No wonder this old turtle has lived for so long; he's actually a god!

A contemplative glint in his eyes, Qi Xiu hadn't expected that an ancient god, one who had lived for countless ages, would be involved with the great tides of the Nu River.

A god!

Legend spoke of them as naturally divine beings, embodying the will of Heaven and Earth, their very forms an extension of the mountains and rivers they oversaw. The Scripture Pavilion of the Shenxiao Sect once held a scroll titled the "Secret Codex of Myriad Yuan Treasures," which recorded such beings.

Gods were divided into two types: Innate and Acquired. Innate Gods were born and nurtured by Heaven and Earth, exceptionally unique existences formed from the concentrated will of a region, possessing immense wisdom and formidable power from birth. This was because they were creations of Heaven and Earth itself. Within their own domains, Innate Gods were nigh invincible. Even Primordial Spirit powerhouses could, at best, remain undefeated against them but never achieve victory.

Acquired Gods were considerably weaker than Innate Gods. Their domains were smaller, and very few could contend with Primordial Spirit powerhouses. Aside from Acquired Gods of the divine path who drew power from the people's worship, there was another category of god! These beings ascended to altars and assumed divine positions through imperial consecration. The power to consecrate gods rested with the legitimate dynasties of various eras, but also with another, a presence that had vanished long ago: The True Dragon!

Since ancient times, after the gods had faded, the legitimate dynasties wielding the Central Divine Artifact, for reasons perhaps best left unsaid, had never again seen a monarch consecrate a god. Before this, the only entities capable of consecrating gods were the True Dragon Clan, revered as sovereigns of the All Clans.

This old turtle once served the True Dragon Clan. Perhaps its position as the Dianchuan Water Monarch was personally conferred by the True Dragon Clan. But why would this old turtle assist Demonic Evil Cultivators in stirring up the great tides of the Nu River?

Rubbing the Water Monarch's Seal in his hand, which exuded a faint coolness, Qi Xiu couldn't fathom why the old turtle, a god, would assist the Flood Dragon King.

Coercion? Or perhaps temptation? As the Dianchuan Water Monarch, the Flood Dragon King likely lacked the strength to coerce it. So, could it be temptation? But what could possibly entice a being that had once served the True Dragon Clan?

Gently rubbing his temples, Qi Xiu's eyes flickered. Suddenly, his hand movements paused as if he'd recalled something.

Served the True Dragon Clan... That's it! This old turtle was once an attendant to a True Dragon; anything that could pique its interest must be related to the True Dragon Clan. Although the Flood Dragon King is of the Jiao (Flood Dragon) species, it has occupied the Nu River for many years and managed to reach the Dao Body Realm right under the noses of numerous major powers. It might genuinely possess something related to the True Dragon Clan.

Having understood the crucial point, Qi Xiu endured the throbbing pain in his Ancestral Aperture located between his brows and reactivated his Five Realms Qi Watching Skill. A profound, heavy purple glow slowly swept over the Water Monarch's Seal in his hand. Instantly, the light and shadows before him shifted continuously. In Qi Xiu's vision, countless azure-blue specks of light traced back to their origins, seeking their ultimate source.

He gripped the Water Monarch's Seal tightly. The purple light in Qi Xiu's eyes pulsed, waxing and waning, as the continuous drain on his Divine Soul Force induced an indescribable headache. Yet, the swirling lights and shadows before him showed no signs of stopping. Before long, blood began to trickle from Qi Xiu's ears; he was nearing his limit.

Just a little longer... hold on...

Veins bulged faintly on his forehead as Qi Xiu constantly adjusted his breathing, desperately enduring the pain in his Ancestral Aperture.

BOOM—

The receding lights and shadows before him suddenly flared with a brilliant white light. A hazy location materialized in Qi Xiu's vision.

Found it...

He immediately released the Water Monarch's Seal, barely managing to brace himself against a wall of the Hunyuan Palace. Gasping for breath, the purple light in his eyes gradually faded, his pupils trembling, his face etched with exhaustion.

It's been a long time since I started cultivating that I've felt this drained...

Wiping sweat from his brow with his sleeve, Qi Xiu managed a weary smile. The excessive consumption of Divine Soul Force felt as if his entire being had been siphoned dry. My body isn't physically tired, yet it feels as if I've lost all control over it. Lifting a single finger seems to require ten, even a hundred times the usual effort. Master often said that the soul is paramount for cultivators in the Blood-Stained Realm. I didn't grasp it back then, but now I understand it profoundly.

Sitting down cross-legged, Qi Xiu meditated silently, circulating the technique from [Yama's Golden Chapter] to slowly recover his depleted Divine Soul Force.

[Yama's Golden Chapter] is still 15% away from advancing to the Second Realm. Then, I can break through the Yin God Phase in one go and step into the True Spirit Phase. I'll also unlock the second Divine Marvel of [Yama's Golden Chapter]: The Yama Golden Body!

A flicker of black-gold Divine Marvel light danced in his eyes, and Qi Xiu's expression shifted subtly. [Yama's Golden Chapter] was one of the three great canons of the Hell Dao, second in stature only to the [Samsara True Scripture]. The Divine Marvels it contained were, of course, incredibly powerful. However, such profound scriptures all shared a common drawback: cultivating them was arduous, and progress was painstakingly slow. He possessed a proficiency-enhancing Divine Marvel, yet it had taken him fifteen years of relentless day-and-night effort to elevate [Yama's Golden Chapter] to the First Realm. Currently, he was still 15% away from reaching the Second Realm. Still, with his proficiency Divine Marvel, the unwavering principle that effort guaranteed reward held true. The level of [Yama's Golden Chapter] would rise sooner or later; it was merely a matter of time. And once [Yama's Golden Chapter] broke through to the Second Realm, he would be able to master its second Divine Marvel. The problem of insufficient Divine Soul Force would then be easily solved, and he would no longer be as constrained as he had been today.

