Journey to the West: Demon Emperor: Beginning as a Little Toad

Chapter 599: Love for the Child
The Dragon Palace of Dongting Lake.

Lü Dongbin's gaze swept over the aquatic generals on guard in the hall, his expression calm, and he said in a clear voice:
"Your Majesty, please dismiss your attendants. This matter should only be discussed in private."

Upon hearing this, the Dragon King of Dongting Lake's aged face shifted between light and shadow, and his dragon eyes were filled with a mixture of worry, fear, and doubt.

After all, the man before them was none other than Lü Dongbin, the Pure Yang Sword Immortal, a man of extraordinary strength and infamous reputation.

Being alone in a room with such a person, even the Dragon King of Dongting, the ruler of a vast body of water, would feel a sense of unease and apprehension, as if he had a thorn in his side.

"This...Prime Minister Turtle..."

The Dragon King of Dongting hesitated for a moment, his brows furrowed, and his gaze slowly shifted to the Turtle Prime Minister standing beside him, whose tortoise shell gleamed with a cold, clear light. He gave him a subtle wink.

Then, the Dragon King of Dongting waved his sleeve, displaying his dragon might, and roared in a deep voice:
"You all, step back for now. No one is to enter without my decree!"

Having said that, the Dragon King of Dongting turned to the Turtle Prime Minister, his gaze sharp and stern, and said:
"Prime Minister, you, General Shrimp, and General Crab shall await my decree outside the palace."

The implication was clear: if there is any disturbance inside the palace, send troops to help me immediately.

Subsequently.

"Master Chunyang..."

The Dragon King of Dongting changed the subject, turning to Lü Dongbin. Although his voice was gentle, it still carried a hint of undisguised wariness.

He gestured towards the deep, secluded area of ​​the rear hall, saying:
"Please follow me to the quiet room in the back hall to speak."

"it is good."

Lü Dongbin, his blue robe trembling slightly, nodded in agreement and followed the Dragon King into the depths of the Dragon Palace.

Passing through corridors and halls, amidst the flowing water, the splendor of the crystal palace gradually dimmed, until finally arriving at a more secluded and quiet side hall.

The interior of the hall is simply furnished, with only a jade table, a futon, and a huge screen made of millennia-old clam shell separating the inside from the outside.

The Dragon King of Dongting Lake took his seat on the main prayer mat, gesturing for Lü Dongbin to sit as well, his expression solemn.
"This place is quiet, and there are no more thieves here."

“If Master Chunyang has something to say, please speak frankly.”

Lü Dongbin did not sit down immediately. His eyes, which had seen through the world, were sharp as lightning, and he casually swept over the exquisite screen.

With the keenness of his pure Yang primordial spirit, he instantly detected the two hidden auras concealed behind the screen!
One of them was deep and reserved, with an aura almost nonexistent. If he hadn't been so skilled in cultivation, he would have been almost fooled.

The other one, though slightly weaker, still carried the unique aura of water and marshland characteristic of the dragon race.

It must have been a trusted guard of the Dragon King of Dongting Lake who secretly made arrangements to prevent any unforeseen events.

Is the Dragon King of Dongting afraid that he will suddenly launch an attack?
but.

Since they were arranged by the Dragon King of Dongting to guard against them, they must all be the Dragon King's confidants.

Lü Dongbin understood, a knowing smile flickering across his lips.

He turned and faced the Dragon King of Dongting Lake with composure, his voice clear and resonant, getting straight to the point:
"I was wandering around the banks of the Ji River in the Central Plains when I happened to see Princess Qiongzhi, the King's beloved daughter, herding sheep in the wilderness!"

"The wind and frost assaulted her face, and the rain and dew soaked her clothes. Princess Qiongzhi looked haggard, her beautiful face lost its color, and her pitiful state was truly unbearable to behold!"

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the Dragon King of Dongting Lake's whiskers moved without wind, and his face showed disbelief.

Lü Dongbin, with a solemn expression, continued:
"I stepped forward to inquire about the reason, and the princess was overcome with grief. She wept and said: My husband prefers the masculine and despises the feminine. He has reversed the moral order, treats her as if she is nothing, and hates her in every way!"

