Ch 86: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

When Jiang Lin emerged from his month-long seclusion, the Dragon King immediately rushed to his son’s chambers.

“My son, are you feeling better now?” The Dragon King asked with a face full of concern. “I have gathered many sacred healing medicines and placed them all in your palace.”

Jiang Lin replied, “Much better.”

Healing completely was impossible; even with the Dragon Clan’s extraordinary healing abilities, it would take many years of careful recuperation to fully recover. For now, he could only manage not to let the injuries hinder his movements and could exert a portion of his strength.

But it was clear that Jiang Lin couldn’t fully focus on healing—given the intelligence displayed by the East Sea Dragon Clan, Jiang Lin feared that if he secluded himself again, there might not be any dragons left to see when he emerged.

He asked, “Where is Nezha? Has there been any movement from Chentang Pass?”

At the mention of that name, the Dragon King’s expression darkened, and he said with displeasure, “That little brat is still locked up in the water dungeon. He hurt my son; how could I easily let him go? As for Chentang Pass…”

The Dragon King scoffed, “That Li Jing, who doesn’t know how to teach his son, has come to the shores of the East Sea several times in recent days, but I drove him away each time.”

Jiang Lin immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

“How… how did you drive him away?”

“I just struck him down directly,” the Dragon King said, puzzled.

Jiang Lin’s heart sank. “Did Li Jing never fight back?”

The Dragon King nodded, “As a father, he understands reason better than his son. He knows he’s in the wrong, so he never fights back when I strike him.”

Jiang Lin: “…”

Suddenly, Jiang Lin asked, “Did Li Jing bring people with him each time? And over time, did he bring more and more people?”

The Dragon King looked surprised, “How did you know?”

Of course, I know!

Without doing so, how could he ensure that more people would ‘witness’ the Dragon Clan’s arrogance and cruelty, making them fear and loathe the dragons, to the point where they wouldn’t dare approach?

The Dragon King saw the coldness on Jiang Lin’s face and asked in confusion, “Son, what are you thinking?”

He couldn’t help but feel that his son had become much more thoughtful after being injured. When his son was serious, his aura was somewhat intimidating.

Jiang Lin slowly said, “I need to visit the water dungeon.”

The Dragon King frowned, “You can’t! The water dungeon is cold and damp, and you’re injured.”

“I’ll have Nezha brought to you here!”

The Dragon King, unwilling to let his son suffer, quickly ordered the guards to bring Nezha from the water dungeon.

When Nezha was brought to the Dragon Palace, he saw a pale-faced third prince of the Dragon King, wrapped in a fur coat, sitting on a soft silk seat.

Nezha’s eyes sharpened, and he sneered, “You’re still alive, huh?”

Jiang Lin observed this figure, renowned from childhood in myth.

As a reincarnated celestial child, Nezha’s appearance was naturally impeccable.

However, it was clear that he had suffered a great deal in the water dungeon, becoming emaciated, with a sallow face, and his large eyes looked particularly eerie.

Jiang Lin’s body had suffered a great calamity, leaving him weak and depleted of both energy and spirit, unable to muster much enthusiasm for anything.

He spoke slowly, “I’ve heard that Li Jing of Chentang Pass is known for his benevolence and strict household discipline. So tell me, is this the result of Li Jing’s teachings—raising a five-year-old child who cries for blood and violence every day?”

A flash of anger crossed Nezha’s eyes. “Don’t you dare insult my father! I want to kill you because you deserve it!”

“Oh?” Jiang Lin coughed, suppressing his discomfort. “I deserve to die? Then tell me, why do I deserve death?”

Nezha spat, “For three years, there was no rain. Do you know what kind of life the people of Chentang Pass have endured? How many people died because of your Dragon Clan? And then you cruelly murdered an innocent woman—just for that, you deserve to die!”

The Dragon King, sitting to the side, furrowed his brows and was about to scold, “Nonsense! My son is of noble status; how could a mere human girl—”

“Father!” Jiang Lin raised his voice slightly, interrupting the Dragon King.

He was exasperated by this straightforward East Sea Dragon King. An argument that was originally in their favor could be completely undermined by the Dragon King’s words, leaving the Dragon Clan with no ground to stand on.

“Let me handle this myself. You can just watch from the side, alright?”

The Dragon King actually wanted to say that such a trivial matter didn’t need his son’s involvement—just kill the brat and be done with it, why waste so much energy?

But looking at his son’s pale and frail appearance, the Dragon King couldn’t bear to go against his wishes.

In the end, he turned his head away, sulking in silence.

Jiang Lin turned back to Nezha and asked, “You know the Dragon King can bring rain, but do you know that whether it rains, when it rains, and how much rain falls are not decisions made by the Dragon Clan?”

Nezha sneered, “You’re trying to fool me! If not you, then who?”

Jiang Lin softly replied, “It’s naturally the will of Heaven.”

Nezha scoffed, “You’re just being mysterious for no reason.”

Jiang Lin asked, “Have you ever heard a story?”

Without waiting for Nezha to respond, he began, “An elder of my Dragon Clan, who was the Dragon King of a great river, once received a mandate from Heaven to bring rain. Because he indulged in one too many cups of wine, he ended up extending the rain by half an hour. Do you know what happened to him afterward?”

Jiang Lin closed his eyes slightly, concealing the sorrow and anger within. “For neglecting his duties and disturbing the heavenly order, he was sentenced to immediate execution.”

The East Sea Dragon King suddenly stood up, staring intently at Jiang Lin with a somber tone, “Why are you bringing this up?”

Jiang Lin looked at him, “Father, does this make you feel uncomfortable?”

The Dragon King’s eyes flickered with traces of blood, and he finally said, “He… made a mistake first.”

Jiang Lin’s lips curled slightly, “Is that so.”

