"I can't believe this," a young man looked in awe at the distant death of Ash Raven. "Not a devil but still a cultivator? Able to easily kill devils? Are devils even supreme anymore?"
"Delan, let's go," Lei Delan's mother called out. "Patriarch Ash Raven will be here soon and we have to leave!"
"Mom," Lei Delan pointed at the distant sky. His mother looked up and gasped in shock. "How?" He uttered.
"I wonder, how do I become a dragon?" The young man muttered softly.
…
"Well that was easy," Qinglong said after the fact only to be punched in the face by Bai Jian then kicked by Zulong.
"WHY?" The downed dragon howled.
"Don't tempt fate brother/my friend," they said. Zulong could already feel the headaches he suffered during his tenure as city lord while Bai Jian felt his scars itch.
Splash!
The dragons and swordsman turned their heads as a massive eel slithered back into the city. The eel curled up and transformed into the mayor of Nan Dao Chen and looked around in shock.
"What are you?" He barely made out the words in shock.
"A dragon and your emperor," Zulong said confidently.
"Damned fool, I'd like to see you say that to Luohu," the eel man scoffed. "You don't seem to be from around these parts so let me give you some advice. Stay out of the devilish Dao's way, go back to where you came from and live peacefully. Don't try anything, it's not worth the danger."
The eel man surveyed the city again. "Looks like I'm gonna have to rebuild again someplace else. You can have this city."
"Wait, eel daoist," Yinglong suddenly called out. "Why do this? Why bother to warn us?"
"Well, you did kinda save my life there. No way I was fast enough to get away," the former mayor awkwardly said. "But you also ruined any chances of me joining the devilish Dao."
"Do you denizens of the west sea really want to join up with the mainland?" Bai Jian suddenly asked. "I know there's a bleed in effect there but aren't you under the jurisdiction of that sea emperor?"
"Right, the west sea is still ruled by emperor Si Hai," Qinglong nodded along with Yinglong.
"Piss on that, what has that fat turd ever done for us? Sit on his tentacle ass all day, not even so much as a visit, nothing," the eel man turned around and walked away.
"He truly doesn't even visit?" Zulong couldn't help but ask. "I'll admit, I don't have the most up to date information about him. What has he been up to if not ruling?"
"No idea, the bastard's never left his palace in the south seas since whatever it was he tried in the east," the eel man admitted.
"The east? This should be several tens of thousands of years ago yes?" Zulong asked for confirmation.
"Near the beginning of this yuanhui yes, don't know much about it but seems he tried to invade the east but got repelled. Don't really get much news from the east," the eel man said.
"You should be careful, with Ash Raven dead Taowu probably knows as well. For all our sakes, we should run as far as we can," with that said the former mayor flashed away without waiting for a reply.
"Taowu," Zulong frowned. He was kicking himself in that moment. He hadn't thought of Taowu his recklessness had caught up to him.
"Don't worry about Taowu," Da Hai's voice suddenly disrupted the dragon's thoughts.
"Master?" Zulong, Qinglong, and Yinglong looked around as soon as they heard the voice. Bai Jian stood around confused wondering what the dragons were doing. Da Hai had only communicated with the three after all.
"Let me handle the devil's upper echelons, but take heed of the eel's warning. Do not enter the West Continent," Da Hai said in a grave tone. The dragon brothers nodded.
"Understood master," the three of them mentally replied and Da Hai's presence faded from their minds.
"Taowu's taken care of," Qinglong informed Bai Jian.
"How did you…"
"Our master has taken care of him," Zulong cut him off confidently.
"Your faith is astounding," Bai Jian said. "A person's more likely to leave you to die in this situation."
"Our master is not just anyone," Qinglong said. "He's the greatest powerhouse of the east sea."
"Greatest? I would like to meet a man like that," Bai Jian said smiling. "Just what kind of balls must he have to challenge the devilish Dao."
"More than you kitty," Qinglong joked laughing. Bai Jian then realised his tail was still out and curled it back into his armour. His fluffy black and white tail did resemble a feline very much.