"Her parents-in-law also showed her no compassion, which led to her ending up here..."

"The princess was overcome with grief, tears streaming down her face, her heart breaking!"

"I am deeply saddened to hear of this."

"The princess then entrusted me with this trust of blood and tears. I have already agreed, and I have come here today specifically for this matter."

After speaking, Lü Dongbin lightly flicked his sleeves and solemnly took out the bloodstained sheepskin book, which revealed endless injustices, and handed it to the Dragon King of Dongting.

The Dragon King of Dongting Lake reached out his hand, which trembled slightly, and accepted the blood-written letter that still carried the scent of his daughter and traces of her tears.

The moment my eyes fell upon the handwriting, the tragic experience, described in every word and line of accusation, struck my mind like a thunderbolt!

He was naturally very familiar with his own daughter's handwriting.

He could also truly sense the essence of his own daughter.

"This……"

"This...my daughter..."

Upon seeing the blood-written letter, the Dragon King of Dongting Lake imagined his daughter's fate and was struck as if by a heavy blow. His face turned deathly pale, and his hands holding the blood-written letter trembled violently.

He abruptly covered his face with the wide sleeves of his dragon robe, and the dignified supreme ruler of the Water Palace let out an uncontrollable, beast-like wail:
"Waaaaah... Waaaaah... My Qiongzhi, my son! Your father is in so much pain!"

"It's my fault! It's my fault!"

The Dragon King of Dongting Lake spoke in a hoarse voice, filled with endless self-reproach and regret:

"It was my fault for being blind. I listened to slander and made a poor choice of son-in-law, coveting the power of the Jing River Dragon King."

"This caused a delicate young woman to be married off to a foreign land, imprisoned, and suffer such inhuman torment, while I, the king, remained completely unaware!"

"I...I have failed as a father!"

Tears seeped through the dragon robe and dripped onto the cold ground.

After the Dragon King of Dongting Lake calmed down a bit, Lü Dongbin asked in a deep voice:
Now that Your Majesty knows of the princess's plight, what are your plans?

"Woo..."

Upon hearing this question, the Dragon King of Dongting suddenly froze beneath his sleeve, and the heavy sobbing abruptly ceased.

The hall fell into a deathly silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The Dragon King of Dongting Lake, whose spine had been straightened by anger and sorrow, seemed to be bent under the weight of an invisible mountain, slowly hunching over.

The sorrow on his face was instantly replaced by a deep sense of helplessness.

His eyes flickered, not daring to meet Lü Dongbin's sharp gaze. He simply lowered his head and stared at the ground, silent for a long time.

After all... that's the Dragon King of the Jing River!

The current Jinghe Dragon King is the chief administrator of the eight rivers, a great dragon god in charge of rain appointed by the Heavenly Court. He holds a high position and great power, controls the waterways of the eight rivers in Chang'an, the capital of the Central Plains, and has deep and intricate roots in the Heavenly Court's water department.

The current Four Rivers Dragon Gods (Yellow River Dragon King, Yangtze River Dragon King, Huai River Dragon King, and Ji River Dragon King) are his sons.

The Dragon King of the West Sea was his brother-in-law.

He, the ruler of Dongting Lake, is merely a regional dragon king; how could he dare to easily offend the Jinghe River Dragon King?

How could they dare to be enemies with the Four Rivers Dragon Gods and the West Sea Dragon King?
How could he possibly contend with such power?
How could we possibly afford to offend them?

The weight of this silence is immense.

at this time.

"Waaaah... My poor, wretched child!"

A piercing, mournful cry suddenly shattered the deathly silence!
A figure suddenly emerged from behind the screen like a whirlwind; it was a middle-aged beauty dressed in a magnificent palace gown with dragon patterns, her hair slightly disheveled.

Her expression was flustered and disoriented. She staggered forward but quickly snatched the blood-stained book from the hand of the Dragon King of Dongting. Her phoenix eyes were filled with tears, and she hurriedly unfolded the scroll to read it.

