Chapter 202 - 124: [Fate Chart: Golden Seal Decree, Jade Scroll of Heaven]

Chapter 202: Chapter 124: [Fate Chart: Golden Seal Decree, Jade Scroll of Heaven]

"Bastards! This is an outrage!"

Han Xingmo gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with self-reproach and fury. "The Water Department saw the bountiful fish harvests in this part of the river and, finding no floating corpses, we assumed this Wild God was a benevolent Blessing God. We were even thinking of recruiting it... I never imagined... I never imagined it was a monster that devours people whole!"

"This is the Water Department’s dereliction of duty! It’s *my* dereliction of duty!"

Chu Bai comforted him. "Senior Brother, don’t blame yourself. This Wild God is cunning, and with Team Two and the Noble Race deliberately covering things up, it was easy to be misled. Now that the truth is out, it’s the perfect time to right this wrong."

Han Xingmo took a deep breath, suppressing the fury in his heart, and nodded.

"You’re right, Junior Brother. An Evil God like this must be eradicated! What’s more..."

His eyes grew dark, his voice tinged with a cold fury. "I repeatedly proposed a thorough investigation into the Sanmu River’s anomalies within the Water Department, but my superiors always shot it down, saying it was better to not stir up trouble. It seems the Water Department itself isn’t clean."

"Someone took the Noble Race’s money to cover for this Evil God!"

Chu Bai understood.

’So, it wasn’t just a problem with Team Two. Who knows how many bloodsucking leeches are clinging to the chain of interests along the Sanmu River.’

"Senior Brother, Pang Song has already led his men into the water," Chu Bai reminded him.

"That Wild God has been entrenched here for years, and the water is its home turf. Pang Song’s Cultivation isn’t weak, but he’s being too rash. I’m afraid he’ll pay the price."

"Hmph. That Pang Song is a piece of work himself. He wants to snatch the glory? Let’s see if he lives long enough to claim it!"

Han Xingmo snorted, then took a blue Token engraved with a wave pattern from his waist.

"Junior Brother, let’s join forces!"

"I’ll use the River Patrol Order to command the Water Veins, seal off the riverbed, and suppress that beast’s Water Divine Techniques. You take the lead on offense. Today, we’ll cleanse the Sanmu River of this overwhelming stench of blood!"

"Alright!"

Fighting spirit flared in Chu Bai’s eyes.

"Let’s go!"

Han Xingmo waved the Token, and the river water instantly parted, creating a path. Without further delay, the two followed the traces of Spiritual Power left by Pang Song’s team, leaping into the river and heading straight for its heart.

...

「At the bottom of the Sanmu River, Ghost Sorrow Bay.」

The water here was hundreds of feet deep, with swirling undercurrents and terrain as complex as a labyrinth.

Pang Song was in dire straits.

’He had dived in with ten of his best men, assuming the so-called Sanmu Fairy was just some moderately powerful Wild God, Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation at best. With his own Cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, plus his team, taking it down should have been child’s play, right?’

But who would have thought that as soon as they neared the underwater cavern that seemed to be its lair, everything went wrong.

GLUB GLUB GLUB—

The once-calm water suddenly turned violent. Countless undercurrents, like invisible ropes, tugged wildly at their bodies, making it difficult to even stay balanced.

Then, the surrounding seaweed seemed to come alive, transforming into green vipers that coiled around their limbs.

What was more terrifying were the ghostly black shadows flitting through the murky water. They would materialize as Water Arrows for a sneak attack one moment, then let out ear-piercing shrieks to assault their Divine Souls the next.

"Damn it! It’s an Illusion Array! And Water Monsters!"

Pang Song’s expression was grim as he slashed away the seaweed coiling around his ankle.

’This was the disadvantage of fighting underwater. His Earth Magic was severely weakened here. And while he could use Water Magic, compared to a Wild God that had lived here for years, it was like a child playing with water in front of a master.’

"Argh!"

A pained cry rang out.

One of his men, unable to dodge in time, had his shoulder pierced by a Water Spear that shot out from the gloom. Blood instantly blossomed in the water.

"Captain! This thing is unnatural! We can’t use our skills properly down here!"

"Fall back! Get out of here!"

Pang Song gritted his teeth. He hated to admit defeat, but he knew if they stayed any longer, his entire team would be wiped out. The Wild God itself might not be overwhelmingly powerful, but its Water Control and the Array were a headache even for a Late-stage Qi Cultivation expert like him.

"Retreat! Head for the surface!"

But just as they tried to swim up, the water above them suddenly turned pitch-black, as if an invisible barrier had sealed their escape.

Then, from the depths of the cavern, a shrill, piercing laugh that was neither male nor female echoed through the water:

"Hee hee hee... now that you’ve come to my Divine Mansion, why the rush to leave?"

"My little darlings happen to be hungry. The Flesh and Blood of you Cultivators will make for a fine feast..."

As the laughter faded, a monster slowly emerged from the darkness. It was covered in green fur, its body hunched like a monkey’s, but its face was that of a ferocious human.

It held a Water-Splitting Needle carved from white bone, its eyes glowed with an eerie green light, and it radiated an overwhelming Demon Qi.

The Wild God’s true form—a Water Monkey!

Though its power was only at Late-stage Qi Cultivation, not yet the terrifying level of Half-Step Foundation Establishment, in its home territory underwater, its combat strength was in no way inferior to Pang Song’s!

"A Water Monkey?!"

Pang Song’s heart sank.

’These things are immensely strong, and in the water, they’re as slippery as eels. They’re the worst to deal with.’

’It’s over... I was too arrogant...’

Just as despair settled over Pang Song.

BOOM!

The pitch-black barrier above them suddenly began to tremble violently.

A moment later, a majestic, powerful voice, like a divine decree, thundered through the heavy layers of water, echoing across the riverbed:

"The Great Zhou Water Department is here! What foul creature dares to stir up waves in the Sanmu River!"

"Break!"

Following this sharp command, a vast and pure Power of Water Veins crushed down from above.

Before this power, the once-violent, chaotic undercurrents instantly became docile. The barrier sealing their escape shattered like glass, and even the demonized seaweed that had tried to ensnare them withered and snapped.