"Why are you trying to hide it Bai Jian?" Qinglong asked.
"It's called keeping a low profile," Bai Jian said.
"I don't think you know what that means," Qinglong said. "Everyone we've come across recognised you on first contact. You didn't even change your face."
"Commoners don't," Bai Jian countered. "And I refuse to change this handsome face," he snarked.
"Suit yourself," Qinglong said with a smile. Bai Jian's face also broke into a small smile.
By the next day, the news had already broken out in Nan Dao Chen. Ash Raven was dead, slain by Zulong in a quick battle. Slain before anyone had even noticed his arrival.
"Well fuck," Zulong muttered as he observed the agitated city from the manse of the former city lord. The key problem was the succession crisis.
The eel man had no children nor wives and had jumped ship due to the devilish Dao. It turns out, Nan Dao Chen was an elaborate scheme by the west sea's Gleaming Eel clan to curry favour to the local devil overlords. They had aimed to showcase their administrative abilities and economic skills and gain positions as governors under the devil's watch.
The West Continent was fully within the grasp of the devilish Dao. Everything from somewhat traced back to them in some way shape or form. Cultivation especially held the devilish Dao as an integral core.
From the texts analysed from Nan Dao Chen's mayor's private library. Even the creation of one's own Dao centred around the devilish Dao. The core understandings of seven emotions six desires were present within Dao itself.
"All devils had been successful immortals," Zulong muttered. "They kill off all the ones unable to ascend, they teach one path for cultivation in the guise of many," he frowned as he remembered some of the sutras he read the previous evening.
"Big brother, the civilian representative is here to see you now," Yinglong said from outside the eel man's office. Zulong put down a scroll and walked out. He would think more on the subject later.
"Yinlong," Zulong called out as the two were walking down the hallway. "How are the prisoner's doing?"
"Same as yesterday, intimidated and in denial," the winged dragon replied. "An expected reaction, their exalted devil overlord was casually killed and their famed supreme devil is still not here even after a full day despite the absurd speed of Daluo Golden Immortals."
"West Continent's supreme devils, the former four evils of old and the demon king of the sixth heaven," Zulong recounted. "It's distressing knowing that there are so many superpowers so close to us."
"Makes you wonder doesn't it?" Yinglong said. "Where did all the rest of the old seniors go after the war?"
"Worry about them later, for now, let us deal with the present situation," Zulong said ending the conversation. He pressed both hands on the heavy wooden door and pushed it open revealing the meeting room stacked with a few seats and tables and cups of drinks.
Several people were already present. Bai Jian and Qinglong who looked bored and uninterested, and the civilian rep who sat nervously across them. Zulong took his place at the main seat. He took note of the rep's cultivation. She was already a Heavenly Immortal which probably factored into why she was chosen.
Nan Dao Chen was a city that intersected between the West Continent proper and the west sea. As such, despite the Devil Dao's heavy influence, a large portion of inhabitants were from the west sea.
Previously, Ash Raven sect's fighters were captured and imprisoned. Their cultivations were sealed and their bodies were chained by bindings of auspicious clouds. This retinue included Immortals and even some Golden Immortals.
The majority of the civilians had various levels of lower cultivation with the majority below the immortal realms making them mortals. However, as a cultivation heavy settlement, there were a large portion of immortals.
This woman was one of the more famed members of the latter. A carp cultivator named Teng Ya. She was known to be a capable combatant and a talent who migrated from the west sea.
"So Ms Teng, what do you wish to ask?" Zulong began.
"Ah, well lord Zulong," the woman gulped. "We of Nan Dao Chen would like to know what is to be done with us? With the death of Ash Raven and the disappearance of the mayor, many of us are worried about repercussions from the devilish Dao. We're not exactly a small unknown village."
"Yes, I understand your plight," Zulong said displaying genuine empathy. "From my understanding, you are all devils. Would the devilish Dao truly senselessly destroy you all?"
