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

Chapter 606 Shake hands and make peace

Southern Jambudvipa.

Chang'an City.

The hustle and bustle of Chang'an Fish Market gradually subsided.

The crowd gathered around the fish market and taverns gradually dispersed, leaving only the lingering smell of fish and the river breeze.

"Hehehe..."

The peddler, Yuchi Zhenjin (in the form of Zhongli Quan), stood under the eaves of the tavern, coldly watching the departing figures of the Little Crocodile Dragon and the Turtle Prime Minister, and sneered a few times.

Back then, he (the cowherd boy of the Tushita Palace) clashed with Ao Moang of the Western Sea and Ao Lie, the third prince of the Jade Dragon, outside the South Heavenly Gate, which caused the Green Ox Spirit of Laozi to get lost.

The Green Ox Demon descended to the mortal realm from that point on.

He was demoted from the Tushita Palace and banished to the mortal world by Laozi.

From then on, he wandered the world, suffering the hardships of life.

This grudge has been brewing for a long time.

"The old grudges outside the South Heavenly Gate still linger in my heart. If it weren't for you causing trouble back then..."

"How could I, a humble Taoist, have lost the pure meditation cushion of the Tushita Palace, and thus be burdened with sin, wandering into the mortal world?"

Zhongli Quan felt a surge of hatred.

This hatred and resentment, how could the mere dragon clan of the Jing River lineage be enough?
The Jinghe Dragon Clan is merely a cousin of Ao Moang and Ao Lie.

His ambitions went far beyond this.

Thinking of this, Zhongli Quan's gaze swept around and he caught sight of several playful children not far away. He had already made up his mind.

"Come here..."

Zhongli Quan then beckoned to one of the clever-looking little boys, took out a secret letter that had been prepared in advance from his bosom, and whispered instructions to him for a long time.

"So it is, so it is... like this, like this... remember this..."

After saying this, Zhongli Quan stuffed several copper coins into his hand.

"Peddler, I understand."

The little boy gripped the copper coin tightly and nodded vigorously.

……

On the way back.

Xiao Tuolong Tuojie walked briskly, his brows furrowed with smug satisfaction. The anger he felt at being humiliated by Dongfang Kuai had long been dispelled by the impending "victory".

He turned to the Turtle Prime Minister beside him, who still looked worried and troubled, and smiled:
"Prime Minister Turtle, why do you look so dejected?"

"That old Taoist priest from the East is doomed to lose this gamble! Tomorrow will be his death day!"

"Wait for him to jump into the river as promised."

"Hmph, hmph, hmph!"

The little alligator dragon excitedly let out a few pig squeals.

His eyes flashed with a fierce light:
"The Crown Prince then ordered the water soldiers to 'fish' it out."

"Drag him into my Jinghe Water Palace!"

"I will hold a grand cannibalistic feast in my crystal palace!"

"We will carefully cook this evil Taoist priest and share it with all the aquatic children!"

"In this way, we can avenge the wronged souls of the Jinghe aquatic creatures who were captured, and also show those mortals who dare to covet the foundation of my Water Palace the consequences of offending my Jinghe Dragon Clan!"

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Gui felt a chill run down his spine. He sensed something extremely amiss, and knew that Dongfang Kuai was no ordinary conman.

He was surprised and uncertain, his brows furrowed. He wanted to offer further advice, so he cupped his hands and said:

"Young master, this matter must not be acted impulsively; we must consider it carefully."

"There are many suspicious points here. I think we should wait for the Dragon King to return..."

"enough!"

The little alligator dragon interrupted rudely, its face full of impatience:

"Old Prime Minister, stop your nagging!"

"I, the Crown Prince, will make a decision on this matter myself, and I will handle it perfectly, so that Father will look at me with new respect! Let's return to the palace!"

"Hey……"

The Prime Minister sighed inwardly, knowing that further persuasion would be futile, and could only remain silent and follow.

Wait until we return to the Jinghe Water Palace.

Seeing an opening, Prime Minister Turtle immediately wrote a letter, then summoned a trusted patrol yaksha and instructed him:
"This message is extremely urgent! Go immediately to the Dragon Palace of the West Sea and present it to the Dragon King in person!"

"You must urgently request the Dragon King to return to his residence and make a decision! Delay could lead to unforeseen consequences!"

The patrolling yaksha received the order and headed towards the West Sea Dragon Palace.

……

But deep within the Jinghe River's water palace...

The Jinghe Dragon Palace, where the light flows.

