Dawn had just broken.
Shijia Village suddenly came alive with activity.
The men and women of the village rose early, busily preparing for the "Dragon King Temple Festival." Over the past few days, they had made significant arrangements, leaving only the final touches for the morning.
Not long after, a woman arrived at Luo Sanniang's house, bringing a new outfit for Luo Xiaoman. She helped Luo Xiaoman into the clothes, applied some light makeup, and turned her into a doll-like figure.
Soon after, four strong men arrived at the door carrying a small flowered sedan chair.
Luo Xiaoman glanced at her mother, then at Xu Ming.
Xu Ming smiled and nodded.
Luo Xiaoman swallowed hard. Despite her fear, she stepped into the sedan chair.
"Lift the sedan!"
At the call of an old woman, the suona began to play, gongs and drums sounded, and the four men hoisted the sedan chair, carrying it away into the distance.
Luo Sanniang stood at the courtyard entrance, her small hands roughened by farmwork gripping the doorframe tightly. Her thin lips were pressed together, and even as her daughter disappeared from sight, she didn't look away.
"She'll be fine," Xu Ming said gently, standing beside her.
Hearing his words, Luo Sanniang came back to her senses and looked at the young man by her side. "I believe you, sir. You are a good person."
Xu Ming chuckled. "I've said it before, I'm not a good person. A good person wouldn't save Xiaoman only to let another little girl be sacrificed in her place."
Luo Sanniang shook her head. "To my family, sir, you are a good person."
"Alright then." Xu Ming brushed off his sleeves. "I'll be going now."
"Please take care of Xiaoman," Luo Sanniang said, bowing deeply to him.
Xu Ming didn't say more. He simply returned her bow before heading off with Yuan Yu toward the festival grounds.
Meanwhile, most of the villagers in Shijia Village had also donned new clothes and stepped out of their homes, ready to join the temple festival.
Elsewhere, a young boy was dressed in a brand-new outfit and carried away in another sedan chair by strong men.
The boy's sedan chair soon joined Luo Xiaoman's.
Thinking he was about to be sacrificed, the boy sobbed uncontrollably inside the sedan chair, wiping his tears. Luo Xiaoman, seated in the neighboring sedan, could hear his cries clearly.
But Luo Xiaoman didn't cry.
"I trust Brother Xu!" she muttered, gripping the fabric of her skirt tightly.
More and more people joined the procession.
Leading the way was the village chief, followed by one representative from each household. Behind them was the band, playing gongs, drums, and suonas, followed by the sedan chairs. At the very end were the villagers of Shijia Village.
The procession stretched long and far, as the village was home to over a thousand people.
Xu Ming and Yuan Yu didn't hide themselves but casually walked alongside the procession as though they were there to enjoy the festivities.
Before long, the procession stopped in front of a temple in the village.
The temple, built twenty years ago, housed a statue of the Yellow Sand River Dragon King.
The village chief, several elders, and some young, strong men entered the temple.
"Twenty years ago, Shijia Village suffered a severe drought. It was the Dragon King of the Yellow Sand River who brought us rain.
To this day, the Dragon King has protected our village for twenty years.
Today, we hold this festival to express our gratitude to the Dragon King and to pray for his continued blessings of favorable weather for our village."
The chief's son lit three sticks of incense for each person, handing them to the chief and the others. They bowed three times to the statue at the front, then inserted the incense into the burner.
"The Dragon King sure knows how to enjoy himself," Xu Ming remarked with a smirk.
Mo Zhuer stepped into the palace of the Yellow Sand Dragon King.
At that moment, the Dragon King was leisurely sipping tea while enjoying the dance of several female demons from the Yellow Sand River. These demons wore revealing clothing, their slender waists and curvaceous figures swaying seductively as they moved.
In addition to the dancers, the palace was filled with various other demons. At a glance, Mo Zhuer spotted tiger spirits, loach spirits, and snake spirits among them. The demonic energy emanating from these creatures ranged in strength; the most powerful had reached the Dragon Gate Realm, while most were in the Sea Observation Realm.
"Well, well, the saintess has arrived," the Yellow Sand Dragon King said with a smile, sitting up as he noticed Mo Zhuer. "Come, let me introduce you all. This is Mo Zhuer, saintess of the Western Black Lotus Sect and one of the top ten beauties on the Beauty List. Tell me, how many centuries has it been since you've seen someone this stunning?"