The Dragon King turned away, “I have other matters to attend to. I’ll leave now.”

Nezha seemed intrigued by the story and suspiciously asked, “Are you making up a story to deceive me?”

Jiang Lin replied calmly, “Do I need to deceive you?”

“But,” Nezha frowned, “How could extending the rain by half an hour disturb the heavenly order? If it didn’t cause any disaster, why was he executed?”

Jiang Lin let out a short, bitter laugh.

It was difficult for him to explain to a five-year-old child that the term “heavenly will” was nothing more than a convenient excuse for those in power. Any crime that even lacked a proper excuse could be justified by invoking “heavenly will.”

“So,” Jiang Lin continued, “regarding your first point, the three years of drought in Chentang Pass that caused disasters—this has nothing to do with us in the East Sea. It was the will of Heaven that brought about three years of drought in Chentang Pass.”

“As for the second point,” Jiang Lin said, “the bride in the legend, the one you say I tore apart, was not human at all.”

“She was a cultivator sent to assassinate me.”

Nezha asked, “Where’s the evidence?”

“I have no evidence.”

Nezha sneered.

Jiang Lin responded, “But I can swear.”

“I can swear to Pangu, the Great God, that every word I say is true.”

Nezha was startled.

Pangu, who created the heavens and the earth, and whose body became this world after his death, was revered by all—gods, demons, monsters, and humans alike. No one dared to disrespect this great deity.

Nezha believed him. “Why didn’t you say this earlier?”

Jiang Lin asked him, “Did you give me a chance to speak before you attacked?”

Besides, Ao Bing, that little fool, inherited his father Ao Guang’s straightforwardness. He was impulsive and proud, not the type to bother explaining such things.

“You owe me a life, Nezha,” Jiang Lin said.

A hint of anger flickered across Nezha’s face. “What do you want then? Do you want me to give you a life in return?”

He seemed especially hot-tempered, like a firecracker ready to explode at any moment. But while talking to him, Jiang Lin could sense that Nezha was someone who could listen and be reasonable. Yet when he killed Ao Bing, his eyes were clearly red with rage!

There was clearly a big problem here.

“I don’t want your life,” Jiang Lin shook his head, looking directly at him. “But you have to serve me for a hundred years.”

Nezha: ?

Jiang Lin glanced at him, “I’m now severely injured and almost powerless in battle. I need a powerful guardian to protect me. This is all your doing. Isn’t it fair for you to protect me for a hundred years?”

Nezha: … What do you mean you need a powerful guardian to protect you? Those two by your side could clearly beat me to a pulp!

He seemed extremely frustrated, but knowing he was in the wrong, he frowned in distress, the anger in his eyes surfacing again, making him look fierce.

“Alright,” Nezha finally agreed reluctantly, “I accept your terms.”

“But I need to return to Chentang Pass first. My parents will be worried,” Nezha said.

“Of course,” Jiang Lin said with a slight smile, instructing the servants to prepare food and clothing. “Rest for a bit, and later I’ll have someone escort you back to Chentang Pass.”

Nezha felt a bit touched, but also thought this little white dragon was pretty naive: after being beaten up so badly by him, the dragon didn’t hold a grudge and even prepared a meal for him!

With a heavy heart, he thought to himself: “I’ll have to be extra careful as a guardian from now on. This dragon is so gullible, it would be easy for someone to take advantage of him.”

What he didn’t realize was that Jiang Lin was also watching him with satisfaction.

Jiang Lin had someone specially prepare rare, spiritual energy-infused food from the Dragon Palace. After just one meal, all of Nezha’s exhaustion vanished. His complexion turned rosy, and his spirits were revitalized. Then, dressed in the luxurious garments unique to the Dragon Clan, he looked every bit like a little golden child!

Who would believe he had been detained and mistreated by the Dragon Clan?

While Nezha was eating, the Dragon King in the Crystal Palace received news from Li Jing.

“Your Majesty, that Li Jing is kneeling by the sea with over a thousand people from Chentang Pass, all begging us to release his son,” reported the elderly Turtle Prime Minister, his eyebrows trembling.

The Dragon King slammed the table in frustration: “That Li Jing! How troublesome! Let me go and—”

“Father.” A voice interrupted him.

Jiang Lin walked in and said, “Let me handle this.”

The Dragon King was reluctant, “But your injuries…”

Jiang Lin smiled, “Does Li Jing dare to lay a hand on me?”

The Dragon King thought about it and agreed. With Li Jing’s docile nature, he would only take a beating without retaliating. Plus, he was really fed up with seeing Li Jing’s old face, so he said, “Then go quickly and return soon, my son.”

At the edge of the East Sea.

Li Jing stood at the front, clad in armor, anxiously gazing at the vast sea, and shouted loudly, “I beg the Dragon King to show mercy and release my son Nezha!”

Behind him stood countless commoners. These people were much more agitated than he was:

“Lord Li! This East Sea is so unreasonable!”

“The Dragon Clan looks down on us mortals! Don’t beg them; we should risk our lives to storm the Dragon Palace and rescue the third young master!”

“Bah! I heard the third young master almost killed the third prince of the Dragon Clan. Serves them right!”

“Yeah, after all, it was the Dragon Clan that started killing people first!”

“…”

Listening to the chatter behind him, Li Jing recalled the instructions from the deity in his dream, and a subtle smile flickered at the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly, the murmuring behind him quieted down.

The surging tide had calmed, and on the surface of the sea, brilliant light suddenly radiated as the ethereal silhouette of a magnificent palace slowly rose from the waters. A celestial cloud bridge extended from the palace to the people standing on the shore.

The commoners from Chentang Pass immediately fell silent in awe and fear, only now realizing: They had just been loudly cursing, not fellow mortals, but exalted immortals!