The little dragon had just settled into its throne and had no time to concentrate when it heard a decree from the Heavenly Court, ordering the Jing River Water Palace to bring rain.

A golden-clad warrior from Heaven delivered a "heavenly decree to bring rain."

The little dragon straightened his clothes, burned incense, washed his hands, and accepted the imperial decree from Heaven to bring rain.

The decree has been received.

The golden-clad warrior immediately rode on auspicious clouds and drifted away to return to the Heavenly Court to report back.

The little alligator dragon then issued the "Heavenly Decree to Send Rain".

Above, it was clearly written:

"By imperial decree, the Jinghe Water Palace shall bestow rain tomorrow morning to universally benefit Chang'an City."

"Clouds appeared at the hour of Yin... Rain fell at the hour of Si... A total of four feet four inches and forty-four points of water were collected."

……

After reading it, the little alligator dragon couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

"Wow, this Mr. Dongfang really does have some unorthodox methods; he can even calculate this."

However, upon further reflection, he didn't pay much attention to it.

After all, there is a saying about the "twenty-four solar terms".

Such as the Beginning of Spring, Rain Water, Awakening of Insects, Spring Equinox, Pure Brightness, Grain Rain... Cold Dew, Frost's Descent, Beginning of Winter, Minor Snow, Major Snow...

These are all signs of the changing times; by following these signs, one can observe the changes in Yin and Yang and the shifts in the four seasons.

There are also classics like "The Twelve Annals of Lüshi Chunqiu" and "The Book of Days" used to observe signs of rain and guide agricultural activities.

……

"This old Taoist priest from the East has only a slight understanding of the will of Heaven and knows a little about the solar terms and agricultural proverbs. He can only speculate a little about the rain. He is nothing to be proud of!"

"The key point is that the person who ran this betting game is none other than my Jinghe Water Mansion."

"I want to see what tricks this old Taoist priest, Dongfang, has up his sleeve!"

Thinking of this, the little alligator dragon seemed to already see Dongfang Kuai's pathetic scene of drowning himself in the Wei River the next day, clutching a stone. He pondered to himself:

"My father always says I act rashly, only know how to act recklessly, and am not smart enough!"

"Hmph! I'll show him what I, Tuo Jie, am capable of, and handle this matter perfectly to avenge this great grudge for my Jinghe aquatic tribe!"

"When Father returns and sees that this matter has been resolved satisfactorily, he will surely look at me with new respect and marvel at my abilities!"

The little dragon's lips curled up, revealing a smug look, as if he could already see his father's approving gaze.

……

West Sea.

Deep within the Dragon Palace of the Western Sea.

The soft glow of the luminous pearl poured down, illuminating the coral tree and the crystal palace, creating a shimmering, dreamlike scene.

The atmosphere inside the hall, however, was extremely solemn.

The grand feast has begun, with exquisite wines and rare delicacies from the aquatic palace on display. The melodious sounds of string and bamboo instruments cannot dispel the invisible oppression.

The Dragon King of the Jing River sat upright in the banquet hall, his face ashen, his huge dragon claws gripping the crimson wine vessel tightly, as if he wanted to crush the sturdy vessel to pieces.

The wine in his glass rippled slightly, reflecting the surging anger and humiliation in his eyes.

Beside him stood the Dragon Queen of the Jing River, the younger sister of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, her eyes already brimming with tears, her former dignified and noble demeanor completely washed away by grief.

The Dragon Queen of the Jing River, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face, began to recount to Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, the grudge of the Eight Immortals of the Daoist sect for killing her grandson. Her voice choked with emotion.

"Brother! Those Eight Immortals are too much! My poor grandson... has fallen victim to their cruelty!"

"Enough!" Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, seated in the main seat, raised his hand to stop his sister. His dragon eyes swept over the dismissed servants in the hall, and he said in a deep voice:
"Sister, brother-in-law, if it were before, not only would this grudge be avenged, but it would be wiped out with thunderous force!"

Ao Run's gaze swept over the school of fish swimming outside the hall, carrying a hint of indescribable melancholy:

"But times have changed!"

"My dragon race is not what it used to be."

"These three realms are no longer the domain of my dragon race."

"In the current Three Realms, the Heavenly Court is supreme, Taoism and Buddhism coexist and jointly exterminate the demon race. My Dragon Clan... is merely a subject responsible for controlling rain and guarding the waters."

"How dare you recklessly start a war and invite trouble upon yourself?"

"The lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds, learned through blood and tears!"