"Greetings, Lady Mo," the mountain spirits and wild demons all rose and saluted her.
"Lady Mo, this is True Lord Jinshan, and this is Daoist Baimei. The rest are all my friends. We're all on the same side here," the Dragon King said, introducing her.
"Zhuer greets you all," Mo Zhuer said with a polite bow.
"Lady Mo is too kind."
"Lady Mo truly is as beautiful as a celestial maiden."
"I have never seen a woman as stunning as Lady Mo."
"What man wouldn't be utterly captivated by Lady Mo?"
The demons all stared at her with fervent admiration. For these mountain spirits and wild demons, who had lived in seclusion, even the most enticing women they'd encountered were nothing more than cheap imitations compared to the radiant beauty standing before them.
Mo Zhuer responded to their flattery with a faint smile, though inside, she felt nothing but disgust.
Demons will always be demons, she thought, wild and untamed. The way they look at me is as if they want to strip me bare on the spot.
No, not just demons. Men are all the same.
"Xu Ming has already appeared in Shijia Village. I wonder when the Dragon Lord plans to take action," Mo Zhuer asked, her smile serene as she looked at the Yellow Sand Dragon King.
"No rush, no rush," the Dragon King said, brushing the folds of his robe. "I'm waiting for news as well. Today, we'll have our answer. When the time comes, we'll capture Xu Ming together and use his severed head as a wine vessel!"
"Oh?" Mo Zhuer looked at the Dragon King skeptically. "Is that so?"
"When have I ever—"
Before the Dragon King could finish his sentence, he suddenly froze, the teacup in his hand pausing mid-air.
A faint trace of incense-fueled merit reached him. Closing his eyes, the Dragon King could see the villagers—those decrepit elders—offering sacrifices and prayers to him.
"Hahaha, it's time!" The Dragon King stood up and laughed heartily. "Everyone, Shijia Village is holding a temple festival in my honor. Let's go join the fun, and while we're at it, kill a man for Lady Mo."
"Well, that sounds fantastic!"
"To kill someone for Lady Mo? Even if it were a hundred people, I wouldn't bat an eye."
"Speaking of which, the Dragon King truly commands the respect of the people. Not like me, just eating humans all day."
"You're just a tiger spirit who raises vengeful ghosts. The Dragon King, on the other hand, is destined to become a true dragon and rule the seas."
The demons flattered the Yellow Sand Dragon King endlessly, each compliment inflating his ego further.
With growing confidence, the Dragon King rose to his feet, his eyes gleaming with self-assurance. To him, Xu Ming was as good as dead.
"Lady Mo, would you like to accompany me on this trip?" the Dragon King asked.
Mo Zhuer bowed gracefully, her figure elegant and enchanting. "Since the Dragon King has invited me, Zhuer will naturally accompany you."
The Dragon King's gaze burned with desire as it lingered on Mo Zhuer. "When this is over, don't forget what you promised me."
Mo Zhuer's eyes were like hooks, full of allure. "But of course~~~"
"Then I'll be waiting, Lady Mo," the Dragon King said with a sly grin.
The Yellow Sand Dragon King licked his lips, barely able to contain his eagerness to savor Mo Zhuer.
"Let's go."
With a wave of his wide sleeves, the Dragon King transformed into a flood dragon and shot out of the Yellow Sand River. The horde of demons followed close behind.
"Ugh! Disgusting," Mo Zhuer muttered, rubbing her arms as goosebumps rose all over her skin.
---
Meanwhile, the open space in Shijia Village was bustling with activity.
There were dragon and lion dances, opera performances, and even singers performing folk tunes. Xu Ming and Yuan Yu mingled among the crowd, enjoying the festivities.
By the time the villagers finished their prayers at the Yellow Sand Dragon King's shrine, it was already 9:30 AM, according to the timekeeping system of Blue Star. By 10:30, the operas and dragon dances had concluded.
Now, many villagers were setting up tables, covering them with red cloths. The aroma of food filled the air, signaling the start of the feast.
Although the square appeared crowded, there were only about a hundred people present. Most of the villagers had returned home, ready to flee should a fight break out.
"Please, take a seat, gentlemen."
Luo Sanniang led Xu Ming and Yuan Yu to a table.
"Thank you," Xu Ming nodded, brushing his blue robes aside as he sat down calmly.
Luo Sanniang's gaze kept darting toward the shrine.
Inside the shrine, Luo Xiaoman and the young boy knelt before the statue of the Yellow Sand Dragon King, waiting for his arrival.
