Chapter 212 The Dragon Rides the Water! Heroes Join the Waves
After gathering its strength for many days, the python broke free of its shackles, entered the river from the pool, and then flowed into the Yangtze River. In the turbid waters of the river, the dragon's body appeared and disappeared.
Lightning flashed, reflecting off the scales and armor, radiating a cold gleam.
The dragon writhed and its enormous tail slapped against the riverbank. With a deafening roar, the riverbank collapsed, turning into a torrent of mud that swept away.
The river, which had calmed slightly, surged several times its original speed in an instant, with the wind howling and the rain raging, and the world changing color.
Only heroes...
I fear the world is not in chaos, and I fear the tides are not high enough!
Li Qianfan, at the helm, shouted, "These river waves are exhilarating!" He turned the rudder, the wind blew the long sails, and they followed closely behind the dragon.
The river flows mightily and ceaselessly, and the dragon boat sways gently on its surface without capsizing. Swept downstream by the current, the scenery on both banks flashes by.
Li Xian had never seen such a sight before. The more turbulent the river, the more his blood boiled. Hearing the thunderous roar, his chest pounded, and his burning passion was unbearable. Upon reaching the deck, he saw a massive wave at the river's head, towering tens of feet high!
Li Xian also shouted a few times, calling out with her heart open. Her long hair fluttered as she gripped the boat's handrail tightly. The boat was sometimes swept several meters high by the waves, crashing heavily into the river.
Sometimes it wobbles and trembles, sometimes it seems about to topple. It appears to be on the verge of collapse, yet it remains steadfast.
Standing at the bow of the boat, the scholar Tan Yang remained calm despite the rocking of the vessel, and exclaimed with emotion: "The mighty rivers flow eastward for thousands of miles, today they enter the sea and transform into true dragons!"
The python burst forth from the water and soared into the sky. Leaping dozens of feet high, its entire body was revealed, and it roared as if in response to the scholar Tan Yang's heroic verses.
Such a river, traveling a thousand miles in a day?
It's like traveling ten thousand miles in a day!
The dragon and python pound the river—what a magnificent sight! The current has already begun; all the wonders of heaven and earth converge here, and the very essence of destiny is at play.
Suddenly, a python roared, its sound shaking the heavens.
After flowing for a hundred miles, the first pass came into view... a sluice gate covered with sharp spikes stood across the river, blocking the flow of water.
On both sides of the strait.
Those present at the banquet had been waiting for a long time. Seeing the python and dragon moving on the water, and the dragon boat approaching, Zhang Yu, the head of the table, stood on high and bowed, saying, "Senior Dragon, please ascend the dragon seat!"
He said to the crowd, "Release them!"
Among the assembled experts, each displaying their skill, the boulder was pushed into the river. Swept along by the current, the boulder crashed against the mortise of the box. With a "crack," the mortise shattered, and all the spikes broke.
The python roared twice as a way of thanking the dragon, then rushed through the box and swam away.
Zhang Yu, leading his heroes, stood on the shore, watching them go and bowing respectfully. Li Xian stood in the boat, gazing into the distance.
Great spectacles, grand events, and momentous occasions in the world are key to either boosting or crushing one's spirit. When faced with a magnificent spectacle, fear will dampen one's spirit; conversely, vigor will enrich it.
Without witnessing the grandeur of the world, one's spirit is merely sustained by a single will. Having seen the world's magnificent sights and embraced its splendor, only when that spirit remains undiminished despite the trials and tribulations can one truly move the soul.
"We martial artists, if we don't roam the world freely, what's the point of cultivating martial arts? Today I witness the dragon so vast as the sea; one day... if I can ride a dragon and travel the world, then this journey will truly have been worthwhile!" Li Xian's heart surged with emotion. His robes billowed, the river wind blew, and in that instant, a surge of heroic spirit welled up within him.
Wen Caishang observed through the window. Her brows furrowed and relaxed as she glanced at the old dragon in the river, then closed her eyes to rest and wait for the right opportunity.
The python-dragon traversed over a thousand miles of water.
Along the way, there were many dangers and obstacles, but heroes always came to help.
"Junior Jiang Kai, the head of the banquet hall, is two hundred li away, to help the senior ascend to the throne."