Upon reading the contents of the blood-written letter, the middle-aged woman felt as if struck by lightning. Overwhelmed with grief, she wept uncontrollably, crying out in a hoarse voice:

"Qiongzhi! My Qiongzhi!"

The Dragon Queen of Dongting held the blood-written letter, weeping uncontrollably:

"That heartless, dog-like, and worse-than-pig-dog Jishui Dragon Palace!"

"That little dragon of the Ji River, how could he be so cruel and heartless towards my daughter!"

"You shattered my daughter's dragon pearl, sealed her cultivation, devoured her dowry, imprisoned and tortured her, and even extracted the marrow from all my clansmen of the Dongting Lake water veins, turning them into sheep... Dragon Lord! What are you still hesitating for?!"

"Send troops directly to bring Qiongzhi home."

Following closely behind the Dragon Queen of Dongting Lake, another Dragon Lord strode out from behind the screen.

This man was tall and imposing, with a head of red hair that flew wildly like flames. His face was dignified without being angry, and his eyes flashed with sharp light when they opened and closed. He exuded a wild and fierce dragon's might.

He is none other than the younger brother of the Dragon King of Dongting Lake – the "Dragon King of Qiantang Lake"!
That is, the "Dragon King of the Qiantang River".

……

It refers to the Dragon King who rules over a certain body of water.

In China, they are generally referred to as "Dragon Lords," such as the Dragon Lord of Dongting Lake.

"Dragon God" is also an indigenous Chinese concept, which is the deification of "divine dragon" and emphasizes the attribute of "god". For example, the Dragon King of the Yangtze River, the Dragon King of the Yellow River, the Dragon King of the Huai River, etc. are the four dragon gods of the rivers.

The title "Dragon King" is a general term that arose after Buddhism spread eastward. It originated from the Sanskrit word "Nāgarāja" (Snake King). Later, it merged with the native Chinese dragon culture and became a deity in charge of water and protector of the Dharma, such as the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas.

"君" refers to the monarch.

Simply put, Dragon Lord, Dragon King, Dragon God... all mean roughly the same thing, namely, a great dragon god who governs a certain area of ​​water.

……

"Why did you come out?"

The Dragon King of Dongting Lake was immersed in grief when he was startled by the sudden appearance of his younger brother and queen. An embarrassed expression immediately appeared on his face.

The Dragon King of Dongting Lake quickly wiped away the tears on his face and solemnly introduced Lü Dongbin:

"Please forgive me, Pure Yang Immortal. This is my first wife, the mother of Qiongzhi, and the Dragon Queen of Dongting."

"This is my younger brother, the current Dragon King of Qiantang."

“The Dragon King of Qiantang…” Lü Dongbin’s eyes flashed like lightning, instantly locking onto the Dragon King of Qiantang.

Among the dragons, intermarriage and marriage are common occurrences.

The bloodline of the dragon race is intricate and complex, like a giant net, crisscrossing and intertwined, making it difficult to grasp its full extent.

The positions of the Dragon Kings in various regions are not static; they also change and rise and fall.

This Dragon King of Qiantang possessed remarkable divine power and was considered one of the best among the dragons.

However, he was fiery and irritable, and often acted rashly and impulsively.

In ancient times.

The "Qiantang Dragon King" of today was once known as the "Yellow River Dragon King" and ranked among the "Four Rivers Dragon Gods," enjoying immense prestige and awe-inspiring power.

However, due to his fiery temper and reckless behavior, he offended many gods and immortals, and was demoted and exiled again and again.

The glory of the past has gradually faded away.

Lü Dongbin had long heard of the fearsome reputation of this Dragon King of Qiantang.

This Qiantang Dragon King is decisive and fierce, and his character is as turbulent and violent as the "raging tide of the Qiantang River".

It is rumored.

During the high tide of the Qiantang River, the surging water roars in like a lion's roar, shaking the heavens and the earth, with columns of water rising from the ground and shooting straight into the sky.

That was the ill-tempered Dragon King of Qiantang getting angry.

Moreover, the Qiantang River tide is renowned for its immense size.

The tidal bore is towering high and the impact force is extremely fierce, making the construction of the dikes on both sides of the Qiantang River extremely difficult.

