However, Prince Pingbian's plan to flood the Inspection and Supervision Department's fifty thousand troops really startled Zhang Chen. This old guy truly calculated every step, leaving no chance for error; his strike was fatal.
The opposition wanted to flood the Inspection and Supervision Department's fifty thousand troops, and it certainly wasn't as simple as just flooding them. Once the army is submerged, there will surely be troops encircling them, seizing the opportunity to ruthlessly attack the drowning soldiers.
"Seven or eight days' time? I have to notify Xie Lingyun early to prevent him from getting caught unprepared. No one would ever think that Prince Pingbian would be so insanely reckless, willing to sacrifice his own territory, flooding as he pleases!"
Zhang Chen thought of this, took out the Message Incense, lit it quietly, and waited for Xie Lingyun to appear. This Message Incense was a miraculous item of the Inspection and Supervision Department, blessed with mystical powers. Even a thousand miles away, lighting it would cause a reaction.
It didn't take long for Zhang Chen to wait; Xie Lingyun's Yin Spirit had already appeared in the arena: "You actually lit the Message Incense to summon me; it seems the matter is no small one."
"Prince Pingbian intends to break the dam of the lake ahead, flood the Inspection and Supervision Department's fifty thousand troops. How big does this news count?" Zhang Chen expressed with a serious face.
Xie Lingyun's complexion changed upon hearing this: "True or not? How dare Prince Pingbian be so audacious? Once the water breaks the dam, won't his Northern Land be ravaged by floods, becoming a marshland? Not to mention that now the True Dragon has fallen, heavy rains are pouring, with continuous storms; if coupled with this Hundred Li Celestial Pool, I'm afraid the floods will be impossible to contain!"
"Isn't there still Divine Spirit? Northern Land shouldn't be lacking in Divine Spirits, right?" Zhang Chen thought Xie Lingyun's worries were somewhat groundless, given that there are many Divine Spirits in Northern Land, the situation wouldn't deteriorate to this extent, right?
"You might be misunderstanding the Divine Spirits. In this world, they are divided into two types: those with divine authority and those without. Regarding the floods you mentioned, only Water Gods with authority can control the water! As far as I know, Northern Land doesn't have a Water God; the only hope, the River God of Miluo River, also perished in an earlier calamity." Xie Lingyun explained to Zhang Chen.
Water Gods with authority and those without authority are practically two different entities, with vastly different powers between them.
However, Water Gods with authority compared to those without lack freedom, only being able to operate within their jurisdiction, whereas those without authority can roam freely.
"He floods his citizens, depletes his destiny, what does that have to do with us? Once his destiny is expended, I can strike and eliminate him, solving a major concern." Zhang Chen was indifferent.
"They are all citizens of the Great Victory Dynasty, and all are innocent people..." Xie Lingyun spoke with great compassion in his voice.
Zhang Chen observed Xie Lingyun's expression and knew that Xie Lingyun was swayed by his own heart demon, becoming pure and benevolent, unable to bear the suffering of countless Northern Land people.
Yet this is purely a natural disaster; even if King Yan came, it couldn't be helped. After all, Zhang Shicheng is the king of Northern Land, having absolute authority there. If he wants to cause trouble, no one can stop him.
"I'm going to prepare boats; if we can save some people, then that's good. You be careful here, don't get involved in distant battles, don't act recklessly lest you invite disaster." Xie Lingyun, like an elder sister, rambled on advising Zhang Chen.
"Don't you know my capabilities? If it comes to killing, perhaps I can't succeed, but if I want to run, there are few in this world who can catch me." Zhang Chen replied.
Xie Lingyun nodded upon hearing this, feeling assured about Zhang Chen's means of self-preservation, and then turned and disappeared into the mountains.
After Xie Lingyun's departure, Zhang Chen continued to silently stand on the mountain peak, observing the struggle in the lake. Thankfully, he had the Dharma Eye, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to discern the truth of the battlefield amidst the dazzling lights.
After about an hour, Zhang Chen saw a figure in the arena finally unable to contain the agitation, dashing towards the dragon head like lightning.
Then he arrived directly under the dragon's jaw, with a flash of divine light in his hand, slicing through the True Dragon's jaw skin, causing a purple-glowing bead to roll out from beneath the jaw.
"That's the ancestral Bai Cang of the Fox Race! He dares to be the first to act on the Dragon Pearl, isn't he afraid of attracting the suppression of the Yang God True Man?" Zhang Chen was intrigued by Bai Cang's actions, his eyes betraying a hint of curiosity:
"Interesting!"
The Dragon Pearl was as large as a basketball, and as soon as it appeared, it shimmered with brilliant radiance like a small sun, rendering the entire lake surface into a violet hue.
"Dragon Pearl!"
The dazzling purple light immediately captured everyone's attention, and all the Yang God True Men and Divine Spirits who were fighting rushed towards Bai Cang without uttering a word.
However, Bai Cang was not to be underestimated; seven tails flickered behind him, emanating powerful charm power, causing the attacking crowd to pause.
