The White Flood Dragon sensed something amiss. This guy, the very one who had just ambushed him, was now acting docile. However, beneath the veneer of meekness, the dragon felt a simmering rage. The submission wasn't genuine; it seemed someone powerful had forced this guy to lower his head.
Thinking this, the White Flood Dragon began to scheme, concealing his intentions and patiently waiting for an opportunity. He didn't reveal his thoughts, wanting to see what this guy would do next.
Lin Fan patted Zhuang Ming's shoulder without a word, offering only a smile as if to say, Come on, I believe in you. I'm very optimistic about you. You can definitely earn his forgiveness.
Zhuang Ming felt murderous rage towards Lin Fan.
However…
One must endure hardship to achieve greatness.
"White Flood Dragon, I didn't mean to," Zhuang Ming said.
Lin Fan replied, "You shouldn't be talking to me. You should be talking to him. He's the victim."
What the hell!
Zhuang Ming wanted to explode on the spot. Enough is enough. Moderation is key. Going too far won't do any good. But as he locked eyes with Lin Fan, he saw no indication that the man felt he had gone too far.
Clearly, this guy was completely oblivious.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhuang Ming made his final decision. Since I've already endured this much, what more can I not endure? What harm can a little more tolerance do?
Having reasoned this out…
Zhuang Ming forced a smile and addressed the White Flood Dragon, "I'm sorry. I apologize for my actions. I hope you can forgive me."
Perhaps wanting to appear more sincere…
After speaking, he bowed his head slightly.
But the instant he lowered his head…
A gust of wind swept towards him.
The White Flood Dragon had been waiting for this very opportunity. Its tail lashed out, aiming a vicious strike at Zhuang Ming. At such close proximity, Zhuang Ming could react, but his response would be hasty. Moreover, he was already injured and likely unable to withstand the dragon's blow.
Slap!
Just then…
Lin Fan raised his hand, blocking the White Flood Dragon's tail. He frowned and said, "How could you launch a sneak attack? Although he hurt you earlier, he was in the middle of apologizing. Even if you were angry, you should have waited until he finished. Otherwise, what's the difference between you and him?"
The White Flood Dragon was shocked. It knew Lin Fan was strong, but blocking its sweeping attack so casually and effortlessly was truly unbelievable.
Zhuang Ming trembled with fear, realizing his mistake. How could I have trusted his words? It was perfectly reasonable for the White Flood Dragon to attack. I should have been prepared, but because of Lin Fan, I didn't anticipate this.
He had narrowly escaped death.
If Lin Fan hadn't intervened, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Realizing this…
Zhuang Ming said, "I already apologized to him, but he suddenly attacked. It's not my fault, right?"
"Right," Lin Fan agreed, nodding.
"Where I come from, this kind of behavior would absolutely not be tolerated," Zhuang Ming said. His intention was to kill the White Flood Dragon, refine its bloodline, and consume it for its beneficial effects.
Lin Fan replied, "So that's how it is where you come from. But here, we believe in giving people a chance to change their ways. You did very well just now. I think you're really quite good. So now…"
"White Snake, you need to apologize to him. What you did just now was very wrong."
He addressed the White Flood Dragon with a serious expression.
The White Flood Dragon lowered its massive head, its red eyes gleaming as if to say, Are you joking with me?
However, recalling Lin Fan's strength, it suddenly realized the situation was dire. Although it was a White Flood Dragon, its intelligence wasn't low. Continuing to act aggressively could very well cost it its life.
Lowering its head, the White Flood Dragon spoke, "I'm sorry."
It remained vigilant, ready to react at any moment, in case the other party, like itself, decided to launch a sudden attack.
In the distance…
One-Eyed Man silently lit a cigarette. The situation was evolving, heading in an uncontrollable direction, the atmosphere drastically changing.
Logically…
There should have been a fierce battle, a struggle for treasure.
But with Lin Fan's calm demeanor, the atmosphere had shifted. Even if you were dissatisfied, what could you do? Strength dictated everything. Resistance was futile, not even a sliver of a chance existed.
"Give me one," Lin Daoming said, extending his hand for a cigarette.
One-Eyed Man tossed him one, murmuring, "This is an outcome none of us expected."
Lin Daoming rubbed his fingers together to create a spark, lighting the cigarette. "Indeed. It's like a playful game. There's no sense of the intense, life-or-death struggle we expected from Starry Sky realm experts vying for opportunities."
Master Yongxin said, "Amitabha. Benefactor Lin possesses a kind heart. If we could find common ground, perhaps he could be introduced to Buddhism and comprehend the profoundness of the Dharma."
Everyone looked at Yongxin, thinking he was dreaming.
He himself hadn't even been to a temple. When he was brought out of the mountains, he had been living in a dilapidated, desolate place, a situation they didn't even want to discuss.
The hidden experts around them desperately wanted to retort.
What is going on here?
Unbelievable.
They had anticipated a great battle, not this scene of mutual apologies. If this is how it's going to be, please do this sort of thing in private.