"A few years ago, the 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven, the Handsome Monkey King' broke into the Dragon Palace of the East Sea and took away the 'Sea-Stabilizing Divine Iron' that was used to suppress the sea."

"You still expect me to wait? I'll force him to wear a fine suit of armor."

"However, this Monkey King, who is very capable, is actually a reasonable monkey."

"Since the Monkey King didn't harm anyone and even made a written agreement with the Dragon King of the East Sea, let's just leave it at that..."

"But haven't you seen that Nezha brat from Chentang Pass?"

"Back then, Nezha was just a young child playing in the sea, yet he dared to use his magic weapon, the Hun Tian Ling, to stir up the foundation of the East Sea Dragon Palace, causing the palace to shake and the aquatic creatures to panic!"

"The Dragon King of the East Sea sent the sea patrol yaksha Li Gen ashore to inquire about the reason. That brat Nezha not only refused to explain, but also hurled insults at him, calling Li Gen a beast, and even brutally beat Li Gen to death!"

"Then, Nezha used his magic weapon, the Universe Ring, which nearly caused the East Sea Dragon Palace to collapse. He killed countless aquatic creatures, dragon sons and grandsons, in a horrific scene."

“Ao Bing, the dignified Third Prince of the East Sea, is on his duty to patrol and investigate as ordered by imperial decree.”

"But then Nezha tortured and killed Ao Bing by pulling out his tendons, taking Ao Bing's dragon tendons just to make a toy ribbon!"

"His methods were so cruel and his nature so vicious that those who heard of them were horrified and those who saw them were filled with fear!"

"Now, Ao Bing is like a rat crossing the street. Even his ancestral home, the East Sea Dragon Palace, has become a place of sorrow. He has no home to return to. How tragic!"

"But that ominous star Nezha holds the high position of 'Great God of the Three Altars and Seas' in the Heavenly Court, and is very powerful!"

"The Dragon Palace of the East Sea has also been humiliated and disgraced as a result!"

"But where can the Dragon King of the East Sea and Ao Bing seek justice for this blood-soaked tragedy?"

"In this bright and clear world, where is there any justice? Where is there any right or wrong?"

"It's all because Nezha's master is Taiyi Zhenren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals of Kunlun Jade Palace!"

"Nezha is a direct descendant of the Three Pure Ones!"

"He is a grand-disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun."

"This is the principle behind Nezha, and it is Nezha's protective charm!"

The Dragon King of the West Sea sighed deeply, stroked his whiskers, and his voice was filled with heavy helplessness:
"Besides, I have already sent people to find out the details."

"The root of this disaster is indeed your lax management of your family. You have allowed your family members and children to transform into demons, occupy the Jianghuai waters, plunder living beings, disturb the region, and cause widespread resentment among the people."

"Then Lü Dongbin killing him can be considered as cleaning up the sect and setting things right."

"If we do not do this, and allow that wicked descendant to run rampant, one day he will bring about an even greater disaster."

"At that time, Erlang Shen Zhenjun Yang Jian's three-pointed double-edged sword will likely be pointed at your Jinghe Water Palace, and then it will be too late to regret it!"

"Brother, I..."

Upon hearing this, the Dragon King of the Jing River turned purple, his face contorted with shame, indignation, and resentment, which churned violently in his eyes before finally turning into dejection.

With a "crack," the magnificent crimson gold wine vessel in his hand was actually crushed, leaving a fine crack, and the fine wine seeped out.

The Dragon King of the Jing River tilted his head back, downed the remaining wine, and sighed:

"Brother...you're right! I'm ashamed!"

The Dragon Queen of the Jing River was still somewhat unconvinced. Tears streamed down her face as she spoke to the Dragon King of the West Sea in a tearful voice:

"Brother! Even so, but... but he is still my flesh and blood, and I call you my great-uncle, blood is thicker than water!"

"You used to hold him and praise his intelligence..."

A hint of regret flashed in the eyes of Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea. His dragon claws unconsciously traced the edge of the jade table as he sighed:
“That child…I have indeed seen him; he is a promising talent.”

"How could I, as his maternal uncle, not feel pain in my heart at his death?"

"It's not that I'm heartless and won't stand up for you, it's just that the background of those Eight Immortals of the Daoist sect is extraordinary!"

His expression grew increasingly solemn, and his voice lowered to almost nothing:
"According to reliable inside information, the Eight Immortals of the Daoist sect... are mostly reincarnations or exiled from the celestial realm, and have a different background."

