Chapter 274: Heaven's Will is Hard to Defy

Four Seas Sect, East Island Dragon Palace.

Misty clouds flowed over the steps before the hall. A breath as loud as rolling thunder echoed inside, as if a colossal beast were resting within.

Only upon entering the hall would one realize there was no giant beast.

Instead, a handsome young man dressed in white with refined features was leaning by the window, holding a daoist scripture in his hands, reading with great interest.

Just then, a woman walked into the great hall.

She had a curvaceous figure, a cinnabar dot on her forehead, and features that were both clear and elegant. Her every movement carried an air of nobility, yet also a hint of wild, unruly charm.

Seeing the young man by the window, she immediately raised her voice.

“Eldest Brother! Look at the time, and you’re still reading here. If this goes on, I’m afraid the Four Seas Sect and the Dragon Clan will lose all face!”

The young man looked up helplessly and glanced at the woman. “Little Sister, have you forgotten Father King’s oral decree? He ordered us to stay in seclusion and quietly recite daoist scriptures. Tribulation is imminent. If we don’t go out, Father King can still protect us. But if we go out, there’s no guarantee.”

“But [Sui Ying] is dead!”

The woman shook her head, baring a mouth full of sharp teeth as she spoke hatefully. “[Sui Ying] was a Dragon King, yet he was killed by a human! How can we just ignore this?”

[Sui Ying] had been quite a figure in the Dragon Palace when he was alive.

He was especially close to this woman because they were born of the same mother. Her name was [Sui Ling], making her [Sui Ying]’s biological younger sister.

Now that her brother was dead, how could she not furious?

Compared to her, the young man remained calm. “So what? [Sui Ying] died on the mainland. Do you plan to chase his killer there?”

“Give it up, Little Sister.”

The young man’s name was [Tian Qiu]. He was the Dragon Lord’s second son. Years ago, he had already reached the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage, becoming a Great Perfected One and his father’s capable helper.

Thus, compared to the young and impulsive [Sui Ling], he was much calmer. He shook his head. “I worry that this tribulation is another purge of the overseas region by the mainland. We probably can’t resist it. We can only hide. As long as we stay in the Dragon Palace, nothing will happen. If we go out, nine out of ten times, we will die and our Dao will perish.”

“How can we just…”

[Sui Ling] gritted her teeth. But soon, as if thinking of something, she shouted, “Then what if I lure that person into the Dragon Palace?”

[Tian Qiu] raised an eyebrow. “Lure him into the Dragon Palace… If you can really do that, then naturally it’s fine. Even the big shots in the sky wouldn’t be able to say anything.”

Perfected Lords set the board; Perfected Ones were the pieces.

The former focused on the general trend, while the details were controlled by the latter. Winning or losing depended on one’s own ability—this was an unspoken understanding between Perfected Lords.

“Good!”

[Sui Ling] rubbed her palms together excitedly. “I asked a friend from the Black Tortoise Clan to divine it for me earlier. That person is coming overseas on this very trip!”

“The karma shows his target is the Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain that you valued before, Eldest Brother. I ask you to move that divine mountain into our Dragon Palace territory. That way, he either has to force his way into our Dragon Palace or give up on improving his cultivation. Either way, it will let me vent this anger!”

“Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain…”

Hearing this, [Tian Qiu] frowned, smiling bitterly in his heart. As expected of a Perfected Lord. Striking the snake at its seven inches—giving me no chance to hide!

Why did he value the Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain?

Naturally, just like Suo Huan, he also saw that this divine mountain was formed from the fragments of a fallen Perfected Lord’s Grotto-Heaven. It would be immensely beneficial for him to ascend to his position and [Seek Golden Core]!

If it were anything else, he would have let it go.

But this divine mountain was the one thing he couldn’t let go of!

Yet if he didn’t let it go, he would have to form karma with the other party. With this back-and-forth, the tribulation would descend upon him, bringing a life-and-death crisis right before his eyes!

