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

Chapter 607 Flooding Chang'an
In the night sky.

Perched high above the clouds, overlooking the sleeping capital of Chang'an below.

The little alligator dragon felt a surge of pride.

His father always thought he was reckless, and the Prime Minister Turtle often said he acted impulsively.
Today I'll show them that even Tuojie can "plan before acting" and kill without leaving a trace!

"Humph!"

It let out a triumphant squeal.

The little alligator dragon suddenly waved its huge claws, displaying the "Eight Rivers Dividing Flag"!
In an instant.

The Wei River, Jing River, Ba River, Feng River... the eight rivers of Chang'an seem to be stirred by an invisible giant hand.

The calm water surface suddenly boiled.

A massive amount of water elemental energy was forcefully extracted and transformed into several thick, pillar-like, roaring, pale blue water dragons that tore through the river surface, soared into the sky, and rushed straight to the heavens!

As the saying goes:
"It is only natural for sons to inherit their fathers' businesses."

The Jing River Dragon King repeatedly instructed the little alligator dragon on the art of controlling clouds and rain, and even petitioned the Heavenly Court to grant the little alligator dragon the position of "fake Wei River Dragon King".

He was put in charge of the Wei River's waterways.

The little alligator dragon was already extremely familiar with the art of controlling clouds and rain.

"Yun, come here!"

"Water, gather!"

"Hmph, hmph, hmph!"

The little alligator dragon let out a few low roars, mixed with an uncontrollable grunt of excitement, shaking the clouds.

……

The alligator is a type of crocodile, a carnivorous animal, formerly known as "pig dragon" and now called the Yangtze alligator or Chinese short-snouted alligator. It was abundant in ancient river basins.

……

A torrent of water vapor shot into the sky.

Thick, dark clouds, like countless black-dyed beasts, converged from all directions, devouring the remaining stars and faint dawn at a heart-stopping speed.

The rolling black clouds pressed heavily over Chang'an, truly a scene of "black clouds pressing down on the city, threatening to crush it."

Before dawn, the little alligator dragon couldn't wait any longer and activated all its magical power!
"Dongfang Kuai! Let's see how you explain this!"

He couldn't wait any longer; he wanted to see the old Taoist priest's desperate expression in the torrential rain.

"Boom—Crack—!!!"

……

Immediately afterwards, the "Dragon King's Water Seal" shone brightly, and the intricate talismans on the seal lit up, commanding all the waters!
"Boom——!"

A pale white lightning bolt appeared out of nowhere, tearing through the gloomy sky.

A thunderclap followed, deafeningly loud, resounding over the heads of millions of people in Chang'an!

Countless people were abruptly awakened from their dreams, staring in horror at the suddenly changed world outside their windows.

The faint sound of a child crying could be heard.

The dragon gave its command, and rain poured down upon the heavens and earth!

Its speed is like clouds flowing over the sea gate, and its momentum is like the Milky Way tilting across the chasm.

The little alligator dragon raised the "Dragon King's Water Seal" and frantically drew water from the eight rivers of Chang'an, pouring it down upon the human capital!

At first, the raindrops were large, hitting the roof tiles and bluestone slabs with a dull and rapid "pitter-patter" sound. In an instant, they joined together and turned into a series of white, dense, and violent water curtains!
Only one sound remained in the world.

That was the deafening, all-destroying roar of the rain waterfall!
"Crash!"

"Crash!"

……

For a while.

The Milky Way cascades down from the sky, while white waves surge before the street.

A fountain gushes from the wellhead, and a waterfall cascades from the eaves.

It gurgles like water pouring from a jar, and rolls like water being poured from a basin.

The floodwaters are about to engulf the house, and the wild stream is about to level the bridge.

The waves roll on the land, turning mulberry fields into the sea in an instant!
What a heavy rain!
By the time of Si Shi (approaching noon), the torrential rain had been raging for some time.

"Hahaha!"

Looking down at the desolate land of Chang'an, now a swamp and filled with the cries of the dying, the little alligator dragon revealed a cruel and gleeful grin.

He held aloft the "Dragon King's Water Seal," his mind racing:

"Old man, you think you can predict the future? I, the Crown Prince, will prove you can't!"

"You want four feet four inches? I'll go for four feet seven inches!"

"Even four feet eight inches, four feet nine inches!"

"Let's see how you explain your 'divine calculation' reputation! Let's see how you try to drown yourself!"

He frantically activated the "Dragon King's Water Seal," continuing to command the waters of the eight rivers of Chang'an, and abundant water elemental power surged forth from the "Dragon King's Water Seal."

