Volume Four: Clouds Swept by the Wind, The Sinking of Four Continents Chapter Eleven: The Underground Palace

On the southern border of Jingchu Kingdom in Nanyan Continent, the Dark Fiend Vanguard Army was taking a rest in a remote village. The village was steeped in deathly silence; every living thing had been transformed into their reserves—a kind of crystal known among the Dark Fiend Clan as “Shadow Stones.”

Shan Shang turned to Sha Shang beside him and asked, “How many Shadow Stones have we stockpiled this time?”

Sha Shang thought for a moment and replied, “Roughly over five hundred pieces. That should barely last us five or six days.”

Shan Shang sighed. “With just these eight hundred or so of us, marching in enemy territory, we must be extra cautious. We have no flying beasts, and from what the vanguard officer says, the journey to Kunpeng Sea is long and arduous; without two months we won’t make it. We need to ration these Shadow Stones carefully.”

Sha Shang grumbled discontentedly, “That so-called vanguard officer does nothing but sleep all day. Brother, do we really need her that desperately?”

Shan Shang glanced at the Lady of Lanling, who lay not far off on a battered wooden door, and then turned his head, lowering his voice to Sha Shang. “We cannot afford to cross that woman. She betrayed her own kin, her methods are ruthless. Without her, we’d never find the Desolation Cauldron, and even if we did, we couldn’t bring it back!”

Sha Shang curled his lip. “I wonder what kind of deal she struck with the Great Emperor, for him to indulge her so.”

Shan Shang tried to placate him. “Don’t get upset. Whatever goes on between her and the Great Emperor is none of our concern. As soldiers, our duty is to obey orders.”

He cast another look at Lanling and, in an even lower voice, added, “I’ve heard... the Great Emperor wants her to bring back the Desolation Cauldron for that matter.”

Sha Shang asked suspiciously, “That matter?”

“Ah! You know which,” Shan Shang said with a meaningful look.

After pondering a while, Sha Shang’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh! You mean the gathering of starlight—”

Before he could finish, a large hand clamped over his mouth. Shan Shang hissed, “Are you looking to die? Some things are best kept to yourself, don’t speak of them!”

At that moment, though Lanling’s body was present, her spirit had already traveled to the Dragon Palace deep within Kunpeng Sea.

Lin Xiaoyun was groveling before a massive giant clam, speaking with great humility. “My lady, we agreed that if we helped hinder the Cloud Palace’s people from reaching Nanyan Continent, you would ensure my clan’s safety. But look at us now—Cloud Palace’s forces are hunting down my dragon clan everywhere; there’s no place left for us in any of the four continents.”

As he spoke, Lin Xiaoyun wiped his tears. He continued, “Fortunately, Kunpeng Sea is naturally harsh, and the Dragon Palace lies deep in the ocean, hard to attack and easy to defend. That’s the only reason we’ve managed to survive. Look at the Shark Clan—their entire race was wiped out, bound and sent to Cloud Palace, doomed to eternal servitude. My lady, please stand up for my dragon clan!”

The giant clam flapped its shells, spitting out a stream of bubbles, and spoke, “Prince Lin, it’s not that I won’t help you, but you didn’t do your part. We agreed the four great demon clans would rise together, yet only those three foolish sharks joined you. What about the Eagle Clan and Whale Clan? They agreed to your face, but behind your back, they’re cozying up to Cloud Palace.”

Lin Xiaoyun replied awkwardly, “You’re right, my lady. But now, with Cloud Palace backing them, I can’t challenge them.”

The clam continued, “Even if there were only your two clans, you should have accomplished something! Just looking at you infuriates me.” With that, it spat out more bubbles.

Lin Xiaoyun hurried to apologize, “It’s all my incompetence, my lady. Please forgive me. In our current state, my dragon clan alone cannot resist any longer. I beg you to send reinforcements soon!”

The clam closed its shell with a snap, nearly knocking Lin Xiaoyun off his feet, and scolded, “Good-for-nothing! You’re more trouble than you’re worth! You haven’t even opened the gate to the underground palace. What use are you to me?”

Lin Xiaoyun scrambled to his feet, prostrating himself before the clam, and wept bitterly. “Please, my lady, calm your anger! The gate was designed by Zhuohua, made entirely of Ao Stone—unimaginably hard. The lock is riddled with mechanisms. Zhuohua was the greatest craftsman of this age. Without his key, your incantation alone cannot open it!”

The clam interrupted him. “I’ll give you ten more days. If you still can’t open the entrance, you’d best worry for your dragon kin.”

With that, a tremendous wave swept through, sending everything tumbling. When at last the sea calmed, Lin Xiaoyun looked at the mess around him and cursed bitterly, “The Xuanhuang people—none of them are any good!”

He made his way to the underground palace entrance.

This underground palace was hidden in the deepest trench beneath the Dragon Palace in Kunpeng Sea. After the ancient war, it had been agreed that the four continents would be the domain of the Xuanhuang immortals, while the demon clans were relegated to the oceans and wilds. Kunpeng Sea was allotted to the Lin Dragon Clan.

