Past Grievances
"You know, reflecting back on a lot of things through this eternal lifetime of mine. I've come to regret many things. I am selfish, cruel, blind, I thought myself an intelligent schemer when all I was was but an ignorant fool. I was a horrible friend."
Sitting beneath the moonlight, Da Hai drank small sips of fruit wine. The aromatic taste of the alcohol carried with it extremely potent primordial Qi. Any mortal who drank a fraction of a droplet would become a strong cultivator, any who drank more than that would burn to ash. After all, the fruit of the Fusang tree was used to brew it.
"Hai," Da Hai sighed looking up at the moon. "Old friend, I hope you can forgive me. I realise now that for the sake of my disciples I would. Hai, I really am shameless."
Da Hai sat on his wooden rocking chair and sighed again. Reminiscing about the past often brought nothing but pain and regret and this was no different. "I want to fix things between us," he admitted.
The moon hummed hauntingly sending a shiver down Da Hai's spine. "So you are listening," he said in confirmation. As soon as he said that, a faint feeling he'd been experiencing, one that resembled the frigid north dissipated.
"Still, Zulong needs three brilliance sacred water. This is the only way," Da Hai sighed taking a big drink. "I can only hope you don't think me too shameless. If it were me, I know I'd cut myself in two on the spot, but you were always the better person. Just like Huoyun was."
…
"Remarkable progress," Zulong mused jolting down notes. His observation of the carp was going along better then smoothly. In three hundred years, it had already formed a nascent soul and was steadily progressing towards
"Based on his performance here, perhaps I can add…" he further mused toying with the ideas in his mind. His recent progress had been much greater than the ten thousand years he'd spent on this project beforehand.
"Was this what Luohu was like when he made the devilish Dao?" Zulong idly asked. Naturally, no one answered him but it was a rhetorical question in the first place. He jolted down the formation of the dragon soul within the carp.
"Next should be the formation of the bones, followed by organs, flesh, scales, then dragon gate should open allowing for true dragon blood," Zulong racked his mind for any other muses. "Hm, strong naturally occurring phenomenons could help this process, blood of other dragons as well. Preferably blood as that'll be easier to obtain."
Zulong stroked his chin, "Hm, would Qinglong be willing to donate?" He quickly squashed the thought and retrieved a knife. "But as big brother, I should take the fall instead," he grumbled letting loose a small droplet of blood for the carp.
"You better be grateful fish, that's royal dragon blood you're tasting," he roared pointing at the carp who merely swam away. "To spill the blood of a dragon, how humiliating," he grumbled.
Just then, loud footsteps caught his attention. The sliding door several hundred metres away was abruptly slid open and Yinglong ran out. "Big brother, urgent news," he cried catching the elder dragon's attention. Normally Yinglong was not one to be so energetic, that was Qinglong's job.
"Slow down brother," Zulong instructed. His tone immediately changed and the serious nature of this confrontation was palpable. "Tell me what's going on?"
"Emergency voice transmission from brother Xuanwu, the north sea is being invaded by an army of these insect like primordial beasts," Yinglong reported.
Zulong widened his eyes in surprise before narrowing them in anger. "Zulin?" He asked to which his younger brother nodded grimly. "Has Xuanwu engaged that horse?"
"No, Xuanwu reported immediately when he sensed Zulin enter the sea," Yinglong said. "From the delay of the message, this event should've taken place several months ago, they may have already started battling."
"Xuanwu has uncle master Ao's protection, he can last for a few decades, perhaps even a century. We need to hurry," Zulong said. "Grab Qinglong, I'll be going ahead," the dragon said flying away.
The prototype communication crystals Zulong had used over ten thousand years ago was now reached a stage where they can be easily used to message others over long distances. Zulong's own extremely high cultivation allowed for the device to cross world boundaries in record time.
At the speed Great Principle Chaos Immortals were capable of travelling at, several years was all it took to reach the north sea as opposed to the centuries to millennia it'll take a Great Unity Golden Immortal. The golden black ray of light Zulong transformed into bolted into the void skipping straight for the north sea.