This rainfall... has far exceeded the limits set by the Heavenly Court's edict!
In an instant.

Huge raindrops pelted down violently, dense as a curtain.

The city of Chang'an was instantly engulfed in a white, watery world.

The streets turned into a rushing river, with turbid, muddy water churning and flowing into the low-rise houses.

The ditches and canals in the market area overflowed, flooding into the houses.

The sounds of shattering tiles, collapsing houses, and the terrified cries for help of the people mingled with the deafening rain, creating a cacophony of despair and lamentation.

The Wei River and the Jing River... are like angry dragons breaking free of their shackles, frantically crashing and tearing at the fragile banks.

"Boom--!"

The river embankment finally gave way and burst!
The turbid river roared out, mercilessly swallowing the lush farmland and peaceful villages on both banks with overwhelming force.

Wherever it passed, mulberry fields were turned into the sea, paths were transformed into waves, and a scene of utter devastation was left behind!
Livestock struggle to survive in the flood, doors bob and sway in the torrent, mothers hold their babies high...

This torrential rain, ignited by personal grudges and spiraling out of control due to arrogance, is recklessly ravaging the capital of the human race in the Southern Continent.

Dragons thrive when they encounter water.

"Hmph, hmph, hmph!"

"Hmph, hmph, hmph!"

……

In the thickest and darkest part of the clouds, a huge and ferocious dragon shadow could be vaguely seen, twisting and turning wildly in the rolling clouds, emitting a low and joyful roar like rolling thunder and a mixed sound of pig grunts.

Those cold, vertical pupils, piercing through the heavy rain, were admiring their own "masterpiece" below with cruelty and mockery.

I do not know how long it has been.

The torrential rain finally began to subside, turning from a downpour to a torrential downpour, and then to a drizzle.

The murky water receded slowly through the streets and alleys like the receding tide, leaving behind a scene of devastation.

Houses collapsed like the skeletons of a giant beast, furniture and debris floated up like mountains, and livestock struggled in the mud, barely clinging to life.

The survivors were ashen-faced, some standing blankly like puppets, others weeping bitterly in vain.

"Hehehe..."

The little alligator dragon was full of pride. Its huge dragon body swayed comfortably in the clouds, and it transformed into a young man in brocade robes. It then stepped on the water and returned to the Jing River Water Palace.

His face was filled with bloodthirsty excitement and anticipation of enjoying the "spoils of war." He loudly ordered the approaching aquatic general:

"Guards! Quickly prepare a 'cannibalistic feast'!"

"I want the finest 'ingredients'! Bring out my treasured Thousand-Year-Old Frozen Jade Table!"

"This Crown Prince will give a proper 'hospitality' to that 'distinguished guest,' old man Dongfang Kuai, who is about to 'voluntarily' attend the meeting! Hahahaha!"

……

Chang'an Eight Rivers.

Deep within the Jinghe Water Palace, there is a side hall that was once used for appreciating rare treasures, but it has now been emptied.

In the center of the hall stands a huge bronze cauldron, its body engraved with strange Taoist scripts, emitting a faint, eerie light.

Beneath the cauldron, the true fire of the Azure Water Palace silently burned.

On the cold stone platform beside the cauldron, several fishermen, dressed in rags and already terrified, were tightly bound with heavy, cold iron chains, looking like lambs to the slaughter.

This is what they call "ingredients"!

On the crystal table, jade platters were laid out. Although the main course was not yet served, the various rare side dishes and exquisite wines were already dazzling and aroused people's attention.

A group of aquatic generals and spirits gathered together, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust and anticipation, waiting for the "main course"—Dongfang Kuai—to "voluntarily" attend the gathering.

A bloody cannibalistic feast is about to begin.

All that's left is for the final "main course" to be served.

The little alligator dragon changed into a magnificent brocade robe woven from deep-sea silk and adorned with luminous pearls, and lazily leaned against the huge tridacna throne in the main seat.

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest, and his golden vertical pupils were filled with cruel anticipation, as if he were waiting for the climax of a good show.

They just wait for their prey to desperately walk into their trap.

"Dongfang Kuai... the time is almost up."

"I, the Crown Prince, would like to see you try to throw yourself into the river with a stone in your arms!"

"Then we'll fish you out and throw you into the pot to make meat porridge... The taste will surely be incredibly delicious!" "Hmph, hmph, hmph..."

Time passes little by little.

The appointed time has long since passed.

The water soldiers outside the palace, who were keeping watch and keeping a close eye on the direction of the Wei River, had yet to receive any news of the target's appearance.

The smugness on Little Crocodile's face gradually froze, replaced by an increasingly intense anxiety and suspicion.

at last.