"Sanniang, don't worry. Xiaoman will be fine," Xu Ming reassured the still-beautiful widow.
Luo Sanniang smiled faintly. "I trust you, sir."
Yuan Yu watched this interaction silently, wondering to himself: Could my master be interested in widows?
He dared not ask and kept his thoughts to himself. But he couldn't help his curiosity.
Initially, his master hadn't asked for his assistance, merely tasked him with setting up a few auxiliary formations. Yet Xu Ming seemed confident enough to take on a Golden Core realm flood dragon alone.
Should I admire his confidence or his recklessness? Yuan Yu mused. He was also in the Golden Core realm and had once fought Xu Ming in the Baiwa Secret Realm.
But that was different. Back then, his cultivation level had been partially suppressed to match Xu Ming's, and he hadn't used his full strength.
This time, however, Xu Ming was facing a genuine Golden Core flood dragon.
"They're here."
Just as Yuan Yu's thoughts began to drift, Xu Ming took a sip of tea and spoke calmly.
Yuan Yu looked up, startled. In the distance, waves of oppressive demonic energy were surging like a storm, sweeping toward them.
His eyes widened, not because of the overwhelming demonic aura, but because his master's perception was sharper than his own—a rare feat, even for someone in the Golden Core realm.
A flood dragon flew through the sky, its massive form casting a shadow over the village. The villagers, seeing it, dropped to their knees and chanted in unison:
"Welcome, Dragon King!"
The flood dragon transformed into human form and descended from the sky.
Behind him followed other demons and an exceptionally beautiful woman.
When the group landed, the villagers' gazes were drawn to the woman. She was barefoot, her pale ankles exposed. Her black dress didn't even reach her knees, revealing her snow-white thighs.
They were stunned. Never before had they seen such an enchanting woman.
Unbeknownst to them, as the group stepped into the formation, Xu Ming calmly took a sip of wine.
Just as Xu Ming set his cup down, Luo Sanniang rolled up her sleeves and poured him another drink.
Xu Ming looked at her, slightly surprised. "Aren't you going to pay your respects to this Dragon King?"
Luo Sanniang shot him a sharp glance. "How could you say such a thing? That wretched flood dragon wants to devour my daughter. Why would I ever bow to him? I wish I could cut him into pieces!"
Xu Ming paused for a moment, then clasped his hands in apology. "My mistake. You're absolutely right."
The Yellow Sand Dragon King stood amidst the kneeling villagers, his heart brimming with pride. With the other demons and Mo Zhuer watching, he felt an overwhelming sense of superiority.
To Mo Zhuer, however, his smugness was laughable.
A Golden Core realm demon basking in the worship of a mere few hundred villagers and already acting like he's invincible? Truly pathetic.
The Yellow Sand Dragon King's antics only highlighted his ignorance and lack of experience.
In the Southern Demon Kingdom, a Golden Core realm demon would typically rule a small city, not waste time in backwater displays like this.
Soon, the Yellow Sand Dragon King noticed a small group not far away, calmly eating and drinking: Xu Ming, Yuan Yu, and Luo Sanniang.
They were conspicuous, standing out like sore thumbs amidst the kneeling crowd.
"Which one of them is Xu Ming?" the Yellow Sand Dragon King asked.
"The most handsome man of the two," Mo Zhuer said, extending her delicate finger toward Xu Ming.
The Yellow Sand Dragon King scowled at Xu Ming, then let out a cold laugh. "No wonder he could become a prince consort. He does look the part."
The other demons exchanged glances, murmuring to themselves. Prince consort? What's this about?
"Well, let's go pay our respects to the prince consort," the Yellow Sand Dragon King sneered. "Wouldn't want him complaining we lacked courtesy before he dies."
With that, the flood dragon strode toward Xu Ming.
Stopping in front of him, the Yellow Sand Dragon King smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. "Who would've thought I'd meet the esteemed prince consort in this backwater village? What an honor for someone as lowly as me."
Xu Ming calmly took another sip of wine, then set his cup down. His gaze shifted briefly to Mo Zhuer before returning to the flood dragon.
"So, you found help to kill me?" he asked.
Mo Zhuer's eyes curved into a smile. "I did."
"Is that so?" Xu Ming's lips curled into a faint smirk as his gaze locked onto the Yellow Sand Dragon King.
"And do you truly believe that this crawling lizard can kill me?"