mountains, and all the upstream waters converged in the basin.
"Prince Pingbian is gathering the great force, this old fool intends to create a transformed dragon and walking flood dragon geomancy to aid himself in completing his dragon transformation." Zhang Chen looked at the gathering rainwater, already understanding Zhang Shicheng's intentions.
In that basin, there was a massive crack, a deep gorge thousands of meters deep, hundreds of meters wide, serving as a natural water reservoir.
"Zhang Shicheng is calculating well!" Zhang Chen was secretly startled.
Chen Xu said: "Zhang Shicheng is inhuman; his transformed dragon will cause untold chaos, rendering Northern Land's citizens destitute. Once he gathers enough floodwater, I'm afraid all the Northern Land families will be submerged."
Though Chen Xu's words were somewhat exaggerated, they were not without reason.
"But, for now, the water level has reached its limit. If nothing unexpected happens, it shouldn't rise any further." Zhang Chen looked at those water dragons rushing into the basin and spoke to comfort Chen Xu.
"Damn it!" Chen Xu cursed under his breath; the impact of the heavy rain was exceedingly adverse.
"Actually, we should be thankful; Zhang Shicheng's dragon transformation walking flood occurs in spring, before the busy farming season. Whether it succeeds or not, once the flood subsides, it won't affect the villagers' farming. Even, since the torrents have spread across the land, it will saturate the earth, promising a bountiful harvest next year."
The people of the Northern Land are suffering; encountering such a ruler as Zhang Shicheng, who caused a year of drought last year, leaving the villagers starving, eating roots and bark, and abandoning their homes, they all face grave hardships.
If the land can be thoroughly watered this year, there is still a way to survive ahead.
Now all they can do is wait for Zhang Shicheng to complete his dragon transformation and walking flood, and for the Dragon Soul to detach from the Earth Vein. Meanwhile, the people in their plight also wait for the rain to cease and the skies to clear.
As for drowning?
Unlikely!
The water is just waist-deep, and with a slow current, drowning is difficult, except for some unfortunate souls.
"Are the arrangements completed?" Zhang Chen asked Chen Xu, referring to the matter of seizing the True Dragon Creation.
"Everything is ready; whether it succeeds or not, we must try!" Chen Xu replied.
Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing, then said no more, directly employing the Water Escape Technique to descend the mountain, returning to the inn to wait patiently.
Zhang Chen felt fortunate at this moment that he possessed a Golden Finger, rather than being among the wandering commoners; otherwise, he would struggle to survive in such times.
Nevertheless, with the flood's outbreak, prices in the inn soared. Fortunately, Zhang Chen wasn't short on money, so the impact was limited.
Just half a month later, the torrential downpour suddenly diminished; the heavy rain gradually subsided, transforming into a misty drizzle, causing the floodwaters on the ground to recede visibly.
"Has Zhang Shicheng completed his dragon transformation and walking flood?" Zhang Chen watched as the floodwaters receded from the street, leaving behind mud everywhere, a pensive look in his eyes.
"That large pit has been filled, forming a Celestial Pool." Chen Xu walked through the mud from outside the inn, holding an oiled paper umbrella, a hint of seriousness in his eyes.
"Who knows when Zhang Shicheng that damned bloke will complete his dragon transformation." Zhang Chen spat on the street, watching the villagers clearing the mud, an utterly murderous look in his eyes.
"Sigh!" Chen Xu sighed softly, "This is difficult!"
The two of them drank some wine and engaged in small talk at the tavern for a while. Just then, Xie Lingyun walked in from outside, and Chen Xu wisely left the room.
Xie Lingyun sat down at the table, cursing, "That bastard Zhang Shicheng is truly inhumane. Our Inspection and Supervision Department's camp was almost flooded. Fortunately, our camp is located on high ground; otherwise, who knows how many people would have drowned this time."
"Is the flood very severe?" Zhang Chen poured wine for Xie Lingyun.
Xie Lingyun continued cursing, "Not many people drowned, but the number of houses that collapsed and livestock that died is way too high."
Zhang Chen fell silent, unable to do much about such matters.
"By the way, I came to you this time to discuss something." Xie Lingyun took a sip of wine and then put down the cup, "Do you remember the Dragon Palace located in Zhang Shicheng's great tomb beneath the Yellow River?"
"Of course, I remember." Zhang Chen nodded.