"Master, Yu'er I'll be going out," he informed both individuals as he left Yingzhou. Gui Daiyu looked up at the disappearing ray of light and frowned slightly. She turned to look at Da Hai who'd been instructing her.
The sea god was pinching his fingers and performing divination. His eyes glowed in a soft greyish blue before frowning slightly. "He's just taking care of some pest, don't worry, Zulong can take care of himself."
"I know, it's just. I can't help but worry," the princess admitted. "I wish I was there for him, fight by his side. Please help me, most honoured exalted saint of Yingzhou."
"As I have told you and as Zulong has told you, you do not have to call me that," Da Hai sighed. "Very well, I will impart some insight upon you. Listen carefully."
…
Void turbulence, violent spatial tides that pushed and pulled in all directions within the void between worlds. Such things meant nothing to a Chaos Immortal as Zulong rocketed at top speed.
"After all these years, you finally come out of hiding," Zulong scoffed. His claws tore at the fabric of reality ripping a hole into the skies above the north sea.
The sight that greeted the dragon was one of chaos. Thousands of monstrous insects hacking away at a creature the size of a continent. A creature resembling a tortoise and a snake, the true form of the great god Xuanwu.
Not far away, Zulin stood on a cloud. He was in his human form and looked rather nonchalant about the whole ordeal. However, when the hole into the void was ripped open, he looked up and grinned.
"So you're here," Zulin said smirking. He looked tiny compared to the gargantuan dragon. However, his aura did not lose out. The qilin glared at the dragon. "I predicted you'd come," he announced to the floating dragon.
Admits the clouds, Zulong scoffed. His voice alone generated divine winds that instantly shredded thousands of insect like beasts relieving Xuanwu. The tortoise did not appear harmed at all, in fact, he seemed more worried about Zulin.
In truth, the entire skirmish was merely Xuanwu resisting Zulin. With his Great Principle Chaos Immortal cultivation base, no one except the qilin could've harmed him.
"You know, those took time to make," Zulin said in irritation.
"Since when did you start breeding primordial beasts?" Zulong growled. The air pressure around him strengthened viciously.
"Since I realised emperor Shenni never lived up to his potential," Zulin sneered. "Now get out of my territory."
"Your territory?" Zulong laughed. "What a Joke. What gall you must have to come back here after the beating I gave you. I am in admiration," he mocked.
Zulin stopped smiling. "What do you care? You don't even live here. Scurry back to your east sea, the north is my kingdom," he proclaimed.
"The oceans are my kingdom," Zulong scoffed. Both parties glared each other in a standoff. The immense auras of two very powerful Great Principle Chaos Immortals erupted. They clashed with each other creating two separate heavens.
A divine court of the land dwelled by myriad beasts stood behind Zulin. The cries of billions of monsters roared in unison. Behind Zulong was a divine court of the ocean, a royal throne trailed by majestic crab soldiers and turtle ministers.
The seas rumbled in anticipation of their clash. Xuanwu retreated, he unravelled his body revealing the hiding forms of what remained of the north sea seafolk. Many of them looked uneasily at both destined sovereigns.
"He's actually back," the giant crab Xie Chun said in awe at the dragon. Zulong's visage was even more profound than before. The Heavenly immortal felt he'd go blind if he looked at the dragon for too long.
Two more gashes opened up in the sky. The winding bodies of Qinglong and Yinglong flew out accompanied by the white tiger Baihu.
Zulin narrowed his eyes. "Using numbers, have you no honour?" He sneered.
"As if the likes of you deserve any," Zulong scoffed. "The ocean is my domain and I alone am enough to deal with the likes of you," he grinned with a bloodthirsty look.
"Hmph, domain? You aren't even a proper king," Zulin scoffed. "I on the other am a true sovereign in this world. Hear me heavenly Dao, I Zulin, the ancestral qilin declare myself sovereign of the primitive world. I am the rightful ruler of the land and the myriad beasts within," he declared.
The skies rumbled, an immense amount of karmic luck descended. They drifted into the qilin admits purple lightning and golden clouds of merit. Zulong narrowed his eyes.
Golden light condensed around Zulin forming an imperial dress. The crown with twelve strings of beads on both ends formed atop his head. A staff with the head of a qilin appeared in his hands.