"hateful!"

"How dare you mock me, the Crown Prince!"

He could no longer contain himself, and suddenly stood up, leading the Turtle Prime Minister and a team of elite naval soldiers, and angrily charged towards the Chang'an Fish Market once again!
However, when Xiao Tuolong pushed through the crowd still discussing the devastation caused by yesterday's torrential rain and rushed to the "Xinghua Village" tavern, the place that had been completely surrounded the day before, he found himself in a completely different situation.

Now only a dilapidated and greasy little table remains, with tortoise shells and copper coins scattered all over the ground.

The place is empty now that everyone's gone!

Where is there even a trace of that old Taoist priest in plain clothes, "Dongfang Kuai"?

"Where are they?! Where is the fortune teller, Dongfang Kuai?!"

The little alligator dragon was furious. It stepped forward and grabbed a fisherman who was peeking around to watch the commotion as if he were a chick, and demanded an explanation.

The fierce and violent aura terrified the fisherman, and his crotch was instantly soaked.

"Replying to...replying to young master."

The fisherman's teeth chattered, his whole body trembled violently, and his voice was choked with sobs:

"After today's torrential rain, we...we haven't seen Mr. Dongfang set up his stall since..."

"This morning...this morning this place was...empty...I'm afraid...I'm afraid..."

"What do you mean? Speak!"

The little alligator tightened its grip and lifted the fisherman off the ground.

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid that Dongfang Kuai realized he miscalculated the amount of rain... lost... lost the bet... and was afraid of being punished by the young master's divine power..."

"Therefore... he packed his bags and fled... he ran away..."

The fisherman was so frightened that he closed his eyes tightly and screamed with all his might, the fishy liquid dripping down his trousers onto the muddy ground.

"Dongfang Kuai ran away?"

The little alligator dragon was taken aback at first, as if it hadn't heard clearly, then burst into a terrifying, maniacal laugh, its sharp, piercing sound drawing the attention of the surrounding crowd.

"Hahaha! Hahahaha! This sorcerer is indeed a spineless coward! A wimp!"

"When they spread rumors and mislead the public, they are shameless and boastful. But when it comes to risking their lives, they tuck their tails between their legs and run away like stray dogs."

"Good! Very good! You old bastard, you know what's good for you, you ran fast!"

"If I, the Crown Prince, catch you, I will make you taste the bitterness of being thrown into the river with a stone in your arms, then boiled alive into a rotten meat soup in my 'Meat-Eating Cauldron'! Hmph, hmph, hmph—!"

He laughed so hard he was doubled over, looking like a madman.

However, after the laughter subsided.

Looking at the empty fortune-telling stall, with only broken tables and rotten bowls remaining.

A surge of intense shame and anger, as if I had been tricked, welled up inside me!
The meticulously prepared "feast" fell through, and the anticipated thrill of revenge turned into a frustrating feeling of having nowhere to vent.

"hateful!"

"How dare they break their promise!"

"How dare this sorcerer Dongfang Kuai bully me!"

The little alligator's smile instantly twisted into a ferocious grin, and it kicked over the broken table with a powerful kick!
"boom!"

The broken table shattered instantly, scattering wood chips everywhere.

"Dang Dang Dang..."

The tortoise shell and copper coins clattered and rolled into the murky, smelly ditch next to them.

"You bastard! How dare you play me! You've wasted the 'feast' I've meticulously prepared!"

The little alligator dragon had a ferocious face and let out a vicious roar into the air, which shook the fish market and echoed in the damp, muddy air, but only attracted more strange looks.

The raging anger burning in his chest had nowhere to go but to make him grind his teeth, his golden vertical pupils churning with violence and fury.

"Oh, Dragon King, when are you coming back!"

The Turtle Prime Minister stood to the side, noticing the little alligator dragon's discomposure, and then glanced at the "Erlang Manifesting Sage True Lord Temple" not far away, where incense still burned brightly.

The Prime Minister's fear and anxiety deepened, and his sense of foreboding grew stronger.

……

Deep in the Western Sea.

The Dragon Palace of the West Sea is dazzling and magnificent. The crystal palace complex is majestic and beautiful, the coral trees sway gracefully, and the pearls are like stars adorning the dome, making this deep sea as bright as day.

At this moment, a private banquet of extremely high rank is being held in the most magnificent banquet hall deep within the Dragon Palace.

On the main seat, Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, wore a solemn and dignified black dragon robe and a dazzling dragon crown, exuding an air of elegance and nobility.

To the left and right of the lower seat, the Dragon King of the Jing River and the Dragon Queen of the Jing River sat.