Even the Yang God level true men and ninth-tier Divine Spirits were momentarily halted, charmed by the power of the mind he emanated. Taking advantage of this, Bai Cang flashed his figure, leaping into the midst of the Great Demons, and was protected by various Great Demons.
"When did Bai Cang become so strong! He must have consumed Ba Snake Blood before, causing his bloodline to evolve. Moreover, with the eleventh-tier True Dragon's flesh and bones here, Bai Cang's power transformation is quite expected. If he devours the whole Dragon Pearl, he might have a chance to give birth to the eighth tail; at the twelfth tier, it might be impossible to deal with him!" Zhang Chen looked at Bai Cang's seven tails and thought of Fox Fairy Nannan. This Little Fox infiltrated Zhang Xiaohua's side as a spy in Qingcheng Mountain, yet her current status remains unknown.
Next comes a melee, with formidable human and demon race warriors locked in battle, unwilling to let go of the Dragon Pearl.
The Dragon Pearl is the most crucial item, the essence of a dragon. Almost half of a dragon's essence is contained in that pearl. Anyone who obtains it has the chance to ascend from the Ninth Tier to the Tenth Tier, elevating their cultivation.
Moreover, the Dragon Pearl remains intact for millennia, and if kept as a family heirloom, it brings immense benefits, ensuring the family's enduring prosperity and success for generations.
At this moment, everyone is fighting fiercely, unleashing True Flame, and the lake surface is overturning, with each side showcasing their Divine Techniques.
Although the Dragon Pearl is in Bai Cang's hands, it is surrounded by formidable warriors, none willing to give it up.
The shouting continues, with Divine Techniques clashing, as kill raiding persists, and the Qi Mechanism is thrown into chaos.
As time passes, numerous powerful demon race warriors become divided. Several Ninth Tier Divine Spirits have approached Bai Cang, who continuously uses Illusion Techniques to maneuver around them.
Yet now, Bai Cang is a living target, with all human race warriors focusing on him. Ultimately, two fists can't match four hands, and the Dragon Pearl slips away, circulating through the crowd in a grab-and-go frenzy.
Meanwhile, those with lower cultivation have a clear goal: abandon the Dragon Pearl, and focus all attention on the dragon head.
Though the dragon head isn't as valuable as the Dragon Pearl, dragon teeth and whiskers are precious items bearing the True Dragon's traits, granting extraordinary power if acquired.
Ultimately, the entire lake is in chaos, dyed in rivers of blood from the battle.
Zhang Chen watches the chaos and shakes his head. He's aware of his limits and doesn't dare approach such tumult. Doing so would only lead to death.
Though treasured, the Dragon Pearl is only of the Eleventh Tier, and not worth his attention. After all, he possesses seven Dragon Pearls above the Twelfth Tier True Dragon level.
He's merely staying to see who will ultimately benefit from the dragon slaughter.
"But why are there so many masters now? Weren't there few mysterious masters before? It's all because of the Incense Divine Dao! The Incense Divine Dao is the root cause of chaos," Zhang Chen mumbles silently to himself when observing the scene. He notes that most are Divine Dao masters, and not just from Prince Pingbian's territory; others from neighboring lands have come to exploit the disorder.
As Zhang Chen's thoughts flicker, the scene changes again, with Chai Chuanxin somehow appearing amid the chaos, holding the Dragon Pearl.
"The Gambling Fox, how dare he meddle in these murky waters?" Zhang Chen says thoughtfully upon seeing the Gambling Fox's figure. "This cunning fellow might have more to his plans."
Indeed, the Gambling Fox holds the Dragon Pearl in his left hand, retrieves a peculiar flower from his sleeve with his right, and gazes calmly over the battlefield before crushing the Golden Wind Flower and scattering it at the demon race warriors.
The Jade Dew Flower can enhance allied warriors' combat power by thirty percent!
Never underestimate a thirty percent boost; in a skirmish, a sudden increase signifies a substantial advantage.
It's like a sprint; if someone moves thirty percent faster over ten meters, the gap is immeasurable, representing a vital qualitative difference.
"It's over for the demon race! They've screwed themselves!" Zhang Chen mutters inwardly.
Earlier, he secretly swapped the Golden Wind Flower and Jade Dew Flower, leaving the Gambling Fox with a Golden Wind Flower. Once struck, it reduces combat power by thirty percent.
"You demon race ants dared to gather here in the Northern Land. Today, you'll all stay here, captured in one fell swoop to realize the human race isn't easy prey," the Gambling Fox declares mockingly while scattering Golden Wind Flowers, his voice filled with pride and arrogance:
"You think slaying a dragon is a fortune and creation, but it's actually a grand scheme by us humans set against you demon race."
The Gambling Fox remains cautious, even while assisting the demon race, preserving his human alignment and ensuring his identity isn't exposed, maintaining his human race persona.
If any humans escape, revealing his identity later would be a significant loss. So, the Gambling Fox maintains the guise of a human cultivator, glaring angrily at the demon race.
Should the human race account for things later, he can deflect blame, claiming confusion between the Golden Wind Flower and Jade Dew Flower, absolving himself of responsibility and avoiding culpability.