"Due to the heavy rain in the Northern Lands, the Yellow River's water veins have surged, uncovering a palace in the underground world again. There are some residual objects and numerous mechanisms within the palace, which seem unusual. Our Inspection and Supervision Department has already lost over thirty skilled men." Xie Lingyun said.
Zhang Chen was taken aback, "There are still mechanisms underground?"
"Zhang Shicheng chose to transform into a dragon there for a reason," Xie Lingyun said, "Moreover, there seems to be a mysterious power flowing through the palace, as if there's a treasure hidden there."
Zhang Chen pondered upon hearing this, "No rush. Right now, the priority is to deal with Zhang Shicheng's impending dragon transformation. Once we handle Zhang Shicheng, we can explore it later."
For Zhang Chen, obtaining the Ascension Pool is the most important. The Ascension Pool is crucial for his transformation into an Immortal Body; he cannot give it up.
Xie Lingyun nodded in agreement with Zhang Chen's words. Currently, Zhang Shicheng's dragon transformation is the most pressing matter; if exploring the underground palace allows Zhang Shicheng to succeed in transforming, it would be a case of losing much for little.
"By the way, is there any news of the Chief Eunuch?" Zhang Chen inquired.
Xie Lingyun shook his head, "There's no clue at all; no one knows where the Grand Steward is hiding."
Zhang Chen felt somewhat disappointed. Xie Lingyun seemed to notice Zhang Chen's thoughts and asked, "Are you thinking about the Tree of Life Coffin?"
"If those big figures in the court can enjoy it, why can't I?" Zhang Chen said with a sly smile.
"You mustn't play with fire! The Grand Steward is a Yang God expert with a Twelfth Tier Mysterious Guardian Dao; if you're not fully confident, you must not act rashly." Xie Lingyun quickly advised Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen nodded, showing his agreement with Xie Lingyun's advice.
Then Xie Lingyun turned and left. Zhang Chen used the Earth Escape Technique and arrived at his Eight Trigrams Furnace. The roaring fire of the furnace remained unaffected by the heavy rain outside, and the flames continued to rise with hot vapor.
"I wonder if my Colored Realm Fire can refine Zhang Shicheng's soul? Moreover, the material my God-Beating Whip seems to need is precisely the soul of a powerful being." Zhang Chen looked at the Colored Realm Fire in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, silently contemplating. The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. If he put Zhang Shicheng's Dragon Soul into it, he'd have gathered one type of material needed for refining the God-Beating Whip, and then the whip might develop the power of the post-twelve innate restrictions.
"Hehe, Zhang Shicheng, oh Zhang Shicheng, even Heaven wants you dead! Underneath this Colored Realm Fire, there's no way you can survive." Zhang Chen sneered coldly in his heart.
He thought he found a way to annihilate Zhang Shicheng's soul!
The Colored Realm Fire is one of the most potent flames in the world, and Zhang Shicheng absolutely cannot withstand its burning.
"All is ready except for the east wind!" Zhang Chen glanced at the Eight Trigrams Furnace, then performed the Escape Technique to the Ascension Pool. He revealed his presence on an unnoticed hilltop, gazing at the peak with a few moments of deep thought in his eyes.
At this time, the sounds of shouting and fighting resounded through the forest as Prince Pingbian's army and divine spirits battled with various opportunistic experts, each vying for control around the Ascension Pool.
Everyone realized that the Ascension Pool was a valuable treasure; nobody was willing to give it up. Moreover, due to the steep and rugged terrain, Prince Pingbian's troops couldn't form formations, and even climbing was extremely dangerous; it was basically filled with human lives, providing opportunities for martial world experts.
If not for Prince Pingbian previously having his troops undergo transformation at Ba Snake, birthing countless Qi Blood experts, the Ascension Pool would have been occupied by others long ago.
Yet, even with Qi Blood martial artists deployed, they couldn't withstand the endless emergence of martial world experts and especially divine spirits who took advantage of the chaos, arrogantly using their Divine Techniques to attack the Qi Blood martial artists, leaving Prince Pingbian in a state of distress.
At the foot of the mountain
Prince Pingbian stood before the battle array with a gloomy face, and beside him, Mr. Wuliu also appeared anxious.
Before long, the sound of hurried footsteps came from afar, and a Messenger quickly rushed forward, kneeling, "Prince, another team of three thousand has been depleted on the mountain. Please make a decision, Your Highness!"