Some quietly retreated.
With no spectacle to witness, staying any longer was a waste of time. It was better to try their luck elsewhere; perhaps they might encounter something valuable.
Rustle!
Gradually, people began to leave.
With their abilities, they were only qualified to observe; participation was impossible. They simply didn't have the necessary strength.
At this moment…
Lin Fan looked at the White Flood Dragon and Zhuang Ming with satisfaction. Stroking Zhuang Ming's head, he smiled and said, "You were able to accept his apology and didn't resort to a sneak attack like him. That shows you're a good person, really great. Old Zhang, how do you praise someone?"
Old Zhang said, "Fantastic."
"Oh," Lin Fan responded, then said, "You're truly fantastic."
"Oh, right, let me introduce myself. My name is Lin Fan. What's your name? I still don't know it, even though you were quite unfriendly earlier. But I noticed your apology seemed sincere."
Zhuang Ming took a deep breath, calming his turbulent emotions. He had been enduring for a long time. Frankly, if he encountered this kind of situation normally, he absolutely wouldn't tolerate it.
But now… he remained composed.
"Zhuang Ming," he said through gritted teeth, barely suppressing his rage.
Lin Fan smiled. "Hmm, a good name. Don't ambush people in the future. Friendliness is the only way to resolve conflicts."
Finally…
Zhuang Ming left Tianchi, cursing under his breath.
He hadn't gained anything, had been beaten up, and had suffered the most unbearable humiliation of his life.
The White Flood Dragon dove back into Tianchi, hiding in its deepest depths.
It sensed immense danger, feeling that this was just the beginning, that more perilous events were yet to come. Although it didn't know what the final outcome would be…
It desperately wanted to leave.
However…
The White Flood Dragon looked at the deepest part of Tianchi, at a snow-white lotus, its eyes flickering with anticipation. It had been lurking here for nearly a thousand years, waiting for this lotus to mature. Once it did, the dragon would devour it and transform from a flood dragon into a true dragon, free to soar through the heavens.
Nightfall.
The bonfire crackled.
The firelight illuminated Zhuang Ming's face, which was dark and gloomy. The events of the day were a humiliation to him, an unbearable disgrace, yet he had endured it.
For no other reason…
Than to survive.
There was a rustling sound nearby.
"Who's there?" Zhuang Ming's face darkened, and he looked around vigilantly. When he saw the figure emerging from the darkness, he spoke respectfully, "Young Master."
Zhuang Xiao approached with his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped beside Zhuang Ming and said, "I've heard about what happened today. I didn't expect the situation here to be more complicated than I thought. We can't deal with his strength right now, but the fact that you left Tianchi alive suggests he doesn't have a strong desire to kill. There's still a chance."
"Young Master, this is a humiliation to me," Zhuang Ming said. He couldn't tolerate what had happened.
Zhuang Xiao replied, "Patience is needed now. There's no rush."
"I understand, Young Master. How are things on your end? Have you found anything?" Zhuang Ming inquired. Changbai Mountain held many secrets, even Tianchi itself. The most crucial were the ancient ruins; discovering one would be a significant find.
Zhuang Xiao said, "I did find some ruins, but they were just ordinary ones."
After arriving at Changbai Mountain, they had split up.
The Young Master knew quite a bit, so naturally, he wouldn't compete for those treasures with him. Instead, he went to the deepest parts of the mountain to search for ancient ruins.
"Young Master, who is that Lin Fan? The strongest people here are only at the True Essence realm, but his strength surpasses even the Three Radiances. It's simply unbelievable," Zhuang Ming said.
He was too strong.
So strong it was unimaginable.
Zhuang Xiao replied, "I've made inquiries. He's a powerful cultivator from this planet's Dragon Country. He once killed several insignificant beings who called themselves gods. His strength is indeed considerable, but there's no need to worry. When our people arrive, it will be his end."
Zhuang Ming nodded, agreeing with this assessment. Although Lin Fan was strong, he didn't believe he could surpass the experts within their clan.
Those were unimaginable, peerless powerhouses.
No matter how strong this person was, it was useless. In the end, he would still die.
In the distance…
One-Eyed Man decided to leave Changbai Mountain. The time he had spent out in the world had been very rewarding. He was content. As for whether others had obtained anything, he didn't care in the slightest.
In such a vast place, how could no one have found valuable items?
It seemed impossible.
When he informed everyone of his decision to leave, Yongxin and the others agreed.
Lin Fan asked, "Are we going home?"
Old Zhang replied, "The trip is over. I'm so excited to go home. I want to drink Sprite."
"Coke."
"Same difference."
They had no lingering attachment to Changbai Mountain. From beginning to end, they had treated it as a sightseeing trip. The scenery was indeed beautiful, and they had encountered many strange and interesting things. Thinking about it, it had been quite entertaining.
After returning, they could share these interesting stories with others.
Hmm… They would definitely return to Qing Mountain.