To commend the demon clans’ peacekeeping role, Cloud Palace helped build grand palaces for the four great demon clans, all modeled after the palatial complexes of Xuanhuang Void. Among them, the Dragon Palace was most unique. During the transformation of the void, the Desolation Cauldron had sunk to the depths of Kunpeng Sea. When building the Dragon Palace, they constructed an additional underground palace above the cauldron’s resting place, and added a deep spiral staircase leading down to it.

The entire underground palace was designed and supervised by Zhuohua himself. Once finished, the incantation was placed in Lady Lanling’s care, while the mechanical key remained with Zhuohua.

Having just endured Lanling’s scolding, Lin Xiaoyun now looked at the craftsmen working at the entrance with mounting fury.

He roared, “Master Craftsman, get over here!”

His shout echoed through the water above the workers’ heads; they all shrank back, none daring to look up.

An elderly man with white hair and beard drifted before Lin Xiaoyun and knelt with a thud. Trembling, he said, “Reporting to the Dragon King, this Ao Stone gate cannot be opened from the front. We’ve tried every method to break it, but it won’t budge. We also tried tunneling from below, but the entire foundation is solid Ao Stone. We can’t get through! They say Ao Stone is the hardest, most precious gem in all the void—but where did they get so much of it?”

Lin Xiaoyun kicked the old man in the face, sending him flying, and snarled, “Old fool! They’re the Xuanhuang Clan. Most of the void once belonged to them. Times may have changed, but even a dying camel is bigger than a horse. A pile of stones is nothing to them. I’ll give you ten more days. If you can’t open these blasted doors, you’ll learn what the Wrath of the Nine Heavens means!”

With that, he flung two bolts of thunder from his palms at the black gate. The door showed no reaction, but the shockwaves sent scaffolding and workers tumbling in the churning waters.

Fuming, Lin Xiaoyun returned to his chambers. As he crossed the threshold, he slammed the heavy doors behind him. In the hall, Consort Si had laid out a grand banquet, waiting for him to dine.

Ordinarily, Lin Xiaoyun would have gone over, wrapped his arm around Consort Si, and enjoyed fine wine, delicacies, and music. But tonight, at the sight of the feast, his pent-up frustration erupted. He kicked the table over, sending food and drink flying everywhere.

The singers, about to begin their performance, screamed and scattered. The palace maids collapsed in terror, and the hall descended into chaos.

Consort Si watched coldly throughout. When Lin Xiaoyun’s rage had subsided, she approached and offered a formal greeting.

Seeing her so composed, Lin Xiaoyun’s anger faded considerably. He righted a chair and seated himself in the center of the hall. As he surveyed the mess, worry clouded his brow once more.

Consort Si’s voice was calm as water. “What troubles you, my lord?”

Lin Xiaoyun sighed. “Today, Lady Lanling’s spirit visited and gave me ten days to open the underground palace gate. But that gate is like a wall of bronze and iron. The craftsmen have worked day and night to no avail. Ten days? A hundred or a thousand wouldn’t be enough. Truly, Heaven means to destroy my dragon clan!” His face was streaked with tears as he sobbed.

Consort Si gave a gentle, enchanting smile. “My lord, there is no need for worry. If the dragon clan cannot escape its fate, I will face it with you. I will not fail the vow we once made—to live and die together.”

Lin Xiaoyun started and looked closely at her. Suddenly he said, “You are not Consort Si—you’re Consort Chen!”

Consort Si smiled serenely. “There’s no need for alarm, my lord. That witch has been dealt with by my own hand. Today she had me dragged here and humiliated me, forcing me to eat stale food. I am, after all, the nominal mistress of the six palaces—how could I let her bully me again and again?”

Lin Xiaoyun nodded, dejected. “In terms of cultivation, only you and Lin Bai are my equals in the Dragon Palace. Consort Si was too arrogant.”

Consort Chen returned to her true form, fetched a chair, and sat beside the Dragon King. She sighed, “I endured humiliation for Bai’er’s sake, but now, with the palace in crisis, as a member of the royal house I cannot let her continue her rampage. So I dealt with her guards and killed that witch. My lord, what is done is done. Please punish me as you see fit.” With that, Consort Chen knelt, bowing her head to await judgment.

Lin Xiaoyun sighed deeply. “Consort Chen, since our union, I have always failed you, while you have always put the fate of the dragon clan first. I owe you too much. How could I punish you? That witch deserved her end. Stand up, don’t exhaust yourself.” He rose to help her up.

Once seated, Lin Xiaoyun inquired after her health, then said, “My beloved, with Cloud Palace pressing us hard, our clan is on the brink of destruction. I hope you will write to Bai’er, asking him to plead our case before the Primordial Lord. Say that I was coerced by the Four Generals of the An Family into joining the Dark Fiend Clan. When the time comes, let the old man of the An Family and his four foolish sons bear the blame. As long as Cloud Palace spares us, we may yet make our escape.”

Consort Chen smiled faintly and nodded. “As you command, my lord.”