Often, just when one side has been painstakingly repaired, another side is mercilessly washed away by the surging tide.

The devastating tides of the Qiantang River have brought immense damage to both banks.

The nature of the Qiantang River is just like that of the Yellow River, both being turbulent and unruly.

Therefore, there is an old proverb that says:
"A day's repair of the Yellow River yields a bushel of gold, a day's repair of the Qiantang River yields a bushel of silver."

This statement clearly demonstrates the destructive power of the Qiantang River tide, as well as the formidable might of the tide god and the unquenchable rage of the Qiantang Dragon King.

……

In later generations, in order to fight against this Qiantang Dragon King, also known as the God of the Tide.

There was a king named Qian Liu of Wuyue who chose the eighth month of the lunar calendar to build a high platform on the banks of the Qiantang River and personally led ten thousand archers to prepare for battle against the tide god.

This battle, fought by human strength against the tide god, was earth-shattering and could be described as follows:

"King Qian shoots the tide".

As time has passed, in the Qiantang region today, on the banks of the Qiantang River, there still stands a giant statue of "King Qian Shooting the Tide" (about 30 meters high) to commemorate this event.

King Qian held a powerful bow, his eyes blazing, seemingly still gazing at the surging tide, as if he wanted to challenge the tide god once more to protect the peace of the people.

Opposite the "King Qian Shooting the Tide" statue in Hangzhou is the giant "Qiantang Dragon" statue (about 50 meters high).

The Qiantang dragon was depicted as agile and powerful, with its whiskers fluttering and its eyes wide open, as if it were still roaring and raging, displaying the supreme majesty of the Qiantang dragon.

"Qian Wang She Chao" and "Qiantang Long" face each other across the river.

……

Although this Qiantang Dragon King possessed extraordinary abilities, his fiery temper made him difficult to tolerate, resulting in mixed reputations among the dragon clan.

In ancient times, Yu the Great controlled the floods and saved the people.

At that time, the Yellow River was blocked by the Longmen Mountains, causing floods and disasters, and the people suffered greatly.

Yu the Great resolutely took up his divine axe and cleaved the Longmen Mountain.

The axe flashed, the rocks crumbled, and the Longmen Mountains were split open by the divine axe, thus forming a vast canyon.

The floodwaters surged and flowed down the valley, moving unimpeded.

This matter is recorded in historical records.

The Book of Han, Treatise on Canals and Ditches, states: "In the past, when Yu the Great was controlling the floods, he destroyed the mountains and hills that blocked his way, so he dug the Dragon Gate and opened the Yique Pass."

The Commentary on the Waterways Classic also states: "In the past, Yu the Great dredged the Longmen Gorge to facilitate the flow of water. The two mountains faced each other, and when viewed from a distance, they resembled a gate. The Yi River flowed between them, hence the name Yique."

However, Yu the Great's great feat of opening up mountains and dredging waters, while benefiting all people, also caused the Yellow River to change its course and its water flow to shift.

This angered the Yellow River Dragon King at the time, who is now the Qiantang Dragon King.

This Yellow River Dragon King, relying on his supernatural powers, reigns supreme over the Yellow River, controlling the rise and fall of its waves for thousands of miles. How could he allow others to arbitrarily alter its course and disrupt its waterways?
Enraged, the Yellow River Dragon King fought with Yu the Great, attempting to obstruct his efforts to control the floods.

Suddenly, the weather on the Yellow River changed dramatically, with lightning and thunder.

A man and a dragon engaged in an earth-shattering, awe-inspiring battle.

Yu the Great, wielding the Ruyi Jingu Bang (later acquired by Sun Wukong) and the Mountain-Splitting Axe (later acquired by Yang Jian), defeated the Yellow River Dragon King, who is now known as the Qiantang Dragon King.

Yu the Great imprisoned him and handed him over to the Heavenly Court for judgment.

This matter is for:

"King Yu Locks Up the Dragon".

However, things are unpredictable. No one could have foreseen that the infamous Yellow River Dragon King of ancient times, now the Qiantang Dragon King, was actually the brother of the gentle and refined Dongting Dragon King.

