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

Just when everyone was filled with fear.

"This is not a real dragon."

A clear and calm voice, not loud, yet like a jade hairpin tempered in ice.

It easily pierced the thick veil of fear, reaching everyone's ears clearly.

Everyone was stunned and looked in the direction of the sound.

"It's nothing more than a monster that has luckily obtained some of the mirage's remaining power and is skilled at creating illusions to deceive people."

Ye Qingfeng's voice continued, still calm, yet each word clear, striking the silent riverbank.

"Clad in scales and horns, imitating the form of a dragon, yet unable to change the foul stench within, nor conceal the greedy bestiality in its eyes."

A true dragon brings rain and blessings to all living beings; how could it possibly resort to such evil deeds as plundering and harming the innocent?

These words were like pouring a ladle of ice water into boiling oil.

After a brief silence, the villagers erupted in even more violent commotion and horror.

"What...what did he say?"

"A demon...a monster? Not the Dragon King?"

"He's gone mad! This Taoist priest is insane! How dare he insult the gods!"

Many people looked at Ye Qingfeng with fear and anger, as if he were the one who would bring about utter disaster.

The "dragon shadow" in the sky seemed to have heard these blasphemous words as well.

Its golden vertical pupils, burning with crimson flames, slowly turned, and for the first time truly focused its gaze on this tiny human.

The dragon's whiskers moved without wind, and the seven-colored mirage around its body paused slightly. The immense pressure, like a tangible mountain, suddenly crashed down on Ye Qingfeng's location!

"Insects...how dare you speak so presumptuously!"

It wasn't a real voice, but a mental fluctuation that exploded directly in everyone's hearts, a mixture of anger and chilling killing intent.

"It's over...it's over!"

"Why did you have to anger the Dragon King?!"

......

Along with this mental shock, the "Dragon Shadow" swung its giant claw, covered with pale gold scales, towards Ye Qingfeng!

"Whoosh—!"

The river surface several feet in front of Ye Qingfeng and Wang Dashan suddenly exploded!

Instead of water columns, they were three dark blue water arrows, each about the thickness of a child's arm, formed from extremely condensed river water, their arrowheads gleaming with a metallic cold light.

The pale blue water arrow hovered in mid-air, ready to be launched with a wave of the hand.

This is a genuine sorcery attack! It's not an illusion!

"Taoist priest, be careful!"

Wang Dashan was right next to Ye Qingfeng, even though they were separated by a river and were dozens of meters apart.

But he could still feel a chilling aura of death rushing towards him, his blood seemed to freeze, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed.

He instinctively tried to back away, letting out a terrified hiss.

However, Ye Qingfeng, who was standing in front of him, did not even move the hem of his clothes.

Faced with the demonic water arrows that could pierce through metal and stone and freeze flesh and blood, Ye Qingfeng simply turned his head slightly.

Those eyes, which seemed to burn with cold flames, remained fixed on the "dragon shadow" in the air, seemingly oblivious to the imminent danger.

No, it's not that we're ignoring it.

Ye Qingfeng suddenly made a move.

He raised his right hand, the movement slow and even somewhat casual, and opened his palm upwards towards Wang Dashan, who was stunned beside him.

"Benefactor Wang," his voice remained steady, even carrying a hint of natural command, "may I borrow a fire?"

"Huh? Fire...fire?" Wang Dashan was completely stunned and couldn't understand why he needed fire at this critical moment.

But his body's instincts and his inexplicable trust in Ye Qingfeng made him tremble and use all his strength.

He pulled out the rough tinder from his pocket, and with trembling hands, struck it with a "snap," lighting a small, orange-red flame the size of a soybean.

The flames flickered weakly in the river wind and the demonic aura.

At that moment, the dark blue water arrow seemed to receive a command and shot out instantly, creating a faint sonic boom in the air.

But Ye Qingfeng didn't seem flustered.

He gently flicked his fingertip across the small flame.

Something amazing happened.

The faint, almost extinguished orange-red flame suddenly detached from the tinderbox and, as if it had come to life, floated lightly into Ye Qingfeng's palm.

Immediately afterwards, the flames turned from orange-red to incandescent white, and then burst forth with a pure and refined pale golden radiance!

The light flowed gently, not scorching or oppressive, but carrying an indescribable sense of pure warmth that seemed to cleanse away all gloom and impurity.

Ye Qingfeng held the pale golden flame, still ignoring the incoming water arrow. He simply spoke softly to the flame in his palm, as if declaring:

"A single point of true yang can dispel all evil. Bluster is nothing but empty boasting."

As soon as he finished speaking, he casually flicked his hand, which was holding the flame, forward.

There was no earth-shattering roar, no dazzling explosion.

The pale golden flame swelled slightly, transforming into a thin, almost transparent pale golden halo.

Like an invisible, warm barrier, it stood in front of Ye Qingfeng and Wang Dashan.

That is, the instant the pale golden flames formed a barrier.

"Swoosh—! Swoosh—! Swoosh—!"

Three menacing, dark blue water arrows struck the pale golden halo almost simultaneously.

The anticipated penetration and explosion did not occur.

The water arrow, imbued with demonic power, reacted as if winter snow had met a scorching hot iron the moment it touched the pale golden light.

It emits a rapid, teeth-grinding "hissing" sound, then quickly vaporizes and dissipates!

Only three wisps of faint white vapor remained, along with the lingering, chilling demonic aura in the air, which was quickly purified and dispelled.

A pale golden halo rippled slightly, like ripples on a calm lake when a pebble is thrown in, before returning to stillness.

The flame in Ye Qingfeng's palm dimmed and returned to the size of an ordinary flame, which he casually sent back to Wang Dashan's tinderbox.

The whole process happened in the blink of an eye.

From the "Dragon Shadow" attacking with its claws to Ye Qingfeng using fire to defuse the situation, it all happened so fast that most people didn't even see the details.

All they saw was the young Taoist priest seemingly raise his hand and say a few words.

Those three deadly "Dragon King's divine powers" just mysteriously... disappeared?

An even more eerie silence descended upon the riverbank once again.

The villagers' fear froze on their faces, turning into bewilderment and disbelief.

That Taoist priest was able to hold his own against the Dragon King; could he be a deity?

Wang Dashan stared blankly at the ordinary orange-red flame that was now flickering again on his fire tumbler.

Then she looked at Ye Qingfeng, who was unharmed and whose hair was perfectly intact.

Looking up again at the "dragon shadow" in the sky, which seemed to have paused for a moment and whose power seemed to falter.

A complex mix of fear, shock, and elation surged up his head, making his hands and feet feel numb.

Taoist priest... you are truly a divine being!

The cold smile on Chen Maocai's face froze completely, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He could see things more clearly than the average villager!

That pale golden halo... it was definitely not an ordinary magic trick!

How could he so easily neutralize that angry attack from the water arrow demon?

This Taoist priest... could this Taoist priest really not be a charlatan?

For the first time, a strong sense of unease welled up inside him.