"For a no name devil? No. But you killed Ash Raven, one of the few Chaos Immortal hopefuls. He's too big for this to be ignored for long," Teng Ya said.
She understood that from her position, she cannot truly demand anything of Zulong else risking his ire. Experts on his level were known to be fickle. The strong ruled over the weak, why else was she nominated to lead?
Karmic ties of cause and effect only went so far. It was only in extreme cases would the Heavenly Dao directly intervene. The use of karmic ties with Zulong was there but it was nowhere near enough to force him to stay. The dragon's positive karma already far outweighs what he had to pay.
"I have heard your words Ms Teng. I Zulong am not an ungracious sort. I will figure something out. You have my word," Zulong said.
Teng Ya smiled softly. "Thank you lord Zulong. We of Nan Dao Chen are thankful of you no matter what some say. The losses of our children were always harsh especially for us from the west sea."
Zulong inwardly smiled knowing he'd made a positive impact. "Does the west sea truly wish to follow the devilish Dao?" He asked.
Teng Ya was slightly taken aback by the sudden question. "Yes, my lord," she answered. "Despite all their misgivings, the devilish Dao is the best option in the world. Their cultivation method is a guaranteed success, it's just that their admission comes at high risks."
The woman took a brief breath of irritation, "It's not like his majesty would do anything about it."
"You refer to emperor Si Hai," Zulong confirmed and Teng Ya nodded.
"His majesty declared us his property and never looked back. I remember my parents once saying that they'd only seen him once and they were nobles of my home clan," Teng Ya said.
"The people of Nan Dao Chen know what Si Hai is like. The devilish Dao for all their risks are competent leaders. But now that they're likely against us as well…" she trailed off.
"I see," Zulong said rubbing his bare chin in contemplation. "I have heard your pleas. You may return and assure your fellow civilians. I am not going anywhere."
Teng Ya bowed to the dragon and headed off leaving the dragons and swordsman by themselves.
"Why did you promise her?" Yinglong sighed. "Now we're stuck here for who knows how long. That was most unwise brother."
"We are responsible for their current plight. Would you want others to talk about us dragons as troublemakers bringing disaster to all we interact with?" Zulong growled in annoyance.
"Of course not brother," Yinglong doubled back. "But we are now in a land far from home, unfamiliar and dangerous. We can afford the karma cost to leave and still retain a large positive overall pool."
"Brothers please," Qinglong's guilty voice interrupted. "It was my fault in the first place. I volunteer to remain to guard them."
"Absolutely not!" Both older dragons retorted. "Family don't leave each other behind," Zulong reminded.
"But if it means big brother would not be tied down, I Qinglong am willing," the azure dragon insisted.
Bai Jian who was only watching felt moved. The closeness of the dragons triggered a sense of longing in his chest. Distant memories of a lone tiger of black and white aimlessly wandering the jungles surfaced to mind.
"You all," Bai Jian interrupted the dragons. "I'm already an enemy of the devils in the first place. I have no issues in staying to help out."
"No fellow daoist, this is our problem. I cannot just ask an outsider to get involved," Zulong said. "Unless you're suggesting joining my empire," the dragon suggested with a devious smirk.
"What?" Before Bai Jian could respond however Zulong chuckled.
"I jest, I refuse to use to manipulate you," the dragon pridefully said. "I have another solution in mind."
"Oh?" The dragons and Bai Jian's attention turned to Zulong who rubbed his inter spacial ring. A crude crystal appeared in the palm of his hand.
"What is that?" The younger dragons and Bai Jian asked.
"Experimental tools," Zulong said and crushed the crystal. A small light flew out and disappeared.
"Was that supposed to do something?" Qinglong asked.
"Give it a few days. If I'm right master shouldn't be too far so this should reach him," Zulong said.
"So a sort of communication device?" Yinglong asked.
"Yes, mental message compressed into a small signal released by the destruction of the crystal which acts as both storage and launcher. They're designed to search for a specific receiver," Zulong said. "Yu'er wanted to fund it and I obliged. Master's got one as a gift."
"Oh, amazing," the dragons praised.