Such relationships, if not revealed by heavenly secrets, how could mortals possibly know about the affairs of immortals?
Ordinary people only see the frequent floods of the Yellow River, the difficulty of repairs, and the enormous costs involved. They also see the surging tides of the Qiantang River, which wreak havoc and are difficult to control.

Ordinary people thus lamented, "The Yellow River can be repaired for a peck of gold a day; the Qiantang River can be repaired for a peck of silver a day."

Little did they know that this hot-tempered and capricious Dragon King of Qiantang was none other than the Yellow River Dragon King who had been banished years ago.

Therefore, the temperament of the Qiantang River is quite similar to that of the Yellow River, both being volatile, unruly, and untamed.

How could mortals know the origins of such dragon gods?

……

At this moment.

Overwhelmed with grief and rage, the Dragon Queen of Dongting could no longer contain herself. She vehemently rebuked the Dragon King of Dongting, who remained prostrate and silent, like a clay puppet:
As the saying goes, even a cow has the instinct to lick its calf!

"Even mortal animals know to cherish their young and protect them."

"You, as a father... the dignified master of the eight-hundred-mile-long Dongting Lake, whose power and prestige resound throughout this watery region!"

"You couldn't even protect your own flesh and blood?! You just watched her suffer such inhuman torture in that den of wolves, how...how can you live with yourself?!"

After speaking, the Dragon Queen of Dongting burst into tears, her grief deeply moving all who witnessed it.

And at this time.

Qiantang Dragon King had already seen the contents of the blood letter.

In an instant, he flew into a rage, his red hair standing on end like sharp swords.

The raging dragon energy surged out uncontrollably like a burst dam, causing the furnishings in the hall to vibrate and tremble as if they were shaking.

"Bastard thing!"

The Dragon King of Qiantang slammed his palm down on the jade pillar beside him, and with a crisp "crack," a clear crack was instantly left on the jade pillar.

The Dragon King of Qiantang roared with a voice as loud as thunder, deafeningly loud, as he angrily shouted:

"If there were no yin and yang in the heavens, the sun and moon would not shine, and the universe would be in disorder; if there were no yin and yang on earth, grass and trees would not grow, and all things would wither; if there were no yin and yang in humans, how could we distinguish between men and women, and reproduce and thrive?"

"This is the natural order of things!"

"That wretched little dragon of the Jing River! It's one thing that its own yin and yang are reversed and disordered, and that it enjoys those filthy and despicable deeds!"

"He can go his own way and follow his crooked path of false phoenix and false dragon, violating morality. As long as he doesn't harm others, no one cares about him."

"The most hateful of all is that old thief from the Jing River!"

"This old scoundrel from Jinghe is wicked, vicious, and cunning!"

"Now it seems."

"Back then, it was that old scoundrel from Jinghe who forced us to marry our niece Qiongzhi to his son, attempting to cover up the filthy and disgusting scandals in his household and deceive people."

"Now look what's happened! The Jinghe lineage is so negligent and wantonly mistreating my own niece!"

"My poor niece Qiongzhi, at such a beautiful age, should have been enjoying the most beautiful happiness in the world, but instead she suffered such inhuman abuse and imprisonment in her husband's family, which was like a den of dragons and tigers!"
"Like a shepherd's slave, bullied and humiliated at the mercy of others! This hatred and resentment cannot be washed away even if all the waters of the four seas are poured out!"

Even if I were to tear the entire Jing River to pieces, it would not be enough to quell the hatred in my heart!

"Brother! Sister-in-law! Please sit here and make yourselves at ease!"

"Don't worry about this anymore."

The Dragon King of Qiantang's chest heaved violently, and the killing intent in his eyes was like a tangible flame about to burst forth:

"I'll head straight for the Ji River! I'll definitely twist off that little dragon's head and swallow him whole!"

"Then slaughter those vile aquatic creatures who bullied my niece, leaving not a single one alive, not even a single piece of armor, so that they will pay a terrible price for what they have done!"

"Then I will bring my niece, Qiongzhi, home in a dignified manner!"

"Anyone who dares to stop me, I will tear them to pieces!"

(End of this chapter)