"This junior, holding the banquet three hundred li away, congratulates Qi and assists the senior in ascending to the throne."
...
Two heroes gathered by the river. They raced forward, overcoming dangers, obstacles, and difficulties... their momentum across the water unstoppable.
When they passed a river fork in the road within the “Yangchun Prefecture of Yunan Road”.
Thousands of miles from Dragon Claw Town, a 'Thousand Mile Banquet' is set up here. The head of the banquet, "Thunder Mouth Iron Mouth," is a veteran and powerful figure in the martial arts world.
He cursed and his voice carried far: "Damn it, a bunch of rats, always resorting to those underhanded tricks. If I catch them, I'll kill them and eat them!"
Wu Feiyu, a renowned master of light-footed kung fu from the side table, said, "We should be cautious, otherwise we might actually let them succeed."
Seeing the river flowing faster and faster, Tie Dazui frowned and said, "Senior Old Dragon is coming. This matter needs to be resolved as soon as possible!"
turn out to be…
This place is called "Mother and Daughter Fork", which is the first major and dangerous pass in the water!
As you travel along the Benhua River, it is divided in two by a terrain feature, with two channels on either side. The flowers, buildings, and mountain formations on both banks are remarkably similar, making it difficult to discern any differences with the naked eye.
However, the left channel of the river flows into the sea. The right channel, on the other hand, gradually transforms from a river into a lake, and from a lake into a marsh. If a python or dragon were to travel along the right channel, it would become shallower and narrower with each step, and its journey would come to an end.
They were eventually trapped between the lakes.
They were like fish on a chopping board, to be slaughtered at will by those who would feast like dragons. Therefore, this section is crucial to success or failure and cannot be taken lightly.
Unfortunately, this is the very place. Some wicked people have taken advantage of this terrain to set up a maze, which can disorient people, obscure their senses with fog, and make them lose their senses and unable to distinguish left from right.
It can be described as extremely insidious.
Tie Dazui said, "Damn it, does anyone here know anything about feng shui? Can they break this dog formation?"
The group exchanged anxious glances, but were helpless against the maze. The river was surging rapidly, and the serpentine dragon was approaching. A mistake would mean failure, a truly regrettable outcome.
Tie Dazui said, "Damn it, these rats pulled this trick, I really didn't expect it. But we're not going to be taken for granted."
"Wu Feiyu... You're fast on your feet. You can't tell left from right here. Just choose any river path and run for several miles or even ten miles until you find the river that leads to the sea. Then immediately send a signal with smoke!"
Wu Feiyu said, "Indeed, this is the only way." He stepped on the waves and crossed the surging river. He was so fast that he became a black dot in the blink of an eye.
The Benhua River stretches for 49,000 li, winding and twisting with numerous tributaries. The group of experts who will be enjoying the Dragon Banquet began their journey several days ago.
Relying on the surging river, they boarded nimble boats and arrived before the python. They escorted it, facing the perilous situation of slaying the dragon. The dragon's movements on the water were a spectacle of wonder.
Humans fight, the heavens fight, the earth fight... it's all here!
"They're here!"
Iron Beak saw the surging river water revealing the emerald green dragon's body. Further away, dragon boats swayed in the water, also coming with the river's current.
Wen Caishang frowned, stood at the bow of the boat, and said in a deep voice, "Feng Shui formation?"
Inside the dragon boat, the scholar Qi Kaiyan, the golden-sword earth dragon Zhu Butong, the old woman Su Yu holding a sword, and several other experts were all gathered at the bow.
Su Yu asked, "I've long heard that Lady Wen is a man of great talent and learning. What formation is set up here? What is its purpose?"
Wen Caishang pointed to the towering mountains on both sides of the riverbank, "Look closely, these are Zimu Mountain. Because the two places have similar feng shui, customs, and terrain, they have grown into two similar mountains over time."
"They look like twin brothers, but even twins born of the same mother and child have different ages. No matter how similar these mountains are, they are still divided into mother and child. Someone has set up a maze based on the shape of the mountains."
"In each of these two mountains, there is a bronze cauldron. Can you all see it?"
Zhu Butong gazed into the distance and saw a large cauldron standing atop the mountain. He said, "It is indeed so."