The Jinghe Dragon King wore a magnificent blue brocade robe embroidered with exquisite dragon patterns, highlighting his noble status as the "Great Dragon God of Rain in the Heavenly Realm".

The Dragon Queen of the Jing River wore a black fishtail dress and a headdress adorned with dazzling pearls and jade. Her face was gentle and charming, and although she had experienced the passage of time, she still retained her elegance.

The banquet was also attended by other outstanding figures from the Western Sea, including Ao Moang and Ao Lie (the White Dragon Horse), the Third Prince of the Jade Dragon.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the gentle strains of stringed instruments, and the fragrant aroma of sacred fruits, a scene of peaceful harmony befitting the nobility of the dragon race was created.

On the jade platform in the center of the main hall.

A luminous pearl the size of a millstone was radiating a soft yet dazzling light, illuminating every detail of the carved beams and painted rafters in the hall.

This pearl is no ordinary object; it is a treasure bestowed by the Jade Emperor in gratitude for the West Sea Dragon Palace's many years of diligence and obedience, symbolizing the grace of the Heavenly Court and the glory of the Dragon Clan.

Bathed in light.

The Dragon Queen of the Jing River—the younger sister of the Dragon King of the West Sea, and also the aunt of Ao Moang and Ao Lie—had a clearly visible worried expression on her face.

It also illuminated the expression of the Jinghe Dragon King—the uncle of Ao Moang and Ao Lie—who was trying to remain calm at this moment.

"Uncle, Aunt, please drink this cup!"

The brothers Ao Moang and Ao Lie raised their cups together, facing the Jinghe Dragon King and his wife, their voices clear and resonant, demonstrating the proper etiquette of juniors.

……

After a round of toasts and drinks, the guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

During the banquet.

The Dragon King of the Jing River glanced at the priceless night pearl, its brilliance illuminating the entire hall.

He immediately turned to the Dragon King of the West Sea, raised his cup, and said:
"Brother, this luminous pearl shines brilliantly. It must be the one that the Jade Emperor bestowed upon the Dragon Palace of the West Sea last time, right?"

Upon hearing this, Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, stroked his long beard, a hint of smugness flashing between his brows, and then laughed loudly:

"Brother-in-law has a good eye; this is indeed a heaven-sent treasure."

The Dragon King of the Jing River put down his wine cup, his gaze fixed on the pearl that symbolized "heavenly grace." Overwhelmed with emotion, he let out a long sigh.
"Thunder and rain are both gifts from heaven, but heavenly grace is fickle and unpredictable."

"Today the Jade Emperor bestowed pearls as a sign of his favor, but who can predict what will happen tomorrow..."

He paused, lowered his voice, and continued:
"Brother, we can't put all our dragon eggs in one basket!"

Upon hearing this, Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, frowned slightly, then waved his hand and solemnly warned:

"Brother-in-law, watch your words!"

Such discussions should not be uttered lightly.

However, Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, was not calm at all.

The words of the Jinghe Dragon King struck a chord with Ao Run, the West Sea Dragon King, who had long been pondering these issues.

In the current Three Realms structure, the Heavenly Court is supreme, Buddhism and Taoism coexist, and the Dragon Clan struggles to survive in the cracks, relying on the Heavenly Court and Mount Ling. They have long lost the glory and splendor of their ancient times.

The demon race is gradually declining, the witch race is also in decline, and the demon race has disappeared without a trace...

This seemingly stable situation is actually fraught with undercurrents, and who can say that it will remain unchanged forever?
As:

"The emperor's throne rotates, next year it's my turn."

The cycle of karma is inescapable; retribution is inevitable.

Today, the "Heavenly Court" holds sway over the universe and commands the Three Realms, but who can predict what will happen tomorrow?

Perhaps, tomorrow will be the day when the "Demon Court" returns to the world, stirring up trouble once more?

No one can say for sure about this.

Because they deeply understand this principle.

The Dragon King of the West Sea turned a blind eye to his eldest son, Ao Moang, having a private friendship with the demon kings of the Northern Continent, such as the Jiao Demon King and the Peng Demon King.

This gives the demon race multiple escape routes, so it's not necessarily a bad thing.

After all, in ancient times, the Dragon Clan had been on good terms with the Demon Heavenly Court, and served as the rain control officer for the Demon Heavenly Court.

The demon saint of Beiju Luzhou, "Rain Master Jimeng," is a member of the dragon clan.

Even in private.

The West Sea Dragon Clan would also host banquets for demon kings such as the "Jiao Demon King" and the "Peng Demon King" at the West Sea Dragon Palace.

(End of this chapter)