Feeling the aching emptiness in his glabella lessen, Qi Xiu slowly rose to his feet. Recovering Divine Soul Force was not as quick as replenishing True Origin Energy. It was a lengthy process; a full recovery would take at least five or six days. Yet, only ten days remained before the great tides of the Nu River were expected to erupt. Even with the aid of the Hunyuan Palace, it would still take around three days.

Time was truly pressing.

Dispelling the Hunyuan Palace, countless Cloud Seal Talismans surged from Qi Xiu's sleeves. They were a deep black-blue, swirling with water vapor, and one could faintly hear the sound of rushing currents emanating from them.

"Rune Array—Heavenly River!"

Instantly, a vast, dark river surged forth as if from nowhere, lifting Qi Xiu and vanishing with him into an unknown void in the blink of an eye. Riding upon its turbulent waves, countless lights and shadows blurred past Qi Xiu. His speed was so immense it far surpassed even the Thunder Escape Skill.

Ever since he had mastered the Talisman Array Tao, Qi Xiu had spent nearly every day pondering and refining this ancient art. The Array Plate, when activated using the Talisman Array Manifestation Heart Method, functioned like a colossal rune array deduction engine. Different Talisman Scripts inserted into the empty slots of the Array Plate could potentially be analyzed and developed into a complete rune array. However, the probability was very low, and the power required to operate the Array Plate was immense. If Qi Xiu hadn't primarily cultivated "The Secret of the Primordial Dragon-Tiger Scripture" and possessed 365 Hunyuan Apertures in his body, he truly wouldn't have been able to sustain this massive drain on his True Origin Energy.

During this period, he had worked tirelessly, combining Cloud Seal Talismans into various configurations, attempting to deduce new rune arrays using the Array Plate. After much arduous effort, he had achieved some success. This [Heavenly River] was one such success. This rune array was primarily based on the Black Water Talisman, supplemented by nine White Bone Demon God Talismans. Originally, Qi Xiu had only experimented with this combination on a whim. He hadn't expected the deduction to actually succeed, resulting in this Heavenly River Rune Array.

Once this rune array was deployed, a torrent of frigid, dark water would surge forth, its speed so incredible that it could cover a thousand miles in the span of a single thought. And beneath its dark surface, countless ghastly white bones swayed and lingered. These skeletal remains were imbued with the profound power of mighty Demon Gods. They were terrifying beyond measure! Anyone falling into the water without the array master's intervention would swiftly be dragged to the bottom by these bones, unable to escape. They would either be drowned alive or strangled to death by those bony arms. It was a rune array possessing the dual capabilities of rapid travel and trapping enemies!

Forming a spell sign with one hand held before his chest, Qi Xiu sat atop a cresting wave of the dark, mist-wreathed Heavenly River, speeding in a specific direction at a velocity invisible to the naked eye. Through the unseen ether, a tumultuous black river surged past. In the lands it traversed, many cultivators looked up in confusion. They felt a chilling current sweep overhead, but when they searched the skies, they could not discern its source.

It should be somewhere around here, Qi Xiu thought. In what felt like mere moments, he had traveled tens of thousands of miles. A purple glint flickered in his eyes, which trembled slightly as he scanned with his unique black-and-white vision, searching for the faint, obscure Qi signature. The Qi signature was faint and intermittent, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden. Atop the waves, Qi Xiu's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed. The azure Qi signature of the Water Monarch was definitely in this area. But upon arriving here, this Qi signature had become chaotic and difficult to define. It was like a whole sheet of paper torn into countless fragments and scattered haphazardly, making it impossible to piece together.

Could it be that the old Flood Dragon anticipated someone would come looking for this old turtle? Did it deliberately set up this area to obscure their tracks?

A sense of urgency welled up within him, and Qi Xiu's expression grew somber. The old turtle, the suspected Dianchuan Water Monarch, was key to understanding the source of the impending Nu River flood. If he could find it and persuade it not to aid the Flood Dragon King, he could potentially prevent the cataclysmic flood that threatened to affect hundreds of millions of people.

Where exactly could it be?

Like a headless fly, Qi Xiu wandered the area, the purple light in his eyes intensifying as he desperately tried to pinpoint the true Qi signature of the Water Monarch.

Just as Qi Xiu was at his wit's end, his brow deeply furrowed in frustration, the surroundings suddenly fell utterly silent. It was as if time itself had frozen in that instant. A deathly stillness descended; even the sound of flowing water ceased.

Abruptly, an immense pressure descended! An intangible force permeated the seemingly frozen air, making one's very spirit tremble. Each breath became heavy, as if burdened by the weight of the entire world.

Qi Xiu's pupils constricted. He slowly scanned his surroundings, but all he could see was pitch darkness. Even his own location became indistinct. It felt as though the very fabric of space-time was being distorted by that immense power, making it impossible to determine his own position.

"You... are looking for me?"

The voice thundered in his ears like a colossal waterfall crashing down. Reacting instinctively, Qi Xiu turned.

BOOM!

An overwhelming visual impact assaulted him. A pair of vast, hollow, ice-cold eyes, swirling with ancient, mottled light, abruptly filled his vision!

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