"These two bronze tripods are also arranged as a mother and son. The mother tripod is placed in the son's mountain, and the son tripod is placed in the mother's mountain. This implies confusion between mother and son and reversal of left and right."
"The air here is thick with moisture, and the feng shui is chaotic. We are here, and left is no longer left, right is no longer right. It is easy to go astray on the river."
Wen Caishang said solemnly, "If we take the wrong river route, we will surely be doomed!"
Qi Kaiyan asked, "Does Madam Wen have a way to break this?"
Wen Caishang shook her head and said, "It's too late. If I had arrived here earlier, I could have easily broken through this little maze. Unfortunately, we're at the fork in the road, and time is running out; it's already too late."
"What should we do?" Su Yu asked anxiously.
"It doesn't matter if it's reversed, it's just a gamble," Wen Caishang said calmly.
"Even in this situation, Madam Wen remains calm and composed; she truly possesses remarkable composure!" Qi Kaiyan and Zhu Butong praised, both expressing their admiration. However, their gazes towards Jiang Dao were filled with worry.
Suddenly, a loud bang was heard. Tie Dazui used his martial arts skills, and his voice was as loud as thunder. He said, "Senior Old Dragon, please come this way!"
Seeing the assembled martial arts masters displaying their skills and crashing against the giant waves, creating a great spectacle, Tie Dazui's loud voice boomed like thunder, further invigorating the crowd. Their gazes pierced through the maze, revealing the heroes at the banquet.
The python, its body swirling and turning, followed the directions and swam into the correct river channel. After traveling another ten miles or so, the fog gradually dissipated, and they swam through the maze. Seeing the vast expanse of the river, they felt a sudden sense of liberation.
The heroes on the boat were somewhat relieved. And so it went. On the long, winding river, the dragon traversed the waters, overcoming countless obstacles and hurdles. Not only did the dragon display its might, but the martial arts masters along the river also displayed their impressive skills and talents.
Five thousand miles away.
Benhuajiang turns north and enters Takio Road.
Here lies a precipitous drop, a rare and spectacular sight: the Heavenly Waterfall.
The terrain here is unique. It causes the water to flow upwards, so that the river must climb a steep cliff to pass through this area.
The river flows ceaselessly, sometimes upward, sometimes downward, so how can outsiders see it clearly? Therefore, to outsiders, this appears to be a waterfall a thousand feet high.
In reality, the water flows upwards, making it a reverse-flowing waterfall.
This unique natural barrier is a divinely bestowed challenge. The Benhua River stretches nearly 50,000 li (approximately 25,000 kilometers) to the sea, with countless unique terrain features. Transforming a dragon into a serpent is no easy feat.
When the python and dragon reach this point, they must cross a cliff thousands of feet high. Although the water flows upstream, it cannot support the enormous dragon's body. Even a much smaller dragon boat would find it difficult to cross this barrier.
The python-dragon is somewhere between a python and a dragon. It can fly, but not very high; how can it cross a cliff a thousand feet high?
Suddenly, a loud "boom" was heard.
The python leaped hundreds of feet high on its first leap, its entire body fully revealed. But it was still extremely far from the high cliff. The python plunged into the waterfall, using the force of the upward flow to leap again.
It rose another hundred feet or so, plunging into the waterfall once more. Using the water's current, it leaped again... another hundred feet or so. This continued several times, until it was nine hundred feet off the ground.
However, it revealed an extremely difficult situation. Each time it leaped into the water, it only reached a height of about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters). But the fall was also about ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) high.
Therefore… despite using all its strength, it could only maintain its position and not retreat. Completely helpless, the python returned to the bottom of the cliff to rest and gather its strength for another attack.
Li Xian had seen many strange things, objects, and sights. Seeing the "Heavenly Waterfall" again, he was no longer surprised, but he still marveled at its magnificent scenery.
The water flows upstream, the clouds are shrouded in mist and rosy hues, and the water's edge stands tall.
Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but sigh: "Such a waterside cliff, even if the current flows against you, it can provide some leverage along the way. But it is still very difficult to cross."
A dragon moving through water is no easy feat.
Suddenly, a strange noise was heard!
(End of this chapter)
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