“Father King…”

[Tian Qiu] looked up toward the deepest part of the Dragon Palace, as if he could feel a pair of mountain-sized golden eyes watching him. A wave of pressure washed over his face.

…That’s right. Father King calculated the karma; how could he not know the sequence of events? Knowing this, he still ordered me to stay in seclusion and recite scriptures. He wants me to give up. But the Essence Magnetism Divine Mountain is a Grotto-Heaven fragment! If I get it, my hope of [Seeking Golden Core] increases greatly. How can I just give it up?

For a moment, [Tian Qiu] looked conflicted.

After a long while, he finally calmed his emotions and turned to [Sui Ling]. “The divine mountain hasn’t fully formed yet. Moving it into the Dragon Palace now would be a waste.”

“Little Sister, you go there first.”

“Take more men with you to guard the divine mountain for me. If that mainland cultivator who killed [Sui Ying] really intends to scheme for the mountain… then I will make my move.”

“Understood!”

[Sui Ling] was overjoyed. She left with brisk steps, leaving only [Tian Qiu] sitting in the hall with an uncertain expression, the daoist scripture in his hand now closed.

“Heaven’s will is hard to defy… Heaven’s will is hard to defy!”

Boom!

Thunder flashed across the sky accompanied by blinding white light, displaying the anger of the one behind the scenes, only to be forcefully obscured by layers of dark clouds.

“You all… bully me too much!”

A suppressed voice stirred the heavens and earth to howl. For a moment, waves surged overseas, and countless natural disasters were born out of thin air, looking as if they would turn into monstrous tsunamis.

But in the next second, three mighty forces emerged as well. They pressed down steadily, like an invisible giant hand pushing down the thousands of waves. All the natural disasters vanished without a trace before they could truly form, causing the voice that had been howling through the heavens to suddenly lower significantly.

“Amitabha. Why the rush, Dragon Lord?”

“The people below are ultimately just people below. In a game of chess, there are winners and losers. Admitting defeat is the only way to maintain dignity. Getting angry just shows your lack of magnanimity!”

“I…”

The Dragon Lord gritted his teeth. Winning and losing was part of chess, but you bastards have no ethics! Three people playing against me—I make one move, and you make three!

This wasn’t the first time this had happened. Thinking back, his True Dragon Clan was once the nobility of heaven and earth. They didn’t need to cultivate; reaching adulthood meant reaching Foundation Establishment. Four Dragon Lords divided the rivers, lakes, and seas—what prestige was that? But ever since they moved overseas, the nobility of heaven and earth became subordinates of humans, and everything changed.

When they moved overseas back then, the Dragon Clan had only him as a Dragon Lord.

Now, countless years later, the Dragon Clan still had only him as a Dragon Lord!

Every so often, a purge and harvest comes to the overseas region. They’re raising the Demon Race like livestock! And I’m just the designated sheepdog!

Whenever a demon cultivated to the Perfection of Foundation Establishment and neared [Seeking Golden Core], a “purge” would be triggered.

Even the methods never changed. They would just throw out a ‘[Seeking Golden Core] Opportunity’ and hook the target out, saying success or failure depended entirely on each party’s ability.

—Sounds nice.

In reality, after so many years, the Demon Race hadn’t won once. The four major powers joined forces to wipe out all variables. How could one speak lightly of resisting them?

Unless…

In the next second, the Dragon Lord simply retracted his spiritual will, ceasing his confrontation with the three unseen mighty forces. Returning to his main body in the Dragon Palace, he opened a pair of golden eyes.

Under the illumination of his gaze, invisible barriers were lifted.

Instantly, a tall figure with a leisurely demeanor was reflected in the Dragon Lord’s eyes, wearing a faint smile. “It seems the Dragon Lord has made up his mind?”

“…It’s a deal.”

The Dragon Lord said in a deep voice, “As long as you, [Sky-shrouding], can help my Dragon Clan produce another Dragon Lord who verifies the [Heavenly River Water], I will let him go to your Netherworld!”

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