"There are even rumors that they... might have some connection with 'that person in the Tushita Palace'."

The Dragon King of the West Sea did not dare to speak openly, but instead pointed his dragon claws towards the sky in a very subtle way, his eyes filled with powerlessness and helplessness, and continued:
"We...can't afford to offend them!"

"Over the years, I've seen through it all..."

“In the past, when my dragon clan was in power, we could run rampant and act tyrannically.”

"Now that my dragon clan is in a state of 'weakness,' we can only swim in shallow waters and be teased by shrimp, and be bullied by others."

"The cycle of karma is inescapable, and retribution is inevitable."

"In these three realms, has there ever been pure 'right and wrong'? Everything is just about 'power'!"

"The one with the bigger fist is right."

Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, looked at his sister and brother-in-law and continued to comfort them:
“You still have nine sons, your lineage continues, and your foundation remains.”

"For the sake of the greater good, for the peace of the Jinghe Water Palace and even the entire Dragon Clan, let's put this grudge aside for now."

"When will the injustice be repaid?"

"The deeper this enmity grows, the more it will drag more of the dragon's sons and grandsons to their deaths!"

"If you insist on going your own way, not only will you fail to avenge your grievances, but you will also sever the last bloodline, harm the entire Jinghe Dragon Clan, and even bring disaster to the Western Sea!"

"By then, even if I wanted to protect him, I fear I would be powerless to do so, and it would be too late to regret it!"

The words fell.

The hall fell silent again for a long time, with only the suppressed sobs of the Jinghe Dragon Queen and the low whimpers of the deep sea currents intertwined.

It was like a lament for the decline of the dragon race.

The dragon race today is nothing but a "false prosperity".

Beneath the dazzling splendor of the Dragon Palace lay unspeakable oppression and humiliation.

"That's all..."

After a long while, the cracks in the wine cup in the Jinghe Dragon King's hand widened a bit more. He seemed to have used all his strength to squeeze out those two words through his teeth, filled with resentment and bitterness.

The rage and struggle churning in the dragon's eyes finally transformed into immense exhaustion and helplessness:
"Then... we'll do as you say, brother."

“I…I, from the Jinghe Water Palace, have put aside my grudges with the Eight Immortals of the Daoist Sect and am willing to make peace with them.”

Seeing that his brother-in-law had finally relented, Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, felt somewhat relieved, nodded slightly, and said:
"So good."

"It is better to resolve enmity than to let it fester; harmony should be valued above all else."

"So I'll shamelessly act as the middleman."

"In a few days, I will personally write an invitation to invite the Eight Immortals of Taoism to my West Sea to reconcile over a cup of wine, which will also give both of you a way out."

Having said that, the Dragon King of the West Sea raised his jade cup, attempting to ease the heavy atmosphere, and laughed:

"Sister, brother-in-law, you have come from afar, and your hearts are filled with unresolved sorrow."

"I have prepared a simple feast for you as a welcome dinner to wash away the dust of your journey and to calm your nerves. Let us drink this cup together."

The Dragon Queen and Dragon King of the Jing River exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with complex emotions. In the end, they could only suppress their grief and resentment, raise their cups to the Dragon King of the West Sea, and say in low voices with gratitude:
"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, brother! We will always remember this kindness and gratitude."

……

Until the next day.

It was still dark, and the hour of Yin had not yet arrived.

The stars in the night sky had not yet completely disappeared, and Chang'an City was still immersed in the silence before dawn.

Inside Xiao Tuolong Tuojie's palace, however, a fierce aura was already surging.

He could no longer contain the violent excitement in his chest and his eagerness to prove himself, completely forgetting his father's teachings!

"My father always says I'm reckless!"

"Even the Turtle Prime Minister said I acted impulsively!"

"Hmph! Today I'll show you what it means to 'plan before you act, and kill without leaving a trace'!"

Without further hesitation, the little alligator dragon's enormous phantom image twisted in the water, transforming into a massive, almost seamlessly integrated black alligator dragon shadow.

His dragon claws tightly gripped the "Chang'an Eight Rivers Water Dividing Flag," shrouded in mist, and the "Dragon King's Water Seal," symbolizing the authority of the Chang'an Eight Rivers Water Palace.

Its dense water vapor, carrying a chilling killing intent and ferocity, crashed through the water palace's restrictions and soared straight into the sky!

The little dragon was already impatient. Before the time was set by the Heavenly Court to spread the clouds, it wanted to make its move as soon as possible and take everything into its own hands!

(End of this chapter)