Chapter 127: Shadow of the Flood Dragon

April passed as Qinghe County busied itself with disaster relief efforts.

The damage in Qinghe County had been severe, but thanks to the all-out assistance of the Taiping Sect, the situation had stabilized significantly by now. Although the flooding had inflicted great harm, it was not without its silver lining. The deluge had shifted the terrain, revealing a substantial iron mine within the county. If fully developed, it would provide a considerable boost to the local economy. Under the coordination of the Taiping Sect and the execution of the trade guilds, development of the mine had already begun, and many disaster victims who had lost their lands were settled there as miners.

However, Qinghe County was an exception; conditions elsewhere remained dire, and the management of displaced persons continued to be a major problem. While the crisis within Qingyuan Prefecture remained unresolved, Jiang Chen continued his personal cultivation.

Inside the Spirit Grotto, seated upon a jade lotus pedestal, Jiang Chen was wreathed in blood-fire, breathing in rhythm with the infinite. As time passed, the searing flames caused more and more Grudge-Evil Grass to wither. Strands of black mist drifted from the withered stalks into the blood-fire, acting like oil on a blaze and intensifying its power. At one moment, the blood-fire surged and took the shape of a blurred face, prompting Jiang Chen to snap his eyes open.

"The Blood-Evil True Flame Art is finally mastered."

With a breath, Jiang Chen swallowed all the surrounding blood-fire into his body. He had now successfully cultivated his second mastered-grade spell. Compared to the Thread of Qi technique, the mastered Blood-Evil True Flame Art was undoubtedly more overbearing; its mere ability to corrupt magical artifacts was extraordinary. With this mastered-grade flame and his own high-grade true qi, ordinary mid-grade artifacts could not withstand it; if they resisted, they would be ruined in no time.

"Forty-five apertures—not bad at all."

Gathering the remnants of the flames and sensing his own progress, Jiang Chen felt quite pleased. Since breaking through the threshold of thirty-six apertures, his cultivation speed had remained steady despite being slower than in the early stages. The presence of the Spirit Grotto had provided significant aid, allowing him to open nine more apertures during this period of seclusion, bringing him from thirty-six to forty-five.

"A mastered spell and nine more apertures opened—the harvest this time is quite good. Not to mention that the transformation of the Armament Pool is also taking shape."

With this thought, Jiang Chen turned his gaze toward the Lotus Spirit Pool beneath him.

Compared to its previous state of pure serenity, the pool now carried an aura of weaponry; merely glancing at it caused a prickling sensation between the brows. The greatest difficulty in modifying an Armament Pool lay in the control of spiritual energy—a challenge that had long stumped the Daoist Grey Bone. However, with the main body of the Taoyao as an auxiliary, Jiang Chen had achieved this with ease. Furthermore, the process required specific herbs and ores; with the Taiping Sect handling the collection, Jiang Chen had not needed to expend much effort, as these materials, while rare, were not priceless treasures.

"The Armament Pool is ready; it is time to begin refining the Flood Dragon Water-Covering Armor."

"Although I spent most of my time on my own cultivation and mastering spells, I have at least made a start on the Bone-Refining Armament Art."

With that thought, Jiang Chen retrieved the white bone bead that was the manifestation of the Flood Dragon Water-Covering Armor.

"Go."

Executing the incantation, Jiang Chen cast the bone bead into the Lotus Spirit Pool. The pool water churned, and accompanied by a defiant, draconic roar, the phantom of a flood dragon appeared beneath the surface, moving with great agility. Watching this, Jiang Chen’s gaze flickered.

"This spirit pool once nurtured treasures like the Fish-Dragon Pearl, and the primary material of the armor is the bone of a flood dragon. Could it be that an Armament Pool modified this way is uniquely compatible with this armor?"

Observing the changes in the armor, Jiang Chen formed a hypothesis. "Though I cannot be certain of the reason, the changes it is showing are undoubtedly positive. Given its current state, it might truly have the potential to become a spirit artifact in the future."

As the dragon phantom vanished, Jiang Chen tapped his storage bag and withdrew thirty stalks of Grudge-Evil Grass. "With these as fuel, the final tempering of the armor should be completed."

Channeling his secret arts, he infused the power of the grass into the pool, turning the once-clear water a murky black. Having finished, Jiang Chen let out a long breath. "After such a long time in seclusion, my mind is weary. It is time to go out and see the world."

Ensuring the Armament Pool was stable, Jiang Chen stepped out of the grotto.

The sunlight outside was beautiful. As he emerged from the earth and returned to the Qingxin Cottage, the warm rays bathed him, bringing a rare sense of comfort. He paused, basking in the sun with almost greedy delight, enjoying this moment of peace. In that instant, his mind grew completely still, all restlessness smoothed away.

Time passed, and when he finally opened his eyes, he looked at the setting sun and shook his head. "The years are quiet and peaceful; I truly wish to keep cultivating like this forever, but it is not realistic. Peace is only temporary, just as the sun must eventually set."

He turned and walked into his room. Hongyu, who had been waiting, had already prepared a bath to soothe his fatigue—a habit of his. At dusk, with the sky ablaze in sunset hues, Jiang Chen rested in the courtyard. As Hongyu brewed tea, she spoke of recent events within the Taiping Sect. Most did not interest him, but one detail caught his attention.

"You say someone tried to bribe Stone to gather information about me?" Jiang Chen asked, a hint of surprise on his face.

Hongyu nodded as she handed him a cup of tea. "It was very subtle. If Stone hadn't confessed it himself, we might never have known." Her expression was grave. Though Stone’s cultivation was weak and his status in the sect low, he had been a loyal follower since the beginning and knew many of Jiang Chen’s secrets. If he had been compromised, those secrets could have been leaked.

Hearing this, Jiang Chen fell into deep thought.