My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

Seeing Ye Qingfeng remain silent, Huang Youde became even more smug. Seizing the opportunity, he turned to all the villagers, waved his arms, and spoke in a seductive voice:

"Fellow villagers! The evil spirit has been vanquished! From this day forward, this river will be clean!"

There will be no more Dragon Kings to claim lives! Everyone can now fish in peace and live their lives in peace! If anyone still doesn't believe me...

His eyes darted to the seemingly calm river surface, a sight that served as both a way to thoroughly prove his magical powers and consolidate his authority.

The idea of ​​completely crushing Ye Qingfeng, the "skeptic," also came to mind.

A bold and fearless smile spread across his face as he pointed at the river:

"If anyone still doesn't believe that there are no more demons in this river, I, this humble Taoist, am willing to prove it with my own body! Who dares to swim around in the river right now? See if they are safe and sound?!"

Upon hearing this, the villagers, who had just been indignant, fell silent.

Go to the river? Go swimming in that river where the "demon fish" was just blasted out and devoured countless "brides"?

Even if Master Huang says the monster has been eliminated, how can the fear that has been ingrained for a hundred years and is deeply rooted in the bones be so easily dispelled?

The crowd looked at each other, none daring to respond; their earlier fervor seemed to have been doused with cold water.

This is exactly the effect Huang Youde wanted.

His smile remained unchanged, but his gaze swept over the little Taoist boy and monkey behind him, who was carrying a bundle and looked somewhat apprehensive.

The little monkey felt a chill run down its spine when it met its master's gaze, a sense of foreboding rising within it.

"Since no one dares to try, then let my disciple demonstrate for everyone!"

As Huang Youde was speaking, he suddenly kicked the little monkey in the lower back without warning!

"Ouch!" Caught off guard, the little monkey cried out in surprise, clutching its bundle, and stumbled straight into the river with a "plop," splashing water everywhere!

"Master!" The little monkey thrashed about in the water for a few moments before realizing that the water wasn't very deep, only up to its chest.

He stood there, still shaken, staring blankly at the shore.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

The river remained calm, with no unusual activity except for the ripples created by the little monkey.

There were no shadows, no whirlpools, and no water ghosts pulling at you.

"Look! Everything's alright!" Huang Youde shouted, his face beaming with the triumphant excitement of his scheme succeeding. "As I said, the demon has been vanquished! This river is clean!"

The villagers on the shore stared wide-eyed at the helpless little monkey in the water.

Really...you're okay?

A tremendous, unbelievable ecstasy, like a flood bursting its banks, suddenly overwhelmed my last defenses.

"I'm really okay!"

"The river is clean now!"

"Long live Master Huang!"

It's unclear who shouted it first, but then cheers erupted like thunder!

Several hot-blooded young men, who had long harbored resentment and resentment towards the "Dragon King," were overjoyed.

Unable to contain themselves any longer, they howled, took off their outer clothes, and jumped into the river one after another!

"Plop!" "Plop!" One after another, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

They splashed around in the water, laughing and splashing each other, as if to express their joy.

Wash away all the fear and repression of the past century!

More and more people are getting infected—men, teenagers, and even some daring women.

They all gathered by the river, tentatively splashing the water with their feet, their faces beaming with radiant smiles as if they had survived a disaster.

Li Laoshuan and Zhou Shi hugged each other and cried even louder, but this time it was tears of joy.

Xiao Lian was also helped out. Looking at the crowd playing in the river, a trace of color finally returned to her pale face, along with a dazed smile.

The entire riverbank was enveloped in an atmosphere of near-manic joy.

It was as if all the gloom had dissipated, and light and freedom were within reach.

Huang Youde stood on the shore, enjoying the worshipful gazes of the crowd, as if they were looking at a god.

He glanced smugly at Ye Qingfeng, who was still standing quietly to the side with his brows furrowed, his eyes full of provocation and contempt.

Kid, you think you can mess with me? You're still too green!

As village chief Chen Maocai watched the scene of boisterous revelry, a cold smile finally spread across his face, like a venomous snake that had spotted its prey stepping into a trap.

He slightly raised his hand and gently stroked a cold, hard object in his sleeve—a whistle made from the finger bone of some unknown animal.

The time is almost right.

He slowly took two steps back, disappearing behind several elders who also wore strange smiles.

He brought his lips close to his sleeve, took a deep breath, and silently but forcefully blew the bone whistle.

No sound was heard, but there was an extremely subtle vibration with a specific frequency.

Yet it flowed through his body and into the ground beneath his feet, seemingly creating some kind of secret resonance with the river.

Almost at the same moment, Ye Qingfeng, who had been intently sensing the aura on the river's surface, suddenly felt a jolt in his heart!

coming!

Deep within the river, a vast aura of gloom, violence, greed, and anger, long suppressed and restrained by some force, lurked.

Like a ferocious beast that has finally broken free of its last shackles, it erupts with a roar!

"Gurgle...quack—!!!"

That terrifying roar, deep as a cow's moo and sharp as a stone being scraped, was clearer and closer than ever before, as if it were ringing out right beneath everyone's feet!

With endless resentment and a furious rage born of being disturbed and provoked!

The joyful laughter and playful chatter came to an abrupt halt.

The smiles on the faces of everyone who jumped into the river and stood in the shallow water froze instantly, turning into extreme terror.

They looked down in horror and saw that the river water beneath their feet had begun to churn and swirl violently without warning!

It wasn't just the water flowing; the entire riverbed was shaking!

Countless murky bubbles surged wildly from the bottom of the water, and a strong, nauseating stench hit us!

"Help...help me!"

There's something underwater!

A terrified and shrill scream instantly replaced the previous jubilation, exploding in the air above the riverbank!

The terrifying roar seemed to explode directly in a person's brain, carrying with it icy dampness and boundless rage.

The whirlpool in the middle of the river expanded rapidly, and the turbid river water was pushed aside by an irresistible force, and a huge black shadow broke out of the water!

Water splashed like a waterfall, spraying mud and drenching everyone on the bank.

Everyone looked up in horror and saw a dark figure hovering several feet above the river, its body enveloped in what was not ordinary water vapor.

Instead, it was enveloped in a strange mist of iridescent light, making its already massive outline appear even more hazy and sacred, and exuding an indescribable majesty.

A pair of distinct, jade-like, warm yet cold-looking horns can be vaguely seen growing from its head.

Its body is covered with clearly defined "scales" the size of a bowl, with pale gold patterns flowing around the edges, reflecting a cold, hard luster in the dim light.

Four "dragon claws" emerged from the clouds, their fingertips sharp as hooks. With a gentle stroke, they left faint, distorted traces in the air.

What's most terrifying are those eyes—not just a simple dark red.

Instead, they were golden vertical pupils, their edges burning with a fierce, crimson light, like a high and mighty god, cold and indifferent.

Filled with boundless rage at being offended, he surveyed the world, seeing mortals as nothing more than weeds.