"You stand in the presence of a sovereign," Zulin declared. "Why are you not bowing?" He threatened. "This sovereign remembers past crimes you have committed. But this sovereign is merciful and can overlook your crimes if you apologise and enter my court to receive proper punishment."
"Fat chance," Qinglong roared beginning to rush forward. Zulin scoffed and sent a wave of energy out at the dragon.
"Such insolence deserves death," he declared. Spacetime warped as a deadly ray of light blasted at the dragon. Qinglong gritted his teeth and readied his defences.
"Don't you dare touch my brother," Zulong howled untangling his massive body. In an instant, the golden dragon's tail whipped around, smacking the ray of light into bits. Zulong laughed in the face of the attack.
"This is all the Qilin Sovereign amounts to?" He taunted.
"Brother Zulong," Xuanwu called out mentally. "The safety of the seafolk, they mustn't be caught up in such a battle, they would not be able to survive," he warned. Zulong narrowed his eyes in anger momentarily frightening the black tortoise.
Then he took a moment and calmed himself. 'He's right, I can't escalate without collateral damage,' he thought grimly. Simply him and Zulin flexing their powers had been enough for the dragon to make some simulations in his head.
Zulong scowled at what he was about to do. It was extremely aggravating to the point where he wanted to snap at his subordinates. At full strength, something he'd need to guarantee a kill on Zulin, even Xuanwu's impeccable defence would have to be focused on himself to survive.
"Not at all worm," Zulin said raising his arm. A massive chessboard appeared behind the sovereign. Its pieces send down beams of light releasing an army of ridiculous proportions. Primordial beasts appeared in such numbers that it was frankly ridiculous.
A virtual ocean of hideous bodies appeared. Hundreds of millions, possibly billions of primordial beasts comparable to Golden Immortals, thousands of the same ones comparable to Great Unity Golden Immortals. Zulin lifted his arms and smiled.
"Behold, years of experimentation and breeding. These are no longer like the primitive primordial beasts that roamed mindlessly in these lands. These are living weapons. I call them Gu worms. What do you think?" He challenged.
"Numbers do you no favours here," Zulong retorted. "What is an army of weak immortals against several Chaos Immortals?"
Zulin frowned and clicked his fingers. The chessboard shone with even more light and a beast skin scroll appeared in Zulin's hands. Millions of beasts climbed atop each other and melted into each other forming truly massive grotesque titans. Many others also combined in weapons for these titans to hold.
"Throwing themselves at you aren't the only thing they can do," Zulin smirked.
Zulong braced himself and gritted his teeth. "Xuanwu, move to into the void with the north sea seafolk," he instructed saying forwards.
Just then, everything stopped. Daylight became moonlight. Despite the open daytime all this took place in, suddenly the world was shunted into the night. The entirety of the north sea had changed in an instant.
"Aunt master?" Zulong called out in shock. Zulin frowned at the sudden appearance of an illusionary moon among the night sky.
"Honoured senior, though I respect you, you should not get involved in my matters," he ordered. The moon above him hung menacingly, emanating a dangerous aura, an aura that far surpasses everyone present.
Zulin felt his courage waver. He subconsciously took a step back. He glared at the celestial construct only the frown angrily. "So this is your stance?" He asked. "Very well then, you better be careful star emperor," he threatened before turning around. His body and his army transformed in a beam of light and flashed away.
"Just like that?" Baihu asked walking forwards. Zulong nodded and said, "Despite our current rank of power, the ancestors of the previous generations are still supreme."
"Sovereign or not, we must still respect them," the dragon concluded. "But the gap is also getting smaller. Sooner or latter, we'd be equals," he said.
Before the dragons, a tear opened up and out stepped Da Hai. His hands were tied behind his back and around his waist was a gourd. "Come on, finish your businesses here first, then we'd return," he instructed.
"Master, is that?" Zulong asked pointing at the gourd. He could feel the rich life giving force from within the bottle. Pretty much what he'd need to create the dragon clan.
Da Hai nodded. "I had to clear some stuff up with Wangshu but I managed to get some of what you need.